Planning changes could help‘cement’ building recovery

THE FEDERATION of Master Builders in Scotland yesterday said new changes to planning regulations could help “cement” recovery in the construction sector.

Director Gordon Nelson said a new presumption in favour of development had the potential to reverse a trend which had led to a 60-year low in new-build homes in Scotland last year.

He was speaking as the FMB, the UK’s largest building trade association, released its State of theTrade Survey for the second quarter of this year.

The survey, based on responses from more than 400 firms, reported an uplift in workloads in the period as well as a marginal increase in employment.

However, the number of inquiries about new work dropped off slightly in the period — although it remained strongly positive overall.

Mr Nelson said the survey showed that Scotland’s SME construction sector was starting to grow again.

He believes that the newly launched National Planning Framework 3 will boost the industry further.

“The new presumption in favour of development within the NPF3 and Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) will hopefully help cement the construction recovery in Scotland,” Mr Nelson said.

“With less than 15,000 new homes delivered in Scotland in 2013, the lowest level for more than 60 years, it is hoped