Are the big building firms land banking? How can they be persauded to build more homes? Lords Committee to question building companies
The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee will next week question representatives of the Home Builders Federation and building firms McCarthy and Stone and Taylor Wimpey over concerns that land-banking by building firms is contributing to the UK's housing shortage.
The Committee will question the witnesses on evidence it has received suggesting building companies are building on less than 20% of the plots they own with planning permission.
The evidence session forms part of the Committee's ongoing inquiry into the Economics of the UK Housing Market.
The Committee will take evidence at 3:35pm on Tuesday 26 January in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords. They will hear from:
- Jon Stewart, Director of Economic Affairs, Home Builders Federation
- Gary Day, Land and Planning Director McCarthy & Stone
- Jennie Daly, UK Planning Director, Taylor & Wimpey
Areas the session will cover include:
- Are housebuilders keeping land that they could otherwise be developing?
- Are there changes to the planning system that would help improve build out rates?
- Would a tax on undeveloped land that has received planning permission make building firms develop sites more quickly?
- How can building firms help develop the supply of skilled workers in the construction industry?
- Has the Help to Buy scheme increase the number of new homes being built?
- How can the Government support the development of low cost private rental accommodation? Will it require public subsidy?
