"Our latest research highlights the vast scale of development opportunities currently available across England, with the South West emerging as a particularly promising region"
- Thomas Cantor - West One Loans
New research from West One Loans has identified £2.7 billion worth of residential development opportunities across England, with the South West leading in terms of the number of sites available to developers.
The specialist property finance lender reviewed current listings for land, plots, and development sites across England, focusing on those with planning permission or demonstrable potential. By applying average regional plot prices, the research estimated the combined market value of these opportunities.
In total, 7,364 viable sites are currently listed across the country.
The South West accounts for the highest share, with 1,747 sites representing 24% of the national total. The South East follows with 21%, while the East of England ranks third with 13% of listings.
Despite having fewer plots than the South West, the South East leads in terms of total estimated value, at £763.3 million. This is due to the region’s higher average plot value of £488,021.
The South West ranks second, with a combined market value of £538.1 million, followed by the East of England at £393.5 million.
London, while home to just 213 listings, still represents nearly £200 million in development opportunity, due to its average site value of £932,038. The North East, in contrast, has a similar volume of listings but a much lower total market value of £47.6 million, reflecting lower land prices.
The data illustrates the breadth of development potential across England. While some developers face challenges such as planning delays, funding limitations, or wider economic uncertainty, those in a position to act may find favourable pricing and greater availability of sites.
Thomas Cantor, co-head of short-term finance at West One Loans, commented: “Our latest research highlights the vast scale of development opportunities currently available across England, with the South West emerging as a particularly promising region in terms of both the opportunities available and the estimated value of these plots.”
He continued: “It’s clear that despite the challenges facing the sector, the nation’s housebuilders remain keen to capitalise on these opportunities and at West One, we’ve seen increased demand for both bridging and development finance as developers seek to act quickly to do so, whether acquiring land, funding builds, or unlocking equity to progress to their next site.”
“With the Government now moving to boost demand by relaxing mortgage criteria regulations, we expect to see further activity on the part of housebuilders, and specialist lenders will continue to play a crucial role in supporting and accelerating new home delivery in an environment that is increasingly optimistic,” Cantor added.
