With the phrase ‘Build, Baby Build” from the Housing Secretary Steve Reed, still ringing in the ears of the industry we should feel assured that 1.5 million new homes are now guaranteed. However, we’re far away from hitting that ambitious milestone and even further away from diversifying the housing market – with small, local housebuilders still just a tiny minority in a sea of national developers.
It wasn’t until the planning system evolved into a cumbersome array of paperwork and associated costs which conspired to make many small developers exit the market over the last 30 years, that we ended up where we are today, with just 9 per cent of all new homes built by SME developers. It can’t be right that a site of 5 homes has the same paperwork as a site of 5,000 homes. While some elements of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill may help the nations’ small developers, more investment in local planning departments is needed to turn the ship around.
Small house builders are the backbone of Britain’s construction industry. They deliver homes that fit naturally into local communities, provide apprenticeships and jobs, and keep investment rooted where it is needed most – in the local economy. However, with the country experiencing a housing crisis, with delivery levels still low, that requires urgent action and a much-needed resurgence in the nation’s local housebuilders.
With this backdrop, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has recognised the need to encourage more builders to move into the housing sector by producing a practical guide for them to follow. Originally conceived by Chris Carr, the FMB’s Immediate Part President, two years ago, we have updated the original guide to reflect the many changes that have since taken place.
This is not another policy report on the state of the industry, but a clear guide created by small and micro developers, for those looking to take their first steps into small-scale housing development. Written in plain English, it breaks the whole development process down into clear, practical stages – from site finding and planning to construction and sales. This edition sets out the fundamentals: from finding land and securing finance through to navigating planning, building regulations and sales. It also reflects the sector’s changing priorities, with advice on modern methods of construction, digitalisation, sustainability and zero-carbon requirements.
Our thanks go to all those who contributed their expertise to this new edition and to United Trust Bank and Openreach for backing the work. This guide will help us ensure that Britain’s next generation of housebuilders have the tools they need to succeed. If we are to restore the nation’s housing to a diverse mix of those delivering new homes, we need small builders back in the game and this guide is here to help make that happen!
For more information about FMB, please visit: https://www.fmb.org.uk/