SMEs are hoping to get a slice of the housebuilding action when it comes to expanding existing places and regeneration under new town proposals announced by the government this week. The government is to reform planning to enable 370,000 homes to be built a year and sees the creation of communities of at least 10,000 homes as instrumental to achieving this. Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner said: “Our new towns will deliver housing fit for the future, shaping new communities with [...]

Skills such as heat pump installation, teamwork and leadership should be among the training and upskilling included in the apprenticeship levy, urges the construction industry. The Chartered Institute of Building, CIOB, has called for the levy to offer businesses greater flexibility to include qualifications such as higher diplomas or degrees. CIOB public policy and affairs head David Barnes said: “We would encourage apprenticeship levy funding to be opened to other forms of training and upskilling in construction to give businesses [...]