Preparatory work for a £10.9m Oxford City Council housing development has unearthed fascinating glimpses into Oxford’s past. Council housing company Oxford City Housing Ltd (OCHL) and preferred principal contractor Willmott Dixon expect to start work next month on building 36 flats in the city centre. The development site is probably
Research by the next-generation, virtual property viewings platform, U-See Homes, has revealed how a bad first impression could be very costly for UK homebuyers While the market is booming, it’s very much become a seller’s market as huge numbers of homebuyers battle it out for the limited amount of homes
Leading wet civil engineers Land & Water has completed dredging works on behalf of the Isle of Man Government as part of a wider three-year project which has removed over 22,000m3 of silt from Peel Marina. This has helped to significantly improve the water depths, improving the marina’s access and
The next big challenge facing the building industry will be meeting the demands of the public for homes that fit in to post-pandemic living with greater homeworking and emphasis on lifestyle rather than location, it is claimed. Dan Grimshaw from Beam Development says the ‘15-Minute City’ principal – a new
The latest research from new build snagging experts, HouseScan, suggests that while there are currently 294,900 homes currently in the planning permission pipeline, an estimated 289,002 of these will reach the market with snagging issues. HouseScan’s analysis of Gov.uk data on the number of housing units to have been granted
Preparatory work for a £10.9m Oxford City Council housing development has unearthed fascinating glimpses into Oxford’s past. Council housing company Oxford City Housing Ltd (OCHL) and preferred principal contractor Willmott Dixon expect to start work next month on building 36 flats in the city centre. The development site is probably best known to current Oxford residents as that of former homeless hostel Lucy Faithfull House, built in the 1970s and demolished in 2018. However, an archaeological excavation carried out between April and June by MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) uncovered evidence of Oxford’s medieval past. Blackfriars The Dominican Order (Blackfriars) first came to Oxford in 1221 and established their first friary near what is now Oxford Town Hall. Lucy Faithfull House sat on the site of the Blackfriars’ second friary, established in 1246 in what is now the St Ebbe’s area of Oxford. This was an unusually large friary which functioned as a college – or Studium Generale – for the order, training students from across Europe in theology. It was also head of one of the four visitations into which the English province of Blackfriars was divided. Like other monastic houses in Oxford, Blackfriars came into rapid and repeated conflict with the university. However, its death knell came with the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII in 1538. Dismantling of the site began not long afterwards. The Dominican influence in Oxford persisted beyond medieval times. While the Friars area did not survive the post-WW2 clearance and redevelopment of St Ebbe’s, evidence of the Blackfriars’ importance in Oxford still lives on in the street names of Friars Wharf, Preachers Lane and Blackfriars Road. The Blackfriars did not return to Oxford until the 1920s, with Blackfriars Hall joining the University of Oxford as a permanent private hall in 1994. The new 36 flat development will reference the Blackfriars’ black and white coat of arms by using light and dark building materials throughout. Excavation and findings The excavations uncovered parts of the west range of the main cloister and the west end of the friary church, revealing sequences of external and internal walls and floors and nearby rubbish pits. Finds included fragments of moulded stone, a 13th or 14th century decorated floor tile from the cloister and painted glass from the west end of the church. A stone coffin was discovered west of the church, along with other burials in the northern part of the site. The dig also yielded evidence of horn cores indicating the likely use of the site as a tannery after dissolution, as well as stone lined waste pits and pottery dumps belonging to the early 19th century housing that later occupied the site. The excavation has now been backfilled. Once construction is underway the impact of the development on the remaining walls and waste pits will be reduced by careful foundation design, with the stone coffin and other burials protected below shallow ground beams. Following analysis by MOLA specialists, artefacts recovered at the site will be donated to the Oxfordshire Museum for storage and potential display. The council hopes it may be possible for them to be put on temporary display at the Museum of Oxford after it reopens in September. Lucy Faithfull House Initial planning permission for a Church Army hostel that became Lucy Faithfull House was granted in 1972, with construction beginning the following year. The building was used as supported accommodation for people experiencing rough sleeping until it was decommissioned by Oxfordshire County Council in 2015 as part of a round of funding cuts. When the hostel closed in February 