Private sector registrations down 7% in Q1 2026 – NHBC
Private sector new home registrations fell 7% in the first quarter of 2026 against the same quarter of last year, as housebuilders face the “’perfect storm’ of rising costs and falling demand”, NHBC said today (May 12). It warned that the wider impact of the Middle East conflict would affect registrations. NHBC’s new home statistics for Q1 2026 show that 18,072 new private homes were registered to be built against 19,439 in Q1 2025. The rental and affordable sector also saw a year-on-year decrease in registrations for the same period, down 4% to 8,887.
Future Homes Hub’s Technical Conferences to tackle FHS
The Future Homes Hub will host two technical conferences in June, bringing the industry together to “explore the real-world implications” of the Future Homes Standard. Taking place at Leeds Beckett University on June 9 and Central Hall Westminster on June 17, the Future Homes Standard Technical Conferences will be practical forums focused on delivery, compliance and implementation, “helping technical and delivery teams sense-check emerging approaches, identify risks and learn from peers across the sector,” the Future Homes Hub said.
Stamp duty “most economically damaging tax” – shadow chancellor
Stamp duty is “the most economically damaging tax” which is “bunging up the housing market”, according to the shadow chancellor Mel Stride. Speaking on the latest episode of national estate agent Winkworth’s Property Exchange podcast, the shadow chancellor commented that the tax was preventing people from buying their first home, blocking those needing to move for work and hindering older people who wished to move.
Four days left to enter the Housebuilder Awards 2026
There are just four days left to enter the Housebuilder Awards 2026, the industry’s own awards, supported by the Home Builders Federation and NHBC. The Housebuilder Awards are free to enter, with an entry deadline of this Friday, May 15 2026. There are 12 categories to enter including Best Design, Best Marketing, Best staff development and Best sustainability initiative.
Hill achieves planning permissions across south east
The Hill Group has secured three planning permissions across the south east, totalling 268 new homes, with 113 to be delivered as affordable. One site represents land released from the green belt. In Takeley, Essex, the partnership-led Hill has won consent for a 108-home scheme on Parsonage Road, set across a 16-acre site. The development will consist of a mix of two-to-five bedroom homes for private sale, alongside a range of affordable properties including apartments and houses for affordable rent and shared ownership, representing 40% of the total homes.
New build market risks “missing mainstream” – Hometrack
Developers are increasingly targeting a "product vacuum" for larger, four-bedroom homes but this risks “leaving less affluent buyers behind”, according to Hometrack’s latest market analysis report. At the same time, it said the current market did not encourage “the mass-market construction required to meet government housing targets”.
May edition of Housebuilder magazine now out
The May edition of Housebuilder is now out and available to read on the www.house-builder.co.uk website. With the Future Homes Standard finally published, the latest issue looks at the detail, the industry view and housebuilders’ plans. Andy Hill, founder and group chief executive of Hill Group, talks to Suzie Mayes about his company’s next phase of growth, ambitions and challenges in a toughening market.
Research shows shift in home buyer priorities – Story Homes
Research from Story Homes shows a “striking shift” in what buyers want from a new home, according to the housebuilder, with energy efficiency, quality and intelligent design “overtaking location and lifestyle as the key motivators”. The study of 2,002 nationally representative UK residents reveals that 61% cite lower energy bills as a “major factor” when deciding to move. And nearly 30% of respondents believe a more energy-efficient home with lower running costs would encourage them to move.
New taxes/regs add £76,000 to cost of building a home - HBF
New research from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) reveals that £76,000 has been added to the cost of building a home since 2020, raising concerns about the viability of new housing developments across the UK. HBF is calling on the government to implement a moratorium on new policy costs, taxes, and levies affecting home building and to conduct a comprehensive review of cumulative regulatory impacts.
Gleeson incurs legacy remedial costs
Gleeson has encountered “issues” on legacy schemes that will cost the housebuilder between £5.2 million and £7.1 million, it said in a trading statement. Issuing an update covering the 11 weeks to April 24 2026, Gleeson, the low-cost housebuilder and strategic land specialist, said the previously completed legacy developments, mainly in Yorkshire, needed remedial works to achieve road adoption, with this to be undertaken over the next three to four years.
