Smaller and newer homes use less energy than larger, older ones, confirms a new report by UCL researchers that offers unique insights into household energy consumption across the country. The report, published by UCL’s Smart Energy Research Lab (SERL), analysed the gas and electricity use of more than 13,000 representative
Thanet District Council’s plans to buy or build at least 400 new affordable rented homes by 2027 are on track. Less than 12 months into the programme, over 200 properties have now been secured. When completed, these homes will be rented to local residents through the council’s housing register. Under
It’s no secret that the reputation of new-build housing is increasingly negative among UK residents. They have become synonymous with poor quality, prone to fast wear and tear, and are proving to have less staying power than their older counterparts. In fact, a 2023 study by the Chartered Institute of
The Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into housebuilding noted that councils’ local plans were crucial for gauging the number of permission approvals needed to meet housing need. The HBF has pointed out that since housing and levelling up secretary Michael Gove’s decision to make housing targets ‘discretionary’ last Autumn, 64
Southwark Council and Bouygues UK have celebrated reaching the ‘topping out’ stage at the significant housing project Tustin Estate alongside London’s Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development Tom Copley. Phase 1 of the project is 100% replacement affordable homes with all existing residents moving into new homes. Tustin Estate,
As the rental market braces to once again feel the cold shoulder where Budget related housing initiatives are concerned, the latest research by Zero Deposit, the alternative to a tenancy deposit, has revealed the consequence of a homebuyer focussed Government, as privately rented homes as a proportion of all dwellings
On the eve of the Spring Budget, construction industry experts from Birmingham City University (BCU) have called on the Chancellor to kick start the new build homes sector in order to stimulate economic growth and combat the UK’s housing crisis. Mike Leonard, Visiting Professor from the Centre for Future Homes
Esh Construction has completed work on a £3 million project and has handed over 20 new affordable homes at Fir View Gardens in Sheffield. Working on behalf of Great Places Housing Group, the development has been delivered on a vacant piece of land off Osgathorpe Drive, close to the Earl
Nathan Emerson, CEO Propertymark comments… Propertymark are extremely concerned to see reports within the news of a rumoured £300m attack on landlords within the budget, all at a time when many have already left the sector and many more are just about holding on. Just like traditional homeowners, inflation and
Local residents in the heart of Westminster are set to benefit from 52 new affordable homes overlooking the newly regenerated Battersea Power Station. Residents from the Churchill Gardens Estate in Pimlico were invited to a ‘topping out’ ceremony earlier this month for Phase One of the scheme, which will provide
Smaller and newer homes use less energy than larger, older ones, confirms a new report by UCL researchers that offers unique insights into household energy consumption across the country. The report, published by UCL’s Smart Energy Research Lab (SERL), analysed the gas and electricity use of more than 13,000 representative households across Great Britain over two years. The report offers a range of insights into overall energy usage, and efforts to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of households. The report found that homes built between 1900 and 1929 used an average of 33% more gas per square metre of floor area than homes built since 2003, even though they used comparable amounts of electricity, highlighting the increasing insulation efficiency of modern homes. Homes over 200 square metres used more than four times as much energy than homes smaller than 50 square metres. However, while larger homes used more gas for heating than smaller homes overall, they averaged to be slightly more efficient per square metre of floor area. This is in part because larger homes tend to have less surface area from which to lose heat for a given volume. Additionally, detached houses used on average 6% more gas per square metre but 3% less electricity per square metre than terraced houses. Lead author Dr Jessica Few (UCL Energy Institute) said: “It’s very exciting to be able to see from our data how energy use is distributed among Great Britain’s households. We hope the report and data released for the first time will be useful to researchers and policymakers looking to tackle the big societal issues we face.” Across Great Britain, the average home has an Energy Performance Certificate “D” rating for energy efficiency, while the governments of England, Wales and Scotland have broadly set a target to bring the average up to at least “C” by 2035. The report found that these D-rated homes consume on average 17% more gas and 3% more electricity per square metre of floor area than C-rated homes, offering insight into how much energy saving these targets can offer. The team found that homes equipped with solar panels significantly reduced their dependence on grid electricity, but this varies seasonally. In June 2023, households with photovoltaic solar