Bellway forecasts lower 2027 completions despite 10.8% volume growth
Housebuilder reports higher output and profits for 2026 but warns that a smaller opening order book and pressure on demand will weigh on next year’s completions.
By Housing desk · 13 Oct 2026 · UK
Bellway expects housing completions to fall in 2027 despite reporting a 10.8% increase in output for the year ended 31 July 2026, according to House-Builder.
The housebuilder delivered 9,695 homes during the financial year, with average selling prices rising to £324,404 from £316,412 in 2025. It also reported higher profits.
Bellway said it had increased volumes and profits “despite ongoing challenges across the housing market”. Its forecast for lower completions in 2027 reflects a lower opening order book and “ongoing pressures on customer demand”, according to the update published on 13 October.
The outlook comes alongside separate reports of weaker planning permissions and continued pressure on local authority planning services.
The latest Housing Pipeline report from the Home Builders Federation (HBF), based on Glenigan data, recorded 45,315 homes receiving planning consent in England in the second quarter of 2026. That was the lowest quarterly total since 2012, according to the report.
House-Builder’s summary, published on 30 September, reported a 21% drop in the number of new homes receiving consent in the last quarter. HBF said the figures underlined the need for a government-supported home ownership scheme.
Separate research from HBF and Paragon Bank highlighted councils’ use of Planning Performance Agreements (PPAs). According to the summary published on 8 October, a Freedom of Information request found that councils received an average of almost £600,000 each in PPA fees between 2022 and 2025.
HBF said local authorities were struggling to meet planning deadlines despite collecting £200 million in additional fees from developers.