On 30 September 2025, representatives from across the UK construction industry sat alongside parliamentarians at this year’s Labour Party Conference for ‘The Big Construction Debate’, a high-profile discussion on how the sector can deliver the skills, homes, and infrastructure needed to support growth and net zero.

Representing the National Federation of Builders (NFB) was Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Policy and Market Insight, who highlighted that planning can be more than just permission to build, it can enable placemaking and forward planning for further growth.

Two sessions addressed two of the biggest challenges facing the sector: skills shortages and low productivity, both of which threaten the delivery of the Government’s ambition to build 1.5 million new homes, retrofit five million properties, and invest in vital national infrastructure.

Construction Minister, Chris McDonald MP started out by focusing on the three Ps: “pipeline, people and productivity”. He related this to his experience working in the steel and development industries. Mike Reader MP, the Government’s construction champion, highlighted the importance of procurement reform in delivering growth and greater opportunities for SMEs.

Ahead of the debate, the NFB alongside other industry leaders set out five policy asks for the UK Government:

• Improve pipeline visibility to support industry-wide workload forecasting which will align training and recruitment with future demand.
• Remove the age cap on level 7 apprenticeships to enable lifelong learning and stronger university-industry collaboration
• Hold government accountable for housing delivery by ensuing data for delivering new homes is transparent, and that they are moving towards improving existing stock.
• Giving vocational and apprenticeship pathways equal prominence as university routes by mandating that it has the same in schools careers sessions.
• Ensure that infrastructure – both physical and educational – remains resilient so it can meet future economic, climate, and supply chain challenges.

After the debate, Rico Wojtulewicz said: “The Big Construction Debate gave us an opportunity to tell policy makers directly that construction is the key to productivity and Britain’s broken planning system is a major barrier to growth.

“We must permit more reservoirs, and treatment works if we want to end water pollution. Building new roads with cycle lanes will encourage more active travel. Connectivity projects, such as the Lower Thames Crossing, should not be scaled back despite its delays. Dithering on pylons continues to stifle renewable projects. Commercial space is as important as housing – both are needed – not one over the other.

“The planning process doesn’t just kill projects and ambition, but it creates unpredictable delays that kills growth and productivity. SME constructors cannot afford to grow the workforce without project certainty and fair procurement. Investors will not wait around for commercial spaces to get the green light and will take their capital elsewhere. Another generation must not be locked out of housing because we fear NIMBYS.

“If projects do not happen, neither does sustained growth and investment in the UK. Reed is right, it’s time to Build Baby Build.”