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Housing association development sites set to reopen as major house builders announce return to work
Vistry Group and Taylor Wimpey have announced plans to reopen construction sites, including those being built in partnership with councils and housing associations.
Vistry, which was formed in January when Bovis Homes acquired Galliford Try’s Linden Homes and Partnerships & Regeneration businesses, said it has taken the decision to recommence work on sites from 27 April.
This will include restarting work on 90% of Vistry’s partnership sites and a significant number of its own housing sites.
Vistry is currently working in partnership with a number of housing associations, including Clarion and Notting Hill Genesis. It also works with local authorities such as Enfield Council.
The house builder furloughed the majority of its staff after taking the decision to close its sites in response to coronavirus lockdown measures.
In a stock market update, Vistry said it now expects the level of furloughed staff to reduce as activity on sites increases in the coming weeks.
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Meanwhile, Taylor Wimpey said it is also planning for a phased return to construction, which will begin on 4 May.
At the end of March the organisation announced it was closing all of its sites due to coronavirus and cancelled dividend payments worth a combined £485m.
Throughout the coronavirus lockdown, the government has maintained that construction sites should remain open as long as workers are able to maintain social distancing measures.
More sites are now expected to open over the coming weeks, following the latest guidance from the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), which provides employers with more information on how social distancing can be achieved on site.
As part of Taylor Wimpey’s return on site, its sub-contractors will have to sign up to a code of conduct which sets out guidelines for the work they carry out.
Greg Fitzgerald, chief executive of Vistry, said: “I would like to thank all our colleagues and sub-contractors for their remarkable resilience and commitment during these times and am pleased to announce that we will be recommencing activity levels across the majority of our developments on Monday 27th.
“Health and safety remains our top priority and a huge amount or work has gone into making sure our people can return to work with confidence in safe and well-planned operating procedures.
“This first step represents a positive move for the group, as well as the wider economy, and the critically important delivery of new homes."
Pete Redfern, chief executive of Taylor Wimpey, said: “Our first priority is always the health and safety of our customers, employees, subcontractors and suppliers.
“We took an early decision at the end of March to close our sites while we assessed in detail how to build homes without compromising on health and safety or quality.
“We are now confident that we have clear plans and processes in place so we can safely start back on site in a phased way beginning on 4 May.”