panels exported on average three times more energy back to the grid than they purchased from the grid, while in December these households imported more than 20 times the energy they exported. Averaged over the 11 months where data was available for 2023, homes with solar panels exported on average 4.79kWh per day while using 5.54kWh per day, and the households only needed to draw a net average of 1.12kWh of electricity per day from the grid. The report also found that households with electric vehicles consumed 70% more electricity than those without. Co-author and Head of SERL, Professor Tadj Oreszczyn (UCL Energy Institute), said: “The new report really demonstrates the value of having real-world energy use data so that recommendations can be made to policymakers and consumers how to save energy. This could not only save people money and keep them warmer and healthier, but also address the needs to reduce CO2 emissions.” The report covers 2021 through 2023, a period of time that saw significant disruption to the UK energy markets. This included the third national Covid-19 lockdown between January and March 2021, unprecedented rises in energy prices influenced by Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and a period of general inflation over 10% between September 2022 and March 2023. In a further piece of analysis using the SERL data, the team found that gas and electricity use were higher in winter 2021/2022 before high energy costs hit the market, with consumers ultimately reducing their gas usage by 12% and electricity usage by 7% by winter 2022/2023. The study offers a unique glimpse at energy consumption across the country as it’s the only project on such a large scale to draw data directly from participating households’ smart meters and link it with a wide range of contextual data. This combined dataset allows the team to track energy consumption and compare that usage across a range of factors including time, regions, building types, socioeconomic status, occupancy, heating systems, weather conditions and the presence of an electric vehicle or photovoltaic solar panels. SERL Director Simon Elam (UCL Energy Institute) said: “We’re grateful to the participants who have contributed their data to this and also to UKRI who have funded this important research and energy data resource. Going forward we are looking at ways to share the SERL data more frequently and on other platforms so that we can maximise the utilisation of the SERL Observatory for research and innovation.” This report and SERL is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Thanet District Council’s plans to buy or build at least 400 new affordable rented homes by 2027 are on track. Less than 12 months into the programme, over 200 properties have now been secured. When completed, these homes will be rented to local residents through the council’s housing register. Under the ambitious plans first unveiled in July 2023, two new projects were identified that would provide the first 51 properties. This includes 41 homes at the Spitfire Green development at New Haine Road in Ramsgate. This week the council reached a new milestone when it took ownership of 23 new homes for affordable rent at the Spitfire Green site. The new properties are a mix of houses and flats and have been built by Barratt David Wilson Kent. The council is buying a further 18 homes at Spitfire Green, and expects the purchase to be completed within the next eighteen months. Cllr Helen Whitehead, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “This handover, and this milestone, marks an important step forward in our programme to deliver the new council homes desperately needed for our residents. “We are tracking far ahead of our projected timeline for this programme and I’m delighted that we’re delivering faster than our initial plans indicated we would. Every home we bring onto the council’s books means that another family moves into secure and well-maintained housing. “Housing is the very foundation of our community; when we provide the genuinely affordable housing residents need we know that we are providing far more than a roof and shelter; we are providing certain safety, security, and a solid base for residents and families to grow from in an often uncertain world. Our continual commitment to increasing the number of council homes available will relieve many of the pressures that residents currently face. “To fully address our environmental commitments and the cost of living pressures on residents, only are these homes affordable, but they have also been built to stringent environmental standards. They all have energy performance certificates rated B, which minimises the ongoing cost to households of heating them, and very importantly, reduces their environmental impact. We have worked in close partnership with Barratt David Wilson Kent to both design and produce these homes, and I am extremely proud of everyone who has worked on our new housing strategy to deliver what our residents need.” William Walsh, Managing Director for Barratt David Wilson Kent, comments: “We are committed to building high quality housing for a mix of tenures in Kent, and are particularly proud to expand our partnership with Thanet District Council. The agreement will deliver much needed housing for affordable rent in Ramsgate, meeting key local targets, and crucially providing much needed affordable housing to the community. “Spitfire Green is our flagship scheme in Ramsgate, and we are continuing to invest in the local community through our ongoing commitments, including through our Section 106 commitment to support key local amenities, alongside creating much needed housing available to buy or rent affordably.” Residents who need affordable housing should register on Kent Home Choice, the council’s lettings system. Once registered, they can bid on suitable homes as they become available. Find out more on the council’s website. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
