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Leading UK timber frame designer and manufacturer Prestoplan has announced a new procurement deal with housebuilder Gladedale. The company has been appointed as an approved supplied to Gladedale central region. Stewart Hackney, Prestoplan's key account manager, said that timber frame will help customers abide by thermal and acoustic rules: 'Demand for timber frame is increasing as the housing market continues to grow and changes in building regulations call for more eco-friendly methods of construction.'

Timber frame designer and manufacturer, Prestoplan, has developed a fully tested timber frame system to achieve 90 minutes fire rating. As part of the company’s technical development programme, and in partnership with MiTek, both wall and floor elements were subjected to rigorously controlled fire tests by Chiltern International Fire, a leading fire consultancy and test laboratories. The test was carried out under 100 per cent load bearing capacity, and maintained structural stability, integrity, and thermal insulation for 114 minutes, at which point the test was stopped. Part B of the Building Regulations requires 90 minute fire resistance for structures with a top floor level in excess of 18m above ground level. Prestoplan then commissioned Chiltern International Fire to extrapolate the test results to develop an assessed 120 minute solution to cope with areas like fire fighting stair shafts. Prestoplan technical director, Ian Loughnane said: ‘It’s important for us to be able to offer our clients the reassurance of fully tested solutions to the range of challenges they may face. All our timber frames are designed to meet specific project requirements including compliance with Building Regulations. ‘Timber framed structures are getting taller and we have the ability to develop solutions on buildings that hitherto would have been rejected on fire rating grounds. Our reputation for technical excellence and quality is a critical element of the Prestoplan brand, as well as our ability to work alongside our clients’ design teams to deliver bespoke quality schemes on time and on budget. ‘To our knowledge we are unique in being able to offer a fully tested timber structure with a 90 minute fire test,’ said Mr Loughnane. It is extremely important to us as a business to be at the forefront of raising standards on safety and sustainability,' he added.

UK timber frame designer and manufacturer Prestoplan has moved into a second plant in Gloucestershire as demand for quality timber frame buildings continues to grow. The new facility in Quedgeley will more than double Prestoplan's output, producing up to an extra 4,000 timber frame units a year and create 100 new jobs.