Barratt Redrow, Britain's largest housebuilder, has sharply reduced its land acquisition plans, citing the economic fallout from the ongoing Middle East conflict and its likely effect on mortgage rates and construction costs. The company now plans to approve 7,000–9,000 plots for purchase this financial year, down from earlier guidance of 10,000–12,000, and has cut its expected land spending to between £700m and £900m. The move adds further strain to the UK Labour government's already-struggling pledge to build 1.5 million new homes over five years — a target that would require roughly 300,000 housing starts annually, compared to the fewer than 116,000 recorded in Labour's first year in power.