February 2, 2012
Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, has unveiled a range of measures aimed at helping first-time buyers and boosting prospects for house builders.
From March, the NewBuy Guarantee scheme will be on hand to help those buying newly-built properties.
The scheme brings lenders, builders and ...
NewBuy Guarantee scheme launches in March
Permalink: NewBuy Guarantee scheme launches in March
by Gill Montia
November 21, 2011
The Government has set out a new strategy to tackle England's housing shortage by breaking the current cycle in which lenders won't lend, builders can't build and buyers can't buy.
At the heart of the strategy is a new-build indemnity scheme that ...
New housing strategy full of promise
Permalink: New housing strategy full of promise
by Gill Montia
November 3, 2011
Government attempts to tackle the national housing shortfall are doomed to failure, according to real estate specialist, DTZ.
Reforms to the planning system, the release of public land and even improvements in mortgage finance are all well and good.
However, they are ...
Urgent call for new housing development model
Permalink: Urgent call for new housing development model
by Gill Montia
October 18, 2011
The British Property Federation (BPF) is promoting a "brownfield first" approach to development, arguing that this not only protects the environment but comes with added social and economic benefits.
Speaking yesterday to a committee of MPs charged with scrutinising the Government’s proposed ...
Brownfield development to lose tax relief
Permalink: Brownfield development to lose tax relief
by Gill Montia
October 11, 2011
Britons are as keen as ever to build their own homes and over 20 building societies either have specific self-build mortgages or will consider self-build projects.
New research from the Building Societies Association (BSA) indicates that 50% of us relish ...
Self build captures the imagination
Permalink: Self build captures the imagination
by Gill Montia
October 9, 2011
Rapid progress is being made in releasing public land for new homes, according to Housing Minister, Grant Shapps.
The minister recently ordered an audit of government departments' land banks with the aim of providing plots to build 50,000 new homes.
Various government departments ...
Communities gain right to reclaim land
Permalink: Communities gain right to reclaim land
by Gill Montia
September 30, 2011
Leading businesses in the building products sector are calling for more support and vision from Government on sustainability.
New research by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the Construction Products Association found that while 91% of firms questioned recognise the growing importance of green credentials for ...
Construction suppliers hazy on sustainability
Permalink: Construction suppliers hazy on sustainability
by Gill Montia
September 14, 2011
Thousands of brand new homes are failing to provide the space families need, according to research from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
The average new three-bedroom property built by one of the UK’s top housing developers is around 8% smaller ...
Architects attack “shoe box” new homes
Permalink: Architects attack “shoe box” new homes
by Gill Montia
August 29, 2011
Building new homes to greener, low-carbon standards costs less each year, according to a new report from Communities Minister, Andrew Stunell.
Research based on interviews with developers and the latest developments in environmental technologies show the additional costs associated with the Government's ...
Fall in greener homes building costs
Permalink: Fall in greener homes building costs
by Gill Montia
August 26, 2011
Figures from the Home Builders' Federation (HBF) show the number of residential planning permissions granted in England falling to just 25,000 in the second quarter of 2011, when around 60,000 homes per quarter are needed to meet the country's housing ...
New home planning permissions a paltry 25,000
Permalink: New home planning permissions a paltry 25,000
by Gill Montia
August 24, 2011
Persimmon legally completed 4,439 house sales in the first six months of 2011, with the total down from 4,657 in the same period of 2010.
However, weekly sales rates from 30th June have been running 4% ahead of the prior year, with a ...
Persimmon: housing market stable
Permalink: Persimmon: housing market stable
by Gill Montia
July 26, 2011
The Government has published a National Planning Policy Framework which aims to safeguard the environment, while meeting the need for sustainable growth.
According to Planning Minister, Greg Clark, current national planning policy is lengthy and complex, whereas the new Framework sets out government ...
Government publishes Planning Policy Framework
Permalink: Government publishes Planning Policy Framework
by Gill Montia
July 14, 2011
A shift away from holidays abroad to the "staycation" has accelerated second-home ownership in the UK, according to Knight Frank.
The estate agent's latest research reveals that second-home ownership in England was at its second-highest level on record in 2010, hitting a ...
“Staycations” push demand for second homes
Permalink: “Staycations” push demand for second homes
by Gill Montia
July 5, 2011
Housing market conditions have been stable during the first half of the year, a leading UK housebuilder reports.
During the six months to the end of June, Persimmon legally completed 4,439 homes (2010: 4,657) while its forward order book nudged ahead of the ...
Persimmon: housing market “stable”
Permalink: Persimmon: housing market “stable”
by Gill Montia
House building activity falters
Permalink: House building activity falters
by Gill Montia
July 2, 2011
A new steering group has been set up jointly by the Local Government Group and Home Builders' Federation to look at reducing the complexity of UK home building standards.
Sir John Harman, a former Environment Agency chairman, will head the group, which will:
Oversee ...
Building standards under scrutiny
Permalink: Building standards under scrutiny
by Gill Montia
July 1, 2011
Taylor Wimpey says it is "very pleased" with its ongoing performance improvement in the UK, where it has continued to see stability since April.
In a trading update, the housebuilder's group chief executive, Pete Redfern, commented: "There are ongoing signs ...
Taylor Wimpey: improvement in mortgage lending
Permalink: Taylor Wimpey: improvement in mortgage lending
by Gill Montia
June 25, 2011
Two well-known names in the UK property market are launching a joint venture to develop a portfolio of private-rented housing across England.
Property adviser, Savills, and developer, Willmott Dixon, will operate through regional partnerships with ...
Savills and Willmott Dixon promise new purpose built rented housing
Permalink: Savills and Willmott Dixon promise new purpose built rented housing
by Gill Montia
June 21, 2011
Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, is calling on the country’s biggest mortgage lenders to back a self-build "revolution" and lend more to those who want to build their own homes.
According to the minister, much needed affordable and sustainable homes could result from ...
Lenders need to support self-build “revolution”
Permalink: Lenders need to support self-build “revolution”
by Gill Montia
June 20, 2011
Gross mortgage lending across the UK amounted to around £11.3 billion in May, with the figure up 12% on April but having increased only 1% compared with a year earlier.
According to new data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders, interest in remortgaging ...
FirstBuy enters flat mortgage market
Permalink: FirstBuy enters flat mortgage market
by Gill Montia