<p>Small housebuilders in the south east risk going out of business because an investigation into the Thames Heath Basin Special Protection Area (SPA) could delay the construction of 40,000 homes by two years. The South East England Regional Assembly (SEERA) will lead a team looking at how new homes can be built without having adverse effects on the SPA. <br><br>SEERA say this will help to alleviate planning problems affecting several sites in the area. But the HBF has warned that the investigation could actually delay construction further. “We are concerned that the process only reports at the end of July. Beyond that it has to be integrated into regional and local plans. That could take up to two years,” said HBF external affairs director John Slaughter.<br><br>He added: “Smaller builders’ futures are threatened by the delays in the area. We can’t afford to wait for the report to come through if we want to save businesses.” <br><br>Antler Homes has lost three sites during the planning process solely because of the SPA. “We are suffering along with many others,”said chief executive Geoff Potton. “We aren’t in the stage of job losses yet but some smaller builders are.”Cala Homes, for example, lost 15 …