THE Structural Timber Association (STA) has today backed the Government’s ambitious plan to increase the use of timber in construction.

Whitehall says the use of timber can help accelerate the pathway to 1.5 million homes. DEFRA today published its Timber in Construction Roadmap 2025.

The roadmap suggests the Government’s commitment to building 1.5 million homes over this Parliament provides an opportunity to grow demand for safely using timber in construction.

Growing this demand will: help reduce embodied carbon in the built environment, drive investment into tree planting, forest management and domestic supply chains, and create new green jobs and industries.

Speaking at the TiC Summit, Nature Minister Mary Creagh confirmed the government will recommit to the Timber in Construction Roadmap, which outlines measures to increase the use of timber in the construction sector.

Writing in the roadmap’s foreword, Minister Creagh said: “Our vision for timber in construction is clear: a sustainable, integrated industry that meets the needs of the future.

“Government, industry, and stakeholders must work together, aligning efforts to decarbonise and build efficiently. Hybrid designs, using the best materials, will support sustainability.”

She added: “The steps we take today will create a thriving, green economy. Timber-framed homes, public buildings, and offices will transform the built environment. This is just the beginning, and I look forward to seeing how timber helps shape a sustainable future.”

The Labour Government has set itself the target of building some 1.5 million homes over the course of the Parliament.[i]

This equates to an average of 300,000 new homes each year.[ii]

Timber frame is the lowest carbon material available. It can deliver a 16 percent carbon saving during construction, and it takes less time to build a sustainable timber frame house than using other materials.

There is existing capacity in the established structural timber manufacturing sector to rapidly double timber frame manufacturing output to achieve 100,000 homes per annum – equivalent to 1-in-3 of the 300,000 homes needed each year.

Structural Timber Association CEO Andrew Carpenter said:

“The Government has a target of building 1.5 million homes while reducing emissions from building. Factory-based, modern methods of construction such as timber frame will be vital to helping meet this target.

“Already we are seeing major housebuilders make investments in their own production capacity, this roadmap will encourage more timber-frame investment to develop the sector further.

“This is a win-win for Government and industry.”

Timber Development UK CEO David Hopkins said:

“The Government’s commitment to the Timber in Construction Roadmap is a real boost to the low-carbon construction sector. We have a great opportunity to increase our housing stock while growing our forests and reducing our emissions output.

As a bio-based industrial supply chain, the timber sector can play a unique role in the low-carbon economy – sequestering emissions in the forest and storing them in our buildings.

With a rough value of £10 billion to the UK, this growth in timber construction can also play a vital role in the Government’s wider growth agenda.”

Stuart Goodall, Chief Executive, Confor said:

“Confor welcomes the UK Government’s commitment to work with partners, including the timber industry to deliver the important ambitions of the Timber in Construction Roadmap.

“In light of domestic timber security, we particularly welcome the Roadmap’s focus on increasing productive forestry and on promoting the use of homegrown wood-based construction products. Both of these actions will make an important contribution to achieving the UK’s net zero target and economic growth.”

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