25% of commercial property professionals believe more government support for repurposing disused buildings and sites would create “a better environment for commercial landlords and UK SMEs”, according to new research from property lender Together.

Meanwhile, 19% of respondents called for more government support for brownfield development ahead of the general election.

The survey results come directly after Housing Secretary Michael Gove’s recent speech in which he announced that to tackle the UK’s chronic housing shortage, councils would be given three months to set out housebuilding plans in their local areas with league tables drawn to track progression. Those that failed to do or miss this deadline will now be stripped of their powers to delay planning applications indefinitely.

Within this speech Gove also reassured local authorities they would not need to redraw the green belt to meet housing targets.

This comes as Together’s survey finds that 31% of respondents said moves to support house building in the UK’s major cities will only lead to the creation of hundreds of new homes, rather than the thousands needed to meet demand. 25% said it was “unlikely to have a meaningful impact on housing supply.”

Elliot Vure, director of Together’s corporate division, said: “As our survey shows, regenerating disused property and sites is a leading priority for house builders, landlords and investors, with 19% wanting more support for brownfield development.

“However, while we’d expect the government’s emphasis on breathing new life into previously-developed sites should be welcomed, there’s still many obstacles to overcome in taking these projects on with no single magic bullet.

“Brownfield land tends to come with more complex issues, such as remediation and de-contamination. The right type of funding also needs to be in place to kick-start smaller brownfield renovation projects.

“What we need is innovative thinking and strong public-private partnerships to make sure the best quality homes and offices are built on eyesore brownfield sites where they’re most needed.

“We need entrepreneurial housing developers, funders and local authorities to work together to provide innovative schemes which really meet the ambitions of home-buyers and commercial investors.”

The results showed strong support for upskilling the UK construction industry workforce. 20% of those polled put addressing building trade skills shortages as their third highest priority that the government needs to address.

Meanwhile, 21% want more tax benefits and initiatives that will give the property market a shot in the arm, while 18% said better access to finance should be a priority ahead of the election. A further 17% wanted to see the government cut red tape around planning regulations.

Last week, the government pledged to deliver thousands of new homes on council-owned brownfield sites in England through a fund of up to £80 million “to transform neglected land into beautiful and thriving communities.”