“As we get building again, we can build back better,” says David Thomas, chief executive of Barratt Developments, the country’s largest housebuilder and WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year.
“As the country continues to plot a path out of lockdown, the housebuilding sector will be an essential part of the recovery. However, it is not enough just to get the country building again; we should aim to build back better than before.
“Unlike 2008, this is not a bursting bubble; demand for quality homes and the fundamental strength of the sector remain intact. Barratt came into the crisis in good shape. We had built nearly 18,000 new homes, and secured an 11th straight year of ‘5-star’ customer service. We have a long history of good financial performance and a strong balance sheet.
“As the coronavirus crisis hit, businesses needed to rely on their financial foundations. However, the strength of their culture and purpose will ultimately determine their future success.
“We were among the first major UK construction companies to shut our sites and were one of the last to begin a careful, phased reopening – we were not prepared to rush. We cancelled our dividend payment and our annual bonus scheme while our executive team took a voluntary 20% pay cut.
“As the crisis unfolded, we donated 5,000 medical-grade facemasks to the NHS and all 400 of our defibrillators to the ambulance services in England, Wales and Scotland. We invested more than £150,000 in local and national initiatives to support frontline healthcare services and even created a brand new homeownership scheme to say thank you to the 1.5m people who work for the NHS.
“This crisis will have long-lasting financial implications, of course, but its impact is broader than that. It is redefining how we live and work. It is changing what we expect from businesses and what people want from their employers.
“After a short hibernation, we have rethought how we work and how our workplaces operate as we restart our business. We took our time to create and test a set of enhanced working practices, which meet the government’s ‘Covid-19 secure’ standard and follow advice from the Construction Leadership Council and public health authorities.
“More importantly, it was vital that we engaged our people in these plans. Around 400 employees, from sites to sales offices, helped shape and refine our new guidelines. Our employee-led Workforce Forum will continue to help us evolve our approach.
“Looking to the future, housebuilding will have a crucial role in supporting places and restarting, rebuilding and renewing our economy.
“The restart is well underway, but the recovery is likely to be a bumpy one. While government took decisive steps as the economy shut down, we must be wary of cliff edges as the sector gets back on its feet. Government must not wait to see cracks appear in the market before taking action to support the sector.
“Since reopening, we have seen strong demand for new, quality homes. However, potential homebuyers may need help accessing finance in the short term. One element could be an extension to Help to Buy to prevent potential homeowners missing out because the construction of their new home was delayed because of coronavirus.
“Ultimately, long-term investment in all types and tenures of housing, as well as infrastructure, will help maintain the pace, create more jobs and build confidence. Partnerships will be crucial too, whether that is working with Homes England, local authorities or a range of other public, private and community organisations. The recovery will require a team effort.
“We should also aim to build back better with an increasing focus on genuine placemaking. We build high quality, well-designed homes – with fantastic developments that achieve Built for Life standards – but people will increasingly be looking for even ‘smarter’, greener and more connected homes and communities. Our approach, as well as the planning system, will need to evolve in order to make those places happen.
“Finally, rebuilding the economy must not cost the earth. We are determined to be the leading national sustainable housebuilder, building on our track record of net zero homes and sustainable places. We have joined a range of leading businesses and charities to call on government to prioritise a green recovery and create a clear roadmap towards net zero homes. We can both ‘bank’ the environmental gains made during the lockdown and step up the creation of a resilient and sustainable economy.
“By doing this, we get the country building again, creating jobs and great places to live and work – for now and for the future.”
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