A new report, The Economic Footprint of Home Building, produced in association with United Trust Bank, shows that last year home building in England and Wales generated £53.3bn of economic output and supported 834,000 jobs, underlining the economic potential of delivering the homes the country needs. Hitting the new Government’s
The Renters’ Rights Bill is progressing through Parliament with pace, with the Second Reading of the legislation happening on 9 October, and Propertymark’s recent webinar on the widely anticipated new law helped alert property agents as to why it will prove to be one of the ‘biggest changes to the
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) Planning Committee last night approved plans for the redevelopment of the Former Royal Mail Sorting Office site, at Maidstone East, for mixed-use development which is predominantly residential. The development will include 180 apartments, 1,863 square metres of commercial and/or community space and around one acre of
A UNIQUE piece of research commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) reveals the huge financial strain temporary accommodation costs are placing on local authorities. Each year, an estimated £74.6 million is spent on renting temporary accommodation across Greater Manchester. The number of people living in temporary accommodation in
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is calling for reform of permitted development rights in its response to the government’s consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework. The pan-industry body is also urging government to channel greater resources into strategic planning and to strengthen support for retrofit first. CIC said it
Rt Hon Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has confirmed that by 2030 all rental properties will be required to achieve at least Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) level C or equivalent. Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said: “Many
Harron Homes has introduced its enhanced Homemover schemes designed to simplify the homebuying and selling process for househunters searching across Yorkshire and the North Midlands. The two schemes, Assisted Move and Part Exchange, provide practical solutions for customers looking to move into a new Harron home while avoiding the common
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and the Supply Chain Sustainability School have today published a groundbreaking report aimed at addressing the housing crisis through Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The report lays out key policy recommendations designed to accelerate the adoption of MMC and deliver high-quality, affordable homes at scale.
A project in the centre of Sunderland has reached another key milestone. Plans for the re-development of the former Sunderland Civic Centre building were revealed in March 2021, as part of the council’s move to new premises on the former Vaux site, just north of the city centre, in November
A brand-new play area in Oakham has been officially opened by Florence, one of the people who will be having fun in the new facilities most over the coming months and years. The new play area is located at the front of Oakham Pastures, Davidsons Homes’ collection of new homes
A new report, The Economic Footprint of Home Building, produced in association with United Trust Bank, shows that last year home building in England and Wales generated £53.3bn of economic output and supported 834,000 jobs, underlining the economic potential of delivering the homes the country needs. Hitting the new Government’s 1.5m homes target could deliver £330bn to UKPLC and an extra 350,000 jobs a year The research carried out by Lichfields for the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and produced in association with United Trust Bank (UTB) found that last year, delivering 240k homes generated; And; The findings also demonstrate the huge boost to growth the new Government can release if it can hit its ambitious housing targets. If Labour were to meet its housing targets of 1.5 million homes built over the course of this Parliament, this could result in: Compared to the 1 million homes built under the last government, this equals an additional: The home building industry has largely welcomed the interventions Labour has made on planning, addressing the major barriers to land coming through the system. It is now urging Government to address the other constraints to delivery, particularly on the demand side and is also calling on the new Government to deliver on its commitment to find a solution to the ‘nutrition neutrality’ issue holding up an estimated 160,000 homes. Neil Jefferson, Chief Executive of the HBF said: “As well as addressing some of the major social issues the country faces, building more homes drives economic activity. The house building industry sustains hundreds of thousands of jobs, generates huge receipts for the exchequer and boosts investment in infrastructure and amenities across the country. “Delivering new developments provides energy-efficient, modern homes, and ploughs investment into new roads, schools and community facilities that benefit both new and existing residents. “If Government can deliver on its ambitious housing targets it will reap significant social and economic benefits. The industry welcomes the swift and decisive actions to address the constraints in the planning system, but more is needed to accelerate growth. The lack of affordable mortgage availability means more support for buyers is needed. Creating demand for new homes provides the confidence the industry needs to invest and deliver both private and affordable homes. “The upcoming budget provides an opportunity for the Government to take more positive steps to address the mounting housing crisis and to commit to their pledge to get Britain building again.” Adam Bovingdon, Head of Property Development at United Trust Bank, said: “This important report illustrates the huge contribution the housing industry makes to the UK economy and to the local areas surrounding new housing developments. UTB is a staunch advocate for regional housebuilders and entrepreneurial developers and the important contribution they make to