News

Looking for a new role in building control? LABC has recently launched the new Building Control Careers & Jobs recruitment website which allows you to easily search and apply for available jobs across England and Wales.

Recently RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) volunteer crew Guy Cooper, Head of Building Control at Plymouth City Council, hung up his yellow wellies and switched off his pager after 14 years of dedicated service to his local community with Looe RNLI. Everyone who knows Guy will also know that he always gives 110% and his enthusiasm and comradeship will be missed by all at the station.

Congratulations to Sam Tully and Donna Tring from Somerset Building Control Partnership who became Mr and Mrs Tully on Saturday 25 May 2019 in Wells, Somerset.

Many LABC colleagues joined them on their special day and we all want to wish them many years of happiness together!

Here's a pic of Sam and Donna appropriately framed in one of the historic windows at Wells Cathedral which is located in the heart of England's smallest city.

The LABC South West Building Excellence Awards took place at the Crowne Plaza Plymouth on Friday 24 May 2019. The annual event had over 350 guests come through the doors representing companies across the industry including: Kier Group, Highfield Homes of Distinction and The Larkfleet Group.

A recent Government announcement that affects homeowners in England wishing to increase the size of their homes has been making the news recently. 

Temporary measures (due to expire 30 May 2019) that allowed homeowners to build bigger single-storey rear extensions without the need for planning permission have now been made permanent.

This means that extensions of up to 6m in length can be added to terraced and semi-detached homes, and extensions up to 8m can be built onto detached homes without planning permission (this doubles previous limits).

The LABC East Midlands Building Excellence Awards took place at Leicester's landmark art deco building the Athena on Friday 17 May 2019. Over 300 guests attended from across the construction industry including representatives from Peveril Homes, Willmott Dixon and Keepmoat Homes.

The LABC London Building Excellence Awards took place at the Guildhall Great Hall on Friday 10 May 2019. The historic venue was buzzing with over 400 guests attending from across the industry including: Mulalley & Co. Ltd, Willmott Dixon Construction, Kier Construction Ltd, Paul Simon Homes, Wates and Berkeley Homes.

Speaking at the ASCP conference in Newport on Thursday 25 April, Martin Taylor, LABC's Director of Regulatory Policy, outlined four areas where far reaching reforms are likely to take place as result of the Hackitt review and the government's commitment to changing the system.

These are:

A commission set up this month by the Archbishop of Canterbury to explore ways to address the housing crisis has been welcomed by insulation specialist Actis.

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Commission on Housing, Church and Community will explore a Christian perspective on housing policy with a particular focus on providing good homes and promoting thriving communities.

The desire to tackle the growing housing crisis chimes with Actis’ own philosophy that practical action needs to be taken to increase the UK’s housing stock.

The LABC North West Building Excellence Awards took place at the Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Friday 26 April 2019. A drinks reception was followed by welcome speeches, a three-course dinner and the awards ceremony.