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Housing associations return to sites as new safety measures outlined
Several housing associations have announced that they are to reopen construction sites following temporary closures caused by the coronavirus lockdown.
Associations across England are gradually bringing staff back to sites throughout May and implementing new safety measures related to COVID-19.
This follows a number of the country’s biggest private house builders – such as Barratt, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon – announcing the reopening of sites in recent weeks.
A2Dominion, which owns and manages 36,000 homes in London and the South of England, reopened its first sites on 27 April, having closed all other sites on 25 March.
Mike May, construction director at A2Dominion, said that the safety of staff and contractors remains its top priority. He said that to ensure this, the association would embark on a phased reopening of sites, as well as testing all workers who enter sites, implementing strict social distancing procedures and conducting constant reviews of its approaches.
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick said in late March that where possible, construction workers should work from home, but he stressed that sites can remain open during the coronavirus lockdown. In late April he urged house builders to reopen sites, arguing that “construction can and should continue”. The Construction Leadership Council, the government body that represents the sector, has published guidance on how to operate sites safely.
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Midlands-based Orbit, which has 43,000 homes, is also taking new safety measures. It is preparing for a “gradual return” to direct construction activities during May.
A spokesperson said: “New coronavirus procedures will be in place prior to any sites reopening. Social distancing measures will be enforced and new working practices will be adopted to ensure health and safety requirements are met.”
In scenarios where housing associations are in partnership with house builders, the numbers of sites reopening is higher, and some have not closed at all.
Tom Titherington, executive director of development and commercial at Sovereign, said: “We have 83 sites where we have contracted to acquire or have homes built. Ten of these have remained open throughout and 24 are planning to open in some form or another after the first May bank holiday.”
Mr Titherington said 58,000-home Sovereign is working closely with developer and contracting partners to begin reopening sites, with most looking to reopen by mid-May.
Despite the return to sites in England, the Scottish government has banned work from continuing on housing sites until further notice in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus in the country. The Scottish housing minister has said that the Scottish government is unlikely to meet its target of delivering 50,000 affordable homes by 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic site shutdown.
Bedford-based BPHA, which has 19,000 homes, has opened two of its construction sites to a limited number of employees, and expects to reopen more sites in the coming weeks.
“We undertake appropriate risk assessments, provide necessary [personal protective equipment] and expect all employees and contractors to observe the required safety measures in place,” said a BPHA spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the sector’s largest developer L&Q has kept its sites closed, while Radian has kept its own sites closed but opened 11 sites alongside a contractor.
Hampshire-based Vivid said that it has received notification from all its contractors and development partners and that work on all sites will be restarted during May.
Update 14:20 06/05/20 : Story amended to show that BPHA has 19,000 homes.
