Browser does not support script. Contact us Speaking in response to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s (DCLG) announcement on a starter home boost to first-time buyers, RIBA President Stephen Hodder said: “The RIBA welcomes this first step towards increasing the availability of new homes for first-time buyers. “The Government must work with architects, developers and local communities to ensure that these new homes meet high standards of design and remain affordable. “It’s vital that a desire to sell at below market rate doesn’t lead to small, poor quality homes in areas without sufficient infrastructure, that’s why we believe it’s imperative that the new national space standard – which come into effect in October – is applied to all new-build homes.” – ends – Posted on Thursday 13th August 2015 Source link

Low investor confidence in the UK energy sector is more due to “staggering volatility” of energy prices than government policy on low-carbon, the Treasury has said. Speaking at the launch of the National Infrastructure Delivery Plan 2016-2021, commercial secretary to the Treasury, Lord O’Neill of Gatley, said there are “a lot of forces that are making life tricky in the energy business, of which government commitment to various parts of it are one.” In the summer of 2015 Decc withdrew subsidies for some forms of renewable generation following the revelation it had overspent the £7.6bn budget for the Levy Control Framework (LCF) by £1.5 billion. Last month investors called on the government to help them understand how the LCF is calculated to provide more stability and clarity. In response to a question on the government’s commitment to low-carbon in the context of low investor confidence in the sector, O’Neill highlighted the impact of prices, saying: “Oil prices have actually recovered back to the levels at the start of December while most of the media are still focussed on the supposed collapse.” The National Infrastructure Delivery Plan lays out all of the government’s infrastructure priorities over the next five years. The energy sector is projected to spend £117.4 billion over the period – the highest of all sectors – including at least £18 billion to build Hinkley Point C new nuclear power station. O’Neill added that: “While it seems to be a bit of a sport to knock the government on marginal shifts in some other things, the main underlying rational in the commitment to nuclear is of course because of the external obligations involving climate change.” Today EDF Energy chief executive Vincent de Rivaz has said “categorically” that the Hinkley Point C new nuclear project will go ahead, but has refused to confirm when a final investment decision will be made on the £18 billion project. The government also last week announced in the budget a £30 million small modular reactor-enabling advanced manufacturing research and development programme to develop nuclear skills capacity. O’Neill said: “Something I am increasingly intrigued by is the potential role of so-called SMRs. It is something that I think needs to be given a lot more explanation, not least because it could be something we can produce in the UK, in the Northern powerhouse in particular, for the rest of the world.” Source link

Property Reporter’s sister site, Financial Reporter has announced the launch of the Buy-to-Let Roadshow, following the huge success of last week’s Specialist Lending Roadshow. The Buy-to-Let Roadshow will aim to give intermediaries a better understanding of the lucrative buy-to-let sector at venues across the UK over 4 days featuring roundtable sessions with key industry speakers and covering a range of topics related to buy-to-let, including available products, regulatory issues and more. This will enable advisers to offer a comprehensive and informed service to their clients as well as gaining valuable CII and CPD points. Specialists already confirmed include Together, Aldermore, Connect Mortgage Club, Foundation Home Loans, IFA Conveyancing, Kensington, and Skipton Intermediaries. The Buy-to-Let Roadshow will take place across the following dates and venues: – Newcastle – 7th June – Leeds – 8th June – Northampton – 9th June – Reading – 10th June For more information on the Buy-to-Let Roadshow, click here. The inaugural Specialist Lending Roadshow saw over 400 intermediaries signed up to attend the four-day line-up and feedback shows that brokers are already booking appointments based off the valuable information given by the lender line-up. Discussing the success of the Specialist Lending Roadshow, Jim Baker from Masthaven Finance, said: “The Roadshow was very well-organised – there were clear objectives and a great collection of relevant introducers. An incredible use of our resources and time!” James Anderson from MT Finance, added: “We really enjoyed the experience – with a wide variety of high quality financial professionals in the room, we had some very good, productive conversations in great surroundings.” Source link

Gatwick development director Raymond Melee said the airport would press ahead with its plans to build a second runway, even if it was overlooked by Theresa May’s government. Speaking at the Construction News Summit, Mr Melee said: “If we were not fortunate to get a runway decision we would continue because inevitably the government will come back to us as we need more capacity in the South-east.” His comments come ahead of the government’s self-imposed October deadline to make a decision on airport capacity. A number of reports have suggested that a decision will be made after a cabinet sub-committee meeting on airport expansion chaired by Mrs May on 18 October. “I think we have the best [runway] proposal,” Mr Melee said. “Heathrow, while a good airport, has failed four times. I am not sure whether doing it a fifth time would get a different result.” Last week, Gatwick named American engineering giant Bechtel as its strategic partner to build a second runway at the airport. The team has promised to have the second runway fully operational by 2025, if chosen by the government as the preferred location for extra runway capacity. Architect Sir Terry Farrell has also been working on designs for the new Gatwick runway and terminal facility for a number of years and will work with Bechtel to bring the project to delivery phase. The Times columnist Tim Montgomerie earlier told the Summit it would send a positive message to the world to back both Gatwick and Heathrow. Mr Montgomerie, the founder of ConservativeHome, told CN Summit chair Andrew Neil he expected to see Heathrow given approval for a third runway, but that he was in favour of a second runway at Gatwick being built as well. He said: “A double airport expansion would be the right signal to the world that we want to be a global Britain.” Mr Montgomerie told the Summit that he expected Heathrow to be added to HS2 and Hinkley Point C as being approved by the government. He added the fourth ‘h’, housing, was a priority across government and that ”construction will definitely be a more important sector” for this government. However he added there were tensions between Theresa May and chancellor Philip Hammonds’ offices over the best way to proceed. He said Theresa May sees the future of Britain as being an infrastructure and skills-led economy, but that as gilt yields had risen, there was more uncertainty in the Treasury over how to proceed with borrowing for infrastructure.   Source link