Leading wet civil engineers Land & Water has completed dredging works on behalf of the Isle of Man Government as part of a wider three-year project which has removed over 22,000m3 of silt from Peel Marina. This has helped to significantly improve the water depths, improving the marina’s access and
The next big challenge facing the building industry will be meeting the demands of the public for homes that fit in to post-pandemic living with greater homeworking and emphasis on lifestyle rather than location, it is claimed. Dan Grimshaw from Beam Development says the ‘15-Minute City’ principal – a new
The latest research from new build snagging experts, HouseScan, suggests that while there are currently 294,900 homes currently in the planning permission pipeline, an estimated 289,002 of these will reach the market with snagging issues. HouseScan’s analysis of Gov.uk data on the number of housing units to have been granted
An innovation initiative to support the transformation of the housebuilding sector is calling for suppliers of new solutions. Advanced Industrialised Methods for the Construction of Homes (AIMCH) is inviting suppliers to enter the sandpit challenge to showcase their innovative products or services, demonstrating how they can deliver industrialised offsite solutions
The latest research from Warwick Estates has revealed which pockets of the national new build market still offer homebuyers the opportunity of a stamp duty saving right up until the final September deadline. While the initial stamp duty holiday for homes valued up to £500,000 has now passed, homebuyers purchasing
Derbyshire based Wildgoose Construction is celebrating after landing a further £4.5m contract win at the prestigious Matlock Spa housing development. The Alfreton firm is set to start work on the next phase of Matlock Spa, called Spa Lofts, which is being built on the site of Cawdor Quarry. Wildgoose has
A flurry of new lettings at one of Europe’s biggest secure industrial and business estates, in the Black Country, is signalling growing confidence in the industrial market. LCP, the national commercial property and investment company, says demand for industrial property is at a peak, with voids at The Pensnett Estate
Pagabo, Sypro and Social Profit Calculator, three Hull-based businesses synonymous with construction expertise, have been recognised for their attitudes to flexible working that set the organisations as front runners in the industry, which will be further facilitated by their move to new premises to accompany a new way of working
Quantity surveying and commercial management consultancy, Soben, has been named Consultancy of the Year at the National Building and Construction Awards for the second year running. Soben EMEA Managing Director, Andrew Gallacher, picked up the award at a prestigious ceremony in London’s Wembley Stadium attended by professionals from across the
The demand for decking materials has increased significantly during 2021, but the supply appears to be waning, according to a recent report from the Decking Network*. The report details how despite materials still being grown and felled in places such as Scandinavia, the USA, Canada, Russia, China, Asia and Indonesia,
Leading wet civil engineers Land & Water has completed dredging works on behalf of the Isle of Man Government as part of a wider three-year project which has removed over 22,000m3 of silt from Peel Marina. This has helped to significantly improve the water depths, improving the marina’s access and functionality for years to come. Having previously removed approx. 40% of silt last year, using its specialist plant including long reach excavators on floating barges, Land & Water has now dredged the remaining materials between March and May this year. All silt has been transported to the drying lagoon which was constructed and lined by Land & Water last spring for storage and dewatering. The lagoon was carefully constructed to meet specific requirements, meaning that any remaining heavy metals and other contaminants can be safely contained. Now that the dredging is complete, the material will be allowed to dry before being removed to a licensed facility. The former greenfield site will then be returned to its original state. Charlie Oakes, Project Manager at Land & Water, said: “We are pleased to have completed this groundbreaking three-year project and to have supported the Isle of Man Government in its all-important venture to safeguard Peel Marina. “Having returned to the island in February this year, during the Isle of Man’s third national lockdown, I would like to thank the dedicated Land & Water project team who were willing to travel and stay away from their homes and families to ensure we could continue delivering high quality services to improve and maintain waterways across every part of the UK. “Going above and beyond for our clients is something that we pride ourselves on at Land & Water and I am proud to have witnessed the strength and commitment from the project team during such challenging circumstances.” The Peel Marina dredging project was only one of two major contracts to be allowed to continue working on the Isle of Man during the previous lockdown period. The Land & Water team complied with all Coronavirus guidelines by self-isolating on the island beforehand and taking the required Covid-19 tests. After showing its resilience and ability to adapt working methods to meet the ongoing Coronavirus restrictions, Land & Water has re-established the efficiency of Peel Marina for the future. The Peel Marina project is vital to the local community; this work promises to ease pressures put on the marina, ensuring that it is restored to its correct level for access and operation. This will continue to bring real economic benefits to Peel. With the works split across two phases, every stage of this project was carefully considered and structured to safely handle the materials removed from this site. Land & Water is proud to have contributed to a project which promises to bring about such positive change.
