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Brookbanks Podcast #25: Policy, Progress & Positivity

The Brookbanks Difference / News / Brookbanks Podcast #25: Policy, Progress & Positivity
A red brick semi detached house in a residential area. It has a grey driveway with greenery in the front garden

Residential As the UK continued to face pressure to deliver more homes, the housebuilding sector was operating in a complex and fast-moving environment. From policy reform and planning uncertainty to skills availability and new regulatory requirements, the conditions shaping residential development remained firmly in focus. The latest episode of the Brookbanks Podcast our Head of Cost & Commercial, Ben Wakeling sat down with Neil Jefferson, CEO of Home Builders Federation to discuss the current policy and initiatives HBF are in conversation with the Government about. Drawing on their experience across residential build planning, Ben and Neil share their perspectives on where the UK housebuilding industry currently stands, whether there is enough labour force to keep up with property building demands and the opinion of how the building safety levy will affect the industry.

Do we have the means for growth in the building industry?

Over recent years, demand for properties and residential builds has slowly started to increase.  

Whether driven by global events or underlying demand, it is clear the home building industry is ready for an increase in property builds. With the Governments new idea to build a further 1.5 million houses, do we have a big enough labour force to align with these needs?  

Throughout this discussion, Ben and Neil explore the state of the home building industry and the positive mindset the HBF have when thinking of future endeavours, how reactive the industry truly is in times of political unrest and which regions of the UK are struggling for houses.  

Is the industry desirable for the younger generation?

The industry is becoming a more sought after opportunity for young people debating what to do with their future. A recent study found that out of 300,000 teens, construction was 3rd on the job ranking list, where it used to sit in the mid-20s. Due to AI becoming increasingly prevalent in industry, it is no wonder that manual labour jobs are more desirable.  

Ben and Neil discuss the future of the homeowner industry and what HBF does as a company to be appealing to future careers, what initiatives are ran and how that will attract new faces into the industry. 

Building Safety Levy

HBF have successfully lobbied in the delay of the building safety levy most notably due to £2.5 billion within the building safety fund that has been left unallocated.  

Ben and Neil discuss the building safety levy through the eyes of the building companies from big building corporations to the smaller SME’s who will find themselves being taxed on top of the levy.  

As the housing sector continues to respond to changing policy, rising demand and new industry pressures, this conversation offers valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities shaping its future. To hear Ben and Neil’s full discussion and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered, watch the latest episode of the Brookbanks Podcast. 

Listen to the Podcast

From housing targets and skills shortages to planning reform and the building safety levy, this episode explores some of the most pressing issues facing the UK housebuilding industry today. Watch the latest episode of the Brookbanks Podcast to hear Ben Wakeling and Neil Jefferson share their insights on the challenges, opportunities and future direction of the sector
Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel and subscribe for more insights on planning, engineering, development and infrastructure.
Ben Wakeling, Head of Cost and Commercial at Brookbanks
Head of Cost and Commercial

Ben Wakeling

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