Poor quality or unattractive housing developments will be more easily changed by councils under new rules that form part of the revised National Planning Policy Framework, the government has claimed.
Publishing the revised framework, following a public consultation earlier this year, the government said it would:
- promote high quality design of new homes and places
- offer stronger protection for the environment
- allow the construction of the right number of homes in the right places
- focus on greater responsibility and accountability for housing delivery from councils and developers.
The revision of the National Planning Policy Framework is part of the government’s ambition to build 300,000 new homes a year by the mid 2020s and incorporates 85 proposals set out in the housing white paper and the Budget.
Under the revised framework, councils will have the power to refuse permission for development that does not prioritise design quality and does not complement its surroundings.
It will also encourage councils to make use of new visual tools to promote better design and quality and will set a strategic direction for driving up new build quality, although it will remain up to councils to apply these policies in the most appropriate way in their area.
There will be a greater importance on air quality, as the framework has also been updated to provide further protection for biodiversity, aligning the planning system more closely with the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) 25-year Environment Plan, which offers more protection for habitats and places greater importance on air quality when deciding development proposals.
The framework also sets out a new way for councils to calculate the housing need for their local community, with the aim of delivering more homes where they are most needed, and from November 2018 councils will have a Housing Delivery Test, focused on driving up the number of homes delivered in an area, rather than how many are planned for.
Communities secretary James Brokenshire said: “Fundamental to building the homes our country needs is ensuring that our planning system is fit for the future. To maximise the use of land we are promoting more effective use of the land available and giving councils more confidence to refuse applications that don’t provide enough homes”
“This revised planning framework sets out our vision of a planning system that delivers the homes we need. I am clear that quantity must never compromise the quality of what is built, and this is reflected in the new rules.”
The framework also sets out a new way for councils to calculate the housing need of their local community, including different forms of housing, such as older people’s retirement homes. According to Brokenshire the new methodology aims to deliver more homes in the places where they are most needed, based on factors including the affordability of existing homes for people on lower and medium incomes.
The government said councils would be required to take a Housing Delivery Test from November this year, “designed to drive up the numbers of homes actually delivered in their area, rather than how many are planned for”.
The government repeated its goal to building 300,000 new homes a year “by the mid-2020s”.
The new rules will see 85 of the proposals set out in the most recent Budget and in the housing white paper – published in February 2017 – implemented in the new framework.
Responding to the latest document the British Property Federation said the NPPF “rightly embraces multi-tenure housing delivery, higher quality design of new homes and the benefits of the build-to-rent sector, [but] the nation’s town centres and the industrial and logistics sectors still require more support from planning policy”.
BPF director of real estate policy Ian Fletcher said the planning system for town centres was still too inflexible and outdated. “The way people use town centres is changing, and in turn town centres must be able to respond more quickly and innovatively to this.
“Leadership needs to come from local authorities and the starting point is a supportive planning policy. Local authorities should be given the resource to regularly monitor retail trends and adapt town centre planning policies accordingly.”
And Mark Sitch, senior partner at design consultancy Barton Willmore, said he was disappointed to see that the industry’s “substantial feedback” had not found its way into the final framework.
“There are however no big surprises and no real changes. The focus remains on housing. Overall, there is less, not more, for those looking to deliver employment floorspace. This may be a critical oversight as we all move towards a post-Brexit economy.”
But Paul Smith, managing director of planning consultancy the Strategic Land Group, said that while none of the NPPF policies were “game changing in themselves, they represent an evolution of the original NPPF which has, in reality, worked quite well. The number of homes granted planning permission has almost doubled since it was introduced.”
Source: Construction Manager Magazine / Building.co.uk
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Sustainable Fire Protection: Eco-Friendly Solutions for Green BuildingsMarch 24, 2025 - 10:49 am
How Technology is Shaping the Future of ConstructionFebruary 24, 2025 - 10:46 am
Flammable cladding is a breach of human rights
/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickersThe use of flammable cladding on Grenfell Tower and other high-rise residential blocks constitutes a breach of the residents’ human rights, according to the Equality & Human Rights Commission, and thus exposes public authorities to prosecution under the Human Rights Act 1998.
The Equality & Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has written to the Department for Housing, Communities & Local Government (DHCLG) outlining its concerns about the continued use of combustible cladding in existing buildings and advising the department of its responsibilities under human rights laws to protect lives.
The EHRC is supported by the British Safety Council in its challenge to the government over its failure to protect lives
In a briefing paper on the subject, the EHRC says: “A key issue in the Grenfell inquiry will be whether the building regulations banned the use of polyethylene-based cladding in high-rise residential blocks, due to the risk of fire associated with it. If the building regulations did ban its use, questions will be asked about the adequacy of the systems for monitoring and supervising compliance with those regulations, including in council buildings, to ensure that cladding was installed safely. Both scenarios raise questions about whether the UK has met its duty to protect life. Additional issues arise concerning fire safety regulations, including the installation of fire sprinklers in high-rise buildings.”
The EHRC has expressed its concern that the consultation on the use of external cladding omits any reference to the government’s duty to protect lives under article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and schedule 1 to the Human Rights Act 1998.
British Safety Council chairman Lawrence Waterman said: “The British Safety Council has participated in the consultation, calling for much tighter building controls, clearer guidance and effective enforcement. The EHRC intervention takes a wider view and supports our long-held and consistent argument that health and safety is a crucial underpinning of the human right to life.”
The EHRC explains: “The right to life is one of the fundamental guarantees in international human rights law. In many respects it is a prerequisite to, and closely linked with, the enjoyment of all other rights. The right to life is protected under international and European human rights treaties, including Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The UK government has signed up to these treaties and has to abide by them at all times.
“Article 2 of the ECHR is particularly important in the UK as it has been incorporated into domestic law by the Human Rights Act 1998. This means that all UK governments and public bodies – central, local and devolved – including all public officials, have to take appropriate measures to safeguard life by making laws to protect people and, in some circumstances, by taking active steps to protect people if their lives are at risk. If they don’t do this, they can be taken to court.”
Solicitor Anjon Mallik, construction partner at Gordons law firm, commented: “The Human Rights Commission’s intervention that the use of flammable cladding on Grenfell Tower and other high rise buildings is a breach of human rights is an issue that the Grenfell Inquiry will not be able to ignore. If it turns out that the use of polyethelene based cladding in high rise cladding had actually been banned by building regulations but its continued use had not been properly monitored, the public will rightly expect those in authority to be held to account. And, unless and until those responsible face the severest consequences, the clamour for heads to roll will continue.”
Source: construction index.co.uk
The 7 best eco friendly materials for building
/0 Comments/in News /by joannevickersWith the inevitability of declining fossil fuels, and the threat of global climate change, reducing our energy consumption is an essential survival strategy.
Choosing to build green saves energy. The low embodied energy of green products ensures that very little energy went into their manufacture and production, with a direct reduction in carbon emissions. Eco friendly design methodology can further reduce energy consumption by minimising energy inputs for heating, cooling and light, and incorporating energy efficient appliances. Saving energy for the occupant also saves money – an issue that will become increasingly important as the cost of fossil fuels inevitably rises in the near future.
The most eco friendly construction materials for a home are as follows:
Recycled Steel
Utilises steel already in existence for structural use in a home. The reclaimed steel from 6 junk cars provides enough recycled steel to build a 2000 square for home. Recycling saves 75% of the energy costs. Steel is the most recycled material in the world and recycled steel is used in the manufacture of all new steel.
Bamboo
Bamboo is increasing in popularity as a building material. Bamboo is very sustainable since it grows quickly. While trees such as pine and cedar can be reforested, growing them can take years. Bamboo can be reforested much more promptly and grows throughout the world. Bamboo, like true wood, is a natural composite material with a high strength-to-weight ratio useful for structures. Bamboo has a higher compressive strength than wood, brick or concrete and a tensile strength that rivals steel.
Sheep’s Wool
Sheep’s wool, of course, can also be regrown quickly. After shearing, sheep inherently produce a new crop. Clothing manufacturers have long-known the insulating properties of wool, which make very cozy sweaters and socks. The same insulating features can make sheep’s wool an energy-efficient insulator in walls, ceilings and attics. Sheep Wool Insulation is totally natural, environmentally friendly, and quick and easy to install. Wool insulation and other eco-friendly products appeal to the growing numbers of home owners and buyers looking for green buildings with an excellent energy rating.
Straw Bales
Straw bales also have fantastic insulating properties. Straw bales are placed in walls, attics and ceilings to contribute to cooler temperatures in the summer and warmer temperatures in the winter. Straw can be harvested and re-planted easily with minimal environmental impact. The making of straw into bales also has a very low influence. Research has shown that straw-bale construction is a sustainable method for building, from the standpoint of both materials and energy needed for heating and cooling.
Precast Concrete
Concrete is a natural material that can be recycled, making it an appropriate choice for eco-friendly homes. Pre-cast concrete is eco-friendlier than concrete poured on site. It is poured into pre-made molds over rebar or wire, then cured. Once the concrete has hardened, it can be shipped and placed into multiple structures. As a result, precast concrete achieves economies of scale that concrete which is poured on-site cannot.
Reclaimed or Recycled Wood
Reclaimed or recycled wood has much less of an environmental impact than harvesting new timber. Since many homes and other structures have used wood for several years, it’s relatively easy to reclaim those structures for new home building. Wood can be used in the construction of a home — reclaimed and recycled wood can also be used to make unique floors or exposed beams with an antique look.
Earth
Many cultures throughout the centuries have used earth for building. Homes built of earth are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. While earth homes are frequently produced in China and parts of South America, they are far less prevalent in the United Kingdom.
Plant-Based Polyurethane Rigid Foam
Rigid foam is often used as insulation material in building. It’s made from kelp, hemp and bamboo. Because it is rigid — and relatively immovable — it can be used in insulation. It offers protection against mold and pests, as well as sound insulation and heat resistance.
There are many good reasons why we should use eco-friendly construction methods and materials. It can improve the health of our planet, and the health of our own lives. It also supports local business and helps strengthen the local economy, which in turn helps to build our communities into vibrant, prosperous and desirable places to live
Source: motherearthnews.com / Tata Steel Europe / Sheep Wool Insulation / Wikipedia /
Construction growth to rebound to 2.3% next year
/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by JamesUK construction output is expected to bounce back to 2.3% growth in 2019 after dipping by 0.6% this year.
The growth hiatus this year ends the five-year run enjoyed by the industry, fed mainly by private sector home building and strong commercial and industrial activity.
While forecast 2019 and 2020 growth will boost civils contractors and trade contractors working for house builders, commercial building contractors are expected to continue to feel the squeeze in both commercial and retail work opportunities.
The latest forecast from economists at the Construction Products Association, revises 2018 output down from stagnation to contraction, due mainly to bad weather and the fall-out from Carillion.
Forecasters predict growth will bounce back in 2019 and then expand by 1.9% in 2020.
Strong house building activity outside London will drive up activity in this sector by 5% in 2018 and 2% in 2019.
Infrastructure will also become a primary driver of growth for the whole industry, with output forecast to hit a historic high of £23.6bn by 2020, driven by large projects such as HS2 and Hinkley Point C.
Without the forecast growth in infrastructure and private housing activity, total construction output would fall by 3% in 2018 and remain flat in 2019.
The demise of Carillion resulted in a poor performance for the industry at the start of the year, which combined with the bad weather, lost UK construction £1bn of work.
It is estimated 60% of this work may be recovered, but Carillion’s collapse will cause further delays at two major hospitals as work on the £335m Royal Liverpool University and Birmingham’s £350m Midland Metropolitan hospitals is on hold until at least 2019.
Brexit uncertainty continues to drive the sharpest decline for construction in the commercial sector, particularly felt in the offices sub-sector which is expected to fall 20% in 2018 and a further 10% in 2019.
Meanwhile, the shift to online shopping is causing woes for the high street, with new retail construction expected to fall by 10% this year.
Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association said: “Overall, it’s mixed fortunes for contractors at the moment.
“On the positive side, house builders are keen on accelerating building rates outside of London and that is expected to be enough to offset sharp falls in house building in the capital.
“Firms working on major infrastructure projects also have a lot of work in the pipeline. Infrastructure output is forecast to rise by 3% in 2018 and 13% in 2019.
“This growth is highly dependent on large projects such as HS2 and Hinkley Point C. As ever, there remain concerns about government’s ability to deliver infrastructure projects without the cost overruns and delays that we have seen on Crossrail and HS2 recently.
“On the negative side, the elephant in the room is clearly Brexit uncertainty, which has had a big effect on international investment, especially where it is high up-front investment for a long-term rate of return, which is now highly uncertain.
“It badly affects demand in sectors such as prime residential in London, commercial offices towers and industrial factories, which is dependent on manufacturing.”
CPA summer 2018 forecast
Source: Construction Enquirer
New rules on housing developments from the National Planning Policy Framework
/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by JamesPoor quality or unattractive housing developments will be more easily changed by councils under new rules that form part of the revised National Planning Policy Framework, the government has claimed.
Publishing the revised framework, following a public consultation earlier this year, the government said it would:
The revision of the National Planning Policy Framework is part of the government’s ambition to build 300,000 new homes a year by the mid 2020s and incorporates 85 proposals set out in the housing white paper and the Budget.
Under the revised framework, councils will have the power to refuse permission for development that does not prioritise design quality and does not complement its surroundings.
It will also encourage councils to make use of new visual tools to promote better design and quality and will set a strategic direction for driving up new build quality, although it will remain up to councils to apply these policies in the most appropriate way in their area.
There will be a greater importance on air quality, as the framework has also been updated to provide further protection for biodiversity, aligning the planning system more closely with the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) 25-year Environment Plan, which offers more protection for habitats and places greater importance on air quality when deciding development proposals.
The framework also sets out a new way for councils to calculate the housing need for their local community, with the aim of delivering more homes where they are most needed, and from November 2018 councils will have a Housing Delivery Test, focused on driving up the number of homes delivered in an area, rather than how many are planned for.
Communities secretary James Brokenshire said: “Fundamental to building the homes our country needs is ensuring that our planning system is fit for the future. To maximise the use of land we are promoting more effective use of the land available and giving councils more confidence to refuse applications that don’t provide enough homes”
“This revised planning framework sets out our vision of a planning system that delivers the homes we need. I am clear that quantity must never compromise the quality of what is built, and this is reflected in the new rules.”
The framework also sets out a new way for councils to calculate the housing need of their local community, including different forms of housing, such as older people’s retirement homes. According to Brokenshire the new methodology aims to deliver more homes in the places where they are most needed, based on factors including the affordability of existing homes for people on lower and medium incomes.
The government said councils would be required to take a Housing Delivery Test from November this year, “designed to drive up the numbers of homes actually delivered in their area, rather than how many are planned for”.
The government repeated its goal to building 300,000 new homes a year “by the mid-2020s”.
The new rules will see 85 of the proposals set out in the most recent Budget and in the housing white paper – published in February 2017 – implemented in the new framework.
Responding to the latest document the British Property Federation said the NPPF “rightly embraces multi-tenure housing delivery, higher quality design of new homes and the benefits of the build-to-rent sector, [but] the nation’s town centres and the industrial and logistics sectors still require more support from planning policy”.
BPF director of real estate policy Ian Fletcher said the planning system for town centres was still too inflexible and outdated. “The way people use town centres is changing, and in turn town centres must be able to respond more quickly and innovatively to this.
“Leadership needs to come from local authorities and the starting point is a supportive planning policy. Local authorities should be given the resource to regularly monitor retail trends and adapt town centre planning policies accordingly.”
And Mark Sitch, senior partner at design consultancy Barton Willmore, said he was disappointed to see that the industry’s “substantial feedback” had not found its way into the final framework.
“There are however no big surprises and no real changes. The focus remains on housing. Overall, there is less, not more, for those looking to deliver employment floorspace. This may be a critical oversight as we all move towards a post-Brexit economy.”
But Paul Smith, managing director of planning consultancy the Strategic Land Group, said that while none of the NPPF policies were “game changing in themselves, they represent an evolution of the original NPPF which has, in reality, worked quite well. The number of homes granted planning permission has almost doubled since it was introduced.”
Source: Construction Manager Magazine / Building.co.uk
New alliance formed to improve facade fire-testing
/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by JamesA new international alliance aims to improve the facade fire-testing market in the UK, by increasing both the capacity and quality of large-scale fire testing of cladding and building systems.
The US-based global safety science business UL, which has nine sites across the UK, and the UK Fire Protection Association (FPA) have announced that they will be working together after signing a cooperation agreement aimed at transforming the testing and certification of facades and building envelope products within the UK itself.
Currently, the only UK-based facilities capable of testing facades for fire resistance are booked up for at least the next six months, driving many building product manufacturers to seek testing and accreditation outside of the UK.
The UL / FPA alliance will include an investment by UL in the FPA’s existing fire test and research facilities, enhancing the capability and broadening the scope of testing available to developers, social landlords, specifiers and manufacturers.
UL plans to offer product testing and certification from within the facilities’ test lab.
Significant changes are expected to the current British Standard (BS 8414) cladding test following a detailed critique of that standard by the FPA’s testing and research team earlier this year, commissioned by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). UL will test and certify to this updated standard.
Chris Hasbrook, vice president and general manager of UL’s building and life safety technologies division, said: “UL is committed to increasing the facade fire testing capacity in the UK as well as the quality of those tests, an area of weakness highlighted by the independent review led by Dame Judith Hackitt. We will ensure we play our part in rebuilding public confidence in a robust, reliable and real-life testing regime.”
Jonathan O’Neill, managing director of the Fire Protection Association, said: “Teaming up with the world class team at UL offers FPA an unrivalled opportunity. UL’s mission and expertise perfectly complements our own, and its global presence ensures our customers gain barrier-free access to world markets.
“The Hackitt Review confirmed problems in the UK fire testing market. This new venture aims to deliver the level of quality, expertise and experience required.”
James Dalton, director of policy at the ABI added: “The ABI commissioned the FPA earlier this year to review the current cladding testing regime of BS 8414, and it was found seriously lacking in five areas. This testing regime is not fit for purpose, so we welcome this partnership to improve fire safety testing and certification. We need multiple lines of defence to ensure the safety of all buildings in the future, not just high-rise blocks.”
In addition to testing and certification of building systems to UK, EU and USA requirements, UL will be able to offer building envelope inspection services and additional forensic services for building owners concerned about cladding, insulation and other materials.
Welcoming the partnership announcement, Jonathan O’Neill, Managing Director of the Fire Protection Association, said:
“The Hackitt Review confirmed problems in the UK fire testing market. Teaming up with the world class team at UL offers FPA an unrivalled opportunity to provide a market leading solution to cladding testing. UL’s mission and expertise perfectly complements the FPA’s, and its global presence ensures customers gain barrier-free access to world markets.”
Source: Construction Manager Magazine / thefpa.co.uk
Construction buyers have reported strong rise in construction activity
/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickersConstruction buyers have reported the strongest rise in construction activity since November 2017.
The latest IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index for June registered 53.1 in June – up from 52.5 in April.
The rise represents the sharpest increase in overall construction output since last November.
New orders also rose at their fastest pace since May 2017.
Residential and commercial work were the main drives as civil engineering continued to plod along.
Tim Moore, Associate Directorat IHSMarkit and author of the IHSMarkit/CIPS Construction PMI said: “The latest increase in UK construction output marks three months of sustained recovery from the snow-related disruption seen back in March.
“A solid contribution from house building helped to drive up overall construction activity in June, while a lack of new work to replace completed civil engineering projects continued to hold back growth.
“Of the three main categories of construction work, commercial building was sandwiched in the middle of the performance table during June.
“Survey respondents suggested that improved opportunities for industrial and distribution work were the main bright spots, which helpedto offset some of the slowdown in retail and office development.
“Stretched supply chains and stronger input buying resulted in longer delivery times for construction materials during June.
“At the same time, higher transportation costs and rising prices for steel-related inputs led to the fastest increase in cost burdens across the construction sector since September 2017.”
Duncan Brock, Group Director at the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, said: “With the fastest rise in new orders since May 2017, it appears the brakes are off for the construction sector.
“Despite being hampered by economic uncertainty, firms reported an improved pipeline of work as clients committed to projects and hesitancy was swept away.”
Source: Construction Enquirer
Can vegetables make concrete stronger?
/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickersEngineers at Lancaster University are working with industrial partners at Cellucomp Ltd UK to research how concrete mixtures can be strengthened and made more environmentally friendly by adding ‘nano platelets’ extracted from the fibres of root vegetables.
The work, which is being supported with £195,000 by the EU’s Horizon 2020 funding, will strengthen findings from early tests that have demonstrated that concrete mixtures including nano platelets from sugar beet or carrot significantly improve the mechanical properties of concrete.
These vegetable-composite concretes were also found to out-perform all commercially available cement additives, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes and at a much lower cost.
The root vegetable nano platelets work to increase the amount of calcium silicate hydrate – the main substance that controls the performance of concrete, and stop any cracks that appear in the concrete.
By increasing the performance of concrete, smaller quantities are needed in construction.
