Latest News

The latest news, features, comment and analysis of the UK housebuilding market covering policy, regulation, planning, technology, new developments and products

House prices 6.1% lower than last year says Halifax

July 11, 2008

House prices are now 6.1% lower than last year, according to Halifax’s house price index.

Barratt agrees new debt deal and sheds 1,200 staff

July 10, 2008

Barratt Developments has reached a new deal with its funders giving it longer to pay off £400 million of its total £1.7 billion debt, and is to make 1,200 staf…

Bank of England holds rates at 5.0%

July 10, 2008

Interest rates have been held at 5.0% as the Bank of England’s monetary policy committe (MPC) works to balance inflationary pressures with the major downturn i…

Prince\'s Foundation joins ecotowns drive

July 9, 2008

The Prince\'s Foundation for the Built Environment is to give design guidance for a potential ecotown scheme of 5,000 houses near Nottingham.

Redrow reduces capacity and makes 550 redundant

July 9, 2008

Redrow has moved to reduce its capacity as the continuing impact of the credit crunch has seen its sales volumes during the first six months of the year fall b…

Bovis cuts 40% of workforce as sales fall by 32%

July 9, 2008

Bovis has announced significant cost cutting measures as its sales volumes have fallen by 32% on last year, with 851 homes sold during the first six months of …

Mortgage lending in May down 44% year-on-year

July 9, 2008

Latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) shows that the total value of mortgage funding issued for house purchases in May, £7.6 billion, was d…

Persimmon to shed 1,100 staff as sales fall by 34%

July 8, 2008

Persimmon\'s trading update for the first six months of the year illustrates the continuing impact of the so-called mortgage famine, as sales are down by 31% a…

Mortgage rates continue to rise – Moneyfacts

July 8, 2008

Latest research from moneyfacts.co.uk shows that mortgage rates for fixed rate deals are continuing to climb, with two or three year rates now standing at more…

Persimmon expected to announce mass redundancies

July 7, 2008

Volume housebuilder Persimmon has made around 1,000 of its staff redundant following a two-month consultation with its employees, according to reports.