The HFI | News and Events

19 SEP 2017

HFi Today, RESI Roundup

– RESI Roundup

– The Big Housing Business Breakfast – 27 September

– Complete our Business Sentiment Survey

RESI Roundup

As you will know, the HFi attended the RESI conference last Thursday.

The HFi's Chairman, Sir Mark Boleat, made a strong contribution on the main stage about modern methods of funding. Sir Mark made it clear that there is strong business interest in investing in a range of residential property. However, a more joined-up approach is required to ensure that private finance and investment are better matched to potential development and asset management opportunities.

Also, we partnered up with Property Week to provide a special event for RESI 2017. We had a special meeting space and facilitated one to one sessions with key suppliers on the exhibition floor.

In addition, we held a special session entitled 'Time to look again at coastal communities', in which councils and property experts discussed the Bournemouth and the Jurassic Coast, Thanet, East Kent, Wales and East Anglia.

We would like to take a moment to thank them for all their hard work and brilliant presentations on the day.

Gary Josey, Director of Housing and Communities, and Lorraine Mealings, Head of Housing and Customer Services, represented Bournemouth Borough Council at our RESI event. Gary and Lorraine showcased the opportunities available in Bournemouth. Highlighting Bournemouth and the Jurassic Coast, and demonstrated the opportunities available in Dorset with a fantastic video – click here to watch it.

Bob Porter, Head of Housing at Thanet District Council, spoke about the superb renewal, in particular Clifftonville. As well as highlighting new housing opportunities.

Chris Sutton, Director of JLL, showcased the opportunities available in Wales. He showed Wales' track record, with the regeneration of Cardiff Bay, and the bright future that housing in Wales has along the coast. From Swansea Bay to Newport, there is a significant amount of activity.

And finally, Chris Starkie, Managing Director of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, talked us through the developments of Norfolk and Suffolk. He showcased the significant redevelopments and opportunities from King's Lynn to Great Yarmouth.

The Big Housing Business Breakfast – 27 September, 8.30 – 10.00am

Don't forget, our next HFi Housing Business Breakfast will be held between 8.30am and 10.00am on 27 September 2017, at Trowers & Hamilns offices at 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ.

Also, you will be joined by Mark Davis, the build-to-rent champion for the Department for Communities and Local Government.

This is one of our regular cross-sector industry breakfasts. It will be hosted jointly by the HFi and Trowers & Hamlins, a multinational law firm. Rob Beiley, a HFi Director and Partner at Trowers & Hamlins, will be leading the breakfast. Rob has a wealth of experience in local authority finance, regeneration and commercial housing joint venture and other work.

As well as our usual market updates and discussions, the breakfast will have the latest on the build to rent market. With various political and macroeconomic headwinds, 'build to rent' is expected to remain an important part of the overall national housing delivery strategy.

To reserve your place and find our more please email: events@thehfi.com

How is Business Feeling about Housing: complete our Business Sentiment Survey today

Our long running business sentiment survey saw some significant changes this time last year – with appetite and government support for the private rented sector at an all time high and ahead of ordinary market housing. What does the sector herald for Autumn 2017? Complete our Business Sentiment Survey today and let us know how you see the opportunities for housing.

The survey will close on 28 September 2017 – so get your responses in quickly.

The results of the survey will be discussed with the Housing Minister, Alok Sharma, in an upcoming meeting. Therefore, your views will be listened to, and could really make a difference.

There are only 9 short response questions and an open question to comment more generally. The survey is designed to take no more than 2 minutes.

Click here to take the survey.

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Housing Delivery Snapshot August 2024

Housing Delivery Snapshot - August 2024

• The Bank of England cut interest rates to 5% in a move expected to begin to boost confidence. The close 5-4 vote of the MPC came with a cautionary message that the Bank was not going to cut “too quickly or by too much”.

• Mortgage lender Nationwide released its latest UK house price index report, with an annual growth in house prices of 2.1% in July, its fastest pace since December 2022.

• The latest NHBC housing pipeline figures for Quarter 2 2024 show the scale of the current housebuilding slump with a 23% fall in new registrations compared to the same quarter in the previous year.

• Latest MHCLG data reported a significant fall in residential Planning Permissions over 30%, another key housing pipeline indicator.

• Following the General Election, the new Government confirmed its 1.5 million new homes target for this Parliament.

• The Housing Secretary took immediate action to impose compulsory housebuilding targets on councils, with a warning of direct intervention if housing targets are not met.

• The Housing Minister confirmed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on 31 July that the Government’s New Towns programme is not expected to deliver any completed homes this Parliament.

Housing Pipeline cause for concern

HFI Housing Delivery Newsletter - August 2024

The Bank of England’s rate cut was a ray of light, but the housing pipeline remains a cause for concern. At the Housing & Finance Institute, we look at the latest news and developments in housing since the election, including in the Housing Spotlight and Delivery Snapshot.

Rate Cut Boost

Amid a challenging year for housebuilding and mortgages, there was a ray of light on 1 August, with the Bank of England announcing a long-awaited interest rate cut to 5%. The close 5-4 vote of the Monetary Policy Committee came with a cautionary message that the Bank was not going to cut “too quickly or by too much”.

Ahead of the rate rise, the mortgage lender Nationwide released its latest UK house price index report, with an annual growth in house prices of 2.1% in July, its fastest pace since December 2022.

The latest Bank of England announcements will provide a little relief for some current mortgage holders and those needing to refinance. However, many first-time buyers are facing a continuing double challenge of finding money for a deposit while meeting stringent affordability criteria. So while generally mortgage market confidence may begin to rise off the back of the Bank of England interest rate cut, access to home ownership remains difficult for many, given the affordability and home deposit challenges.

Housing Pipeline Concern

However, housing pipeline figures remain a cause for concern with the latest NHBC housing pipeline figures showing the scale of the current housebuilding slump. Latest MHCLG data reported a significant fall in residential Planning Permissions, another key housing pipeline indicator.

Housing Policy Interventions

Following the General Election, the new Government has confirmed its 1.5 million new homes target for this Parliament. Immediate action has been taken by the Housing Secretary to impose compulsory housebuilding targets on councils, with a warning of direct intervention if housing targets are not met. However, the Government’s New Towns programmes is now not expected to deliver any completed homes this Parliament, the Housing Minister told Radio 4’s Today programme. This raises questions as to how the 1.5 million new homes target will be delivered, without these major new developments coming forward at pace.

Further Government intervention on the demand side to support new buyers and home deposit savers is likely to be necessary over the next period to reverse the current housebuilding slump, together with far-reaching interventions for skills and building materials to meet a housing target that hasn’t been met since mankind first landed on the moon over 50 years ago. The HFI’s purpose is to support increased housing supply, back councils and businesses working together to build more homes and promote new ways to finance housebuilding.

Do get in touch if you would like to share ideas and suggestions on building the homes our country needs.

Best regards

Natalie Elphicke Ross
Head of Housing Delivery

natalie@hfi.org.uk

HFi Today, RESI Roundup

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