King’s Speech unveils drive for housing and infrastructure
Improving living standards for working people through economic growth is the central focus of new laws unveiled by His Majesty The King.
King Charles delivered the ceremonial King’s Speech, revealing the new government’s ambitious “mission-led” drive to stimulate economic growth and create jobs. Central to these plans are significant opportunities for the construction industry, as the government seeks to “build more housing and infrastructure”.
In a concise yet impactful 12-minute address, King Charles outlined 35 forthcoming bills, potentially heralding the most substantial boost to the construction sector in generations.
“Ministers will get Britain building, including through planning reform, as they seek to accelerate the delivery of high-quality infrastructure and housing. They will also pursue sustainable growth by encouraging investment in industry, skills, and new technologies,” the King’s Speech declared.
Key Legislation Highlights
The proposed legislation encompasses several critical areas:
Planning and Infrastructure: A new bill will streamline the delivery process for critical infrastructure and simplify the consenting process for major projects. It aims to bring forward new and improved National Policy Statements on infrastructure, reform compulsory purchase compensation rules, increase local planning authorities’ capacity, and use development to fund nature recovery.
High-Speed Rail: The High Speed Rail (Crewe-Manchester) Bill is set to return, focusing on enhancing connectivity between the East and West of England. This includes new stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport, with a commitment to improve rail infrastructure in the North of England.
Industrial Strategy Council: A new council will be established to drive industrial strategy, reminiscent of the collaborative boards of the 1970s, aimed at fostering sustainable growth through investment in industry, skills, and new technologies.
Employment Rights and Equal Pay: Legislation will address equal pay, zero-hour contracts, and provide greater safeguards against unfair dismissal, alongside new statutory rights for sick pay.
Apprenticeship Levy Reform: The government plans to reform the apprenticeship levy to increase construction apprenticeship numbers and address the skills shortage in the industry.
Planning and Housing
The government’s programme includes significant planning reforms to streamline processes and increase housing output. A critical issue addressed is the lack of incentives for older people living in family homes to move. Solutions may include independent living developments and age-friendly public realm infrastructure.
The industry anticipates further legislation following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s findings, with an emphasis on maintaining high standards throughout construction processes.
Rob Norton, UK director at PlanRadar, remarked, “The golden thread will continue to dominate construction workflows. I hope to see further collaboration in construction’s approach to fire safety, bringing greater consistency and quality to fire-safety checks and strategies.”
Making It Happen
Devolution is seen as a key driver of growth, with metro mayors empowered to support local growth plans. Collaboration between local authorities will be crucial, particularly for significant infrastructure projects. The government’s commitment to improving rail connectivity in the North of England exemplifies this approach.
The National Wealth Fund will play a pivotal role in achieving the net-zero agenda, with GB Energy accelerating investment in offshore wind and hydrogen production becoming a national priority. Water companies will also face pressure to end sewage discharges, necessitating new plant capacity.
Growth Across the UK
The overarching theme of the King’s Speech is driving growth throughout the UK, with a focus on the English regions. Henri Murison, chief executive of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, highlighted the success of regional growth driven by local control and funding, calling for more such initiatives.
Addressing the Skills Shortage
A commitment to investing in skills was emphasised, with the new industrial strategy council prioritising this area. Tim Balcon, chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), stressed the importance of coordinated reforms to drive sustained growth in the construction industry, citing the need for an additional 152,000 workers to meet housebuilding targets.
Employment Rights
New legislation will address employment rights, including equal pay and zero-hour contract bans, alongside protections against unfair dismissal and new statutory rights for sick pay.
Looking Ahead
The full details of the government’s plans will unfold over the next two weeks, with parliamentary debates on energy, the environment, housing, economic growth, infrastructure, and employment scheduled to commence shortly.
As the construction industry braces for a potential transformation, the government’s ambitious plans set a clear path for economic growth and job creation, heralding a new era of development and opportunity.
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