NFB to host first Principal Contractors’ Group Annual Conference

‘UK CONSTRUCTION: THE NEW REALITY’

Thursday 17 November 2011

CBI Conference Centre

103 New Oxford Street

London, WC1A 1DU

12noon – 5.00pm

The National Federation of Builders (NFB) is to hold the first annual conference of its largest members, the Principal Contractors’ Group (PCG).  The conference, entitled ‘UK Construction: The New Reality’ aims to bring together the leading industry players from large to small, and will be addressed by some of the most eminent people in the fields of construction, politics and business.

The event is to be hosted by well known journalist and broadcaster Selina Scott.   Delegates will also hear from the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow MP and the Government Chief Construction Adviser Paul Morrell, as well as Stephen Allott, the Crown Representative for Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMEs). Other speakers include Shadow Housing Minister Alison Seabeck MP; Lawrence Waterman, Head of Health & Safety for the Olympic Delivery Authority; Dr Noble Francis, Economics Director with the Construction Products Association and Steve Charter, well known sustainability expert.

£3.3 billion.  These members are influential in the direction and future shape of the industry, and the event aims to bring them together to discuss the best ways of tackling barriers to work and ensuring the growth of the sector.

In the face of continued restrictions on lending, rising prices, uncertainty over the localism agenda and spending cuts beginning to bite, the landscape for SMEs has never been more challenging.  They face shrinking order books and are valiantly finding innovative ways to combine their efforts to ‘keep Britain building’. 

Topics for discussion include the Government’s Construction Strategy; the economic outlook; localism and planning; sustainable building; procurement and the vital role of construction in the new reality.

Julia Evans, Chief Executive of the NFB said: ‘This conference is a great opportunity for large and small construction businesses to get together, hear some excellent speakers, and take part in shaping the construction agenda to meet the challenges ahead. This industry is vital to the UK economy, and I am looking forward to its voices being heard by those who can steer its fortunes in a positive direction.”