The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has urged the government and business leaders to focus on the economic value and social benefits of improving the UK’s built environment and not to fixate on short-term costs.
The Association welcomed the Chancellor’s renewed commitment to reform planning, invest in critical infrastructure and deliver significant growth in housebuilding as part of last week’s Spring Statement. However, it warned against focusing on targets at the expense of quality and safety.
“Improving our built environment will have enormous social and economic benefits, but it cannot – and must not – be done on the cheap,” said BESA chief executive officer David Frise.
He said there was growing concern that the government’s slogan: ‘Back the builders not the blockers’ could encourage people to aim for speed over quality.
“It is great that we have ambitious targets, but the best way to create sustainable growth is to ensure our built environment is the best it can be. Whether it is 1.5 million new homes in this parliament or one million, the key thing is that they are good quality homes that support the health, wellbeing and safety of people,” said Frise.
“Likewise in the commercial and industrial sector where delivering safer and more sustainable facilities should be front and centre in our economic policy.”
Approved
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves committed a further £13bn, on top of the £100bn announced in Autumn Budget, to support spending on infrastructure, housing, and defence over the life of this Parliament. Construction market research firm Glenigan estimates there is up to £129bn worth of new projects approved and waiting to break ground.
BESA members have also confirmed that there is a huge amount of pent-up demand in resilient markets like data centres, life sciences, healthcare and defence.
However, Glenigan's latest index revealed a 19% drop in project starts compared to the last quarter, and a 16% decline year-on-year due to caution among developers created by “rising costs and policy uncertainty”.
The Office for Budget Responsibility also calculated that planning reforms included in the government’s National Planning and Policy Framework would lead to 1.3 million homes being built in the UK over the next five years, slightly below the Chancellor’s target.
“Planning reform and infrastructure investment is hugely important, but we must also keep a close eye on our net zero targets and safety responsibilities,” said BESA’s director of specialist knowledge Rachel Davidson.
“There is a lot of frustration about the delays and additional costs being caused by our current planning system, but the industry must take its share of responsibility by making sure its planning submissions identify, clarify and justify how designs comply with Building Regulations.
“Planning controls are there for a reason. This is not just about cost but about ensuring long-term value through safe and sustainable design.”
