If you listen carefully that sound you can hear from those involved in the housing and mortgage markets is a collective intake of breath, as everyone involved takes stock of what has been an incredibly busy (and stressful) first three months of the year. From a conveyancing perspective, I suspect
We are currently modernising our Grant Scheme. We are doing this because we want to make sure more employers access funds, particularly SMEs, and that training is aimed where it’s needed most. What is the Grant Scheme? The Grant Scheme provides funding for CITB-registered employers to train, upskill and qualify
The UK housing market is set to slow down over the next three months following a short term rush on buy to let properties, says the latest report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The monthly survey report from RICS also shows that house price inflation peaked last December
Suspended prison sentence for unregistered gas worker Published: 27 June, 2016 A man who fitted central heating boilers at two houses in Greater Manchester has received a suspended prison sentence, after he admitted he did not have the required safety registration to do the work. Christopher Dignam, trading at Blue
The contractor is already on site doing the enabling works and will now build out the seven storey building which will include a roof terrace on the sixth floor and restaurants and retail units at ground level. The Paradise redevelopment is by Paradise Circus Limited Partnership, a private-public joint venture with
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has confirmed that the government is unable to make a decision on the proposed expansion of Heathrow airport until “at least October”. Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said “given recent events” he “cannot see any announcement” on airport expansion until after the summer recess of parliament and
A new home for the Ravens in the Tower of London; a Japanese-take on the London terraced house; and a new centre of excellence for brain research were last night among 36 projects named as winners of the prestigious RIBA London Award for architectural excellence in the capital. A magical
Book Course HSL is to run a 1 day course on The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) – An Introduction to the Role of the Principal Designer – LONDON. ETC Venues – Marble ArchGarfield House86 Edgware RoadLondonW2 2EA Garfield House 86 Edgware Road London W2 2EAGarfield Hous86
The number of restaurant units in Manchester now stands at more than 150, led by particularly strong growth from upmarket and casual dining operators which have doubled their supply in the city over the last five years, according to international real estate advisor Savills. Since the end of 2012, 30
If you listen carefully that sound you can hear from those involved in the housing and mortgage markets is a collective intake of breath, as everyone involved takes stock of what has been an incredibly busy (and stressful) first three months of the year. From a conveyancing perspective, I suspect most firms have not had to cope with the sheer volume of work that came through their channels during that last three-month period, fuelled in the main by buy-to-let landlords attempting to get their purchases through before the introduction of the increased stamp duty charges from the 1st April. I will not need to tell agents just how busy this first quarter has been; indeed, judging by the figures already coming out for March, we have seen firms dealing with double, sometimes triple, the number of cases they would ordinarily deal with. In a very real sense, this was unsustainable and while many may have disagreed with the policy itself it is perhaps good news that the Chancellor did not use his Budget last month to provide an extension to the deadline. I would have genuinely feared for the coping strategies, and sanity, of most in the industry if this had been the case. The figures for the last few months of activity are now just starting to come through and they show just how the stamp duty deadline impacted on the marketplace. E-surv’s Mortgage Monitor claims that the first quarter of 2016 was the busiest start to the year in nine years with 71,710 house purchase loans granted, the highest opening quarter since the end of the boom years in 2007 which had 116,898. Council of Mortgage Lenders’ lending figures for February also reveal just how busy the buy-to-let sector has been – and I suspect when March’s data is also published we will see further growth. Indeed, February figures show that lending to buy-to-let landlords increased by almost two-thirds from February 2015 – up to 23,700 loans worth £3.7bn – a 47% rise based on volume, and 61% by value. Given the rush to complete deals before March, one can only surmise what growth we will see there. However, the point to focus on in April is what the market is doing now and what might it deliver over the rest of the year. Given the deluge of activity in quarter one, especially in buy-to-let, we have to think that quarter two will be far quieter. With the deadline gone, there may be those who believe they can squeeze a bargain out of the market, even with the added stamp duty costs, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see landlords also taking stock and