Government support measures for small to medium-sized (SME) housebuilders are a welcome start to help boost the housing market’s recovery, said the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s statement made today [May 13].
Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: “I welcome the Housing Secretary’s statement regarding the sector’s safe return to work. The government clearly recognises the need to support small to medium-sized housebuilders at this pivotal time.
“Following conversations between the FMB and the Housing Minister, I’m especially pleased to see that local authorities are being encouraged to take a more flexible approach to community infrastructure levy (CIL) payments as housebuilders have been struggling with cashflow and need support to continue building.”
Brian concluded: “Speeding up the planning system will be welcome news for many smaller housebuilders who struggle to negotiate what has typically been an unwieldy process. I hope that digitization will mean greater access and transparency in planning decisions for all those involved. We must move towards a market which helps small builders bring forward quality local homes of all types, for local people.”
