Affordable housing provider SO Resi has recently launched its newest Shared Ownership scheme in the capital, with 37 homes at its SO Resi Canning Town development in Newham. Eager buyers are invited to find out more at two launch events at The Crowne Plaza Hotel Docklands from 10am – 4pm
Birmingham City Council unveiled an ambitious masterplan proposal for the regeneration of Druids Heath to the community this week at a launch event at Manningford Hall. The masterplan was developed after two years of work, talking with and listening to the community to create a plan that can meet the
Birmingham City Council has revealed a masterplan proposal for the regeneration of Druids Heath to the community at a launch event at Manningford Hall. The masterplan was developed after two years of work, talking with and listening to the community to create a plan that can meet the needs of
Half of tenants vacating a property last year had to do so because their landlord wanted to sell their property, according to a new survey. In the latest Rental Confidence Index report, published by PayProp – an automated rental payment and client accounting platform, ‘Landlords selling the property’ was cited
Clowes Developments have appointed Derbyshire based estate agent Boxall Brown & Jones to market Riber View Apartments in Matlock. Since constructing the 47 luxury one- and two-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 450 to 765 square feet, Clowes have successfully sold or let a number of apartments. The group have
Persimmon Homes Wessex has submitted plans for the third phase of the Jubilee Gardens development that would trigger construction on the next 193 high-quality homes if approved by Wiltshire Council. The phase would involve a mixture of properties from the five-star developer and its sister company, Charles Church, and approval
NEWLY re-elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has made tackling the housing crisis a top priority for his third term. Today he unveils measures to increase the amount of social housing in the city-region, improve the standard of rented accommodation and end the housing crisis in Greater Manchester by
London Councils has welcomed a new report from a cross-party parliamentary committee pointing to serious financial pressures on the social housing sector. A London Councils spokesperson said: “Without more government investment it is hard to see anything but a bleak future for social housing. “Our analysis shows London boroughs face
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) announced yesterday that it has handed councils new powers to buy cheaper land in a bid to support the delivery of more social and affordable housing. The change came into force on 30 April and allows councils to buy land for
Huge retrofit opportunity as decarbonisation drive launches nationwide SCOTTISH businesses are being urged to put their names forward to secure a spot on a new major framework worth up to £120m over four years to support the delivery of crucial retrofitting and decarbonisation works and services. The new retrofit and
Affordable housing provider SO Resi has recently launched its newest Shared Ownership scheme in the capital, with 37 homes at its SO Resi Canning Town development in Newham. Eager buyers are invited to find out more at two launch events at The Crowne Plaza Hotel Docklands from 10am – 4pm on 18th & 25th May, strictly by appointment only. The apartments at SO Resi Canning Town have all been stylishly designed with comfort in mind, offering low maintenance modern living. All homes come with Koncept kitchens and integrated Zanussi appliances, whilst the wider development offers landscaped communal areas and gardens. Offering an accessible pathway onto the property ladder, SO Resi Canning Town presents an opportunity for individuals and families to own a stake in vibrant London living. The development will introduce 37 Shared Ownership homes, with a range of one to three-bedroom apartments and is set to hit the property market off-plan this May, with a show home following shortly in June with prices from £96,875 for a 25% share (full market value £387,500). Shared Ownership offers lower deposit requirements and the flexibility to gradually increase ownership over time. Prospective buyers can secure a share of their desired property, ranging from 25% to 75% of its market value at SO Resi Canning Town, while benefitting from below-market rent on the remaining portion. As such, the launch of SO Resi’s new development marks a significant step towards addressing the need for affordable options in London, particularly in sought-after locations like Canning Town. Kevin Sims, Director of Sales at SO Resi, commented: “With Newham Council’s £3.7 billion regeneration project for Canning Town, the area is quickly becoming a sought-after area of London. The unpredictability of the housing market coupled with high pricing has been putting aspiring homeowners at a major disadvantage compared to previous generations of home buyers. At SO Resi, we aim to level the playing field by offering more opportunities for Shared Ownership solutions. “Our properties at our Canning Town development are the perfect example of this aim. Proposed plans from Newham Council means the new town centre is set to be home to a new community hub, cinema, shops, office spaces, as well as brand new Shared Ownership homes, underscoring the increased popularity of Shared Ownership as an option for prospective homeowners[1]. By choosing from our 37 Shared Ownership properties available at our SO Resi Canning Town development, prospective homeowners are set to gain a foothold in London’s property market alongside becoming a part of a vibrant and emerging community.