The body representing town planners in Scotland has called on Scottish Government to provide more support for communities and planning authorities to allow local people to shape how their places develop. In responding to the consultation on draft proposals for the framework of regulations for Local Place Plans, the Royal
The Government has announced today that it has committed an additional £6m to the community led housing sector, supplementing the £163m Community Housing Fund which was launched last year. Hundreds of community-run housing organisations will benefit from this brand new Government-funded community led housing programme which will provide funding, training
With the UK Government mandating the use of building information modelling (BIM) on government projects since 2016, its perception has transformed from a useful tool into a necessity for delivering construction projects of all types including buildings, bridges and roads. Here, Glyn Shawcross, engineering and design director at engineering
In nearly six months’ time, on 29 March 2019 at 11pm UK-time to be more exact, the Brexit is expected to happen and the UK will leave the EU. The construction industry has already started to feel the impact of Brexit, and has ongoing concerns about, amongst other things, skill
The 28% fall in construction apprenticeship starts between August 2017 and March 2018 compared with the same period the previous academic year suggests the Government needs to look again at the way the Apprenticeship Levy is working, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Commenting on statistics published today
Bureau Veritas has pledged its full support to the Government’s long-awaited response to the Women and Equalities Committee’s (WEC) inquiry into disability and the built environment – saying that the proposed provisions will go a long way in enabling improved access for all. In April 2017, the Women and Equalities
Britain is currently experiencing an incredibly concerning housing crisis, resulting in too many people being forced into temporary housing or worse: having to sleep on the streets. This also does not excuse or in any way distract from the fact that a vast number of housing accommodation itself is in disgraceful
Ministers have given the green light for construction to begin on thousands of discounted homes for first-time buyers. The government chose 30 local authorities to partner with in developing the first wave of Starter Homes, which will be available to buyers aged 23-40 at 20 per cent below market value.
Network Rail is set to be stripped of its full control of railways in England’s as part of a major government shake-up. Chris Grayling, Transport Secretary, has announced that he intends to bring track and train operations back together, handing train operators greater influence over the work that takes place
The government has announced the biggest ever National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, worth more than £500 billion to the private planned and public investment over this Parliament and beyond. Published by the government’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority, the pipeline is up by £37 billion in comparison with the March document
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
The body representing town planners in Scotland has called on Scottish Government to provide more support for communities and planning authorities to allow local people to shape how their places develop. In responding to the consultation on draft proposals for the framework of regulations for Local Place Plans, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Scotland says that there is a need for more funding, resources for capacity building and guidance. RTPI Scotland Convenor Barbara Cummins said: “This is an important moment for the planning system and the future of community engagement. Local Place Plans provide a golden opportunity to support communities to be more engaged in discussions about the future of the places where they live. “This means that we need to make sure that they have the resources they need to do this, that they can access expertise and that they are able to engage people across their area in the discussion. These resources need to be targeted to communities that need them the most so we don’t exacerbate existing inequalities in Scotland. “We cautiously welcome the light-touch approach taken by Scottish Government to this legislation, striking the difficult balance between providing a robust framework for development whilst ensuring that the process to produce Local Place Plans is not over-complicated for communities and allows for local flexibility.” In its response, RTPI Scotland has called on Scottish Government to bring greater clarity as to how the new future of community-led plans will be implemented in areas such as resourcing, timing and development planning and management procedures. Read RTPI Scotland’s full response to the Scottish Government consultation here
The Government has announced today that it has committed an additional £6m to the community led housing sector, supplementing the £163m Community Housing Fund which was launched last year. Hundreds of community-run housing organisations will benefit from this brand new Government-funded community led housing programme which will provide funding, training and specialist advice. Community led housing is a way that communities can come together to solve their own housing challenges and provide high quality and affordable homes. It is estimated that over 5,000 community led homes will be built in the next five years. Through the Community Led Homes Programme, which is managed by a consortium of four housing charities, community groups can apply for up to £10,000 seed-corn grants to cover start-up costs including legal incorporation fees. Over £3.5m will also be invested into the growing network of community led housing enabling hubs that provide groups with technical advice and support. This latest funding comes just weeks after the Mayor of London announced his own £38m Community Housing Fund. Sadiq Khan has pledged to support 1,000 community led homes in the capital by 2021. More information about community led housing, including how to apply for a grant, can be found at www.communityledhomes..org.uk Samantha Jones, Head of Community Led Homes, said: “Communities want to play their part in tackling the country’s affordable housing crisis and many are forming community led housing groups to do so. In the next five years the movement will build over 5,000 affordable homes. We’ve created the Community Led Homes programme to help this figure increase further still, and in time, for community led housing to become a mainstream housing option. “This programme is the culmination of a huge amount of work from the four organisations involved and demonstrates our belief that in partnership we can support more communities to imagine and realise the affordable housing they so desperately need. Together we are committed to building a lasting legacy for community led housing.”
