SPRA Golf Day 2025 – Carden Park, Cheshire – 4th September 2025
Get ready for another fantastic day of sport and networking as the SPRA Golf Day returns to the stunning Carden Park in Cheshire!
Taking place on 4th September 2025, this popular event offers members and their guests the chance to compete on the renowned Nicklaus championship course, followed by a lively evening of entertainment, a lavish dinner, and the golf awards presentation. New for this year – there will also be activities available for non-golfers to enjoy the incredible facilities at the venue.
Tickets for the SPRA Golf Day are now available – book yours today to secure your spot on the green! Click here to book now
Please note hotel bookings to be made directly with Carden Park using code SPRA030925. These must be made by the 23rd of July to ensure rooms are reserved.
There are still a few opportunities to be a SPRA sponsor at this fabulous SPRA event. Contact enquiries@spra.co.uk for further information.
NexGen Working Group – promote the next generation of roofing professionals in single ply membrane systems
Following an introduction by SPRA Chair, Melanie Marquard, at the recent SPRA Awards, a meeting will take place to bring focus on promoting single ply roofing to school and college students by forming a SPRA Working Group on the subject. This will be an online meeting taking place on 28th July at 11.30am. Please register your interest in attending here.
Wind Load Calculation Protocol (WLCP)
Our popular online WLCP training, based on SPRA’s published guidance, continues to attract both members and non-members. Delivered as three 2-hour sessions, the training is aligned with SPRA’s Wind Loading – Protocol for Calculations (S11b/19), referencing key standards and industry guidance. SPRA members receive discounted rates.
Contact SPRA for further information and to register your employees now, please quote “Wind Load Enquiry’.
New NVQ Level 2 in Single Ply Roofing – Coming to Northern England and Scotland
SPRA is pleased to announce that new NVQ Level 2 programmes in Single Ply Roofing are being planned for Northern England and, separately, for Scotland later this year. Now is the time to register your interest and give your employees the opportunity to gain a skilled worker qualification in single ply roofing.
Alongside this, SPRA continues to offer a range of training and competency development opportunities, including the Specialist Applied-Skills Programme (SAP) and the SUP/OSAT routes for installer upskilling and assessment. These high-quality programmes can lead to the Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Waterproofing Systems – Single Ply Membranes. SPRA contractor members benefit from reduced course rates, and CITB-registered companies can access CITB grant funding.
SPRA and other Trade Associations show support for the CCPI
Leading trade associations, including SPRA, across the manufacturing and supply sector have signed up to support CCPI. In signing the Trade Associate pledge, trade associations are committing to support and promote the Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) and its registration and assessment process to their members with the aim to drive a transformational step change in construction product information and management. This is an important move to build back trust in construction product information and marketing, and drive positive culture change across the sector.
Find the CCPI Summer Newsletter here.
Important Note
SPRA members should not and cannot in any way imply to any third party in PR/marketing that they are registered and have been assessed through the CCPI process as a result of SPRA being an Associate CCPI member. They must go through the full CCPI process with CPI Ltd directly
Build UK Update
Building Safety Update
The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee has launched an inquiry into the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) in response to concerns that the delays at Gateway Two have slowed down the delivery of new homes and buildings.
The inquiry will focus on whether the BSR has the skills and resources required to carry out its role.The Committee has released a call for evidence seeking written responses from industry and other relevant stakeholders by 31 August. It is looking for views on a number of questions related to the BSR’s regulatory framework and processes, including the extent to which they are responsible for the delays in approving Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs), whether they are clear and understandable to developers, and their impact on the delivery of the Government’s housing targets. The Committee will also be holding public evidence sessions between June and September with the aim of reporting back to the House of Lords in the autumn.
In response to a Freedom of Information request by Build UK member Cast, the BSR has released new data on Gateway Two and Three applications for both existing and new HRBs. Up to 27 May 2025, there were 2,049 applications for existing HRBs and 187 applications for new HRBs submitted at Gateway Two. Of the applications for existing HRBs, 19% have been approved (393), 9% have been rejected (191) and 3.71% have not been validated (76). For the first time, the data also includes the average time taken to review applications.
The BSR has updated its guidance on Registered Building Inspectors (RBIs) which confirms that Class 2 RBIs are now able to carry out permissible work on existing HRBs on behalf of the BSR where it is the Building Control Authority.
Source: Build UK
Preparing for Gateway Three
Build UK continues to work closely with the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to help members navigate the building safety regime and recently hosted a meeting for those involved in the development of Higher‐Risk Buildings (HRBs) to understand the information that is required in an application for a completion certificate at Gateway Three.
The BSR confirmed at the meeting that Gateway Three applications should demonstrate how the building was constructed and serve as an update to the information that was submitted at Gateway Two when applying for Building Control Approval. A number of ‘sticky points’ were identified where more clarity and consistency is required, including controlled changes, partial completion strategies, and the relationship between the building safety regime and other contractual obligations. Building on our Gateway Two guidance published earlier this year, Build UK will be producing an overview of Gateway Three and the information that must be included within an application for a completion certificate, as the first step towards helping members navigate the process.