seeing how the sector reacts, especially when you consider we also have the cut to income tax relief on mortgage interest payments being introduced next year, and stricter affordability guidelines for buy-to-let lenders to follow. That said, I’m not completely convinced there will be a flood of buy-to-let landlords leaving the market, putting their properties up for sale, to be snapped up by first-time buyers. I’m certain that the Government believe this will be the outcome of their forays into buy-to-let but the fundamental problems facing first-timers still remain regardless, those being securing the deposit, finding a mortgage, meeting the tightened affordability measures of lenders, not forgetting of course the still low levels of housing stock in this country. Hitting buy-to-let participants won’t necessarily smooth the path to homeownership for those new purchasers. Mortgage advisers are probably looking for increased levels of remortgage business as rates are still incredibly low and there are undoubtedly large numbers of existing borrowers who could save themselves money if they took the time and effort to engage with the market. However, this doesn’t necessarily help agents, unless they are remortgaging to release equity, buy more property or help those within their family to get their own homes. That said, remortgaging has been at relatively low levels for some time, and while there has been some improvement, the fact Base Rate remains at 0.5% means some borrowers are happy to stay put. All in all, this appears something of an uncertain time for the market. The ‘rush-to-let’ is undoubtedly over but there could still be deals to be done for landlords, even factoring in the increased stamp duty costs. We are also seeing an increase in the use of limited company vehicles to buy property, and even though this has no impact on stamp duty costs, as it stands tax relief on mortgage interest payments is still available at the higher rate within a company. So, while some have predicted a landlord exodus to be replaced by eager first-timers this outcome remains to be seen. Perhaps it will merely be a few months of quiet reflection before the housing market wheels begin turning more rapidly – the late Spring/early Summer is traditionally a positive time for the market and I suspect that 2016 will ultimately be no different in that regard. Source link
We are currently modernising our Grant Scheme. We are doing this because we want to make sure more employers access funds, particularly SMEs, and that training is aimed where it’s needed most. What is the Grant Scheme? The Grant Scheme provides funding for CITB-registered employers to train, upskill and qualify their staff. This ensures that the right skills are available to maintain standards and help the industry grow. Last year, over £132m in grant was returned to firms that completed training. Why does it need updating? We want to target grant funding to areas which employers consider are key competencies and where we have evidence of a skills shortage. We need to move from simply returning levy to really adding value to the industry. Also, large firms are currently getting more out of it than SMEs. So we need to adapt the scheme so that all our employers can easily access it. The current application process is paper-based and applying can take some time – smaller firms simply don’t have the time to dedicate to it. We’re in the process of moving this online so claiming grant will become easier and more efficient. What we learnt We undertook research into how SMEs train and found that only 60% of the 1,000 employers surveyed had undertaken training in the last two years. Of those, only four in ten had claimed CITB grant. Most of the training undertaken by SMEs was mandatory, such as working at heights and asbestos awareness. Employers prefer on-site training, presumably to keep costs and days off-site to a minimum. We learned employers would like a guide to the training their staff may need. What’s the plan? We are working closely with employers to consider various options. We are considering splitting the grant scheme into two funds. The first would focus on qualifying the workforce, funding training that leads to a recognised qualification such as an apprenticeship or NVQ. (However, we will be reviewing our funding for apprenticeships once the government has announced its own apprentice funding changes.) The second fund would focus on ensuring we have a workforce trained in the right skills and ready to work, either on-site or in management. This would pay for two kinds of training – industry-wide competencies, or sector-specific skills. We need industry-wide competencies so the workforce meets a recognised minimum standard. It also has the added benefit of increasing employee mobility and reducing duplication of training. Sector-specific skills, through incentivised funding, means backing training that otherwise wouldn’t happen. We are currently consulting employers on how to deliver these training programmes. What’s the next step? We will be running a series of workshops and pilots to test our ideas and the results will be fed back into our planning. It’s important to note that any changes will be phased in – we won’t remove the current grant support until the new arrangements are in place, so our service to levy payers won’t be compromised. If you have any feedback about the grant scheme or would like to know more, please email me at geeta.nathan@citb.co.uk. Source link
