More small sites for house building will increase completion rates - FMB
Federation of Master Builders
The Federation of Master Builders responds to today's CLG Select Committee National Planning Policy Report.
As has been recognised by the Housing Minister, the best means by which to increase completion rates is to allocate more small sites for house building. We must make it easier and less risky for smaller non-allocated (so-called ‘windfall’ sites) to be brought forward. Smaller sites get built out more quickly and councils therefore need to consider how they are maximising the opportunities for SME house builders that build these sites.
This is the thinking behind the presumption in favour of the development on small sites and the requirement to have clear, positive policies against which to assess windfall applications. These solutions will be far more effective than granting councils the power to ‘encourage’ developers through financial penalties. Such an approach would actually have the adverse effect of increasing the risk of developing sites and would disincentivise house builders from bringing applications forward.
