Housebuilders north of the border are calling on Scotland’s new first minister, Humza Yousaf, to engage with business and remove obstacles hampering the delivery of new homes. The appeal coincides with government housing statistics reporting a 12 per cent fall in new starts, down by 2,580 to 19,227, in the
Award-winning housebuilder Crest Nicholson has purchased the Wheatley Campus site from Oxford Brookes University, as they look to deliver much needed high-quality housing to meet local demand in the area. The 53 acre site has outline planning consent for the development of 500 homes, of which 35% will be affordable
The Community Land Trust Network has published a new report, launched by the Secretary of State Michael Gove MP in Parliament, which finds that industry partnerships could help communities to build at least 278,000 homes through replicable project types. It is estimated that 80% of these homes would be additional
Research from eXp UK, the network of personal estate agents, has revealed that in no less than 22 UK cities, house prices are continuing to outperform the current rate of inflation, as the housing market stands strong despite fears of a property market dip during the closing stages of 2022. eXp
BUILD-TO-RENT Single Family Housing (BTR SFH) specialist, Wise Living, has reported a record Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +81 in 2022, according to its recent NPS survey data analysis. NPS can be anywhere between -100 and +100, and according to the creators of the NPS metric, Bain & Company, a
LEADING housebuilder Lovell has furthered its commitment to support left behind people and communities across the West Midlands by working with Standing Tall – a charity that gives power to people experiencing homelessness by providing employment opportunities. The charity, which was established to help people move away from the streets for good, is currently
In an industry that has traditionally been predominantly dominated by men, Cannock-based housebuilder Jessup Partnerships is looking to encourage talented women into the workforce and inspire other women to consider a career in construction. Site Manager, Kirsty Lynch, 50, who is originally from Edinburgh worked at Jessup five years ago
Liverpool City Council has approved plans, submitted by build to rent provider Placefirst, for the final phase of its Welsh Streets neighbourhood. This comes shortly after The Welsh Streets was named as Housing Development of the Year at the Insider North West Residential Property Awards in January. The development will
ONE of the main factors preventing the UK from delivering large-scale housing effectively is that housebuilders are not fully equipped to fulfil the role of ‘master developer’ due to lack of up-front funding, according to the managing director of one of the country’s leading project management consultancies. Jonathon Bentley, who
Barbour ABI has released its latest snap analysis of construction contract awards and planning applications for February, noting a disappointing month for awards value. Residential awards were a key driver, with a 43% monthly fall. Residential planning approvals and applications are currently weak, suggesting trouble ahead for housebuilding targets. This
Housebuilders north of the border are calling on Scotland’s new first minister, Humza Yousaf, to engage with business and remove obstacles hampering the delivery of new homes. The appeal coincides with government housing statistics reporting a 12 per cent fall in new starts, down by 2,580 to 19,227, in the year to the end of September 2022. There was also a 27 per cent drop in housing association approvals to build new homes. Homes for Scotland, HFS, chief executive Jane Wood said: “His appointment presents the perfect opportunity to review the regulatory areas and other issues creating blockers to residential development across sectors to ensure that housing in Scotland meets the needs and aspirations of everyone living here.” The trade body, which represents 200 Scottish housebuilders, has warned the government’s target to build more than 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 will be difficult to hit. Recent planning guidance for new developments to comprise at least 25 per cent of social housing, and the introduction of Passivhaus energy standards by the end of 2024, have caused concern. Supply chain capacity fears over Passivhaus The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations said Passivhaus would result in higher building and maintenance costs and that supply chain capacity is insufficient to deliver these homes at scale. Scottish Property Federation director Robin Blacklock said: “There’s been a wider concern among the business community about the direction of policies and their relationship with businesses.” The Scottish building industry has said while it supports the country’s ambitious net-zero targets it’s worried about the practicalities of achieving them. Scotland has pledged to be net-zero by 2045 – five years earlier than England with both Edinburgh and Glasgow city councils aiming to be net-zero by 2030. It also hopes to take one million homes off the gas grid with alternative energy sources such as electric heat pumps by 2030. “There is a concern about meeting time scales as we’re still trying to recover performance after the Covid pandemic,” said Mr Blacklock. Blacklock added developers and housebuilders would be seeking to develop a positive relationship with Mr Yousaf where business is seen as a means for achieving new housing objectives. Brokers Hank Zarihs Associates said development finance lenders would like to see a speedier response to planning applications as this was one of the biggest hurdles facing SME housebuilders. Mr Yousaf has taken an active interest in housing in particular tackling the shortage of homes for key workers in remote parts of the country. He has also said he would increase council tax on second homes across the Highlands, islands and north-east to limit holiday homes. He narrowly beat Kate Forbes on the 27th of March to become the first minister. His Scottish National Party government is in a coalition with the Green party, which commentators predict will require careful handling. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Award-winning housebuilder Crest Nicholson has purchased the Wheatley Campus site from Oxford Brookes University, as they look to deliver much needed high-quality housing to meet local demand in the area. The 53 acre site has outline planning consent for the development of 500 homes, of which 35% will be affordable housing. The development will provide a mixture of two, three, four, and five bedroom houses, along with some apartments. There are also community facilities planned, such as public open space, a sports pavilion, bowling green, and a cricket pitch. CBRE advised Oxford Brookes University on the transaction. Situated close to the villages of Wheatley and Holton in Oxfordshire, the development is just a few miles away from Oxford city centre. Wheatley high street contains a number of independent shops, pubs, and restaurants, and the location also provides a great link to London via the M40. Nicholas Daruwalla, Land Director at Crest Nicholson South, commented: “This is a key purchase for Crest Nicholson, given the site’s prime location and scale. It is in close proximity to major employment, retail, leisure, and education hubs, making it a highly desirable location. These characteristics, coupled with the area comprising high levels of housing demand and low levels of supply, makes this deal an important purchase for the business. We are pleased to be working with Oxford Brookes University to bring this development to fruition, and with this deal, we will provide a number of much needed homes, including affordable housing, to help meet local demand. At Crest Nicholson, we invest in placemaking, aiming to deliver attractive homes, amenities and open green space to improve the quality of life for residents, helping to build future proof communities to be proud of.” Jerry Woods, Director of Estates & Campus Services at Oxford Brookes University, comments: “We’re pleased to have worked with Crest Nicholson and our real estate advisers CBRE on this sale which will facilitate the move of our remaining activity from the Wheatley Campus to new, state-of-the-art facilities at our Headington campus. The Wheatley site will provide a high-quality residential environment, offering an assortment of housing types to meet local needs. Oxford Brookes has been proud to call the Wheatley Campus home for close to fifty years and the University will continue to engage with local groups and individuals while we remain on the site over the next 18 months.” Jasper Masters, Executive Director, CBRE said: “We are delighted to help deliver such a successful outcome on behalf of the University for this premium asset. The Wheatley sale represents the largest single family housing site to have exchanged in the UK since last September’s mini budget. A sale of this nature will provide the development land market with a strong sense of optimism. As an Oxford Brookes alumnus, I’m really proud to have played a part in the Campus’ next chapter and look forward to seeing Crest Nicholson’s vision for the site being realised.” Crest Nicholson hope to begin works at the end of 2024, with the first completions to be expected in Autumn 2025. Local residents, businesses and users of the Oxford Brookes Wheatley Campus will be kept updated on the works as they develop. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Community Land Trust Network has published a new report, launched by the Secretary of State Michael Gove MP in Parliament, which finds that industry partnerships could help communities to build at least 278,000 homes through replicable project types. It is estimated that 80% of these homes would be additional and only made possible due to the involvement of a CLT. The market opportunities to scale proven models are: These figures would see the notional value of CLT assets rise from £550 million today to £47 billion. The State of the Community Land Trust Sector 2023 report, which was launched in Parliament on Thursday 23 March with Secretary of State, Michael Gove MP and Danny Kruger MP speaking, explains how the market opportunities can be delivered through a pattern book of replicable models. The charity is calling on housing associations, councils, developers and other landowners to work with them and partner with more CLTs. The report collates key data on the current CLT sector: Tom Chance, CEO of the Community Land Trust Network, said: “Communities want to play their part in getting affordable homes built. They want to be clients, not consultees; partners to developers, not opponents; and campaigners working with councils, not against. “With the right policy and industry support there are clear opportunities to significantly scale up to develop 278,000 community led homes. This kind of agency for communities could become commonplace. “We are piloting a new growth programme and we want to work with housing associations, developers, local authorities and other landowners to advance the pattern book for delivery approaches.