Source: Build UK/BSR
H&S and Environmental Manuals
The Health and Safety (H&S) Manual and the Environmental Manual, published by Construction Industry Publications (CIP) to provide a ‘one‐stop shop’ for managing health and safety and environmental matters during construction, have been updated with input from Build UK and its members to reflect the latest changes in legislation and guidance.
The H&S Manual contains reference to the new BS 5975 standard for temporary works and NASC’s TG30 for system scaffolding as well as updated guidance on the use of plant on site, sanitary provision in toilets, and Respiratory Protective Equipment with support from JSP, whilst the Environmental Manual includes CLOCS Standard Version 5, revised minimum energy efficiency standards, and the separation and storage of waste on-site.
Each manual is written by industry for industry to provide a concise summary of relevant legislation, along with practical guidance on how to comply with it. Build UK members will receive a 30% discount when purchasing hard copies of either manual, or subscribing to CIP Knowledge which includes access to both manuals, by using the promotional code ‘BUILDUK’.
Source: Build Uk / CIP
Digital Skills Passport Launched
CSCS has launched an updated version of its My CSCS App to provide the basis of a ‘digital skills passport’, as recommended by Mark Farmer in his Industry Training Board (ITB) Review to enable Clients and other dutyholders under the Building Safety Act to demonstrate and enforce the competence of individuals working on their projects.
The new My Skills section within the app allows an individual to store in one place their qualifications; successful completion of the Health, Safety and Environment Test; and any additional training and CPD undertaken. Users can generate a CV-style summary of the information within the app, which can be shared with employers and others as part of demonstrating the skills and knowledge elements of competence.
The My CSCS App also holds an individual’s digital CSCS card, which is identical to the traditional plastic version and shows their photo, qualifications, training, occupation and the expiry date of the card. Build UK members should now be using CSCS Smart Check to check all 2.3 million cards carrying the CSCS logo, issued by the CSCS Alliance schemes.
Major Changes at Building Safety Regulator
The Government has announced a series of reforms to the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) designed to “enhance operations, reduce delays, and unlock the homes this country desperately needs”. The BSR will introduce a new ‘Fast Track Process’ for Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs), which will bring building inspector and engineer capacity directly into the BSR, and recruit an additional 100 members of staff with increased investment from Government.
A new arm’s length body to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is also being established, which will take on the functions of the BSR from the HSE in due course, paving the way for a single construction regulator, as recommended by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Andy Roe, former Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade (LFB), has been appointed as chair, with Charlie Pugsley, also from the LFB, taking on the new role of Chief Executive Officer for the BSR from October. Earlier this week, Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol met with Andy and John Palmer, Deputy Director – New BuildStandards and Performance at MCHLG, to discuss how the BSR and industry could work together, using the knowledge and experience gained over the last two years, to review the current system and move forward.
Build UK has updated its guide to the building safety regime, which includes links to the updated Approved Document B (Fire Safety) Volume 1: Dwellings and Volume 2: Buildings other than Dwellings , as well as its guide to the validation stage at Gateway Two with additional information on preparing and submitting an application and the next steps once an application has been approved or rejected.
More building safety news can be found in our latest Building Safety update, and the next Building Safety call will take place on Tuesday 16 September at 8:30am.
Source: Build Uk / BSR
Common Assessment Standard V5
Build UK has published an updated version of the Common Assessment Standard, and the Building Safety section is now mandatory for completion by all companies that carry out work under the Building Safety Act. Version 5 also contains updates to the Corporate & Professional Standing; Environmental; and Fairness, Inclusion & Respect sections.
Companies will be required to complete the updated question set when they next go through the certification process for the Common Assessment Standard with a Recognised Assessment Body, and a number of Build UK Contractor members will be specifying that their supply chains must have successfully completed the Building Safety section by 1 October 2025.
There is a growing list of organisations across both the public and private sectors using the Common Assessment Standard to demonstrate that members of their supply chains have the organisational capability to fulfil their duties under the Building Safety Act. Companies need to obtain certification only once from any of the Recognised Assessment Bodies, and those wishing to see a reduction in the bureaucracy of pre-qualification should review the different certifications they hold to see if they have the Common Assessment Standard more than once and whether that is required for any reason.
Source: Build Uk / CAS
Construction Skills Mission Board
The Construction Skills Mission Board met for the first time last week to set out a strategy to recruit an additional 100,000 workers a year into the construction sector by 2029, following the Government’s commitment to invest £625 million of funding to tackle the industry’s skills shortages and support the delivery of homes and infrastructure.
The Mission Board, which is chaired by Mark Reynolds, Co-Chair of the CLC and Executive Chairman of Build UK member Mace, will develop initiatives focused on five key areas: confidence to employ and invest, clear new entrant pathways, access to provision and support to train, funding that works, and reliable and rewarding careers. Four Build UKmembers have been appointed to the Mission Board – Julie White (Build UK Chair), Katy Dowding (Skanska), Mark Lawrence (TClarke) and Jerome Frost (Arup) – and we will be supporting its work, including addressing long-standing issues with recruiting and retaining apprentices and rolling out a digital skills passport.
