HOUSEBUILDER Persimmon last night increased its proposed bid for Beazer Homes, in a move which once more throws doubt on Beazer's planned merger with Bryant.

York-based Persimmon ended a dramatic week of corporate activity in the housebuilding sector by submitting yet another approach to Beazer's board after the market closed.

The £528m bid values each Beazer share at 184.8p, and Persimmon said if it were successful a deal would create ''the leading force in UK housebuilding'' with a turnover of £1.6bn and an operating profit of £209m.

Persimmon's bid comes on the back of two similar approaches late last year, and follows a last-ditch offer from Taylor Woodrow on Monday for the Solihull-based Bryant group.

This forced a vote on the planned merger between Beazer and Bryant back a week.

Bryant received the bid from Taylor Woodrow just two hours before its shareholders were due to vote on the Beazer deal.

Bryant said that despite the approach, it still intended to push on with its plans to join Beazer and create a new company called Domus.

Persimmon said it would only make a firm offer if Bryant's shareholders fail to approve the merger, or that it lapses. It promised to make a further announcement no later than Wednesday.

Beazer last night said it could give ''no assurance'' that an offer would be forthcoming from Persimmon.

It said it would be making a further statement later.