Housebuilder says the fundamentals in its main markets in London and the South East remain strong

Berkeley Group has delivered a bullish verdict on the housing market as it defied tough conditions to report strong interim results.

Tony Pidgley
Pidgley: demand outstripping supply

The housebuilder reported pre-tax profit of 拢90.6m for the six months ended 31 October, up 11.2% on the same period last year. Turnover rose 15.8% to 拢441.4m.

Chief executive Tony Pidgley said that the group鈥檚 strong balance sheet and focus on land acquisition in London and the south east meant that it was 鈥渦niquely placed to respond to the market conditions initiated in the credit markets that currently prevail.鈥

Pidgley said: 鈥淲e believe that the fundamentals of the housing market in London and the South East remain strong. Demand continues to outstrip supply, interest rates remain at historically low levels, and benefited from yesterday's decision by the Bank of England to reduce rates by a quarter per cent... In competitive markets, customers become more discerning and this provides an environment in which the best will thrive鈥.