Help To Buy Gives 10% Return To Taxpayers

The Help to Buy equity loan scheme has produced a return of around 10% to the exchequer, according to an analysis of government data by housebuilders. The support scheme for buyers of new build homes, which has helped more than 313,000 households to purchase a property since being set up in 2013, has already generated more than £230m for the taxpayer, according to a report by the Home Builders’ Federation (HBF). The HBF report into the scheme also finds no evidence that it has contributed to price inflation. Read more on Housing Today.

Help to Buy gives 10% return to taxpayers | News | Housing Today

Government Will Act On Build Out Rates

Robert Jenrick has confirmed that the government intends to bring in measures designed to force housebuilders to build out sites more quickly, despite admitting that there was no evidence of “land-banking”. Speaking to the Home Builders’ Federation’s annual policy conference, the housing secretary said he was planning to act because there remained a “public perception” of landbanking, despite two government-commissioned investigations having found no evidence of it happening. The announcement comes in the wake of the confirmation that the government will press ahead with controversial planning reforms in the face of significant backbench disquiet over the measures. Read more on Housing Today.

https://www.housingtoday.co.uk/news/government-will-act-on-build-out-rates-jenrick-confirms/5112044.article 

Housing Market Is Playing ‘A Major Part In Building And Sustaining An Economic Recovery’

The important contribution that the housing market makes to the UK economy should not be underestimated. While there is no single source of data providing comprehensive information about the total economic impact of a housing transaction, fresh analysis from Knight Frank, produced in partnership with the Home Builders Federation (HBF), attempts to quantify that figure. It shows that for every resales housing transaction that takes place the economy benefits by around £9,559 on average. Scaling that figure up means that for every 100,000 housing transactions, there is a net impact of almost £1bn. In addition, more than 11,500 jobs are supported either directly or indirectly by these transactions. Read more on the Property Industry Eye website.

https://propertyindustryeye.com/the-housing-market-is-playing-a-major-part-in-building-and-sustaining-an-economic-recovery/ 

House Building Sites Allowed To Work Longer Hours

The Government has granted house builders the all-clear to keep building sites open later to stagger workers arrival times. The move is one of a raft of measures to get the housing market back up to speed, including re-opening show homes, estate agents and letting removal firms get back up and running. A Safe Working Charter similar to that in use on major construction sites has been unveiled by the Government and the Home Builders Federation, enabling home builders to return to work safely. Read more on the Construction Enquirer website.

https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2020/05/12/house-building-sites-allowed-to-work-longer-hours/

Why Industry Should Back Accessible Homes

The Home Builders Federation is discouraging councils from building inclusive housing. The Federation has advised at least 17 local authorities against setting mandatory targets for more accessible housing in new local planning policies, suggesting they could dent profits. It has also questioned whether predictions of an ageing population will mean there will be an increased demand for inclusive housing. This advice not only undermines planning aimed at mitigating the effects of profound demographic change that are expected to take over the next decade. It also denies the realities of today’s housing market. Only 7% of English homes achieve a basic level of accessibility. Read more on 24housing.

https://www.24housing.co.uk/opinion/why-industry-should-back-accessible-homes/

Builders Criticised For Lobbying Against Accessible Homes

Private housebuilders have been accused of “appalling self-interest” over their lobbying against building more accessible homes for disabled residents. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has been objecting to councils across England that wish to fix new targets to increase the number of homes with room for wheelchair users and which could be adaptable. It has made submissions to at least 17 authorities, from Liverpool to Sevenoaks, arguing that new local planning policies seeking more accessible housing could make it unprofitable to build new homes. The submissions also question whether predictions of an ageing population mean an increased demand for adaptable and accessible housing would be certain. Read more on the Guardian website.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/28/builders-criticised-for-lobbying-against-accessible-homes

Councils face objections to accessible homes

The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has launched objections against councils bidding to boost the building accessible homes. This week, 24housing reported research by Abode Impact revealing that in the private rented sector alone four in five are currently living in a home that fails to fully meet their needs as a wheelchair user, while 91% have experienced barriers to accessing the sector. HBF says councils have a responsibility to ensure housing plans are viable and not subject to a ‘blanket’ approach. Read more on 24housing.
https://www.24housing.co.uk/news/councils-face-objections-to-accessible-homes/

