Skills shortage risks Chancellor’s ambition to get Britain building
Posted: Thursday, July 11th, 2024
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves MP's proposals to deliver much-needed housing and planning reforms are welcome news, but the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) says there is a serious question about how these initiatives will be delivered given the current skills crisis in the building industry. Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, commented: “There are many positives to take from the new Chancellor’s announcement for the nation’s local house builders.” He argues that restoring mandatory local housebuilding targets will be crucial to meeting Labour’s ambition to build 1.5 million more homes. “To restore market diversity, SME builders must be included in this process.” More information on Labour’s much-trailed ‘Grey Belt’ proposals is also welcome, as land to develop is in short supply. However, the UK is currently experiencing a construction skills crisis, and serious questions must be asked about how deliverable any of this is without a long-term training and skills plan to ensure the workforce is in place. Berry adds: “The Chancellor’s confirmation that a new draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) will be published before August, including enhanced presumptions in the planning system in favour of sustainable development, is a positive step forward and should help local house builders. “To pull this off will require government departments working in tandem to ensure we have the skilled workers available to deliver these plans. The Government must now address how the skills shortage will be tacked.”
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