The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has released a statement that local builders in Scotland are ready to tackle issues, but need support from the budget
This week will see the Scottish Government’s Budget, and the FMB is hopeful that it will include support for Scottish builders.
Scotland is in the grip of its own housing crisis and is fighting to meet net-zero targets and bring prosperity, and local builders will have a part to play in this.
“The Scottish Government must invest in under-resourced local authority planning departments to tackle delays”
Gordon Nelson, director of FMB Scotland, said: “The FMB wants the Scottish Government to use this Budget to invest in the future of small building firms in Scotland. Apprenticeships, skills, and planning reform are the vital for a thriving construction sector and one that will deliver homes and infrastructure.
“Apprenticeship funding in Scotland has stagnated, while employer costs continue to climb. As a result, many small firms are struggling to recruit and train the next generation of workers at a time when the industry needs an more than 3,500 people every year between now and 2029 just to meet demand.
“It’s vital that proceeds from the UK Apprenticeship Levy are fully ring-fenced for training and directed towards small and medium-sized employers to help them build a skilled future workforce.
“We also face a delivery deficit in housing, with a shortfall of around 100,000 homes. Small builders now deliver far fewer homes than they did 30 years ago. As set out in our Growth from the Ground Up manifesto, the Scottish Government must invest in under-resourced local authority planning departments to tackle delays.”
More certainty is needed for Scottish builders
Writing for PBC Today in December, Paul Mitchell, operations director at the Scottish Building Federation (SBF) shared his thoughts on the Scottish Housing Emergency Action Plan, and what measures the Scottish government can take in 2026 to tackle the housing crisis.
Paul wrote: “Construction is the engine room of the Scottish economy, contributing 7.4% of total output whilst directly employing 190,000 people, 7% of the nation’s workforce.
“On the face of it, these are impressive statistics and underscore its importance. However, if we look below the surface, there is a concerning seam of uncertainty.
“Unconfirmed levels of government investment, the inconsistent application of building regulations, planning delays and the looming building safety levy are having a detrimental impact right now.
“Scottish Government statistics published last week confirm that it now takes an average of 37 weeks to process planning applications for major housing developments, far exceeding the 16-week statutory requirement.”
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