Home Builders Federation

Thank you to everybody who has been involved with the Women into Home Building insight week. 👷♀️   Experts from all areas of the industry shared their insight into site management and the opportunities our sector offers. The sessions also provided candidates with career insight and support with their personal development ahead of their work placements.   Congratulations to the 25 candidates taking part in the programme.   …and thank you to everyone involved in delivering insight sessions this week 👇   Jacqui Wordsworth Gabriella Agnello Lucy Ann Wallace Paris Skipper Amelia Hayward-Dunn Sudha Dandikar Emma Dickinson Daisy Flint Georgia Emery Darryl Stewart Rachel Danemann Rianna Fry Kelly Clark Melody Waters Emily McKenzie Amy Sumner Ajkana Hassan

Who will be joining us?

The number of units approved in Q2 2024 reached a record low. …with 53,379 units granted planning permission. This represents the lowest quarterly figure since 2014… And a 3% drop on the previous quarter and a 13% drop on Q2 of 2023. More data is available at 📄👉https://lnkd.in/dvbXzGET Glenigan #HousingPipeline

“Each year developers contribute around £7 billion to local authorities for the provision of local infrastructure, affordable housing and education, recreational and health facilities but some councils are increasingly failing to invest this cash into the services that so desperately need it.” 🗨 Neil Jefferson, Chief Executive at the Home Builders Federation. Our latest research uncovers the developer contributions currently held unspent by local authorities across England and Wales. Read the full report 👉 https://lnkd.in/e66p5HpV

We have submitted a response to the Government's call for views on its proposed Brownfield Passport and options to increase certainty in relation to brownfield development. 📄 But how much more positive can national policy be given that the changes proposed to the NPPF reinforce an existing presumption in favour of granting planning permission on brownfield land?  Our Planning Director, Samuel Stafford shares his perspective 👇 Developers consistently cite land availability as a challenge but it is a particularly acute challenge for SMEs and was an issue identified in the final report of the CMA's Housebuilding Market Study. The reasons why more brownfield sites do not come forward for development are often because of: 🔵 higher build costs and higher alternative or existing use values  🔵 the remediation of former polluting uses  🔵 biodiversity net gain obligations  Whilst national policy might explicitly support the principle of development on brownfield land, the subjective nature of local planning policies, means that there is very little certainty as to the type and scale of development proposal that might secure planning permission... ... references to “appropriate” increases in density or building height are prime examples of this. Without substantive pre-application advice, it is very often the case that the only way to find out if a development proposal will be supported is to submit a planning application.  Even then, and even if officers are supportive, objections from existing residents about ‘the character of the area’ might result in a planning application being, at best, delayed by a planning committee or, at worst, refused. There are, though, ways in which LPAs can de-risk the time and cost of overcoming technical challenges like the ones listed above.  These include: ⏺️ the proactive deployment of Local Development Orders  ⏺️ Permission in Principle and Brownfield Registers  ⏺️ design guides  ⏺️ Supplementary Planning Documents The case to expedite and maximise the development and potential of brownfield sites is clear and compelling.  However, it will require a focus on local policy and the practicalities of bringing such sites forward.  Identifying and removing obstacles to LPAs deploying the existing tools in the box will be essential.   HBF’s submission to the Government’s brownfield passport policy paper can be viewed on our website  👉 https://lnkd.in/dmwaGijn 

New Homes Week campaign resources are available now to support your plans for 2025.   The pack contains new designed assets and a calendar of content focuses to use in the lead up to and during New Homes Week.   You may notice we've also refreshed the campaign's look and feel in line with member feedback.    👪 Theme: Community 📅 Dates: Monday 3 to Sunday 9 February 2025 (marking 20 years since the first campaign) 📂 Download: New Homes Week marketing toolkit and supporter badge 👉 https://lnkd.in/eUcNjAQj   If you’re planning to get involved in next year’s campaign, action your teams to sign up to their so they don’t miss out on our marketing content exclusive to members.

Our Planning Director, Samuel Stafford, attended a home building site in Ipswich last week and spoke to BBC 4’s Today programme on the barriers to successful planning applications. 📣 Under-resourced local authority planning departments are a significant barrier to housing delivery and increasing capacity and capability within the planning system will address some of the causes of long-standing delays. 

What impact did Help to Buy have on housing supply and the market in England? 👇 🔹 Within just five years of its introduction, housing supply in England doubled. 🔹 The combined effect of higher sales rates and more sales outlets drove what became the fastest increase in housing supply since the years after the Second World War. 🔹 Between 2008 and 2013, buyer mortgage availability was frequently among the top barriers to delivery. Comparatively, almost immediately after Help to Buy was introduced, the availability and cost of mortgage finance barely registered as a barrier to growth in home builder surveys. Read our full analysis on the impact of Help to Buy in the ‘Road to Redemption’ report 👉 https://lnkd.in/eJ-NCwhT #Budget

Designed to upskill those working in roofing trades and site managers, our Roofing Masterclasses cover vital content including: ✅ Condensation control ✅ Underlay, battens, and roofing components ✅ Fire stopping ✅ Weathering and flashings Training can be delivered on-site to a group of 5 to 12 delegates or you can book a space on a session being delivered at one of NHBC’s four training hubs. Find out more and book your place now 👇

Over a quarter of unspent developer contributions are estimated to have been sitting in council bank accounts for more than half a decade. The unused funds paid by developers are estimated to include… 📌 £6 billion from Section 106 agreements 📌 £2 billion raised through the Community Infrastructure Levy Read the report’s full findings 👉 https://lnkd.in/e66p5HpV