The new government has made it clear that it intends to promote a more strategic approach to planning. New research, commissioned by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), revealed overwhelming support for effective strategic planning in England across the public and private sectors, with 96% of planners agreeing that a
Future Biogas, a leading developer of anaerobic digestion (AD) plants and biogas producer in the UK, has agreed to acquire a 51% stake in a portfolio of six gas-to-grid AD facilities. The transaction, valued at £68.1 million, is being funded with £30 million from 3i Infrastructure plc, while the remaining
Clowes Developments have engaged Environment Social Governance (ESG) specialists BE Design to deliver the group’s ESG strategy. Construction and its impact on the environment have rightly become a regular topic of conversation amongst industry leaders, all looking to find effective and realistic ways to move forward. Clowes have identified the
CDS Superstores, the parent company of Wilko and The Range, has appointed Antony Darbyshire, former property director at Matalan, as its new Head of Property. Darbyshire brings over 30 years of experience in the retail property sector to his new role, where he will oversee the expansion of Wilko’s concept
The City of Edinburgh Council marked the start of construction on a new affordable housing development with a ceremonial sod-cutting event on Thursday (15 August). Council Leader Cammy Day was joined by Fraser Lynes, Managing Director of Cruden and architects Smith Scott Mullan as work got underway on the development
An interlinked fire and carbon monoxide alarm system played a vital role in saving the life of a tenant living in a social housing property in Scotland. Neighbours were alerted to the fire in Dalkeith, near Edinburgh, when home safety specialist Aico’s multi-sensor alarm was activated and began to sound.
UK based aluminium system company Kawneer have renewed their membership with Secured by Design (SBD). Since its inception over a century ago, Kawneer has been recognised as an innovator and have skilfully balanced experience with innovation. Their global design expertise, combined with aluminium’s flexibility and recyclability, makes their building façade
Jon Howlin, CEO of The Skills Centre, comments on the announced closure of Women into Construction after 16 years of operation: Jon Howlin commented: “I was truly saddened to hear the news about Women into Construction closing its doors after 16 years of incredible work. Kath Moore MBE and her
Urgent regulatory reform required to support crucial sector in midst of national housing emergency The challenges faced by small and medium sized home builders and the need for urgent regulatory reform to get this crucial part of the Scottish housing market growing again are being spotlighted this week with
Work in now underway on a development in Spennymoor, County Durham, which will see 187 mixed tenure homes created. Vistry North East – part of the Vistry Group – is delivering the project, comprising two, three and four bedroomed properties on an 18-acre site, just off Whitworth Road. And a
The new government has made it clear that it intends to promote a more strategic approach to planning. New research, commissioned by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), revealed overwhelming support for effective strategic planning in England across the public and private sectors, with 96% of planners agreeing that a change to current practice is needed. Research from the Centre for Sustainable Planning and Environments at the University of the West of England is the first nationwide study that seeks to understand the nature of current strategic planning practice. It shows that over 80% of planners are in favour of strategic planning being mandated by the Government. While statutory strategic planning is widely regarded as vital for the management of key issues that cannot be addressed properly at the local scale, like building economic, climate, and nature resilience, and articulating long-term development and infrastructure needs, it was almost completely abolished in 2010. Since then, there has been no mandatory requirement for a nationwide approach to strategic planning in England. Today, parts of England remain without strategic planning activity. Although the new Labour government has signalled strong support for the practice, announcing ambitions to have universal coverage of strategic plans by 2029, researchers say it will not be achievable without a new generation of strategic planners. 40% of local authority planners surveyed by the researchers reported that they did not work in an area with statutory strategic planning, while 25% reported that there was no non-statutory strategic planning activity in their area. Alongside a reduction in planning resources, this has resulted in a loss of technical knowledge and experience in strategic planning. Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI, said: “It’s really rewarding to witness our members producing such high-quality research at a time when we know the government is attempting to change the system through the NPPF.” Catriona Riddell, Catriona Riddell Associates, said: “The profession has been arguing for a return to an effective approach to strategic planning since 2010 and this research will be vital for the new Government as it moves forward with its proposals for reinventing it.” Hannah Hickman, Associate Professor in Planning Practice, UWE “It has been a privilege to lead research on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute on strategic planning. With over 400 participants, this research provides compelling evidence on the case for a return to a more effective, and mandatory form of statutory strategic planning.