Barker Commission findings reveal poor market indicators
Initial findings from the Radix Housing Commission, chaired by Dame Kate Barner, have revealed that the state of the UK housing market is worse now than it was twenty years ago.
In a letter to Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook Barker, author of the Barker Review of Housing Supply in 2004, wrote that “there has been a failure to link new housing with infrastructure delivery and also, since the financial crisis, a further decline in the supply of new social rent homes”.
The Commission’s initial recommendations call for the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit to be reinstated, with other recommendations including:
- Taking a two-stage approach to housing policy reform;
- Establishing a cross-departmental Implementation Unit at the Cabinet Office, and a cross-party accord on housing;
- Significantly boosting the supply of small and medium sites and delivery by SME and community-led developers.
The full report is expected to be published in the autumn.
Meanwhile, the NHBC have warned that current housebuilding volumes must “more than” double to meet Labour’s target of 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.
Latest NHBC data has revealed that new home registrations fell -23% to 29,281 in Q2 2024, against the same quarter last year.
New home completions were also down by -6% during the quarter year-on-year, at 33,847, with private sector completions decreasing by -10%, and rental or affordable housing increasing slightly by 1.6%.
Meeting the Government’s housing goals will require significant changes, commitment and investment across industry.
Steve Wood, Chief Executive Officer, NHBC
Government launches Skills England
The new Labour Government has announced a new body aiming to “create a shared national ambition to boost the nation’s skills”, in an effort to tackle the ongoing shortage of skilled labour in the construction industry.
Skills England will be established in the forthcoming year, and will bring together key partners to provide “strategic oversight” of the system and meet skills requirements over the next ten years.
It will also identify the priority areas for skills training and develop a “single picture” of national skills needs.
Report highlights lack of outdoor space
A study by developer Redrow has found that a third of families have no outdoor play areas or nature spaces within safe walking distance of where they live.
The firm’s second annual community play report also revealed that children continue to play outside for two-thirds less time, on average, than their parent’s generation.
The survey of 2,000 parents, grandparents and young people also found that two in five parents believe their children will lack a sense of adventure, have poorer mental health and increased social anxiety as a result of a lack of outdoor play.
Hill Group tops £1bn turnover
Private developer The Hill Group has surpassed revenues of £1bn for the first time, and posted pre-tax profit of £70m.
Reporting on an extended period to align its financial year-end with that of its joint venture partners, the group revealed that it delivered 2,886 new homes and has a pipeline of 12,900 homes with detailed or outline planning permission.
Housing View 