The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has welcomed the announcement by Edwina Hart, Wales's Minister for Economy, Science & Transport Minister, of a £10 million Property Development Fund aimed at supporting smaller scale property ventures and providing a boost to the Welsh construction industry.
Ifan Glyn, an FMB Cymru spokesperson, said: "We welcome the new fund, as it is clearly designed to enable access to funding for viable building businesses in Wales and to boost the SME construction sector. Our recent State of Trade Survey gave real signs for optimism that the Welsh building industry may be turning a corner, and our members are also telling us they are more hopeful about the future after some very difficult years for construction in Wales."
Mr Glyn continued: "Some members voiced concern that in recent months the Welsh Government has sought to add to the regulatory burden currently holding building firms back, so this announcement is brilliant news and shows FMB Cymru and its members are being heard. A quarter of FMB member firms around the UK have lost business opportunities or had to abandon plans for growth or investment because they were unable to raise the necessary funds from the bank, so we are pleased this new fund is seeking to tackle a very real problem.
"While we welcome any steps aimed at revitalising the construction sector, it is important to remember we still have some way to go to secure sustained economic recovery for Wales's smaller builders; the architects of this policy must now ensure fair access for viable firms, and should also continue to explore all options to build on these positive foundations."
(CD/IT)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Construction News
04/06/2013
FMB Welcomes Funding To Boost The Welsh Construction Industry
Latest Construction News
29/11/2024
Helmsley Group secured planning permission for the final part of its Coney Street Riverside masterplan which will bring much needed residential space to the city and realise a 50-year ambition to reconnect York to its riverfront. With work expected to start in the summer of 2025, this approval ...
29/11/2024
Network Space Developments (NSD) has received planning approval from Manchester City Council for a major redevelopment project at its Welcomb Street site in Openshaw, Manchester. The four-acre site, acquired by NSD in 2022, will be transformed into an extension of the adjacent City Works Business ...
29/11/2024
Work has commenced on a new lighting scheme designed to create brighter streets in Digbeth, close to HS2's Birmingham Curzon Street station. The Birmingham City Council project – funded in part through a £210,140 investment from HS2's Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF) – will see the ...
29/11/2024
Building work has commenced on 14 new modern one-bedroom apartments at Ludwick Green in Welwyn Garden City. The apartments are being developed as part of Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council's (WHBC) Affordable Housing Programme, and its commitment to building new social and affordable homes. Ludwick ...
29/11/2024
River Capital has invested £500,000 in Liverpool-based M&E engineering consultancy, Steven A Hunt & Associates Ltd. The funding was structured to facilitate a management buyout (MBO) by the senior management team of Neil Baines, Anne King, Dave Kelly and Dominic Sibbring from founder Steven Hunt, ...
29/11/2024
Henley Restoration and Remedials has been chosen to carry out extensive external and structural repairs on the Grade II-listed Phoenix Mill, the oldest building in the Rutland Mills complex. Originally a grain store, Phoenix Mill later became a corn mill in the 19th century before transitioning ...
29/11/2024
Dorset County Council's North East Technology Park (NETPark) has been allocated over £11 million towards its expansion. The North East Combined Authority's Cabinet has approved £11.3m of funding for the Sedgefield site from its £160m flagship North East Investment Zone (NEIZ), which aims to drive ...
29/11/2024
Laing O'Rourke, in collaboration with Barnsley College and T3 Training & Development, have opened the UK's first dedicated modern methods of construction (MMC) training facility. The first of its kind training centre represents a groundbreaking step in addressing the UK's construction skills ...
29/11/2024
Aqua Direct are keen to share their support for the Urgent Funding campaign from St Giles Hospice. With a national hospice funding crisis, they need your support more than ever ...
29/11/2024
As we approach the end of 2024, we have been reflecting on what an action-packed year it has been. We have worked with some fantastic clients and sites across the country. We started from our base in Essex over ten years ago, and the demand for trackway has certainly been at its highest ...