It’s no secret that the reputation of new-build housing is increasingly negative among UK residents. They have become synonymous with poor quality, prone to fast wear and tear, and are proving to have less staying power than their older counterparts. In fact, a 2023 study by the Chartered Institute of Building found that almost a third of people would describe new build housing as ‘poor-quality’, with over half of the respondents believing that older homes are of better quality. So, what exactly are the reasons behind this belief? Are the answers hidden in the walls, and the construction materials to blame? Or is craftsmanship just no longer as good as it once was? In this article, the Copper Sustainability Partnership (CuSP) explores how the materials used in new builds compare to those used in the Victorian era, and the impact that new homes are having on their residents and the environment. How have our homes changed since the 19th century? The houses of today have both obvious similarities and stark differences to those of the 19th century. Homes built in the Victorian era were made using local stone or hand-crafted brick, due to the ease of transportation compared to heavier materials, whereas in present times bricks are mass produced and imported from further distances to keep costs low. Following the abolishment of the tax on glass and bricks in the 1850s, bricks were cheaper and therefore more commonly used, and timber and glass became the standard for window and door fittings. In addition, the development of the railway allowed materials to be manufactured elsewhere at a lower cost and transported, catalysing their usage. In the 21st century, housebuilders are more likely to use plastic fittings in construction, for applications such as pipes, seals, windows, doors, floor coverings, cables and insulation, due to the low cost of the material. This is despite growing evidence showing the adverse environmental and health effects of plastics. As indoor plumbing was limited in the 1800s, less piping was required. Rather than having an indoor bathroom and toilet, most households had outhouses which often used clay pipes to transport sewage. When indoor plumbing became more mainstream, copper was often the material of choice to transport water and heat and remained so until relatively recently. Now, plastic pipes are unfortunately commonplace in households, as well as commercial buildings. The use of plastics in modern construction is not just limited to plumbing and fittings; they are also used in flooring, kitchen units and insulation. With plastics being used in all areas of the home, the impact on the reduced longevity of modern houses cannot be overlooked. Not only are plastics less durable and deteriorate more quickly than traditional materials like copper, but they also have associated fire risks, given the highly flammable properties in synthetic materials. The negative effects of the mass production of plastics cannot be understated; plastic pollution creates serious risks, not just to our homes, but to the environment and human health, impacting our quality of life. What are environmental impacts of new homes? With evidence showing the low durability of new-build homes, it comes as no surprise that resident turn-over rate is increasing in the 21st century. As people are moving house more often, the environmental impact is greater – notably with waste generation and the carbon consequences of remodelling and additional construction in new homes. Many residents of new-build houses have quality concerns. Common issues with new builds range from cosmetic defects such as leaning walls to cracks, poor installation of goods, and faulty pointing. With many expecting a smooth experience in their new home, this is more than often not the desired outcome, and many move out after a few years at the end of their warranty period – as it’s often easier to move than handle the required fixes, remodelling and maintenance. House flipping, defined as a home sold twice within 12 months, is currently seeing a resurgence with flipping accounting for 2.3% of all house sales in 2022, up from 1.9% the previous year. Newly built houses are often chosen as properties for people to flip. Like the initial new build, flipped houses have garnered a negative reputation for being of poor quality, once again increasing the turnover rate. Meanwhile, Victorian era houses are perceived as durable and high quality, with over a quarter of the British population living in these types of homes. They are often praised for their high ceilings and large windows, which are often overlooked in modern construction to reduce building time and cost. Thanks to the prominence of hand-crafted bricks in Victorian era housing, the infrastructure of the housing is very strong. This is also due to the traditional building techniques employed, that