SME report highlights critical affordability issue during New Homes Week
A lack of affordability for first-time buyers is a major barrier to SME growth, with 84% of smaller housebuilders citing a lack of demand support as a hurdle, according to the SME State of Play survey. The industry has highlighted the survey, produced by the Home Builders Federation, Close Brothers Property Finance and Travis Perkins, as it marks New Homes Week, with the theme this year of the “Power to Move”. The three organisations involved in the report said that its research underlined the need for dedicated support for prospective buyers to give them the power to buy and for SMEs to have the power to build.
Vistry picks James Lidgate as group development director
Vistry has appointed Taylor Wimpey md James Lidgate as its group development director. Lidgate, who also joins Vistry’s executive leadership team, has amassed more than 25 years’ experience with some well-known housebuilders and developers. As well as most recently being Taylor Wimpey's md, Lidgate has held various senior roles at Legal & General, including ceo of L&G Homes, regional chair of CALA and Legal & General Investment Management’s head of residential.
Private registrations rise 12% in 2025 – NHBC
Private new home registrations rose 12% in 2025 against 2024, according to NHBC’s latest data released today (February 3). During the year, new homes registered for the UK private sector totalled 75,227. Registrations for the rental and affordable sector also increased by 10% against 2024 to 40,123 new homes. In total, new home registrations increased 11% last year to 115,350 new homes.
Aylesworth Fleming founder retires again
Matt Fleming, founder of Aylesworth Fleming and a well-known figure in the UK’s residential property marketing sector, has announced his retirement for the second time. Fleming took his second retirement at the end of January, having returned to the specialist residential property marketing and advertising agency in 2021 after selling the business following more than 30 years as its leader.
New build cuts annual bills by £420 – HBF/Octopus Energy
New build homes save homeowners on average £420 a year on bills compared to older properties, according to a new report from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and Octopus Energy. As the industry begins New Homes Week, an annual event which celebrates the benefits of new build homes, the report, Watt a Save, reveals that buyers of new properties can achieve a saving of 21% on energy expenditure, with energy efficiency features including heat pumps, solar panels and car charging points fitted as standard on many new homes.
HBF/HfS publish guidance on competition law compliance
The Home Builders Federation and Homes for Scotland have published guidance on complying with competition law. Following voluntary commitments that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) accepted from seven housebuilders who it had investigated for suspected exchanges of competitively sensitive information, HBF and HfS have issued the guidance which covers UK competition law principles on information exchange and guidance specific to the housebuilding industry
Section 106 affordable housing measures announced
The government has announced emergency measures to address challenges in the section 106 affordable housing market as well as publishing longer term intentions. Under a time-limited offering, local planning authorities can now allow for the tenure of uncontracted section 106 units to be varied, with the government instructing them to use existing planning flexibilities to renegotiate s106 agreements.
New Homes Accelerator enters second phase
The New Homes Accelerator will now cover smaller sites and expand support in London in a second phase of the initiative, the government has announced today (January 29). Housing secretary Steve Reed is calling on developers, landowners and local authorities to come forward with sites, including those of fewer than 500 homes, that need support to develop in an extension of the programme.
Crest slashes jobs as it “makes progress”
Crest Nicholson has made around 50 redundancies, closing its Chiltern office in December as it shifts towards the “mid-premium” market while confirming profit below previous guidance for its full year. Announcing its preliminary results for the year ending October 31 2025, the housebuilder said it had performed in line with its November update. Adjusted pre-tax profit for the year was £26.5 million, 30.5% up on the equivalent period of 2024 but below the original guidance range of between £28 million and £38 million.
