The government has announced an overhaul of the planning system, proposing local planning authority resources be put on a sustainable footing, local plans for every area, mandatory housing targets for councils, and reviews of green belt land. Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said the consultation
Responding to the Deputy Prime Minister’s announcement on reforming the National Planning Policy Framework, London boroughs have reiterated their strong support for housing growth. London faces the most severe housing pressures in the country. London Councils estimates one in 50 Londoners is currently homeless and living in temporary accommodation, including
Tim Foreman, Managing Director of Land and New Homes, Leaders Romans Group (LRG): Housing targets I am pleased with the optimism that the government is showing towards the delivery of new homes. The delivery of 1.5 million homes in the current Parliament is unarguably necessary to meet current housing need
The Propertymark Trust is thrilled to announce a ground breaking initiative that allows estate agents to effortlessly donate orphaned funds to support charitable causes. This initiative is made possible through the enthusiastic support and technical integration provided by leading CRM (customer relationship management software) suppliers across the UK. Orphaned funds
Honor Barratt, CEO, Birchgrove said: “Angela Rayner’s plans for how Labour intends to increase housebuilding are laudable. However, we believe part of the solution to the housing crisis is making better use of the homes we already have. “There has been a lot of focus on the need for affordable
Construction of 229-bedroom Premier Inn on Rochdale Road to the north of the Northern Quarter is anticipated to commence in Sept 2024 Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hotel business and owner of Premier Inn, has appointed GMI Construction Group as principal contractor for its latest development in Manchester City Centre.
London Councils has welcomed the Spending Review announced by the Chancellor as an opportunity to bring “desperately needed” stability to council finances. Responding to the Chancellor’s speech, the cross-party group said that a stable financial footing will “strengthen boroughs’ role as drivers of local growth”. Boroughs are making the case
Blackley is set to get a brand-new community fire station following demolition of the former station on Rochdale Road. The development is part of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s (GMFRS) programme of improvements as outlined in its four-year Fire Plan in 2021, as the service continues to protect its communities. Marking
Leading offsite manufacturer McAvoy has recently delivered a new temporary classroom facility at The Bromfords Secondary School in Wickford, which was awarded through the Offsite Construction Solutions framework. It marks the latest in a series of projects aimed at addressing emergency school closures due to the prevalence of Reinforced Autoclaved
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced today that it will start Consensus engagement with the construction industry on Levy proposals for 2026-29 in September 2024. Consensus is a process that CITB usually undertakes every three years to ask construction employers for their views on its plans for generating
The government has announced an overhaul of the planning system, proposing local planning authority resources be put on a sustainable footing, local plans for every area, mandatory housing targets for councils, and reviews of green belt land. Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said the consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which opened today, has the potential to rebuild trust in the planning system. Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of RTPI said: “The proposed changes to our planning system outlined today have the potential to rebuild trust in our planning system. We believe that the government’s goals for housing, energy, and transport can be accomplished through collaboration with planners in both the public and private sectors. “It is particularly encouraging to see the government placing a much-needed emphasis on strategic planning, which can help deliver more coherent – not piecemeal – urban expansions by integrating new housing with transportation, energy, and public services. “The RTPI will begin consulting our members widely across England immediately to guide our response to the government on these and other important reforms.”
Responding to the Deputy Prime Minister’s announcement on reforming the National Planning Policy Framework, London boroughs have reiterated their strong support for housing growth. London faces the most severe housing pressures in the country. London Councils estimates one in 50 Londoners is currently homeless and living in temporary accommodation, including at least one homeless child in every London classroom. More than 320,000 households are on waiting lists for social housing in the capital. Boroughs have long sought to turbocharge housebuilding to encourage economic growth and address the homelessness crisis. London Councils points to the pipeline of 286,000 homes that have already been granted planning permission in London but are waiting to be built, while reiterating concerns about serious challenges to housing delivery. The cross-party group welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister’s declaration that councils will have more freedom over how they use the money raised from Right to Buy council house sales. Boroughs have called for fewer restrictions on the use of these sales receipts, arguing that they undermine boroughs’ ability to invest locally in replacement homes and that too much funding is redirected to the Treasury. Cllr Peter Mason, London Councils’ Executive Member for Planning & Skills, said: “There is no doubt that more homes are urgently needed in London and indeed around the country. Boroughs are strongly pro-housing growth and welcome the government’s focus on boosting housebuilding – including affordable homes and social housing. “New flexibilities over how we use Right to Buy sales receipts are a big step in the right direction. Reducing restrictions will help ensure more money raised from council house sales is better invested locally in building replacement homes. “London boroughs have a good record in granting planning permission, but construction of new homes has seriously stalled in the capital and we’re keen to work with the government in addressing this. As well as improving the planning system, we also need action on the other major factors undermining housebuilding – including the lack of local infrastructure, construction skills shortages, and insufficient long-term funding for affordable homes.”
