Wales not viable, Redrow housebuilder boss says

The head of one of the UK's biggest housebuilders says the market in Wales is lagging behind England because of red tape, planning issues and the availability of land.

Steve Morgan, chairman of Flintshire-based Redrow, told BBC Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales that he was frustrated with the small number of sites it operates in Wales. He claimed there was over-regulation of the market in Wales.

In response, a Welsh Government spokesperson said it was "creating the right conditions for the sector to succeed".

"We are investing £290m to support first-time buyers through Help to Buy and the construction of more than 6,000 additional new homes by 2021," he said.

On Wednesday, Redrow announced pre-tax profits rose by 35% in the first half of the year to £140m.