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Research from eXp UK, the network of personal estate agents, has revealed that in no less than 22 UK cities, house prices are continuing to outperform the current rate of inflation, as the housing market stands strong despite fears of a property market dip during the closing stages of 2022. eXp analysed the city rate of inflation seen across 62 UK cities and how this compares to the strength of the housing market based on the annual rate of house price growth. The research shows that across the UK as a whole, house prices have continued to climb by a respectable 6.3% on an annual basis. However, despite inflation peaking in recent months, it remains at a rate of 10.4%, 4.1% above the average rate of house price growth. Despite topline house price growth trailing inflation, the research from eXp shows that a number of major UK cities are actually putting in a stronger performance, with no less than 22 of the 62 major cities analysed seeing strong rates of house price growth versus inflation. Peterborough tops the table where inflation currently sits at 10.2 %, while house prices have climbed by 14.4% in the last year, a 4.1% difference. In Wigan , inflation is currently at a rate of 10.7%, while house prices are up 13.9%, a difference of 3.2%. This difference also sits at 3.0% in Derby , where house prices are up 13.9% versus a city inflation rate of 10.9%. Other cities to make the top 10 include Norwich (2.5%), Nottingham (2.5%), Swindon (2.0%), Cambridge (1.7%), Blackburn (1.5%), Barnsley (1.3%) and Birmingham (1.2%). In contrast, the current rate of city inflation across Aberdeen is 10.2%, while house prices are down 4.4%, resulting in a balance of -14.6%. Head of eXp UK, Adam Day, commented: “Even in times of economic uncertainty and hardship, the UK property market provides a safe haven for many homeowners and it’s no wonder that so many of us aspire to own our own homes, as it’s one of the safest, long-term investments you can make. In fact, while there have been many predictions of a housing market crash, this simply hasn’t come to fruition and, in fact, property values have increased annually in all but one major UK city. What’s more, despite many households facing the toughest cost of living crisis in living memory, they can at least rest safe in the knowledge that their home is outpacing inflation when it comes to its increase in value over the last year.” Data tablesData tables and sources can be viewed online, here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
BUILD-TO-RENT Single Family Housing (BTR SFH) specialist, Wise Living, has reported a record Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +81 in 2022, according to its recent NPS survey data analysis. NPS can be anywhere between -100 and +100, and according to the creators of the NPS metric, Bain & Company, a score greater than 0 is considered good, greater than 25 is favourable, more than 50 is excellent and above 80 is world class. Wise Living’s exceptional NPS score was calculated in response to the following question asked to its BTR SFH tenants, seven days after their move in date: ‘How likely are you to recommend Wise Living to family, a friend, or colleague?’. In 2021, an overall NPS of +47 was achieved to this question and this figure has since increased to an impressive NPS of +81 in 2022. The excellent score and significant uplift achieved by Wise Living is testament to its ongoing and ever improving customer experience ethos, according to Anne Malone, head of customer experience at Wise Living. Anne said: “To achieve such a high NPS score is rare, and we know it means that our tenants are very happy. To put this into perspective, retailer John Lewis reported its highest ever NPS as +70. As a full service BTR SFH specialist, we understand the importance of quality at every stage and strive to prioritise the tenant experience throughout. It all starts with identifying the best sites and from there we ensure that the homes are developed to meet renter requirements by partnering with the right property investors and developers. Once we have homes that we know tenants will love, the work doesn’t stop there. “Wise Living takes great pride in making the move-in experience seamless and we are on-hand throughout the process, which makes a big difference. We not only then go on to maintain and manage all properties, ensuring all tenants have a great place to live, but also place strong emphasis on creating communities. From our regular communal events, to being a pet-friendly landlord and supporting tenants quickly if they experience any issues – this all adds up to the bigger picture of how people feel about their home and living experience. “Over the past year, we have worked hard to keep improving standards and this is reflected in the scoring. The NPS survey data also shows a strong uplift in responses reporting satisfaction to the same question when asked nine-months post move-in, which we are incredibly proud of.” To find out more about Wise Living, visit www.wiselivinghomes.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
LEADING housebuilder Lovell has furthered its commitment to support left behind people and communities across the West Midlands by working with Standing Tall – a charity that gives power to people experiencing homelessness by providing employment opportunities. The charity, which was established to help people move away from the streets for good, is currently operating in London, Manchester and Birmingham. Individuals undertake a three-month trial with an employer, which is paid for by Standing Tall, with the potential to complete valuable training and be offered a full-time position at the end. In addition to this, Lovell will also finance Construction Skills Certificate Scheme cards for those on the scheme, which are a necessary qualification to work on UK construction sites. Stuart Penn, regional managing director at Lovell’s Midlands office, said: “The work Standing Tall does is as commendable as it is important, and has helped many people impacted by homelessness to move away from the streets and into real living wage jobs – changing their lives in the process. The people they help don’t just receive a handout, they’re given the chance to find a better place in society where they can use their skills and learn new ones to find long term employment. “We’re immensely proud to be working with Standing Tall and doing our bit to support its work in our region. We hope that by supporting Standing Tall, we can reach those who may otherwise not have the chance to learn a trade as well as encouraging different skills and a diverse range of people into the construction industry. We’re looking forward to sharing the great success stories that come from working together.” Christy Acton, founder and CEO of Standing tall said: “There’s a certain stigma around people experiencing homelessness, and a public perception that gets in the way of individuals realising their hidden potential. Our work is about breaking this stigma, discovering and bringing out the skills needed to improve their situations. “With Lovell’s support, we’ll be able to continue this mission and help more people in Birmingham and the surrounding areas. The experience gained from working on a Lovell site will be invaluable to the future of those supported by the scheme. “As long as homelessness continues, our work will be ongoing, and we’re delighted to have the backing of a responsible business such as Lovell that shares our values.” To learn more about the work Standing Tall does, visit the website here: https://www.standingtall.org.uk/ To learn more about Lovell, visit here: https://www.lovell.