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Future Biogas, a leading developer of anaerobic digestion (AD) plants and biogas producer in the UK, has agreed to acquire a 51% stake in a portfolio of six gas-to-grid AD facilities. The transaction, valued at £68.1 million, is being funded with £30 million from 3i Infrastructure plc, while the remaining amount will be financed by Future Biogas through committed debt facilities. These six facilities have a combined gas output of 333GWh. Future Biogas has a deep familiarity with these assets, having originally developed five of the six plants and operated them for an average of eight years. As the new majority owner, Future Biogas plans to implement investment-driven enhancements identified by its management team. The acquisition also provides the company with immediate scale, enhancing its attractiveness to potential future acquirers. Since 3i Infrastructure’s initial investment in Future Biogas in 2023, the company has successfully transitioned from being a third-party plant operator to an asset owner and developer, with a pipeline of new sites totalling 1.3TWh. Additionally, construction has commenced at the Gonerby Moor site, which will operate on an unsubsidised basis under a 15-year green gas offtake agreement with AstraZeneca. Philipp Lukas, Chief Executive Officer of Future Biogas, commented: “We are very pleased to acquire a stake in this portfolio of anaerobic digestion plants from JLEN, with whom we will continue to work constructively. We are well-acquainted with these assets, having developed and managed them for an average of eight years. This transaction is a critical step in building a scalable AD platform under Future Biogas, allowing us to upgrade the plant portfolio and extend their operational lives beyond the current RHI subsidy. Importantly, it supports our Project Carbon Harvest mission to generate and supply green gas, contributing to the decarbonisation of UK farms and industry.” Scott Moseley and Bernardo Sottomayor, Managing Partners and Co-Heads of European Infrastructure at 3i Investments plc, added: “It is increasingly evident that biogas will play a significant role in the UK’s energy transition. This acquisition is a key milestone, firmly establishing Future Biogas as the leading independent owner and developer of AD plants in the UK.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Clowes Developments have engaged Environment Social Governance (ESG) specialists BE Design to deliver the group’s ESG strategy. Construction and its impact on the environment have rightly become a regular topic of conversation amongst industry leaders, all looking to find effective and realistic ways to move forward. Clowes have identified the urgent need to proactively integrate ESG into the day-to-day function and decision-making processes across the group, from land and planning to development through to asset management. ‘Building for future generations to prosper’ has always been a key value instilled into the team at Clowes but the board have now invested heavily into this area of the business’s long term strategy. Clowes have taken several essential steps this year to kick start making their ambitions a reality. The team have had to review and implement several changes to ensure data is correctly gathered and reported according to government legislation including Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) and Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR). The group have historically published their carbon usage in their end of year accounts through Companies House but are now taking that a step further by verifying the data through an industry leading carbon tracking platform, Planet Mark. Backed by the Eden Project, CEO and Founder Steve Malkin began Planet Mark as an effective, people-driven sustainability certification. Clowes have been focusing on carbon reporting which involves measuring and disclosing the amount of carbon emissions produced by a business. Understanding your carbon footprint is the first step on your journey to becoming net zero. By becoming Planet Mark certified, it will help the business implement an effective carbon reduction strategy, stay ahead of legislation and mitigate risks, eliminate the risk of greenwashing and help to boost operational efficiency. The group’s utility co-ordinator, Daniel Houldey-Wright collated the groups energy usage data in line with the reporting requirements for Planet Mark which also comply SECR scope 1 and 2. Daniel commented, “At first it felt a somewhat overwhelming task. The group has a large number of properties and meter supplies which needed to be streamlined. We identified exactly which supplies needed to be reported to comply with scopes 1 and 2 and began gathering the data. We have had to implement several administrative changes to the way we collect our data as well as expanding our efforts to have smart meters installed across our portfolio; allowing us to not only access readings more swiftly, but to also better manage energy consumption across the group. During the process, we were also very pleased to calculate that around 90% of our total energy usage stems from renewable sources, so we will be working on the balance of our supplies to achieve 100% renewable energy across our portfolio. We now have all our processes working