The challenges being faced by the construction industry – including the significant pressures on SME housebuilders – have been discussed by leading experts at a conference in Warwickshire.
The Wright Hassall Annual Construction Conference 2024, recently held at Warwick Trident College, welcomed professionals from across the industry to look at some of the challenges which could change the face of the industry.
Facilitated by Michael Hiscock, Partner and Head of Construction at Leamington law firm Wright Hassall, the event welcomed speakers Tim Jackson, of multi-disciplinary property and construction consultancy Calfordseaden; Simon Jones, of architectural practice Corstorphine and Wright; Dr Beck Collins, of Sustainability West Midlands; and Sophie Horgan, of housebuilder Horgan Homes.
Michael opened the conference by speaking about some of the key legal issues in the construction industry, followed by Tim who gave a presentation on the challenges of today’s market in respect of fire safety for buildings.
Simon then spoke about placemaking and sustainability, with a particular focus on construction in the education sector including the new Oakley Grove School in Leamington, followed by Beck who spoke about the importance of nature in the built environment and introduced the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Local Investment in Natural Capital programme - a DEFRA-funded project seeking to unlock private finance to restore nature in the WMCA area.
The event was rounded-off with a poignant presentation from Sophie Horgan, of Horgan Homes, who gave delegates an insight into the pressures facing SME housebuilders and explored how they could be the catalyst to delivering thriving communities across the UK.
She also spoke about building a more diverse industry, including the importance of encouraging more women into the profession.
Speaking at the event, Sophie said: “We are not immune from the pressures that exist currently, and insolvency figures give an idea of the scale of those facing our industry.
“Construction firms accounted for 16.9 per cent of all insolvencies in England and Wales in June 2024, with 397 construction firms going under.
“Standardised off the peg developments are becoming more and more commonplace, and as local and regional builders disappear, the marketplace is becoming dominated by just a handful of national companies, building much the same homes in much the same way, regardless of local character or location.
“Great homes, sensitively developed to reflect the style and needs of the communities they serve, are crucial to developing a sense of pride – they are the type of homes that local housebuilders deeply rooted in their local communities have been building for decades.
“The government is right to set stiff targets for the number of new homes it wants to build, but alongside planning reform, I would like to see a firm target for houses built by SMEs.
“It’s currently around 10 per cent – the lowest in Europe – and I see no reason why it wouldn’t be raised immediately to 15 per cent, and higher still in the longer term.
“Building new homes isn’t just about meeting numerical targets, it’s about creating communities which add value to people’s quality of life and write another chapter in our shared national history.”
Reflecting on the event, Michael Hiscock said: “It was excellent to welcome so many people from right across the construction industry to our 2024 conference.
“We had a fantastic line-up of speakers, each of which shared their insights, knowledge and experiences while discussing some of the key challenges in construction.
“It was also an opportunity for networking and to facilitate discussions on how we can work together to overcome some of these challenges in the coming years.”