Woods to Outcomes: Assessing the potential for regional timber products for social housing in Sussex

Eastbourne Borough Council has a commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030, to develop a thriving local economy, and wherever possible use sustainable and environmentally positive materials in its construction work. This research project supports these commitments in that tests the potential for Sussex timber to become a mainstream product in the social housing construction.

The project had a number of work packages utilising the skills and resources of the University of Brighton, Woodland Enterprises Ltd and the Council. The project focused on two construction products at different ends of the cost and complexity spectrum so that it could ascertain what the tipping point for viability was; these two products were skirting board and kitchen doors.

The conclusion is that Sussex Timber will struggle to be competitive just on cost in the social housing sector as production costs are too high. These costs could be reduced but it will take time to do so. That is not to say that a social landlord will not invest in Sussex Timber as there are additional benefits. But if budgets were the overiding factor, then it is unlikely to be persued. Sussex Timber could create a larger foothold in the wider market as even though the product cost is too high for the social sector it can be competitive against other comparative products on the private market.