The next big challenge facing the building industry will be meeting the demands of the public for homes that fit in to post-pandemic living with greater homeworking and emphasis on lifestyle rather than location, it is claimed. Dan Grimshaw from Beam Development says the ‘15-Minute City’ principal – a new approach to urban design, in which all city residents can meet most of their needs within a short walk or bicycle ride from their homes – could offer a solution. “It is possible cities will never return to the way they were before the virus struck and we are now looking at the way buildings are being used in terms of amenities and spaces and examining what people want from the places they live in,” said Dan. “Even before Covid people were wanting to spend more time at home as technology allowed them to do that, but that has been normalised during lockdown and accelerated, hence the need for proper home office space to accommodate that. “If the 15-Minute City takes off as a concept it will chime with people looking for more flexibility in their lives and who want to fit their jobs around their home life with space to work from home and, if possible, the space for a home office. “Creating that space, either through an extension or re-purposing rooms is vital.” Dan says building design is already starting to change with projects such as the Brabazon development being built at the former BAE airfield at Filton, near Bristol, already adopting the new ready-made community model. “One of the positives of the pandemic is that it has made people feel more connected with their neighbourhoods and highlighted the need for a diverse range of local businesses and services, with better street space for pedestrians,” added Dan. “Lockdown turned us all into locals overnight, connecting with high street shops and cafes on the doorstep in a way many of us had never done before. With restrictions lifting, it could be time to try new approaches to unlock growth and help reshape our communities for the better.” The 15-Minute City idea was developed by Sorbonne Professor Carlos Moreno and advocates the creation of a city of neighbourhoods, in which workers find everything they need in terms of work, retail and leisure within 15 minutes of their home. Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo has made the 15-minute goal a focus of her seven years in office and is creating 900 miles of bike lanes in the city. She is also converting schoolyards throughout the city into round-the-clock public playgrounds. Dan Grimshaw is a design and construction specialist based in Bath and London who has worked on premium residential projects for more than 15 years. He is a mentor to the British Library’s prestigious Innovating for Growth programme and is on the jury for the BLT Built Design Awards 2021. For further information visit: www.beamdevelopment.co.uk
The latest research from new build snagging experts, HouseScan, suggests that while there are currently 294,900 homes currently in the planning permission pipeline, an estimated 289,002 of these will reach the market with snagging issues. HouseScan’s analysis of Gov.uk data on the number of housing units to have been granted planning permission shows that planning permission approvals have fallen by -6.4% year on year. While there remain almost 300,000 new homes in the pipeline, HouseScan’s research also suggests that the vast majority of these will reach the market in an unsuitable state, with some form of snagging defect. It’s estimated just two per cent of all new build homes reach the market snag-free and this issue is predictably at its worst in the capital. Across London, there are some 52,300 homes waiting to be built having been granted permission, accounting for 18% of all approvals across England. However, with just two per cent predicted to reach the market in a suitable condition, HouseScan’s research shows that as many as 51,254 new homes yet to be built within the capital will have some form of snagging defect. If they were to reach the market today, that’s nearly £27bn worth of property that would need further work. With 43,200 housing units granted planning permission in the South East, it ranks as the region with the next largest level of homes reaching the market with snagging issues (42,336). The North West (39,592), East of England (34,790), East Midlands (30,380) and West Midlands (29,302) are also predicted to see some of the largest numbers of homes reach the market with snagging defects based on current planning permissions granted. In total across England, over £100bn worth of new homes that are still yet to be built will be sold with snagging issues, and that’s based on today’s market values alone. Founder and Managing Director of HouseScan, Harry Yates, commented: “Unfortunately there’s an incredible number of new homes purchased every year that come complete with a number