Consortium report calls for devolved fund
An interim report from the Northern Housing Consortium’s Renew inquiry has found that housing-led regeneration could unlock more than 500,000 homes across the North of England over the next decade.
The report, chaired by Lord Richard Best and backed by Homes for the North and Muse, argues that targeted investment and policy reforms could drive large-scale housing and economic growth.
Among its recommendations are a £500m, 10-year devolved regeneration fund for mayoral authorities and a dedicated regeneration finance facility through Homes England’s National Housing Bank.
Construction output edges up in April
Official figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed that monthly construction output is estimated to have grown by 0.1% in April, following an increase of 1.5% in March.
Total construction output is estimated to have grown by 1.6% in the three months to April; this is the second consecutive increase in the three-monthly series.
However, the increase in monthly output in April came solely from an increase in repair and maintenance, whilst new work fell by -0.3%.
Pace of decline slowing, says RICS
Sales market activity remains subdued but the recent decline is showing “signs of stabilising”, according to the latest RICS UK Residential Market Survey.
The survey suggested that the housing market remains under pressure from a challenging economic backdrop; new buyer enquiries and agreed sales both remained in negative territory during May, but neither measure deteriorated further.
Long-term sentiment has also improved modestly, with the 12-month outlook returning back to neutral.
However, the average time taken to complete a sale has risen to 21.5 weeks; the longest since records began in 2017.
Housing Committee calls for stamp duty reform
The Government must reform stamp duty as part of a package to help first-time buyers to afford a home, says the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee in a report published this week.
The cross-party committee report recommends that the government launches a consultation by the end of 2026 to examine potential alternatives.
The report recommends that stamp duty reform takes place alongside a reform of council tax.
Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of HCLG, said: “Reform of stamp duty is necessary but, especially given the public finance implications, this cannot be done in isolation or without a credible alternative in place.
“We urge the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government and HM Treasury to consult on alternatives to stamp duty that can deliver long-term benefit and not a short-term fix which only distorts the housing market and exacerbates the affordability problem”.
Developer and supply chain updates
Bellway remains on track to deliver underlying operating profit of £320m–£330m for the year ending July 31 2026 and has reaffirmed guidance for 9,300–9,500 home completions. The housebuilder said performance continues to be supported by a forward order book of 5,345 homes, although this is below the 5,759 homes recorded a year earlier.
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Berkeley Group was demoted from the FTSE100 this week, highlighting the subdued property market and ongoing construction challenges.
Earlier this year Rob Perrins, Executive Chairman of Berkeley, said that builders could “no longer invest” in London.
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Croudace Homes returned to profit in 2025 as turnover rose almost 50% to £216m, with the Surrey-based housebuilder reporting an operating profit of £11.3m compared with a £17.3m loss the previous year. The improvement was driven by 285 private home sales at an average selling price of £483,000, alongside a further 258 sales to registered providers.
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Gleeson has warned that adjusted pre-tax profit for the year ending June 30 2026 will be around £7.5m below market expectations after its largest planned land sale failed to complete before the financial year-end. The delayed transaction, which accounts for roughly half of Gleeson Land’s expected plot sales this year, will now be recognised in the first half of FY2027 alongside two smaller deferred deals.
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NatWest has launched a £250m Section 106 Loan Fund to help housing associations acquire affordable homes from housebuilders, matching the £250m recently committed by Homes England through its low-cost loan programme. The combined £500m funding package is intended to increase the sector’s capacity to purchase Section 106 homes delivered through planning agreements with local authorities.
Housing View 