Senior figures resign from offsite trade body

Senior figures on the governing forum for the leading trade body for modern construction methods, Buildoffsite, have stepped down amid differences of opinion over the future of the organisation.

Tim Carey, who is also national product director for contractor Willmott Dixon, confirmed his decision to resign as chair of Buildoffsite’s governing forum in a post on social media platform LinkedIn.

Fellow Buildoffsite governing forum member Daniel Leech, chief executive of engineering specialist Technical Design Services Group, has also stepped down.

Buildoffsite was set up in 2003 to promote the use and development of various forms of offsite construction across the commercial, infrastructure and residential sectors. It boasts nearly 100 member companies, including many of the largest residential exponents of modern construction methods.

In his LinkedIn post, published last week, Carey said: “I have today regrettably decided to step down from the chair of Buildoffsite’s governing forum.”

Subsequently contacted by Housing Today, Carey said he had resigned from Buildoffsite because of “a difference of opinion on the direction of travel it should take”, but directed any further enquiries to Buildoffsite.

Meanwhile fellow governing forum member Leech’s LinkedIn page lists his Buildoffsite role as having finished in November this year. Contacted by Housing Today, he confirmed his departure but said he had no further comment to add.

The governing forum comprises senior directors from Buildoffsite member organisation and provides strategic guidance for the organisation and a forum for member engagement. However, Buildoffsite is owned by construction industry research group CIRIA, which provides formal non-executive governance for the body and can ultimately control it.

The resignations come months after Buildoffsite’s former director, Tim Hall, stepped down in March from his role leading the organisation. At the time Buildoffsite said Hall had resigned in order “to focus on a wider strategic role supporting both Buildoffsite and its members”.

A spokeswoman for Buildoffsite said both the body and CIRIA were “indebted to all the members of the advisory forum for their not insignificant voluntary contribution”, which had informed “a year of transition” for Buildoffsite. The spokeswoman added: “As Buildoffsite moves on to implementing a more widely engaged relationship with members and its next phase of improvement and growth, we look forward to continuing to support them all in realising their corporate goals through membership and wish them the very best in their personal endeavours.”