The renewed All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for SME Housebuilders has been formally launched in this parliamentary term, following its dissolution at the end of the last Parliament. During the APPG’s inaugural meeting, which took place earlier this month in Parliament, Mike Wood MP, Lord Snape and Lord Austin were appointed officers and Sarah Edwards, MP for Tamworth, has been appointed as its new Chair, the first woman to hold the position. Sarah also sits on the Business and Trade Select Committee.
The APPG will provide a dedicated forum for MPs, Peers, industry leaders, and policymakers to address the challenges facing small and medium-sized housebuilders and support their crucial role in addressing the housing shortage in the UK. Close Brothers Property Finance has been announced as the first industry partner to sign up to the APPG.
The APPG’s forward programme will focus on key issues including:
• Advocating for a more efficient, transparent, and SME-friendly planning system.
• Exploring ways to improve funding opportunities for smaller developers.
• Ensuring the industry can attract and retain the skilled workers needed to build quality homes.
• Sustainability and innovation – investigating modern, low-carbon construction methods to help meet environmental targets.
• Addressing barriers to land access to enable SME builders to contribute to housing supply.
The Group builds on the success of previous initiatives, including the I Am a Housebuilder programme, which has provided mentorship and support for women entering the industry with the objective of increasing diversity and helping to tackle the skills shortage.
The State of Play report by Close Brothers Property Finance, the HBF and Travis Perkins highlights the opportunities and challenges facing the sector. For each of the five years in which the report has been produced, planning has consistently been cited by nine out of 10 SMEs as the number one barrier to growth.
Sarah Edwards MP, Chair of the APPG for SME Housebuilders, says: “This is a sector that is ready to grow and can create jobs in constituencies like mine and right across the UK. In my role as chair, I look forward to working with these businesses so that we can build the homes that families desperately need.’
Edwin de Silva, Secretariat for Membership of the APPG, who also champions the interests of SME housebuilders for STARK UK, says: “Supporting SMEs is critical to achieving our national housing targets. We need to ensure that planning laws are reformed and SMEs are given the backing they need to thrive. I hope the APPG will be a powerful voice for the sector, ensuring that MPs and the government listen to their concerns and work together to unlock their full potential, improve and develop our communities and skills base.”
Phil Hooper, Chief Executive Officer of Close Brothers Property Finance says: “The vital role that SME housebuilders play in building high-quality sustainable homes cannot be overstated. Close Brothers Property Finance is a proud advocate for SMEs and supports the APPG’s efforts to drive positive change within the industry, levelling the playing field for SMEs.