2016, its 61 beds were replaced by 62 beds provided in shared houses across the city. Oxford City Council acquired Lucy Faithfull House in 2017. As the building was in a bad state of repair and poorly configured for modern use, the council decided it was no longer viable as hostel accommodation and decided to redevelop the site for much-needed housing. Demolition began in April 2018 and was completed that August. The 36 flats on the redeveloped site will be in a single block of four to six storeys, which will include 15 council homes let at social rent, eight shared ownership and three homes at affordable rent. The remaining 10 homes will be for market sale. Lucy Faithfull herself was a social worker, children’s campaigner and founder of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a nationwide charity working to protect children from sexual abuse. Joining Oxford City Council as a children’s officer in 1958, she was appointed as director of social services in 1970 and retired in 1974 as local government reorganisation put social care in the hands of a new tier of county councils. She was awarded an OBE in 1972 and became Baroness Faithfull of Wolvercote when she accepted a life peerage in 1976. As Baroness Faithfull, she played a key role in the passage of the Children Act 1989 and later helped to set up the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children. She also served as a trustee for a number of voluntary organisations, including Barnardo’s and the National Children’s Bureau. She died in 1996. Comment Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, cabinet member for planning and housing delivery, said: “History is literally underfoot in Oxford and excavation on the Lucy Faithfull House site has yielded new insights into our city’s medieval past. The surviving archaeological remains will be protected below the flats for future generations to investigate with new techniques and new questions about Oxford’s rich medieval history.” Oxford City Council archaeologist, David Radford, said: “The former Lucy Faithfull House proved to have been built on extensive modern foundations. Nevertheless, the area in the former courtyard proved to be well preserved and the work by MOLA has produced important new information. I am especially pleased about the details we have learnt about the internal layout of the west range of the friary, which certainly surpassed our initial expectations.” MOLA director of developer services, Sophie Jackson, said: “This year marks the 800th anniversary of
Research by the next-generation, virtual property viewings platform, U-See Homes, has revealed how a bad first impression could be very costly for UK homebuyers While the market is booming, it’s very much become a seller’s market as huge numbers of homebuyers battle it out for the limited amount of homes currently on the market. But slim pickings on the supply side could reduce even more for buyers with the wrong attitude, as the research by U-See Homes reveals that 58% of UK homesellers wouldn’t sell to a buyer that makes a bad first impression. 70% of homesellers also stated that they would decide immediately whether a particular buyer was out of the running for their home, with a further 22% taking just a day or two to decide. But there’s yet more bad news for bad-mannered homebuyers. While money usually talks, UK homesellers are unlikely to be listening. 48% said they would not change their mind regardless of how much a buyer offered above asking price, with a further 21% stating they would have to offer 20% or more to sway them into a sale – that’s nearly £51,000 or more on the current average UK house price. So what sort of home viewing faux pas is most likely to dump you out of the running for a home? General bad manners ranked as the main thing that sellers believe form a bad first impression while making negative comments about their home in front of them also caused offence. Not removing your shoes if asked can also land you in hot water, as well as failing to wear a face mask if requested. Luckily, punctuality didn’t rank as high, with arriving late or even early for a viewing less likely to lead to a bad first impression. Simon Dempsey heads up marketing for U-See Homes and says “As the saying goes ‘manners cost nothing’, but bad manners during the viewing process could cost you your dream home. It’s important to remember that someone’s home will often hold a hefty level of sentimental value regardless of the fact that they are selling up. So you shouldn’t assume that they will sell to you just because you put in a good offer, or in many cases, even the highest offer. We all have our own visions and plans when moving into a new home and discussing these during the viewing process is no bad thing. It’s just important to do it with a bit of sensitivity in mind in front of the current owner.” Survey of 1,822 UK homeowners carried out by U-See Homes via consumer research platform Find Out Now (21st July 2021). When selling your property, would you sell to a buyer who makes a bad impression during the viewing process? Answer Respondents No 58% Yes 42% How long does it take you before you decide that you won’t sell to a particular buyer? Answer Respondents Immediately 70% 1-2 days 22% 1 week+ 5% 3-6 days 3% How much more would they have to offer to change your mind? Answer Respondents Would not change my mind 48% 20% or more 21% 10% – 20% 14% 5% – 10% 13% Up to 5% 4% What are the main things that a buyer would create a bad first impression on you? (Tick all that apply) Answer Respondents General bad manners 27% Making negative comments about your home in front of you 22% Not taking off (muddy) shoes 18% Not wearing a mask if requested 16% Punctuality – arriving too early or too late 12% Appearance 6%