delivering the UK’s housing needs. Our funding supports the completion of around 5600 new homes at any one time, bringing new jobs, new facilities and new money to areas where investment can make a big difference.” Richard Coburn, Senior Director at Lichfields, said: “We were delighted to be asked by the HBF to update our series of economic impact work which we started in 2015. Our research lands at an extremely important time for the house building industry with the new Government seemingly taking all reasonable policy measures to accelerate much-needed delivery of new homes. “Lichfields again has identified the very significant economic contribution made by house building and how boosting supply to achieve the Government’s confirmed aspiration of 300K homes per annum in England will not only help improve access to housing for people across the country but also deliver a significant economic and infrastructure dividend. “It is important that this contribution is properly recognised in planning and investment decisions across central and local government.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Renters’ Rights Bill is progressing through Parliament with pace, with the Second Reading of the legislation happening on 9 October, and Propertymark’s recent webinar on the widely anticipated new law helped alert property agents as to why it will prove to be one of the ‘biggest changes to the rental market’ in over three decades. The message from the webinar was clear: change is coming. The professional body advised property agents that they need to understand the changes in good time to help maintain excellent working relationships with landlords. Led by Timothy Douglas, Propertymark’s Head of Policy and Campaigns, Jan Hÿtch, Lettings Help Line Manager, and Valerie Bannister, former ARLA Propertymark President and current ARLA Propertymark Regional Executive, the webinar explored four key themes around the Renters’ Rights Bill: periodic tenancies, student tenancies, new grounds for possession, and advertising and increasing rents. The three key speakers advised property agents to review their fee structure, mitigate any business risks, and ensure that existing tenancy agreements do not collide with the new legislation that will enable tenants to keep pets at their properties, something many of them cannot do currently. However, this will change once new tenancy agreements are produced after the Renters’ Rights Bill becomes law next summer. They also discussed the future of fixed-term tenancies, longer rent arrears, and periodic tenancies becoming simpler once the new law is enacted. The panel advised anyone unsure of what is being proposed by the legislation to potentially attend one of Propertymark’s upcoming training courses or conferences to assist in furthering their understanding as to how the Renters’ Rights Bill might affect them. Tessa Shepperson, Managing Director of Landlord Law Services Ltd, will be leading a virtual training course titled Preparing for the Renters’ Rights Bill on 31 October to discuss how the Renters’ Rights Bill will affect landlords and agents. Nathan Emerson, CEO at Propertymark, said: “The Renters Rights’ Bill represents one of the biggest evolutions of law for the rental sector in many decades and we hope that our webinar powered letting agents with robust information to help them navigate upcoming changes. “It is vital we see strong stakeholder engagement from across the industry to help shape the new legislation and ensure it is balanced, workable and and fit for the future. We will continue to ensure there is healthy engagement with the UK Government to strike a functional and fair balance between tenants, agents and landlords.” To attend one of Propertymark’s upcoming regional conferences in your area, use this link: Conferences | Propertymark. In order to attend one of the professional body’s training courses, click this link: Estate and letting agent training courses | Propertymark. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) Planning Committee last night approved plans for the redevelopment of the Former Royal Mail Sorting Office site, at Maidstone East, for mixed-use development which is predominantly residential. The development will include 180 apartments, 1,863 square metres of commercial and/or community space and around one acre of open green space town centre park which will be owned and managed by the Council. Cllr Stuart Jeffery, Leader of MBC said: “This redevelopment will form part of the Council’s ambitious housebuilding programme. These are very exciting times for the Council, and the town itself. We believe the project will be transformational to that area of Maidstone, bringing genuinely excellent new homes to the town centre. I am also pleased to see a large new open green space included in the design, it will play an important role in the wellbeing of the new residents and businesses.” MBC has been working on the makeup of the site for the past few years, the demolition of the various buildings is almost complete making way for the new development. Cllr Simon Wales, Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness at MBC added: “MBC will be acting as lead developer on the site and has already secured £2.1m of Brownfield Land Release Fund monies from the Department for Local Government Homes & Communities, which has helped fund some of the remedial works to prepare it for redevelopment. “Now that the planning permission is in place, the Council can approach Homes England as to the availability of Social Housing Grant monies to help fund much needed affordable housing on the site. We are also discussing the inclusion of a health facility with the local NHS” Simon continued: “The next steps are to procure a contractor for the works, and to refine and finalise the tenure mix for the project, with a view to the build getting under way in around twelve months.