Van Elle says delays on gatway 2 approvals process behind hit
Listed piling contractor Van Elle has warned that its figures this year will be below expectations because of hold-ups in getting safety sign-offs required by the Building Safety Act on more than 40 jobs it is working on.
As part of the Act, three new safety checks, known as “gateways”, for all new high-risk buildings – defined as 18 metres or at least seven storeys tall – have to be signed off by the Building Safety Regulator.
The first check is before planning consent, a second one before construction can start, known as gateway 2, and then a final check at delivery just before the building can be occupied.
>> See also: What the delays at the Building Safety Regulator mean for high-rise development
In a trading update yesterday, Van Elle, which in the year to April 2024 had a revenue of £140m, admitted: “The Group has experienced widespread project delays, including the ongoing impact of the well-publicised delays to Building Safety Act approvals.
“There are over 40 projects currently in the approvals process, the majority of which are now expected to commence in FY26 and will result in a FY25 performance for Van Elle’s UK operations slightly below the Board’s expectations.”
Dozens of firms, including McLaren, Quintain and Unite, have been caught up in the problems which has seen schemes delayed by months.
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