The expert panel was headed up by House of Commons Public Accounts Committee member Matt Turmaine MP and Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick, and included Andrew Orriss, CEO, Structural Timber Association; Scott Wolters, sales director, building division, Egger UK; Darren Jarman, managing director, Lowfield Timber Frames; and Peter Lacey, production director – developments, Places for People. The event was attend by housebuilders and social housing providers.
Matt Turmaine MP, Watford, said: “Ensuring a plentiful supply of housing remains one of the defining political challenges of our age. “The benefits of building in structural timber are clear – both in terms of speed of building and the sustainability and quality of the materials and practices used.
“Structural timber has a massive role to play in building more homes now and into the 2030s and beyond.”
Andrew Orriss, CEO, Structural Timber Association said, “Some seven out of the top 15 UK housebuilders are planning to manufacture in timber frame.
“It was our honour to bring together housebuilders, housing associations, and thought leaders together in Westminster today.
“We look forward to working closely with the UK Government to accelerate housebuilding throughout this Parliament and beyond, helping it and the construction sector meet the UK’s Net Zero 2050 ambitions. This is in line with the DEFRA Timber in Construction Road Map.”
Responsibly harvested timber, sourced from managed forests, offers a renewable building material that ensures zero impact on the natural environment, the STA argues. Timber carries significantly lower embodied carbon than alternative traditional construction materials as it sequestrates carbon during its early life as trees.
Britain’s housebuilders are getting on board, with companies including Vistry, Taylor Wimpey, Barratt Redrow Developments, Bellway, Persimmon, Cala Homes and Avant Homes seeing the benefits of building in timber frame.
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