<b>Ongoing changes to the structure of the housebuilding industry continue to influence Housebuilder&amp;’s regional planning application survey. Steve Menary looks at the movers in the figures for 2002</b><br><b>The recent bout of industry consolidation is again evident in the latest quarterly survey of &amp;“Who&amp;’s planning to build where&amp;” from Emap Glenigan.</b><br> In October, Wimpey ended months of speculation by buying John Laing&amp;’s housing arm for &amp;£297 million to be paid over more than 12 months.<p></p><p> Wimpey chief executive Peter Johnson said: &amp;“The deferred payment structure allows us to continue uninterrupted our programme to increase operating margins in our existing business.&amp;”</p><p> Laing operates mainly in the Thames Valley, the Home Counties and the Midlands and the deal includes a 4,013-plot landbank.</p><p> Emap Glenigan&amp;’s survey shows that Laing submitted 18 detailed applications for a total of 655 units during 2002, with most of these proposals in London and the South East. All these figures have been included in Wimpey&amp;’s total and Laing&amp;’s four submissions for 207 units in the South East helps Wimpey up one place to ninth in this region, which is still topped by Barratt.</p><p> The only regional top ten that included Laing in the last survey covering the 12 months …