Alarm bells over construction output fall, says FMB

The Beast from the East, rising costs and Brexit are to blame for the sharp drop in construction output, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said in response to the April 2018 construction output figures published by the Office for National... View Article

Launch of EcoWorld London signals new era for housing

At a packed event held at the Institute of Directors on Thursday 7 June, EcoWorld International and Willmott Dixon officially launched EcoWorld London, bringing together two market-leading companies with a view to delivering over 10,000 much needed new homes across London and the South... View Article

Safe as houses

With the number of thefts and burglaries rising, prioritising home security has arguably never been more important. Dr Steffan George of the Master Locksmiths association offers advice on securing homes during construction and over the long term. While cases of... View Article

Hackitt: Will it really ‘build a safer future’?

James Parker looks at the Hackitt review and the “broken” system of regulation and oversight that may have led to the construction failures at Grenfell Tower. In the wake of the Hackitt review looking at what needs to be done... View Article

Grenfell was not all about cladding

This month’s report into the role the Building Regulations played in last June’s horrific Grenfell Tower fire has stirred up plenty of controversy – and too many people are missing the point. The national headlines were full of calls for... View Article

Act now to prevent another Grenfell tragedy

London Assembly Members today (7th June) agreed a unanimous motion calling for further urgent safeguards for London residents, almost one year on from the devastating Grenfell fire.  Seventy-two people died in the fire at the 24-storey tower block in North Kensington on... View Article

Derelict church hall resurrected as affordable housing

Atotal of 12 new affordable rented homes have begun construction on the site of a derelict church hall in Tilehurst, Berkshire. Social housing provider Stonewater is developing the 12 new one- and two-bedroom affordable rent homes on 8,000 sq ft... View Article

Keepmoat Homes accelerates in North and East Midlands

More than 1,000 new homes across the north of England have announced by Keepmoat Homes in partnership with Homes England, including projects driven by its Accelerated Construction Programme. Four new developments have had their contracts signed, two in the north... View Article

‘Deprived’ Surrey suburb to undergo transformation

Plans to transform a post-war housing estate suffering from deprivation in Woking, Surrey into a new “sustainable community” have been revealed. The proposals intend to regenerate Sheerwater into a neighbourhood that meets the housing and future needs of local residents.... View Article

Treating water pollution on construction sites

Dr Richard Coulton of Siltbuster outlines the main types of on-site water pollution, and how to treat them. Under the Environment Agency’s Regulatory Policy Statement (RPS), construction companies likely to discharge anything off site other than clean water need a... View Article

Transforming the industry for the better

Sarah McMonagle of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), explains the organisation’s three point plan to reform the sector’s approach to quality, in the wake of Grenfell. Let’s be honest, the construction industry does not have the greatest image in... View Article