Tuesday, November 25, 2025
At the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, the UK’s Forestry Minister Mary Creagh MP made her strongest commitment yet to the UK timber industry. In a video message, she outlined her support for the Timber in Construction Roadmap, which aims to increase the use of home-grown timber in building projects across the country. This initiative is seen as a critical step in addressing both the UK’s housing needs and its climate response.
Minister Creagh’s message highlighted the significant role timber plays in the UK’s housing strategy, climate mitigation, and rural economy. She emphasised that timber is no longer a niche material but a vital national asset. “Timber belongs at the heart of our housing strategy, our climate response, and our rural economy,” she said. This statement was made as she presented to Confor’s annual policy conference, titled Timber in Construction: From Roadmap to Reality, at Westminster.
The Minister outlined the government’s commitment to supporting innovation in timber construction, particularly in engineered timber, modular construction, and hybrid materials. She stressed that more home-grown timber is needed to meet the demand for sustainable construction. Additionally, Creagh called for the planting of more trees, particularly productive species that not only store carbon but also provide timber for future homes.
“This is not a call to sacrifice nature for productivity,” she said. “It is a call to embrace both—because productive forestry and nature recovery are not in conflict. They are companions.” The Minister’s comments underscored her vision of balancing environmental sustainability with productive forestry to meet the growing demand for timber.
During her address, Creagh also expressed her support for the C-16 campaign, an industry-led initiative aimed at tackling the over-specification of timber used in construction. The C-16 campaign promotes the use of domestically grown and manufactured timber, aligning with national goals for decarbonisation, economic growth, and the expansion of UK forestry. “The C-16 campaign is a powerful example of how industry can lead the way in driving progress,” said the Minister.
Andy Leitch, Deputy CEO of Confor, welcomed Minister Creagh’s positive remarks but emphasised the need for delivery. “We have made huge progress, and there is a much more positive attitude towards productive forestry, but the key statement by the Minister is about delivery,” he said. Leitch outlined the significant potential of timber in construction, noting that if the targets are met, the impact could be transformational for the UK economy and its environmental targets.
Leitch highlighted the ongoing investment by UK house-builders in timber-frame manufacturing plants. These plants, although not yet fully activated, are seen as a clear signal of the industry’s direction, with the capacity to build up to 100,000 homes using timber frames. However, despite this progress, only around 10% of new homes in England are built using timber frames, compared to 90% in Scotland. Increasing the percentage of timber-frame homes in England could significantly boost the use of home-grown timber.
While the market for timber in construction is showing positive growth, Leitch warned of long-term supply challenges. Although more UK timber will become available over the next 15 years, a potential timber shortfall of approximately 1 million cubic metres is expected by the early 2040s. To address this gap, at least 40,000 hectares of new productive conifer planting will be needed, with estimates suggesting that closer to 100,000 hectares may be required.
Pat Glennon, Joint Managing Director of Glennon Brothers, shared insights on the company’s supply chain, which sources Scottish-grown timber for its sawmills. Glennon emphasised the importance of sustainable supply chains, citing their “Forest to Front Door” model as an example of a circular economy. He also stressed that realistic but demanding afforestation targets are essential to underpin the UK wood processing industry’s future.
Tim den Dekker, Associate Architect at Feilden Clegg Bradley, focused on the need for more sophisticated methods to measure and prove the carbon benefits of timber. He suggested that better data and methodologies, potentially supported by new regulations, are needed to enhance the timber industry’s credibility in terms of carbon storage. Den Dekker also posed the question of whether buildings could serve as more effective long-term carbon stores than forests, especially as forests face increasing threats from wildfires.
Confor’s CEO, Stuart Goodall, wrapped up the conference by praising the “real substance” of Minister Creagh’s presentation. He highlighted the importance of developing “whole supply chain solutions” that connect timber production to its end uses. Goodall also praised the power of industry partnerships, such as the C-16 campaign, and stressed the need for the sector to demonstrate its ability to deliver on its commitments.
“We need to show what we can do with the wood that’s coming to market and expand from there,” Goodall concluded. “We have the roadmap, ambition, and partnerships. Now we need to deliver.”
Read more news on Forestry
Get such updates through woodandpanel.us
Tags: afforestation targets, decarbonisation, productive forestry, sustainable construction, Timber in Construction Roadmap, timber-frame housing, UK housing strategy, UK timber
Comments: