The failure of Chancellor Rishi Sunak to address growing concerns as regards the flagship Green Homes Grant has met with dismay across the industry.
RIBA and the UKGBC both criticised the Budget’s lack of substance or direction as regards the so-called “green revolution” the Government has previously concerned.
Now more industry bodies and representatives have added to the mounting chorus of disapproval of the Chancellor’s apparent lack of support and ambition for the GHG and other schemes.
Peter Caplehorn, Construction Product Association Chief Executive, said the Spring Budget did include a series of policy and funding announcements relevant to its members and industry.
“It is important to note however that given some of these may be ‘re-announcements’ of existing commitments or allocations of existing funding, the full interpretation of these announcements will take longer to analyse,” he continued.
“We knew beforehand that the Budget would focus primarily on the recovery from the virus and job protection; therefore, we are not surprised that construction per se was not a major beneficiary today. Still, members will note in particular the trial of ‘super deductions’ for business investment; extension of the stamp duty holiday; further detail on a UK infrastructure bank and commitment to boosting science and innovation, as well as a doubling of incentives for apprenticeships.
“We must also point out our disappointment that there was little in the Budget on energy-efficient retrofit of the existing housing stock, given the importance that government has placed on Net Zero – particularly in the year of COP26 – and especially given the concern over government’s delivery under the Green Homes Grant.”
John Newcomb, CEO of the Builders Merchants Federation, acknowledged that the Chancellor largely struck the right notes in announcing continued support for business as the UK moves through the final stages of the coronavirus roadmap and plan for recovery.
“However, while the Chancellor spoke of the Government’s commitment to Green Growth, we were disappointed that this announcement did not include support for a National Retrofit Strategy,” he added. “This would not only upgrade the country’s housing stock to the highest levels of energy efficiency, but would also provide a platform to upskill the building trade with skills required both to retrofit existing homes and build low carbon new homes, helping to achieve the Government’s Net Zero ambition.”