The UK housing market is set to slow down over the next three months following a short term rush on buy to let properties, says the latest report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The monthly survey report from RICS also shows that house price inflation peaked last December ahead of an anticipated rush to beat buy to let tax rises which come into force on 01 April. Once the 3% surcharge on additional homes, which include buy to let and second homes, is in place, RICS predicts that there will be more modest growth in property sales. While 74% of survey respondents expected there to be a rush on buy to let purchases ahead of Stamp Duty increases only 17% (net balance) expected to see an increase in sales over the coming three months. In addition, while house price inflation expectations peaked following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, with prices driven by speculation regarding an increase in investor demand, RICS says that this trend is set to soften from March as investor interest dampens. Only 21% of respondents expect prices to increase over the coming months. The survey showed that house prices continued to creep up throughout February. Across the UK, East Anglia continues to show the sharpest price increases, with 91% of respondents reporting that prices had risen over the past month. London and the North East by way of contrast saw very modest gains while the South West has seen the highest rise in sales across the UK for the last three months and 49% of respondents experienced a rise in sales rather than a fall and further increases are expected over the year ahead. New instructions to sell also increased more sharply in the South West than anywhere else in the UK as 34% of surveyors saw an increase in new listings rather than a decrease. New buyer enquiries in the South West rose for the twelfth month in succession with 49% more respondents seeing an increase in demand rather than a fall, the highest in the UK. However, uncertainty weighs on London’s housing market. Price expectations have turned negative in prime central parts of the capital and after sharp periods of inflation, London house prices look set to stabilize. Overall outer London boroughs remain firmly positive and Zone one properties are showing signs of a downturn. ‘Anecdotal evidence has suggested that a combination of exogenous factors is contributing to the overall picture in prime London, with tax changes, foreign market slowdowns and uncertainty over Brexit all being mooted as potential reasons behind the changes in demand,’ said Simon Rubinsohn, RICS chief economist. ‘This is not necessarily indicative of the long term market and the depreciation of the pound could encourage overseas investors back in to the market as could the outcome of the European referendum,’ he explained. He pointed out that the challenges facing the top end of London’s property market are clearly visible in the latest results. ‘However, it is evident that the broader London market remains firm in the face of the on-going shortage of stock and pent up demand. Although agreed sales in February were strong, the dip in new buyer enquiries suggests that it might be reasonable to assume a slower market in the spring as a result of this change,’ he said. ‘Over the past three months, we have witnessed a surge in buy to let activity. Since the Chancellor made his Autumn Statement announcement last November, investors have rushed to purchase homes before the Stamp Duty surcharge comes into effect. It is inevitable that over the coming months, April’s Stamp Duty changes will take a little of the heat out of the investor market,’ he added. Rubinsohn also pointed out that while there remain significant doubts as to whether the Government’s plans to encourage a more robust development and construction pipeline will be sufficient to address the housing crisis, long term price indications for the housing market remain strong, with respondents still expecting them to rise by a further 25% over the next five years. BOOKMARK THIS PAGE (What is this?) Source link
Suspended prison sentence for unregistered gas worker Published: 27 June, 2016 A man who fitted central heating boilers at two houses in Greater Manchester has received a suspended prison sentence, after he admitted he did not have the required safety registration to do the work. Christopher Dignam, trading at Blue Flame Plumbing and Heating Services, has never been on the Gas Safe Register, the body which ensures those who carry out gas work are competent to do so. One of the two boilers fitted by him in November and December 2014 was found by a Gas Safe investigator to be ‘at risk’ – meaning that faults were present which could constitute a danger to life or property. Advertisements for Blue Flame Plumbing and Heating in two local publications showed a Gas Safe Register logo and a registration number which does not belong to Dignam, confirming that he knew he should be Gas Safe Registered, the court heard. Mr Dignam, of Middleton, Manchester, pleaded guilty to two breaches of Regulations 3(3), and for breaching 3(7) and 26(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to 12 months custody, suspended for two years. He was ordered to pay £460 and £400 compensation to the two homeowners and £3,000 costs. HSE inspector Caroline Shorrock said: “Mr Dignam showed a reckless and flagrant disregard for health and safety requirements. He knew he should be registered with Gas Safe and he exposed customers to a risk of serious injury or death.” Source link