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In an industry that has traditionally been predominantly dominated by men, Cannock-based housebuilder Jessup Partnerships is looking to encourage talented women into the workforce and inspire other women to consider a career in construction. Site Manager, Kirsty Lynch, 50, who is originally from Edinburgh worked at Jessup five years ago and recently returned as Site Manager at the housebuilder’s Lower Valley Road development in Dudley. Kirsty previously worked in Health and Social Care for over 20 years, however, decided to take the plunge into the construction industry in her 40s. Kirsty said: “After a long and successful career in Health and Social Care, I decided I needed a new challenge so, I retrained, and gained the necessary qualifications for site management. “I applied for around 500 jobs to get myself onto site- having no trade background and being female, I did not feel like I was taken seriously. After a while, I eventually obtained a role, but I had to travel around 600 miles a week for work. This position was for a Trainee Assistant Site Manager which led to me being promoted to Assistant Site Manager within two years. “I’ve had to work incredibly hard to prove myself. Being a woman brings a different dynamic to a construction site. For the most part, all the sub-contractors, the supply chain and the community, embrace and support my role, however a minority have to be challenged with education and training. Equality and diversity are the starting points ensuring we have equal rights such as pay, career progression and a voice. “This journey has not always been easy, near impossible at times, with archaic and outdated attitudes. Like all good career paths if you want something you have to work at it. Having a supportive employer makes a massive difference, one who supports and embraces the diversity we bring to the role. Changing the rhetoric, change the perspective.” The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that in Q4 of 2022, 2,171,000 people in the UK worked in construction1. Out of those people, just 321,000, 14.7 per cent, were women2. With a number of female employees already in a range of roles across the company, the developer is keen to break the stereotype around women working in construction. Michelle Howe, who joined Jessup Partnerships in 2022 as Health and Safety Advisor, previously worked for a large precast concrete manufacturer as a Health and Safety Co-ordinator. Michelle, who works on sites across the West Midlands said: “Since joining Jessup, I have felt well-supported in my career progression and have received the relevant training to enable my transition from manufacturing to construction. “I feel well supported by my manager and the site teams that I work with on a daily basis, and my opinions are listened to and valued. I have never felt anything other than welcomed and accepted by the site personnel. “If I could give any advice to women thinking about starting a career in construction, I would tell them that they absolutely should pursue it. I think that working in construction is far more inclusive than it was five years ago, and there are now a lot more women actually working on site.” Chris Timmins, Managing Director at Jessup, said: “We are extremely proud to be part of the collective effort to drive more women into the construction industry. “We hope we can inspire more women to break the stereotype and build a career in construction.” Watch Jessup’s International Women’s Day 2023 video below. For further details about Jessup Partnerships visit https://jessuppartnerships.co.uk/or follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JessupPartnerships or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jessuppartnerships/?hl=en 1https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/timeseries/i4el/lms 2https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/timeseries/i4ej/lms Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Liverpool City Council has approved plans, submitted by build to rent provider Placefirst, for the final phase of its Welsh Streets neighbourhood. This comes shortly after The Welsh Streets was named as Housing Development of the Year at the Insider North West Residential Property Awards in January. The development will deliver a terrace of 13 new homes, including a mix of three-bedroom family homes and apartments. Three of the properties will be designed to be fully wheelchair accessible and the scheme will also include a new community hub where Placefirst’s dedicated resident services manager will be based. Designed by MBED Architects, Phase 6 will create a traditional terrace that has been carefully considered to be in-keeping with the existing street scene and character of the surrounding area, adding to the high-quality, energy efficient homes Placefirst has created to date. Other members of the team include Curtins (engineers) and WSP (on planning). Placefirst worked closely with Liverpool City Council on the plans to bring the Welsh Streets land situated between High Park Street, Wynnstay Street and Kelvin Grove forward. The new accessible community hub will allow Placefirst to continue its focus on community engagement initiatives, with a strong on site presence. With Phase 6, the Welsh Streets neighbourhood will total just under 300 single-family BTR homes, a mix of refurbished and new build. Placefirst has invested over £40m into the project to date, with residents contributing an annual £1.7m spend to the local economy. Construction on the final phase will commence later this year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