Tim Foreman, Managing Director of Land and New Homes, Leaders Romans Group (LRG): Housing targets I am pleased with the optimism that the government is showing towards the delivery of new homes. The delivery of 1.5 million homes in the current Parliament is unarguably necessary to meet current housing need and compensate for years of under-delivery. But it is ambitious, not only in the figures but in the implementation too. Affordable housing targets From my clients’ point of view, the key point is the 50% affordable / social housing requirement for certain developments. While developers fully understand the need for more affordable housing, the issue is in the deliverability. With high labour and build costs an increasing raft of ‘planning gain’ requirements – biodiversity net gain, CIL and increasingly SANG too, viability is a growing issue. There are circumstances in which a development of 1,000 homes with 30% affordable housing is viable but 50% affordable housing is not. And yet surely 1,000 homes of which 300 are affordable housing, as compared to none at all, is preferable? The government needs to fully understand the pressures that the industry faces and the fact that profits are all too often minimal. Increasing co-operation with developers – for example, in allowing more car parking spaces to benefit marketability – would be a step the right direction. Similarly, where affordable housing requirements are increased, there should a balance whereby other requirements, such as funding for transport, is reduced. Timing Another aspect in which today’s Statement is possibly over-ambitious is timing. Clearly the government has made housing delivery a priority – as is demonstrated in the fact that the NPPF will be in place by September. But planning is notoriously slow. The government is set to deliver 1.5 million homes in five years, by 2029 – but due to the speed of planning and development, the first home is unlikely to be occupied until 2027. The number of homes to be delivered between 2027-9 will be unprecedented. To address this, my suggestion would be a Planning & Development Taskforce – a government agency with the sole objective of speeding up planning applications. Its first priority would be enforcing local plan production and implementation, by ensuring that local authorities are singing from the same hymn sheet as the government. It would also need to put in place special delivery vehicles for delivering new towns because there is no way in which the ambitious housing targets can be met without new towns – but the creation of an entirely new community a long and complex process. The government’s intention to reinvigorate the call in-process is a positive one. But it doesn’t speed up individual planning applications so much as reduce the likelihood of refusal – again, the process takes considerable time. Local Plan Furthermore, while it’s encouraging that the Secretary of State has said that every local authority must have up to date local plan, this was the case until recently and it didn’t result in universal delivery. Even with penalties applies, some local authorities rebelled, to the point that a large proportion are now without an up-to-date local plan. I do not have faith in local plan production being significantly increased until I can be convinced that the mechanisms have been put in place to achieve this.
The Propertymark Trust is thrilled to announce a ground breaking initiative that allows estate agents to effortlessly donate orphaned funds to support charitable causes. This initiative is made possible through the enthusiastic support and technical integration provided by leading CRM (customer relationship management software) suppliers across the UK. Orphaned funds can happen for many reasons, and after six years, rather than allowing these funds to sit dormant, estate agents can now donate them to the Propertymark Trust, thanks to new features implemented by CRM suppliers. Heather Staff from Street.co.uk expresses their commitment to this initiative: “At Street.co.uk, we’re committed to leveraging technology and automation to drive meaningful change within our industry. That’s why we’ve recently introduced a new feature that empowers our agents to effortlessly identify orphaned dormant funds and donate unallocated money to The Propertymark Trust’s incredible efforts – so everyone can easily make a tangible impact, without impacting their bottom line.” The team at Houseful is equally enthusiastic about their role in this transformative programme. Andrew Marshall of Houseful states, “The team at Houseful are delighted to be able to support the Propertymark Trust with the orphaned funds programme. Making a minor change to our CRM products in order to help unlock such a large opportunity for estate agents across the UK to make a difference was an absolute no brainer for us, and we are really just delighted to play our small part in such a great initiative.” Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark, highlights the significance of this initiative: “We are incredibly proud of the positive impact made by the newly invigorated Propertymark Trust team of trustees and ambassadors. Their efforts in promoting innovative fundraising methods really do provide vital support for those in need and their families. This initiative to allow orphaned funds to contribute to the fantastic work of the Propertymark Trust is the ultimate combination of initiative and tech integration, and we are delighted to see some of the industry’s biggest CRM providers getting behind it.” The Propertymark Trust ensures that any funds donated are used to support a wide range of charitable activities, making a tangible difference in communities across the UK. Additionally, the Trust has comprehensive safeguards to ensure a prompt reimbursement of contributions if a legitimate claim arises after the donation, providing peace of mind to participating estate agents. This initiative marks a significant step forward in utilising unclaimed funds for social good, demonstrating the powerful impact of technology and collaboration within the property industry. For more information, please contact: Lauren Scott-Simpson, help@propertymark-trust.co.uk
Honor Barratt, CEO, Birchgrove said: “Angela Rayner’s plans for how Labour intends to increase housebuilding are laudable. However, we believe part of the solution to the housing crisis is making better use of the homes we already have. “There has been a lot of focus on the need for affordable homes in Labour’s announcements so far. But this country has a similarly pressing issue with the lack of housing suitable for seniors. “We note that today’s announcement mentions support for mixed use sites that comprise a variety of ownership and rental tenures. We hope senior living will be a significant part of this mix. “Senior housing needs to be moved up the political agenda as it’s a key part of the solution to this country’s housing crisis. Two thirds of over-65s have at least two empty spare bedrooms in their home, which equates to nine million empty bedrooms every night. “A significant number of these people would move to smaller properties if more suitable senior living was widely available. This would free up many larger properties and have a knock-on effect on the entire housing market.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction of 229-bedroom Premier Inn on Rochdale Road to the north of the Northern Quarter is anticipated to commence in Sept 2024 Whitbread PLC, the UK’s largest hotel business and owner of Premier Inn, has appointed GMI Construction Group as principal contractor for its latest development in Manchester City Centre. GMI will lead the construction of Whitbread’s development site on Rochdale Road on the edge of Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The location has planning permission for a 229-bedroom Premier Inn hotel set over ten storeys with an integrated restaurant, bar, and check-in area on the ground floor. Whitbread acquired the site from Premcor in February 2024 as part of the company’s ongoing strategy of investing in strategic locations across Manchester. The company intends to bring its very latest bedroom product to the Rochdale Road hotel including its popular Premier Plus rooms. Will Steward, Project and Programme Manager for Whitbread, said: “Whitbread acquired the Rochdale Road development site in February 2024 with the premise of bringing about a speedy transformation of the location into a latest format Premier Inn hotel. Appointing GMI as principal contractor continues this positive momentum, and we hope to break ground and start building our latest Manchester hotel this autumn.” Rochdale Road is the latest investment by Whitbread in Central Manchester in recent years. In May 2021 the company opened a 157-bedroom Premier Inn at Princess Street to the south of the city centre. The opening paved the way for the redevelopment of the Premier Inn Manchester City Centre (Deansgate Locks) hotel a short distance away which served the same catchment. The Deansgate Locks location was subsequently sold to Student Roost for redevelopment into a purpose-built student accommodation development of more than 1,000 student beds in July 2024. Anthony Judge, Regional director for GMI Construction, said: “Following on from GMI and Whitbread’s collaboration in delivery of the nationally recognised and impressive Premier Inn development in Keswick, its brilliant to see our partnership go from strength to strength. “This latest development in the iconic Northern Quarter of Manchester will be a striking new addition to the skyline with its remarkable brickwork façade. We are delighted to be a part of this major project and greatly look forward to progressing with this scheme.” On opening, the Premier Inn at Rochdale Road will be Whitbread’s seventh hotel in central Manchester and one of its largest in the city. As it continues to expand, the business is currently focused on fulfilling its network target to the east of the city and at Manchester Airport. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