Planning Permissions Stay High

There were 355,000 planning permissions granted in the year to June 2018, but the government’s 300,000 target for the housing supply remains a way off, according to an industry report. The Home Builders Federation and construction data provider Glenigan’s latest joint Housing Pipeline report shows the number of permissions for the last year is hovering around 2016/17’s record levels. It states the number of permissions is a good indicator of future housing supply however, housing supply for 2016/17 was 217,000, 72 per cent of the government’s target of 300,000. Read more on the Mortgage Strategy website.

https://www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk/planning-permissions-stay-high-but-supply-still-far-off-300k-target/

Help To Buy An ‘Unmitigated Success’

A report by the Home Builders Foundation, whose members include the UK’s biggest housebuilders, highlighted that 170,000 households have used the scheme since its launch in 2013 and of these 81% were first time buyers. “It is quite clear that the Help to Buy scheme has been an unmitigated success and has delivered handsomely on all its objectives,” said Stewart Baseley, chair of the HBF. The HBF said it is estimated the scheme has helped around 246,000 people get on the housing ladder and rejected the idea it is helped more people on higher incomes than intended. Last year the median household income for those using the scheme was £49,000. The UK’s overall median household in 2017 was £27,300. Read more on the HBF website.

https://www.hbf.co.uk/news/help-buy-unmitigated-success/

HBF Reports Big Rise In Social Housing Units Approved

The fourth quarter of 2017 saw 27% rise in social housing units approved according to the latest HBF Housing Pipeline report. Overall, the report shows the number of units approved during the quarter was 1% up on the third quarter of 2017 and 9% higher than during the same period of 2016. This year-on-year rise was driven by a 7% increase in the number of private housing units approved together – with that a 27% rise in social housing units. Read more on 24housing.

http://www.24housing.co.uk/news/hbf-reports-big-rise-in-social-housing-units-approved/

Housebuilders Issue Brexit Plea As Poll Shows UK Reliance On EU Workers

More than one in six people working on housebuilding sites across Britain come from other EU countries, rising to half of site workers in London, according to a new report. A survey of 37,000 housebuilding workers across Britain shows 17.7% are from the EU. More than half of those come from Romania, with 12% from Poland and almost 10% from Ireland. Nationwide, 15% of bricklayers , 25% of general labourers and almost 18% of finishing trades, which include plasterers, painters and decorators, come from the EU. Read more on the HBF website.

Help To Buy Has Driven Record Rise In Planning Permissions

A report produced by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) in association with construction market analyst Glenigan has suggested that the Help to Buy scheme is having a significant impact on the housing market. According to Stepping Up, a report produced to assess its impact so far, Help to Buy now accounts for one in every 12 first-time buyer transactions and is such a success that it is “driving industry confidence to invest in new sites at a time when activity in the market generally remains stubbornly slow”. The study suggests that the number of planning permissions granted in the first half of 2017 was the highest for new homes on record.  Read more on the Planning Portal.

New Home Planning ‘Permissions’ Up – But System Remains A Constraint

Permissions for 76,242 homes were granted in England between July and September, with the total number for the 12 months to September reaching 289,011, the highest since the survey began in 2006. However, the number of actual sites these permissions are on dropped, indicating Local Authorities are granting permission for an increasing number of large strategic sites as opposed to the mix of size and type of site needed to deliver more homes. Read more on the HBF website.

Healey Slams “Disappointing” 11% Rise In Net Housing Supply

Despite an 11% increase in net supply over the last year, England continues to fall short on the number of new homes needed to tackle the housing crisis, the latest official statistics have revealed. The Home Builders Federation (HBF) was generally upbeat in its response to the net housing supply figures, suggesting that it indicated the housebuilding industry was on track to meet the Government target of one million homes over the course of this Parliament. Annual housing supply in England in 2015-16 came to 189,650 net additional dwellings – up 11% on 2014-15 – according to today’s figures. Newbuilds accounted for 163,940 of these net additions. Read more on Housing Excellence.

