Docklands News

Dwindling housing supply and rising demand have led to sellers receiving offers above asking prices. Many first-time buyers, especially in London, struggle with soaring property prices, compounded by costs such as solicitor and mortgage fees. While first-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland benefit from exemptions under stamp duty land tax (SDLT), most young Londoners are unlikely to qualify due to high prices. SDLT, enacted in 2003, taxes property purchases above specific thresholds. Recent adjustments have reduced exemptions for first-time buyers significantly, impacting their ability to afford homes. Calls for raising SDLT thresholds in London are emerging, reflecting regional market disparities. Speculation exists about potential SDLT abolition, although its revenue is crucial for government finances. 

City AM (25/11/2025)  

Data from Santander reveals that 22% of first-time buyers this year are over 40, an increase from 18% in 2024. The oldest buyer recorded was 70 years old. The trend shows a significant rise in buyers over 60, up 14% from last year. In contrast, the number of buyers aged 25 and under has decreased by nearly 25%. Santander has a maximum lending age of 75 for capital and interest repayment mortgages.

Daily Mail (25/11/2025)  

Mount Anvil has secured planning approval with Riverside for the full redevelopment of the Tiller Road Estate on the Isle of Dogs, delivering 411 homes including 137 affordable units. The scheme will replace 72 existing homes with towers of 21 and 25 storeys plus mid-rise blocks, and will include community gardens and indoor hubs. 

Construction Enquirer (14/11/2025)   Housing Today (14/11/2025)  

Arada Developments has acquired an 80% stake in Thameside West, a £2.5bn London waterfront project set to deliver at least 5,000 homes, including 35% affordable housing, with first-phase construction of 1,000 homes to begin in 2027. The UAE-based developer paid £225m for the stake and will invest a further £100m, planning a five-phase build featuring shops, schools, parks, and transport links. It will be one of Europe’s biggest new regeneration areas - twice the size of the Hudson Yards mixed-use development in New York - occupying central London’s longest stretch of undeveloped riverfront. It will be spread over around 30 towers up to 25 storeys high

Bloomberg (17/11/2025)   Construction Enquirer (17/11/2025)   The Standard (17/11/2025)  

Average UK house prices rose by 2.6% in the year to September, slowing from 3.1% in the year to August, the Office for National Statistics has reported. Between August and September, prices in England fell by 0.6%, with declines in all regions except Yorkshire and the Humber; London saw a 1.1% monthly drop and an 1.8% annual fall, to £549.942. The average UK house price now stands at £272,000. 

Daily Mail (19/11/2025)   Financial Times (19/11/2025)   The Daily Telegraph (19/11/2025)   The Independent (19/11/2025)  

Figures from UK Finance show the average price for a first-time home buyer in London has reached £499,937, raising concerns that homeownership in the capital is increasingly reliant on family financial support. While prices have risen modestly over the past five years, London remains by far the most expensive region to get on the housing ladder, with the southeast averaging £329,262 and the UK as a whole £267,154. The average first-time buyer in London earns £100,802 and takes out a mortgage of £362,170, leaving a typical deposit of around £138,000, suggesting many rely on parental assistance or living at home to save. 

The Times (19/11/2025)