Scotland’s largest construction trade association, SELECT, has welcomed a second consultation on regulation of the electrical industry which has been launched by the Scottish Government. The consultation, lodged by Jamie Hepburn, the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, is seeking views on “whether regulatory measures are required to give
Heavy equipment has laid the foundation of great civilizations and modern communities. From the Great Pyramids to the 35-year construction of the Interstate Highway and high-rise buildings, these construction tools dug earth and moved stones to make way for impressive engineering and architectural feats both ancient and modern. Their history
Productivity at work is always going to be a hot topic because there are continually so many emerging techniques that are supposed to help employees and employers get the most out of every working day. Often, these techniques are ones that are centred around an individual and while that is
Chancerygate has secured planning for two multi-unit schemes at Gemini8 in Warrington and Forge Industrial Park in Sutton Coldfield. The development at Gemini8 will see Chancerygate speculatively develop 119,675 sq ft of industrial and warehousing space as part of a joint venture (JV) with Hines, the international real estate firm.
Recent delivery of three Electric Vehicles (EVs) takes global EV fleet to 69 Kingspan to install Electric Vehicle charging station at IKON innovation centre Company aims to only acquire zero emission company cars by 2025 Transport targets part of wider Planet Passionate commitment Kingspan, the maker of high-performance insulation and
Pagabo announce that Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £13.4m contract for the second phase of the £62m redevelopment at Oaklands College in St Albans. It comes after they successfully handed over the first phase in the summer, the Homestead building, which provides residential accommodation for up to 80 students
Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has been selected by the Department for Education (DfE) to design and build a brand-new facility for the modernisation of Oscott Manor School in Birmingham, as part of the DfE’s Priority School Building Programme. Oscott Manor School, located in Old Oscott Hill, Birmingham, is a
We are celebrating hitting our latest social value milestone, marking £3bn in social value being enabled by works procured through our frameworks since 2017. Continuing Success This marks another milestone in a hugely successful year for our firm, which saw the launch of our new Major Works and Professional Services
Leading independent recycling and waste management company, Powerday, has created over £9millon social value for the second consecutive year with every pound that clients spent with the company contributing £0.22 to the local community. Powerday’s social value is focused around four goals: reducing the environmental impact of the UK’s waste,
After a comprehensive spending review earlier this week, the Chancellor confirmed that a new Help to Build scheme would be made available for the sector. The review included two significant announcements for the sector: £2.2 billion of new loan finance to support house builders, which includes delivering a new Help
Scotland’s largest construction trade association, SELECT, has welcomed a second consultation on regulation of the electrical industry which has been launched by the Scottish Government. The consultation, lodged by Jamie Hepburn, the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, is seeking views on “whether regulatory measures are required to give greater protection to the public and reduce the level of poor electrical workmanship by a persistent rogue trader element”. SELECT Managing Director Alan Wilson said: “This is another great opportunity for the industry to take part and shape the future. “It’s heartening to see that the Scottish Government believes that regulation of the sector is so important that it merits this further consultation. “It’s an excellent chance for Scotland to lead the way and demonstrate that we are committed to safer and brighter future for the industry.” The latest move follows a consultation by Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston, which was issued in August and closed on 10 November. Mr Halcro Johnston hopes his consultation will lead to a Member’s Bill ensuring that only properly qualified and experienced professionals can call themselves an electrician. SELECT and the Scottish Joint Industry Board (SJIB) were among those who responded to the consultation, which received more than 140 submissions. In her response, Fiona Harper, The Secretary of the SJIB, said: “Electricians frequently voice their concerns and frustration that individuals who have not met the established national and industry standards and are not qualified electricians are able to use the title of electrician. “In what is such a highly-skilled and safety-critical occupation, this situation should be rectified and the title of electrician should be protected.” In the SELECT submission, Mr Wilson said: “Our research suggests net benefits to Scotland from proper regulation of electricians of around £58million, including the benefits of higher electrical standards, such as fewer injuries and deaths, better functioning installations, less need for call backs or for poor/unsafe work to be repaired, leading to improved customer satisfaction.” SELECT has been leading a long-running campaign with other leading industry bodies to make sure that those who work in the industry do so in a safe and competent manner. The groundswell of support on its Wall of Support has seen more than 100 prominent parliamentarians, industry figures and representatives of trade associations and professional services bodies pledging their commitment. The latest consultation can be completed here and closes on 12 February 2021.
Heavy equipment has laid the foundation of great civilizations and modern communities. From the Great Pyramids to the 35-year construction of the Interstate Highway and high-rise buildings, these construction tools dug earth and moved stones to make way for impressive engineering and architectural feats both ancient and modern. Their history is intertwined with the rise of equipment technology, and promises a bright future for the industry – as can be seen in well-established companies such as Fortis Heavy Duty. Muscle Power in Ancient Times The Egyptian civilization was the first ever to use heavy equipment in terms of manual and animal labor to operate simple levers, pulleys and cranes. In 2500 BCE Imhotep, an Egyptian chancellor regarded as the world’s first architect orchestrated the building of the Great Pyramids using a system of rollers, ramps and ropes. The Romans also used this system. Moving huge slabs of stone was done using smooth ramps and rolling pins. Cranes were used to create the Roman arch, and other structures. Vitruvius, a Roman engineer, described early heavy equipment in his treatise known as De Architectura. These were made of wood, and used treadwheel for power. 1800s: Steam, Traction and Hydraulics Much of what the ancient civilizations used was still in operation until the 1800s, primarily for agricultural purposes – far from super-mechanized engines and heavy equipment undercarriage parts. In 1886, American inventor Benjamin Leroy Holt created a combine steam harvester. Two years later, John Froelich created a gasoline-powered tractor with forward and reverse gears. In 1890 Holt once again produced a steam-powered tractor. These inventions proved beneficial to the agricultural industry as it allowed the transition from animal-power to more powerful steam engines. Apart from the tractor, steam engines also fueled dredgers and steam excavators. Thomas Aveling also created the traction engine in the mid-1800s and is known as “The Father of the Traction Engine.” His invention has made a lasting impact in the development of succeeding heavy equipment. 1900s: Rise of Heavy Equipment Vehicles By the 1900s, the second phase of The Industrial revolution was well underway and created a huge demand for heavy equipment in various industries. Track vehicles emerged at this time, with the first successful patent made by Alvin Orlando Lombard in 1901. In later years he would invent the first commercial tractor crawler, the forerunner of today’s tracked construction vehicles. Heavy equipment was also introduced to the construction industry in the early 1900s. In 1907, the Galion Works built motor and pull graders, steam and internal combustion rollers, wheeled scrapers and hydraulic cranes. Adaptations were made on these vehicles to suit the demands of construction. The bull graders were introduced in 1920s. It quickly grew in popularity, and in the 1930s it was renamed the bulldozer. This vehicle has since evolved into the bulldozer we know today, hauling boulders and tree stumps from the earth. Bucket-wheeled excavators also began in the 1920s, as digging machines for the mining industry. They have proved beneficial to surface mining operations over the years. Dump Trucks were also introduced at this time, also known as tipper or dumper trucks. 1930-1960: Tough Times and Tough Builds This 30-year period is marked with tough times, from the Great Depression to WWII. There was also notable construction taking place, including the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge and the beginning of the Interstate Highway. This is often considered as the boom of the heavy equipment industry, as vehicles became monster-sized to address the demands of the massive interstate construction. The world’s biggest dragline, shovel and 360-ton truck emerged. 1970-1980: Embargo and Recession Demand for machinery continued to increase during this period, and equipment became more sophisticated. The Arab embargo of 1973 also caused greater demand. It is at this time that safety measures were given for heavy equipment. 1990-2010: Compact and Efficient Vehicles Machinery now utilized diesel engines, and while this shift improved efficiency, it had negative effects to the environment. Environmental compliance demanded that manufacturers build cleaner and more efficient engines. The economic recession: the third to hit the heavy equipment industry, has created a trend favoring rent rather than purchase of heavy equipment. Manufacturers are compelled to comply with the specifications rental companies for durability and efficiency, as well to ensure compliance with continuous emission-phase testing from 2001-2008. 2010-2019 The heavy equipment industry is one again seeing growth. Advances in construction equipment came in the form of telematics, electromobility and autonomous machinery. IoT, or the Internet of Things is also employed to increase machine life cycles.
Productivity at work is always going to be a hot topic because there are continually so many emerging techniques that are supposed to help employees and employers get the most out of every working day. Often, these techniques are ones that are centred around an individual and while that is a fundamental starting point, people usually forget to assess the environment they’re working in – the office itself. There are many simple ways to organise your office to help improve productivity and we’ve listed some below. Office equipment It sounds obvious, but it’s important that you have the right equipment in order to work effectively. If you are doing lots of tasks on a computer then a second screen can really improve productivity and efficiencies. If you are using a second screen or laptop screen then these need to be at eye level to reduce eye strain and back and neck injury. Screen levels can be adjusted with risers if needs be. As well as any technical requirements, making sure you have adequate desk space and a comfortable chair in good working order are essential. If these items are old and broken then they can also lead to counterproductivity. You can buy replacements for fittings such as castors online so you often won’t have to replace whole units if they need fixing. 2. Office lighting Artificial lighting can strain your eyes and lead to headaches and tiredness which will hinder productivity. If you can, use natural light from outside to brighten your office and provide natural views to help keep you stimulated. There are LED office lights that can emulate natural light so if it isn’t possible to get it from outside, consider how these can be used to help. 3. Colour Colours stimulate different emotions and can improve productivity. If you work in an office that needs to be creative, then yellow is a colour that can help boost this alongside optimism and confidence. If you’re in an office that needs a lot of focus and concentration, then blue is an ideal colour. You can always use colours to break up different areas of the office to create different moods and feelings so that you can be productive however you need to. 4. Clutter and cleanliness By being surrounded by clutter in an unclean environment, you can easily get distracted and lose focus. It’s easy to let clutter build-up, especially if you have lots of important documents and files to sort through. Try to make it a weekly habit of cleaning up your desk area. A good day to do this is on a Friday because it means that when you come back on Monday, you’re ready to start the working week in a productive environment. By following these steps and making changes to the space around you, it will be much easier to improve your productivity in the office.
Chancerygate has secured planning for two multi-unit schemes at Gemini8 in Warrington and Forge Industrial Park in Sutton Coldfield. The development at Gemini8 will see Chancerygate speculatively develop 119,675 sq ft of industrial and warehousing space as part of a joint venture (JV) with Hines, the international real estate firm. Comprising 5.1 acres in total, the scheme will provide 18 freehold and leasehold units ranging from 3,900 sq ft to 16,500 sq ft and is strategically located with direct access to the M62. Planning consent comes after Chancerygate and Hines acquired the site in January this year. The development at Forge Industrial Park in Sutton Coldfield will see Chancerygate deliver a 72,007 sq ft freehold light industrial and warehousing scheme featuring 11 units ranging from 4,467 sq ft to 24,003 sq ft. Chancerygate purchased the 3.1-acre site last August and work to demolish an existing 69,000 sq ft industrial building on the site is due to begin in November. Located next to Minworth Trade Park, Forge Industrial Park is located 2.2 miles from junction 5 of the M6, three miles from junction 9 of the M42 and seven miles north east of Birmingham city centre. Alastair King, head of development at Chancerygate, said: “We are seeing growing demand for high-quality industrial developments across the UK. This is being driven in part by increasing demand from retailers and institutional investors, both of which regard strategically located industrial space as a key asset. “Our scheme at Gemini8 is a great example of this. Historically, there has been a shortage of warehousing space in Warrington and there has not been a multi-unit development in the area for more than a decade. Now, we are seeing demand rise significantly and that is why we are best placed to invest in the area to speculatively develop 119,675 sq ft of industrial and warehousing space. “Rising demand is also a key driver behind our development at Forge Industrial Park. It is a well-established industrial area and is ideally located for retailers and funds looking to invest in warehousing and logistics to meet growing consumer demand for ecommerce and home delivery models.” Commenting on the scheme at Gemini8 in Warrington, Greg Cooper, Hines UK director of industrial and logistics, said: “This is an important next step in continuing to grow our portfolio with Chancerygate and deliver high-quality industrial schemes across the UK. The partnership to date has been highly successful at identifying modern industrial and logistics space in strategic locations across the UK and we welcome the momentum behind these quick transactions that allow us to deliver schemes at pace.” Joint agents on the Gemini8 scheme are CBRE and Davies Harrison. Joint agents on the Forge Park Industrial scheme are Knight Frank and Gerald Eve.
Recent delivery of three Electric Vehicles (EVs) takes global EV fleet to 69 Kingspan to install Electric Vehicle charging station at IKON innovation centre Company aims to only acquire zero emission company cars by 2025 Transport targets part of wider Planet Passionate commitment Kingspan, the maker of high-performance insulation and building envelope solutions, is transitioning its entire company fleet to electric vehicles, targeting to only acquire zero emissions cars by 2025. The company has recently taken delivery of three Tesla EV vehicles, taking its global EV fleet to 69. Kingspan is also installing a new six-bay Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station at its recently opened IKON global innovation centre in Kingscourt, Cavan, which will help ensure that each car’s charge can be derived from 100% renewable energy. The EVs will replace older, petrol and diesel models, and will be used by the company for visits to clients, contractors, architects, and sites. The push towards zero emission cars is part of Kingspan’s Planet Passionate programme, an ambitious 10-year global sustainability strategy that aims to impact on three big global issues: climate change, circularity and protection of our natural world. Specific commitments the company strives to reach by 2030 as part of its Planet Passionate Programme include: Energy: powering 60% of all Kingspan operations directly from renewable energy while generating the equivalent of 20% of its energy demand on manufacturing sites Carbon: achieving net zero carbon manufacturing and a 50% reduction in product C02 intensity from primary supply partners Circularity: upcycling of 1 billion PET bottles per annum into insulation products plus zero company waste to landfill across all sites Water: harvesting 100 million litres of Kingspan’s water usage from rainwater Bianca Wong, Global Head of Sustainability at Kingspan, commented: “As a company, we have committed to reduce significantly our carbon footprint across our value chain by 2030. The acquisition of these state-of-the-art vehicles and installation of the charging station supports our broader Planet Passionate vision and our target to acquire only zero emission company cars by 2025. By leveraging the latest in innovation in the motor industry and striving to be Planet Passionate in everything we do, we are confident we can achieve the goals we have set our business.” Marci Bonham, Managing Director of Kingspan Insulated Panels in Ireland and Kingspan Energy, commented: “Implementing our mission to reduce our impact on the planet is progressing rapidly. This latest delivery brings the total number of electric vehicles in our global fleet to 69, and our Irish teams are pleased to be among the first in the company to make this move to zero emissions cars. There is a strong commitment by Kingspan to incorporate carbon reductions into all areas of the business. This is one more step towards our net zero targets.”
Pagabo announce that Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £13.4m contract for the second phase of the £62m redevelopment at Oaklands College in St Albans. It comes after they successfully handed over the first phase in the summer, the Homestead building, which provides residential accommodation for up to 80 students as well as two on-site wardens. Phase two was again procured through our Major Works Framework and will be known as The Evolution Centre to represent the importance it will have in the development of the College’s staff and students. The new facility will be the core learning building on campus and contains a mix of classrooms and support spaces for teaching staff, with seven classrooms forming a dedicated wing for Oaklands College’s Pathway 4 special needs provision. A sustainable build: Now or Never To support Willmott Dixon’s ambition to be net zero carbon by 2030, the site team have created early electrical connections to the grid so that the tower crane, site and welfare facilities do not need diesel generators. The project is also utilising the local St Albans based community wood recycling to ensure that all timber not required is reused rather than sent away as waste. Chris Tredget, managing director at Willmott Dixon in London and East, said: “After delivering the Homestead Building, the team is delighted to be back on site with the Evolution Centre and look forward to creating a new teaching space that will benefit the college and students for years to come.” Zoe Hancock, principal of Oaklands College said: “The Evolution Centre will house 49 classrooms and will be a centre for technical, academic and vocational education. It will transform the learning experience for our students, and we are really looking forward to its completion in Autumn 2021.” Jonathan Parker, national framework manager at Pagabo, said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our close working relationship with Willmott Dixon, and are really pleased to see the second phase of work in motion at Oaklands College following the handover of the first phase earlier this year. This next phase of work, which was awarded via a single stage procurement process through a programme of works, made it quicker and simpler to get work underway on delivering teaching facilities and a dedicated wing for special needs provision that are set to have a hugely positive impact on both the college and the wider community.” After the successful handover of the first phase, we’re all delighted to see phase two in motion and wish Willmott Dixon the best of luck in delivering this fantastic scheme.
Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has been selected by the Department for Education (DfE) to design and build a brand-new facility for the modernisation of Oscott Manor School in Birmingham, as part of the DfE’s Priority School Building Programme. Oscott Manor School, located in Old Oscott Hill, Birmingham, is a SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disability) secondary school supporting pupils with autism. Rated ‘Good’ in the most recent Ofsted inspection, the school has outgrown its current building following an increase in the demand for places, and due to site constraints which has meant the current site is too small to develop. This has resulted in the relocation and the construction of a new school at nearby Reservoir Road in Erdington, Birmingham. Due for completion in winter 2021, the new educational facility will be a community school for 120 young people aged 11-19, with autism as their primary diagnosis. The school will provide educational, health and care plans for each student. Construction works will involve the demolition of existing buildings at the 2.8 acre Reservoir Road site; the former Bridge SEND School, Fairfield Children’s Home and the Children’s Bungalow, followed by the construction of the new 29,923 sq. ft two-storey modern educational facility with a range of versatile teaching spaces for ICT, design and technology, science and music, as well as general staff facilities, external play areas and associated access roads. It will also include a multi-use games area (MUGA), a forest school with associated lighting and secure boundaries, staff parking and safe drop off and pick up areas for pupils. As you enter the site, the school is adjacent to the Elwood Day Centre which will remain open throughout the works, and G F Tomlinson has worked closely with the centre to ensure access will be maintained at all times and there is minimum disruption to service users. Network Rail is situated on the left and residential properties are located to the right and to the rear. This project will mark the 13th scheme delivered by G F Tomlinson under the DfE framework since 2014 and in line with the organisation’s commitment to social value, the scheme will maximise opportunities for work experience and employment, partnering with local schools, colleges, universities and unemployed residents, through an Employment and Skills Plan, developed in consultation with Birmingham City Council. Chris Flint, director of G F Tomlinson, said: “We are delighted to be managing the design and build of the new Oscott Manor SEND School, under the DfE framework. “The building replacement is part of the DfE’s Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) that considers applications from Local Authorities and other agencies to rebuild and refurbish school buildings in the greatest need of repair across the country, and the new building will be constructed by the DfE’s Capital team, which includes G F Tomlinson. “This scheme adds to our strategic portfolio of projects in the education sector throughout the West Midlands region where we have an established reputation for delivering high quality SEND schools, providing safe and inspiring places for young people to learn and thrive. “As always, we have focused on the social value of this project, ensuring our dedicated Employment and Skills Plan provides tangible benefits to the community of Erdington and the surrounding areas.” Head teacher of Oscott Manor School, Victoria Miller, said: “The completion of this carefully designed project will provide a wealth of opportunities for our pupils and enhance their curriculum access, community connections and ability to develop the independent skills that will prepare them for adulthood. We are delighted to be working so closely with the DfE, Bond Bryan Architects and G F Tomlinson to ensure that this project meets the needs of our cohort.” G F Tomlinson’s design team include Bond Bryan Architects, BSP Consulting for structural and civil engineering services and Anderson Green for mechanical and electrical services.
We are celebrating hitting our latest social value milestone, marking £3bn in social value being enabled by works procured through our frameworks since 2017. Continuing Success This marks another milestone in a hugely successful year for our firm, which saw the launch of our new Major Works and Professional Services frameworks go live in April, the appointment of several members of staff and the announcement of a transformational research collaboration with The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to name but a few. The figures have been enabled through our full suite of frameworks. As well as figures relating to the financial benefit to local economies, the measurement includes the creation of more than 2,750 jobs and the safeguarding of more than 11,000 jobs, as well as 900 work placements and more than 700 apprentice roles. Simon Toplass, chief executive officer at Pagabo, said: “Driving positive social impact for individuals, communities and businesses up and down the country is one of our core business values at Pagabo, so hitting this landmark £3bn enabled figure is a really proud moment for us. “Social value is firmly at the heart of everything we do, and we make a conscious effort to be as directly involved as possible in order to help our clients generate the best social return possible from their projects. And there is of course no doubt that social value is set to play a bigger part than ever in the future following COVID-19 – especially when it comes to job safeguarding, job creation and the development of employment opportunities in the immediate future.” How Social Value is generated We generate our figures using Social Profit Calculator (SPC) – the market-leading online tool accredited by Social Value UK and Social Value International. SPC uses robust government data and methodologies to help organisations understand, evidence and measure the social impact of their work. Simon said: “Most organisations will already be delivering some form of social value through their employment of staff, skills development programmes and through working with local supply chains. The important next step is knowing how to measure these things and how they equate to true benefit for local communities. This is something that SPC is perfectly placed to do, accurately calculating the financial value of social, economic and environment impact of work. “It’s highly likely that we are going to see a significant push over the coming years regarding industry standards of data collection for social value – especially when it comes to regional differences. Tools like SPC will continue to grow in importance – as will the need for cross-industry collaboration to build a picture of what good social value looks like around the country for clients.” We are set to announce the successful applicants for our brand-new developer-led framework – worth £47bn – in December. For more information on how we enable social value, click below: Social Value Social Profit Calculator
Leading independent recycling and waste management company, Powerday, has created over £9millon social value for the second consecutive year with every pound that clients spent with the company contributing £0.22 to the local community. Powerday’s social value is focused around four goals: reducing the environmental impact of the UK’s waste, improving lives through education and employment, improving lives through sport and supporting the wider community where they need it. The company believes strongly in the power of sport to ensure mental and physical wellbeing, providing young people with confidence and self-discipline that will help them throughout their lives. This belief has seen Powerday partner with London Boxing since 2011, an initiative which has improved health and mental well-being for 10,000 young people in some of the most marginalised areas of the Capital. In January this year, the company launched the Powerday Academy to deliver career opportunities for the local community, including existing employees and school leavers that might be struggling to find work. Under this scheme, Powerday has already provided full time employment to three 16 to 24 year olds who would otherwise be classed at NEETs (not in education, employment or training). The Academy has also enabled Powerday to deliver over 1,130 apprenticeship weeks with 15 employees undertaking apprenticeship courses through the company’s training partners. Joint Managing Director, Liam Kearney says: “With 77% of our staff from within a 15-mile radius of Old Oak Sidings, we are proud to be a significant local employer. We believe that as such we have a responsibility to provide secure and rewarding employment whilst giving opportunities to those in our community who might be struggling to find work. We also want to ensure we have the best trained and motivated team within our sector. To help us deliver against all of this, we were proud to launch the Powerday Academy earlier this year”. When Covid-19 struck, wanting to continue to support the health and wellbeing of Londoners during lockdown, Powerday helped NHS workers working round the clock by providing nutritious meals. The company teamed up with London Irish Rugby Club, preparing and delivering over 50,000 free meals to frontline workers in 19 different hospitals during eleven weeks. Edward Crossan, Vice Chairman, Powerday says: “We are committed to using our sustained growth to support our local communities and are very pleased to be able to contribute so significantly, particularly this year given the challenges we have all faced. I believe the coronavirus outbreak has highlighted the need for businesses to contribute to society and it’s vitally important to us at Powerday that we can and do play our part. Our work in this area is now as important to us as our waste management services and we are proud of our contributions”. The family business has always provided extensive social value through its operations and community work. Last year, Powerday signed up to the Social Value Portal. An initial report for the company’s financial year 2018/19 showed that Powerday created £9.2million of social value in that period. This was followed by £9million in 2019/20, a significant achievement given the challenges in delivering social value projects during the pandemic. This included £1.3million in social value through the 869,000 miles driven in the company’s Euro 6 fleet which emit under 75mg of carbon dioxide per kilometre, and the recycling of 14,500 tonnes of hard-to-recycle wastes including road barriers, mattresses and mixed plastics. Every pound that clients spent with Powerday in 2019/20 contributed £0.22 to the local community. Powerday’s latest report can be downloaded from Powerday-CSR-2019-2020-Social-Value-Report.pdf
After a comprehensive spending review earlier this week, the Chancellor confirmed that a new Help to Build scheme would be made available for the sector. The review included two significant announcements for the sector: £2.2 billion of new loan finance to support house builders, which includes delivering a new Help to Build scheme for custom and self builders, as well as funding for SME housebuilders and Modern Methods of Construction. £100 million of funding to support, among other things, the release of public sector land, including for serviced plots for self and custom builders. BuildStore, which is an Appointed Representative of Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB), is the leading finance partner for custom and self-build clients. MAB is the UK’s most recognised mortgage broker*, with over 1,400 mortgage advisers offering advice on a local level. Here, Raymond Connor, CEO at BuildStore, offers his reaction to the news. He said: “Both MAB and BuildStore jointly welcome the government’s introduction of the new Help to Build scheme. We started working with MAB seven years ago specifically to offer products and solutions for people with aspirations to build their own homes. “This announcement has been a while in the making. At times, it’s felt as though self and custom build has been on the sidelines, but this news shows the strength of this government’s commitment to diversification in the housing sector. “Unfortunately, we turn away a large number of potential customers every month who are interested in self or custom build, but they simply don’t have the cash deposit required. Although we await further details and a formal timeline for the scheme, we hope it will make building your own home much more achievable. “In terms of the wider market, the scheme will provide a major boost to the emerging custom build sector in the UK. SME developer are the lifeblood of this industry who day-to-day are the ones with the ability to divide up land into plots and sell on to the end consumer. We know that planning legislation is being strengthened all the time in this area to ensure local authorities offer serviced plots for people with a desire to custom build.”