Government action needed to boost builders, expert says
21st August 2009
Brian Berry, director of external affairs at the Federation of Master Builders, urged the government to take action over the issue.
Despite the injection of money into the banking sector, boosting optimism in the property industry does not appear to be a priority, he said.
But Mr Berry suggested that by addressing liquidity, ministers could help facilitate a recovery and create work for builders.
"Until you actually enable people to have enough money or access to money to buy housing, you're not going to have enough demand and so housebuilders aren't going to respond," he added.
A call for more land and planning permission was also made, as this could help meet demand for new homes.
The comments come after Communities and Local Government revealed that the number of new housing starts in England increased by 63 per cent in the second quarter of the year, compared to the previous three-month period.
