The Growth Hub is here to offer free support for small and medium-sized builders and construction businesses in the region. Read on to find out more about the resources available.
The Growth Hub is here to offer free support to help provide local advice and assistance for small and medium builders, who may not have the capacity or resources to research and access the best services and support available, to help maximise their growth potential and output.
What we can offer for builders:
- Advice is available for small and medium builders at any stage
- Grants and loans are available to support growth
- The Growth Hub offers a FREE service to support new and growing builders
- In addition to business support, the CPCA Housing Programme specifically invests in housing schemes in the region, either through traditional grants or loans. Read more on this here.
With a firm commitment by Government to boost house building across the UK, and proposals to deliver 29,000 homes by 2021 in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area alone, the construction and building industry needs to be ready to respond to this growing demand.
Small and medium-sized builders help to provide greater diversification and more resilience in the market. They provide good quality homes which fit to local need and support the local labour force and supply chain, providing a multiplier effect within the local economy.
Click here to see business support initiatives that are open to all businesses including building and construction firms.
These include:
- Support to increase energy efficiency
- Assistance with innovation projects
- Local advice on business success and growth
Here are some sources of information and advice on building and construction specific questions:
EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID
The Construction Industry Helpline: 0345 6051956
The helpline provides a 24/7 safety net for all construction workers and their families in the UK and Ireland. It is a charitable service funded by the industry for the industry and provides emergency financial aid to construction families mid crisis, advice on occupational health and mental well-being, as well as support on legal, tax and debt management matters.
Planning your build
The Land Hub lists the sites available for development or disposal by Homes England.
Each site is either sold on the open market through traditional tender competition, or Homes England selects a developer for the site through its Deliver Partner Panel
Planning Portal can take you through your pre-application process, and give you clear information about what you need to gain planning permission.
Funding resources
Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority funding for affordable housing
The Combined Authority can invest in schemes within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough via grant or loan, provided schemes will start on site by 31 March 2022. This might be via a traditional grant for new affordable housing or investment in on or off-site infrastructure, subject to State Aids regulations.
We will consider applications for funding to deliver new affordable homes across all tenures, provided the scheme has the support of the local planning authority: email our Housing team here.
Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)
The CITB offer levy, grants and funding specifically for the construction industry, as well as training funding and resources.
Government funding resources for construction and building
There's a huge range of government funding programmes available for projects around housing: from wider-ranging funding opportunities for affordable housing to more specific grants for key construction aims, like sustainability or technological innovation.
Training and Apprenticeship Opportunities
For training and apprenticeship opportunities for individuals, visit the CPCA Talent Portal.
For employers looking to support apprentices and trainees, these programmes are good starting points for your research:
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Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) Higher Degree Apprenticeship schemes provide relevant, cost effective work-based learning, that allows collaboration between employers, apprentices and the University.
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This scheme reduces graduate recruitment costs and develops the right skills you need in your workforce. See their employer information here.
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- Peterborough Regional College (PRC) offer a comprehensive range of courses in the construction sector, from introductory plumbing to joinery and electrical installation.
- PRC are keen to work with employers to provide courses to upskill your workforce.