What will the Government ‘shake-up’ mean for new homes?

They have been labelled as “once in a generation” planning reforms by the Government that will see an acceleration of the planning process for developers across the UK, in an attempt to speed up the delivery of new homes. ¹

This recent announcement by Robert Jenrick, Housing Secretary where he describes the country’s current planning system as “complex and slow” reinforces the Governments message that has been pushed in the wake of the Coronavirus of BUILD BUILD BUILD. Not only will the simplification and increased speed of the new system pave the way for much needed new homes, but the intention is to also empower development of hospitals, schools offices and retail units.

With the social distancing measures which can be respected on many construction sites, it came as no surprise that the construction industry was one of the first to return following the lockdown. The industry is seen as a vital piece in the economic jigsaw as supported by Robert Jenrick who states ‘The shake-up will form the centrepiece of Mr Johnson’s plans to significantly increase the rate of construction in the UK, in order to help build homes and revive the economy following the pandemic’. ²

Critics of the reform warn that the proposals could trigger a cascade of lightly regulated development.³ While this could be a possible outcome of the reforms, it emphasises the need to ensure the right controls are in place to independently monitor builds by way of building control and structural warranty insurance.

Here at One Guarantee, we undertake a detailed inspection process by our qualified Approved Inspectors, monitoring each key stage of the build process. Our aim is to work with developers and house builders, not against, to achieve the highest standard of construction across the UK and provide cover in the event of an unexpected structural defect.

For more information, please get in touch with a member of our team today on 01603 218288 or email us.

¹The Financial Times, ‘Boris Johnson launches ‘once in a generation’ planning shake-up’, AUGUST 6 2020
²The Sunday Telegraph, No. 3,085, Sunday 2 August 2020, p.1
³The Financial Times, ‘Boris Johnson launches ‘once in a generation’ planning shake-up’, AUGUST 6 2020