Small house building firms have welcomed moves to increase brownfield development outlined in the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said.

Chris Carr, Chair of the FMB Home Builders Group, said: “Bringing forward planning applications remains an expensive and risky business for small house builders. Brownfield sites within our towns and cities are likely to be sites of a size and location that is attractive to local builders. However, previously-used sites often come with additional costs and complexities that increase the upfront investment required at a time when finance remains very difficult to come by for small developers.”

Carr concluded: “The Chancellor’s announcement that councils will be required to place local development orders on more than 90% of suitable brownfield sites by 2020 is significant. It will reduce the risks involved and provide house builders with the certainty they need to invest in these sites. Where this is backed with funding to help make difficult brownfield sites viable for development then talk of an urban planning revolution may not be so far fetched.”