Sir Peter Trench
Sir Peter Trench CBE, TD, BSc., Hon FCIOB, Hon FRIBA was a trained economist, builder and industrialist who worked to modernise the post-war construction industry in the UK. He was awarded an OBE in 1945, a CBE in 1964 and was knighted in 1979.
He was born in London on 16 June 1918, son of Lt-Col. James Knights Trench an American-born entrepreneur and managing director of the Sandoz Chemical Company Limited, and his Scottish wife Grace Sim of Bradford. He studied at the London School of Economics, London University and St John’s College, Cambridge and served in the Queen’s Royal Regiment from 1939 to 1946. He married Mary St. Clair Morford in 1940.
Peter Trench fought Bradford Central as a Liberal in 1945 but finishing third and did not stand again.
He was Managing Director of Bovis Ltd, 1954-59; Chairman of the Construction and Housing Research Advisory Council, 1973-79 and Chairman of Y.J. Lovell Holdings plc, 1972-83. He was also a member of the Council of the CBI, president of the National House Building Council and Director of the National Federation of Building Trades Employers, 1959–64.
He died on 10 September 2006 aged 88.
[edit] Papers by Peter Trench on Designing Buildings Wiki include:
Featured articles and news
Global Asbestos Awareness Week 2025
Highlighting the continuing threat to trades persons.
The context, schemes, standards, roles and relevance of the Building Safety Act.
Retrofit 25 – What's Stopping Us?
Exhibition Opens at The Building Centre.
Types of work to existing buildings
A simple circular economy wiki breakdown with further links.
A threat to the creativity that makes London special.
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
The smart construction dashboard, as-built data and site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill
An outline of the bill with a mix of reactions on potential impacts from IHBC, CIEEM, CIC, ACE and EIC.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.