prioritised longevity and durability. As there was significantly less technology available, builders relied on attention to detail and craftsmanship, unlike modern construction which depends on machinery and may encounter quality control challenges. Are modern homes built to last? It’s clear that Victorian era housing is more durable than the homes being built today, with higher quality materials used in construction, built to last a long time. Modern methods prioritise the cost of and duration of construction projects, with a focus on aesthetics over longevity and safety. The average new build home has a lifespan of just 40-60 years. However, it isn’t all negative – new technologies have allowed construction methods and the appliances in homes to evolve since the Victorian era. New build homes are highly energy efficient in comparison to older homes, thanks to the latest building regulations which ensure a minimum efficiency standard. You also have the flexibility with a new build home to start from scratch – choosing your kitchen, tiling, bathroom and more, to avoid refurbishment costs later down the line. Despite modern houses offering some incentives, there remain lessons to be learnt from past construction methods, such as using natural materials in place of plastics and synthetics. Many of the natural materials used to build a
The Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into housebuilding noted that councils’ local plans were crucial for gauging the number of permission approvals needed to meet housing need. The HBF has pointed out that since housing and levelling up secretary Michael Gove’s decision to make housing targets ‘discretionary’ last Autumn, 64 councils have paused or withdrawn their plans. The number of plans adopted last year was the lowest for a decade. Planning consultancy Lichfields’ research points to the fact that this could cause a drop of 77,000 homes a year. The trade body said most councils who have done this are concentrated in southern England and accused Mr Gove of pandering to ‘nimbyism’. The Housing Pipeline Report shows the number of units approved in 2023 was the lowest since 2015 in the Southeast, the lowest since 2013 in London and the lowest since 2012 in the Southwest. Year-on-year, each of these regions saw falls of 13, 26 and 18 per cent respectively. The same regions have already seen annual falls of more than ten per cent in new build completions. Unit approvals for the North of England dropped 18 per cent for 2023 compared to 2021, 23 per cent for the Midlands and 28 per cent for the South of England. Brokers Hank Zarihs Associates said development finance lenders were concerned the planning process had become so complicated and underfunded causing unacceptable delays for SME housebuilders. Developers were disappointed the chancellor Jeremy Hunt failed in last week’s budget to help first-time buyers with getting a deposit together to enable them to get their foot on the property ladder. They argue this is a further blow to the government’s target of building 300,000 a year by the mid-2020s. The construction industry is also blaming Natural England’s policy on maintaining nutrient neutrality of rivers across different parts of England for halting 150,000 new homes. They argue that intensive farming rather than housebuilding is the main pollution culprit. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Southwark Council and Bouygues UK have celebrated reaching the ‘topping out’ stage at the significant housing project Tustin Estate alongside London’s Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development Tom Copley. Phase 1 of the project is 100% replacement affordable homes with all existing residents moving into new homes. Tustin Estate, the first large-scale project procured through Pagabo’s Developer Led Framework, will provide nearly 700 new homes. The scheme includes 250 replacement council homes and shared equity properties, 220 additional council homes including keyworker homes, and 220 homes for private sale. It will include a new central park, refurbishment of existing council homes and around 1,800 sqm of commercial floorspace. The public realm and landscaping across the estate will be significantly enhanced and will include new pedestrian, cycle and vehicular routes throughout, greenways, and improvements to Tustin Common. Work commenced in autumn 2022 and the whole project is planned to complete in 2030. The partners will deliver the project in four phases. Community engagement has been central to the project from the outset. The mandate for the project was established through a community ballot and residents have so far been able to influence the design, construction strategy and social value activity at masterplan level and for the details of phase 1. Extensive consultation has already taken place to gather residents’ feedback and input on the details of phase 2, with the application for ‘reserved matters’ planning permission being submitted later this year. Engagement will continue throughout the later phases. Giving back to the local community is a key priority for Southwark Council and Bouygues UK. Bouygues UK have held workshops for young people in the local area and educational workshops including interview skills at London South Bank University, a pre-employment course and longer-term apprenticeships and training opportunities. Local family events and excursions are regularly held in the community. Employing local labour is also a key priority with positions such as resident liaison officer and traffic marshall given to local people. Phillippa Prongué, Bouygues UK’s Managing Director for London and the South East said, “It’s amazing to think that it was only last summer we were breaking ground here in the sunshine and construction work had only just started. It’s fantastic to see the progress that’s been made in that time. We are proud that this scheme is very much being designed with the residents, for the residents, with collaboration at the heart. When everybody pulls together and the community comes together in the way that it has done here, we can achieve great things. Thank you all for being here today to celebrate how far we’ve come.” Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development, Tom Copley, said, “I was delighted to join the Tustin community for the topping out ceremony of one of London’s most ambitious and exciting regeneration projects. “This project is not only delivering new, modern homes for existing residents but also creating more than 200 of the new council homes Londoners so desperately need, alongside a host of new amenities and job opportunities for the local community. The Tustin Estate is a shining example of how we are working together to build a better, fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.” The Leader of Southwark Council, Cllr Kieron Williams, said, “I’m thrilled to celebrate this important progress milestone on a redevelopment where we’re building new homes for existing residents as well as additional new council homes. We’ve worked with residents to bring about the much-needed transformation of Tustin Estate and it’s inspiring to see these ideas, plans and visions start to become tangible reality. I look forward to seeing residents enjoy their new warm, dry, safe, sustainable homes and to seeing this community continue to go from strength to strength.” Andrew Eke, Chair of Tustin Estate’s Community Association said, “Here at Tustin Estate, the council, Bouygues UK and the residents are all working together as a unit. I am so proud that the people living here, myself included, have been involved at every stage of the project and have helped shape it. We’ve been kept up to date with progress through our weekly site walks, monthly resident project group meetings, drop-in sessions, and community events. In fact, some people living here now have jobs on the project. Alongside Bouygues UK and Southwark Council, we have shown, when you look for solutions and you don’t give up, miracles can happen.” The new estate is expected to achieve a 94% reduction on carbon emissions when in use, with clean energy being supplied by the local waste-to-energy district heating network, high-insulation building fabric, solar panels, SUDs, and air-source heat pumps for individual houses. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As the rental market braces to once again feel the cold shoulder where Budget related housing initiatives are concerned, the latest research by Zero Deposit, the alternative to a tenancy deposit, has revealed the consequence of a homebuyer focussed Government, as privately rented homes as a proportion of all dwellings have fallen to their lowest percentage in a decade. Zero Deposit analysed Gov data on dwellings stock levels*, looking at the level of privately rented properties available to tenants across the rental market in England and what proportion of total dwellings these homes accounted for, as well as how this level of supply has changed over the years. PRS stock has been increasing The latest figures show* that there are an estimated 4.9m privately rented homes found across England’s rental market. The good news is that this figure has been largely increasing over the years, up from 4.5m homes a decade ago (2013) and considerably higher than the £2.5m available in 2003. However, for many years, the nation’s tenants have been playing second fiddle to homeowners, with the Government launching initiative after initiative aimed at fuelling homebuyer demand, while largely ignoring private rental sector supply, causing the cost of renting to spiral to dizzying heights. Rents on the up In fact, previous research by Zero Deposit found that the average tenant across England is now paying £994 per month in rent, a cost that has climbed by 5% in the last year alone, 37% over the last decade, and is expected to increase by a further 16% by 2030. The latest figures from Zero Deposit highlight the long-term issue caused by the Government’s obsession with homeownership. Homeowner supply overtaking PRS stock supply In the last five years, the number of PRS dwellings found across England has crept up by just 2.4%. During the same period, the number of owner occupied dwellings has climbed by more than double that, up 5%. In the last year alone, PRS stock levels have increased by just 0.2% versus a 1.3% jump in owner occupied dwellings. PRS stock now accounts for lowest proportion of all dwellings in a decade As a result, privately rented properties now account for just 19.4% of all homes across England, the lowest proportion seen since 2013 when they accounted for 19.2% of the total market. What’s more, this proportion has largely been in decline since a peak of 20.3% in 2016. A regional analysis conducted by Zero Deposit shows that tenants in some regions are worse