The FMB in Westminster
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) launched our 2023 House Builders’ Survey last month, with a breakfast event in Parliament attracting attention from across the political spectrum. Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords were in attendance, along with a range of leading figures and experts from the building and construction industry.
Speaking at the report launch were FMB Chief Executive Brian Berry, and President Chris Carr, alongside Andrew Lewer MP, who kindly hosted the event in Westminster, and representatives from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and the Future Homes Hub. We also heard opening words from Openreach, who were sponsoring the panel.
The panel discussion on the findings of the FMB’s 2023 House Builder’s Survey, followed by questions and contributions from guests in attendance, gave the FMB the opportunity to highlight the issues which matter most to our members, to the people who make the decisions.
House Builders’ Survey 2023
Amongst other concerns, this year’s Survey made the worrying finding that buyer demand for new homes is now at its lowest level since 2015.
The report found that the planning system is rated as the number one barrier which is preventing the delivery of new homes, according to 55% of housebuilders who completed the survey.
Restricted mortgage availability and lack of available land were also highlighted as major concerns, with 51% and 48% of respondents noting, respectively.
Rising material costs scored highly, with 43% of people suggesting that this represented a significant restriction in the deliver of new homes, while a lack of finance to the company rounds out the top five, on 42%.
If you are interested in reading the full FMB House Builders’ Survey 2023 report, it can be downloaded here: https://www.fmb.org.uk/resource/fmb-house-builders-survey-2023.html
Why these events are important
Speakers and attendees were able to highlight the key steps that the Government will need to take over the coming months and years, in order to address the concerns raised by the report.
With DLUHC representatives able to take away feedback, which can inform the thinking of officials going forward, the report and the contributions of industry experts will prove vital in delivering positive change for the future.
MPs and Peers from across many of the major political parties in the UK, were able to participate, share their thoughts and hear the concerns of FMB members.
As we head into 2024, with a General Election on the horizon, events like these are an excellent opportunity to help to shape the thinking of the people who will be laying out their visions for Britain’s future.
The FMB will continue to fight to ensure the views of our members cut through, and the success of the House Builders Survey shows that our message is being heard.
