Miller Homes South Midlands announces key new appointments

Following the recent launch of its new South Midlands region, national homebuilder, Miller Homes, has bolstered its team with the announcement of new leadership and five senior promotions to drive forward the region’s growth. Overseeing the new region will be... View Article

Inside the £80m trackside development at Silverstone

As the home of British motorsport prepares to welcome record crowds at this weekend’s Grand Prix, new pictures have been released of the luxury residences currently being built just yards from Silverstone’s hallowed tarmac. Escapade Silverstone is an £80m development... View Article

Montreaux Homes secures new site in St Alban

Montreaux Homes, the home counties division of Montreaux Group, has exchanged contracts for the purchase of the old Jewson’s builders’ yard on Cape Road, St Albans. The proposal for the redevelopment of the former industrial site includes the building of... View Article

Timber – the net zero hero?

The road to net zero is now set, and pressure is mounting on the construction sector to deliver. For housebuilders, choosing to use sustainable materials such as timber should be an easy decision; Andrew Carpenter of the Structural Timber Association... View Article

Housing sector meets again in Manchester

Housing, the Chartered Institute of Housing’s annual conference – and what is said to be ‘Europe’s largest housing festival’ – returns to its normal slot, post-Covid, staged from 28-30 June at Manchester Central.  In 2022, there is more to talk... View Article

The future is modular

While there are many learnings that can be taken from the MMC-led construction of commercial retail, hospitals and prisons – all of which showcase MMC’s scalability potential – attention must be directed to the fact that, overall, consumers want greater... View Article

Compact & functional

With space becoming more confined in developments, designing rooms that still include all the right features is challenging. Joanne Dobbs from Lecico Bathrooms offers her advice when creating bathrooms for compact areas. The reduction in floorspace in UK homes over... View Article

Drainage at the building threshold

Effective drainage must be ‘front of mind’ for new builds seeking to achieve the increasingly popular blending of indoor and outdoor environments. Rob Butcher of ACO Water Management discusses the key considerations. The integration of outdoor and indoor spaces is... View Article

Achieving 
quantity and quality

Patrick Mooney, housing consultant and news editor of Housing, Management & Maintenance magazine, asks: has good design been squeezed out by our efforts to increase housing supply? “Too many housing estates are designed for nowhere in particular. They can be... View Article

Delivering emissions reductions

Marc Nickels of Kingspan Technical Insulation discusses how one substantial source of embodied emissions – building services haulage and deliveries – can be reduced on residential developments. The UK Green Building Council anticipates that by 2035, embodied carbon emissions may... View Article

Did the queen’s speech deliver?

Brian Berry, CEO of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), discusses his views on the recent Queen’s Speech, and how it compared with industry expectations. My previous two columns have touched on my hopes for a reformed planning process to... View Article

Estate of independence

Before newly-independent housing association Salix Homes got involved, other contenders had been put off by the scale of demolition needed at a major estate renovation in Salford. Terry McBride of Salix explains to Jack Wooler how they achieved vital community... View Article

Bringing a sense of community

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Plaza Collection is a ‘community’ of over 700 units being created in Mill Hill, London, with its focal point a new landscaped plaza alongside extensive commercial space. Terence Luo, director at developer Poly UK, talks to Jack... View Article

Bringing glass back 
into balconies

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Andy Lake of Pyroguard explores how glass can be used safely in balcony applications, as well as the various factors for housebuilders and developers to consider to ensure the right solution is specified. It’s no secret that... View Article

A holistic approach to heating efficiency

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Ashley Cooper of WMS explains why underfloor heating is in the spotlight following new requirements in the Building Regulations, and how the housebuilders can benefit from taking a holistic approach to system design. Following enforcement of the... View Article

Tracing the golden thread in balcony design

LISTEN HERE 🔊 Nick Haughton of Sapphire Balconies discusses how the ‘golden thread’ concept can improve data in projects to benefit the design and delivery of balconies for multi-occupancy apartment buildings.  The ‘golden thread’ is a term used for an... View Article

Leas Pavilion, Folkestone / Hollaway Studio

Final pre-commencement approvals have been given to restore Folkestone’s historic Leas Pavilion as part of a stunning residential development overlooking the town’s seafront. With all pre-commencement approvals now in place, work to return the Grade II-listed building to its former... View Article

Grenfell inquiry: New “massively significant” report released

The Fire Brigades Union has termed a new report to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, released to the public today, “massively significant” evidence. The report (visible at https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/evidence/professor-luke-bisby), written by Professor Luke Bisby, a professor of fire and structures at Edinburgh University and an... View Article