Is offsite the answer?

/ Chairman's Blog

The construction industry is heading for the buffers. Capacity is draining out as skilled tradesmen retire and few enter as apprentices. The go-to supply of EU migrant tradesmen is likely to be restricted soon and is already less interested as the pound falls. Construction quality is poor in the housebuilding world. Mark Farmer’s message: Modernise or Die, which I quoted in my last newsletter, is clear that a major move to offsite construction is needed to keep the industry from decline. The proponents of offsite…

Judging Panel Announced for JCT Student Competition 2017

/ Education, Skills and Students

JCT’s Student Competition continues for 2017, focusing on creativity and finding innovative solutions to address a range of industry topics and issues. Categories for this year’s competition included skills shortages, sustainability, collaboration, BIM, technology, and health and wellbeing. Students can enter their submissions in any format they choose – it could be a video, design or drawing, photographic essay, traditional essay – as long as the idea is creative and original, the competition is designed to be flexible to allow students to form their answer…

JCT Interviews…Marc Hanson

/ Interviews

In this series we shed some light on some of the key people who are involved with or give their time to support JCT, to ensure that all areas of the construction industry are represented and can contribute to the development of our contracts. We will look at how our interviewees contribute to JCT specifically, and gain their views on JCT’s wider role within the industry. Marc Hanson Member of the JCT Council Chair of the Performance Bond Working Group Marc Hanson is a partner and Head…

Raven’s Enclosure, Tower of London

/ Case Studies

Legend has it that the kingdom will fall should the ravens ever leave the Tower of London. It was extra important therefore to provide a safe and comfortable new habitat for the iconic birds – one that was sensitive to its historic environment and enhanced their role as a visitor attraction. With a careful and collaborative approach required, the JCT – Constructing Excellence Contract provided the contract solution. The ravens of the Tower of London are an important part of British cultural folklore and history,…

Skills Shortage

/ Education, Skills and Students

Blog Author: Christine Townley – Executive Director, Construction Youth Trust It’s been well known in the industry for many years that we are facing a skills shortage caused by an ageing construction workforce and the return to economic growth. It’s vital that the industry plans for the future and secures the talent and skills needed, so that it has recruited effectively for the workforce of tomorrow. There is a lack of young people coming into the industry to sustain it at the moment – only…

Will We Ever Collaborate?

/ Chairman's Blog

Blog author: Richard Saxon CBE, JCT Chairman 2016 was another year in which insightful reports were published castigating the UK construction industry for its dysfunction and making recommendations that may or may not ever be acted upon. The recent much publicised Farmer Review: ‘Modernise or Die’, was preceded by ‘Collaborative Construction: More myth than reality?’, produced by Pinsent Masons. Mark Farmer joined the December meeting of JCT Council to discuss his report’s implications for contracts. The Collaborative Construction report is the result of a wide…

Obtaining Planning Consent – What is Your Responsibility?

/ Contractual Issues

Blog authors: Emily Dickson and Emily Pittaway – BLP Law Securing planning consent is a fundamental first step for any development project. Where a building contract does not expressly oblige either party to apply for or obtain planning consent, or other project specific approvals such as conservation area or listed building consent, who bears this responsibility? This is an important issue, particularly in circumstances where such consents are not obtained in time for the works to start. If responsibility falls on the employer, then the contractor…

JCT Design and Build and JCT Standard Building Contracts 2016 – Part I

/ Contractual Issues, JCT 2016 Edition

Blog Author: Suzanne Reeves – Partner, Wedlake Bell JCT Design and Build 2016 Contract JCT has published the new edition of 2016 Design and Build Contract in conjunction with the Design and Build Sub-Contract for use with it. The purpose of this note is to outline the principal changes from the previous 2011 edition and answer some frequently asked questions. In summary, these are: Introduction of common “Interim Valuation Dates” which will apply throughout the contract chain including at sub-contract and sub-sub-contract tiers. Introduction of…

JCT Interviews…Christopher J Probyn Miers

/ Interviews

In this series we shed some light on some of the key people who are involved with or give their time to support JCT, to ensure that all areas of the construction industry are represented and can contribute to the development of our contracts. We will look at how our interviewees contribute to JCT specifically, and gain their views on JCT’s wider role within the industry. CHRISTOPHER J PROBYN MIERS JCT Council Member Member of the JCT Drafting Sub-Committee Christopher Miers is an architect expert…

Trust, Relationships, and Clear Objectives

/ JCT Povey Lecture

TONY GIDDINGS TALKS COLLABORATION AT JCT POVEY LECTURE 2016 “Collaboration: how Argent developed its successful way of working” was the title of the JCT Povey Lecture 2016, given by Tony Giddings at The Building Centre, London on Thursday 10 November. Tony Giddings described how Argent’s collaborative approach has led to the successful delivery of over £1.2bn worth of construction projects, including Brindleyplace in Birmingham, Thames Valley Park in Reading, Piccadilly Place in Manchester and recently, the redevelopment of the 69-acre site at King’s Cross in…