The government must remove barriers to small housebuilders, to ensure that the market can make a resilient recovery over the next six months, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
This is in response to ONS data published today [12 June], which shows that construction output fell by 40.1% in April 2020, driven by a fall in private new housing of 59.2%.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: “Construction output has plummeted during the lockdown. Restrictions on the housing market lead to a significant drop in private new housing in April. The fact that one in three small to medium-sized (SME) housebuilders left the sector in 2008 demonstrates the acute need to support them over the next six months.
“Having a housing sector which includes an army of SME builders will help to ensure it is more resilient, diverse and of a high quality as we reshape and re-imagine the sector.”
Brian continued: “We must do this in order to build the homes we need as the country recovers from the coronavirus. The government must look at how they can ease the structural barriers that SMEs face when it comes to bringing forward new homes. The FMB is calling for a more manageable planning system, and greater availability of affordable land for small scale development. These are two areas which could make all the difference in terms of having a more sustainable housing market.”