of snagging issues and these issues can range from something minor such as the poor fitting of light switches or plug sockets, to something as serious as subsidence or other structural instabilities. It may seem unfair to tarnish housebuilder outputs by using the law of averages, but to say that just two per cent of new builds are sold snag-free really is the reality. In addition, it’s the new build process that allows these issues by using similar practices, to begin with, with inspectors often passing off the standard of an entire development based on inspecting just one single home within it. Of course, our research has focussed on planning permissions and so it remains to be seen as to whether this level of homes will be riddled with snagging defects or not. However, we wanted to highlight this severe problem within the industry as a wake-up call so that those delivering this pipeline of property stock can address the issue now and prove us wrong.” Number of housing units granted planning permission Category 2017 Q1 (year to) 2018 Q1 (year to) 2019 Q1 (year to) 2020 Q1 (year to) 2021 Q1 (year to) ENGLAND – rolling annual total 329,000 314,000 327,000 315,000 294,900 % change vs previous year 22% -4.6% 4.1% -3.7% -6.4% Source Gov.uk – Planning Applications in England Table shows the number of housing units granted planning permission that are estimated to reach the market with snagging issues Region Planning permissions granted % proportion of England total Est number to be delivered with snags Current Average house price Total value of houses with snags London 52,300 18% 51,254 £525,927 £26,955,881,945 South East 43,200 15% 42,336 £420,199 £17,789,525,656 North West 40,400 14% 39,592 £262,731 £10,402,042,509 East of England 35,500 12% 34,790 £404,852 £14,084,803,846 East Midlands 31,000 11% 30,380 £302,701 £9,196,058,911 West Midlands region 29,900 10% 29,302 £305,790 £8,960,264,736 South West 27,100 9% 26,558 £348,888 £9,265,763,685 Yorkshire and the Humber 22,700 8% 22,246 £243,791 £5,423,383,062 North East 12,100 4% 11,858 £217,985 £2,584,870,008 National Parks 700 0% 686 N/A N/A England 294,900 100% 289,002 £348,298 £100,658,891,685 Sources Gov.uk – Planning Applications in England Home Builders Federation Gov.uk – UK house Price Index
An innovation initiative to support the transformation of the housebuilding sector is calling for suppliers of new solutions. Advanced Industrialised Methods for the Construction of Homes (AIMCH) is inviting suppliers to enter the sandpit challenge to showcase their innovative products or services, demonstrating how they can deliver industrialised offsite solutions required to meet current and future housebuilding demands. The three-year AIMCH project, whose goal is to support the sector to tackle the UK housing crisis by building new homes quicker, more efficiently and to a higher standard, is encouraging innovation and collaboration from across all parts of the industry. There are three challenge areas for suppliers to submit their technically and commercially promising products and systems; Advanced MMC Solutions, with a particular focus on scaffoldless erect Standardised Solutions, including modular stairs, bathroom pods, and preformed windows and doors Zero Carbon Solutions, with a particular interest in heat pumps, underfloor heating, convection heaters, battery storage, and lower lambda mineral wool Successful partners could see their products and services trialled on live housing projects, with successful methods subsequently being commercialised and brought to market in volume. Daniel Shea, AIMCH Partner and Technical Innovation Coordinator, Barratt Developments Plc, said, “What we are looking for from the sandpit challenge is for suppliers to bring forward truly innovative and unique near to market solutions that have the potential to be scalable. Already we have witnessed the success of new product and system trials during the first two years of the AMICH project and we know that there are many more companies out there who are innovating and can play their part in helping to transform the sector. We need to find more sustainable ways of building quality new homes and achieving a net zero-carbon built environment, and we need game-changers who can support this transformation.” The AIMCH project aims to develop know how that supports the key sector stakeholders deliver 120,000 homes for the same or less cost than traditional methods, built 30% quicker and has the potential to impact on 35,000 homes being delivered by AIMCH partners across the UK each year. Innovators who can play their part in delivering the project aims are encouraged to submit their proposals by completing the application form on the AIMCH website. Successful applicants will then be invited to participate in a workshop hosted by one of three AIMCH partners, L&Q, Stewart Milne Group or Barratt Developments Plc.
