CIOB's response to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill

[edit] Background to the response

Throughout July 2022, the Policy & Public Affairs team at CIOB has been busy responding to the Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Committee call for evidence on the draft Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill. The formal written response sets out recommendations, of what CIOB believe the Bill should strive to achieve – from placing the quality of new homes as a primary objective of reforming the planning system; to introducing a Built Environment GCSE in England.

In terms of background, in February 2022, the Government published the Levelling up White Paper, setting out a framework of action to reduce geographical disparities and raise socio-economic outcomes across the UK through investment in the built, social, and economic environment. The proposed programme of action primarily revolved around the setting of twelve ‘missions’, including empowering local decision makers; securing paths to home-ownership; improving the connectivity of communities; and increasing the number of people completing high-quality skills training, amongst others.

Following the Queen’s Speech in May 2022, the UK Government unveiled the ‘Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill’, and provided further details of how the Government would level up the nation in practice. As the draft Bill is rather long, we thought it would be useful to highlight some of the key areas of interest/concern for CIOB as well as provide an insight into what the team has said in our formal written response:

[edit] The Role of Construction in Levelling Up

Within our analysis, we highlighted how the built environment has a significant role to play in achieving the twelve missions, from providing direct employment, investment, and revenue to local and national economies, to delivering housing, transport, and fundamental infrastructure. For example, in terms of delivering environmentally, economic, and socially driven homes, the sector can assist in developing radical solutions to ‘build back better’ and ‘greener’ by adopting more innovative approaches, techniques and methods on construction schemes, which can act as a catalyst to accelerate levelling up, and simultaneously, make progress towards our net zero ambitions. Whilst we are supportive of the levelling up missions and their intention, we are keen to see an independent body commissioned to scrutinise the Government’s progress against each mission.

[edit] Levelling Up & the Skills Gap

One of the key barriers to levelling up from a CIOB perspective has been the historical underlying issues that continue to limit construction’s potential, particularly in terms of the significant gulf between the labour and skills which currently exists. This concern is reinforced by the latest CITB Construction Skills Network report, which suggests that, if projected growth output is to be achieved, “over a quarter of a million extra construction workers may be needed by 2026”. Ultimately, we believe that the levelling up agenda has the potential to address skills gaps in the construction industry. In our response we have recommended that the Government work with the industry to develop unique, sustainable, employment skills and opportunities that reflect local priorities; as well as ensure construction projects provide opportunities that create social value and support local economic growth.

[edit] Planning Reforms & the Role of SMEs

In addition, throughout our written evidence, CIOB have actively advocated for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to play a significant role in meeting the UK’s housing demand, as part of the proposed planning reforms. In recent decades, we have witnessed SMEs be priced-out of the development market, primarily due to a lack of access to finance, and uncertainty over the outcome of planning applications. We have therefore proposed that the Government give due consideration in protecting SMEs to ensure competitiveness, as we believe that diversification of the housing delivery market is crucial to maintaining a consistent stream of new home completions.

[edit] Levelling Up & Net Zero

CIOB has also encouraged the Government to explicitly align its levelling up agenda with wider-policy objectives, such as net zero. The Bill, in its current state, appears to be a missed opportunity to explicitly align the Government’s flagship policies on levelling up and net zero. It is precisely because of this; we have recommended that the Bill be used as a driver for addressing sustainable development and to align planning reforms with our legally binding climate targets.

[edit] Conclusion

The built environment continues to influence and shape how we live, work, and play at community levels. Therefore, the Government must not underestimate the importance of listening to the industry on how best to deliver levelling up at a practical level.

This article originally formed part of a CIOB Policy and Public Affairs Newsletter, dated July 2022.

--CIOB

see also IHBC's response here

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings

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• Government publishes UK infrastructure strategy.
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• IHBC respond to Parliamentary Committee on Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill
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• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).