[2]” Canning Town is an up-and-coming area of London with excellent transport links. Canning Town Station serves both the DLR and Jubilee Line. On the DLR, residents can access Tower Gateway to the east in 15 minutes and Gallions Reach to the east within 12 minutes. On the Jubilee Line, residents can commute to Canary Wharf within five minutes and London Bridge within 10 minutes. Canning Town is also in striking distance of London City Airport for locations further afield. Plus, regular bus services connect Canning Town to destinations like Trafalgar Square, Bethnal Green, Newham Hospital, Aldgate, Walthamstow Central and Romford Market. Canning Town also boasts a diverse range of restaurants, cafes and grocery options, excellent for adventurous foodies looking to find a new home. SO Resi Canning Town is expected to launch off-plan in May, with properties ready for occupancy by the end of 2024. Prospective buyers are invited to the launch events on May 18th & 25th from the Crowne Plaza Hotel Docklands from 10am-4pm strictly by appointment only. To register your interest for this event, please visit: https://soresi.co.uk/find-a-property/so-resi-canning-town [1] https://www.newham.gov.uk/regeneration-1/canning-town-custom-house [2] https://www.newham.gov.uk/regeneration-1/canning-town-custom-house Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Birmingham City Council unveiled an ambitious masterplan proposal for the regeneration of Druids Heath to the community this week at a launch event at Manningford Hall. The masterplan was developed after two years of work, talking with and listening to the community to create a plan that can meet the needs of the people who live and work in Druids Heath. Staff were at the launch event to answer questions and receive the feedback from the community about the plans, with more events planned over the next few days. An extensive consultation on the plans will begin in the coming months before approval for the plans will be sought next year. The proposed regeneration aims to make Druids Heath a more sustainable and greener place to live in the long term. New high-quality, energy-efficient homes will be built alongside excellent green spaces. The commercial and community spaces in Druids Heath will also be revitalised as part of the plan. Councillor Jayne Francis, cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said: “The masterplan marks the beginning of a new chapter for the regeneration of Druids Heath. “This new plan shows how Druids Heath will be transformed into a healthier, more sustainable area by building on its key strengths – community spirit and abundance of green space. “This regeneration scheme will build the types of homes we need to tackle climate change, reduce fuel bills, and contribute to the city’s net zero ambitions. It will also bring much-needed provisions for older residents so they can live healthy, independent lives for longer. New greenways will be built to better connect the estate within the community and the estate to the surrounding city. “The scheme goes beyond delivering new homes; the regeneration will create a sustainable, healthy community that will allow anyone who lives there to thrive. “While the masterplan is a big step forward for the scheme, much more work remains, and there will be more decisions to be made with the local community about the scheme. With that in mind, an independent steering group representing residents, stakeholders, and businesses is being established to help influence future decisions regarding the regeneration. “We also understand residents’ concerns about being priced out of the area. For this reason, the council is looking at how we can use different financial models to give residents an opportunity to remain on the estate. We will let residents know more about these models as soon as we are able. It is really important to the council that everyone who wants to stay in Druids Heath can do so. “Regenerating an area is always a lengthy process. For this reason, the council will bolster services for tenants on the estate by installing more CCTV, implementing a specific repairs service for Druids Heath, and increasing cleaning provision to tackle fly-tipping.