The housebuilding business

Abstract

This chapter describes the rise of the volume housebuilders in the UK. It interrogates their business model highlighting the key factors such as profits and land valuations on which developers and landowners seek support, and usually get it, from Government. The land banking practices of the housebuilders are give particular attention. The chapter challenges official reviews of the housebuilding sector which have cleared it of land hoarding and forming cartels to keep up prices.