Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to fast-track reforms to permitted development rights as part of Project Speed to assist the deployment of mobile networks and 5G, and benefit rural coverage through the Shared Rural Network Initiative.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
In August 2019, a joint consultation by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport was launched to consider amending permitted development rights to support increased mobile coverage and 5G deployment.
The consultation closed on 04 November 2019. The Government is considering the replies and will issue a response in due course. Subject to the outcome of this consultation, if the proposals are taken forward, we anticipate undertaking a further consultation on the detail of those proposals.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to use the Home Building Fund and land owned by Homes England to diversify the house building sector and support micro and small to medium-sized house builders.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Continuing to build the homes the country needs is a priority for the Government and we recognise the important role that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play in delivering new homes. We have been supporting the sector through various measures to boost confidence and retain capacity. £2.5 billion of the £4.5 billion Home Building Fund is targeted at SME builders and innovators and helps viable development schemes progress. The Home Building Fund encourages greater innovation, improves market resilience and diversifies housing delivery by enabling SMEs to increase their output.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
What recent assessment he has made of the effect of Help to Buy on the number of homes purchased by first time buyers.
Answered by Esther McVey - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Over 192,000 (81 per cent) of sales through Help to Buy: Equity Loan from its start in April 2013 to 30 June 2019 have been to first-time buyers.
This has helped increase the number of first-time buyers to over 350,000 in 2018 – an eleven-year annual high, an increase of 84 per cent since 2010.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring solar energy systems to be installed on all new dwellings.
Answered by Esther McVey - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
As of the 1 of October we have launched a consultation on options to deliver a meaningful and achievable increase to the energy efficiency standards for new homes to be introduced through the Building Regulations in 2020, as a stepping stone to meeting our commitment to introduce a Future Homes Standard by 2025. Our preferred option for 2020 would achieve a 31 per cent reduction in carbon emissions for an average home. We expect this would be achieved by homes being built with high fabric standards alongside the use of low-carbon heating, such as a heat-pump, or renewables technology, such as solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. The published impact assessment considers analysis and evidence supporting the options.
The Building Regulations set minimum energy performance standards for new homes and non-domestic buildings, but do not prescribe the technologies, materials or fuels to be used, allowing builders the flexibility to innovate and select the most practical and cost-effective solutions in particular circumstances. For example, many roofs are not suitable for solar PV panels because of visual amenity, strength, or orientation of the property.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he has taken to stimulate increased lending from high street banks to small and medium-sized house builders in England.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government fully recognises the important role small and medium sized house builders (SME) play in delivering much needed housing in this country. We have already put in place a number of initiatives to help SME builders overcome barriers, specifically access to finance through the provision of the £4.5 billion Home Building Fund. £2.5 billion of which provides short term loans to SME housebuilders, custom builders and innovators. £110 million of that funding has been used to set up The Housing Growth Partnership.
Launched in 2015, this is a £220 million partnership between Lloyds Bank and Homes England and is supporting the growth of SME house builders and expansion in the UK housing stock. It will deliver 3,400 homes. In addition, the Home Building Fund has also provided £125 million for the the Housing Delivery Fund launched by Barclays Bank and Homes England, in September 2018. The £1 billion development finance Fund will help build thousands of new homes across England. Of the £1 billion fund, Barclays is providing £875 million.
A key priority of The Housing Delivery Fund is to support small and medium sized businesses to develop homes for rent or sale including social housing, retirement living and the private rented sector, whilst also supporting innovation in the model of delivery such as brownfield land and urban regeneration projects.
The Chancellor announced at Budget 2018 that the British Business Bank will deliver a new scheme providing guarantees to support up to £1 billion of lending to SME house builders. My Department and Homes England are currently working with the British Business Bank to implement this scheme.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of current lending conditions to (a) large, (b) medium, (c) small and (d) micro house builders in England.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government fully recognises the important role small and medium sized house builders (SME) play in delivering much needed housing in this country. We have already put in place a number of initiatives to help SME builders overcome barriers, specifically access to finance through the provision of the £4.5 billion Home Building Fund. £2.5 billion of which provides short term loans to SME housebuilders, custom builders and innovators. £110 million of that funding has been used to set up The Housing Growth Partnership.
Launched in 2015, this is a £220 million partnership between Lloyds Bank and Homes England and is supporting the growth of SME house builders and expansion in the UK housing stock. It will deliver 3,400 homes. In addition, the Home Building Fund has also provided £125 million for the the Housing Delivery Fund launched by Barclays Bank and Homes England, in September 2018. The £1 billion development finance Fund will help build thousands of new homes across England. Of the £1 billion fund, Barclays is providing £875 million.
A key priority of The Housing Delivery Fund is to support small and medium sized businesses to develop homes for rent or sale including social housing, retirement living and the private rented sector, whilst also supporting innovation in the model of delivery such as brownfield land and urban regeneration projects.
The Chancellor announced at Budget 2018 that the British Business Bank will deliver a new scheme providing guarantees to support up to £1 billion of lending to SME house builders. My Department and Homes England are currently working with the British Business Bank to implement this scheme.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government , what steps he will take to stimulate improved lending terms from high street banks to small and medium-sized house builders in England.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The Government fully recognises the important role small and medium sized house builders (SME) play in delivering much needed housing in this country. We have already put in place a number of initiatives to help SME builders overcome barriers, specifically access to finance through the provision of the £4.5 billion Home Building Fund. £2.5 billion of which provides short term loans to SME housebuilders, custom builders and innovators. £110 million of that funding has been used to set up The Housing Growth Partnership.
Launched in 2015, this is a £220 million partnership between Lloyds Bank and Homes England and is supporting the growth of SME house builders and expansion in the UK housing stock. It will deliver 3,400 homes. In addition, the Home Building Fund has also provided £125 million for the the Housing Delivery Fund launched by Barclays Bank and Homes England, in September 2018. The £1 billion development finance Fund will help build thousands of new homes across England. Of the £1 billion fund, Barclays is providing £875 million.
A key priority of The Housing Delivery Fund is to support small and medium sized businesses to develop homes for rent or sale including social housing, retirement living and the private rented sector, whilst also supporting innovation in the model of delivery such as brownfield land and urban regeneration projects.
The Chancellor announced at Budget 2018 that the British Business Bank will deliver a new scheme providing guarantees to support up to £1 billion of lending to SME house builders. My Department and Homes England are currently working with the British Business Bank to implement this scheme.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the September 2018 Government Response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee Report on the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: Next Steps, Cm 9706, when he plans to publish the call for evidence on a technical review of Approved Document B.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The call for evidence on a technical review of Approved Document B was published on 18 December and can be found on-line at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/technical-review-of-approved-document-b-of-the-building-regulations-a-call-for-evidence
The call for evidence expressly seeks evidence on the provision of sprinklers.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the September 2018 Government Response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee Report on the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: Next Steps, Cm 9706, whether it is still his policy that an appropriate level of fire safety can be achieved without the need to retrofit sprinklers in high-rise buildings.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The call for evidence on a technical review of Approved Document B was published on 18 December and can be found on-line at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/technical-review-of-approved-document-b-of-the-building-regulations-a-call-for-evidence
The call for evidence expressly seeks evidence on the provision of sprinklers.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to require at least two staircases offering alternative means of escape in all new multiple occupancy residential high-rise buildings.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
The call for evidence on a technical review of Approved Document B was published on 18 December and can be found on-line at: www.gov.uk/government/consultations/technical-review-of-approved-document-b-of-the-building-regulations-a-call-for-evidence.
The call for evidence expressly seeks evidence on means of escape in high rise residential buildings.