Housing: Construction – House of Lords Written Answer

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to encourage house building on sites where planning permissions have been given for house building.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: We are keen to drive up delivery of new housing once permission has been granted and we are actively taking steps to tackle some of the factors which can delay a start to development. We are taking forward measures through the Neighbourhood Planning Bill, which was introduced on 7 September, to improve the use of planning conditions to avoid unnecessary delays to development. We have also, through the Housing and Planning Act 2016, introduced a provision for a section 106 dispute resolution process. This will assist in speeding up negotiations on the content of section 106 planning obligations, where developers and local authorities have failed to reach an agreement. Secondary legislation is required to implement the provision. We also expect the members of the Home Builders Federation to adhere to their commitments in May to provide local authorities with transparent annual returns on build-out rates. And we will be setting out further measures in the forthcoming Housing White Paper.

Planning Permissions Highest Since 2008

The number of planning permissions granted for new homes in Q1 of this year remained high, HBF and Glenigan’s latest Housing Pipeline report shows. Permissions for 66,102 homes were granted in the first three months of the year in England, up 4% on the previous year.  The Moving Annual Total has now recovered to just short of the pre-crash peak in the 12 months to March 2008, and is ahead of the levels in 2006 and 2007, suggesting house building can continue increasing to meet the very high level of demand for new homes. Whilst many of these permissions still have some way to go before builders can start building them, the figures are a strong indicator of future supply.  Read more on the HBF website.

House Builders Deny Land-Banking

House builders have hit back at claims by local authorities that they are ‘land-banking’ and building-out schemes more slowly than in the past. Industry body the Home Builders Federation reacted angrily to research published by the Local Government Association which showed that 475,647 homes in England had been given planning permission but had yet to be built. The research also indicated that developers are taking longer to complete work on site. It now takes 32 months, on average, from sites receiving planning permission to building work being completed, 12 months longer than in 2007/8 according to the LGA. Read more on the Planning Portal.

Lewis Writes To Councils Over Rent Cut Building Delays

Brandon Lewis has written to councils over delays to building caused by developers seeking to renegotiate affordable housing planning requirements as a result of the social housing rent cut. The Housing Minister, in a letter to all council leaders and chief planning officers, this week said associations are reviewing their financial commitments following the rent cut announced in July, leading to delays. This is because some associations are seeking to alter deals under which they buy affordable homes from developers through section 106 agreements.  In some cases, this is leading to a reopening of planning discussions between councils and developers. Read the letter on the HBF website.

Economic Benefits Of New Home Building

House builders in the UK are providing more than just homes with a new report revealing the extent of the benefits. The report from the Home Builders Federation, says that last year in the East Midlands, 13,190 homes were started by private house builders, the public sector and housing associations. Based on the findings of the report, the economic footprint of this house building meant that:

·         56,717 jobs were supported

·         528 graduates and apprentices positions were created

·         £21,196,330 was contributed towards education in the area

·         £16,962,340 in extra council tax revenue was generated plus £131,900,000 in other tax contributions

·         £12,345,840 towards new open spaces, community spaces or sports facilities, or enhancing existing resources was paid to Local Authorities

·         3,034 new affordable homes were built

·         Payments of £292,066,170 were made to local authorities for further provision of new affordable homes

Download the report from the HBF website.

Massive ‘Hidden’ Social and Economic Benefits of Home Building Revealed

Research reveals the full contribution house building makes to the UK’s economy and its communities. It shows an industry worth £19.2bn per year to the UK economy, employing more than 600,000 workers and generating £1.4bn in tax revenues – as well as the additional community benefits derived from building desperately needed new homes.It shows the housebuilding industry also;

·         Spends £5.5bn with suppliers, 90% of which stays in the UK

·         Provides 32,000 affordable homes – worth £2.3bn –  with a  further £1bn paid to local authorities as a contribution to more affordable housing

·         Pays £576M towards community facilities;

·         £225M towards education facilities;

·         £131m in open spaces and community and sports facilities.

·         Generates a £3.8bn spend in local shops and services

Download the report from the HBF website.