London Councils has welcomed the Spending Review announced by the Chancellor as an opportunity to bring “desperately needed” stability to council finances. Responding to the Chancellor’s speech, the cross-party group said that a stable financial footing will “strengthen boroughs’ role as drivers of local growth”. Boroughs are making the case for action to stabilise the local government funding system. Priorities include: Cllr Claire Holland, Chair of London Councils, said: “We welcome this Spending Review as an opportunity to bring desperately needed stability to town hall budgets and strengthen our role as drivers of local growth. “Turning the tide on the council finance crisis is crucial for tackling so many of the UK’s most pressing challenges. Whether boosting housebuilding, making faster progress on net zero targets, or arranging social care support that keeps people out of hospital, councils and the services we provide for residents and businesses are essential. “Insufficient and unpredictable funding has resulted in unsustainable pressures on council finances, as London’s population has grown and demand for services – particularly social care and homelessness support – has skyrocketed. “Restoring stability to boroughs’ finances will put us in a much stronger position to work in partnership with the government on our shared priorities and help make a positive contribution to its national missions.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Blackley is set to get a brand-new community fire station following demolition of the former station on Rochdale Road. The development is part of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s (GMFRS) programme of improvements as outlined in its four-year Fire Plan in 2021, as the service continues to protect its communities. Marking a key-milestone in the new station’s development, a beam-signing ceremony and site tour took place on Friday 26 July 2024. Attendees included the Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Kate Green, Chief Fire Officer Dave Russel, and firefighters from Blackley. Kate Green, Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “It was great to see the brilliant progress up close at the construction site for Blackley Community Fire Station. After a site tour you can really see how this station will come together to serve the community and protect the generations of the future. “I’m proud see my signature on the steel beam that forms part of the structure of the new fire station, marking a significant moment in the history of this fantastic service that protects its communities and saves lives.” The new station is on track to be in operation for summer 2025 and will boast improved facilities for GMFRS’s workforce and communities, as well as reduced carbon footprint; supporting Greater Manchester’s target to become carbon-neutral by 2038. Dave Russel, Chief Fire Officer at GMFRS, said: “I feel immensely proud to see the first of our new community fire stations really starting to take shape. “Thanks again to residents and our staff members, who had their say to shape the new station – a true example of how we work together and invest in our people, Greater Manchester and its residents while striving to become a modern, environmentally friendly, flexible and resilient fire and rescue service.” The development work in Blackley, which is being carried out by ISG, forms as part of GMFRS’s 16-year Estates Improvements Programme, which saw £38m announced by the former Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester in July 2021 for the first phase of the programme, which runs until 2026. This multi-million-pound investment will provide modern and environmentally friendly stations with a reduced carbon footprint. The plans for each station include the installation of sustainable heating and lighting systems. Mike Kennedy-Gill, Framework Manager at ISG, said: “This significant construction milestone demonstrates real progress on the realisation of Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s investment masterplan. Delivering new state-of-the-art community facilities will further enhance the service’s capabilities, while a core focus on carbon reduction and energy efficiency measures will mitigate the environmental impact and reduce running costs for these new assets.” Along with the new build in Blackley, the first phase of GMFRS’s programme will see brand new stations built in other areas of Greater Manchester. Next in the pipeline is Whitefield with preparation work underway. Smaller scale upgrades are also being made to stations across the city-region as part of a station refresh programme. For further information about the programme, visit: Blackley Community Fire Station, Manchester – Greater Manchester Fire Rescue Service Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading offsite manufacturer McAvoy has recently delivered a new temporary classroom facility at The Bromfords Secondary School in Wickford, which was awarded through the Offsite Construction Solutions framework. It marks the latest in a series of projects aimed at addressing emergency school closures due to the prevalence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC). Using advanced offsite manufacturing capabilities and featuring its innovative temporary SmartClass® solution, McAvoy delivered a comprehensive solution to meet the school’s urgent need for classroom space. Within eight weeks, the temporary classroom facility was installed and handed over, offering a sustainable, adaptable, and safe environment for students and staff. McAvoy manufactured 42 SmartClass® modules