Housebuilder introduces code of conduct which subcontractors will have to sign up to before starting work

TAYLOR Wimpey has said it will begin reopening mothballed sites early next month, six weeks after shutting them down following the prime minister’s decision to put the country into lockdown.

Taylor Wimpey said remobilisation will begin on 4 May with a phased process based on detailed new site operating protocols.

The decision comes as Vistry this morning also announced plans to recommence work, making the firms the first major housebuilders to unveil a timetable for restarting jobs. Vistry said it will be on site from the start of next week, April 27, a week earlier than Taylor Wimpey

Chief executive Pete Redfern said: “We are now confident that we have clear plans and processes in place so we can safely start back on site.”

Taylor Wimpey said the reopenings will only apply to its jobs in England and Wales. “At this stage we do not expect to start work in Scotland, until a return to construction receives the Scottish government’s support,” it added.

It has introduced a code of conduct to make sure rules are being followed which it said employees and subcontractors will have to sign up to before setting foot on jobs.

It said: “[The code states] our very clear expectations of behaviours of all those visiting our sites to work. We will be regularly monitoring and enforcing these behaviours on our sites.”

The firm said it did not “expect to deliver meaningful build progress until mid-May” and added: “The phased nature of our remobilisation is key to making the necessary adjustments to site safety and to properly train our employees, suppliers and subcontractors in the new requirements and ways of working.”

It said it will also share its working practices with its peers free of charge. “We believe [this] will be useful for smaller housebuilders with limited resources,” it added.

But it said its sales centres, show homes and regional offices will remain closed while it monitored latest guidance around social distancing.