Leading wet civil engineers Land & Water has completed dredging works on behalf of the Isle of Man Government as part of a wider three-year project which has removed over 22,000m3 of silt from Peel Marina. This has helped to significantly improve the water depths, improving the marina’s access and functionality for years to come. Having previously removed approx. 40% of silt last year, using its specialist plant including long reach excavators on floating barges, Land & Water has now dredged the remaining materials between March and May this year. All silt has been transported to the drying lagoon which was constructed and lined by Land & Water last spring for storage and dewatering. The lagoon was carefully constructed to meet specific requirements, meaning that any remaining heavy metals and other contaminants can be safely contained. Now that the dredging is complete, the material will be allowed to dry before being removed to a licensed facility. The former greenfield site will then be returned to its original state. Charlie Oakes, Project Manager at Land & Water, said: “We are pleased to have completed this groundbreaking three-year project and to have supported the Isle of Man Government in its all-important venture to safeguard Peel Marina. “Having returned to the island in February this year, during the Isle of Man’s third national lockdown, I would like to thank the dedicated Land & Water project team who were willing to travel and stay away from their homes and families to ensure we could continue delivering high quality services to improve and maintain waterways across every part of the UK. “Going above and beyond for our clients is something that we pride ourselves on at Land & Water and I am proud to have witnessed the strength and commitment from the project team during such challenging circumstances.” The Peel Marina dredging project was only one of two major contracts to be allowed to continue working on the Isle of Man during the previous lockdown period. The Land & Water team complied with all Coronavirus guidelines by self-isolating on the island beforehand and taking the required Covid-19 tests. After showing its resilience and ability to adapt working methods to meet the ongoing Coronavirus restrictions, Land & Water has re-established the efficiency of Peel Marina for the future. The Peel Marina project is vital to the local community; this work promises to ease pressures put on the marina, ensuring that it is restored to its correct level for access and operation. This will continue to bring real economic benefits to Peel. With the works split across two phases, every stage of this project was carefully considered and structured to safely handle the materials removed from this site. Land & Water is proud to have contributed to a project which promises to bring about such positive change.
The next big challenge facing the building industry will be meeting the demands of the public for homes that fit in to post-pandemic living with greater homeworking and emphasis on lifestyle rather than location, it is claimed. Dan Grimshaw from Beam Development says the ‘15-Minute City’ principal – a new approach to urban design, in which all city residents can meet most of their needs within a short walk or bicycle ride from their homes – could offer a solution. “It is possible cities will never return to the way they were before the virus struck and we are now looking at the way buildings are being used in terms of amenities and spaces and examining what people want from the places they live in,” said Dan. “Even before Covid people were wanting to spend more time at home as technology allowed them to do that, but that has been normalised during lockdown and accelerated, hence the need for proper home office space to accommodate that. “If the 15-Minute City takes off as a concept it will chime with people looking for more flexibility in their lives and who want to fit their jobs around their home life with space to work from home and, if possible, the space for a home office. “Creating that space, either through an extension or re-purposing rooms is vital.” Dan says building design is already starting to change with projects such as the Brabazon development being built at the former BAE airfield at Filton, near Bristol, already adopting the new ready-made community model. “One of the positives of the pandemic is that it has made people feel more connected with their neighbourhoods and highlighted the need for a diverse range of local businesses and services, with better street space for pedestrians,” added Dan. “Lockdown turned us all into locals overnight, connecting with high street shops and cafes on the doorstep in a way many of us had never done before. With restrictions lifting, it could be time to try new approaches to unlock growth and help reshape our communities for the better.” The 15-Minute City idea was developed by Sorbonne Professor Carlos Moreno and advocates the creation of a city of neighbourhoods, in which workers find everything they need in terms of work, retail and leisure within 15 minutes of their home. Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo has made the 15-minute goal a focus of her seven years in office and is creating 900 miles of bike lanes in the city. She is also converting schoolyards throughout the city into round-the-clock public playgrounds. Dan Grimshaw is a design and construction specialist based in Bath and London who has worked on premium residential projects for more than 15 years. He is a mentor to the British Library’s prestigious Innovating for Growth programme and is on the jury for the BLT Built Design Awards 2021. For further information visit: www.beamdevelopment.co.uk
The latest research from new build snagging experts, HouseScan, suggests that while there are currently 294,900 homes currently in the planning permission pipeline, an estimated 289,002 of these will reach the market with snagging issues. HouseScan’s analysis of Gov.uk data on the number of housing units to have been granted planning permission shows that planning permission approvals have fallen by -6.4% year on year. While there remain almost 300,000 new homes in the pipeline, HouseScan’s research also suggests that the vast majority of these will reach the market in an unsuitable state, with some form of snagging defect. It’s estimated just two per cent of all new build homes reach the market snag-free and this issue is predictably at its worst in the capital. Across London, there are some 52,300 homes waiting to be built having been granted permission, accounting for 18% of all approvals across England. However, with just two per cent predicted to reach the market in a suitable condition, HouseScan’s research shows that as many as 51,254 new homes yet to be built within the capital will have some form of snagging defect. If they were to reach the market today, that’s nearly £27bn worth of property that would need further work. With 43,200 housing units granted planning permission in the South East, it ranks as the region with the next largest level of homes reaching the market with snagging issues (42,336). The North West (39,592), East of England (34,790), East Midlands (30,380) and West Midlands (29,302) are also predicted to see some of the largest numbers of homes reach the market with snagging defects based on current planning permissions granted. In total across England, over £100bn worth of new homes that are still yet to be built will be sold with snagging issues, and that’s based on today’s market values alone. Founder and Managing Director of HouseScan, Harry Yates, commented: “Unfortunately there’s an incredible number of new homes purchased every year that come complete with a number of snagging issues and these issues can range from something minor such as the poor fitting of light switches or plug sockets, to something as serious as subsidence or other structural instabilities. It may seem unfair to tarnish housebuilder outputs by using the law of averages, but to say that just two per cent of new builds are sold snag-free really is the reality. In addition, it’s the new build process that allows these issues by using similar practices, to begin with, with inspectors often passing off the standard of an entire development based on inspecting just one single home within it. Of course, our research has focussed on planning permissions and so it remains to be seen as to whether this level of homes will be riddled with snagging defects or not. However, we wanted to highlight this severe problem within the industry as a wake-up call so that those delivering this pipeline of property stock can address the issue now and prove us wrong.” Number of housing units granted planning permission Category 2017 Q1 (year to) 2018 Q1 (year to) 2019 Q1 (year to) 2020 Q1 (year to) 2021 Q1 (year to) ENGLAND – rolling annual total 329,000 314,000 327,000 315,000 294,900 % change vs previous year 22% -4.6% 4.1% -3.7% -6.4% Source Gov.uk – Planning Applications in England Table shows the number of housing units granted planning permission that are estimated to reach the market with snagging issues Region Planning permissions granted % proportion of England total Est number to be delivered with snags Current Average house price Total value of houses with snags London 52,300 18% 51,254 £525,927 £26,955,881,945 South East 43,200 15% 42,336 £420,199 £17,789,525,656 North West 40,400 14% 39,592 £262,731 £10,402,042,509 East of England 35,500 12% 34,790 £404,852 £14,084,803,846 East Midlands 31,000 11% 30,380 £302,701 £9,196,058,911 West Midlands region 29,900 10% 29,302 £305,790 £8,960,264,736 South West 27,100 9% 26,558 £348,888 £9,265,763,685 Yorkshire and the Humber 22,700 8% 22,246 £243,791 £5,423,383,062 North East 12,100 4% 11,858 £217,985 £2,584,870,008 National Parks 700 0% 686 N/A N/A England 294,900 100% 289,002 £348,298 £100,658,891,685 Sources Gov.uk – Planning Applications in England Home Builders Federation Gov.uk – UK house Price Index
