LONDON (Reuters) - London-focused upmarket housebuilder Berkeley (L:BKGH) said on Friday the capital would need fewer new houses if Britain were to leave the European Union due to what it believed could lead to a slowdown in economic growth.
The firm, which said on Friday that its adjusted pre-tax profits rose 10 percent to 242 million pounds in the first half of the year, builds in London and southern England, markets which are most affected by demand from foreign investors.
Managing Director Rob Perrins told Reuters that if voters decided to back leaving the European Union in a referendum due by the end of 2017, London's status as a world city would be diminished.
"My concern would be around inward investment into London and it would slow down the growth of jobs and its influence," he said.
"If it retained less influence and less jobs, it will grow less quickly so it would actually need less homes built."
Shares in the firm were up nearly 7 percent at 3580 pence at 0830 GMT, making it the top riser on the FTSE 100 (FTSE) after the firm said it was on course to deliver pre-tax profits of 2 billion pounds over three years to the end of the 2017/18 period.
Perrins also said an additional stamp duty levy to be charged on the price of properties bought as second homes and for renting out could see fewer homes built in other major conurbations where transaction taxes are currently lower than many parts of London.
He said buy-to-let property investors who often prefer purchasing properties before they are built could be put off by an increase in the levy due to come into effect in April, thereby reducing the number of homes built.
"I think the actual effect could be more in inner cities in Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds where effectively you've doubled stamp duty for buy-to-let investors," he said.