BPF response to new Government measures to help the construction industry
The Government has just announced that new measures to help the construction industry boost building and return to work safely will be introduced this week: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-plans-to-get-britain-building-in-coronavirus-recovery
- Government to extend planning permission deadlines, saving hundreds of construction projects’ permissions from expiring
- Flexible working hours on construction sites to support social distancing, helping people return to work safely
- New changes could speed up the pace of the planning appeal process
Responding, Ian Fletcher, Director of Real Estate Policy, British Property Federation comments:
“An extension to planning permissions is a welcome boost for development sites across the country and something we have been working with Government throughout lockdown to progress. It is vital to economic recovery that new investment continues to flow into our towns and cities, homes and high streets, and for those projects on rapidly expiring planning permissions over the coming months, this extension allows them to proceed with a little more leeway. Government should also continue to monitor the situation post April 2021 given the tremendous economic and operational challenges developers continue to face.
“We are pleased to see Government is also moving forward with new practice on planning appeals. Time is risk for developers and, if time for appeals can be reduced, this is likely to mean more projects get promoted. Helping developers to agree extensions to working hours on construction sites will also further support the sector to increase its output and protect jobs.”
Kindly shared by British Property Federation (BPF)
