Industry leaders have welcomed confirmation that the Government has postponed planned changes to product marking rules.

As part of Brexit changes were due to come into force on 1 January 2022 that would require products that had previously had CE markings shift across to the new United Kingdom Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark.

But the industry had sounded the alarm over whether the sector was ready for the change following  uncertainty about availability and capacity of testing for products under

the new regime.

The Government has now backed-down allowing CE marked products to be sold in the UK for a further 12 months with the deadline pushed back to January 1 2023.

James Talman Chief Executive of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors said: “At a time when we are facing some of the worst material availability and inflation in living memory, this announcement will come as a welcome relief for manufacturers and merchants.

“We have been telling the government that the 1st January 2022 deadline was not feasible for some time, with many products simply unable to receive certification by the deadline.

“I am glad that the message has now got through. This extra time will provide much-needed breathing space for supplies to undertake the necessary tests and acquire the correct paperwork.

“The government should now work with industry to ensure the supply chain is fully prepared for the new 2023 deadline, particularly smaller firms, so we do not face similar problems in the future.”

Construction Leadership Council co-chair Andy Mitchell added: “Given the widespread pressures on product supply, we welcome this pragmatic decision by the Government

to extend the deadline for CE-marked products.”

“However even with this extension, it will still be very challenging to ensure that the  whole sector is ready for the new date, given the need to drive major increases in testing capacity.

“It is vital that industry continues to work with the Government to address these issues, ensuring that we don’t just postpone the crisis by 12 months, but instead establish a

robust testing and marking regime to ensure the continued safety and performance of the products that we use”.

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Housing association Peabody has appointed Durkan to begin construction of a housing scheme in Lambeth, south London.

Over the next three years, Durkan will construct 134 new homes and over 45,000 square metres of commercial space at Higgs Yard, a former industrial site at Loughborough Junction.

Designed by PRP Architects, the scheme represents an £85m investment into the area and will be 50% affordable homes.

It is the largest single development which Loughborough Junction has seen since the Loughborough Estate was built in the 1950s.

Construction on the site is due to begin this Autumn, with completion planned for early 2024.

Tom Williamson, Senior Development Manager at Peabody, said previous plans had been reworked for a better mix of one, two and three-bed homes and incorporate a communal landscaped podium deck at the heart of the development and a roof terrace sitting on the 17th floor.

Ryann Peterson, Head of Bid Management at Durkan, said: Durkan is pleased to have been successful in securing and finalising the contract to deliver Higgs Yard.

This is a very exciting time for us as a business.  We’re very much looking forward to continue building on our relationship with Peabody and maximising the potential of this fantastic development.”