More than a third of property professionals believe devolution would have a negative impact on housing supply, according to new research.
Some 37% of those surveyed in Lambert Smith Hampton’s latest Residential Development Survey said devolution would have a negative impact, compared with just 18% who said it would be beneficial.
Of the developers, financiers and investors polled, 49% said planning policy was the biggest issue affecting housing supply, compared with 32% who singled out community infrastructure levies, section 106 costs and planning obligations.
Only 18% highlighted development finance, which was the largest concern in 2013 when the survey was last carried out.
The survey also found that property professionals expected house prices in Scotland, the North East, Yorkshire and Humber, and Wales to remain stagnant.
Most respondents predicted increases in every other region.
The highest of these was the South East, where 71% of respondents expected house prices to rise, compared with 57% in central London.
LSH assistant planning and development director Dan Bolton said: “The easing of access to finance for developers as well as buyers has had a significant impact, but unrealistic expectations on planning obligations and land values, the influence of local pressure groups and the general allocation of land remain significant concerns.”