The latest research from Warwick Estates has revealed which pockets of the national new build market still offer homebuyers the opportunity of a stamp duty saving right up until the final September deadline. While the initial stamp duty holiday for homes valued up to £500,000 has now passed, homebuyers purchasing up to the sum of £250,000 will still pay no stamp duty right up until the end of September. However, it’s no secret that the new build market carries a property price premium compared to existing homes. In fact, the average new build house price is currently £348,298 in England, 30% higher than the average price for an existing property. This would suggest that the average new build homebuyer may find it tricky to find a property that sits below the current and final stamp duty holiday threshold and at a regional level this may be the case. Just two regions are currently home to an average new build house price below £250,000, the North East (£217,985) and Yorkshire and the Humber (243,791). However, when analysing the market at local authority level, Warwick Estates found that there is still some hope. In fact, 23% of local authority districts in England are home to a new build average house price that still sits below £250,000. You can see the full table below but the list includes areas from all over England including Northumberland, Plymouth, Great Yarmouth, Manchester, Ipswich, West Devon, Lancaster, Southampton, Liverpool, Scarborough, Norwich, Nottingham, Bradford, Gateshead and Stoke. COO of Warwick Estates, Bethan Griffiths, commented: “New build homes will always attract a premium when compared to the wider market and so those looking to climb the new build ladder will always need a little more in the savings pot. However, there seems to be a common misconception that new build homes are vastly unaffordable but as the figures show, the average new build home costs less than £250,000 across nearly a quarter of all areas in England. So not only can a new build home be purchased at a relatively affordable price point, but those currently in the market for one have a good chance of still securing a stamp duty free sale.” Location Average New Build House Price England £348,298 East Midlands £302,701 East of England £404,852 London £525,927 North East £217,985 North West £262,731 South East £420,199 South West £348,888 West Midlands Region £305,790 Yorkshire and The Humber £243,791 Data sourced from the Gov.uk – UK House Price Index (New Build vs Existing). March 2021 – latest available data. Table shows the areas of England where the current average new build house price is still below £250,000 Location Average New Build House Price Northumberland £246,397 Fenland £245,637 City of Plymouth £243,533 Great Yarmouth £241,469 Manchester £239,678 Telford and Wrekin £238,884 Ipswich £238,831 West Devon £238,777 Allerdale £238,665 Newark and Sherwood £238,329 Knowsley £237,455 Sandwell £236,847 Tameside £234,525 Tamworth £233,614 Rotherham £233,322 Wolverhampton £233,189 Lancaster £231,215 Torbay £231,043 Southampton £230,143 Salford £229,586 Kirklees £229,494 North East Lincolnshire £228,064 Eden £226,530 St Helens £225,820 Liverpool £225,450 Broxtowe £224,828 Rochdale £224,768 Erewash £224,701 Oldham £223,654 Wakefield £221,607 Scarborough £220,679 Walsall £219,680 Ashfield £219,404 South Tyneside £218,370 Norwich £217,586 Sefton £217,305 Middlesbrough £215,115 Sheffield £214,295 City of Nottingham £213,251 City of Derby £213,168 Sunderland £212,758 Bolsover £209,730 Wyre £209,356 North Lincolnshire £209,066 Carlisle £206,690 Bassetlaw £206,421 Bradford £205,342 Blackburn with Darwen £201,666 Darlington £201,116 Mansfield £200,151 Redcar and Cleveland £200,115 West Lindsey £197,991 Boston £197,314 Bolton £197,074 South Holland £194,183 Newcastle-under-Lyme £193,940 Wirral £191,211 East Lindsey £190,763 Barrow-in-Furness £190,762 City of Kingston upon Hull £189,873 Gateshead £187,368 Pendle £185,122 Doncaster £183,153 Copeland £181,950 Stoke-on-Trent £181,278 Lincoln £181,066 Barnsley £179,817 County Durham £169,866 Hartlepool £166,313 Stockton-on-Tees £163,047 Blackpool £162,375 Burnley £134,834 Hyndburn £105,888 Data sourced from the Gov.uk – UK House Price Index (New Build vs Existing). March 2021 – latest available data.
Derbyshire based Wildgoose Construction is celebrating after landing a further £4.5m contract win at the prestigious Matlock Spa housing development. The Alfreton firm is set to start work on the next phase of Matlock Spa, called Spa Lofts, which is being built on the site of Cawdor Quarry. Wildgoose has already completed the Gateway Phase of Matlock Spa, consisting of 38 apartments and 20 houses. Phase Three will see 24 apartments built, due for completion in Autumn 2022. When completed, Matlock Spa will be made up of five distinct villages consisting of two, three, four and five-bedroom apartments and houses. The development will embrace the ‘Healthy Town’ model, promoting fitness in addition to a firm commitment to working with and protecting the local ecology and famous heritage of the Derbyshire Dales. Wildgoose has a long history in Matlock as the company was founded in the town in 1896 by the Executive Chairman Jonathan Wildgoose’s great grandfather. Jonathan Wildgoose, Executive Chairman of Wildgoose Construction, said he was delighted with the new contract award after a challenging year. He said: “The uncertainty that the construction sector and wider UK economy has experienced from the impact of Brexit and Covid-19 has presented many challenges. We are thrilled that we have been able to secure repeat business at Matlock Spa. Our client cannot wait for us to get started on the next phase of their high quality development. “We are also delighted to have completed an 80-bed care home in Wixam and Northampton Museum and Art Gallery and both projects have been extremely well received. All 22 houses at our own development in Marston Montgomery, in Derbyshire, have also sold out which is even more good news.”
A flurry of new lettings at one of Europe’s biggest secure industrial and business estates, in the Black Country, is signalling growing confidence in the industrial market. LCP, the national commercial property and investment company, says demand for industrial property is at a peak, with voids at The Pensnett Estate in Kingswinford now under 1% – an historic low. It has signed deals with Milton Cable Management Systems, JL Drinks Ltd, and Ground Investigation & Piling Ltd in quick succession for units at the estate. Milton Cable Management Systems has signed a 10-year lease for Building G, Bay 2 at Prime Point, making this speculative development now fully let. The 24,505 sq ft unit will be used for the new business, which is part of the Hudson Group that operates RMS Cable Management in Hampshire and ArmorDuct Systems Ltd, based on The Pensnett Estate. Simon Hudson-Smith, owner director of the Hudson Group, said: “We were looking for suitable premises and one of the attractions of this unit was that it falls within DY5, Dudley’s Business and Innovation Enterprise Zone so that was a big incentive financially as we can get business rates relief. “The new unit will house Milton Cable Management Systems, which has been created to manufacture and market a cable basket system that we believe is under-utilised but has huge potential and it will also give us the opportunity to expand. “Some of the staff from ArmorDuct will transfer over but I hope over the next two to three years that we can create between 20 and 30 jobs.” Phase two of LCP’s multi-million pound Prime Point scheme comprises 100,000 sq ft of prestigious industrial units, with tenants Stiltz Ltd, the home lift company; Total Kare, which specialises in lifting and testing equipment for heavy duty commercial vehicle workshops; and Glendenning Limited. GIP Ltd, one of the largest geoenvironmental and geotechnical engineering companies in the Midlands, has signed a five-year lease for Building 62 Bay 3, a 5000 sq ft unit as it relocates from Wolverhampton, where it has been based for the past 20 years. Julian Hughes, managing director, said: “The new premises are part of a Geo-hub that we are setting up for our staff to use as a mix of home, site and office working promoted in part by the pandemic. “We are mostly a cloud-based operation, other than the drilling, so the unit at The Pensnett Estate will be a space for folks to meet, log, prep testing, as well as giving the younger geologists the opportunity to have the mentoring structure that has been difficult over the pandemic. “The new space will have folks coming in more frequently, but I am allowing them to choose their working hours and how much time they spend on site, at home or in the new office environment.” The business employs 20 staff and also uses specialist geo-services on a sub contract basis. The final major letting is JL Drinks Ltd, which has signed a five-year lease for Building 18, a 13,053 sq ft unit. Paula James, LCP’s industrial lettings manager, said: “The industrial property market is at its peak and the take up is the best I have seen in 20 years of being involved in the property letting market, which is why we are seeing voids on The Pensnett Estate at under 1%. “These lettings, after a very challenging 16 months, demonstrate that there is significant demand for good-quality industrial units in the region. The Pensnett Estate’s strategic location also makes it an attractive proposition for businesses that need quick and easy access to motorways.” The Pensnett Estate is one of the largest secure business estates in Europe, and home to 160 businesses in over 2.4 million sq ft of commercial property. The Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership (BCLEP) has been supporting LCP with the development of Prime Point.
Pagabo, Sypro and Social Profit Calculator, three Hull-based businesses synonymous with construction expertise, have been recognised for their attitudes to flexible working that set the organisations as front runners in the industry, which will be further facilitated by their move to new premises to accompany a new way of working post-pandemic. Like many other businesses, both in Hull and across the country, the major change has been balancing working from home with working from the company office. This has led to discussions on what facilities are needed to be added or adapted, and which are no longer required for a modern way of working, all of which has been incorporated in the designs for the organisations’ new offices in central Hull. The former HSBC building on Whitefriargate is set to be home to the three businesses, and create a thriving home for creative, digital and tech businesses. The refurbished building will feature individual and shared workspaces, excellent broadband connectivity, meeting room facilities suitable for video conferencing and podcast sound booths. Gerard Toplass, who heads up the three companies, said: “The pandemic has been a humbling period for all of us, but one of the reminders it has given us is that our employees will always be our greatest asset and we respect that everyone’s preferences are unique. We must continue to facilitate flexible working conditions that will allow individuals to lead fulfilling professional and personal lives – something we urge other businesses to remember are not mutually exclusive. “We have to also ensure that we are adapting to meet the expectations around flexible working. We know that it is more important to most employees than ever before – and especially so for younger team members. These people are ultimately the future of our workforce, so it is crucial that we meet their expectations to keep the talent we need, where we need it. “Flexible working is not just about working from home, which is why we have invested in new offices in the heart of Hull. Our new home has a mix of high-tech workspaces and relaxed social spaces so that we can interact in the appropriate environment when we are choosing to not work from home. We believe that it is particularly fitting that one of Hull’s oldest streets is now leading the way in the future of working and putting the great people of this city first.” The successful commitment to flexible working has attracted national attention, with the team welcoming Labour’s Deputy Leader and Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work, Angela Rayner, visiting the soon-to-open new office space. She spoke with staff from Pagabo, Sypro and Social Profit Calculator on the key learnings and takeaways from how they have been working throughout the pandemic and in the days since social distancing restrictions were lifted. The visit formed part of the Labour Party’s unveiling of plans to make flexible working a force for good and fundamentally change working practices for the better through the right to flexible working, which includes flexible hours, compressed hours, staggered hours and flexibility around childcare and caring responsibilities. Emma Hardy MP, who represents Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle, said: “Labour’s new flexible working plans are a breath of fresh air and ones which will improve people’s work life balance. “I have been speaking in Parliament for some time now about the potential we have here in Hull and East Riding and how remote working means people can work from home and online without having to leave the area. The possibility of someone working in Hull for companies across the UK has never been better. “No longer will we need to leaving family, friends, and the area to pursue better careers, and with greater affordability than in other cities such as London means a far better quality of life can be had here in Hull and the surrounding area. “These plans will also enhance gender equality by allowing parents to work at home without losing out by not being in the workplace. This, alongside calls for flexible hours to work around school runs and other family responsibilities will bring much-needed improvements to people’s work life balance.”
Quantity surveying and commercial management consultancy, Soben, has been named Consultancy of the Year at the National Building and Construction Awards for the second year running. Soben EMEA Managing Director, Andrew Gallacher, picked up the award at a prestigious ceremony in London’s Wembley Stadium attended by professionals from across the construction industry. The National Building Awards comprise 17 categories and provide successful businesses in the world of building the opportunity to highlight their work and achievements and be judged by a panel of national experts. Founded in 2011, Soben is the UK’s leading contractor-centric quantity surveying and commercial management consultancy. Its clients include blue chip national and international contracting organisations who construct prestigious and complex projects across the construction, civil engineering, rail, utility, and energy sectors. Commenting on the award win, Andrew Gallacher, said; “It is a fantastic endorsement of Soben’s commitment to excellence and our ambitious growth plans that we have been awarded this prestigious award for the second year running. “I am hugely proud of each and every member of our team. Their hard work and dedication to our culture and values are the reason that we are able to deliver on our ambitious plans year on year.” “It is fantastic to see Soben take home the prestigious Consultancy of the Year Award for the second year in a row” commented NBC Awards Director Damian Cummins. “Once again, Soben demonstrated that it is a true example of a high quality, client focused, and forward-thinking consultancy. To once again be recognised as the best at what they do in the UK is a marker of success for the Soben team.”
