Spring Statement 2025: Housing reform to pave way for GDP growth Property The government’s changes to housebuilding will result in a £6.8bn boost to GDP by 2029, according to OBR figures included in the Spring Statement. Chancellor Rachel Reeves called the forecast the “biggest ever” positive growth impact that the OBR has projected from a non-fiscal government policy. Changes to the UK’s housebuilding market were a cornerstone [...]
Berkeley warns planning reform won’t solve overregulation of housebuilding Property Housebuilder Berkeley has warned that continued incremental regulatory changes will continue to place significant pressure on the delivery of new homes, despite the recently-announced planning reforms. Regulation on the construction of homes has increased recently, particularly in light of the Grenfell tragedy. The Building Safety regulator, which sets out rules to protect the design and [...]
Iconic cinema in Chelsea put on the market hospitality An iconic Grade II ex-cinema in Chelsea has been put on the market, with potential to turn it into a hotel, housing or a member’s club. The closure of the cinema, which Hugh Grant called “strangely unbearable”, sparked headlines last year. The site, which originally opened in 1930 as the Forum Theatre, became the 26th [...]
Manchester United reveal plans for Britain’s biggest stadium March 11, 2025 Manchester United have revealed plans to build Britain’s biggest stadium, a £2bn 100,000-capacity venue to replace Old Trafford that will sit at the heart of a “miniature city of the future”. New conceptual images of the venue show an “umbrella” canopy with three spikes, a nod to the prongs of the devil’s trident on the [...]
Costain doubles dividend as pipeline jumps March 11, 2025 Costain has doubled its full-year dividend after reporting a record increase in forward work. On Tuesday, the London-listed construction firm said it would increase its dividend per share from 1.2p to 2.4p. Earnings per share also rose by nearly a fifth to 14.6p, up from 12.2p the year prior. It came as Costain’s forward work [...]
Persimmon: Housebuilder posts uptick in profit amid housing market recovery March 11, 2025 Housebuilder Persimmon has reported an uptick in house completions and profit after two years of steep declines. The York-based company completed 10,664 homes in the year ended December 31, up seven per cent year on year. Revenue from new housing rose £2.86bn from £2.54bn while underlying profit before tax rose 10 per cent to £395.1m. [...]
UK construction output plummets to five-year low March 6, 2025 The UK’s construction output hit a five-year low in February as its fastest downturn since May 2020 continued. S&P Global’s UK Construction Purchasing Managers Index dropped to 44.6 in February, down from 48.1 in January. The latest figure indicated a steep decline in overall construction activity was propelled by a sluggish performance in residential buildings, [...]
Galliford Try shares jump as construction firm reports profit boost March 5, 2025 Shares in Galliford Try rose nearly eight per cent in early trades after the company reported a double-digit jump in revenue. Revenue increased 12.7 per cent to £923.2m in the six months to December 31, while profit before tax rose 22 per cent to £20.5m. The company also reported “increased confidence” and said revenue and [...]
The 13 skyscrapers set to redefine the City of London’s skyline March 4, 2025 The City of London Corporation has released new images visualising how the Square Mile’s skyline will look.
Taylor Wimpey: ‘The scene is set for recovery’ February 27, 2025 Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has said government planning reforms are set to deliver a “step change” in the industry. The company made the comments alongside its 2024 results. Taylor built 10,593 homes in the year ended December 31, down slightly from 10,848 homes in 2023. Revenue fell 3.2 per cent, to £3.4bn, while operating profit fell [...]