Speaking on the Federation of Master Builder’s Build up from the Basement podcast, Gideon Amos MP said this would help alleviate the burden on smaller construction companies while helping deliver more homes.

Amos, a trained architect and town planner, said the obligation to still pay the Infrastructure Levy would ensure standards are still kept high.

“Why not be able to build a couple of houses without paying permission, provided you stick within the same kind of rules," said Amos.

"I'd be really interested in exploring how we can free up a whole sector from planning control.

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“They can still meet the same standards — if there's an infrastructure levy to pay, they could pay the levy."

Elsewhere, Amos said he and his colleagues were exploring what they could do more on rogue builders and if a licensing framework could be incorporated into the party’s policies.

Amos added: “As a spokesperson, I’m very sympathetic and I will look at whether we can bring that into our policy.”

Brian Berry, CEO at the FMB, welcomed Amos’s comments and the intent behind these.

"It's very encouraging that the Liberal Democrats are taking the problem of rogue builders seriously,” said Brian.

“A staggering £14.3bn has been lost to cowboy builders over the last five years and behind every statistic are homeowners left with homes that are half-finished and families out of pocket with nowhere to turn.

“Licensing building companies is the single biggest step the government could take to protect consumers and back reputable small builders who are the backbone of the construction sector."