Trading Update & Site Visit

Persimmon PLC
31 October 2006


                          PERSIMMON PLC TRADING UPDATE
                            TUESDAY 31 OCTOBER 2006


Persimmon is hosting an analyst visit to Milton Keynes later this morning. We
shall be giving presentations that will include reviews of the North, Central
and South divisions as well as the Charles Church business. The presentations
will be available for viewing on our website from 11.00 a.m. today.

We will also be providing an update on current trading and Space4 as well as
discussing the good progress we have made with the promotion of a number of
strategic land opportunities.

We estimate that over the next 3 years we will be successful in obtaining
planning consents for c. 30,000 plots of land from our strategic land portfolio.
This represents an investment in new land opportunities of more than £1 billion
and most of this will be in addition to our normal land expenditure. We are
therefore in a very strong position to ensure that we continue to replace land
at attractive prices. The estimated gross sales revenue generated from these
plots will be c. £6 billion when developed.

In addition, we currently have over 78,000 plots of land owned and under control
and c. 24,000 acres of strategic land.

We have recently concluded a review of our Space4 business which produces
factory built homes using Modern Methods of Construction. Following detailed
discussions with several Housing Associations, we have agreed a standard house
type range to be offered by Space4. We are now well positioned to increase
output volumes for social housing providers on a more efficient format. Together
with our specialised Westbury Partnerships business, we have a great opportunity
to participate in the Government's plans to increase the development of
affordable housing over future years.

The improvement in performance on the ex-Westbury sites continues and the
enlarged Group is trading in line with our expectations. The new housing market
has not changed noticeably since we last reported on 22 August 2006 when we
confirmed that visitor levels to our show homes were good and prices remain
firm. However, the market remains competitive and the use of selective
incentives has continued. We are now focusing on building forward sales orders
for 2007.

For further information, please contact:

John White, Group Chairman              Ed Simpkins / Kirsty Flockhart
Mike Farley, Group Chief Executive      Finsbury
Mike Killoran, Group Finance Director
Persimmon plc                           Tel: [phone]
Tel: [phone]                 Mob: [phone]




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