House prices rise 0.5% - Hometrack
<p>House prices in England and Wales rose 0.5% in September, the highest monthly increase seen since May 2007, according to Hometrack’s latest monthly housing survey.</p> <p> </p>
Gleeson sets sights on 1,000 homes
<p>Gleeson Homes plans to grow its business to 1,000 units a year in the “medium term” after reporting a strong performance for the year ending June 30 2013.</p> <p> </p>
NHBC registrations rise 25% to hit six-year high
<p>UK registrations for new homes rose 25% for the year up to and including August, NHBC’s latest monthly figures reveal today (September 27).</p> <p> </p>
Boles tells housebuilders to "take responsibility"
<p>Planning minister Nick Boles has appealed to housebuilders to look beyond their “net value” and to their responsibilities to the British public on the run up to the general election.</p>
Labour "to build 200,000 homes a year"
<p>Labour leader Ed Miliband has told his party conference today (September 25) a Labour government would tackle the housing crisis by building 200,000 homes a year by 2020.</p> <p>He said that he plans to free-up councils from planning regulations, penalise developers who hoard land and identify new towns and garden cities. "We will say to private developers - you can't just sit on land and refuse to build - either use the land or lose the land."</p> <p>Labour is to set up a commission to review housing policy under former BBC trust chairman Sir Michael Lyons.</p> <p>Responding to the speech, HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley said: "It is very positive that the Labour party is prioritising housing delivery and focussing on demand side and planning constraints. Recent months have seen some confidence return and builders looking to increase their build rate. It is vital any new government builds on the progress made so we can start to build the homes of all tenures and sizes the country needs."</p>
Redrow to "significantly" up output
<p>Redrow Homes has reported a 26% rise in revenue to £604.8 million over its financial year, as it looks to “significantly” increase its output over the next year.</p> <p> </p>
RICS calls for cap on house price inflation
<p>The Bank of England should cap house price inflation at 5% to prevent another housing bubble, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).</p> <p> </p>
Miller chases growth
<p>Miller Group plans to increase its volumes to more than 2,000 units per annum over the next three years, on the back of an improved performance within its housing division in the past year.</p> <p> </p>
Lack of retirement homes "next housing crisis" - Demos/HBF
<p>The lack of housing for older people is the UK’s next housing crisis, a report on retirement housing launched today (September 12) reveals.</p> <p><br />Top of the Ladder, compiled by Demos, shows that 3.5 million people aged over 60 wish to buy retirement property, but only 100,000 suitable homes exist.</p> <p><br />Demos said that building more retirement housing would free up more than 3 million homes and help people lower down the housing ladder. The older generation is also sitting on some considerable wealth, with over 60s in England alone owning £1.28 trillion in housing equity.</p> <p><br />The report also found that downsizing had a positive effect on people’s wellbeing, making them less reliant on care services.</p> <p><br />The Home Builders Federation (HBF) used the publication of the report to launch its Campaign for Housing in Late Life, headed by TV personality Esther Rantzen. The campaign calls upon the government to remove the policy barriers that make building retirement homes difficult, and improve housing choices for older people.</p> <p><br />HBF’s campaign also asks local councils to include older people’s housing needs in its local housing policies to help combat loneliness and bring security and companionship to the older generation.</p> <p><br />“Social isolation is normally a punishment for a crime – it should not be the price for growing old,” Esther Rantzen said. “Yet when [older people] come to move, they find their options are severely limited.”</p> <p><br />Shadow housing minister Jack Dromey said that there had not been a clear policy focus on retirement housing from any government. He added: “If we already have a housing crisis, the Demos report reveals that we have a hidden crisis with retirement housing. <br />“We need more housing options for older people, and there are wider societal benefits to doing this. Focusing on retirement housing is a no-brainer.”</p>
News Alerts
Don't miss out on another important news story get important news alerts right to your inbox.
