Barratt / Redrow merger inquiry

The CMA is investigating the completed acquisition by Barratt Developments plc of Redrow plc.

Statutory timetable

Phase 1 Action
4 October 2024 Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted
21 August 2024 CMA to consider undertakings offered
20 August 2024 Initial enforcement order
8 August 2024 Phase 1 decision announced
14 June 2024 to 28 June 2024 Invitation to comment
13 June 2024 Launch of merger inquiry
15 March 2024 to 2 April 2024 Preliminary invitation to comment

Phase 1

Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted

4 October 2024: The CMA has accepted undertakings in lieu of reference for the completed merger between Barratt and Redrow.

Undertakings in lieu of reference consultation

12 September 2024: We are consulting on the proposed undertakings in lieu of a reference offered for the completed acquisition by Barratt Developments plc, of Redrow plc. The consultation period closes on Thursday 26 September.

CMA to consider undertakings offered

21 August 2024: The CMA considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the undertakings offered by the Parties or a modified version of them, might be accepted by the CMA under the Enterprise Act 2002.

Initial enforcement order

20 August 2024: The Competition and Markets Authority has reasonable grounds to believe that the parties will complete the Merger following a court sanctioning hearing. It has, therefore, served an initial enforcement order under section 72(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002 on Barratt Developments, plc in relation to the acquisition by Barratt Developments, plc of Redrow plc. The initial enforcement order will take effect upon completion of the Merger.

Amendments / consents granted

Reference unless undertakings accepted

8 August 2024: The CMA has decided, on the evidence currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for an in-depth, Phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer an acceptable undertaking to address these competition concerns.

Launch of merger inquiry

13 June 2024: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.

Invitation to comment: closed

14 June 2024: The CMA has today issued a second invitation to comment, giving all interested third parties a further opportunity to submit views about the impact that the proposed merger could have on competition in the UK. The CMA will take into account all views already submitted as part of its preliminary invitation to comment launched in March 2024 and it is not necessary to re-submit any comments you made previously.

Preliminary invitation to comment: closed

15 March 2024: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering whether it may be the case that this transaction, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.

The CMA is issuing this preliminary ‘invitation to comment’ to allow interested parties to submit to the CMA any initial views on the impact that the transaction could have on competition in the UK. This invitation to comment is the first part of the CMA’s information-gathering process, in advance of the CMA’s formal investigation starting.

The CMA may proactively contact companies and organisations that are active in the markets affected by the Merger, or have valuable insights or evidence that could assist the CMA’s investigation.

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.

Contact

Please send written representations about any competition or public interest to general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk.

Your name and contact details are your personal data. In collecting, receiving, storing, accessing and using your personal data, the CMA, as controller, is processing your personal data. The CMA processes personal data in accordance with data protection law. The CMA is processing your personal data so that it can contact you again, should it need further help or information from you, in order to carry out its merger work under Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002. For more information about how the CMA processes personal data and your rights relating to that data, please see our Privacy Notice.

Updates to this page

Published 15 March 2024
Last updated 4 October 2024 + show all updates
  1. Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted and full text decision published.

  2. Undertakings in lieu of reference consultation published.

  3. CMA to consider undertakings full text published. Initial enforcement order and derogation published. Reference unless undertakings accepted full text published.

  4. Initial enforcement order published and undertakings under consideration.

  5. Summary of phase 1 decision published.

  6. Commencement notice published and second invitation to comment issued.

  7. First published.