CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY NEWS
T he Department for up of environmental regulation, aiming to cut red tape while still supporting nature recovery. In response to a review led by Economist Dan Corry, Defra will implement nine fast-tracked measures with the “greatest impact for growth and nature,” including a single lead regulator for infrastructure projects and a streamlined permit system. Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “Nature and the economy have both been in decline for too long. That changes today. Dan Corry’s essential report gives us a strong set of common- sense recommendations for better regulation that will get Britain building.” Other measures include a revamped digital planning portal, more autonomy for trusted conservation groups, and a new green finance initiative called the Nature Market Accelerator. Corry said: “Simply scrapping regulations isn’t the answer – instead, we need modern, streamlined regulation that is easier for everyone to use.” Mark Russell, Executive Director Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced a major shake- of the Mineral Products Association, said: “The mineral products industry is deeply committed to high environmental standards and nature recovery, but our members are also often frustrated by how slowly and inefficiently regulation is applied.” The government said the reforms will speed up planning, and reduce legal costs across industries including construction, development, and farming. Simpler rules to “Get Britain Building”
Planning applications down 7% in England
D espite the government’s optimistic declarations that there will be a major building boom, the data tells a different story, with planning permissions in decline. According to statistics released by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, planning authorities granted fewer decisions last year than they did in 2023, with 271,600 decisions in 2024, down seven per cent from 2023. This comes from a total of 330,500 planning applications received, which is down eight per cent from figures in 2023. Provisional figures show that permission for 241,000 homes was given in 2024, which is down three per cent from the 248,000 homes granted permission in 2023. There has been no upturn since the new Labour government was voted in, with a seven per cent decline in applications year-on-year, and a six per cent decline in approvals in the
fourth quarter of 2024. During the same period, district level planning authorities in England received 79,000 applications for planning permission, down seven per cent from the same quarter in 2023 – and granted 64,900 decisions, down six per cent from the same quarter a year earlier. FMB Chief Executive Brian Berry said: “It is deeply disappointing to see the number of planning applications granted for developments of nine or fewer units in 2024 were down significantly on the previous year, by almost 2,000. This means a mere nine per cent of homes delivered will be from the nation’s small local housebuilders – an increasingly dwindling part of the sector. “The housing minister has been clear about the need to diversify the housing market away from a reliance on a small number of high- volume builders, yet today’s figures show more needs to be done.”
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Master Builder
www.fmb.org.uk
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