Assael Architecture welcomes revised NPPF

Award-winning London-based architecture practice Assael has welcomed the government’s revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that look to guarantee that new homes coming forward are designed to a high standard. Felicie Kirkler, director at Assael, said: “We welcome... View Article

Comment on the latest Equity Release Council figures

The latest Equity Release Council figures show that lending in Q2 2018 is close to £1bn. Steve Wilkie, managing director of Responsible Equity Release, comments: “It’s staggering to think that seven years on, an industry that lent less than £200m in... View Article

London housebuilders selling to BTR investors ‘not a surprise’

Property expert Jean-Marc Vandevivere said research by data firm Molior London showing house-builders off-loading stock in the capital to build-to-rent (BTR) investors and housing associations “should not come as a surprise” given the weakening demand from would-be buyers. Vandevivere, former head of... View Article

NPPF: Where now for planning?

On the eve of changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) being adopted, Sam Dewar, director at DPA Planning, who believes planning has become too impersonal and systematic, considers what’s likely to be included. The NPPF changes aim to... View Article

A call for consistency

James Thomson, CEO of Keepmoat Homes, discusses the urgent need for consistency of policy to support the UK housing market. Aunified approach to housing policy is essential if we are to continue to see an increase in housebuilding in line... View Article

Can we de-stigmatise social housing?

It was probably one of the more surprising nuggets of feedback from survivors of the Grenfell tower fire, but they strongly felt there was a stigma attached to living in social housing and this lay at the heart of many... View Article

Prioritise smaller sites

Brian Berry, chief executive at the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), explores the upcoming planning reforms, and argues for a much higher focus on small sites. The planning reforms that are due to be published “before the summer” as part... View Article

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

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

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