efficiently and we feel confident in our ability to accurately track our energy usage across the portfolio. This has been reinforced by the speedy certification we have received through Planet Mark. We anticipated queries and inaccuracies but were pleasantly surprised with the quick turnaround from submission to certification.” Managing Director, Thomas Clowes, Development Director, James Richards and Head of Marketing, Kate Henderson are leading on the set up, roll out and ongoing management of the groups ESG Strategy. Thomas commented, “I am incredibly pleased with the teams’ efforts to submit this year’s Planet Mark data successfully and according to a tight schedule; we now have an accurate benchmark of our current carbon footprint, and we can begin our journey to reduce this year on year. Our aspiration is to deliver a 5% reduction by 2025. Clowes have a responsibility to play our part in reducing carbon emissions.” According to the World Green Building Council, buildings are currently responsible for 39% of global energy related carbon emissions: 28% from operational emissions, from energy needed to heat, cool and power them, and the remaining 11% from materials and construction. Now that Clowes have received their first year’s certification, BE Design will be working with Thomas, James and Kate to firm up their ESG strategy and carbon reduction action points which will be published online later in the year. Clowes will also be engaging their ESG committee members to help communicate with and empower employees across the group to support and drive forward the ESG strategy. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
CDS Superstores, the parent company of Wilko and The Range, has appointed Antony Darbyshire, former property director at Matalan, as its new Head of Property. Darbyshire brings over 30 years of experience in the retail property sector to his new role, where he will oversee the expansion of Wilko’s concept stores across the UK and Northern Ireland, as well as manage the 200-store portfolio of The Range. Darbyshire’s previous roles include a decade at Matalan and nine years as Head of Property at Sports Direct within the Frasers Group. His extensive background in property management is seen as a key asset as CDS Superstores moves forward with its ambitious growth plans. Commenting on the appointment, Alex Simpkin, Chief Executive of CDS Superstores, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Antony to our leadership team. His extensive experience and expertise in property management are exactly what we need as we accelerate our expansion plans and build on our success to date. Antony will play a critical role in ensuring that both The Range and Wilko continue to thrive and reach even more communities across the UK.” Simpkin also highlighted the company’s focus on revitalising the Wilko brand through innovative concept stores, encouraging landlords with suitable spaces to engage with them as they increase the pace of new store launches. Wilko, which was acquired out of administration by The Range last September, is set to open its sixth concept store in Poole on 16 August, following successful launches in Exeter, Luton, Plymouth, Rotherham, and St Albans. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The City of Edinburgh Council marked the start of construction on a new affordable housing development with a ceremonial sod-cutting event on Thursday (15 August). Council Leader Cammy Day was joined by Fraser Lynes, Managing Director of Cruden and architects Smith Scott Mullan as work got underway on the development of 143 energy efficient social and mid-market rent properties. In partnership with Cruden, the project will deliver a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes across the site, including wheelchair accessible accommodation. Work will include upgrades to greenspace and the main footpath linking Salveson Cresent and Marine Drive to create safer, easier access to the shorelines. Plans also include a new Pavilion for Craigroyston Community Football club. The development is part of the £1.3 billion Granton Waterfront regeneration which will create a new residential-led mixed-use community and will deliver around 3,500 net zero carbon homes, a primary school, a health centre, commercial and cultural space, and a new coastal park. Council Leader Cammy Day said: It was great to attend the sod-cutting ceremony at the Silverlea site today as we marked the beginning of construction on this exciting development here in Edinburgh. We’re facing a Housing Emergency so we must continue to build more affordable housing to address our chronic shortage. To deliver our net zero targets for the Capital, sustainable regeneration is so important, and every element of this development has been designed with that in mind. I’m delighted that plans also include a new Pavilion for Craigroyston Community Football Club which will be a real asset to the community. The project forms part of the wider £1.3bn regeneration of the Granton area where we’re unlocking brownfield land to build a new sustainable 20-minute neighbourhood. We’re continuing to work hard to ensure Granton is somewhere residents will be proud to live and I look forward to seeing progress continue throughout this year. Fraser Lynes, MD of Cruden, added: Silverlea is a great example of development with sustainability and community at its heart, and we are thrilled to be involved in the delivery of this transformational project. The City of Edinburgh Council must be commended in bringing forward these much needed social and mid-market homes amid the capital’s housing emergency, and for specifying them to net zero carbon standards, making them greener, cleaner and more efficient to heat and run. During this development, we’re looking forward to providing the new pavilion for Craigroyston Boys Club, carefully re-using the Griffens from the historic Muirhouse Mansion, as well as delivering an important programme of new tree planting and a wildflower meadow to enhance local greenspace. The progress is the latest in the Granton Waterfront regeneration with work already well underway on several other projects in the area. Over 400 net zero homes at Western Villages as well as 75 net zero homes at ‘Granton D1’ are currently under construction. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
