As Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares to present her spring statement, Construction Anglia has asked construction experts in the East what they would like to see included in her speech.
Speeding up the planning process is top of their list of priorities, with releasing more housing seen as key to promoting growth in the sector.
Stability in the economy is also important, giving developers the confidence to think long-term and greenlight large projects.
And with foreign affairs taking centre stage in world politics at present, leaders have urged the Government not to forget about the industry as a key driver of UK growth.
Simon Girling, Director of SEH French, said there are three sectors in which he would like to see further investment.
He said: “The last budget was reasonably good for construction, with a lot of investment in the areas we work in – healthcare, schools and housing.
“This is something we would like to see continue.
“It’s really about continuing investment in these three sectors which will be key for growth in construction.”
Simon, like others in the sector we have spoken to, said he would like to see a shake-up of the planning system.
He said: “Planning would be something that, if reformed, could open things up for construction.
“Whether that is included in the budget is one thing, but it would certainly help alleviate the situation and get a lot more projects over the line.
“I would like to see anything that can speed up the planning process – it’s really what the construction sector, and country needs.
“We have seen some projects take years to deliver because the system works so slowly, there needs to be a bigger view.
“The sector would greatly benefit from releasing more housing, it’s key to many of the challenges we are facing.
“With everything else going on in the world, I would encourage the Government not to forget about construction.”
Bethan Williams, a Partner in Ellisons Solicitors‘ Commercial Property team, said while she welcomed the Government’s efforts to boost numbers of skilled workers, overhauling the planning system is a priority to sustain and grow the sector.
She said: “Since last year’s Autumn Budget, the Chancellor has commented that Government are ‘determined to get Britain building again’ and that they are ‘taking on the blockers’ to build 1.5 million homes, rebuild our roads, rail and energy infrastructure.
“But their focus is fixed on introducing a new skills programme which promises an influx of over 60,000 new skilled workers by 2029, pursuant to an expected investment of £600 million.
“While this, of course, is fantastic, encouraging a new workforce into an industry will be futile if the Government don’t also overhaul our outdated planning system which they themselves have admitted is ‘holding the country back’.
“Costs incurred by developers to obtain planning permission have soared in the last 10 years (which has ostracised the small/medium developers) and for developers to buy into this new skills initiative, they need certainty of their pipeline before they commit to investing in jobs and skills.”
Bethan said a recent House Builder’s Federation study showed 17,400 affordable homes in England and Wales with planning permission could not be built because housing associations did not have the financial capacity to bid for them.
She said: “This figure was obtained by only 32 housebuilders taking part in the survey, and from these 32 alone, they reported 139 sites were stalled.
“From our client’s sites in Essex and Suffolk, it is staggering the amount of sites which have planning permission for residential dwellings, but our clients cannot build them because they can’t find a Registered Provider to take on the S106 Affordable Housing.”
James Potter, Managing Director of Superstructures, said the Chancellor’s statement needs to be positive and provide the market with confidence.
He said: “I don’t expect any positive changes or efforts to undo damage from October’s budget, but for me it’s about how the spring statement is delivered.
“What we really need, and our clients need, is more stability and less of the gloomy rhetoric in regard to the economy.
“We are busy pricing projects but many of our clients are hesitant to push the button and go ahead because they don’t know what to expect in the future.
“I would like the statement delivered with confidence and with as little big change as possible – to steady the ship.
“Of course, if there was some extra investment for sustainability, green projects and infrastructure that would be great, but mainly it’s about confidence and being able to look ahead.”