The fight to combat homelessness

Patrick Mooney, housing consultant and news editor of Housing, Management & Maintenance, explains why he believes Whitehall politicians need to up their game in the fight to combat homelessness and cut unnecessary deaths. It was a sad indictment of the... View Article

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

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

The shape of our future high street

Are our 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 retailer-driven frenzy that... View Article

From the Editor

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 in her conference speech. Finally, they have scrapped... View Article

L&G Response: Government funding for affordable housing

Ben Denton, Managing Director of Legal & General Affordable Homes said: “‘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... 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

RIBA responds to revised National Planning Policy Framework

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) makes an initial response to the publication of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) by the Government yesterday, 24 July 2018. RIBA President Ben Derbyshire says: “The RIBA’s welcomes the publication of the revised National... View Article

Reaction to revised NPPF from law firm TLT

Katherine Evans, Partner and Head of Planning, commented: “There are a lot of changes to the revised NPPF in the government’s responses. “Looking at paragraph 67, it appears that “small sites” have changed to “small and medium sized sites” and... View Article

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

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

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