Industry needs changes now, says Jefferson at HMI Conference

The industry needs to see immediate changes to housebuilding policy to help the industry deliver more homes, Neil Jefferson, ceo of the Home Builders Federation, has said.

Speaking at the Housing Market Intelligence (HMI) Conference in London, Jefferson said that in the year since forming government, the Labour party had “clearly made a lot of foundational changes”, including to the planning system and with aiding SME housebuilders.

“But all those foundational changes will only help in the long term,” Jefferson stated. “We really need changes now, sometimes needing compromise.”

As well as giving an overview of the government’s progress with housing issues since coming to power - “the government has remained engaged but what we have seen is a mixed bag” – Jefferson summarised the various challenges that remained for the industry, including a lack of first time buyer support, the section 106 crisis and viability challenges.

Jefferson highlighted the impact of “layer upon layer” of regulations on the industry, with the introduction of the Building Safety Levy strongly opposed by housebuilders.

He found it “fundamentally unfair” that ministers wished to “press ahead [with the levy] without contributions from some powerful companies”.

Also speaking at the conference, …