Considerate Builders Scheme

On an average day, more than 600 building projects are under way in Westminster. This is a sign of a healthy, developing City but these activities can also disturb and inconvenience residents, businesses and passers-by.

To combat these problems, Westminster City Council runs a Considerate Builders Scheme to promote high standards on all building sites, to encourage builders to take pride in their sites, and to ensure the development proceeds without making life unpleasant for those who live and work nearby. This is particularly important for people in wheelchairs or with other mobility difficulties, and for blind and partially sighted people.

Code of good practice

Co-operation is the key to the success of the scheme. Builders who join the scheme commit themselves to the seven-point Code of Good Practice, shown below. Most builders and their clients have found out that observing the code not only benefits people directly, but also improves the reputation of their businesses.

Be considerate

Carry out all work with consideration for residents, workers, pedestrians, visitors, neighbours, businesses and road users, at all times and with every effort to minimise disturbance. Pay special attention to the needs of those who have difficulties with sight, hearing or mobility, and those in wheelchairs or with prams and pushchairs.

Be quiet

Keep noise from works, machinery, workers, radios, vehicles and all other sources to a minimum. Work must not be audible at the site boundary outside permitted working hours unless you have made a prior agreement about this with the City Council.

Be clean

Keep all roads and pavements around the site, and all hoardings, scaffolding, warning lights and other equipment clean and in good order. Keep dust and smoke to a minimum. Keep the highway clean of mud or other spillage.

Be tidy

Take pride in the condition and appearance of the site and the adjoining highway. Temporary structures, materials and machines should be kept tidy. Remove all litter and rubbish promptly.

Be safe

Carry out all works with the utmost care for the safety of passers-by as well as your workers - this includes driving vehicles on and off the site. Keep all plant and machinery in safe working order, and all structures safe, by checking them often.

Be responsible

The main contractor should ensure that all employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, drivers and others working on or near the site fully obey this Code of Practice.

Be accountable

A contact board must be displayed outside the site, giving names and telephone numbers of staff who can easily be contacted to respond to the concerns of residents, businesses and others. Members of the scheme should also display 'Considerate Builders' signs on their site hoardings.

Highways Licensing officers visit member sites to ensure that all participants keep up the high standards of the scheme, and to advise on improvements. All sites in the scheme are assessed every year. The best sites win awards, and get worthwhile publicity.

Keep people informed

Builders should keep residents and others informed about unavoidable disturbance such as noise, dust and extended working hours, and disruption of traffic. Site neighbours should be given clear information well in advance, preferably in writing, perhaps by issuing regular bulletins about site progress.

All licences issued by the City Council must be displayed prominently on hoardings, scaffolds, gantries or fences. All other licences or consents must be held in the site office for inspection by City Council officers. The contact board, which should be displayed prominently on the hoarding or on the building should include:

• the heading 'Contact board'
• the name and address of the main contractor, and the person to write to a this firm
• the name of the site and the site manager
• the month and year of the expected completion of the works
• names and telephone numbers of staff who can take immediate action whenever they are contacted.

Site workers

You should provide proper on-site facilities for tea and lunch breaks for site employees so that they do not sit in public areas such as on pavements. Staff should not be allowed to gather on the public highway except when carrying out work on the site that requires them to be there.

You should also remind site workers of the Considerate Builders Scheme's Code of Good Practice and of the need to prevent disturbance to local residents, businesses or passers-by, and particularly sexual harassment, which will not be tolerated.

An application form for builders wishing to join the scheme can be downloaded by clicking on the link below:

• Considerate Builders Scheme - Application Form

If you are experiencing problems with a member site, or require further information about the scheme, please contact:

T: (020) 7641 2560

T: (020) 7641 2564

F: (020) 7641 7838

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