Michael Gove replaces Jenrick as Housing Secretary

Michael Gove, formerly Minister for the Cabinet Office, has been appointed Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, replacing Robert Jenrick in PM Boris Johnson’s Cabinet reshuffle. With a full brief including tackling the housing crisis and the... View Article

Leaseholders freed from costly contract terms

Following CMA action, leaseholders with Countryside Properties will no longer be subjected to ground rents that double every 10 or 15 years. Countryside Properties – one of the UK’s leading housing developers – has voluntarily given formal commitments to the... View Article

Godwin Developments submits outline plans for new homes

National residential and commercial developer Godwin Developments today announces that it has submitted outline plans for the creation of up to 50 new family homes on land south of Ashby Road Central, in the Leicestershire town of Shepshed. The proposed scheme,... View Article

Government handling of green homes grant voucher scheme

A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) on the ill-fated Green Homes Grant Voucher Scheme, has found that a rushed delivery and implementation significantly reduced the benefits that might have been achieved. The report examined the performance, implementation, procurement... View Article

Springbourne homes scoop two UK property awards

Top Midlands developer Springbourne Homes has scooped two top design awards for its stunning £19m Hornsey Rise site in Leicestershire. The luxurious location, near Market Bosworth, has been recognised in the Residential Development and the Architecture Multiple Residence categories of... View Article

Planning overhaul to be watered down

The Government’s plans to overhaul planning laws are set to be drastically watered down to appease Conservative MPs and voters, according to a recent report. According to a report from the Times, the plans, which included a zonal system to... View Article

Comments on the Halifax house price index update

Following the Halifax House Price Index for August, please find comments below from the Assetz Group and property consultancy Knight Frank… Stuart Law, CEO of the Assetz group, said: “While it is generally expected that house price growth will simmer... View Article

Luxury build-to-rent scheme gets started in Sheffield

Work has advanced at Founders Yard, as Clegg Construction begins building a new ten storey build-to-rent (BTR) scheme on the site of the former Queens Hotel in Scotland Street, Sheffield. Developed by RISE Homes, the scheme comprises 229 one-and-two-bed furnished... View Article

Covering the industry once more in 2021

The RCI Show, taking place from 29-30 September at Stadium MK in Milton Keynes, gives visitors the chance to make new connections and reaffirm old ones, with manufacturers and suppliers alongside an array of expert speakers. If the pandemic has... View Article

Multi-Occupancy and The New Age of Fire Safety

The demand to assess and successfully manage fire safety within high-rise residential buildings has never been greater. And with 2021 introducing reformed regulations, how is this new age of fire safety shaping up? For multi-occupied residential buildings, fire safety responsibility... View Article

Making up for lost time

Demand for face-to-face events and networking is growing across the industry as the pandemic eases. In the light of this and Government publishing guidance on how major events can be held safely, the organisers of UKCW are bringing the show... View Article

The safe return of housing

Housing 2021, the Chartered Institute of Housing’s annual conference, returns to a Covid-secure Manchester Central from 7-9th September to tackle key issues including post-pandemic housing, and the climate crisis. Housing 2021 is returning to Manchester Central in September after a... View Article

Go neutral on nutrients

David Stagg of Graf UK looks at a key environmental responsibility issue which is hitting developments across the UK – namely nutrient over-enrichment from sewage – and what housebuilders can do to address the issue. Two years ago, Natural England... View Article

Building a new reputation

Sean Welch of Forticrete explores how architectural masonry has the potential to move beyond its heartland in the commercial sector, and create a ‘new generation’ of residential properties. While concrete masonry blocks have been around for decades, they have traditionally... View Article

Using SuDS to add value

GreenBlue Urban looks at how the appropriate specification of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) can add tangible value to developments, beyond flood mitigation. Using Sustainable Drainage features calls on developers, designers, and planners to adopt a new way of thinking,... View Article