The desperate need for student accommodation in the UK

The Purpose-Built Student Accommodation sector is experiencing incredibly high growth, with more and more developers getting involved in this lucrative investment. However, demand is continuing to be far higher than the provisions available. There is a genuine need for PBSA... View Article

A skilled workforce needs employers

Judith Cummins, MP for Bradford South, has highlighted the need for a radical overhaul of our skills policy to help places like Bradford, one of the top 40 constituencies to be affected by automation in the coming years. Cummins identified that 15% of... View Article

Construction site safety

Construction site workers are exposed to a wide variety of hazards, and without correct safety measures in place accidents and even fatalities can occur. It is of great importance that health and safety measures are clearly outlined and adhered to,... View Article

Mayor of London comments on the Sutton Estate appeal

Commenting on the Sutton Estate appeal, which was determined on 17 December, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “I am very pleased the Secretary of State has listened to what I and many local campaigners have been calling for, and has blocked... View Article

Construction SMEs are being left behind by off-site solutions

The House of Lords will debate the Science and Technology Committee’s report ”Off-site Manufacture in Construction: Building for Change” which, among other concerns, cites a need to improve the productivity of the industry. Lord Mair has said that the principal barrier to off-site... View Article

MHCLG Grenfell update – LABC responds

Last week, in a written statement, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, James Brokenshire, updated the government’s response to the Grenfell tragedy. Among the announcements were amendments to the approved documents confirming what materials can be... View Article

The shape of our future high street

Are our town centres destined to become predominantly residential zones? James Parker investigates this growing trend. Last week we experienced, depending on your point of view, what was either an exciting Christmas present-buying opportunity, or the blatant retailer-driven frenzy that... View Article

A Chinese takeaway for Theresa?

According to Riccardo Dawson of the new-build sales platform Yourkeys, overseas buyers should be thanked, not taxed, as they kick-start housing developments, boosting the overall number of new-build properties. In political parlance, the housing market is broken. And the party... View Article

Tool theft spike

Tradespeople across the UK are losing out on thousands of pounds at the hands of tool thieves. Recent research from the FMB has found that more than half of builders in the UK have been victim to tool theft at... View Article

Letwin Review: SMEs are crucial to solving the housing crisis

The Letwin Review rejects criticisms of landbanking and welcomes calls from industry bodies to diversify the housing market and speed up house building on large sites. Small and medium-sized (SME) house builders have previously told the Government on repeated occasions... View Article

Bonfire of the planning rules?

Will the London Mayor’s promise to tear up planning help tackle the housing crisis and what does this mean for population density? James Parker investigates. At the end of 2017, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced he was “ripping up planning... View Article

London councils offered more funding for planning

The Mayor of London has announced £10 million for ambitious councils that want to boost their role in building new homes in the capital. Building on previous positive announcements this year – small sites and SME house builder initiatives, increased... View Article

Brownfield land map tool will help tackle the housing crisis

The National Housing Federation (NHF) has identified and mapped more than 17,000 brownfield sites, totalling around 27,700 hectares, which could provide space for more than 961,000 homes. The National Federation of Builders (NFB) thinks that this tool has the potential... View Article