In an unrelated move, Howarth Timber Engineering also confirmed to TTJ on Wednesday that it was exiting the timber frame business and that it had served notice to the UKTFA earlier this year that it was resigning its membership.
The fire in Stockport town centre on May 28 involved a four-storey timber frame building, part of a £2.4m development for housing association Guinness Northern Counties (TTJ June 9/16).
The UKTFA conducted a site safety investigation in the aftermath as the housing association said the scheme had been managed under the UKTFA SiteSafe initiative – designed to reduce the risk of timber frame construction fires in built-up areas – but the scheme hadn’t been registered with the UKTFA and Chief Fire Officers Association.
UKTFA chief executive Andrew Carpenter told TTJ that the decision to suspend one of its members until further notice had been taken at a recent extraordinary UKTFA meeting.
Mr Carpenter said the UKTFA had to take action otherwise the association and its SiteSafe initiative could lose credibility with stakeholders and industry clients.
Howarth Timber Engineering told TTJ that the Stockport timber frame build had been inspected and fully signed off by the client in March and the fire took place three months later. It has been registered with NHBC and complied with Building Regulations.
"The cause of the fire is under investigation, therefore we are not in a position to comment further," said Howarth Timber Engineering managing director Nicholas Howarth.
Meanwhile, the UKTFA has confirmed that the results of its Series 2 fire tests will be released during Timber Expo on September 25.
