www.hbf.co.uk/policy/polit...

🚫 Rendering many sites completely unviable
🚫 Putting significant strain on small building businesses
🚫 Undermining Government’s housing targets

That's why we're urging Government to scrap the proposed abolition of the Reduced Rate of Landfill Tax

Read our priorities ahead of the Autumn Budget 👇

Find out more about how Chris and our wider Planning team are working with members to influence planning policy speed up decision timescales and ensure a fair, consistent regulatory environment for home building
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If you want to understand how best to engage with our planning team and gain insight into current issues and opportunities, join our webinar at 11am on 28 November.

Register now
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#WorldTownPlannersDay

Later this month, our Planning team is hosting a webinar to share the latest insights from across England.

Join our live session at 11am on Friday 28 November

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Find the recommended actions in this year’s State of Play report 👇
hbf.co.uk/research-insight/stafeofplay2025

This is equivalent to an extra 35,000 homes annually.

This would increase the contribution delivered by SME home builders to a total of 100,000 homes a year - a third of Government’s 300,000 homes target.

🚧Minimise the costs, delays, and uncertainty associated with utility and infrastructure connections – particularly electricity grid access and wastewater connections

🚧Introduce common adoptable standards and mandate the adoption of public amenities on private estates, in line with the Competition and Markets Authority’s recommendations

🚧Raise the threshold for small sites to provide meaningful relief for SME builders, encouraging more development of smaller-scale projects.

🚧Suspend the introduction of the proposed Building Safety Levy, or, at a minimum, proceed with proposals to exempt small and medium-sized sites from the Levy.

🚧Address challenges within the Section 106 Affordable Housing market.

🚧Reduce the overall regulatory burden, with calls for proportionate regulation that recognises the capacity constraints of smaller firms.

🚧Reduce Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106 obligations as these requirements place a heavier burden on SMEs relative to larger developers, undermining site viability.

🚧Stimulate demand through a new equity loan scheme for first-time buyers.

🚧Simplify and reduce the cost and delays within the planning process.

🚧Increase the availability of often-overlooked small sites through Local Plans.