James Parker, Housebuilder & Developer

From the Editor

TV architect George Clarke spoke at a recent event on the urgent need to innovate in housebuilding to deliver good quality at the same time as the numbers. At the Mitsubishi Electric-staged event Clarke provocatively said “there’s no point building... View Article
Zero energy bills for the UK’s greenest Victorian homes

Zero energy bills for the UK’s greenest Victorian homes

Victorian townhouses in Manchester become the first homes in Europe to achieve the world’s toughest performance standards set by the renowned German Passivhaus Institute. Featuring Nobel prize winning super material graphene and a host of world first technologies, these 125... View Article

Unlocking the drive to quality

James Parker reports on a call from TV architect George Clarke for a change in the way we build homes. TV architect George Clarke spoke at a recent event staged by Mitsubishi Electric looking at the urgent need to innovate... View Article

Housebuilder reveals plans to invest £25m in Cheddington

A leading housebuilder has revealed a £25million plan to build much-needed new homes in Cheddington after successfully finalising a land deal. Charles Church Midlands says it wants to build 100 new homes at the 12-acre site located at Mentmore Road,... View Article

Repton appoints Lovell to deliver 400 new Norfolk homes

Norfolk County Council-owned property company Repton has appointed Norwich-based partnership homes developer Lovell to build more than 400 homes in Norfolk. The proposals will bring new homes to Acle, between Norwich and Great Yarmouth; Hopton, just north of Lowestoft and... View Article

New homes being released at Great Blakenham

The first new homes at an eagerly-awaiting development in Great Blakenham will be released for sale next month. More than 150 people have already registered their interest in the collection of two, three and four bedroom homes being created by... View Article
James Parker, Housebuilder & Developer

The shape of our future high street

Are our high streets and town centres destined to become predominantly residential zones? James Parker investigates this growing trend. Last week we experienced, depending on your point of view, what was either an exciting Christmas present-buying opportunity, or the blatant... View Article

From the Editor

By James Parker, editor of Housebuilder & Developer. You have to admire ‘Dancing Queen’ Theresa May’s strength. While navigating a seemingly impossible course between shark-infested waters of extreme Brexiteers and the EU, she also managed to announce something universally welcomed... View Article

L&G Response: Government funding for affordable housing

“‘We are pleased that the Government has announced increased funding towards affordable housing today. This will help to deliver more homes at levels that residents can afford in areas which need it most. This additional funding will be allocated over... View Article

Everything including the kitchen sink for social housing

Social housing is experiencing a revolution, with local councils and housing associations looking for kitchen suppliers that will offer up-to-date, long-lasting solutions without comprimising on quality. Neil Mcdonald of Moores offers his advice. As the need to be able to... View Article

Medal to the Metal

The Metal Gutter Manufacturers association puts the case for why metal rainwater systems should be the first choice. Although metal rainwater drainage systems may often cost more initially, they offer excellent ‘lifetime’ value. With homeowners and specifiers increasingly looking at... View Article

First things first

Duncan Andrews of Sureset explains the impact a driveway surface can have on kerb appeal, exploring the pros and cons of different surfacing materials. In what is a highly competitive market, it is vitally important to make a good first... View Article

On-trend solutions

Decorative vinyls and LVTs are pushing new technical and aesthetic boundaries so that both customers and contractors benefit, according to Nav Dhillon of Gerflor. Decorative vinyl and luxury vinyl tiles and planks (LVTs) are practical, durable and straightforward to maintain... View Article

BIM for offsite: what’s stopping you?

While the housebuilding industry is educating itself on the practicalities and application of offsite methods of construction, the real opportunity for housebuilders is in how offsite is utilising the latest software platforms. Robert Clark of Fusion Building Systems explains the... View Article

Womble Bond Dickinson comments on the revised NPPF

The new revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF) was delivered and came into force on 24 July 2018. The Government’s response to the consultation on the revised framework notes that it has made a number of important changes in response... View Article

RICS makes an initial response to revised NPPF

Tony Mulhall, RICS Associate Director: The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) attempts to give greater clarity to the planning process, and aims to clarify planning burdens earlier in the process rather than during applications... View Article