Unblocking Barriers and Driving Investment

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds held a virtual roundtable with more than 50 CEOs from across the construction and planning industries, focused on unblocking barriers to growth and driving investment.

Joined by Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, the Business Secretary set out the importance of planning and construction to the Government’s plan for growth and heard from a range of CEOs on how planning reform could boost the industry.

He also invited views from industry leaders at leading UK companies across real estate, planning, construction and infrastructure on reforms to the planning system which have already been made, any barriers to growth or investment that exist and how the Government can help unlock them and drive new investment.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

“Our construction sector is vital to the economy, supporting thousands of jobs across the UK, and will play a key role in delivering our Plan for Change as we race to get Britain building.

“Backed by the certainty of our upcoming Industrial Strategy, we’re committed to working in partnership with industry to make sure our reforms deliver for communities in every part of the country. That’s why discussions like these are so important, as we work to unblock planning barriers to drive growth and investment.”

The Government has already acted swiftly to help unblock the planning system and boost growth, publishing an updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in December and receiving more than 3,000 responses from across industry to its Industrial Strategy green paper consultation, driving forward the Plan for Change.

This year government will also publish its 10-year Infrastructure Strategy and 2025 Spending Review, giving certainty and stability to both investors and the supply chain for the long term.