Tenure of NFDC President hangs in the balance.

The reign of incumbent National Federation of Demolition Contractors’ president Paul Brown hangs in the balance today as battle lines are drawn between opposing factions within the Federation.

Some are seemingly eager for industry veteran Brown to step down at the Annual General Meeting later this month; while others are keen for him to remain in post for the remainder of his two-year presidency.

A series of “will he, won’t he” calls and discussions yesterday serve as an indication of the confusion surrounding Brown’s position. In the space of less than 15 minutes, DemolitionNews was told categorically that Brown was stepping down at the AGM on 23 March. We were then told categorically that he was planning to remain. A further phone call said that he was still considering his position and that no decision had yet been reached.

The Federation is scheduled to meet for an almost unprecedented Extraordinary General Meeting on 13 March at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre; and it was apparently hoped that Brown’s position would have been clarified before then.

Paul Brown has been in the US representing the Federation at the National Demolition Association’s annual convention. He returns to the UK with his future as NFDC president hanging in the balance.

Demolition contractor prosecuted over destruction of roosts.

Developer Christopher Wilson of Avante Ltd appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on Friday 16 February 2018 after admitting two offences of damaging or destroying a breeding site or resting place of a European protected species of animal. He was sentenced to £2, 500 Proceeds of Crime order plus a further £1,750 fine, Costs £500 and a Victim Surcharge of £170, meaning a total of £4920.

David Stokes, Director of South Coast Demolition Ltd, had admitted the same offences and was sentenced at Poole Magistrates Court on Wednesday 13 December 2017, when he was fined £1,600, ordered to pay £400 in costs and a victim surcharge of £120.

In 2016 Wilson purchased the former Ickle Angels Nursery site in Carroll Avenue, Ferndown, which consisted of two buildings that were known to contain roosts for Pipistrelle and Long-Eared Bats. When he submitted a planning application to redevelop the site, Wilson included a Biodiversity Management Plan that had been commissioned by the previous owner of the site in October 2012 and had an expired date on it. He should have commissioned a new Biodiversity Management Plan but failed to do so. The original plan also advised that, due to the presence of bats a licence from Natural England would be required before starting works on the site. Wilson never instructed an ecologist to carry out a survey and did not apply to Natural England for a licence. In the Spring of 2016 Mr WILSON contracted Mr Stokes to start work on the buildings.

In October 2016 a local councillor contacted police to raise concerns that the demolition work that had been carried out on the site may have caused damage to the bat roosts.

A Dorset Police Wildlife Crime officer attended, along with the ecologist who had carried out the original Biodiversity Migration Plan in 2012. It appeared that bats were still present and, following consultation with Natural England and the Bat Conservation Trust, an email was sent to Wilson on 20th October 2016 giving him a formal warning of the requirement to apply to Natural England for a licence. However an email was sent to South Coast Demolition by Mr WILSON on the 10th November, after police advice, asking when they could commence demolition. The police officer sent another warning email on 17th November 2016 but demolition had already begun. Upon receipt of the second police email Wilson sent an email to South Coast Demolition the same day telling them to stop the demolition immediately due to risk of prosecution but work had already progressed since the site visit and the roosts had been destroyed.

An different ecologist carried out a visit on 28 November 2016 and confirmed the roosts had been destroyed.

Read more here.

Extraordinary General Meeting scheduled as Federation goes on defensive.

The National Federation of Demolition Contractors has called only the second Extraordinary General Meeting of its 75+ year history.

DemolitionNews understands that the EGM will take place at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham on 13 March.

The precise reason for the meeting is not yet known; but it is probably no coincidence that it has been called in the immediate aftermath of what can only be viewed as a rival organisation in Scotland. Some members have suggested that the EGM is designed to unite the ranks and regions to stave off the threat from this new association.

Others have suggested that there is disquiet in some regions that senior officers have ridden rough-shod over constitutional rules and regulations.

But by far the most oft-repeated alleged reason for summoning the Federation’s rank and file to Birmingham’s NEC is an alleged attempt to oust the incumbent President – Paul Brown – ahead of the Annual General Meeting later in the month.

Police expect to interview more people under caution.

More people will be interviewed under caution in the coming months as a multi-million pound investigation into the collapse of the Didcot power station continues.

Giving an update on the case, Thames Valley Police (TVP) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have conceded that they never expected it to go on so long but said the complexity of the incident and the amount of evidence was ‘almost unprecedented’.

Police are still considering bringing charges of corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter and serious health and safety at work offences.

Assistant Chief Constable Jason Hogg, the gold commander for the operation, said: “We have interviewed a number of parties under caution.

“I have no doubt in the months to come we will be seeking to interview additional people for potential criminal offences.

“From the evidence we have gathered we think there’s sufficient grounds to conduct a criminal investigation but that will be a matter for the Crown Prosecution Service.”

Read more here.