Home Builders Federation warns road adoption delays threaten housing

The Home Builders Federation (HBF) has warned that delays in the adoption of new roads by local councils are threatening efforts to increase house building in the United Kingdom. A report titled ‘Slow Lane to Adoption’ found that some councils take up to 12 years to take responsibility for roads serving new housing developments.

The HBF report highlights significant financial pressures, noting that average highway bonds—financial guarantees required by councils—have risen nearly 170% since 2018, increasing from approximately £125,000 to £338,000. The research also indicates that local authority inspection fees can range from 3% to 20% of the bond value. These delays and costs particularly impact small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with less capacity to absorb unexpected expenses.

Furthermore, when roads remain unadopted, builders often must appoint private management companies to maintain infrastructure such as drainage, lighting, and open spaces. This can result in residents facing additional estate management charges on top of their council tax.