Stephen Hawkins, Eddisons Partner, who heads Barker Storey Matthews’ four offices in the Eastern region in Peterborough, Huntingdon, Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds, provides his comments on the General Election result.
He said: “[Now], That the General Election is over, [it] has cleared away at least one uncertainty and that will come as a relief to those who put off property and business decisions during the months in the run-up to the actual campaign period.
“Yet many uncertainties remain when it comes to the big issues facing the incoming administration.
“However, the Government now has a renewed and clear mandate to power on with the BREXIT deal it negotiated and implement it from a position of strength.”
He continued: “Away from the power play of politics, there are a number of property matters that we would like to see the new government address through the corridors of Whitehall, in acknowledging the importance of the property sector to the UK economy.
“There are technical matters, such as a review of the business rates régime.
“In reconsidering the validity of such a blanket approach to assessing property values every five years, the review should include a rethink of the 3-stage appeals process.
“Many professional surveyors feel this is a deterrent to challenges from small businesses who face additional costs and possible penalties in making an appeal.
Mr Hawkins concluded: “Other matters are old chestnuts like the reform of the planning system – which successive administrations always pledge but fail to streamline to anybody’s satisfaction.
“Other legacy issues that would help the property sector include the need for substantial infrastructure investment, as well as reconciling the skills deficit in the UK construction industry.”
Image: Stephen Hawkins, Eddisons Partner
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