SME house builders call for medium-sized site definition to exclude ‘area’ thresholds

Smaller builders are calling for the government to remove the one-hectare threshold for theproposed medium-sized plot definition of ten to 49 homes. Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner announced the new medium sized definition in a planning reform working paper released at the end of May in a move to support smaller housebuilders. However, the inclusion of a one-hectare area limit is problematic for SMEs who typically operatein less densely populated areas than London, the southeast and big cities such as [...]

By |2025-07-11T14:46:18+00:00July 9, 2025|Advice, Blog, News|0 Comments

SME Support £39bn to build affordable homes at scale

Plans for 300,000 new social and affordable homes over the next decade will generate a pipeline of work for SME housebuilders and contractors, claims the industry. Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner has said 60 per cent of the £39bnpledged for affordable housing should be spent on building 180,000 new homes where rent is linked to local income. “With investment and reform, this government is delivering the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation, unleashing a social rent [...]

By |2025-07-07T12:28:22+00:00July 2, 2025|Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

Bricklaying robot could help UK hit 1.5m new homes by 2029

Robots capable of laying bricks five times faster than a skilled human could help the UK reach the ambitious target of building 1.5m new homes by 2029. Start-up developer JT Lifestyle Homes has used WLTR computerised brick-laying machines to help build 27 new homes in Durham as well as warehouses, offices and retail units. JT Lifestyle Homesfounder Dr Jan Telensky said: “As well as building faster, intelligent monitoring means the robot’s bricks are laid with ultimate precision, which will enhance [...]

By |2025-06-26T14:52:32+00:00June 25, 2025|Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

SME housebuilders hope tricky sites could be unlocked with new state bank

Smaller builders are optimistic Homes England’s new national housing bank will give them a bigger slice of the development action. The new bank will issue government guarantees directly for loans to develop land which should help smaller builders with upfront infrastructure costs. National Federation of Builders, NFB, policy and market insight head Rico Wojtulewicz said: “For example, water companies often levy charges to fund upgrades to their network and treatment facilities for new housing.” The loan guarantees could help withex-industrial [...]

By |2025-06-18T14:10:46+00:00June 18, 2025|Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

Solar panel grid connection must be capped, urge housebuilders

Housebuilders are calling for a ‘cap’ on the grid connection and infrastructure costs when it becomes mandatory for new homes to have solar panels in 2027. Extra estimated costs per new home will be upwards of £4,000 with this rising if grid reinforcements are needed such as installing a new £50,000 substation to cope with higher electricity demand. They are worried grid connections could be delayed due to insufficient infrastructure to cope with new electrified homes. The National Federation of [...]

By |2025-06-18T14:17:29+00:00June 11, 2025|Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

S106 agreement reform needed to accelerate housing delivery

Standardisinginfrastructure agreements and employing more planning officerswould speed updelivery of thousands of housing projects currently delayed, claims the Homebuilders Federation, HBF. A freedom of information request showed theaverage time to finalise S106 agreements,where developers contribute to new roads, affordable housing and schools, has increased by 20 per cent. In 2022-3 the average time was 425 days compared with 515 days in 2024-25 – adding 16months to the planning process. HBF chief executive Neil Jefferson said: “While these delays affect developments [...]

By |2025-06-18T14:22:02+00:00June 4, 2025|Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

Smaller housebuilders to benefit from new ‘medium’site definition

Simplifying planning with a new ‘medium’ sized definition for sites of ten to 49 homeswill enable SMEs to be major players in delivering 1.5m new homes, asserts the construction industry. A new government working paper on reforming site thresholds suggestssuch sites be exempt from the building safety levy and benefit from simpler biodiversity net gain rules. Deputy prime minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner said smaller housebuilders were key to helping the government reach its target of 1.5m new homes [...]

By |2025-05-29T16:19:06+00:00May 28, 2025|Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

UK-EU youth experience scheme could help plug construction skills gap

Proposals for young people to be able to work and move freely around Europe could have a positive spin-off for the construction industry. The Construction Industry Training Board estimates the UK needs to attract an additional 250,000 workers to meet the government’s target of building 1.5m new homes by 2029. National Federation of Builders, NFB, policy and market insight head Rico Wojtulewicz said: “The youth mobility scheme, or whatever it ends up being called, could help fill some gaps in [...]

By |2025-05-21T17:16:46+00:00May 21, 2025|Advice, Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

SMEs could be hardest hit by proposals to clampdown on immigration

SME construction firms to be the most affected by proposals to reign in immigration as they will struggle to pay higher visa sponsorship costs. Skills level threshold raised to degree level equivalent  Immigration skills charge increased by 32% Basic salary threshold for new immigrants to increase significantly SME builders are expected to be hit the hardest by government proposals to control immigration by reforms to the skilled workers visa set out in a white paper released earlier this week. The [...]

By |2025-05-14T14:19:12+00:00May 14, 2025|Advice, Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

Solar panels on the roofs of new build homes will see building costs soar

Grid demand to surge as heat pumps and electric cars gain traction SMEs will leave the housebuilding sector if the government goes ahead with requiring new builds to have solar panel roofs from 2027, warns the National Federation of Builders. Extra estimated costs of £4,000 per home Building an electric substation costs at least £50,000 Delays in grid connection could wipe clean developers’ profits Solar panel requirements on all new build homes will see costs soar Mandatingsolar panels for the [...]

By |2025-05-09T14:54:44+00:00May 7, 2025|Advice, Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

S106 agreement reform needed to accelerate housing delivery

Standardisinginfrastructure agreements and employing more planning officerswould speed updelivery of thousands of housing projects currently delayed, claims the Homebuilders Federation, HBF. A freedom of information request showed theaverage time to finalise S106 agreements,where developers contribute to new roads, affordable housing and schools, has increased by 20 per cent. In 2022-3 the average time was 425 days compared with 515 days in 2024-25 – adding 16months to the planning process. HBF chief executive Neil Jefferson said: “While these delays affect developments [...]

By |2025-06-06T05:16:42+00:00May 6, 2025|Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments

England’s incoming metro mayors urged to use new powers to address housing crisis

Small sites are important for local economies On the eve of the local elections for four new regional metro mayors the housebuilding industry is pressing the successful candidates to boost housing delivery. Ambitious targets for small sites needed Metro mayors should use their powers to buy land for housing Mayors should ensure colleges offer targeted skills in construction England’s four new metro mayorsare being urged to use new powers ahead of schedule to help address the housing crisis by the [...]

By |2025-04-30T16:24:56+00:00April 30, 2025|Blog, Development Finance Lenders, News|0 Comments