Planning approved for first NHBC multi-skill hub

NHBC has received planning permission to deliver its first multi-skill apprenticeship training hub.

One of 12 planned multi-skill hubs by NHBC, the facility in Lichfield will “shake up housebuilding training and tackle the construction skills shortage head on,” according to the new homes warranty and insurance provider. It will initially focus on essential trades including bricklaying, groundwork and site carpentry.

The Lichfield Multi-Skill Training Hub at the Lakes Development in Curborough, will be funded in partnership with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), with Redrow Homes providing land.

The £1 million facility, due to open later this year and the size of two thirds of a football pitch, will, according to NHBC, provide skilled, “site-ready” tradespeople faster.

It pointed to its single-skill training hubs, showing that apprenticeships were completing its tailored training in “as little as” 14 months, almost twice as quickly as traditional education routes.

The Lichfield hub, as with the others planned, has a flexible design, allowing it to adapt to local housing needs and regulatory requirements, “ensuring a flow of qualified tradespeople able to build high quality homes”.

This development follows the announcement in November of NHBC’s £100 million investment in a national network …