off than others. In fact, across both Yorkshire and the Humber (18.6%) and the South West (18.1%), the number of PRS homes as a proportion of all housing stock is currently at its lowest levels since 2011, while in the East of England (17.1%) and the North West (17%) its at its lowest since 2012. In fact, just two regions have seen the level of PRS stock available as a proportion of all housing climb steadily over the years – London and the North East. In the North East, privately rented homes now account for 17.8% of all dwellings, the highest percentage seen in the last 20 years. At 29.5% of total stock, London is home to the highest proportion of privately rented properties of all regions and has seen this percentage climb consistently over the years. However, unlike the North East which is home to the nation’s most affordable cost of renting, London is home to the highest average rent in England. Sam Reynolds, CEO of Zero Deposit commented: “We may have seen a consistent increase in the volume of privately rented homes reaching the market over the last two decades, but today’s market is dominated by a chronic undersupply of rental properties despite an overwhelming level of tenant demand. This market imbalance has been one of the key factors that have caused rents to spiral beyond the realms of affordability and it’s a clear indictment of multiple cabinets that this issue has continued to worsen. Over the last five years, in particular, the supply of owner occupied homes has increased at a far greater rate than privately rented properties and renters will be forgiven for thinking that the Government is more focussed on homeowners than the real issues facing tenants today. The sad reality is that we expect it will be more of the same in this week’s Budget, as we prepare for yet more ill-advised initiatives aimed at short-term benefits to win votes as we approach an election , rather than address the root causes for those struggling within the rental market who continue to be left out in the cold.” Data tables and sources Data tables and sources can be viewed online, here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
On the eve of the Spring Budget, construction industry experts from Birmingham City University (BCU) have called on the Chancellor to kick start the new build homes sector in order to stimulate economic growth and combat the UK’s housing crisis. Mike Leonard, Visiting Professor from the Centre for Future Homes at BCU, said: “Jobs are being lost, factories are shutting and we have massive shortfall in the delivery of new homes as homelessness and frustration grows amongst those directly affected. “Failure to act now will see a major loss of skills and manufacturing capacity. This will leave industry less able to meet demand when the market improves and more reliant on material imports and migrant labour. “The budget on Wednesday offers the Chancellor the opportunity to pull the levers to switch the housing market back on and inject swift growth into our stalled economy. “The multiplier effect of new build housing creates jobs and social value. Now is also the time to invest in retrofitting our existing homes and buildings. “The industry has the manufacturing capacity, skills, and oven-ready projects. The UK has a golden opportunity to grow the economy and get Britain building the homes and infrastructure this country so desperately needs.” Dr Steve McCabe, Associate Professor in Strategy, Management and Marketing at BCU, echoed Dr Leonard’s concerns. “At a time when we need to focus on economic growth and boosting productivity, politicians across the political spectrum need to focus on construction as a catalyst to drive the economy,” said Dr McCabe. “Construction contributes nearly 9% of GDP and critically has the potential to benefit every community across the UK.” According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), new mortgage lending has declined markedly which has significantly reduced demand for houses built by developers. Money tightening, which has led a consequential dip in confidence and slowdown in commercial and infrastructure projects, has combined with a knock-on impact on demand for labour and materials in new housing and home renovation that is undermining economic growth. According to Dr McCabe, there is no lack of demand for housing, however, he believes that consumers that are already suffering from the effects of the ‘cost of living crisis’ feel under pressure because of what are considered excessive mortgage repayments: “New purchasers are confronted by an affordability conundrum resulting from lack of market activity as sellers hold off moving,” he added. “What’s apparent is that the high cost of financing for companies in the UK construction, particularly for smaller companies, is making liquidity a tremendous challenge. “Without urgent intervention from the chancellor tomorrow, we’re likely to see an increase in insolvencies, administrations, company restructuring, factory closures and redundancies in construction which is so fundamental to this country’s economic development and collective prosperity.