Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and Group CEO of Mace has submitted a letter to the Treasury outlining several measures for the Chancellor to consider in the spring budget.
The letter outlines the significant contribution that construction plays in the UK economy, contributing 9% to GDP and employing 2.63 million people. Government projects constitute 25-30% of the infrastructure pipeline.
The letter calls for:
Housing – The challenges in housing delivery are due to economic factors, planning delays, and NPPF reforms.
Urgent considerations:
– Maximise planning fund impact.
– Ring fence planning fee increases for local authorities.
– Support SME House Builders on small brownfield sites
Building Safety and Regulations:
– Advocate for sufficient funding for regulatory bodies.
– New regulator should enforce compliance and conduct product testing.
Build to Rent and Affordable Housing:
– Address SDLT issues for Build to Rent.
– Incentivise private finance for affordable housing (£10bn).
Infrastructure Confidence:
– Seek clarity on Network North plan priorities.
– Emphasise consistent implementation of the Construction Playbook.
Green Transition:
– Promote a National Retrofit strategy for Net Zero Carbon.
– Encourage NZCBS benchmarks for consistency.
– Propose a 10-year policy roadmap for efficiency measures.
The letter can be viewed here.