Brownfield Development - LDOs will overcome risks for SMEs

"Small scale house builders, like the ones the FMB represents, will be crucial to building out many of the smaller brownfield sites and meeting the Government’s ambition to maximise housing delivery on brownfield land.

"Bringing forward planning applications can be risky and expensive for small developers. Many brownfield sites are likely to be of a size and location that are attractive to smaller builders, but previously-used sites often come with costs and complexities that require greater upfront investment. This is an added financial burden for smaller developers which is particularly unwelcome when you consider how many of them are having difficulties accessing finance from the major banks.

"The Government’s approach – requiring local authorities to place Local Development Orders (LDOs) on over 90% of brownfield sites suitable for housing by 2020 – will overcome many of these obstacles. LDOs will provide the greater clarity and certainty which small developers need to be able to invest in these sites. As opposed to a crude brownfield first policy, the FMB believes that this is will prove a better and more effective way of encouraging brownfield development.

"The FMB strongly supports the Government’s approach to enabling brownfield development."