MEMBER NEWS
NORTHERN IRELAND
Meeting with the Minister of Department for Communities Northern Ireland Director Gavin McGuire and members Steven Nickell of Nickell & Richmond and Mark Gribben of Setanta Construction met with the Minister of the Department for Communities, Gordon Lyons MLA. Discussions centred on how the Northern Ireland Executive’s targets for increased housing will be transformed into real delivery. “We need to build the right amount of safe and warm homes in the right places for the right cost,” Gavin said. Key discussion points included: ● water connections issues; ● NI Electricity’s capacity to meet demands placed on the grid by new housing; ● accountability for shocking delays within the planning system; ● attracting skilled labour to speed up the delivery of new homes; and ● the next stage of the strategy. Officials said action plans are being worked on across departments and will be ready for scrutiny soon. “We look forward to seeing these as soon as possible,” Gavin said. “There is no doubt the devil will be in the details and the FMB will continue to scrutinise the content and keep communicating on behalf of its members to the government.”
Pride and privilege NORTHERN IRELAND
customer service that we see in your work as members,” Northern Ireland Director Gavin McGuire said. “We stressed the need to be mindful of the challenges of balancing the regulatory burden, given the time and resources SMEs have. Thank you for the pride you take in your membership.”
FMB Northern Ireland recently engaged with industry colleagues and policymakers at a roundtable facilitated by Manufacturing NI and the British Standards Institution (BSI). The group reviewed issues around standards, competency and licensing to protect the industry ahead of wider discussions planned with the office of the First Minister at Stormont. “It is a privilege for us to highlight the positive examples of high-quality work and
CONTACT ● Gavin McGuire , NI Director | Email: gavinmcguire@fmb.org.uk | Call: 07341 869 080
CYMRU
FMB West Wales Charity Dinner This year’s FMB West Wales Charity Dinner will take place on 4 October at the Giltar Hotel, Tenby. Scan the QR code to secure your tickets.
CYMRU
Proposed changes to building regs The Welsh Government has recently consulted on significant changes to the building control regime and building regulations in Wales. These proposals are designed to improve building safety standards and were developed following the enactment of the Building Safety Act 2022. Key proposed changes include: ● Dutyholder framework – introduction of defined roles such as client, principal designer, and principal contractor during the design and construction phases to ensure accountability and responsibilities. ● Building Control Authority – designation of local authorities as the building control authority for higher-risk buildings (HRBs).
In Wales, HRBs are defined as buildings that are 18 metres and taller, have seven or more storeys, contain at least one residential unit, or function as a hospital, care home, or children’s home. ● Part B (Fire Safety) Amendments – proposals include extending the ban on combustible materials in external walls, requiring evacuation alert systems, and installing secure information boxes in new blocks of flats with floors 11 metres or more above ground level. FMB Cymru submitted a consultation response calling for clear guidance to help SME builders understand and comply with the new requirements.
(l-r) Steve Nickell, Mark Gribbin, Gordon Lyons and Gavin McGuire
CONTACT ● Ifan Glyn, Cymru and UK Senior Hub Director | Email: ifanglyn@fmb.org.uk | Call: 07769 687 227
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Master Builder
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