The demand for decking materials has increased significantly during 2021, but the supply appears to be waning, according to a recent report from the Decking Network*. The report details how despite materials still being grown and felled in places such as Scandinavia, the USA, Canada, Russia, China, Asia and Indonesia, a lack of personnel in local mills and transport systems is causing a delay in these products being exported. This has led to intensified competition between suppliers and an inevitable price increase, which is being passed on to the end consumer. William Hogg, Managing Director of Ecodek, a specialist manufacturer of Wood Polymer Composite decking boards, explains how both the increased demand and supply chain complications have been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic: “Over the past 18 months people have been spending more time at home, for both work and pleasure. This has resulted in homeowners looking to improve their gardens or create new outdoor workspaces and, as a consequence, demand for decking has soared. “At the same time, the pandemic has resulted in a reduced workforce, either due to employees falling ill or having to self-isolate after encountering someone who has COVID-19. This combination of increased demand and a decreased workforce has led to frustration amongst many customers waiting for their timber decking.” William believes the answer is to buy British. Ecodek designs and manufacturers its wood composite decking boards in Wrexham, with products carrying the Made in Britain marque. As such, it does not rely on any imports from other countries to sustain its supply chain, as William continues: “Because our products are manufactured in the UK, using recycled and sustainable materials, we can guarantee a lead time of one week for stock products and three weeks for bespoke and made-to-order decking. “However, it is not just our location that has enabled us to maintain this steady supply. The stringent COVID-19 safety protocols and procedures we implemented at the beginning of the pandemic have enabled us to control the impact of coronavirus on our company processes. Combined, our location and rigorous health and safety practices have allowed us to continue trading, without disruption, over the past 18 months.” Ecodek has seen a marked increase in the number of customers, both trade and consumer, turning from timber to wood composite decking, due to its availability and the stability of the supply chain. “We have received many enquiries from customers who have been let down by timber suppliers and require a viable alternative. With all the beauty of timber but the many benefits of wood polymer composite, many have been coming to Ecodek to fulfil their requirements,” adds William. Slip resistant, low maintenance, splinter free, and rot and split resistant, Ecodek’s range of composite decking boards is offering customers a practical, sustainable, and attractive alternative to real timber. “I am sure that consumers who consider locally manufactured composite as an alternative to wood will soon realise the considerable advantages it provides, in the short, medium and longer-term both with regards to its supply and environmental benefits.” Further information about Ecodek and its range of wood composite decking boards can be found at www.ecodek.co.uk or by calling 01978 667 840. In today’s construction and design industry, reliable partners are essential for delivering projects that meet the highest standards of quality and performance. The Deck Store has emerged as a go-to resource for architects, builders, and contractors who are shaping the future of outdoor living spaces. With an expansive inventory of decking materials, railings, hardware, lighting, and accessories, The Deck Store has built its reputation on combining product diversity with expert guidance. Whether a project calls for traditional wood, low-maintenance composites, or specialized accessories that enhance safety and aesthetics, the company offers solutions tailored to both residential and commercial applications. Beyond its product catalog, The Deck Store is distinguished by its commitment to supporting professionals through every phase of construction. From planning and specification to sourcing and installation, its team provides insight that helps ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and built to last. This dedication has made it a trusted partner for projects of all sizes, from backyard renovations to large-scale developments. For design and construction professionals, working with The Deck Store means having access not only to high-quality materials but also to a collaborative partner focused on long-term performance. As outdoor living spaces continue to grow in demand, The Deck Store remains at the forefront of helping the industry deliver environments that blend function, durability, and design excellence.