Charlie Law ICIOB, managing director at Sustainable Construction Solutions
What I would really like is a commitment to increase UK forest cover to at least 20% by 2050. The UK imports 80% of its construction timber and has the third-lowest forest cover in Europe at 13% compared to the average of 37%.
The Liberal Democrats promise to plant 750,000 trees a year, but this is an increase of only 0.02% a year. We need ambitious targets similar to the Scottish government, which plans to increase their forest cover from 17% to 25% by 2050. This would deliver an additional 4.4 million tonnes/year of CO2 sequestration, with a further 1 million tonnes/year of CO2 gained by substituting fossil fuels with wood fuel.
Increasing our forest cover has the potential to create thousands of jobs in the wood production sector, as well as helping to secure a future resource for the UK construction industry.
Jacqueline Glass MCIOB, professor of architecture and sustainable construction at Loughborough University
The first thing that jumps into my mind would be for the next government to increase investment in research and development. Government expenditure on R&D is vitally important, but is weak compared with other nations. As a percentage of GDP we spend about half as much as the US, and less than around a dozen of our European neighbours.
Construction 2025 set out a bold strategy for our industry, but where is the investment in research to support that? The research landscape is as fragmented as the industry itself – let’s start speaking with one voice and lobby the next government for the R&D investment our built environment deserves.
Chris Kane MCIOB, director of Greendale Construction
If we don’t know where we are going, how are we going to get there? Our industry needs to have a long-term plan we are committed to, no matter what, even when governments and policies change.
I would like to see a structured 20-to-25-year plan that builds on the recommendations of Construction 2025. It would be great to see this plan enforced by an act of parliament, so we all have to be committed to it. This will allow companies to plan and resource accurately, and bring stability to the “famine or feast” nature of the industry.
Chris Miles, board director of Longcross Construction
The big one for me is that green belt rules need to change to free up space for development. From a development, construction and housing point of view, it needs to happen.
Every authority that has green belt land needs to conduct a coordinated review into areas that can be developed. Public opinion needs to change, and I’d like to see the government help people understand how controlled development in the green belt can have a real impact on the housing crisis.
Phillip Hall MCIOB, managing director of Hall Construction
I’d like to see the next government reduce VAT on housing renovation and repair work from 20% to 5%. This VAT cut would diminish the ability of dodgy builders – who only carry out cash-in-hand work – to undercut professional construction firms. And research from Experian shows that this VAT cut would kick-start activity in the refurbishment sector and create a £15bn economic stimulus over the next five years.
Shelagh Grant, chief executive of the Housing Forum
We are all aware of the need to build more houses, but the new government needs to make sure quality is not detached from provision. To do this the freedoms recommended in the Housing Standard Review need to be enabled – and quickly. Actions on mobility, space standards and energy need to be included in the Building Regulations to ensure quality.
The industry has been innovative and inventive, and I would like the government to endorse some of the voluntary codes that have been created – Home Performance Labelling for example.
Read Rosi Fieldson of Simons Group’s wish-list for the next government