ONE of the main factors preventing the UK from delivering large-scale housing effectively is that housebuilders are not fully equipped to fulfil the role of ‘master developer’ due to lack of up-front funding, according to the managing director of one of the country’s leading project management consultancies. Jonathon Bentley, who heads up Bentley Project Management, believes that most housebuilders aren’t inclined to invest in the infrastructure required to build out major urban extensions due to the high level of risk and the lack of immediate return-on-investment. Bentley – whose company is currently working on schemes to deliver infrastructure for more than 35,000 new homes – says that this creates a huge obstacle that needs to be navigated and is a much bigger challenge than simply the much-maligned planning system. “What we are seeing is that typically, housebuilders are looking towards small-scale schemes that can deliver a good return on investment fairly quickly,” said Bentley. “However, when it comes to the kind of major schemes that we as a country need to hit housebuilding targets, the related infrastructure – and the upfront funding that is required – strangles the speed of development. “To make any land ready for housing, there is a significant amount of infrastructure work required before it is primed for development. At the moment, this is simply not being made accessible, meaning that existing master developers or local authorities are having to cover these extensive costs upfront. “What this leads to is a problem balancing development cashflow that ensures a scheme can progress to the next phase, as large amounts of capital are exhausted before the first brick is laid. For housebuilders that typically rely on a business model that limits risk, this kind of upfront investment is very off-putting. “For small scale developments, the process for obtaining planning consent needs simplifying. But for projects at the larger end of the scale, it is a false perception that this is the only stumbling block. “There are significant numbers of these urban extension projects that have been given planning consent, but the combination of limited funding, a lack of appetite for developing out the infrastructure needed to support them and the timescales involved in doing so, is standing in the way of progress.” Bentley was recently involved in a visit by Michael Gove MP, secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, to a new sustainable urban extension at New Lubbesthorpe, Leicestershire – a scheme his team has been involved in for more than a decade. He added: “Following our discussion, it was clear that Mr Gove really understood the difference between what a master developer does in the way of servicing the land ready for houses to be built on, in contrast to the more traditional role of a housebuilder. “There now needs to be a concerted effort from those in government to investigate how large scale, sustainable urban housing developments can be rolled out across the country. More funding needs to be made available to get major urban extensions ‘shovel-ready’. If this can be done, we will see more housebuilders in a position where they can purchase fully serviced parcels of land and therefore build more, much-needed housing.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Barbour ABI has released its latest snap analysis of construction contract awards and planning applications for February, noting a disappointing month for awards value. Residential awards were a key driver, with a 43% monthly fall. Residential planning approvals and applications are currently weak, suggesting trouble ahead for housebuilding targets. This is driven by the Bank of England’s decision to increase the base rate to 4% suppressing demand from potential buyers. Increased energy and material costs are also increasing the cost of construction, making residential developments less viable in the current climate. Infrastructure also produced a disappointing month in terms of contracts awarded, despite continued government support for national projects. However, an 85% increase in planning approvals suggests a positive outlook thanks mainly to windfarm and road project approvals, alongside large applications for solar farms and battery storage facilities. Barbour ABI Chief Economist Tom Hall commented: “So far, 2023 appears to be ushering in a more subdued planning environment. Contract awards disappointed with £5.2bn in February, a monthly fall of 30%. The commercially sensitive sectors appear to be on lower paths compared to 2022. “The residential sector, in particular, has seen large falls, with a 43% monthly fall and a third less than the 2022 monthly average. The infrastructure sector produced a rare disappointment with £1.1bn; this was only the second month below the long-run average since Autumn 2021. “More positively, the healthcare sector had another exceptional month with £500m. Three of the last six months have been around the half-billion mark. And education is showing some small improvement, also seeing £500m in February – so far, 2023 is 20% up on 2022. “Meanwhile, planning approvals staged a partial recovery in February thanks to stronger infrastructure, warehousing and healthcare numbers – but commercially sensitive sectors stayed subdued. And planning applications got off to a satisfactory start to the year, again thanks to strong infrastructure and healthcare activity.” Find out more at https://barbour-abi.com/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
