A HOUSEBUILDER in West Yorkshire has reported a strong start to the year.
WayneGradwell, managing director of Persimmon Homes West Yorkshire, spoke following the company’s annual meeting in York.
He said: “The spring selling season continues to outperform last year and visitors to our sites over the first 15 weeks of the year have been up to 10% higher compared to 2011.
“Added to these figures, our cancellation rates are running at historically low levels, which coupled with an increase of up to 20% in private sales compared to the same period in 2011, means the business remains in a strong position.”
Mr Gradwell welcomed the new National Planning Policy Framework, which was recently published. He said: “The framework now requires local authorities to plan for the needs of their areas with a presumption in favour of sustainable development.
“We believe this streamlined system should lead to greater speed in the delivery of planning permission. This can only be good news for the people in the region waiting for new homes to be built.”
Mr Gradwell said Persimmon Homes was now focused on the next decade as it strives to expand the business even further.