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Birmingham City Council has revealed a masterplan proposal for the regeneration of Druids Heath to the community at a launch event at Manningford Hall. The masterplan was developed after two years of work, talking with and listening to the community to create a plan that can meet the needs of the people who live and work in Druids Heath. Staff were at the launch event to answer questions and receive feedback from the community about the plans, with more events planned over the next few days. An extensive consultation on the plans will begin in the coming months before approval for the plans will be sought next year. The proposed regeneration aims to make Druids Heath a more sustainable and greener place to live in the long term. New high-quality, energy-efficient homes will be built alongside excellent green spaces. The commercial and community spaces in Druids Heath will also be revitalised as part of the plan. Councillor Jayne Francis, cabinet member for housing and homelessness, said: “The masterplan marks the beginning of a new chapter for the regeneration of Druids Heath. This new plan shows how Druids Heath will be transformed into a healthier, more sustainable area by building on its key strengths – community spirit and abundance of green space. “This regeneration scheme will build the types of homes we need to tackle climate change, reduce fuel bills, and contribute to the city’s net zero ambitions. It will also bring much-needed provisions for older residents so they can live healthy, independent lives for longer. New greenways will be built to better connect the estate within the community and the estate to the surrounding city. “The scheme goes beyond delivering new homes; the regeneration will create a sustainable, healthy community that will allow anyone who lives there to thrive. “While the masterplan is a big step forward for the scheme, much more work remains, and there will be more decisions to be made with the local community about the scheme. With that in mind, an independent steering group representing residents, stakeholders, and businesses is being established to help influence future decisions regarding the regeneration. “We also understand residents’ concerns about being priced out of the area. For this reason, the council is looking at how we can use different financial models to give residents an opportunity to remain on the estate. We will let residents know more about these models as soon as we are able. It is really important to the council that everyone who wants to stay in Druids Heath can do so. “Regenerating an area is always a lengthy process. For this reason, the council will bolster services for tenants on the estate by installing more CCTV, implementing a specific repairs service for Druids Heath, and increasing cleaning provision to tackle fly-tipping.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Half of tenants vacating a property last year had to do so because their landlord wanted to sell their property, according to a new survey. In the latest Rental Confidence Index report, published by PayProp – an automated rental payment and client accounting platform, ‘Landlords selling the property’ was cited by 50% of property professionals surveyed as the primary reason for tenants moving. By contrast, eviction was cited by just 11.3% of those surveyed. Tenant rights organisation Generation Rent has warned about the major impact of landlords selling up on homelessness. Sold properties lost to the PRS The survey also found that more than 54.5% of landlords were in the process of selling properties last year at the time of the survey. PayProp UK managing director Neil Cobbold said: “We know from our survey that the majority of homes sold by landlords (66.7%) are purchased by first time buyers. So, every time a landlord puts a house up for sale, it will generally be permanently lost to the Private Rented Sector (PRS). “These buyers are generally also the more well-off tenants who are best equipped to deal with the steep PRS price increases we are seeing. That loss of stock and well-financed tenants puts the PRS under pressure, with fewer homes to rent and lots of pent-up demand from less well-off tenants, which in turn can lead to higher rental prices as they compete for the remaining properties. “The question we should be asking is ‘Why are so many landlords selling properties?’” Feeling squeezed? “One reason may be the age of the average landlord, which according to the latest English Private Landlord Survey was 58 in 2021. By now, they may be thinking about retirement and taking the money they have invested in property as an annuity. “However, in other cases, a lack of profitability will be an issue. A number of factors – an absence of tax reform to address mortgage costs; higher buy-to-let mortgage rates; increased regulation: and the headlines around the abolition of Section 21 evictions – have all combined to make life uncomfortable for many landlords. “If this trend towards fewer PRS properties is going to be reversed, the Government has to find a way to keep landlords in the PRS and encourage more investors to join the sector. If not, supply will remain under pressure and rents will continue to rise, making life more difficult for tenants who are already feeling squeezed.” The government heralded their Renters (Reform) Bill as the most radical reform of the PRS in a generation, and it has dominated coverage in the trade press. Among its proposals are: After passing its Third Commons Reading last month, the proposed legislation has now progressed to the House of Lords. Expertise on hand from agents Given the scope of these changes to the PRS, it is not surprising that the vast