With the UK Government mandating the use of building information modelling (BIM) on government projects since 2016, its perception has transformed from a useful tool into a necessity for delivering construction projects of all types including buildings, bridges and roads. Here, Glyn Shawcross, engineering and design director at engineering solutions provider Boulting Ltd, explains one of the key regulations essential for becoming BIM-enabled. BIM is a process of creating and managing information and data about a construction project, to produce a building information model that can contain a digital description of every asset. Building upon 3D modelling, BIM also includes the data behind the model. In addition to the benefits of a 3D model such as physical coordination, BIM can bring together data at the required level of detail, making it accessible to all involved parties. A collaborative process, the model’s production is likely to be partly automated and manually improved upon throughout the design and construction process. Growing in detail and accuracy as the project progresses, the final BIM asset is handed over to the client at the end of the project and is used throughout the building’s life span. The cost of operating and maintaining buildings and facilities can reach up to 85 per cent of the building’s total cost. An accurate virtual representation of a building and its asset data can provide scope for finding and realising possible cost-saving areas, even after the construction phase is over. Standards and principles The requirements for BIM Level 2 are set out by PAS1192-2:2013 and its partner, PAS1192-3:2014, which provide guidance to asset managers about the integration, information management, asset management and final construction of the build. Both standards apply to building and infrastructure assets and are based on the previously existing codes of practice, BS 1192:2007 and A2:2016, which encourage collaborative production of architectural, engineering and construction information. PAS1192-2:2013 and PAS1192-3:2014 provide guidance on how information is expressed in the models, as required by level two BIM and above. Expressed information must be logical, visible and available for analysis and use by the project team rather than difficult to extract and practically work with. Good quality models produced by level 2 BIM effectively promote sharing, analysis and reuse of information by providing a better visual representation of design and construction, which can be used to inform decision making. For example, layering software can superimpose multiple models on top of one another to see how they fit together, allowing any clashes to be identified and managed before construction, saving both time and money. Currently, most projects are supported by multiple models, although once BIM level three is reached, each involved party will use the same model, which should be fully accessible from the cloud. Cloud-stored data can raise intellectual property issues, which contributors must be aware of. The regulations also cover practical points to be aware of when choosing BIM as a project management tool. Models must hold the right amount of detail to support their purpose as models burdened with too much or unnecessary information are as unhelpful as those with too little. At the first stage of any BIM project, a BIM execution plan must be drawn up. Amongst other things, it specifies the software that will be used, clash detection responsibilities and crucially, the level of detail required. Ensuring the right level of detail means parties each have all the data required, without unnecessarily raising the overall cost of the BIM process. A BIM model should be progressive and fluid. An important principle set out by the PAS1192-2:2013 is that as a project progresses and information grows, the model will provide information fit for design, for construction and finally to represent what has been constructed. BIM’s use should be continually assessed, as the regulation stresses that models may not necessarily offer the best way to communicate information. If the project is simple, a schedule or other format may provide the same benefit with less expense. Management Because a model is an information source, governance and direction are as important when producing and managing a BIM asset, as when producing a report or compiling technical documentation or drawings. A BIM manager should be appointed, who will be responsible for the implementation of BIM and digital construction procedures throughout the entire project lifecycle. They will drive forward changes, ensuring the client, operator, contractors and suppliers will be able to get the most out of the available technology, people, processes and policies. An experienced BIM manager is essential for smooth running and outstanding results, both in terms of the final build and the BIM asset produced. Boulting has a wealth of experience and expertise, both in implementing and undertaking BIM projects, while ensuring the high standards that clients, engineers and suppliers benefit from. Primary documents such as the employer’s information requirements and the BIM execution plan are crucial to produce an efficient and effective product. In addition to the final model, one of the most important outputs is the accurate record of project information, which is then used to support the built structure during operation. Regardless of whether a current project mandates the use of BIM, ensuring your business is BIM-enabled and the correct regulations are identified and understood is essential in the modern climate. In addition to widening the scope of future work, a full understanding will ensure the best service is provided to each customer, contractor and manufacturer involved in any project.
In nearly six months’ time, on 29 March 2019 at 11pm UK-time to be more exact, the Brexit is expected to happen and the UK will leave the EU. The construction industry has already started to feel the impact of Brexit, and has ongoing concerns about, amongst other things, skill and labour shortages, the increasing price of materials, potential import and export tariffs. Another area of concern for the construction industry has been how the system of advertising UK contracts for works, goods and services to EU companies would work post-Brexit and how businesses in the UK construction industry would be able to continue to bid for work, goods and services in Europe. This is important because many UK construction and consultancy businesses benefit and need to continue to benefit from smooth and open working relationships with EU businesses. The government’s position While the government continues to negotiate with the EU, in the hope of reaching agreement on a number of key points in the next few months, it is also starting to prepare for a ‘no-deal Brexit’. As part of that, a couple of weeks ago the UK Cabinet Office released guidance entitled ‘Accessing public sector contracts if there’s no Brexit deal’ which sets out how works, goods and services can continue to be accessed across the UK and EU in the event of the UK leaving the EU without an agreement in place. The current system At the moment, UK public bodies and authorities can procure certain works, goods and services for construction projects, including from EU businesses, by advertising them on the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) via Tenders Electronic Daily (TED). Equally, UK contractors, consultants, manufacturers and other construction businesses can bid to provide works, goods and services to EU public bodies through OJEU via TED. This means that, for example, a UK public authority procuring specialist offshore trenching and vessel services for a government-funded offshore renewables project can receive tenders from specialist construction companies throughout the EU. It also means that UK companies, for example a UK architectural business, can tender for a commission to design a high profile development project in Spain on the same basis as companies based in other EU member states. But post-Brexit, without a deal, this position would change. The government’s guidance There are two key messages in the government’s guidance ‘Accessing public sector contracts if there’s no Brexit deal’: First, the UK is aiming to accede to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA). The GPA is an international trade deal that the UK currently participates in by virtue of its EU membership, but in a No-Deal Brexit world the UK will need to become a member itself. Whilst this is not a new position it does confirm that there has been no change to the government’s position on the need to seek GPA membership. Second, the UK will develop a UK version of OJEU / TED, which it refers to as ‘a replacement UK- specific e-notification service’. The guidance states that: UK-based contract opportunities would no longer be advertised to the EU on OJEU / TED and would instead be advertised on the new replacement UK-specific free-to-use e-notification service This UK e-notification service will be available from ‘Exit day’ The requirement to advertise and ability to access other UK domestic systems will remain eg on Contracts Finder, MOD Defence Contracts Online, Public Contracts Scotland, Sell2Wales and eTendersNI UK businesses who wish to tender or bid for EU contract opportunities may continue to do so via OJEU / TED and To enable the above, some changes to how the current procurement rules operate may be necessary, and these will be made by amending existing UK legislation. The government has also said that further information will be provided nearer to the Brexit date. So, has the government provided clarity? In part, yes. The government has at least given some insight into its thinking about how works, goods and services can be advertised and procured across the EU in the event of a No-Deal Brexit. However, there is very little detail around how this will work in practice. In particular, while the guidance says that “Suppliers who wish to access contract opportunities from the EU may continue to do so via OJEU/TED”, it is not clear whether this position would be agreed to by the EU or whether they would have to access OJEU/TED as third country participants. UK public authorities, construction companies, construction industry professionals and other construction industry businesses may also be concerned that, during a period in which they dealing with other challenges that may arise for their businesses due to Brexit (such as skill and labour shortages), they will potentially also have to familiarise themselves with a new UK e-notification service. One thing is clear though, with no agreement yet reached with the EU, and with the Brexit date looming in a matter of months, the government should be working hard behind the scenes to flesh out its guidance, to provide certainty for UK public authorities and the construction industry before 29 March. We would hope to hear more on this by the end of this year.
The 28% fall in construction apprenticeship starts between August 2017 and March 2018 compared with the same period the previous academic year suggests the Government needs to look again at the way the Apprenticeship Levy is working, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Commenting on statistics published today by the Department for Education (DfE), Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “The Government’s own statistics show a 28% per cent plunge in apprenticeship starts over the current academic year so far. The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in April 2017 to boost apprenticeship training across all business sectors but so far it seems to be having the opposite effect. Some reforms are obvious and need to be looked at more urgently now. The Government should allow large companies to pass more of their Levy vouchers down through their supply chains if the company itself is not in a position to train apprentices. Currently large firms are only permitted to pass 10% of their Levy funds down to their sub-contractors and others in their supply chain. There needs to be much greater flexibility than this. In the construction sector, larger firms often do not directly employ on-site tradespeople or directly train apprentices and so there is a real danger this industry and others will continue to fail to take advantage of the Apprenticeship Levy if we can’t change this.” Berry concluded: “These figures have been published shortly after the FMB’s latest research which shows that small construction firms are experiencing record highs in terms of skills shortages. In the long term, the only way we will be able to address the chronic skills crisis is by recruiting and training more new entrants. We know that 58% of builders are struggling to hire bricklayers and 55% are having difficulties finding carpenters and joiners. We need to iron out the flaws in the Apprenticeship Levy and reverse this decline in apprenticeships to give us the best chance of tackling these skills shortages.”
Bureau Veritas has pledged its full support to the Government’s long-awaited response to the Women and Equalities Committee’s (WEC) inquiry into disability and the built environment – saying that the proposed provisions will go a long way in enabling improved access for all. In April 2017, the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) published ‘Building for Equality: Disability and the Built Environment’; a document which highlighted the challenges facing disabled people in accessing homes, public spaces and other buildings. The overall consensus was that the Government must take action to lead the charge in improving access and inclusion in the built environment. Just a little under a year later, and the Government recently launched its response detailing a number of provisions and tactics designed to address the issues raised – which Bureau Veritas, a leading provider of building control services to developers and construction companies across the UK, has been quick to welcome. Andy Lowe, technical director for Bureau Veritas’ Building Control division, comments: “This inquiry was incredibly significant, and is set to shape the continued development of Building Regulations to ensure that disabled people can easily access homes, buildings and public spaces. “Having followed the inquiry closely over the past year, we very much welcome the Government’s recent response which affirms a considered and intelligent course of action which we believe will make a significant and positive impact.” In terms of the key overall approach, the Government has asserted that it will meet the WEC’s call for a more concerted focus on ‘individual components of the policy framework’ by enhancing existing legislation and policy rather than bringing forward new strategies. In response to concerns that Part M of the Building Regs is not based on the latest BS8300 code of practice, the Government has confirmed that the BRAC (The Building Regulations Advisory Committee) is already reviewing the guidance as necessary, along with other key stakeholders such as the Department for Transport. Further key points included clarification that planning guidance will be strengthened by the revised National Planning Policy Framework (due to be published in summer 2018), to include aspects of inclusivity, and greater support for expertise in inclusive design for planning departments, enabled through increased fees and the recent 20% uplift in actual planning application fees. Andy adds: “All in all it appears that the accessibility aspect of regulation is to be overhauled and standards updated in line with the latest research and we applaud that. It will bring much needed equality for disabled persons throughout the built environment. We look forward to seeing the impact of the various provisions as they come to fruition.” To find out more about Bureau Veritas please call 0345 600 1828 or email info@uk.bureauveritas.com. Alternatively, please visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
Britain is currently experiencing an incredibly concerning housing crisis, resulting in too many people being forced into temporary housing or worse: having to sleep on the streets. This also does not excuse or in any way distract from the fact that a vast number of housing accommodation itself is in disgraceful disrepair and lacking in the basic health and safety regulations that it might once have been the government’s aim to deliver to every household in the United Kingdom. Now what is the current Tory government doing to try and combat this increasingly worsening problem throughout our land? “Garden villages.” An initiative with a typically middle-class name, this scheme is their intention to build decent housing in the light of 48,000 brand new habitations amounting to a the creation of a grand total of 14 of these “villages.” This seems to be an impressive number at first, but consider for one moment that it does indeed seem a far cry compared to the housing initiatives undertaken by the Labour government after the Second World War. Indeed, one of the crucial differences was that the government back then was concerned to not only build more houses, but also to improve those that were already in existence. The people who benefitted from better living conditions from the Labour initiatives and legislative housing acts of the late 1940s were not just in their thousands: they were in their millions. The “garden villages” scheme sounds suspiciously like an initiative that will enable housing for a lucky few, but will avoid the even greater issue that many Britons supposedly living in functioning homes are in fact living in uninhabitable ones. It seems clear that this suggested solution is just simply not enough. The building and construction industries will need to be prepared to work together to ensure that more houses are built in the future, however with pathetic initiatives like these it seems unlikely that this will happen any time soon.
Ministers have given the green light for construction to begin on thousands of discounted homes for first-time buyers. The government chose 30 local authorities to partner with in developing the first wave of Starter Homes, which will be available to buyers aged 23-40 at 20 per cent below market value. The homes will be built on brownfield sites across the UK, with the councils being chosen on availability of land and ability to deliver homes quickly. The partnerships between the Homes and Communities Agency and the local authorities have been established under the government’s £1.2bn Starter Homes Land Fund, which was launched last April. The fund supports the acquisition, remediation and de-risking of brownfield land for Starter Home developments. Construction of the first Starter Homes will begin later this year. Housing and planning minister Gavin Barwell said: “This government is committed to building Starter Homes to help young first-time buyers get on the housing ladder. “This first wave of partnerships shows the strong local interest to build thousands of Starter Homes on hundreds of brownfield sites in the coming years. One in three councils has expressed an interest to work with us so far.” Read more at https://www.constructionnews.co.uk/markets/sectors/housing/government-kick-starts-starter-homes-construction/10016061.article
Network Rail is set to be stripped of its full control of railways in England’s as part of a major government shake-up. Chris Grayling, Transport Secretary, has announced that he intends to bring track and train operations back together, handing train operators greater influence over the work that takes place on the rail lines throughout the country. At present, the UK’s track infrastructure is solely owned and maintained by Network Rail, which is publicly owned, with trains and services operated by private train operating companies such as Virgin and Southern. However, Mr Grayling has called for a change, with both track and trains to be managed by “one joined-up team of people”. Under the changes, Network Rail and train operating staff will be integrated into operating teams for renewal and maintenance work. It is not yet clear how much control Network Rail will have over the tracks – as is the make-up of the teams. Mr Grayling is also expected to reveal plans to create a organisation, separate to Network Rail, called East West Rail. This will oversee the construction and operation of a rebuilt multi-million-pound train line linking Oxford to Cambridge. This will be the first fully integrated rail operation created since the end of British Rail in 1994, and will be tasked with securing private sector design, build and management of the route. The move will be a step away from the way major enhancement projects, which are usually delivered on the UK’s rail lines through Network Rail’s Infrastructure Projects Division. Last month, the chancellor Philip Hammond gave £100m to the speed up the delivery of the western section of East West Rail between Cambridge and Bedford, and a further £10m to develop a preferred route from Bedford to Oxford. Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne has welcomed the changes, saying more needed to be done to align incentives between the organisation and train operating companies.
The government has announced the biggest ever National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline, worth more than £500 billion to the private planned and public investment over this Parliament and beyond. Published by the government’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority, the pipeline is up by £37 billion in comparison with the March document and will include 20 new schemes, such as the Cambridge to Oxford Expressway. The pipeline will help to deliver important local schemes throughout the UK, including housing, flood defence, broadband and transport. It contains: More than £500bn of planned investment, with more than £300bn of this to be invested by 2020/21; More than 720 projects and programmes across transport, housing and digital to fire up the nation’s infrastructure. The pipeline will include major schemes including the Thames Tideway Tunnel, the rollout of smart meters, and upgrading the A14. The idea behind the pipeline is that it provides a single source of data for both government and the private sector, giving greater certainty for investors and suppliers. The government claims that today’s pipeline is the largest and most comprehensive ever. However, it relies on private finance to make up more than half of the pipeline to 2020/21. The publication of the pipeline has come soon after the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement announcement of the new £23 billion National Productivity Investment Fund. The new fund will include infrastructure investments of over £2.6 billion to improve transport networks; a multi-million pound package to accelerate the future of broadband; and £7.2bn to support the construction of new homes. The government has also today published a new funding and finance supplement to help attract further private sector investment into some of the UK’s most important infrastructure projects. Chief executive of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), Tony Meggs, said: “Creating the IPA has enabled us to produce a more comprehensive pipeline. Having the visibility and certainty of a pipeline of construction and infrastructure investment allows industry to invest strategically for the market, not just tactically for the project.”