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A UNIQUE piece of research commissioned by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) reveals the huge financial strain temporary accommodation costs are placing on local authorities. Each year, an estimated £74.6 million is spent on renting temporary accommodation across Greater Manchester. The number of people living in temporary accommodation in Greater Manchester is now at an all-time high, with 5,649 households living in hostels, Bed and Breakfast and other temporary accommodation. These households include 7,679 children. Over the past four years the number of households in temporary accommodation in Greater Manchester has increased by 71% compared with 26% across England. Today the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and the leaders of the city-region’s ten local authorities confirmed the launch of a new Housing First Unit to tackle the roots of the housing crisis by: Housing First is part of the GMCA’s pioneering approach to delivering public services and tackling the problems that are hampering wellbeing and economic growth. It is based on the philosophy that good health, good education, and good jobs cannot come without a good, permanent home. The Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “The £75m our councils are spending on these rents is just the tip of the iceberg. It doesn’t include the cost of finding that housing, let alone the human toll of living in such an insecure situation. “Our reliance on temporary accommodation has left thousands of families in a limbo that is blighting their life chances and damaging their health and wellbeing. Living in a hostel or B&B makes it harder to cook healthy meals, do homework, hold down a job, see friends and family or visit a doctor when you need to. “Our Housing First Unit will work to make sure that everyone in Greater Manchester has a home that is safe, secure and sustainable. Giving everyone a good, safe home would be one of the best investments the country could make and would take pressure off other public services and public finances.” Demand for social housing in Greater Manchester outstrips supply by 260 per cent. In 2022/23, there were 13,551 social lettings in Greater Manchester – half as many as ten years ago. There were 86,595 households vying for these properties, of which 35,177 were in a priority group for social housing The Mayor and Greater Manchester’s ten council leaders also approved a plan to work together to deliver better quality and better value temporary accommodation. The cost and demand for temporary accommodation has spiralled in recent years due to a lack of social and affordable housing and the high cost of private rentals. Local authorities must abide by strict rules around how they cover these rental costs and can only recover a fraction of what they spend from central government. In Greater Manchester, councils were only able to recover 42% of the £74.6 million they spent on temporary accommodation, creating an annual net loss of £43million. The GMCA will explore new ways of coordinating, delivering and preventing the need for temporary accommodation. It will also draw lessons from current best practice across the city-region, such as Manchester City Council, which has been able to buck the national trend, reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation and all but eradicating the use of Bed and Breakfasts. Portfolio Lead for Housing First, City Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett, said: “The spiralling cost of temporary accommodation represents an existential threat to local government. Following 14 years of previous Government-driven austerity, we’ve seen councils up and down the country going bankrupt, with temporary accommodation placing an ever-bigger burden on their budgets. “In recent years, the lack of social and council housing has massively increased landlords’ bargaining power, leaving our residents struggling to secure a place to call home. That market pressure has also made it harder for councils to negotiate rates and secure temporary accommodation. Without urgent and radical action, annual financial losses for local authorities will just keep growing, putting further pressure on overstretched budgets, continuing to push councils into bankruptcy. “There is no quick fix for this housing crisis which has been 40 years in the making. The Right to Buy has led to chronic under-supply of social and council housing. We’ve lost 24,000 homes to Right to Buy in the past two decades and not enough new homes are being built to replace them. Rising land values, an inability currently to capture land-value uplift in the National Planning Policy Framework, ongoing land assembly challenges, and skills and experiences shortages are also making it harder to build truly affordable housing. “We welcome the progress the new Government is making, including the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Bill, which will end no fault eviction and recent changes to the Compulsory Purchase Regulations to tackle issues with ‘hope value’ and the implications for the viability of developments. “Through regional collaboration and with the support of central Government, we can work to deliver Greater Manchester’s vision of Housing First and collectively work to mitigate the worst effects of the housing crisis. “By taking a collaborative, co-ordinated and evidence-based approach, we hope to realise economies of scale and deliver temporary accommodation that is better value for money, while reducing the need for temporary accommodation by significantly increasing & accelerating the supply of Truly Affordable Net Zero homes. “A good home is the cornerstone of a healthy, happy life for our residents. By working together, we can improve the standard of temporary accommodation and make sure they are consistent across Greater Manchester.