majority of respondents (97.6%) were aware of them. There was also a significant drop in very negative sentiment about the current state of the industry (down 13.1% on 2022), perhaps because of the amendments to address the Bill’s perceived imbalance between the rights of the tenant and those of the landlord to gain repossession of their property. The largest group expressed a ‘neutral’ view (46.8%). However, with the upcoming changes to the Renters (Reform) Bill, the survey found that property professionals were a little more optimistic about the future of the PRS than in 2022. More than half (51.6%) felt either positive or very positive about the rental industry’s prospects. Even so, fewer respondents could see themselves working in the sector in five years’ time with 12.9% saying it was ‘unlikely’ or ‘very unlikely’. PayProp’s full Rental Confidence Index 2024 can be read here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Clowes Developments have appointed Derbyshire based estate agent Boxall Brown & Jones to market Riber View Apartments in Matlock. Since constructing the 47 luxury one- and two-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 450 to 765 square feet, Clowes have successfully sold or let a number of apartments. The group have engaged Boxall Brown & Jones to market the remaining properties. Boxall Brown & Jones were appointed based on their reputation within the Derby and surrounding areas as a leading residential estate agent. Established in 1989, Boxall Brown & Jones are an independent firm of Chartered Valuation Surveyors and Estate Agents offering the very highest standards in residential property sales, lettings and surveying. Based in the historic city of Derby, with a north Derbyshire office in Belper, they are proud to be leading residential Estate Agents committed to delivering the highest level of customer service. The experienced team provide a wealth of knowledge and local expertise. Boxall Brown & Jones are members of and regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the National Association of Estate Agents and are part of the Ombudsman scheme for Estate Agents to assure full consumer protection for their clients. Initially there will be a limited number of apartments listed on the popular residential property website, Rightmove, with properties being viewed on an ‘appointment only’ basis. The apartments are ideal for first time buyers eager to get onto the property ladder, downsizers looking to scale back their living arrangements in a great location at the heart of Matlock and young professionals who want to live in the Peak District but commute to cities such as Derby, Nottingham or Sheffield. The apartments also provide an idyllic location for second or holiday homes. Jo Hutchinson and Anthony Lomas, Partners at Boxall Brown & Jones estate agents will be leading the sales team on behalf of Clowes Developments, Jo commented: “We are delighted to be appointed to market the Riber View Apartments in Matlock. We believe the scheme offers an amazing opportunity for buyers to purchase high quality spacious apartments, in an unrivalled location, close to the heart of Matlock and within easy reach of the Peak District.” The first tranche of apartments will be available to view from Saturday 1st June at an exclusive open day organised by Boxall Brown and Jones. To book an appointment, interested parties are invited to contact Jo Hutchinson at the Belper office on 01773 880788 or j.hutchinson@boxallbrownandjones.co.uk, or Anthony Lomas in the Derby office on 01332 553838 or a.lomas@boxallbrownandjones.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Persimmon Homes Wessex has submitted plans for the third phase of the Jubilee Gardens development that would trigger construction on the next 193 high-quality homes if approved by Wiltshire Council. The phase would involve a mixture of properties from the five-star developer and its sister company, Charles Church, and approval would mean 58 of these would be designated for a local housing provider, helping put a dent in Wiltshire’s 4,300-strong housing waiting list. The application delivers on the continued extension of the Linear Park, including active travel links and a play area. It will also complete the full length of the central spine road, connecting the previously approved sections from the two new junctions. As part of the wider development, Persimmon will invest millions of pounds in the local vicinity as the housebuilder delivers a sustainable community for local people. This will include land for a new primary school, significant areas of open space including a riverside park, equipped children’s play areas, two areas of sports pitches and associated changing rooms. A local centre, allotments, public art, employment land, improvements to public footpaths, new pedestrian and cycle routes, biodiversity enhancements and a dedicated ecology area will also be delivered at Jubilee Gardens. Significant financial contributions will also be made towards education provision, bus services connecting the scheme with town centre, signal upgrades to improve vehicle movements in the town centre, health care in Warminster, and enhancements to local public rights of way. A sizeable financial contribution will also be made by the housebuilder to provide funding for local infrastructure priorities – the Victoria Road roundabout is now complete and work is commencing this month on the access from Bath Road. The application follows a visit from the board of Selwood Housing, a local housing association partner, to the site – where Persimmon has already transferred properties to them as part of its plans – to see how their high-quality homes are built. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
