An umbrella group for clients is to be launched in December, after the government agreed to provide funding for it.
The body, to be called the Construction Clients Group, was first mooted in May.

Chris Morley, the construction director of the British Property Federation, said the decision to go ahead was taken after the DTI agreed to fund specific initiatives, such as the drafting of a clients' Charter and an advice service for inexperienced clients.

Morley, who is to run the group's secretariat, said he was looking for a well-known figure from a large client to chair the group.

However, he added that he wanted to involve Mike Roberts, a former BAA director. Roberts was the part-time chairman of the Confederation of Construction Clients, another employers' group that closed last year, partly as a result of a lack of government funds.

Morley said: "I am currently drawing up a business plan, and membership is to be based on large client umbrella associations such as the National Housing Association."

He added that members of the body would be charged an annual subscription of between £5000 and £7000, but added that this rate had not been finalised.

Morley said industry groups, such as CABE, were willing to provide sponsorship for the body.