The contractor is already on site doing the enabling works and will now build out the seven storey building which will include a roof terrace on the sixth floor and restaurants and retail units at ground level. The Paradise redevelopment is by Paradise Circus Limited Partnership, a private-public joint venture with Birmingham City Council. The private sector funding is being managed by Hermes Investment Management which has partnered with Canada Pension Pan Investment Board on the first phase of the development. Argent is the development manager. Carillion operations director, Simon Dingle said: “Paradise is a crucial project for the city and Carillion is very proud to be playing such a major role in its delivery. We are looking forward to completing the enabling works on the site and being able to bring our considerable experience to construct One Chamberlain Square.” Argent regional director, Rob Groves, said: “Carillion has been making good progress preparing this complex site and the surrounding infrastructure and is about to start delivering the foundations and basement for the first phase of building. We are very pleased that Carillion will now be able to continue this work and bring One Chamberlain Square to life.” Source link
Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has confirmed that the government is unable to make a decision on the proposed expansion of Heathrow airport until “at least October”. Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said “given recent events” he “cannot see any announcement” on airport expansion until after the summer recess of parliament and a new Conservative Party leader is elected. “I very much hope a decision can be made later this year,” Mr McLoughlin told the House of Commons. So politically charged is the topic of airport expansion in the southeast of England that back in 2012 the government commissioned an independent commission under Sir Howard Davies to recommend the best way forward. It shortlisted proposals for a second runway at Gatwick and a new airport in the Thames estuary but in its final report in July 2015 recommended a third runway at Heathrow. On receiving that recommendation the government promised to respond by the end of 2015. At the end of 2015 it said it was delaying a decision until summer 2016, saying that more studies were required on the impact of Heathrow expansion on air quality. The political chaos resulting from the EU referendum result has provided more cover for the government to avoid a difficult decision once again. “This is disappointing news,” said Institution of Civil Engineers director general Nick Baveystock. “Government commissioned a comprehensive review to establish the best expansion option for the UK, and this resulted in a clear recommendation. We recognise the difficult political situation but now more than ever we need a bold, strategic decision on the country’s future hub capacity and leaders who can step up to the mark. We now face yet more uncertainty, and indefinite delay on an issue that is critical to the UK’s competitiveness.” This article was published on 30 Jun 2016 (last updated on 30 Jun 2016). Source link
A new home for the Ravens in the Tower of London; a Japanese-take on the London terraced house; and a new centre of excellence for brain research were last night among 36 projects named as winners of the prestigious RIBA London Award for architectural excellence in the capital. A magical restoration of one of London’s historic gems went on to win the capital’s biggest prize for architecture this year, the RIBA London Building of the Year Award, sponsored by Marley Eternit. The stunning restoration of the 18th and 19th century buildings of Wilton’s Music Hall by Tim Ronalds Architects was revealed as the winner of the RIBA London Building of the Year Award at a ceremony last night (Tuesday 3 May). The judges praised the atmosphere created in the restored Wilton’s as ‘seductive and unforgettable’ with the architect’s great skill being used to give areas of the building an ‘archaeological character’. The awards ceremony – attended by many of the capital’s top architects and clients – was held at the Stirling Prize shortlisted University of Greenwich Stockwell Street Building, which houses the University’s Architecture Department. There were 181 entries into the RIBA London awards this year. Some 68 schemes were shortlisted and visited by one of our four expert juries. That each shortlisted scheme has been visited and thoroughly examined makes the RIBA Awards widely regarded as the most rigorously judged awards in the profession. The RIBA London Award winners will now be considered for a highly-coveted RIBA National Award which will be announced on Wednesday 6 July 2016. The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the best UK building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning buildings later in the year. The full