Gibbs & Dandy MD welcomes Autumn Statement on housing

Neil Lawrence, managing director of builders merchant Gibbs & Dandy has welcomed some of Phillip Hammond’s first Autumn Statement as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

“I welcome the chancellor confirming there will be funding for 40,000 new homes,” he said.

“The building and construction industry can be a real driver for economic prosperity and housebuilding play a hugely important role within the industry. My view has always been the same, which is the UK needs a true housebuilding revolution.

“Government, housebuilders, local authorities and the industry as a whole all have a role to play. It’s estimated that the need for additional housing in England alone is between 232,000 to 300,000 new units per year. That’s a level of housebuilding that hasn’t been seen since the 1970s, and is far higher than the currently level of building.

“Such an investment in housebuilding will benefit so many people, not just those looking to get on the property ladder. It will also create jobs for tens of thousands of trade professionals, including builders, joiners, electricians, plumbers, and painters and decorators, support local businesses that supply materials, as well as contribute to the local economies where properties are being built.”