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Esh Construction has completed work on a £3 million project and has handed over 20 new affordable homes at Fir View Gardens in Sheffield. Working on behalf of Great Places Housing Group, the development has been delivered on a vacant piece of land off Osgathorpe Drive, close to the Earl Marshal Recreation Ground. The two and three-bedroom homes have been built by Esh Construction for affordable rent and include associated parking and landscaping in Sheffield. A fabric-first approach was used in both design and construction, with maximising energy efficiency being a top priority. Esh Construction’s Operations Director, Simon Woodward, said: “Fir View was the first contract we were awarded through the Innovation Chain North framework, and it’s proved a real success for Esh in delivering energy efficient homes while providing added benefit to the community through school engagement, volunteering and community funding.” A comprehensive social value plan has been delivered which has seen 133 weeks of employment delivered for residents within 10 miles of the site and 108 weeks of employment provided for previously unemployed people in the area. A further 250 learner hours were delivered in partnership with local schools and colleges while four full-time apprentices were hired, contributing to more than 230 apprentice training weeks during the project. Fir View Gardens is one of the developments that Great Places Housing Group is delivering in South Yorkshire as part of the housing association’s commitment to build additional affordable homes in the area. Other projects include 50 homes at Riverdale Park in Doncaster and 51 apartments at London Road close to Sheffield city centre. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Nathan Emerson, CEO Propertymark comments… Propertymark are extremely concerned to see reports within the news of a rumoured £300m attack on landlords within the budget, all at a time when many have already left the sector and many more are just about holding on. Just like traditional homeowners, inflation and interest rates have hit landlords with force and there needs to be recognition from the UK Government that to provide high quality homes, whether they be short term lets or longer-term housing, the system must be workable. It is unacceptable there is constant aim being taking at landlords to the point the viability of the entire system is becoming seriously questionable for both existing landlords and future investors. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Local residents in the heart of Westminster are set to benefit from 52 new affordable homes overlooking the newly regenerated Battersea Power Station. Residents from the Churchill Gardens Estate in Pimlico were invited to a ‘topping out’ ceremony earlier this month for Phase One of the scheme, which will provide 34 modern supported housing units for older residents. In all, the development will provide a net uplift of 21 new units of accommodation within Westminster’s Churchill Gardens Conservation Area, on the banks of the River Thames, overlooking the iconic Battersea Power Station. The development is on the site of the former Balmoral Castle Pub and the existing Darwin House building. The new units are self-contained flats for residents aged over 60 and will be twice the size of the accommodation at the existing Darwin House. They include communal facilities, offer social activities and have guest rooms for visitors. The new homes meet Westminster’s Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) standard, which helps architects design homes to meet the individual needs of residents in this type of housing. The new buildings have been also designed with the council’s net zero targets in mind and include triple glazing, air source heat pumps, in-built shading and solar panels. Phase Two will see the construction of Block B which will provide 18 general needs affordable housing units for London Living Rent. Both blocks will benefit from access to landscaped green space in the Churchill Gardens Estate. The scheme delivers on Westminster’s commitment to delivering truly affordable housing, which forms part of the ‘Fairer Westminster’ strategy – the council’s vision for building a city that supports and celebrates all of its communities. The council is currently embarking on a major affordable housebuilding drive and this year expects to complete 418 homes, of which 340 will be affordable – largely for social rent. Phase One of the Darwin House development was delivered in partnership with Wates Residential, who took possession of the site in June 2022. Liza Begum, Councillor for Pimlico South and Cabinet Member for Housing Services, said: “We are delighted to see our ambitious plans for the new Darwin House development reach this important milestone. “We are proud that, working along with members of the construction liaison group and residents, we have been able to bring forward a scheme that will deliver much needed affordable homes in the borough. “We are also really pleased that the first people to benefit from these high-quality, energy efficient homes will be the residents of the original Darwin House.” Nick Williams, Regional Managing Director, Wates Residential, said: “We are pleased to be celebrating this important milestone with Westminster City Council, in the regeneration of the Churchill Gardens community. “This development will provide not just new, comfortable, affordable homes but also significantly benefit the local community by supporting economic growth, promoting opportunities for employment, and creating a safer, brighter future for residents.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