An interlinked fire and carbon monoxide alarm system played a vital role in saving the life of a tenant living in a social housing property in Scotland. Neighbours were alerted to the fire in Dalkeith, near Edinburgh, when home safety specialist Aico’s multi-sensor alarm was activated and began to sound. While the resident was initially unable to respond, neighbours who heard the alarms through the wall were able to wake them so they could get to safety. The fire started in the main bedroom of the property, which is owned by Melville Housing Association, whilst the occupant slept downstairs. The flames moved quickly through to the upstairs hallway and activated alarms which were interlinked and located throughout the property. Due to the AudioLINK+ function on the Aico alarms, the landlord was able to review the data following the incident, which showed a peak temperature within the home of 102C, with carbon monoxide levels of 450ppm (parts per million) – nine times the safe limit. David Todd, Property Manager for Melville Housing Association, said: “After speaking with the fire service, neighbours and the tenants of the property, it’s clear that the smoke and heat detection is very likely to have saved the occupant’s life. “The fire started in the upstairs of the property with all alarms sounding due to being interlinked. “The occupant, who has complex needs, was unable to recognise the dangers, however neighbours alerted him by banging on the door and signalling through the window. “Thankfully, the occupant was ushered away to safety and is now fine. “The neighbours were alerted due to the noise from the alarms themselves. “With us being able to take readings off the smoke alarms, which showed temperatures of over 100C and carbon monoxide being nine times the safe limit, it left us in no doubt that the alarms were working, did their job, and played a significant part in keeping everyone safe. “The law on fire alarms means all Scottish homes need to have interlinked alarms, which this incident has proved is very important.” Neal Hooper, Managing Director at Aico, said: “Lives were saved, which is the most important thing. This really brings home the importance of life safety and of having things in your home which give you peace of mind every time you go to bed. “If the alarms had not alerted the neighbours and, ultimately, the tenants, a tragedy would surely have occurred. Instead, everyone was evacuated from the property and did not come to any lasting harm. “Fire and carbon monoxide alarms are critical life safety devices and this example, along with many others, is testament to the hard work and dedication we give to our products to ensure they perform as expected when they are needed. “Too often people will wait until there is increased legislation and regulation before they are forced into taking life safety seriously. We do need better and clear legislation, but at the same time there are relatively inexpensive options which can be fitted to give you peace of mind.” All Aico alarms are manufactured in-house, and each alarm is individually tested multiple times before it leaves the factory. “This incident illustrates the importance of everyone having working, compliant smoke alarm and CO systems in their home. “People often think nothing like this will happen to them, but it can, and it’s important to stress to regularly test all of their alarms to make sure they’re working and to check their expiry date,” Neal added. Melville Housing Association has been working with Aico for a number of years and about 95 per cent of alarms in its properties have been supplied by the manufacturer. “Aico facilitates a number of roundtable events with housing associations which are very well received and where we are able to share important knowledge about fire safety including smoke alarms and fire doors,” David added. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
UK based aluminium system company Kawneer have renewed their membership with Secured by Design (SBD). Since its inception over a century ago, Kawneer has been recognised as an innovator and have skilfully balanced experience with innovation. Their global design expertise, combined with aluminium’s flexibility and recyclability, makes their building façade systems and products the right solutions for today and into the future. Kawneer offer a comprehensive range of architectural aluminium building products and systems which include unitised solutions, curtain walls, windows, doors and framing systems. Kawneer products are made from aluminium materials of the highest quality and designed with the benefit of many years of construction experience. As Kawneer have full manufacturing capability in the UK, they control every stage of the manufacturing and quality process, from aluminium billet to designing and supplying individual systems, offering a unique proposition to architects and contractors. Kawneer have an extensive range of aluminium doors and windows that have achieved the Police Preferred Specification. As an aluminium system company Kawneer supply several Secured by Design approved fabricator companies in the UK who assemble and install their products on projects from residential to high-rise office and mixed-use development sectors. Find out more about Kawneer and their extensive range of Secured by Design accredited products here. Mark Clemson, Commercial Director for Kawneer UK, commented: “The SBD scheme is a key part of our UK strategic plan. Ensuring our high-performance aluminium products meet this recognised standard is critical for us to be able to offer a full and comprehensive product offer to our customers. We look forward to many more years collaborating with Police CPI.” Hazel Goss, Secured by Design, said: “It has been a pleasure to renew our membership with Kawneer, who have been long standing members since 2015. Being a systems house they offer a fantastic profile range for doors and windows. I’m looking forward to many more years working alongside them.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Jon Howlin, CEO of The Skills Centre, comments on the announced closure of Women into Construction after 16 years of operation: Jon Howlin commented: “I was truly saddened to hear the news about Women into Construction closing its doors after 16 years of incredible work. Kath Moore MBE and her team have made a tremendous impact on our industry, supporting thousands of women and helping to break down barriers in construction. At The Skills Centre, we’ve been proud to collaborate with Women into Construction on several programmes, helping many women start their careers in this field. Their closure is a significant loss, but it also reminds us of the importance of the work that still needs to be done. The numbers — 4,700 women supported, 1,300 placed in employment—are a testament to the change that can happen when we work together. But this journey isn’t over. We now have to think about how we can build on what’s been achieved and ensure that the momentum isn’t lost. This is a time for all of us in the industry to come together, to keep pushing for diversity, and to make sure the progress we’ve seen continues. We’re committed to this at The Skills Centre, and we know that with the support and collaboration of our industry, we can keep moving forward. Thank you to Kath and her team for all they’ve done. Let’s honour their legacy by continuing to open doors and create opportunities for everyone in construction.” The Skills Centre is one of the UK’s leading construction skills training companies with centres in central London, Kent, Cardiff and the West Midlands. The Skills Centre specialises in training and apprenticeships for groundwork, formwork and steel fixing, and its learners and apprentices work on major projects across the UK, including HS2, Everton Football Ground, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and Canada Water. The Skills Centre’s ambition is to transform lives, creating local opportunities for local people and opening the doors to a career in construction through collaboration with industry and community leaders. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Urgent regulatory reform required to support crucial sector in midst of national housing emergency The challenges faced by small and medium sized home builders and the need for urgent regulatory reform to get this crucial part of the Scottish housing market growing again are being spotlighted this week with a range of activities including a special roundtable session with the Ministers for Housing and Public Finance. Other MSPs are undertaking visits to vitally important rural and brownfield housing developments being delivered by SMEs across the country. This dedicated “Awareness Week” follows recently published independent data review revealing an alarming reduction in Scotland’s SME home building sector. According to representative body Homes for Scotland (HFS), the proportion of new homes sold by those building between three and 49 homes per annum has fallen from around 40 per cent in 2017 to 20 per cent in 2023. It also shows a significant increase in the number of SME home builders being dissolved, with 2023 levels 45 per cent higher than in 2019. Speaking ahead of the Ministerial roundtable taking place on Wednesday (21 August), HFS Chief Executive Jane Wood said: “Our research is the first of its kind, quantifying and contextualising Scotland’s SME home building sector and filling a significant data gap. Its findings paint a sobering picture of the impact barriers to growth are having on this vital group. “SMEs simply do not have the economies of scale available to larger developers to navigate what is an overly complex and under-resourced planning system. This, coupled with the high-risk upfront financial costs involved in residential development and an ever-increasing regulatory burden, is making many SME sites unviable. “With SMEs essential for building out rural and brownfield sites and the added context of a national housing emergency and a staggering 28% of Scottish households (693,000) identified as being in some form of housing need, what further evidence does the Scottish Government require to take action and introduce the regulatory reform required to facilitate the delivery of much-needed, warm and sustainable new homes? “We are grateful to the Ministers for