Disposal

Persimmon PLC
8 October 2001


                                                                8 October 2001

         Disposal of Torwood and Beazer Partnerships for £4.7 million

Persimmon plc, the UK's leading home builder, announces that it completed the
sale of the trade and assets of Torwood and Beazer Partnerships to a
management buy-out team for a total cash consideration of £4.7 million on
Friday 5 October 2001. The management buy-out team is being led by John
Cadwallader and additional equity finance is being provided by Kier Group plc.

Beazer Partnerships is the social housing contracting division of the former
Beazer Group, which Persimmon acquired in March 2001. It comprises offices in
the Midlands, the South-East and the South-West and is to trade as
'Partnerships First'. Torwood is a manufacturer of timber frames for the
construction of new homes with manufacturing facilities at Livingston in
Scotland and Ipswich in England.

The combined businesses had a total turnover of approximately £50m in the year
to 30 June 2001 and at completion had net assets of £3.5m.

Persimmon, as a focused home builder for the private market, stated its
intention to dispose of these businesses in its interim results statement on
28 August 2001. Persimmon continues to be committed to the provision of social
housing through its regional businesses and will continue to construct houses
incorporating timber frames sourced from the Torwood business.

                                   - ENDS -

For further information, please contact:

Duncan Davidson, Chairman                Faeth Finnemore/ Jenna Littler
Mike Killoran, Finance Director          Finsbury Group
Persimmon plc                            Tel: [phone]
Tel: [phone]