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Leeds best for building new homes

  • Leeds tops the list of England’s local authorities as the ideal location to build new homes
  • Surrey Heath sits at the bottom of rankings as worst local authority to build homes
  • Argyll’s research combines new build values, planning approvals and home sales

Leeds is the best location for building new homes, according to research from Argyll Property Partners, the mezzanine finance lender.

Argyll’s analysis of official figures shows the Yorkshire city offers the best combination of value, house price growth, planning success, and demand for homes.

New build homes in Leeds are worth 41% more than existing properties in the city on average. The value of new homes in the area are also increasing 13% year-on-year.

As one of the largest local authorities, there are almost four times as many property sales in Leeds, compared to the monthly average for England. The city’s planning authorities also approve 95% of major residential applications.

Top 10 local authorities for building new homes

Region Major residential planning applications granted New build property price increase (YoY) New build value compare to existing homes Monthly Transactions compared to average for a local authority Weighted Ranking
Leeds 95% 13% 41% 380% 1
Birmingham 96% 14% 40% 373% 2
Cornwall 80% 11% 8% 355% 3
County Durham 85% 12% 59% 244% 4
Wiltshire 84% 14% 29% 215% 5
Bradford 94% 11% 42% 201% 6
City of Bristol 91% 13% 12% 180% 7
Manchester 95% 13% 23% 153% 8
East Riding of Yorkshire 87% 12% 41% 145% 9
Liverpool 97% 11% 55% 139% 10

Brian Markovitz, Director of Argyll Property Partners, said:

“Developers should head to Leeds if they’re looking to build homes in England. Property values for new builds in the city are seeing double-digit growth as increasing employment drives demand for homes. The significant gap in the price of new homes compared to existing properties means there are healthy profits to be made, while the high transaction figures suggest homes should be relatively easy to buy and sell. Leeds City Council is also one of the best for encouraging house building, approving almost all of the major applications it receives. Major new developments such as the Seacroft site in the east of the city suggest many are already discovering the opportunities Leeds has to offer for house builders.”

Surrey Heath is the worst local authority for developers to build new homes

Surrey Heath in South-East England is the least attractive local authority to build new homes according to Argyll’s analysis.The high property values in Surrey mean that developers will have to pay a premium price to secure a site, compared to other areas of the country. Once complete, new homes in Surrey Heath are usual worth 23% less than existing properties in the area. Homes in the rural area may also be harder to buy and sell, with monthly transactions in the area 50% lower than the nationwide average. The local council approves 75% of major residential applications, but this proportion is still lower than the majority of other local authorities. However, the average value of new homes in Surrey Heath is still rising 7% year-on-year.

Worst 10 local authorities for building new homes

Region Major residential planning applications granted New build property price increase (YoY) New build value compare to existing homes Monthly Transactions compared to average for a local authority Weighted Ranking

(out of 324)
Surrey Heath 75% 7.24 -23% -52% 324
Hambleton 75% 4.44 24% -55% 323
Epsom and Ewell 38% 8.64 12% -50% 322
Ribble Valley 86% 2.69 49% -66% 321
Richmondshire 85% 4.22 35% -64% 320
Pendle 77% 0.96 62% -43% 319
Spelthorne 50% 9.27 -1% -41% 318
Three Rivers 67% 6.89 30% -58% 317
Hammersmith and Fulham 80% 5.23 -2% -17% 316
Islington 79% 6.86 -2% -31% 315

Brian Markovitz, Director of Argyll Property Partners, said:

“For developers, Surrey Heath doesn’t appear to be the best location for new builds. The higher land values in the area mean that profit margins will be squeezed. Despite Surrey Heath’s proximity to London, the large amount of Green Belt land in the area means home sales are also significantly lower than the average for a local authority. Renovating an existing home may yield better returns for anyone looking to invest in Surrey Heath. It’s also noticeable that two London boroughs feature close to the bottom as Stamp Duty, high land values and a decline in transactions combine to hamper Prime Central London’s attractiveness to developers.”

About Argyll Property Partners

Argyll Property Partners is a trusted principal lender helping developers fill the funding gap between their own equity and available senior debt through the use of mezzanine finance. Mezzanine finance helps developers reduce their own equity contribution, spread their risk over multiple projects and enhance the return on equity invested.

Argyll Property Partners is based in London but backs projects across the UK and is powered by a management team with more than a century of experience in the property sector.  With significant available resources and quick and flexible decision-making, Argyll has helped many successful developers complete profitable projects.

Data sourced from the ONS, Land Registry and Department for Communities & Local Government.

  • “I have used Argyll Property Partners for mezzanine funding on a number of developments and always find them highly professional and easy to deal with. I like the fact that they are so straightforward and make quick decisions. As they use their own money to lend they don’t need board approval and this makes the approval process very quick. I have no hesitation in recommending them for mezzanine funding.”
    Lee Clemson
    Director, Mantle Developments
  • “We found Argyll to be very quick and efficient. They gave their investment decision in short order and were easy to deal with. They understand the residential property market and had a good knowledge of the North Yorkshire market in which we operate. They were switched on to what we require – fast money and for the process to be simple when it comes to security packages and dealing with professional teams. Argyll were in fact introduced to us by our senior lender and they worked very well together as a team. We intend using Argyll again and have no hesitation in recommending them.”
    Nick Moody
    Newby
  • “Argyll understood our requirements very rapidly and came up with an almost immediate offer, which was highly impressive. As a result of the strong connection they have with the senior lenders and their speed and professionalism (and that of their lawyers), the whole lending process was seamless. The best recommendation I can give is that we will use them again and I would recommend them to other developers."
    Richard Hayward
    Director, Richard Hayward Properties
  • “I think they are probably the best provider of mezzanine finance in the market. I am a client and a broker so I’ve dealt with them extensively with both hats on. Unlike some other lenders who do the same thing, Argyll fill you with confidence from the get go and offer support throughout the project. They are all very experienced, have a broad knowledge of the property market and respond to you quickly and professionally and with great efficiency. The relationship between them and my senior lender Close Brothers is seamless and always goes smoothly. I will use them again and will continue to recommended them to other developers.”
    Paul Smeeth
    Director, Charles James Developments Group
  • “I recently used Argyll Property Partners for mezzanine finance and found them highly flexible and good to deal with. They are very clued up about what is going on in the property market and gave me some valuable advice about the development. They have an existing relationship with my senior lender and this made things very easy. All the way through they did what they said they would do and delivered the funds quickly. I would recommend them.”
    Karen Seward
    Director, Modena Homes