Persimmon on track to open 75 new outlets as it looks to take advantage of growing house prices
Persimmon, the UK’s second largest housebuilders, is on track to open around 75 new outlets during the first half of 2022, having already opened over half by the end of March 2022.
The housebuilder now has around 300 active outlets across the UK, as it looks to snap up more of the market and strengthen its sales.
The group’s current forward sales position, including year to date legal completions, fell just short of last year’s £3bn, at around £2.8bn.
Though FTSE 100 firm has benefitted from the spiralling cost of housing, which it says has swelled from around £252,000 last year to £266,000 for private owners.
Chief executive Dean Finch said the company was “currently trading in line with expectations”, with strong demand and private average sales rates up around two per cent year-on-year.
In a statement, Finch also pointed to the redmiation works the housebuilder has been urged to undertake to fix cladding issues on taller buildings, after fierce campaigns following the Grenfell tragedy in 2017.
“Earlier this month we signed the Government’s pledge on cladding removal and fire safety remediation, the principles of which are consistent with the commitment we announced over a year ago,” he said. “As such, we continue to believe the £75m provision we have already set aside remains appropriate.”