Housing and Public Finance for joining us this Wednesday to hear first hand the challenges that only SME home builders themselves can provide. HFS and its members are ready to work with them to ensure Scotland has a positive regulatory environment which fosters housing growth rather than diminishing it. Eve McCurrich, Managing Director of Whiteburn Projects, this year’s HFS SME Home Builder of the Year, said: “SMEs are tremendously important to the diversity of new home delivery across Scotland. As demonstrated by the research, the decline in the number of SMEs is stark evidence of the loss of local house builders across Scotland. “A buoyant SME culture would not only see the creation of new businesses and new jobs, but importantly, it would provide new homes across the whole of Scotland. This would not only positively contribute to the national and local economies, but offer homes and jobs for people within their local communities. “I urge policy makers to take note of these findings, listen to what is needed to remove barriers, and help support the SME sector to flourish in Scotland, reaping these benefits for all.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Work in now underway on a development in Spennymoor, County Durham, which will see 187 mixed tenure homes created. Vistry North East – part of the Vistry Group – is delivering the project, comprising two, three and four bedroomed properties on an 18-acre site, just off Whitworth Road. And a deal has now been agreed, which will see one of the region’s largest not-for-profit housing associations – believe housing – acquire 111 of the homes, to be made available for affordable rent, rent to buy and shared ownership. This will include 20 new bungalows built for older members of the community – which can be adapted as people’s needs change – and a selection of two, three and four bedroomed houses Other three and four bedroomed homes on the scheme will be sold via the Linden Homes brand, with some plots available via the government’s First Homes scheme, aimed at helping first time buyers on to the property ladder. Properties at the development will all have air source heat pumps, solar PV panels, electric vehicle charging provision and an improved building fabric – to ensure they are energy efficient and reduce carbon emissions and future costs for residents. The first homes on the circa £50million project are expected to be complete by early 2027. It is envisaged the works will create seven apprenticeships and a deliver a total of 1,148 training weeks on site, supporting those looking to enhance their skills and establish a career in construction. In addition, Vistry North East will invest around £550,000 – which is to be allocated towards improving surrounding open spaces and play infrastructure, to provide educational opportunities for local people and to support local healthcare initiatives. Andrew Rennie, development director, Vistry North East, said: “We are delighted to be underway on our first development in Spennymoor. “It is great to again be working with believe housing – following successful projects in Bishop Auckland and Peterlee – on an excellent project, which will improve the choice and quality of housing in the area. “We feel that this mixed tenure model – including a selection of affordable homes, bungalows, properties perfect for first-time buyers and larger, family houses – will enhance an already vibrant community, whilst creating valuable job and training opportunities.” Tom Winter, assistant director of development, believe housing, said: “To help meet the high demand for affordable housing in this area, we have committed to delivering up to 111 new homes on this site – in partnership with Vistry North East. It will be our largest project to date. “We will offer a diverse range of homes for affordable rent, Rent to Buy and shared ownership, helping us to meet the differing needs of future customers. All properties will adhere to the standards outlined in our Future Homes roadmap, which sets clear ambitions to deliver homes around the core principles of energy efficiency, low carbon heating and renewable energy technologies. “And importantly for believe housing, they will be the high quality, spacious, accessible, and energy efficient homes we know that people want to live in.” Vistry Group is the UK’s leading provider of affordable mixed tenure homes. A young and dynamic business with a Partnerships-led approach – delivered through the Countryside Partnerships brand – the Group is delivering thousands of homes every year for the affordable and private marketplaces. The Group also encompasses a portfolio of retail brands, including Linden Homes, Bovis Homes and Countryside Homes. Vistry North East is currently active on 15 construction sites around the region and is working with six housing associations and seven local authorities. Believe housing is one of the largest not-for-profit housing associations in the North East of England, with more than 18,000 homes and 600-plus employees. It improves customers’ lives by providing healthy, affordable homes and enhancing communities. A new-build programme is delivering high quality, energy efficient homes where they are needed. Existing homes are being upgraded in a huge project to improve their energy efficiency and adapt them to future needs. Believe’s community grants are supporting projects that make a real difference to people’s wellbeing and a range of support for customers is helping deliver its vision of life without barriers. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals