Groundbreaking Construction Company

Orocco managing directors Mark Ivinson (left) and Jonny Blurton.

Scottish construction firm Orocco is now accepting cryptocurrency as payment for projects as it continues to push industry boundaries.

The move comes as part of a revised business strategy and sees the Edinburgh-based firm become the first building company in the UK to adopt such a payment solution for client transactions.

A digital wallet has been set up to allow Orocco to accept Dogecoin, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Stellar and

“With digital currencies becoming increasingly popular, it’s something I have been thinking about for a while,” said managing director Mark Ivinson, whose company specialises in high-end building and renovation work.

“I have spent some time researching what we could provide and I’m delighted we’ll now have this fast, safe and secure service as part of our offering to clients.

“I do believe things will start to move in that direction and it’s exciting to be at the forefront of it in the construction sector, which is regarded as being very traditional.

“There has been a lot of discussion recently about crypto currency. It is something I wanted to have as a payment option for clients and it will be a seamless process from start to finish for anyone using this method of paying.

“We’re a very innovative company and this is another example of us always looking to take the firm forward and move the business with the times.”

Formed in 2012, Orocco has established itself as one of the country’s most forward-thinking companies in the sector.

The new crypto currency offering for clients comes after the business introduced a permanent four-day working week initiative from the start of this month.

All employees now work compressed full-time hours Monday to Thursday, giving them Fridays off and a longer weekend. For the client, there is no reduction in the total number of hours spent on a project each week.

By implementing the change, Orocco hopes to boost employee wellbeing as well as a work/life balance.

Joint managing director Jonny Blurton said: “When we spoke to staff after the recent changes that the Covid-19 pandemic had brought to our working lives, it became clear that people enjoyed having that extra time at home, either to catch up on home projects or to spend more time with loved ones.

“We listened and wanted to make a permanent change to how we work and so far the feedback from staff has been very positive.”

 

Source: The Scotsman

 

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BESA backs scientists’ call for overhaul of ventilation standards

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is supporting a campaign led by an international group of scientists and engineers to have current building ventilation regulations completely rewritten.

The 40-strong group of leading experts and academics condemned the current state of indoor air quality (IAQ) as a scandal comparable to the contaminated water supplies in 19th Century Britain that led to thousands of deaths.

In an article for the journal Science, the group lamented the UK’s lack of air hygiene regulations, which is in stark contrast with the strict public health controls imposed on food, sanitation and drinking water. They blamed the way buildings are designed, operated, and maintained for helping to spread disease, including Covid-19, and called for a “paradigm shift” in ventilation similar to the changes brought about almost 200 years ago in water sanitation.

An air quality certification system for public buildings, like the one used by the food industry, should be introduced, the group argued. They estimated that installing ventilation and filtration systems able to remove airborne pathogens would add just 1% to the construction costs of a typical building. This compares with the current global spend of at least $1 trillion a month on Covid-19 mitigation measures.

The Science paper’s lead author Professor Lidia Morawska from Queensland University of Technology in Australia, said: “For decades, the focus of architects and building engineers was on thermal comfort, odour control, perceived air quality, initial investment cost, energy use, and other performance issues, while infection control was neglected.”

Pathogens

Cath Noakes, Professor of Environmental Engineering for Buildings at the University of Leeds, and a member of the government’s SAGE advisory group added that improving ventilation to reduce exposure to airborne pathogens would bring other benefits beyond transmission control, including improved productivity and wellbeing.

“Over the years, we have neglected the role that the air circulating inside a building plays in the way germs and viruses may spread between people. The pandemic has exposed that deficiency in our understanding and the way we seek to make buildings safer to use,” she said.

BESA said the pandemic had created a “window of opportunity” to properly address all aspects of IAQ for the first time. It welcomed the intervention of the expert group and urged the UK government to put its weight behind a series of initiatives including a proposed new British Standard and revisions to building regulations.

“The pandemic has pointed the spotlight at ventilation, and we must not miss this opportunity to address, once and for all, the long-term problems caused by poor IAQ in thousands of buildings up and down the country,” said BESA’s head of technical Graeme Fox.

He welcomed the news that the British Standards Institute (BSI) had decided to fast track the creation of BS 40101 for Building Performance Evaluation saying this would give added weight to IAQ measures proposed by the Association and other parties advising the BSI.

“The new Standard and the current review of Part F of the Building Regulations are big platforms we can use to enshrine high standards of ventilation and air filtration. However, it is crucial that we set ambitious targets to control the full range of airborne contaminants that affect health and wellbeing,” said Fox.

“We must also make sure we are in line with the latest worldwide thinking including updated World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance because whatever standards we agree now will be applied for many years to come,” added Fox.

The WHO has announced that it will be updating its air quality guidance at the end of June and the European Union is also expected to set tougher targets shortly. BESA added that any measures proposed should be relevant to conditions inside buildings.

“The government’s primary focus tends to be on outdoor pollution, but IAQ is a very different challenge and can often be many times worse than the conditions outside the building,” explained Fox.

“Our members repeatedly encounter the serious problems caused by poor IAQ and have good practical experience of what it takes to fix it. We have a duty to turn buildings into ‘safe havens’ that use good engineering methods to protect people from all airborne contaminants so they can enjoy better health and wellbeing.”

www.theBESA.com/iaq

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Can Hydrogen help Steel to become Carbon Neutral

The steel industry is one of the top three contributors to CO2 emissions, with 70% of greenhouse gas emissions in the industry being linked to its use of coal as both a fuel and a reductant.

Some of the themes and issues the steel industry is grappling with are playing out in the wider built environment.

Pathways

The analysis of potential pathways, mapping how to achieve decarbonization by or before 2050 is a useful discussion tool for developing strategy, and the wider built environment will need to work up its own approach and strategy for decarbonization – and quickly.

The wider built-environment needs to catch up

The International Energy Agency (IEA) think tank recently announced that it believes no new gas boilers should be sold from 2025, in order to meet environmental goals by 2050. The built environment continues to lag behind other sectors such as energy and transport in terms of its pathway to NetZero, and it is likely that significant changes will be required soon to set things on a track which stands a better chance of succeeding.

The prevalence of a highly functional gas heating network in the UK, the complexity of the existing built environment and the difficulty in setting overall strategy and policy in this area are no doubt reasons behind the lag. Tough, but positive decisions are likely to be needed.

As McKinsey notes for the steel industry, hydrogen is tipped to play a part in helping steel become carbon neutral, and it may well be of assistance to the wider built environment and how it is heated – subject to its production, availability and the necessary infrastructure being in place.

Likewise, the role of retrofitting will be important – for the steel industry it may be complex process plant technology, for the wider built environment it may be heat pumps, in conjunction with other lower carbon methods of heating and cooling, such as heat networks. In all cases, forward planning is needed – and the vital role that designers, engineers and the supply chain will play in delivery.

Construction’s role

The importance of the role of the construction industry in achieving these goals, and how some of the themes in the Government’s Construction Playbook will help the industry ‘gear up’ and realise the benefits of modern methods of construction, BIM, and research and development when it comes to heat strategy. The more modular and flexible designs can be, the greater the likelihood that systems will be able to adapt to work in the future with emerging technologies and methods of delivering low carbon heat. Industry will need scale and a horizon to be able to invest in and develop more efficient and effective solutions.

The Government’s long awaited Heat and Buildings Strategy, expected next month, will be of critical importance in setting the direction and enabling landowners, developers, the supply chain and other stakeholders (including us all at home!) to push the built environment up the NetZero leaderboard.

 

Source: Lexology

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PLASTIC BAN URGED

Following the release of Greenpeace’s report, ‘Trashed’, on the devastating consequences of UK plastic waste ending up in countries with insufficient recycling infrastructure such as Turkey, the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) calls on the UK Government to urgently invest in building the UK’s own recycling capacity as well as fast track legislation to ensure businesses use recycled content in their products.

NLWA with its recycling contractor, Biffa, ensures that 100% of recycled plastic – generated by two million residents in the London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington, and Waltham Forest – is processed in the UK. With NLWA’s guaranteed plastic recycling tonnage, Biffa had a strong business case to build a new £27.5 million plastic recycling plant in Seaham, County Durham, which opened in January 2021. Biffa believes the plant will play an important role in reducing plastic pollution by improving the UK’s ability to recycle through sustainable closed loop systems.

NLWA’s Chair, Cllr Clyde Loakes, greatly welcomed Greenpeace’s report and said, “It is unconscionable that plastic waste generated in the UK is being sent to countries with minimal means to deal with it. The UK must deal with its own waste locally, not just for ethical reasons and to help combat the Climate Emergency but also because of the economic opportunities for the UK as it progresses to a more circular economy.

“I urge the UK government, in the lead up to COP 26, to make the UK much more attractive to inbound ‘green’ manufacturing investment. We need to build an end market for the UK’s recycling, which can help incentivise the building of necessary infrastructure and systems throughout the regions, with subsequent high-level jobs created in diverse areas including design, AI, technology, engineering, and logistics. This focus will help greatly boost the levelling up agenda and the economy whilst reducing the nation’s carbon and plastic pollution footprints.”

“The UK government should also urgently extend its ban of plastic stirrers, straws and plastic cotton buds to many more single use, unecological and difficult-to-recycle plastics such as polystyrene take away containers and coffee cups and lids. The Government must also fast track its Extended Producer Responsibility legislation whereby producers will face a ‘polluter pays’ tax unless their packaging has at least 30% recycled content.”

 

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VIDEO – ADSA Welcomes New Members

The Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) has seen an increase in membership of more than 15 per cent – welcoming more members in 2020 than ever before.  

“Our industry has been incredibly resilient through these troubling times,” said ADSA’s Managing Director Ken Price. “Throughout the pandemic we have tried to be responsive and flexible to the needs of our members and provide them with the support, advice and guidance.

“We have had to find alternative ways of doing things, delivering training, raising awareness to changes in law, standards and new processes that have been instigated by a shifting landscape of Brexit and COVID-19. This has prompted new ways of working that our members have found supported and we have actively reached out to encourage more companies and individuals to join us.”

The figures, published as part of a video, which can be viewed below, highlighting the achievements of the trade association, demonstrates the value which membership has provided during uncertain times.

 

In addition to the 15 per cent uplift during 2020, ADSA membership has continued to grow during the first quarter of 2021 – increasing membership by a further 2.6 per cent.

It has moved much of its ‘offer’ to digital platforms – introducing live stream training, assessments, online and email bulletins, free webinars and a member academy platform which offers more than a 100 e-learning courses. But it also prides itself in delivering the human touch – it has kept its head office operating throughout the year ensuring that there is always an expert voice at the end of the phone.

The membership increase comes at a time when many industries are attempting to professionalise their services, provide defined routes for entry and early training and opportunities for continuous professional development.

A recent study, the Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report found that in these challenging times, people are seeking a sense of community, a desire to connect and have more time to invest in their own professional development.

Successful trade and professional membership organisations have met this desire by demonstrating value to its membership, it states.

“We have shown that we are willing to innovate and do things differently and will continue to listen to our members to identify their needs going forward and ensure that ADSA remains their ‘go to’ organisation for support, guidance and training,” said Ken.

 

For more information on how to become an ADSA member or how to renew membership visit: www.adsa.org.uk/membership or email: rachel@adsa.org.uk

 

ADSA membership is available for companies and sole traders in installation, maintenance and service, manufacturing, distribution and component supply.

 

 

The Automatic Door Association (ADSA) was formed in 1985 to establish quality and safety standards for the automatic door industry. It developed the first industry code of practice which covered safety aspects of automatic doors for pedestrian use. This subsequently formed the basis of BS 7036: 1988, a code of practice for provision and installation of safety devices for automatic, power operated pedestrian door systems. 

Its membership includes manufacturers, suppliers, installers and service providers of automatic doors – from global companies to sole traders. ADSA member organisations supply more than 75% of the UK market.

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LIVE LAUNCH OF SIKA’S NEW GREEN ROOF SYSTEMS – SIGN UP TODAY

In response to the construction industry’s drive to build a more sustainable future, Sika’s Roofing experts are hosting a live online launch event for its new Green Roof systems on 1 June 2021. All attendees will be in with a chance of winning their very own bee hotel.

The launch will cover everything an architect or contractor needs to know about the sustainability and economic benefits of green roofs and what to consider when specifying one. The event is free to attend and suitable for any construction professionals who are interested in the future of sustainable building solutions. Those who are interested in joining simply need to register via the Sika website: www.sika.co.uk/greenroof

During the 45 min session, experts from Sika’s Roofing Team, including Sustainability Manager Sarah Peake, will cover a number of topics, including understanding what constitutes a green roof, the benefits they provide, the different types Sika will provide and their suitability to certain applications, as well as the required design considerations. The launch will close with a Q&A session.

Sika’s new systems, available from June, provide solutions for three types of green roofing build-ups – extensive, intensive and biodiverse. These systems will be available as part of a complete, high-performance package from Sika that also includes the waterproofing element of the roof – whether this is hotmelt, reinforced bitumen membrane, single ply or cold-applied liquid solutions.

The new Sika Green Roof will be backed by the same trusted technical support that the company has continuously provided over the years. From initial design and specification through to installation, site inspections and final sign off of the roof, Sika’s technical expertise is available every step of the way.

As an added bonus, Sika is giving ten lucky attendees the chance to win a bee hotel to aid biodiversity in their own gardens and outdoor spaces. These small structures are designed to be the perfect breeding places for solitary bees, which naturally nest in hollow stems, earth banks or dead wood. To be in with a chance to win, sign up to the Green Roof Live Launch here: www.sika.co.uk/greenroof. Competition terms and conditions can be found here.

 

If you would like to find out more about Sika’s roofing solutions and services, call 01707 394444, email enquiries@uk.sika.com or visit www.sika.co.uk/roofing.

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INCREASED GLOBAL DEMAND FOR RECYCLED ASPHALTE

According to a study of Fact.MR, the global recycled asphalt market is set to expand at a healthy CAGR of over 4.5% through 2021. Growing demand for asphalt in using patch material and road aggregate due to its durability and cost-effectiveness will drive the demand of recycled asphalt. Rising concern towards global warning and usage of energy has propelled the manufacturers to increase the recycling of asphalt as a sustainable process for reconstruction of road, fixing patches and pathway construction.

For instance, according to the recent survey by National Asphalt Pavement Association, around 97 million tons of old pavements were recycled by asphalt producers and 94% of old asphalt pavements were utilized in new pavement construction across United States in 2020. Hence, due to the sustainability concerns asphalt producers are increasing their usage of recycled technology for the application in patch materials, road aggregates and energy recovery. Thereby, improving the demand of recycled asphalts in the market.

Also, benefits such as reduced construction material costs, less use of petroleum based products, and conservation of natural resources by requiring less virgin aggregate and asphalt in construction projects have heightened the growth prospects for market players. According to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, around 100.1 million tons of asphalt pavements are milled off every year during the widening and resurfacing projects across the region. Hence, major key players are focusing on establishing strategic tie-ups and collaboration with road construction companies to improve their growth prospects.

According to Fact.MR, the global recycled asphalt market is anticipated to exceed the valuation of around US$ 6970 Mn through 2021.

“Sustainability concerns across the globe have compelled the key players to increase their usage of recycled asphalt pavements as a base material for highway construction and for fixing pavements,” says a Fact.MR analyst. 

Key Takeaways

  • Hot recycling asphalt segment is expected to account for over 62% of global market share
  • Cold recycling asphalt is poised to expand at 5.2% CAGR during the forecast period, while hot recycling asphalt at 4.1% CAGR
  • United States is expected to be one of the most lucrative market backed by the highly advanced recycling technology in the region
  • China is anticipated to lead the East Asia market of recycled asphalt over the forecast period
  • Patch material and road aggregate collectively accounts for over half of the global recycled asphalt market share
  • Development in recycled asphalt pavements projects across UK, Belgium, Finland and other European countries will provide absolute dollar opportunity in the upcoming decade

Competitive Landscape        

Bodean Company, Certain Teed, Cherry Companies, Downer Group, GAF Materials, Lone Star Paving, Owens Corning, Pavement Recycling System Inc., The Kraemer Company LLC, and Wirtgen Group are some of the prominent manufacturers profiled by Fact.MR. Prominent players are focusing on developing the products and establishing partnerships with road companies, introducing new projects and workshops to bring awareness among people to maintain the lead in the industry.

For instance, in March 2021, GreenMantra Technologies announced the partnership with HARKE Group to expand its recycling technology that is used in asphalt roofing products in Europe forging a new partnership with the HARKE Group.

Also, in 2019, GAF announced the plan of opening a new manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania to expand their business in New Columbia by creating 35 skilled manufacturing and office jobs.

Furthermore, in February 2019, Crafco announced HP Asphalt cold patch producer partner program to produce and market bulk Crafco HP Asphalt Cold Patch at their own plants.

 

 

 

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World Construction activity increases

Global construction is in recovery, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Global Construction Monitor. Its latest activity index, which measures current and expected workloads in residential, non-residential and infrastructure sectors, as well as company profit margins, rose to +14 in the first quarter of 2021 from +3 in the the 2020 fourth quarter.

 

While two-thirds of survey respondents reported concern over rising material prices, construction activity rose in all four reported regions.

The index for the Americas reached +13 overall, with the U.S. and Canada registered at +15 and +32, respectively. The European index stands at +16, while Asia Pacific came in at +15. The index in the Middle East and Africa reached +3.

“Despite a significant increase in the cost of materials caused by a supply shortage in part due to the year-long border closure, construction in Canada is tracking well, both in private residential construction and on infrastructure projects,” says Sheila Lennon, CEO of the Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors.

In the US, RICS reports a 15-year high in housing starts, as well as a boost in infrastructure due to plans announced by the Biden Administration.

“One thing is vitally clear: infrastructure is key to the future,” says Anil Sawhney, director of the infrastructure sector at RICS. “There are great expectations from the infrastructure sector as the US and Canada plan their recovery and stimulus packages.”

 

Source: Engineering Record

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Bounce back loans, the cost

Buildingspecifier found this blog from The Business Rescue Expert thought provoking.  We present it to our readers and ask the question, ‘Has the Bounce Back Loans Scheme (BBLS) succeeded in preserving the vibrancy of commerce and in particular the construction sector?’. We would welcome your comments.

Construction industry could cost the Treasury £4.2bn in BBLS defaults

We found several official projections indicating that billions of pounds lent under the scheme would ultimately not be repaid, with the losses equal to the cost of building between 6 and 23 Wembley Stadiums from new.

In this blog, we’ll be focusing more closely on how small businesses in their individual industry sectors have embraced the scheme – how much has been borrowed, by whom and what the recipients have done with the funds.

The data sources used to compile the various best and worst-case scenarios used in the projections are taken from the Office of Budget Responsibility’s Fiscal Sustainability Report; the latest BEIS annual report and the National Audit Office (NAO)’s regularly updated COVID-19 cost tracker.

The industry lending breakdowns were compiled and published by the British Business Bank.

Using this public data as our benchmark, we projected three different scenarios for defaults as outlined within them.

The scenarios set out a best-case (with a 15% BBL default rate); a median case (40% default rate) and a worst-case scenario (60% default rate).

We’ve taken a look at the total amount each sector has collectively borrowed under the bounce back loan scheme, the overall number of loans taken out, the average amount borrowed by a company in that sector and the default projections based on our analysis.

 

BBLS borrowing by sector

 

Source: British Business Bank

 

We can see that retail businesses – which include high street shops, shopping mall tenants and independent stores – borrowed a collective £7.7 billion which is higher than any other comparable sector.  Not unexpected as non-essential retail stores have only been allowed to reopen in the past week so have had less opportunity to trade offline, if they’ve traded at all.

If businesses in this sector fail at the rate officially expected then we can see bounce back loan default losses ranging from £1.16 billion up to a high estimate of £4.6 billion.

Builders, fitters and other construction industry businesses are the next highest borrowing sector obtaining a collective £7 billion through the BBLS although this sector also saw the most individual loans taken out with over 238,000 bounce back loans being supplied to the various businesses.

The professional sector which also includes scientific and technical activities had the next largest borrowing requirement with a collective £4.5 billion lent to it and also saw the second-largest amount of individual bounce back loans granted with nearly 160,000 being granted.

Three sectors stand out above the rest when it comes to how much each individual business has borrowed on average.

Shops and stores in the retail sector had the highest individual average figure with £35,530 borrowed.

It’s hoped that April’s grand reopening and expected uptake in sales will help retailers be more successful in 2021 and insulate them from the negative effects when economic support measures are withdrawn later in the year.

This was followed by the restaurants, hotels, cafes, pubs and bars that make up the hospitality sector. It’s arguable that these businesses have had the toughest 12 months under coronavirus trading restrictions so it’s no surprise that their average individual borrowing is as high as £35,503.

The third highest might be more surprising as it’s real estate companies. They borrowed an average of £35,080 per loan and while a large amount of their trade has moved online – a lot still has to be done in person whether it’s viewing properties, meeting agents to sign witnessed documents, financial and legal issues or being present but socially distanced when an agent conducts a tour of their property.

At the other end of the borrowing scale, businesses in the education sector borrowed the least on average with £23,238 per loan granted.

The next lowest were Arts and Entertainment companies borrowing £24,906 each and Transportation businesses borrowing £25,667 per loan.

As the original and any topped-up bounce back loans start to come due for payment, we’ll have some idea in the coming weeks and months which sectors are best able to start paying off their support and which are still struggling to avoid liquidation.

Chris Horner, Insolvency Director with Business Rescue Expert, said: “The bounce back loans and other government backed support schemes have seen an unprecedented demand and take-up from small businesses, who may have had no other recourse to commercial finance.

“The early signs we are seeing in our own figures for small-company liquidations so far in 2021 are that already over 41% of companies entering liquidation have bounce back loans with an average balance outstanding of £37,350.

“We expected that the worst affected sectors such as retail, hospitality and construction would have had the most need for these funds and they will be the ones hoping for the quickest turnaround in fortunes now they can begin reopening and trading again.

“But there are no guarantees of success or even survival for any business right now.

“We’ve seen the corporate insolvency numbers start to rise again after being at historic lows and once support measures are withdrawn we can predict that they will rise even more as a result.

“As the economy opens up, there is light at the end of the tunnel for those businesses in difficulty that have utilised bounce back loans.

“The coming months liquidation figures are likely to give the clearest indication yet as to just how well small businesses will recover.

“No matter which sector a business operates in, they have options if they’ve taken out a bounce back loan and think they’ll have trouble repaying it.  By getting professional insolvency advice quickly, possibly before any potential problems appear, they will be in the best position to react and respond.”

 

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QUEENS SPEECH: Construction viewpoints

Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Chief Executive Victoria Hills said:  “Planning reform will impact communities across the country. This must be a positive process, to ensure that planners have the required support to plan the world we need. Planners are uniquely skilled to bring together communities, developers, infrastructure providers and local government to ensure new homes are built in the right place and accompanied by the services they need.

“We strongly welcome the greater certainty for development in ‘Growth’ zones, which will ensure homes can be built in areas where they are badly needed. Zoning for growth must be combined with active support to see projects through, with masterplanning and specialist proactive teams. Government has a chance to be truly ambitious here and deliver beautiful, healthy and well-connected green development.

“We suggest that further nuance would be required, to differentiate areas needing radical new masterplanning from industrial areas ripe for redevelopment and from suburbs.

“We need qualified planners installed within all local authorities as Chief Placemakers. Leadership is essential to ensuring local plans are in place and to ‘level up’. Community Planners must play a crucial role ensuring local people have their voices heard in the process, alongside investment in digital infrastructure to expand engagement.

“Finally, funding must match ambitions. A well-designed and well-funded system is an efficient one. Developers and communities will both benefit from a visionary and well-resourced system that harnesses the best of planning. We will work constructively with government to ensure planning delivers.”

Jamie Johnson, CEO of FJP Investment, said: “Today’s Queen’s Speech confirms that the Conservatives are pushing ahead with their plans to significantly reform the UK planning system. While the focus of the initiative is to accelerate the “levelling-up” process, ensuring more new homes are built, we should still expect plenty of opposition to the Bill.

“People will understandably be wary that if they live in one of the soon-to-be-designated “growth” zones, they could see green spaces built on and have their daily lives disrupted by major construction works. Yet at the same time, few would deny that the Government must take action if the UK’s housing shortage is to be effectively addressed; making it quicker and easier for housing projects to get the green light is an important part of that.

“It’s clearly a careful balancing act. For me, however, there must also be a keen focus on the quality of the new-build projects. Evidence has shown in the past that many prospective homebuyers are put off buying newly-built homes, either because they dislike the style and character of the property, they do not trust the quality of the work, or the surrounding area and infrastructure do not appeal. Simply constructing more houses will not necessarily help; they must be the right houses within the right ecosystems. As ever, the devil will be in the detail as the Bill takes shape.”

Paresh Raja, CEO of Market Financial Solutions said: “The shortage of affordable housing across the UK is one of the biggest issues facing society today. Countless successive governments have laid out ambitious targets for the construction of new homes, and then missed them. That is why I believe it is positive to see a more fundamental shift in policy – tackling the issues within the underlying planning system.

“From what we know so far, it’s set to be the most significant overhaul of the UK’s planning process for more than 70 years. Naturally, proper judgement must be reserved until the Bill is officially put forward and then duly debated. However, it is a move that could light the touch paper for the construction and housing sectors, spurring on a huge amount of investment in the real estate industry in the years ahead. And crucially, the end result ought to be many, many more affordable properties for would-be homebuyers.”

Ritchie Clapson CEng MIStructE, co-founder of propertyCEO: “We’re a nation of entrepreneurs; we have many individuals who are willing, able and committed to get started in business and who can make a difference. And we also have a housing crisis in this country for one key reason; because over the years, we just haven’t built enough homes.

 “So, let’s put politics to one side for a moment and consider what the people in this country really need; the answer, quite simply, is more new homes.

 “Over the last year we’ve seen the government take huge strides towards making the delivery of new homes not only easier but substantially quicker, with the introduction of new permitted development rights. Not only have these been focused on recycling our redundant brownfield sites, they have also enabled many entrepreneurs to transition into small scale property development and start to deliver some of these much-needed homes.

 “The government’s commitment to easing the planning rules and bureaucracy that have frustrated the delivery of new homes historically can only be positive.

 “Let’s cut out the red tape that’s slowed us in the past. Let’s build a dynamic and flexible planning system that embraces technology while ensuring our local planning authorities have the resources and scope to prevent a development free-for-all.

 “And then let’s get out there and build, build, build!”

Tim Wood, Acting Chief Executive at Transport for the North, said: “Today’s Queen’s Speech opened with a statement on levelling up and the need to transform connectivity by rail and bus as part of the agenda. That this is high on the list of priorities is welcome news and must now be met with action as we focus on rebalancing our economy and improving transport links.

“We now need to see commitment to these aims in the upcoming Integrated Rail Plan, including backing the full HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail networks. Alongside a sustained pipeline of investment in our roads and active travel provision, this will support the cross-cutting themes of economic recovery and growth out of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as increasing skills and opportunities for the North’s communities.

“Clear targets on climate change are also to be welcomed. Green growth is a big challenge, and one that is a key area of focus for Transport for the North. Our upcoming Decarbonisation Strategy provides a strong evidence base and clear plan for how cutting carbon emissions can be achieved, and offers a vision for future transport networks that will tackle the climate emergency.”

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGIU said:  “This will not be a particularly encouraging Queen’s Speech for local government.  Everyone agrees that we need to build many, many more houses in this country. It’s less clear that planning is what is preventing us from doing so. These proposals leave local government with the political liability on planning whilst depriving them, and by extension the communities they represent, of the powers to manage it effectively.  Are major planning changes on permitted development totally compatible with rejuvenating town centres?

And, if we truly want places to be levelled up and to stay levelled up, we need to empower them through genuine devolution not through sporadic government patronage. Governments outside of Westminster have to deliver every day. Westminster politicians love to talk about how they will get on and deliver, but it is councils and mayors that actually do that.The shift of power away from Westminster is already happening, our politics has to catch up somehow.

However, the glaring hole in the middle of this Queen’s Speech is a plan for social care reform.  Every year that this is kicked into the distance, the care sector moves closer to complete collapse. No-one pretends there’s an easy solution here but it will never get any easier and there will never be a better time. The Government must act now.

As arguments rage about the principle of voter ID, we would simply note that just last week local government delivered a double set of elections under the most trying of circumstances with, as always, a minimum of problems and negligible fraud. Maybe the Government should let councils do what they do best without making things more complicated than they need to be.”

Comment from Dominick Veasey, Director at Nexus Planning: “Confirmation of the Planning Bill within today’s Queen’s Speech is welcomed, following the publication of the White Paper back in August 2020. Although the Government has sought to encourage local councils to continue to put plans in place to deliver much-needed housing, we are finding an increasing number are delaying plan-making to possibly avoid costly and abortive work, given a fundamental system change was on the horizon.   

 

“As with all planning system reforms that have gone before, clearly the devil will be in the detail, and we look forward to scrutinising the Bill once it is laid in the House. With an ever-worsening housing crisis, we hope, subject to its content, the Bill progresses swiftly through the Houses and receives timely Royal Assent. If not, the reforms and the Bill could ultimately have wholly the reverse effect on what the Government is trying to achieve – effectively, planning system gridlock and housing delivery hiatus!   

“Since the 2011 reforms were introduced, which similarly focused on housing delivery, the Government has increased housing completions year-on-year. Whilst last year’s figure of 243k net additional dwellings across England is still someway short of the magical 300k figure, let us not forget the 137k figure we started with back in 2011, or even the 223k figure achieved in 2008/09 just before the global economic crash. With the 2011 reforms now bedded in and the fruits beginning to be properly born, is ‘the most radical reforms since the 1947 Act was first introduced’ really needed? With a post-Covid-19 ‘Build, Build, Build’ commitment, could embarking on a comprehensive programme of radical legislative system reforms prove to be a thorn in the Government’s side? Time will tell.” 

Harriet Lamb, CEO of climate solutions charity, responds to the Queen’s Speech announcements on training and green jobs:  “We welcome the promised legislation on environmental targets – and promises on green jobs and lifetime skills. But the green dots need to be joined.

“We should invest in the green skills and training that will enable people to find the jobs of the future. For example, low carbon heating and home upgrades can create the local green jobs the government has promised. Without sustained investment in training for those skills, Johnson’s plans will break down quicker than a rusty old boiler.

“Pledges on lifetime skills are welcome, but the loans inevitably exclude too many and the training must be accessible to all so that neglected communities do not lose out in our transition to a low carbon economy.

“The fact is, we face a chronic shortage of construction workers and low-carbon heat engineers. For years, stop-start government schemes have discouraged businesses, colleges and potential trainees from investing time and resources in this area. The collapse of the Green Homes Grant in March was just the latest example. Now the Government must keep its promises.

“Local authorities should also play a much larger role in delivering green skills. They’re ideally placed to engage young people and small businesses, grow local economies, create a diverse workforce and tackle fuel poverty. Let’s give councils the powers and funding to create the well-paid jobs and better homes their communities want.”

 

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