NEWLY re-elected Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has made tackling the housing crisis a top priority for his third term. Today he unveils measures to increase the amount of social housing in the city-region, improve the standard of rented accommodation and end the housing crisis in Greater Manchester by 2038. The Mayor’s announcements include: The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “Greater Manchester can’t achieve its full potential as long as it remains in the grip of a housing crisis. That is why I am setting a new ambition for the city-region to end it within a decade. “Ten thousand new council homes will help to do that as long as stock can be retained. That’s why we’re calling for the suspension of Right to Buy. “Everyone deserves to live in a good, safe home and by building new council homes, and suspending the Right to Buy on them, we can give our councils the breathing space they desperately need to replenish their stock, so that all of those waiting in temporary accommodation or on the housing registers have the chance to access good homes.” Access to social housing is essential to many residents in Greater Manchester, as capped rent increases provide some protection to tenants against the soaring rents seen in the private rented sector. The average rental price of a two-bed property in Manchester increased by 12.5% between February 2023-24, against an England average of 8.9%. Limiting access to affordable social housing can therefore help fuel a rise in housing insecurity, homelessness, and families in temporary accommodation. The new ‘Housing First’ approach aims to address the main challenges for housing in Greater Manchester – poor living standards, especially in the private rented sector and low availability of truly-affordable housing – by implementing a collaborative, multi-agency approach that can address issues by developing tailored, whole-system solutions. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
London Councils has welcomed a new report from a cross-party parliamentary committee pointing to serious financial pressures on the social housing sector. A London Councils spokesperson said: “Without more government investment it is hard to see anything but a bleak future for social housing. “Our analysis shows London boroughs face a black hole of £700m in their social housing budgets over the next four years, despite the desperate need to improve housing conditions and build new homes in the capital. With resources massively squeezed, it feels like we’ve been left with mission impossible. “Social housing is crucial to tackling London’s homelessness crisis. It’s a vital component of the capital’s social and economic success, and we should all want the sector to thrive. Boroughs are as keen as ever to work with ministers in ensuring more resources are secured for boosting social housing in London and across the country.” London is grappling with the most severe homelessness crisis in the country and over 320,000 London households are on social housing waiting lists. London Councils estimates that one in 50 Londoners are homeless and living in temporary accommodation arranged by their local borough. Boroughs are determined to keep increasing delivery of new affordable homes in the capital, including social housing, but high construction costs and interest rates have led to many projects becoming unviable without additional funding. In March, London Councils revealed a £700m pressure on boroughs’ housing revenue accounts (their budgets for managing social housing stock). This is due to costs significantly outpacing the income boroughs can expect from social rent levels, which are set nationally by the government and have led to a substantial real-terms reduction in funding available for social housing. The decision in the last Budget to remove councils’ ability to retain 100% of receipts from Right to Buy has further squeezed funding at a time when both need and costs are growing. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) announced yesterday that it has handed councils new powers to buy cheaper land in a bid to support the delivery of more social and affordable housing. The change came into force on 30 April and allows councils to buy land for development through compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) which removes ‘hope value’ costs. The intention is to make it cheaper and easier for local authorities to buy and transform land and to enables local authorities to build much-needed homes more quickly. Lawrence Turner, Director, Boyer considers whether the initiative will achieve this: “This may seem beneficial at first glance – giving local authorities the ability to overcome financial and viability barriers to delivering housing. “But my concern is that it will be ineffective and time-consuming, CPO is a lengthy and costly process, and many local authorities will lack the resources to do so. “The CPO process frequently involves negotiations with multiple landowners, legal challenges, and delays. Landowners may choose to challenge the decision through judicial review, further prolonging the process. As such, it is far from the quick and efficient means of unlocking land for new development which is needed. “Even if effective, CPOs are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to delivering new homes. “The wider planning system in the UK is excruciatingly slow and bureaucratic, with Local Plans and planning applications often taking years to complete and the intrinsic problems that have led to this situation must also be addressed. “We need to see a more holistic approach to addressing the housing crisis: including reforming the planning system and providing support to councils, reviewing the Green Belt and delivering new homes in sustainable brown and greenfield locations will be necessary to truly make a meaningful impact on the availability of affordable housing in the UK.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Huge retrofit opportunity as decarbonisation drive launches nationwide SCOTTISH businesses are being urged to put their names forward to secure a spot on a new major framework worth up to £120m over four years to support the delivery of crucial retrofitting and decarbonisation works and services. The new retrofit and decarbonisation framework extends beyond public buildings, encompassing both domestic and non-domestic requirements. This offers a significant opportunity for businesses of all sizes, particularly encouraging smaller firms to tender for these vital works. Known as N9, the Scottish Procurement Alliance says the new framework is designed to foster inclusivity and flexibility, particularly benefiting micro and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This approach ensures that organisations of various sizes have tailored opportunities within the framework to access works and services. Lesley Anderson, Regional Director at the Scottish Procurement Alliance, Scotland’s largest, free-to-join procurement organisation, said: “This framework is a brilliant opportunity for businesses of all sizes working in energy consultancy, insulation, HVAC, building controls, EV charging and infrastructure and other renewable technologies to support the nationwide upgrade effort at a crucial time. “N9 will provide comprehensive energy efficiency and decarbonisation support tailored to the unique needs of public sector organisations across Scotland. “This includes everything from outlining energy policies to implementing insulation works and building management and metering systems. “We’re committed to fairness and transparency, and with N9, we’ve particularly aimed to empower small businesses by reserving exclusive spots for them. This not only levels the playing field but also opens up opportunities for smaller companies, that may have previously been out of reach.” SPA has upgraded the N9 framework to include new support features such as consulting for PAS legislation as well as value bands in three ranges – up to £750,000, between £750,000 and £2.5 million, and over £2.5 million, along with guidance on energy policies. The framework features six workstreams covering consultancy, multi-disciplinary works, building insulations and performance, heating and ventilation systems, control and management systems and solar PV and EV charging. Places have been reserved specifically for micro and small businesses within various lots. Lesley added: “We’ve significantly enhanced N9, revamping its structure and expanding our HVAC services to include options like district and network heating. “These updates align with the broader clean heat and decarbonisation agenda, incorporating elements from the proposed Heat in Buildings Bill and the Heat in Buildings Strategy. “As with any changes these were made through wide-ranging and deep consultation with suppliers and partners to ensure that we are offering the best value for money and addressing industry needs head-on.” SPA works with 120+ partners across the public sector, including small cooperatives, RSLs, and local authorities, and partners with over 250 suppliers ranging from micro companies to national firms all capable of providing crucial support services. As a not-for-profit organisation, SPA directs its surpluses to local communities through the Community Benefit Fund (CBF) in partnership with Lintel Trust. SPA currently has over 500 live projects valued at over £1 billion, supporting 260+ suppliers. Since its inception in 2017, the CBF has distributed more than £2 million in grants and match funding to assist over 102 community groups, charities, and various causes, generating a social value exceeding £5.1 million. Companies meeting the relevant criteria can apply via the Scottish Procurement Alliance website: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/lhc/aspx/ProjectManage/18 Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
