The House Builders Association (HBA) has welcomed the government's new Housing and Planning Bill.

The HBA said it is "encouraged" to see the government trying to tackle rising prices with capped value starter homes.

It added devolved power will "certainly help communities increase their local housing supply".

Rico Wojtulewicz, policy advisor for the HBA, said: "It is positive to see another form of organic development placed so highly in the bill. Self-build and custom housebuilding have been so far undervalued resources in tackling the housing shortage, and will help neighbourhoods to better address their local needs."

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"SME house builders are integral to the success of self-build and the HBA expects that their local expertise will be appropriately utilised."

The Association also praised other features of the Bill, such as: more simplified planning permission rules, local authority registers of available land for development, an onus on local authorities not to delay the planning process, and additional provisions around compulsory purchase.

(LM/MH)