at its 70,000 sq ft, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, with a significant proportion of the work being completed offsite. All 42 modules were installed over the course of five days. The two-storey facility, comprising six classrooms, two offices, shower and changing rooms and WCs on the ground floor, along with an additional eight classrooms and three offices on the second floor, was designed to meet the educational needs of the students and staff. Navigating the challenges posed by the school’s location within a residential area with narrow streets, McAvoy implemented a robust traffic control system to facilitate the swift and disruption-free installation of the modules. As the site was within the grounds of the existing school, McAvoy created a separate site entrance to further minimise disruption. Given the urgency from the closure of classrooms due to RAAC, McAvoy’s expedited manufacturing and installation process paved the way for the quick execution of the project. In addition to The Bromfords School project, McAvoy has recently delivered similar temporary SmartClass® solutions at educational settings across the UK, including Kingsdown School in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, Parks Primary School in Leicester, and Hockley Primary School in Essex. These projects, commissioned by the Department for Education, were instrumental in providing interim accommodation for staff and students during emergency closures due to RAAC. Glen Busby, Director of Modular Rental & Sales at McAvoy, commented, “Delivering swift and reliable temporary space solutions for schools facing emergency closures is key to ensuring the continuity of education and the safety of students and staff. Our commitment to using advanced offsite manufacturing techniques, exemplified by projects like The Bromfords School, allows us to respond quickly to challenges like these. We are proud to support educational institutions across the UK with adaptable temporary and permanent modular solutions that meet their evolving needs.” Chris King, Trust Business Manager at The Bromfords School, said: “We were impressed with McAvoy’s whole site management and excellent communication to keep us updated throughout. The use of modular construction benefited this project due to the speed of completion, and we were also able to continue with our teaching and learning while the project was underway. Any challenges were quickly resolved, and the team planned well around our normal school day to limit disruption. This included arranging deliveries around quieter periods, to reflect that the use of the main entrance needed to be used by both construction workers and our students. The overall impression of the temporary classroom facility is that it will benefit our students with its large, spacious and bright areas.” For more information on McAvoy Group, please visit: www.mcavoygroup.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has announced today that it will start Consensus engagement with the construction industry on Levy proposals for 2026-29 in September 2024. Consensus is a process that CITB usually undertakes every three years to ask construction employers for their views on its plans for generating Levy and the skills and training this will deliver to the industry. CITB’s core focus for the proposals being shared in September is to ensure that the exemptions and reductions stay current and appropriate. During the autumn consultation period, CITB will host a series of webinars to inform employers of the 2026-29 proposals and gather their opinions. CITB will also seek views on the skills and training outcomes it has delivered for industry over the past three years by way of the latest Levy. The feedback will be collated for the Levy Strategy Committee – an independent group of industry representatives and external specialists – which will provide guidance and recommendations to the CITB Board before it submits the final Levy proposals to Government. In doing so, CITB has to demonstrate that it has representative agreement on the proposals from the employers who pay the resulting Levy assessments. Levy is fundamental to CITB’s support for the British construction industry in developing the skilled workforce needed now and in the future. Earlier this year, CITB released figures through its annual CSN report stating that the UK will require over 250,000 extra construction workers by 2028 to meet current demand. With such a pressing need for growth, CITB’s role is vital in helping the industry – through upskilling and training – create a workforce that holds the necessary knowledge and experience to deliver the highest standards of work. Tim Balcon, Chief Executive of CITB, said: “Reaching industry agreement on the Levy through Consensus is critical for British construction. CITB can only provide the skills system that the industry desperately needs with their input and support, so it’s important that we hear from employers and prescribed organisations to help shape our proposals. With the industry set to grow over the coming years, bolstered by a new Government committed to getting Britain building again, ensuring our workforce has the skills and training required to take advantage of this opportunity is essential. “We look forward to sharing our Levy proposals with employers across the industry and gathering their feedback so that we can develop a robust roadmap providing high-quality apprenticeships and funded training to deliver the skills needed throughout the industry.” Measuring Consensus is a sample-based process, so there is no expectation that all Levy payers will be asked to provide their views. However, the sample is designed to be representative of the Levy paying population and of a large enough size to report reliable results. All employers can have a say during the consultation phase of Consensus. Views can be provided at a dedicated online consultation channel, Citizen Space, available from mid-September 2024. To find out more about Consensus, please visit: https://www.citb.co.uk/levy-grants-and-funding/industry-consultation-consensus/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals