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Ambitious construction targets under Labour could slip because there are NOT enough skilled workers, say industry chiefs By Rory Tingle, Home Affairs Correspondent For Mailonline Published: 12:22, 18 July 2024 | Updated: 12:27, 18 July 2024 e-mail View comments Labour's plan to build 1.5million homes in England in five years is at risk due to a shortage of skilled workers, industry chiefs have warned. Sir Keir Starmer hopes that easing planning restrictions and reintroducing compulsory housebuilding targets for councils will prompt a construction boom.

Tim Balcon, chief executive of the Construction Industry Training Board, welcomed Labour's commitment to build more homes but said Britain would need more than 150,000 more workers. 'It is essential that the new Growth and Skills Levy drive up construction apprenticeship numbers that have declined under the Apprenticeship Levy,' he said. 'We simply do not have enough workers in the construction industry right now – in 2023 there was a net loss of 10,000 construction workers.



' Construction industry figures warned today that Labour's ambitious homebuilding plans could be derailed by a lack of skilled workers Sir Keir Starmer hopes that easing planning restrictions and reintroducing compulsory housebuilding targets for councils will prompt a construction boom Steve Turner, Executive Director of the Homebuilders Federation, agreed that the supply of labour would need to be 'ramped up' to meet the extra demand, with overseas worke.

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