Committee publication · Correspondence · 19 May 2026
Letter from the Home Builders Federation to the Chair dated 1 May 2026 concerning development costs and accessibility
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Inquiry: Housing Conditions in England
Summary
Letter from Home Builders Federation Executive Director Steve Turner to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Chair (1 May 2026) raising concerns about development cost pressures and accessibility standard requirements. Turner details £70k average cost increases per home over five years and argues M43 accessibility standards are unviable for most housebuilders and inappropriate as blanket requirements, advocating site-by-site assessment based on local need instead.
Key findings
- Construction costs have risen by over £70k per home (20% of average sale price) over five years while selling prices remain flat, with land values declining and viability increasingly compromised.
- New cost burdens include: Building Safety Levy (£2.5k), Future Homes Standard (£10k), landfill tax increases (£2k), biodiversity net gain (£5k), building regulation changes (£8k), and business tax increases (£2k), plus material/labour inflation (~£40k).
- M42 accessibility standard is achievable for larger builders but materially impacts SME viability and affordable housing delivery; M43 (full disabled access) is 'significantly more challenging and costly' and unsuitable as percentage requirement.
- M43 homes require 100% step-free design, demountable kitchens, electronic doors, internal disabled parking, wet rooms, and specialist construction—typically delivered by specialist contractors for specific council needs, not general housebuilders.
- HBF argues M43 should be specified per-site based on local need rather than as blanket percentage requirement, and supports adaptability measures (widened doors, pre-installed handrail pattressing) as lower-cost alternative.
Tone
AdversarialTopics
Key actors
Florence Eshalomi, Steve Turner, Home Builders Federation, Jennie Daly, House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Notable line
“Building 40% of new homes to M42 standard will be a challenge. Some of the bigger builders may be better able to achieve it on the basis they can make efficiency savings …”
Key Quotes
“… the cost of building a new home has increased by over £70k – 20% of the average sale price of a new home; whilst selling prices have remained broadly flat.”
“M43 of Part M is for full disabled access, and as Jennie Daly said in the session, is not incremental but significantly more challenging and costly to deliver.”
“This type of housing is incredibly expensive to build and normally is a specific requirement to 1 Home Builders Federation …”
“M43 homes are not suitable for the overwhelming majority of the market into which housebuilders are looking to sell their product.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