The real reason Britain doesn’t build Opinion Planning isn’t the only reason we have a housing shortage, too many developments just aren’t economically viable, says Melanie Leech The government is undoubtedly right to focus its efforts on reforming the planning system. Ask the anyone in the property industry and they will say that the system is complex, burdensome, under-resourced, and prone to [...]
On housing, the government’s numbers just don’t add up Opinion Developers can only build at the rate they can sell, and this is intrinsically linked to mortgage financing. Long-term, fixed-rate mortgages above the 4.5 times income threshold can be part of the solution, says Arjan Verbeek The United Kingdom’s housing market is at a critical juncture. The government has pledged to deliver 300,000 new homes [...]
Can the government tax its way to a building boom? Opinion Labour have big plans for house building and infrastructure so what can we expect on property taxes in the Budget? Tim Sarson has the answers Cut through the post-election chatter about black holes and freebies and there is one theme that keeps coming up as a top political priority. Building things. I can’t remember a [...]
The Debate: Should London’s suburbs be spikier? October 17, 2024 A housing crisis and London’s relatively flat skyline have prompted calls for building taller (or ‘spikier’) in the suburbs. Growth bros on Twitter are desperate for London to “densify”, i.e. cram more buildings into a smaller space by building taller structures or extending current buildings upwards. Yet London’s outer regions are typically flat with parks, [...]
Galliford Try hikes dividend as profit surges October 3, 2024 Galliford Try has reported a more than tripling in annual profit and hiked its dividend as the housebuilder's earnings surpassed analysts' expectations.
Britain’s ‘Computer Says No’ attitude needs a reboot October 1, 2024 Modern Britain is the victim of needless rules, a useless public sector and a lack of ambition, writes James Price
Mortgage approvals hit highest level in two years as housing market recovers September 30, 2024 According to figures from the Bank of England, 64,900 mortgages were approved last month, up from 62,500 in July.
Housing is an opportunity, not a problem September 28, 2024 Operating in a sector so often labelled as ‘in crisis’, it’s easy to forget that housing is a safer investment than many realise, says Chris Benn City grandee Sir Nigel Wilson published a report this month that outlined how Britain will need to invest £1tn over the next decade to realise its growth potential. It’s [...]
We need more new towns like Brent Cross – but we need them in the right places September 25, 2024 Brent Cross is London's newest park town. Its proximity to London has been crucial to making it a success, writes Tom Goodall
Epwin expects demand for building products to ‘remain subdued’ in 2024 September 11, 2024 Building products supplier Epwin has posted a slide in revenue for the first half of 2024 and said demand would likely "remain subdued" through the rest of the year.