TIMBER
AN OPPORTUNITY YOU CAN’T AFFORD TO MISS
David Hopkins, CEO of Timber Development UK, explains why merchants need to take a closer look at the future for homegrown timber.
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or years, the UK timber market has leaned heavily on imports, with around 80% of the timber used for construction being sourced from abroad. Recent years have brought severe disruptions, however, from the global pandemic to geopolitical tensions and freight volatility, putting immense pressure on availability, pricing, and reliability. Today, however, we are standing at a turning point. For the first time in decades, the UK Government, in collaboration with our sector, is committing to the long-term development of a resilient, homegrown timber supply chain. This marks a real opportunity for merchants. Homegrown timber can offer the built environment sector improved security of supply, alignment with sustainability goals, and a greater role in supporting the built environment’s transition to low-carbon materials.
At the heart of this shift is the Government’s updated Timber in Construction (TiC) Roadmap, relaunched by Environment Minister Mary Creagh earlier this year. The roadmap forms a central pillar in the UK’s broader ‘Plan for Change’ – a commitment to decarbonise construction and address the dual challenges of both the housing crisis and the climate emergency. For the timber sector, it will help chart a long-term course for scaling up domestic forestry, processing, and the use of wood products in construction. This new strategy includes targeted grant funding, forestry investment, and industrial innovation that directly supports the growth of homegrown timber. The re-opening of major funding programmes such as the Tree Production Innovation Fund and the Tree Production Capital Grant, which together offer over £4 million to bolster the quality and quantity of tree planting stock, are a vital part of the plan, supporting tree nurseries, seed producers, and landowners in increasing the scale and diversity of planting – all critical steps
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towards building a sustainable, reliable timber base for the future. More trees in the ground today means more construction-grade timber tomorrow. But the benefits extend beyond timber supply, also supporting biodiversity, carbon capture, flood prevention and green job creation in rural economies. One of the most symbolic moves in this green transformation is the establishment of the Western Forest, the UK’s first new national forest in over three decades. Spanning from the Cotswolds to the Mendips, this landmark reforestation initiative will plant 20 million trees by 2050, creating more than 2,500 hectares of new woodland. It’s a bold step that places long-term environmental resilience at the core of national land-use policy – while also laying a foundation for future timber production.
Industrial progress
At the same time, we’re seeing progress on the industrial side of the equation. In Scotland, First Minister Humza Yousaf recently opened a new state-of-the-art timber frame manufacturing facility. This represents a critical link in the homegrown supply chain, demonstrating how advanced processing and offsite construction techniques can drive greater efficiency, consistency, and scalability.
These developments reflect a joined-up approach. Government, industry, and trade associations including Timber Development UK (TDUK) have worked together to create a roadmap that supports every stage of the timber journey: from seed to structure. At TDUK, our mission is to make timber the first choice low-carbon material across the built environment. With this surge in policy momentum and funding, we have a great opportunity to embed timber more deeply into mainstream construction. For merchants, this means a clearer path toward stocking and selling British-grown timber
Above: (L-r): David Hopkins, CEO Timber Development UK; Defra Environment Minister Mary Creagh CBE MP; Andrew Carpenter, CEO Structural Timber Association; and Andy Leitch, Deputy Chief Executive of Confor, at the Timber in Construction Summit.
products, aligned with national priorities on sustainability and housing.
Builders’ merchants are a vital bridge in the timber value chain. You help specifiers, contractors, and developers access the products they need and, increasingly, those customers are looking for reliable, sustainable, and UK-sourced materials. By engaging with this shift now, you can take a leading role in driving the market toward a greener, more self-sufficient model. But this transformation won’t happen overnight. Growing trees takes time. Building processing capacity takes investment. Changing minds takes education. What matters is that the foundations are now in place – and they are strong.
We are committed to supporting our members and the wider industry throughout this journey. From technical guidance to policy insights and market data, we’re here to ensure that the UK’s timber supply chain – from forest, to merchant, to end user – is equipped for the challenges ahead. This alignment between policy, environment, and industry is something we all need to capitalise on, by building not just with timber, but with homegrown timber that supports local economies, reduces carbon, and secures a more resilient future. We have the tools, the policy framework, and the national will to move from an import- dependent model to a more homegrown timber economy. What we need next is continued investment, greater market confidence, and a merchant network ready to lead on sustainability and supply resilience. BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net June 2025
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