Product category:
Building Trade Associations and Institutes
News Release from: Federation of Master Builders (FMB) | Subject: Government schizophrenic housing policy
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 18 September 2007
Government schizophrenic housing policy
says FMB
The Government is contradicting itself on housing policy warns Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the Federation of Master Builders.
On the one hand the Government is saying it wants to provide money to speed up the provision of affordable homes, while on the other it is proposing to tax the very same future developments that will provide these homes The Government can have affordable housing or it can have its proposed new Planning Gain Supplement tax, it can't have both
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 27 Jun 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
3 Main Challenges For New Construction Minister
The FMB welcomed the appointment of Nigel Griffiths as Construction Minister and highlighted three policy areas where rapid progress will be key.
The failure of the Government to see this glaring contradiction at the heart of its own policy proposals will only serve to exacerbate the current housing crisis unless it is resolved, and resolved quickly," warns Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs at the Federation of Master Builders.
Berry continues, "Yes, FMB is pleased that the Government has announced GBP500 million to encourage local authorities to fast track affordable housing, but what is the point if they are going to slap an estimated GBP2 billion tax increase on the land on which the houses are to be built? Ultimately it will be the buyer who will have to pay for this additional stealth tax.
The effect will be to increase the growing gap between the property haves and the property have nots as first time buyers will become ever more dependent on help from their family or by taking on crippling debts, something that the Government professes to be worried about.".
• Federation of Master Builders (FMB): contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Buildingtalk email newsletter
• Buildingtalk Home Page
Search the Pro-Talk network of sites