The construction industry is urgently seeking ways in which to curb its carbon emissions. The production of ordinary Portland cement, one of the main ingredients for concrete, is very carbon intensive – its production accounts for 8% of total global co2 emissions. This is forecast to double in the next 30 years due to rising demand.
The proof-of-concept studies highlighted that adding the root vegetable nano platelets resulted in a saving of 40kg of ordinary Portland cement per cubic metre of concrete – which gives a saving of 40kg of CO2 for the same volume. This is because the greater strength of the root vegetable mixture means smaller sections of concrete are required in buildings.
Professor Mohamed Saafi from Lancaster University’s Engineering Department and lead researcher believes root vegetable concrete could go a long way to reducing construction carbon emissions.
Saafi said: “These novel cement nanocomposites are made by combining ordinary Portland cement with nano platelets extracted from waste root vegetables taken from the food industry.
“The composites are not only superior to current cement products in terms of mechanical and microstructure properties, but also use smaller amounts of cement. This significantly reduces both the energy consumption and CO2 emissions associated with cement manufacturing.”
The vegetable-based cementitious composites were also found to have a denser microstructure, which is important to prevent corrosion and increasing the lifespan of the materials.
The research project is also looking at adding very thin sheets made from vegetable nano platelets to existing concrete structures to reinforce their strength.
The two-year research project will investigate the science behind the results of the proof-of-concept studies to gain a fuller understanding of how the vegetable nano platelet fibres enhance the concrete mix. The researchers will also seek to optimise the concrete performance to help produce a mixture that can be used in the construction industry.
Cellucomp Ltd already uses fibres from root vegetables to manufacture more durable paints.
Dr Eric Whale from Cellucomp Ltd said: “We are excited to be continuing our collaboration with Professor Saafi and developing new applications for our materials, where we can bring environmental and performance benefits.”
Source: PBCtoday.co.uk
£22 million cash injection to address skills shortage
/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickersThe government has attempted to address the construction industry skills shortage with a £22m cash injection which will bring training to construction sites and therefore allowing learners to apply their knowledge in a real-world environment.
The multi-million-pound Construction Skills Fund has been announced by skills minister Anne Milton with 158,000 new construction jobs expected to be created in the UK over the next five years after first being unveiled by the chancellor Philip Hammond in his Spring Statement.
Money will go towards 20 on-site hubs to train more people to help deliver 300,000 new homes a year by the mid-2020s. The 18-month scheme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and will be administered by the Construct.on Industry Training Board.
Commenting on the announcement, Milton said: “For our economy to thrive we need everyone, regardless of their age or background, to be able to get the training and the skills they need to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead. The government has committed to building 300,000 new homes a year by the mid-2020s and we want to make sure that we are investing in the UK skills base to deliver this. A career in construction offers the chance for many people to establish and grow their own business. On-site training will be hugely beneficial for employers and trainees, as it will help bridge the gap between training and working in the industry, meaning trainees are site-ready sooner.”
The fund forms a vital part of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy – a long-term plan to build a Britain fit for the future by helping businesses create jobs in every part of the UK.
It underlines the Government’s commitment to improving education standards for everyone, so they can gain the skills they need to succeed and can secure good jobs.
The fund aims to support:
CITB is now calling on employers, housing associations and other interested bodies such as LEPs and local authorities to submit expressions of interest. These can be from both existing and prospective on-site learning hubs.
The funding will only support on-site training provision, and access to live construction projects is essential to qualify.
Steve Radley, Policy Director at CITB, said: The Construction Skills Fund is a milestone scheme for the sector and provides a significant investment in skills and training. It will help attract new talent and bridge the gap between training and working in the industry. Having training on or near to major projects will reveal what an exciting sector this can be, while also putting new talent in the shop window. We want all interested organisations to submit Expressions of Interest that are innovative, collaborative and with training at their heart. We will support applicants through the process and provide expert guidance to apply to the fund. We are pleased to help deliver this major new project and we are confident that, with industry support, it can help meet construction’s skills needs now and in the future.
Managing director Graham Ratcliffe said: “It is great seeing funds being made available to support on-site training through hubs similar to the Construction Skills Villages in Scarborough and Barnsley. We hope to secure funds to expand our unique and successful model in turn helping support the construction industry overcome a skills gap.”
