Timber construction will 'boom' in the coming years

Robert Courts,  who represents Witney, made the comments during a recent visit to the Donaldson Timber Systems factory, where he saw first-hand the benefits of offsite timber construction.

During the trip, Mr Courts was given a presentation and tour of the site by CTI chairman Alex Goodfellow and Donaldson Manufacturing director Frank O’Reilly, who outlined the crucial role of timber frame MMC in tackling the housing crisis.

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Mr Courts said: “I was delighted to visit the Donaldson Timber Systems factory, where I saw the wide array of environmental and economic benefits of building timber frame homes and buildings offsite.

“Timber construction is set for a boom in the coming years, with the Government releasing its Timber in Construction Policy Roadmap later this month.

“I am pleased to see Witney at the heart of the UK’s timber revolution, with Donaldson Offsite leading the way in low-carbon offsite housing construction.

“I look forward to engaging with the industry further over the coming months through the APPG for Timber Industries in Parliament." 

At Donaldson Timber Systems, homes are manufactured offsite using state-of-the-art machines which guarantee both factory consistency and minimal maintenance post-build. Using machines also requires less labour than traditional construction methods and will prove crucial in plugging skills gaps in the economy.

In addition, using timber, Donaldson’s produces an abundance of homes around the UK at a significantly lower carbon cost compared to steel and concrete.

Timber construction has been recognised as essential to achieving net zero 2050, with the Government set to launch its Timber in Construction Policy Roadmap later this month

Donaldson Offsite CEO, Alex Goodfellow, said: “We would like to thank Mr Courts for visiting our Witney factory – it is great to see an MP engage with manufacturing businesses investing in ways to deliver homes fit for the future.

“Timber is a crucial component of the net zero agenda, with the Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommending greater use of timber in construction to reduce built environment emissions.

“Not only is timber MMC low carbon, but it is also high quality, offering ‘fit and forget’ installation and a solution to the chronic labour shortages seen in construction."