Marshalls urges support for Get Britain Building campaign

Bruce Farrar, works engineer at Halifax-based Marshalls, whose product range includes walling, kerbs and bollards told WM: "Construction led recoveries are a fact. They've happened more than once. Building more homes and investing in infrastructure will help to put our economy back on its feet." Every £1 spent in construction generates £2.84 in economic activity, according to the Get Britain Building campaign. A construction boom will spread a feelgood factor across UK plc and boost business for all manufacturing sectors said Farrar. Get Britain Building urges ministers to build 25,000 public rented homes, incentivise lending for home improvements and fasttrack construction of schools, hospitals and prisons. Campaign leaders have urged George Osborne to use his 20 March budget to deliver a raft of extra support for new housing developments. Mike Leonard spokesman for Get Britain Building, said: "Our message is really spreading. There is now a wide consensus that housing has to be the priority in the forthcoming Budget. "Our economy is on the verge of a triple dip recession, we have a million under 25's unemployed and a mounting housing crisis. We have long called for the Government to invest in the construction of 25,000 additional public rented homes and we urge the Chancellor to take this bold decision and find the funding required." The comments echo CBI calls for Osborne to boost the housing market in his budget. The CBI has proposed that the chancellor should use the Budget to pledge £1.25billion to build 50,000 affordable homes; inject a further £500m into refurbishing existing houses through tax cuts and subsidies on repairs; accelerate public sector land release for new housing; and encourage pension funds to invest in housing. Sign up for Get Britain Building by clicking the link below: