Like every industry, Construction during the pandemic has been doing its best to survive and continue in as safe a manner as it possibly can.  At no point was it suggested by the Government that the Construction Industry must grind to a halt like so many businesses were forced to.

How lucky were we?

Hopefully the worst is now over and the UK Government have been quick to promote their plan to get the country out of recession.  Boris announced this week, Build, Build, Build.  So, what does this mean for you, our clients?

First, radical changes are being proposed to our planning systems, meaning this should make things easier to build better homes where people want to live.  Taking into account the demise of some town centres over recent years, certainly not helped by today’s current economic climate, some vacant and redundant commercial properties will be able to be turned into residential housing without the need for planning applications or change of use applications.  Regeneration of this type can only help transform areas that have long since needed investment and revival and provide much needed homes.  Making brownfield development easier will also reduce the pressure on green field sites.  A win win for all.

More types of commercial properties will gain flexibility regarding their use through a reform to the Use Classes Order.  This means that a building currently used for retail could for example change to become a café without the formal planning and local authority approval that was previously needed.  Diversification is going to have to happen for businesses to survive in the post Covid world.  At least the Government have recognised this and are taking positive steps to make it happen.

Gaining planning permission has long since been a thorn in a developer’s side at the best of times, so any improvement to these procedures will surely be very welcome.  Losing some of the red tape while still adhering to high standards and regulations is the formula of choice.

The team at Your Safety Advisor Ltd are on hand to help you maintain those high standards in your health and safety responsibilities. With these planning changes due to kick in in September 2020, this gives you the perfect opportunity to get up to speed with the contractor safety schemes that can help to support and win you these contracts. Whether CHAS, SMAS or SafeContractor, etc we have the knowledge and experience to help you gain these accreditations to move your business to the next level.  So even if you’re a small sub-contractor, the chances are there will shortly be a new wave of work coming online, so make sure you’re well place to capitalist on this and ensure your Health and Safety arrangements are up to date and compliant with current requirements!

Find out how you can make this happen, give us a call or send us a message today.

Email: info@YourSafetyAdvisor.com

Tel: 0117 442 0185

Your Safety Advisor Ltd

The Construction Safety Specialists