Britain’s competition regulator said on Friday (Aug 25) it plans to propose a deeper probe into the large amount of land controlled by the biggest homebuilders and the weaknesses in the adoption process for roads and public open spaces.

The Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) so-called market investigation reference comes after a roughly six-month study on homebuilders, in response to concerns that builders were not delivering homes at an adequate pace or scale.

The CMA has the power to refer a market study into a market investigation, which involves an in-depth probe led by a group drawn from the CMA’s panel of members.

The regulator also said it has identified five areas of concern, including estate management charges and land banks, that needs to be probed further in the next phase of its study.

“These warrant further investigation and we stand ready to take enforcement action if needed,” chief executive officer Sarah Cardell said. Reuters