Christchurch Company First to Receive New Government Approval

A Christchurch-based construction company has become the first to receive certification under the Government’s MultiProof multi-consent approval scheme.

Spanbild Holdings Ltd has this morning hosted Minister of Building and Construction Maurice Williamson to a tour of its Hornby factory and formal presentation of approval for one of its housing designs.

The MultiProof or National Multiple-Use Approval scheme has been designed specifically for standardised building designs that are intended to be replicated several times.

Spanbild Chief Executive Peter Jensen says the government’s new scheme is an innovative and supportive initiative for companies like Spanbild, which has several brands and products under one umbrella.

“The approval scheme is a positive governmental response to requests from the industry, for a system which streamlines consenting processes,” he says. “It means councils can have confidence in the process of, and designs which get, Department of Building and Housing (DBH) multiuse approval.”

Spanbild has received approval for one of the designs offered under its Versatile brand. The ‘Carrington’ home is a single-storey four bedroom family home, with two bathrooms and attached garage.

Spanbild Group Operations Manager Dave Scobie says the ‘Carrington’ plans and construction methods have been very thoroughly reviewed and scrutinised by DBH.

“The process we have been through to get this DBH approval has been meticulous, though quite straight forward,” he says. “It is very similar to what we would expect of a council, but saves every council in the country potentially having to consider the same set of plans every time a customer applies for building consent for one of these homes.

“The approval given to this home recognises the robustness of Versatile’s systems and processes to deliver this home as a consistently high quality standardised product. It assures councils and consumers they can trust our production of this product every time someone applies for building consent for one.”

Both men believe the MultiProof approval scheme will achieve what the Government intended - time and cost savings for volume builders, as well as the removal of repetition of assessment by councils.

“Individual building consents are still required for the approved designs,” says Peter Jensen, “but the system has been streamlined and made much more efficient. This can only be good for everyone, including the eventual home owner.

“We certainly intend to put more designs through the MultiProof process and would encourage would-be homeowners to look for this approval, as a sign of a housing design they can have confidence in.”

ENDS

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