好色先生TV

Chancellor Alistair Darling attempted to rescue the housebuilding sector with a package of measures designed to stimulate demand, cut regulation and deliver development land in this week鈥檚 Budget.

The moves will also see a ministerially-led task force set up to tackle key issues, including the regulatory burden.

The pledges were contained in an electioneering Budget that stalled on many of the major issues, including where cuts in capital spending would fall, but contained welcome news on infrastructure funding and help for small businesses.

In a major victory for 好色先生TV鈥檚 Charter 284 campaign, the government committed to reducing the regulatory costs on the housebuilding industry. The Treasury documents said the government had identified the supply of viable land, the regulatory cost on the industry and skills as the key challenges facing the industry.

It said it would set up a 鈥渕inisterially sponsored action group to address these challenges and develop proposals for action鈥�.

The government said it would introduce central targets for public agencies, including councils, to release publicly owned land for housing development. It would also cut planning grants to councils who failed to identify a viable five-year supply of housing land through the planning system.

In addition, the unexpected cut in stamp duty for homes worth under 拢250,000 for first-time buyers was warmly welcomed by the Home Builders鈥� Federation, which described it as a 鈥渉uge boost to the housing market鈥�.

John Healey, the housing minister, said the moves were a 鈥渘ew deal for housebuilding, a new deal for private housebuilding, and a new deal on public land.鈥�

This just shows that the real budget is to come after the election

Noble Francis, CPA

Roger Humber, strategic policy adviser to the House Builders鈥� Association, said the action group was welcome 鈥渁s long as it鈥檚 not a talking shop to further the government鈥檚 political objectives of restructuring the industry鈥�.

Darling also focused on small businesses. About 拢2.5bn was unveiled to support SMEs, along with a one year business rate cut from October.

Meanwhile the tax allowance for small firms to invest in new plant and machinery was doubled to 拢100,000.

Noble Francis, economic director at the Construction Products Association, said: 鈥淭his just shows that the real budget is to come after the election, determining where spending cuts are made.鈥�

The Budget at a glance

• 拢2bn cash injection into green transport and sustainable energy 鈥� focusing on off-shore wind power and nuclear
• First-time buyers exempt from stamp duty on properties worth under 拢250,000
• 拢94bn in new business loans available to SMEs from RBS and Lloyds
• 15% of government contracts will go to SMEs
• Tax allowance for plant and machinery for SMEs doubled to 拢100,000
• Government payment times down to five days
• Local authorities receive 拢100m to repair winter-scarred roads
• Highways Agency gets 拢285m towards motorway improvement and hard shoulder running