Funds provided by the DfE will also be provided for work experience placements for people working to join the industry, entry pathways for those currently unemployed and pathways for career switchers.
The CITB is now calling on employers, housing associations and other interested bodies such as LEPs and local authorities to submit expressions of interest. These can be from both existing and prospective on-site learning hubs.
Radley continued: “Having training on or near to major projects will reveal what an exciting sector this can be, while also putting new talent in the shop window. We want all interested organisations to submit Expressions of Interest that are innovative, collaborative and with training at their heart. We will support applicants through the process and provide expert guidance to apply to the fund.”
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has released new research investigating how to tackle the skills crisis.
With Brexit on the horizon, the research points to the need for greater skills transferability, with a key goal to attracting talent from other sectors and trades.
The new report, ‘Construction and Built Environment: Skills Transferability in the UK’, surveying 500 employers across the UK, found that with a smaller construction talent pool post-Brexit, the sector needs to look at encouraging people from different industries to look at construction as a good career progression.
The industry is not noted for its diversity of talent, with researchers finding that 62% of employers took no action to encourage employees to transfer between trades. This is despite approximately one in five (19%) of construction sector workers having previously worked in another sector.
The report highlighted manual occupations, such as steel erectors and bricklayers, as the roles with the best potential to transfer skills.
The survey pointed to a number of challenges in increasing skills transferability, including:
Radley continued: “Our research shows that transferability of skills is a growing issue, particularly with Brexit looming.
“While many employers are not yet looking at it, it could become a significant way to meet our skills needs in the coming years.
“CITB clearly has a role to play in this. Our forecasts can help prioritise support for upskilling and ensure training providers are well placed to respond. In addition, we will collaborate with industry to develop top-up courses to enable transition for people with relevant transferable skills.”
Source: Infrastructure Intelligence / UK Construction Media
Is Brexit going to create a skills shortage?
/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickersConstructionnews.co.uk, as part of their week long industry skills challenge, have discovered how fresh data and political investigations are shedding more and more light on the impact Brexit is having and will have on workforces.
Brexit negotiations have moved forward yet at the same time seem to have produced little real progress.
Despite Theresa May’s ‘deal’ announced in December last year, uncertainty still hangs in the air for the UK’s 3.2m EU nationals.
Under the current agreement, EU citizens who have been in the UK for five years continuously will be able to apply for ‘settled status’. The online system is being developed from scratch, but the government promises it will be “user-friendly” and draw on existing data to “minimise the burden on applicants to provide evidence”.
The EU workforce’s contribution to the UK construction sector cannot be underestimated – particularly in London. As the Construction Industry Council pointed out in its evidence to the MAC: “Nearly 200,000 people working in construction are from the EU, which is the equivalent workforce for building 16 Crossrails.”
Only one more Crossrail is planned, for now, but that’s part of a £500bn pipeline of major infrastructure projects – including HS2, Hinkley and Heathrow. In addition, housebuilding is expected to ramp up as the government aims to tackle the UK’s shortage of homes.
In the scaffolding sector alone, thousands of employees will be needed for major nuclear power stations at Hinkley and Wylfa, leaving workers in short supply up and down the country.
Infrastructure plans are concentrated on the South-east, where the EU labour issue could become particularly acute. According to the MAC, 26.8 per cent of London’s construction workforce is from the EU.
Two years on from the EU referendum, how worried should the industry be about a ‘Brexodus’ and what are the current trends around labour?
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the number of EU nationals working in the UK has fallen 28,000 in a year to 2.29m.
ONS data published in February revealed that the number of Eastern European nationals working in the UK last year slid by 5 per cent.
Meanwhile its latest employment survey, published in May, showed that in Q1 2018, 80 per cent of main contractors were reporting difficulties with recruiting bricklayers, 76 per cent were having trouble finding carpenters and 56 per cent were struggling to find plasterers.
These issues can partly be attributed to the long-running skills crisis in construction. But they also emphasise the need to address the status of EU nationals.
Anecdotally, Mr Radley says the CITB is hearing that the number of EU workers in construction is remaining generally stable, but there is some concern about the quality of workers arriving.
“A lot of workers here currently are from Poland and are generally regarded as being technically some of the best – multi-skilled and with good language skills,” he says. “But it may be that immigrants from some other countries don’t score as highly on those fronts.”
