Weekly Policy Update |
up to Monday 24th March 2025

This is Conflict Avoidance Week – an area close to Constructing Excellence’s Heart – find out more here: Conflict Avoidance Pledge

The week in policy

Government unleashes next generation of construction workers to build 1.5m homes

New training will help deliver 1.5 million homes which will transform communities and drive growth through the Plan for Change. 

• Up to 60,000 more engineers, brickies, sparkies, and chippies to be trained by 2029, as Chancellor outlines how the government will train more workers to tackle skills shortages and inspire the next generation into the construction sector.
• Reforms will get young people into well paid, high skilled, jobs in the construction sector by funding additional placements, establishing Technical Excellence Colleges, launching new foundation apprenticeships, and expanding Skills Bootcamps.
• This injection of over £600 million over the next four years will also encourage experienced builders to help train and inspire the next generation.

Government unleashes next generation of construction workers to build 1.5m homes – GOV.UK

HM Treasury (HMT) launches action plan to cut red tape and kickstart growth

On Monday (17 March), HM Treasury unveiled an action plan to cut red tape and speed up planning decisions for major infrastructure projects. The government has worked with key regulators to develop measures to be implemented to drive growth over the next year. The steps to be taken include reforming the system of statutory consultees by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. This includes:

• Publishing a consultation on the impact of removing some statutory consultees,
• Setting up a new performance framework with HMT to monitor performance, and
• Allowing statutory consultees to recover costs for advice.

Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, meets Chinese counterparts in Beijing to re-start formal energy and climate discussions

On Tuesday (18 March), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero explained what Ed Miliband had been doing to re-start formal energy and climate discussions with his Chinese counterparts. This included:

• Meeting with Chinese Minister Huang to discuss strengthening cooperation on climate issues,
• Speaking to students at Tsinghua University about UK action on climate change,
• Visiting carbon capture and storage and hydrogen power projects in Energy Valley,
• Meeting with British business representatives in Beijing to hear about the opportunities and challenges for business, and
• Signing the Clean Energy Partnership Memorandum of Understanding with Administrator Wang. This agrees to enhance cooperation on renewables, grid modernisation and clean technologies, while protecting the UK’s national security.

The House of Lords Built Environment Committee launches a new town and expanded settlements inquiry

On Wednesday (19 March), the House of Lords Built Environment Committee launched a modular inquiry into new towns and expanded settlements. The inquiry will first focus on whether the construction of new towns and expanded settlements is practicable and achievable. The committee is accepting written evidence on 14 questions, including details on the barriers to development, support for the planning and delivery of new towns and the locations of new towns. The inquiry comes in the context of the government’s plans to start building up to 12 new towns by the next election.

In the news

PAC warns post-Grenfell policies threaten new homes goal | Construction Enquirer News

Pothole patch-up policy fails as roads repair backlog hits £17bn | Construction Enquirer News

Kemi Badenoch wants to abolish ‘abstract’ net zero target – The Times

The Times reports that Kemi Badenoch has said that Britain’s key climate target of achieving net zero by 2050 is an “abstract concept” that should be abandoned. During a speech launching a series of policy commissions in King’s Cross on Tuesday, Badenoch declined to say how far the date should be pushed back, saying only that she would not “pull targets out of the air”. The pledge has faced a backlash from green Conservatives such as the Conservative Environment Network, who said she had undermined “the significant environmental legacy of successive Conservative governments”. The article reports that the opposition of the net zero target aligns the Conservatives with Reform UK.

Housebuilders call on Reeves to suspend £3.4bn Building Safety Levy – Property Week

Property Week reports that the Home Builders Federation has sent a letter signed by over 100 housebuilders to chancellor Rachel Reeves calling for a suspension to the Building Safety Levy. The letter expressed deep concerns about the proposed levy, which is expected to raise £3.4bn, claiming it will severely hamper efforts to meet the government’s 1.5 million homes target and add thousands of pounds to the costs of delivering each new home, placing a burden on all home builders especially small and medium-sized businesses. The letter was also signed by Vistry Group, Bellway, Cala Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Redrow and Persimmon Homes. 

Government to intervene on cladding remediation test case – Property Week

Property Week reports that the government is set to intervene on a test case appeal this week between Get Living and Triathlon Homes over the financial costs of cladding repairs. The case was launched by Triathlon Homes against Get Living in January 2023 over a £27m bill to fix fire safety defects in properties that Triathlon manages in Get Living’s Olympic East Village in Stratford, East London. The government can provide evidence to reinforce the argument that building owners are liable for safety-related costs. Get Living launched an appeal against an initial ruling in favour of Triathlon in January 2024. The legal battle emerged as a test case to determine responsibility for payments to meet building safety regulations.

Sustainable Dartmoor timber used in manufacturing – BBC News

BBC News has published an article highlighting thatthe Woodland Trust has successfully trialled the use of timber from responsibly managed Dartmoor woodlands to supply construction businesses. The project demonstrated that local tree species, such as beech, alder, and western hemlock, could be processed into products like flooring, cladding, windows and doors. Funded by the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Fund, the initiative aims to encourage businesses to use local wood, providing landowners with an income and promoting better woodland management. The Trust hopes this will reduce reliance on imported timber and support biodiversity. It plans to collaborate with local businesses to expand the range of timber products available.

Coming up next week

Monday 24 March: The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will undertake its second reading in the House of Commons.

Monday 24 March: The House of Lords will hear oral questions on the remediation of high-rise buildings with safety defects.

Tuesday 25 March: There will be Westminster Hall Debates on the accountability of the construction industry and on construction standards for new build homes.