list of RIBA London Award winners (in alphabetical order): 61 Oxford Street by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris 8 St James’s Square by Eric Parry Architects Alphabeta by Studio RHE ARK All Saints Academy and Highshore School by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris Corner House by DSDHA Covert House by DSDHA Curzon Bloomsbury by Takero Shimazaki Architects & Unick Architects Ely Court, South Kilburn by Alison Brooks Architects & Hester Architects Gagosian Gallery, Mayfair by TateHindle, Caruso St John & BDP Garden House by Hayhurst and Co. Godson Street by Edgley Design & Spaced Out Architecture Studio (SOAS) Graveney School Sixth Form Block by Urban Projects Bureau Greenwich Gateway Pavilions by Marks Barfield Architects Greenwich Housing by Bell Phillips Architects House of Trace by Tsuruta Architects Kingston Ancient Market Place and Stalls by Tonkin Liu Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute by Allies and Morrison & PM Devereux Merchant Square Footbridge by Knight Architects Modern Mews by Coffey Architects Modern Side Extension by Coffey Architects Newport Street Gallery by Caruso St John Architects Ravens Enclosure, HM Tower of London by Llowarch Llowarch Architects RCA Battersea by Haworth Tompkins Regent High School by Walters & Cohen Architects Royal Road by Panter Hudspith Architects Sir John Soane’s Museum by Julian Harrap Architects The Bath House Children’s Community Centre by Lipton Plant Architects The Plimsoll Building by David Morley Architects & Weedon Architects The Royal Hospital Chelsea, Long Wards by Peregrine Bryant Architecture and Building Conservation Thornsett Road by Allies and Morrison Tin House by Henning Stummel Architects Trafalgar Place – Elephant and Castle by dRMM Architects Turnmill by Piercy&Company Vaudeville Court by Levitt Bernstein Waddesdon Bequest Gallery by Stanton Williams & Purcell Wilton’s Music Hall by Tim Ronalds Architects In addition to the 36 RIBA London Awards announced on the evening, six of the winning projects went on to win special praise by also winning an RIBA London Special Award. These winners are: RIBA London Sustainability Award 2016 sponsored by Sika went to Regent High School by Walters and Cohen Architects RIBA London Small Project of the Year Award 2016 went toHouse of Trace by Tsuruta Architects RIBA London Conservation Award 2016 went to Wilton’s Music Hall by Tim Ronalds Architects RIBA London Client of the Year Award 2016 went to Graveney Trust for the Graveney School Sixth Form Block by Urban Projects Bureau RIBA London Project Architect of the Year Award 2016 sponsored by Tarmac goes to Dickon Hayward of Studio RHE Ltd for Alphabeta. And finally RIBA London Building of the Year Award 2016 sponsored by Marley Eternit goes to Wilton’s Music Hall by Tim Ronalds Architects ENDS Notes to editors: For press enquires, including access to high res images and citations contact Owen Wainhouse, owen.wainhouse@riba.org 020 7307 3659 / 07931 424188 The RIBA London Regional Award winners will now be considered for a highly-coveted RIBA National Award in recognition of their architectural excellence, which will be announced on Wednesday 6 July. The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the best UK building of the year will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning buildings. The RIBA Awards have been running continuously since 1966 and are judged and presented locally. No matter the shape, size, budget or location, RIBA Award winning schemes set the standard for great architecture all across the country. RIBA Awards are for buildings in the UK by RIBA Chartered Architects and RIBA International Fellows. The RIBA’s London Region represents some 12,000 members and over 1,000 chartered practices in the capital and aims to promote excellence in the profession and the value of good design through a range of projects that celebrate achievements, campaign for quality, develop skills, offer training, further education and create opportunities for those in the capital. www.architecture.com/ribalondon Follow us for London architecture updates @RIBA_London Posted on Wednesday 4th May 2016 Source link
Book Course HSL is to run a 1 day course on The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) – An Introduction to the Role of the Principal Designer – LONDON. ETC Venues – Marble ArchGarfield House86 Edgware RoadLondonW2 2EA Garfield House 86 Edgware Road London W2 2EAGarfield Hous86 Edgware Ro W2 2EA 14 June 2016 CDM 2015 creates a new role of the Principal Designer (PD) – a designer or design organisation appointed from the existing project team with duties to plan, manage and monitor the pre-construction phase and coordinate matters relating to health and safety during the pre-construction phase. A significant part of the course is intended to increase awareness and understanding of how construction risks can be mitigated through design and exchange of information. This event provides an introduction to this new role and is aimed at designers, clients, contractors and/or individuals who may take on the pre-construction phase coordination role for the first time, or simply want to understand the PD function for small to medium size projects. It is not aimed at former CDM-Cs. The course will be delivered by an ex-HSE Principal Construction Inspector with almost 40 years’ experience. It will include: An introduction and overview to CDM 2015 and the duties of the Principal Designer The role of the construction client The Principal Designer’s role in supporting the client Obtaining and using pre-construction information Appointment of designers and contractors The Principal Designer’s role in ensuring designers comply with their duties Exploring through case study and discussion the key health and safety risks construction workers can face during construction and maintenance Coordinating the flow of health and safety information The role of the Principal Contractor and liaison with the PD Preparing the health and safety file Understand the changes introduced by CDM 2015, the policy objectives behind them, and how the Regulations enable proportionate compliance dependent on project complexity Know the role and duties of the Client, Principal Designer, designers, Principal Contractor, and contractors and the relationships and interfaces with the Principal Designer Know the key health and safety risks faced by construction workers and those maintaining a structure Understand the importance of pre-construction information, its limitations and the need for interpretation and further investigation in some circumstances Understand the importance of achieving the effective communication of and use of design information Understand how effective management, coordination and monitoring during the pre-construction phase can help to eliminate or reduce risks during the construction and life of the structure As PDs, be better placed to make decisions on the relevancy of pre-construction and design information they should provide to PCs for construction phase health & safety plans, and relevant information for health and safety files This training is aimed at individuals and employees of organisations who meet the definition of designer and could be appointed as PD, and those who want to understand the duties of a PD as defined in CDM 2015. This course is intended to provide an introduction and overview only to this new role and help delegates understand the actions that need to be taken to discharge the Principal Designer’s duties. It is not aimed at those involved in major projects or designed to establish or evaluate competence. ETC Venues – Marble ArchGarfield House86 Edgware RoadLondonW2 2EA The cost of this course is £495 per person (includes course notes, certificate of attendance and lunch/refreshments). Book Course Please note the invoice option is not available within 4 weeks of the course date, or for overseas customers. For further dates and additional information email: training@hsl.gsi.gov.uk or contact the Training & Conferences Unit at HSL directly on +44 (0)1298 218806. Back to Health & Safety Training Courses Back to the top Source link
The number of restaurant units in Manchester now stands at more than 150, led by particularly strong growth from upmarket and casual dining operators which have doubled their supply in the city over the last five years, according to international real estate advisor Savills. Since the end of 2012, 30 new restaurant brands in these two categories have opened in the city, with 14 arriving since the start of 2016, according to the firm’s analysis. El Gato Negro, Grafene and Busaba are among the new arrivals of the past 12 months. These new restaurants form part of a wider thriving leisure scene in Manchester. Savills analysis of the city centre revealed there are now more than 540 leisure units, including restaurants, bars, cafes, cinemas and other entertainment venues. Looking beyond restaurants to consider the leisure sector as a whole, a total of 70 new operators have arrived in Manchester since 2012, including 26 which have opened this year. Increased demand for restaurant space has pushed top rents in prime flagship locations to £40-50 per sq ft (£430-538 per sq m) in Q3 2016 compared to £30-£40 per sq ft (£323-£431 per sq m) five years ago. John Agnew, retail and leisure director at Savills, comments: “Manchester continues to be a major dining and leisure destination, and the city’s offer has grown significantly in recent years. Our analysis shows that aspirational brands feel at home in Manchester, with many new operators arriving to offer both casual dining and more upmarket experiences. There is truly something to suit every wallet and taste.” Savills says Deansgate, the Corn Exchange, Spinningfields, Piccadilly and King Street are among the most attractive locations for major restaurant operators, while independents continue to favour the Northern Quarter. For example, Wahaca recently chose the Corn Exchange for its second site in Manchester while Grafene headed for King Street and Shoryu will shortly open in Piccadilly Gardens. Tom Whittington, retail research director at Savills, adds: “We noted in 2015 that Manchester’s diners were increasingly looking to try new brands and culinary experiences. The figures this year indicate that numerous restaurant operators believe this trend is set to continue. Whilst it is true that some operators have found the city challenging, this is largely due to issues with their individual locations or size of units. Overall, Manchester’s dining and leisure scene is thriving.” Source link