News

So far 135 local public service building control teams have received formal ISO accreditation from Alcumus ISOQAR for their quality management. All local building control teams are expected to be similarly accredited by the end of this year. So far among the 135 accredited teams not a single case of non-conformance has been discovered.

The process has been welcomed by building control managers who have described it as 'robust' and 'an excellent opportunity'.

With increasing pressure to build new homes throughout England, a Yorkshire factory has begun production of fully-fitted three bedroom homes with a low starting price of only £65,000. 

Currently, the factory can produce eight houses a day, ready to be loaded onto lorries and delivered across the country.

While the length of time it takes to build a traditional house is 40 weeks, making prefab homes is much quicker at around 10 days in total.

Local Authority Building Control is updating its guidance and quality management processes to reflect new regulations affecting the demolition of pubs.

The regulations which came into effect in May 2017 remove 'permitted development' rights from building owners to demolish a pub building without seeking planning permission. Before the new rules came into force building owners could simply apply to their local council building control team for a demolition order without seeking planning permission first.

LABC is committed to working together with government and the whole construction industry for a new system that puts residents' safety at the heart of everything we do. 

We welcome the government's announcement that it will adopt all Dame Judith Hackitt's recommendations. She was clear the whole system needed reform including consistent decision-making and regulation from a single authority.

Today the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire, announced the government is implementing all of the Hackitt recommendations.

Nominations are invited each summer for the role of Junior Vice President and this is then voted on at our AGM. This year's Junior VP, Heather Jones will spend the next three years as part of the Presidential Team, eventually taking on the President role for a year, travelling the country and representing LABC at functions and events. We asked Heather about her role in building control and as Junior VP. (She's pictured above with (l-r) this year's Senior VP Anthony Aloyede, President Dave Sharp, Past President Chris Griffith-Jones and Honorary Member Jim King.)

LABC President Dave Sharp has chosen construction and built environment sector charity We Build The future as his charity of the year for 2019.

We Build The Future is working in partnership with Cancer Research UK to develop support, advice and health and wellbeing programmes tailored to the construction and built environment sector. All money raised will be split evenly between the two charities.

James Brokenshire, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government recently outlined further actions for local authorities following the Grenfell tragedy.

Among the announcements were amendments to the Approved Documents confirming what materials can be used on cladding systems and additional guidance for local councils.

Dave Sharp, Head of Wrexham Borough Council's Building Control has taken over from Chris Griffith-Jones as LABC's President. The official handover took place at the organisation's AGM in Derby on 6 December 2018.

The AGM also saw the London Borough of Harrow's Building Control Head – Jim King – receive honorary life membership of LABC.

LABC are pleased to announce our event partnership with UK Construction Week summits.

The first summit takes place on 27 November and focuses on quality in construction. LABC’s Deputy Managing Director, Lorna Stimpson is speaking at the event and will look at the challenges ahead for local authority building control in delivering true quality and performance. Plus an understanding of LABC’s strategic programmes on best practices, standards, performance measures, improvements and Learning & Qualifications.