Company Watch: Planning issues are biggest threat to house building, says Glenveagh boss

Chief executive Stephen Garvey argues the Covid-19 pandemic may have rendered the National Planning Framework out of date

Stephen Garvey, chief executive of Glenveagh, says it is ‘too early to tell’ to what extent house prices will be affected next year. Picture: Fennells

Issues with the planning system are more of a threat to the supply of new homes than inflation in construction costs, according to Stephen Garvey, chief executive of Glenveagh.

In a trading update issued on Thursday, the company said rising commodity costs caused house price inflation of 5 per cent in its suburban starter-homes during the first six months of 2021. It warned that this cost inflation would become evident in 2022 as housing projects ...