New jobs around the Cabinet table will bring little comfort to small, local builders worried about falling workloads and enquiries, if they’re not followed by bold policy action warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), in response to today’s government reshuffle by the Prime Minister.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “A new Department for Energy and Net Zero must be followed by a long-term National Retrofit Strategy and funding this side of the General Election to green our homes. In the seven years since this department’s predecessor was scrapped, we’ve seen retrofit levels tumble, so I hope the Government will seize this renewed opportunity to give small, local builders the confidence they need to train and take advantage of the business potential of a sustained home upgrade programme.”
Berry concluded: “Yet another Housing Minister – the fifth in 12 months – raises questions about this Government’s commitment to get Britain building. A sclerotic planning system is pushing the smallest house builders out of business. Small, local developers should be at the heart of levelling up, but they need a Government that backs them with bold support to reverse their decline. It can start by ensuring planning departments are properly resourced, and that environmental and energy mitigation measures are applied fairly, mindful of the costs they are pushing on to small building companies.”
Notes to editors
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) is the largest trade association in the UK construction industry representing thousands of firms in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Established in 1941 to protect the interests of small and medium-sized (SME) construction firms, the FMB is independent and non-profit making, lobbying for members’ interests at both the national and local level.
The FMB is a source of knowledge, professional advice and support for its members, providing a range of modern and relevant business building services to help them succeed. The FMB is committed to raising quality in the construction industry and offers a free Find a Builder service to consumers.
