Our MD, Sarah Barraclough, Speaks Up for SMEs on BBC Radio 4
We’re proud to share that our Managing Director, Sarah Barraclough, recently spoke on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, offering her thoughts on the government’s proposed reforms to the planning system, and what they could mean for smaller housebuilders like us.
The government’s recent proposals to reform the planning system have sparked conversation across the industry. The reforms include plans to delegate decision-making on smaller housing developments to trained planning officers, rather than elected committees, and a £100 million loan fund to support SME developers. The aim? To cut red tape, reduce delays, and boost the number of homes being built across the country.
At Verity & Co Homes (formerly Skipton Properties), we know all too well that planning reform isn’t just about policy headlines – it’s about the real, everyday challenges faced by smaller housebuilders working hard to create homes people love. Which is why we’re proud that our Managing Director, Sarah Barraclough, was invited to share her thoughts on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, giving a voice to the SME community across the UK.
Sarah welcomed the government’s proposals with cautious optimism, calling the reforms “light at the end of a very dark and gloomy tunnel.” But she was also clear: words alone won’t change the reality on the ground.
“We’ve been talking about planning reform for a very long time. Developments that should take eight weeks often drag on three, four, sometimes five times longer. That delay hits us hard – and the hundreds of local subcontractors who rely on our work.”
Sarah Baraclough, Managing Director
She also spoke about a problem we’ve experienced many times before: delays caused by politically motivated decisions at committee level, which can override professional recommendations from trained planning officers. Sarah stressed that for these reforms to truly make a difference, they must come with real resource, especially more qualified officers to support the planning system and help it function as intended.
“Without certainty, we can’t place orders, we can’t create jobs, and we can’t build homes. We welcome the idea of streamlining decision-making, and we hope local plans start including mandatory allocations for medium-sized sites, something that would make a real difference for SMEs like us.”
At Verity & Co Homes, we’ve always believed that a better future is built from the ground up—by real people, in real communities. We’re proud of Sarah for representing our values and voicing the challenges and opportunities that matter most to our industry.
Missed the interview? You can catch the full segment via the button below!
