The housebuilding and building design industries have broadly welcomed the findings of the Building Better Building Beautiful Commission, which called on government to make beauty a core purpose of the planning system.

The Federation of Master Builders warmly welcomed the recommendation that the government equalise the rate of VAT charged on new build and renovation projects – something it has long called for. Currently new build housing is exempt from VAT, whereas spending on refurbishment and renovation incurs the full 20% rate.

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