As contractors work out how to fill the gaps, others are still concerned about how government views the construction industry in the context of Brexit. A leaked document last year revealed that construction was rated as a ‘low priority’ by government.
However, Liberal Democrat peer and former coalition government minister Lord Stunell believes this is the wrong approach.
“Everything about growth in the economy is dependent on construction, but the government seems completely transfixed with getting its immigration figures down,” he says. “The industry needs to expand its workforce by 30 per cent to get these big infrastructure projects done, but could lose 10 per cent of its workforce.”
It is not just the lack of EU workers that is weighing on the minds of construction bosses. The industry’s ageing workforce – with 30 per cent of workers over 50 – remains a deep-seated concern. The added sting in the tail is that there is a higher proportion of young migrant workers compared with their UK counterparts.
Brexit and an ageing workforce combined could prove a big stumbling block in the future, however figures generally are encouraging in terms of output at the moment, and that is something that can be built upon. Brexit was always going to bring uncertainty, but being prepared and working towards solutions now means that once change comes the construction industry as a whole will be ready.
Source: Construction News
Construction output increased 8% in 2017
/0 Comments/in Home Page news feed, News /by joannevickersRecently revised data from AMA Research indicates that total construction output increased by 8% in 2017 compared with 2016, to reach a total value of £163.5bn. In terms of value, new work accounts for the largest share, with output growth having been particularly strong in the residential new work segment, which saw growth of 14% in the year. RMI output has also been stronger in the residential than in the non-residential sector. Overall RMI output increased by 7% in 2017.
In H1 2018, the construction sector remains uncertain to moderately optimistic. Indications are that new orders remained positive into Q4 2017 and this should lead to some growth in terms of output into 2018 and beyond for certain key sub-sectors, and as a result, the outlook for the UK construction market remains mildly positive into the medium-term, although with lower rates of overall growth than previously forecast.
The outlook for the housing sector remains positive, if modest, with 17% overall growth in residential output currently forecast between 2017 and 2022. The imbalance between demand and supply for new housing will remain one of the key drivers for continued output growth for the residential sector, and the number of new programmes designed to address shortage in housing stocks should motivate output into the medium-term.
However, predicted growth in the newbuild sector is set against lower growth levels for completions, and also takes into account an element of materials inflation – in particular for the finishing of new housing, such as sanitaryware, tiles and electrical wiring products. RMI in the residential sector is currently forecast to remain relatively steady, with low annual growth rates reflecting consumer confidence levels.
The non-residential sector is facing more subdued growth into the medium-term with output currently forecast to reduce to 1-2% 2018-19, followed by annual growth of around 3% to 2022. The issue of business confidence and investment levels and the “wait and see” approach regarding the commitment to future funding and capital commitments are all likely to act as a brake on output levels into the medium-term.
Infrastructure will remain the largest sub-sector with growth underpinned by HS2 which has the potential to deliver £3-4bn pa of output to 2022. However, the HS2 works also bring into question the issue of capacities both in terms of materials but also workforce which could result in skills shortages for other sub-sectors into the medium-term.
The entertainment & leisure sector output is forecast to see good overall growth to 2022, when output is forecast to be around £10.9bn. Following growth of around 33% in 2017, annual growth rates are currently forecast to fall back to around 3-5% from 2018 to 2022.
The retail sector is currently forecast to perform less well, due to a combination of structural changes within the sector and also potential reduction in consumer confidence and spending levels, and the public sector is likely to see less investment in capital projects into the medium-term, particularly given the focus on the collapse of Carillion and their extensive involvement in PFI contracts.Pa
“Overall growth in construction output is forecast to reduce to around 2% for 2017-18, but improving to 3% for 2019-22” said Jane Tarver of AMA Research. “This more modest forecast takes into account the continuing uncertainty surrounding the Brexit process affecting the timing of business investment decisions.”
AMA Research publish the Construction and Housing Forecast Bulletin – GB 4 times a year – the bulletin provides analysis of the overall construction market in current prices, in terms of new work and RMI activity, also public and private sectors and detailed reviews of the two main sectors with sub-sector analysis for quarterly output and new orders, housing starts and completions, as well as forecasts to 2022.
The recent issue of the bulletin includes revised data for 2016 as well as preliminary data for the full year 2017 for output and new orders for total GB construction, as well as the residential and non-residential sectors, though this may be subject to revision in the medium term.
Source: UK Construction Week / AMA Research