MediaResponding to the latest construction figures, Sam Richards, CEO of pro-growth campaign group Britain Remade, said:
“Today we get another set of grim numbers for construction in Britain, but sadly none of this should be a surprise. When it takes years to get planning permission, projects are endlessly delayed, and costs are pushed up by a system that makes it harder, not easier, to build, you inevitably end up with a sector stuck in the doldrums.
“If we want homes people can afford, modern infrastructure, and investment that actually happens and delivers jobs and cuts energy bills for households and businesses, we have to fix the barriers holding builders back. That means speeding up planning, cutting needless delays, and creating a system where good projects can get going in months, not years.
“Today’s data is yet another reminder that Britain can’t afford to keep dragging its feet.”