Personal Injury - Latest News 20 August 2008

Planning system 'needs speeding up'- 03/07/2008[top]

The government needs to speed up the planning system and stop the introduction of a new Community Infrastructure Levy on housing development, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Housing minister Caroline Flint has announce plans to tackle the credit crunch by allocating a further £270 million over the next three years to build 3,800 more homes for social rent and 1,500 shared ownership homes.

However, Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the FMB believes this is not going far enough and the government should instead concentrate on existing problems.

"At a time when house building is at its lowest level since 1945 today's announcement is little more than cosmetic surgery to mask the more fundamental problems about providing the millions of new homes that are needed in this country," he said.

"What we need is no more additional taxation on housing development in the form of the Community Infrastructure Levy and a simpler, speedier planning system which will allow quality housing to take place right across the country."

The FMB represents over 13,000 building companies, making it the UK building industry's biggest trade association.

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