Helmsley Group issues statement ahead of Autumn Budget 2025
Ahead of the Autumn Budget on Wednesday, November 26th, Tom Riddolls, Development Surveyor at Helmsley Group, reflects on the property and investment market and shares his hopes for measures that will support regional growth and remove barriers to delivery.
The Autumn Budget is a key fiscal event where the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, sets out the government’s economic plans, including tax policies, spending priorities, and measures to stimulate growth. This year’s statement will outline how the government intends to balance investment with economic stability, making it a pivotal moment for sectors such as property and development.
Statement from Tom Riddolls, Development Surveyor at Helmsley Group
“As we approach the Autumn Budget, we’re hoping to see measures that support regional investment and help remove barriers to delivery, particularly through meaningful planning reform. From experience, the sector would benefit significantly from a more efficient and better-resourced planning system. Delays at local level continue to hold back projects that could deliver much-needed homes, commercial space and public realm improvements. Addressing these challenges would allow developers to move forward efficiently and deliver real value for communities.
“The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is a welcome step, but it’s vital that any changes work for smaller, regionally focused developers, not just large-scale national schemes. Local authorities need the flexibility and capacity to support a wide range of projects, including those that bring underused sites and heritage assets back into meaningful use.
“At Helmsley Group, we focus on locations we know well and are proud to deliver place-led schemes that not only create sustainable communities but also preserve and repurpose much-loved heritage buildings.
“We’ve spent the past four decades working in partnership with local councils and communities to help shape Yorkshire’s towns and cities. Over that time, we’ve supported high street regeneration, proposed better use of upper floor space in York city centre to deliver much-needed residential offerings, and helped revitalise underused but historically valuable areas.
When planning works best it is through a collaborative, placemaking approach, engaging effectively with key stakeholders, including the local community. This is demonstrated through our Coney Street Riverside masterplan, which was commended by City of York planning officials as taking a leading approach to community engagement.
“We’d also welcome further investment in infrastructure and targeted support for independent businesses, which are central to the identity and resilience of our towns and cities. Incentives for brownfield regeneration, clearer guidance on sustainable construction, and support for ESG-led development would also be positive steps.
“We remain committed to working closely with councils, partners and communities to deliver high-quality developments that make a lasting difference.”