In the run up to the Liberal Democrat Party Conference, taking place in Bournemouth next week, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has delivered a five point plan to Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg MP, to kick start the building industry.

At a time when the UK economy is going through a very difficult period with house building at its lowest level since 1945 the FMB's five point plan aims to kick start the building industry.

The five points are:

• Tackle the existing housing stock by having a coherent strategy to make it more energy efficient and greener
• Reduce VAT from 17.5 % to 5 % on repairs and maintenance work
• Simplify the planning system to make it quicker and simpler
• Abandon the proposed Community Infrastructure Levy on developers
• Reform Stamp Duty to make it a graduated tax

Speaking outside the Liberal Democrat Party's Head Office, Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs, at the FMB said: "Current proposals to deal with the desperate situation facing the construction industry and the wider economy do not go far enough. There is currently a crisis in the housing market with many first time buyers unable to get a mortgage let alone afford a first home. Alongside this there are over 90,000 families living in temporary accommodation and 1.5 million families on council house waiting lists; the case for building new homes is therefore very clear.


"However, if we are to have any realistic chance of building the homes that are so clearly needed we believe that there are five key issues that need to be addressed. That is why we have delivered our five point plan to Liberal Democrat Party leader Nick Clegg MP."

(CD/JM)