EY-Parthenon reports that listed housebuilders issued eight profit warnings in the first half of 2026, matching the level last seen in the first half of 2008 and marking the highest first-half total since 2020. The article attributes pressure on the sector to higher costs, weaker consumer confidence, planning delays, regulatory complexity, environmental constraints and skills shortages, despite a longer-term demand outlook that remains positive.
The article gathers priorities from senior figures in the built environment, local government and housing sectors for the incoming Prime Minister, with recurring calls for greater devolution, longer-term funding certainty and faster housing delivery. Contributors argue that stable, place-based policy and reduced bureaucracy are needed to unlock regeneration, infrastructure and new homes.
The article argues that Manchester’s build-to-rent market has been highly successful in delivering large numbers of city-centre apartments, but that the next phase of rental growth needs to focus more on family housing in suburban locations. It highlights that private landlords are constrained by higher borrowing costs, SDLT on additional properties and future energy-efficiency upgrade costs, creating space for institutional capital to deliver single-family rental homes at scale.
The government has opened a consultation on extending judicial review reforms beyond nationally significant infrastructure projects to major housing, transport and energy schemes. The aim is to reduce delays caused by repeated or weak legal challenges while preserving access to justice and the rule of law.
Ribble Valley Council’s planning committee has been warned that repeated appeal losses could trigger government intervention and potentially remove some local planning autonomy. The warning comes as members prepare to determine two housing applications totalling 165 homes, including one recommended for refusal despite the council’s recent appeal setbacks.
The government has launched a six-week consultation on extending judicial review reforms to housing and transport projects. The aim is to reduce legal challenges, particularly for smaller schemes, and to speed up delivery.
The government has launched a consultation on extending judicial review reforms to major housing and infrastructure projects, with the stated aim of reducing delays to development. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government say the proposals could help unblock projects that are currently slowed by legal challenge processes.
The Mayor of London has proposed reducing the affordable housing threshold for some developments that want to use a faster planning route. The draft plan still retains the broader objective that 50% of new homes in London should be affordable, but individual schemes may be able to secure fast-track approval under a lower requirement.
This article is a satirical roundup of several North West property and local government stories, including a rejected housing scheme in Sandbach, a commercial launch at a Manchester resi scheme, and ongoing political deadlock at Oldham Council. It also briefly notes a new wellbeing-focused gym opening at Manchester’s Treehouse hotel.
The article argues that the Renters’ Rights Act is already affecting the rental market, with Foxtons reporting lower revenue and Savills saying landlords in prime London are raising rents to offset higher costs and administration. It also suggests the legislation is contributing to earlier tenant move-outs, an expectation gap between landlords and tenants, and some landlords considering selling rather than continuing to let.
Propertymark has published a report criticising the pace of leasehold reform, arguing that existing leaseholders continue to face rising costs, restrictive terms and uncertainty in the market. The report says the planned move to commonhold will take time and should not delay further reforms for current leaseholders, with evidence that leasehold issues are affecting sales and market confidence.
TwentyEA reports that nearly 850,000 properties have left the UK private rented sector over the past decade, with the largest volume of former rental homes sold in 2025. Despite this landlord exit, overall rental supply has risen to a seven-year high, supported in part by growth in Build to Rent stock and regional differences in asking rent trends following the Renters Rights Act.
