Sloppy and dangerous approach to Construction

Dr Michael Benfield warns Government of 'Sloppy - and dangerous - approach' to modern methods of Construction

Addressing an audience of Architects, Builders, Engineers and other professionals concerned with European and UK Off-Site Manufacture of buildings, Dr Michael Benfield today warned that "Government's failure to heed their own words and take a joined up approach to development, rather than scape-goating contractors and house-builders for poorly performing buildings and high property prices, will only lead to further deterioration in an industry that is already in crisis." Identifying failures in the education system, past and present centralised training schemes, and continuing use of Lowest Price Tendering by many authorities and commercial organisations as major contributors to the worsening availability of on-site skills and supervision, he stated "The ODPM's sloppy approach to development, town planning, and MMC is placing whole sector in danger".

Instead of the 'bully boy' tactics recently demonstrated by the ODPM's threat to 'Bring in Continental contractors if House-Builders did not immediately start to produce more houses', "What they must do is heed their own encouragement to adopt greater 'Partnering' across the development sector and encourage collaboration between all elements to deliver what the end customer needs".

Linking all professions within this call, he argued that "The ODPM must wake up, recognise that developers have been doing an incredibly good job under ever worsening circumstances, especially the house-builders".

Instead of tinkering with the planning system, for example by using PPG3 to increase densities and create a future landscape of 'ticky-tacky' boxes that have no chance of serving the needs, or aspirations, of future generations, "The industry should be praised and encouraged to do what it does best - that is to create real, long lasting, durable wealth for the next several hundreds of years." Illustrating why he believes timber offers the fastest way to ease pressures on development, he evidenced timber structures as being highly sustainable, durable over centuries - even millennia - and able to deliver low energy, high quality internal and external environments across Europe.

Dr Benfield gave his speech at the Construction Productivity Network event 'European and UK Off-Site Manufacture' on the 26th January 2005, at Millennium Point, Birmingham in association with CIRIA and Constructing Excellence.

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