Housebuilders have
called on ministers to recognise the achievements of the industry in delivering
the Government’s housing commitments and meeting every challenge Ministers have
laid down.
The industry is well
on target to deliver the million homes Government challenged it to but is
highlighting the risk of negative rhetoric about new housing supply “providing
cover for NIMBYs and energising anti-housebuilder campaigners” and damaging
attempts to address the skills shortage.
With housing supply
now above the levels recorded in the post war years and up 74% in four years;
satisfaction scores show build quality is improving; private sector builders
providing 50% of all affordable housing as part of community contributions of over
£6Bn a year; tens of thousands of new employees being recruited and trained;
and a record number of planning permissions being applied for as the industry
gears up to deliver Government’s pledges to young people and 300k homes a year,
the industry believes Government should be recognising the progress being made
by private sector housebuilders and working with them to positively position an
industry that needs public support, and more recruits, to deliver Government
targets.
Stewart Baseley, HBF
executive chairman, said: “Government has quite rightly recognised the social
and political need for them to address the chronic housing shortage we face.
Housebuilders have risen to the challenge and delivered huge increases in supply,
whilst providing increasing contributions to local infrastructure, amenities
and affordable housing.
“As the same time
the industry has invested hugely in training, recruitment and land to ensure it
is geared up to deliver Government promises. The industry has also reacted
decisively to reverse the slight, but unacceptable falls in customer service
and quality, something that takes commitment from board level down.
“The constant
criticism of the industry often fails to recognise the huge progress being
made. Negative perceptions also make further increases in supply more difficult
by encouraging and providing excuses for the anti-development lobby and Local
Authorities who don’t want to build. It also makes attracting the brightest and
best your people more difficult. House builders across the country face huge
challenges getting sites agreed and recruiting skilled workers, issues made
more difficult by negative perceptions of the industry.
“The big increases
in supply we have seen in recent years are on the back of successful policy
introductions and private sector investment. We are calling on Government to
continue to work with the industry constructively to deliver further mutually
beneficial goals.”
Policies such as
Help to Buy demonstrate Government’s commitment to building more homes. The
scheme has been central to the increases and a hugely successful policy that
should be celebrated. It has delivered on all its set objectives to drive
supply up, help first time buyers and increase economic activity. The industry
is calling for confirmation of its futurepost 2021.
Government has also
overseen big improvements in the planning system since the introduction of the
National Planning Policy Framework, and whilst the revisions currently being
consulted on need to reduce the costly and time consuming blockages that see hundreds
of thousands of so called permissions stuck for too long, it is delivering more
land.
Recent successes
include:
- They showed there were
217,000 net additions in the year to April 2017, the third highest number
since the early 1970s and up 74% in the past four years alone. As a result
the Government’s initial target of one million additional homes in the
period between 2015 and 2020 - ridiculed by many back in 2015 as a pipe
dream - now looks very attainable depending, as ever, on the wider
economic outlook.
- The latest industry customer
satisfaction survey scores released today show increases across all
question areas including a 2% increase in the key ‘Would you recommend
your builder to a friend?’ question to 86% - a survey satisfaction level
that compares to any industry or sector. After four years of successive 1%
falls as volumes increased, the reversal is a reflection of the commitment
of the industry to improve customer service and quality. Over 100k forms
were sent 50k returned.
- A Government report released
last week showed that last year the industry contributed over £6Bn via
Section 106 agreements and Community Infrastructure Levy payments. £4Bn
went towards affordable housing provision and the industry is now
providing half of all affordable homes, something previously paid for
entirely from the public purse.
- Last year saw around 350k
planning permissions granted to housebuilders, a demonstration of industry
commitment to deliver further increases in supply. Whilst many of the
permissions will take builders many months to process to the point where
they are allowed to start building them (and be incorrectly classed in
‘landbanking’ stats by some critics whilst being processed), assessment of
previous year’s numbers shows the clear link between permissions and
completions, albeit with a lag.*
- The industry is investing
massively in skills and training, as was demanded by Government, to ensure
it has the capacity to deliver housing targets and build high quality
homes. The Home Building Skills Partnership, launched by the industry two
years ago to drive forward the agenda, is a demonstration of industry
commitment to become bigger and better.