The Department for Work and Pensions has also signed an agreement with CITB to jointly fund 40,000 industry placements in construction. Jobcentres will work more closely with industry to offer work experience and tailored placements for those looking to start a career in the sector.
Source: Build Uk / Construction Skills Mission Board
Diversity Webinar
Build UK member the Supply Chain Sustainability School is hosting a webinar on Thursday 17 July from 11:00am – 12:00pm to outline how companies can gather data for its Diversity Survey 2025, undertaken in partnership with the Sustainability Tool. Members can use their response to the survey to create a record of the diversity of their workforce for use with clients.
Source: Build Uk / Supply Chain Sustainability School
Conflict Avoidance Pledge
The Conflict Avoidance Coalition has launched a new website which will include an up to date directory of all the organisations that have signed the Conflict Avoidance Pledge. The pledge, which is supported by the CLC, commits businesses to implementing conflict avoidance measures in contracts and on site to reduce the significant time and cost associated with disputes.
Source: Build Uk / Conflict Avoidance Pledge
Social Housing Plan
The Government has set out its plan to build 300,000 new social and affordable homes through the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme. The plan confirms that the Decent Homes Standard will be extended to privately rented homes and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will be implemented in the social housing sector.
Source: Build Uk / UK Government
CPA Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update
The latest weekly update is available here, including:
- S&P Global UK Construction PMI (June 2025)
- DBT UK Brick Deliveries (May 2025)
The CPA’s Spring forecasts were published on Monday, 28 April, and are available for members to download from the CPA Website. The CPA’s Summer forecasts will be published on Monday, 28 July.
Also note that the ONS has suspended its monthly UK building materials price data (and other producer price data) due to concerns about its reliability, which the CPA has been highlighting since the impacts of the energy and price spikes in Spring 2022.
Source: CPA
CPA Briefing Paper: The Impacts of U.S. Tariffs
Following strong demand from members and government alike, the CPA’s economics team has published a briefing paper on the ‘Impacts of U.S. Tariffs’. This document will be revised as the situation develops, and made available to CPA members every Friday with our Weekly UK Economic and Construction Update (see above). To receive this document via email every Friday please contact noble.francis@constructionproducts.org.uk; alternatively, you can click here to read it now.
Source: CPA
BSI Invitation to Join CB/3 Committee
The British Standards Institution is an Associate of the CPA and would like to extend an invitation across our membership for any persons interested in joining its BSI CB/3 committee. CB/3 is responsible for reviewing market demands and regulatory drivers for the safe, compliant, and efficient use of construction products. The committee examines the interaction between the Building Safety Act, UK Construction Products Regulations, and EU Construction Products Regulation, seeking alignment with safety standards to enable the free movement of construction products within the EU single market. Horizontal functions include:
- CB/3 facilitates the timely exchange of information on regulatory matters related to construction products between UK Technical Committees, stakeholders, industry, government, and regulators. This allows updates on the UK and EU regulatory landscape to be communicated clearly, accurately, and efficiently to all relevant parties.
- CB/3 provides guidance on the UK Construction Products Regulations and EU Construction Products Regulation, advising where needed to help UK Technical Committees align their work with the latest regulatory requirements, assisting committees in navigating regulatory changes and maintaining compliance with both UK and EU standards.
Excluded is the responsibility for fire resistance and reaction to fire tests for building products, including test methods for external fire exposure of roofs and facades, is outside the scope of CB/3 and falls under the remit of FSH/0 and its associated committees. However, information exchange between CB/3 and FSH/0 is necessary. Any interested parties should contact Tom Stack, BSI Standards Development Manager directly on Tom.Stack@bsigroup.com.
Source: CPA/BSI
HSE Newsletter
The latest Building Safety Regulator Bulletin has been published and can accessed here. It includes articles on Building Assessment Certificates, The Government’s position on roof top gardens and local authority guidance on Multi Disciplinary Teams (MDT).
House of Lords call for Evidence on the Building Safety Regulator
The House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee, chaired by Baroness Taylor of Bolton, has launched an inquiry into building safety regulation, with a particular focus on the work of the Building Safety Regulator, which was established following the Building Safety Act 2022. Concerns have been raised by Industry that delays in approvals by the BSR have slowed down the delivery of new buildings and homes. The Committee invites interested individuals and organisations to submit evidence here by 31 August 2025.
Health, Safety and Well-Being Summit – 01 July (London)
The CLC’s inaugural Health, Safety and Well-Being (HS&WB) Summit is taking place on 1st July at the Institute of Directors in London. Around 150 attendees at CEO level are expected to attend. The aims and objectives (together with intended outputs) of the day are:
- To launch the CLC’s vision for HS&WB
- To hear from the Construction Minister on the importance government attaches to this
- To showcase and demonstrate how the CLC is leading and bringing together the industry in this space
- To discuss this with industry and secure their commitment to taking forward a set of actions
If you have an interest in attending, please click here or all other enquiries, please contact Henrietta Frater, The Crown Estate Head of HSE & Wellbeing at henrietta.frater@thecrownestate.co.uk.
Source: HSE