All building control professionals need to be registered under a new competence regime by 6^th of April as part of the post-Grenfell industry shake-up.

But trade body LABC is warning the government that nowhere near the required number of qualified inspectors will be on board by April. 

It is urging the scheme needs to be delayed by a further six months.

LABC chief executive Lorna Stimpson warned HSE and government chiefs that “local authorities will cease to be able to undertake a building control function post April 6^th.”

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The Federation of Master Builders has criticised the Labour Party’s retreat on retrofitting UK homes. 

The opposition party originally planned to retrofit 19 million homes but has since scaled back its plan to five million properties.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB called the move disappointing. 

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Contract awards leapt 50% in January, as the building industry sprung to life after December’s festive break. 

Despite the bright start, contract awards were still down 14% on the same period last year, claimed industry analyst, Barbour ABI.

Notably, house building contract awards were up nearly 75% from December, giving rise to some cautious optimism for a sector that slowed dramatically last year.

Contract awards in the infrastructure sector were down 17% from December.

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