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is calling for reform of permitted development rights in its response to the government’s consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework. The pan-industry body is also urging government to channel greater resources into strategic planning and to strengthen support for retrofit first. CIC said it is “is hugely supportive of government’s ambition to accelerate housebuilding and that it backed many reforms.” But it added: “Without extra funding for affordable housing in the budget this ambition could not be realised as many schemes will remain unviable.” Professor Tony Crook CBE, Chair of CIC’s Housing Panel, said: “We support what the government is doing, including much of the detail in the NPPF, such as reintroduction of local mandatory housing targets. However, the NPPF will not be able to deliver on its own, and there is a real risk that without addressing other changes needed, government will fall well short of its housebuilding ambitions.” In its response to the consultation, CIC has highlighted concerns about the government’s proposals, including: Mina Hasman, chair of CIC’s Climate Change Committee said: “The newly planned homes are expected to face some of the most severe and long-lasting impacts of climate change making it imperative that they are designed to be both resilient and low carbon. It is therefore, critical that our planning policies support homes built to an ambitious Future Homes Standard and drive the successful adoption of Blue-Green Infrastructure including SuDS. The policy of encouraging the reuse of existing resources within the NPPF should be strengthened to better incentivise retrofitting, improve design solutions, and dramatically reduce waste and carbon emissions in line with government’s stated commitment to a more circular economy.” CIC also highlighted the skills shortage across many professionals and trades, which it said needed urgent addressing for house building targets to be met. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Rt Hon Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has confirmed that by 2030 all rental properties will be required to achieve at least Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) level C or equivalent. Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said: “Many landlords will find EPC C challenging to reach, particularly if they own older buildings. However, some of the reasons relate to the cost of energy which means a gas boiler achieves a better EPC rating than electric heating, such as heat pumps. It is therefore pleasing to see the Government propose a consultation to make EPC’s more accurate and reliable, plus use the words EPC C ‘or equivalent’, suggesting the introduction of an alternative assessment method.” The EPC C by 2030 target is less ambitious than the EPC C by 2025 for new tenancies and 2028 for existing ones that Rishi Sunak scrapped in September 2023, but more realistic. DESNZ also confirmed the continuation of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, as well as the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, which replaces the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Policy and Market Insight at the NFB, said: “EPC C or equivalent by 2030 is achievable and great news for SME builders who will be fundamental in retrofitting those 2.9 million homes. We hope to convince the Government to do even more and as part of our response to the NPPF consultation we again proposed a National Retrofit Planning Framework (NRPF) to ensure the planning process does not hinder works or make them prohibitive. Introducing a Digital Buildings Passport would also encourage all owners to better understand their buildings and plan a timeline for renovation and retrofitting. As works would be recorded, bad practitioners would also have nowhere to hide and better or best practice could be highlighted.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Harron Homes has introduced its enhanced Homemover schemes designed to simplify the homebuying and selling process for househunters searching across Yorkshire and the North Midlands. The two schemes, Assisted Move and Part Exchange, provide practical solutions for customers looking to move into a new Harron home while avoiding the common pitfalls of selling their current property. Assisted Move offers a tailored plan for homeowners who need to sell their current home before moving into their new one. First, Harron arranges valuations from three independent estate agents to provide a fair market value for the customer’s property. Then, they create a personalised marketing strategy to sell their property at the very best price. The customer’s property is kept on the market until it has sold, and Harron Homes’ knowledgeable sales experts remain on hand to assist with the sale through-out the entire process. Once the home has been sold, Harron pay the estate agent fees, and the customer can reserve their brand new and energy-efficient Harron home. The second Homemover scheme is Part Exchange, which is available only on selected properties. This process provides a guaranteed cash buyer for the current home, eliminating property chain delays and streamlining the transition into a new Harron home. “We are excited to offer these comprehensive Homemover schemes,” says Natalie Griffiths, Sales and Marketing Director for Harron Homes North Midlands. “Both the Assisted Move and Part Exchange schemes are designed to make the homebuying journey as seamless and stress-free as possible for our customers. One of the most daunting parts of buying a house is the struggle of having to sell your current property while meeting timelines and battling with property chains. With our Homemover schemes, the customer has expert support to ensure they sell their old house and move into their new Harron home at a pace that suits them.” For more information on Harron Homes’ Homemover schemes, please visit: https://www.harronhomes.com/purchasing-assistance/homemover-schemes/. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and the Supply Chain Sustainability School have today published a groundbreaking report aimed at addressing the housing crisis through Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). The report lays out key policy recommendations designed to accelerate the adoption of MMC and deliver high-quality, affordable homes at scale. The report’s development was led by the CLC Housing Working Group’s Smart Construction Sub-Group, which includes representatives from: The report proposes a series of long-term policy goals for the Labour Government to consider, including the creation of a dedicated MMC Taskforce. This taskforce, once convened, would be responsible for developing a comprehensive MMC strategy within six months. The strategy would focus on: Addressing the Housing and Skills Crisis The report identifies MMC as a key solution to the UK’s housing shortage, proposing that the adoption of MMC could counter the current 225,000-person skills gap in construction. With the ability to rapidly scale up housing delivery to meet demand for 300,000 – 500,000 homes annually, MMC offers a pathway to reversing decades of stagnation in the sector, which has seen construction productivity lag behind most other UK industries. Global Lessons and High-Level Targets Drawing on international case studies from countries including Australia, China and Japan, the report emphasises the need for high-level, published MMC targets that link both quantity and quality outcomes. It calls on the UK Government to implement clear, achievable goals that provide the construction industry with the certainty it needs to invest in MMC innovation and growth. The report also supports the National Housing Federation’s call for new towns and settlements to include a mix of housing tenures, with MMC prioritised for its ability to rapidly deliver high-quality, sustainable homes. A Clear Call to Action The CLC is urging the Government to adopt their recommendations, particularly the creation of the MMC Taskforce, as a matter of urgency. By doing so, the UK can tackle its housing shortage, address the construction skills crisis, and deliver environmentally sustainable housing at scale. Rory Bergin, Partner at Sustainable Futures said: “To meet the Government’s target of delivering 1.5 million new homes by 2029, we need to double housing output and remove barriers that limit productivity. MMC is a key part of this strategy, and the sector has invested heavily in it. Now is the time to build on that progress, modernise housing delivery, and release the benefits of increased productivity, sustainability, and quality.” Access the full report here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A project in the centre of Sunderland has reached another key milestone. Plans for the re-development of the former Sunderland Civic Centre building were revealed in March 2021, as part of the council’s move to new premises on the former Vaux site, just north of the city centre, in November that year. Permission was granted to Vistry North East, part of the Vistry Group, to replace the old 1960’s buildings with a vibrant city centre community of 265 homes in April 2022. Demolition started in October and was completed in February of this year, with the construction of the new West Park Quarter moving forward at pace. Now, the first of the high-quality new properties have been released for sale under the Linden Homes brand. They include a selection of three and four bedroom homes offering choice for both first time buyers or those looking for a larger, family home close to the city centre and with access to scenic and accessible open green spaces. Sean Egan, Managing Director with Vistry North East, said: “This is a flagship project for our business and we are delighted to now be in a position to release the first properties for sale. We expect the first customers will be moving in later this year and at the start of 2025. “A complex scheme, working in close partnership with Sunderland City Council, we’ve been able to support the move to Riverside Sunderland’s City Hall and unlock the potential of the old civic site in a way that will re-energise this part of the city centre. “West Park Quarter is delivering homes for sale, private rent and affordable rent and our mixed tenure approach has enabled us to deliver the new homes at pace. The properties will be set around public, open green spaces and will offer excellent links to both the high street and to local transport infrastructure. By improving the choice and standard of new homes in the centre of Sunderland, we aim to create a vibrant community for people to live in and enjoy.” Part of the project will see works to recreate Saint George’s Square – bomb damaged during the Second World War and lost to redevelopment in the 60s – with the Grade II listed Saint George’s House as the focal point. The architecture and streetscapes being constructed have been planned to be sensitive to existing structures, the park side location and the Ashbrooke Conservation Area. The development is also incorporating plenty of cycling and pedestrian links, improving public access to and from the city centre. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A brand-new play area in Oakham has been officially opened by Florence, one of the people who will be having fun in the new facilities most over the coming months and years. The new play area is located at the front of Oakham Pastures, Davidsons Homes’ collection of new homes off Uppingham Road, surrounded by lush trees and pretty greenery. Florence was invited to cut the ribbon the brand-new play area, declaring it officially open for children and families to enjoy from now on. Rachel Harris, mother to Florence, said: “We were so touched that Florence was invited to open the play area at Oakham. Not only was it a lovely surprise for her, Davidsons Homes also bought her a little rucksack and necklace which she is now wearing with pride! “We have been staying at Oakham Pastures with my parents, so have had a front-row seat watching the play area be created, and Florence was so excited to be able to go out there and enjoy playing on the equipment. “The outlook from my parents’ house is truly special, and we have absolutely loved living with the open-plan spaces and the void which joins the bottom floor with the top one. It’s not overlooked and has a large garden – in fact we’d like to stay here forever! “The homes have got real character, they feel like a great blend of Georgian design and elements of local style too. There are a lot of swallows here, which is evidently a sign of a happy place – and Oakham Pastures certainly feels it.” Simon Tyler, Sales Director for Davidsons Homes, said: “The most important people we have to impress with our play areas and sections of open spaces are the children and families who will actually use them – which is why we were delighted to welcome Florence to officially launch our play area at Oakham Pastures. “We hope her and her friends enjoy playing here for many years to come!” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
