Housebuilding has been badly affected by the financial crisis and economic downturn. It is now showing signs of recovery. However, there are indications that increases in housing supply may be slow and hesitant. This report examines potential barriers to increasing housing supply and identifies ways in which it may be feasible to overcome as many of them as possible. Some potential actions are achievable in the short-term and others require longer term action.

The purpose of this study is not to replace previous reviews by Barker and Callcutt. Instead, its rationale is that time has passed since those reviews and benefits can be derived from taking a further look at what has happened since then, particularly in light of the impact of the downturn. In terms of its relation to the broader stream of on-going policy analysis, this study is informing government policy developments on housebuilding, as announced in the Pre-Budget Report 2009, and the Low Carbon Construction Innovation and Growth Team (IGT).

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