First-time buyers targeting homes worth £10,000 more than last year, Zoopla reports First-time buyers are targeting homes worth £10,000 more than a year ago, according to Zoopla’s latest House Price Index. The report finds that first-time buyers are now seeking to buy homes with average prices of £254,750, up 4.3% on last year. Zoopla says…
New home applications highest since 2022 despite delivery pressures, according to TerraQuest data The number of new home applications in England rose to its highest level in four years in Q1 2026, according to the latest data from Planning Portal operator, TerraQuest. The latest Planning Application Index shows that there were 71,028 housing unit submissions across…
King’s Speech sets out plans for Remediation Bill, social housing delivery and leasehold reform The King’s Speech has set out plans for the government to introduce a Remediation Bill to accelerate the repair work on high-risk buildings with unsafe cladding. As part of the state opening of Parliament, the King announced the Remediation Bill, which…
L&G sets out new partnership model which could unlock £9billion investment in affordable housing L&G has published a new whitepaper that sets out a new solution to unlock long-term institutional capital and accelerate the delivery of affordable housing across England. The insurance company is calling on institutional investors, housing associations and the government to back…
HBF SME Developer Seminar – Indevor Bonds and Guarantees We were invited by the HBF to contribute to the HBF SME Developer Seminar on 21st April 2026. It was an incredible opportunity to present our expertise to the industry and provide a platform to showcase the importance of surety bonds to SME developers. The event…
How to make the Future Homes Standard work in practice Late March’s announcement of the Future Homes Standard (FHS) marks a significant step for the UK’s housing sector. Positioned as a move towards greener, cheaper living, the standard aims to reduce homes’ reliance on fossil fuels with the combination of changes predicted to bring a…
Planning consent for BtR homes takes 150% longer than the statutory time limit, new research finds New research from the British Property Federation and Savills shows that the average time to secure planning consent for Build-to-Rent homes in London has doubled in the last six years, from eight months to 15 months, 150% longer than…
Castle Point ranked worst in England for new houses built A south Essex borough has been ranked bottom in England for new housing additions, but council leaders say it is not a fair reflection. Castle Point Council recorded just 0.54 new dwellings per 1,000 existing homes in 2024–25, with a total drop of 86.6 per…
UK construction starts fall 17% in Q1 as Iran War disrupts industry The latest Construction Index from Glenigan reports a 17% decline in work starting on-site in Q1 2026, remaining 18% below 2025 levels. The Index focuses on the three months to the end of March 2026, covering all underlying projects, with a total value…
Nationwide reports house price rise in March but warns of impact of Middle East conflict UK annual house price growth increased to 2.2% in March, up from 1% in February, according to the latest House Price Index from Nationwide. The building society also reported a 0.9% increase in house prices month-on-month, after taking account of…