Wienerberger, the leading provider of wall, roof and landscaping innovations, is celebrating its first award win of the year, after its clay block walling system, Porotherm, achieved a ‘Highly Commended’ at the Housebuilder Product Awards 2013.

As a winner from the ‘Best Internal/External Product’ category, the award win means that Porotherm will be automatically entered into the ‘Product of the Year’ category at the 2013 Housebuilder Awards to be held later this year.

Getting Britain building is still the BIG IDEA, with the encouragement of housing developments at the forefront.

Accordingly, the Homes and Communities Agency – part of the Department for Just About Everything – has announced the release of a new tranche of public land for development. It is part of a programme that will see land with capacity for up to 100,000 homes released for development by 2015.

The announcement coincided with the announcement that the shake-up of the planning process trumpeted by the DCLG will commence later this month. Henceforth, only major developments, some designated developments and Listed Building Consent, will require Design and Access Statements.

It appears that the number of developments receiving planning consent is already on the rise. The aforementioned HCA quoted a Home Builders Federation report showing the number of consents rose from 118,723 to 144,427 since the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) came into force last year. 

A highly prestigious Federation of Master Builders award, recently achieved by Derbyshire-based Alan Staley Building Contractors, has recognised the quality of its work and reflects, says the company, on the suitability of Layher scaffolding and temporary roofing systems for high profile building refurbishment. 

The company is proud to have won the Master Builder of the Year Award for Large Renovation Projects in Yorkshire and Trent for its re-roofing and high level repair of Grade II listed Melbourne Hall.  The organisation appointed Allround Scaffolding Services (Midlands) Ltd. who, in turn, made excellent use of Layher’s Allround® modular scaffolding and Keder temporary roofing system designs.  

Leeds College of Building is investing circa £15 million to create a new state of the art 8,000 m2 facility on land purchased from Yorkshire Design Group at Hunslet Lane and Black Bull Street in Leeds City Centre. 

The deal will enable the College to build an exciting new education and training facility that will serve a large proportion of its 7,500 students. Ian Billyard, Principal at Leeds College of Building says: “This is extremely good news for our students, staff and the construction industry as a whole. This is the start of our consolidation of the six sites we currently operate from into this new purpose built development, along with our North Street and Millwright Street sites. 

Written contracts for building work is the best option for consumers wanting to protect themselves from unscrupulous tradesmen, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in response to the publication of the Draft Consumer Rights Bill.  

Brian Berry, the Chief Executive of the FMB, said: "The Government is right to want to increase protection for consumers against rogue traders and to ensure they are better informed about their rights. However, the idea that consumers will be willing and able to record verbal agreements on their iPhones is misplaced. The best way for consumers wanting to protect themselves when commissioning home improvement or repair work is to insist on a written contract. This simple requirement will weed out the cowboys from the professional builders.”

Brett Martin Plumbing and Drainage, the UK’s largest independent building products manufacturer, showcased their comprehensive range of market leading underground drainage products at the National Merchants Buying Society (NMBS) exhibition in Telford on the 15th May, 2013.

A regular fixture in the Brett Martin calendar, the 50th annual NMBS was the ideal opportunity for Brett Martin to show their continued support for independent merchants, this year with a generous Brett Martin/NMBS rebate offer (2.5%) and a trio of ranges that really make commercial sense for independent merchants.

Housebuilders are now able to benefit from a more efficient, faster onsite air leakage testing service following the announcement of a new partnership between NHBC and leading consultancy and research organisation BSRIA (Building Services Research and Information Association).

From June, NHBC and BSRIA – an organisation with over 50 years’ experience supporting and advising the construction industry, which has carried out 50,000 energy tests across the industry since 2006 - will jointly provide responsive air leakage testing as part of NHBC’s  overall Part L compliance package which includes SAP and EPC’s.

Reflex Systems, the specialist provider of integrated security and fire life safety systems, is pleased to announce it has secured two Gold accreditations from NACOSS (National Approvals Council for Security Systems) and BAFE (British Approvals for Fire and Equipment).

The accreditations validate what Reflex Systems already does – delivering the very highest quality standards to customers requiring security and fire safety solutions.

Martin Clarke, Chief Executive of the British Precast Concrete Federation, has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to industry.

Martin has expressed great delight and surprise at the award. “ I am overwhelmed at this recognition and especially delighted that the citation is for services to industry. This is a great boost for an unsung but critical British manufacturing industry.” 

Scottish manufacturing was on the Shadow Cabinet’s agenda when Alex McLeod, CEO of Superglass Insulation, one of the few independent manufacturers in the UK construction industry, welcomed Labour Members of Parliament, Iain Wright and Gordon Banks to the company’s plant in Stirling. Andrew Warren, Director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy (ACE) also accompanied the group on the visit. 

Iain Wright MP, Shadow Minister for Competitiveness & Enterprise at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills with responsibility for low carbon economy, manufacturing, construction sectors, and Gordon Banks, MP for Ochil and South Perthshire and Shadow Scotland Office Minister, showed their support for the capital investment programme which Superglass is progressing to transform the company’s production capabilities.