Covering the whole UK housing sector
www.housingspecification.co.uk
IN THIS ISSUE:
MIXED RESPONSE FROM HOUSING INDUSTRY TO SPENDING REVIEW ago the housing association sector published its Ambition to Deliver. This plan outlined the sector’s goal of building 120,000 new homes a year across all tenures, to every price point of the market. I believe that today’s announcement brings us one step closer to making this a reality. “This announcement provides the conditions for us to deliver thousands more homes for people at every level of the housing market. Chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn statement unveiled a number of new measures expected to impact the industry. But there was a decidedly mixed response from organisations about the various proposals. The Brick Development Association (BDA) welcomed the news that
the Government has committed to investing £7bn into 400,000 new homes. Simon Hay, CEO of the Brick Development Association comments: “The focus now must be on turning housing promises into on-the-ground project delivery. We look forward making our contribution to addressing
HQM URGES HOUSEHOLDERS TO PREPARE FOR WINTER With the coldest winter in 65 years forecast to hit the UK later this year, founders of Home Quality Mark (HQM) – a 5-star quality rating scheme for new-build homes created by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) – warns households could face increased health issues and a steep incline in household bills, if their homes are not insulated correctly. In encouraging cutting-edge design, enhanced insulation and high-calibre ventilation, HQM-rated homes will give buyers and renters of
new homes the chance to enjoy a better quality of life and energy efficient home throughout the year. HQM is therefore urging consumers to take health, wellbeing, and energy factors into consideration when selecting new homes. Launched earlier this year, HQM addresses a gap in the market and a public desire for a consumer-focused housing standard that is authoritative, clearly understandable and which communicates the immediate and tangible benefits of high-quality housing.
the chronic housing shortage that has built up over recent decades. The re-openings and development of new brick plants are already incredibly positive signs in the revitalisation of the housebuilding sector.” David Orr, chief executive at the National Housing Federation said: “Two years
“Shared ownership is a housing association success story with over 275,000 properties already delivered.’ However, the construction skills shortage could scupper the Chancellor’s vision for 400,000 new affordable homes, warned the Federation of Master
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Housin g Specification Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Nevertheless, ‘George the Builder’ will need a new generation of ‘real’ builders to make his vision for housing a reality. “We’re already seeing housing developments starting to stall because the cost of hiring skilled tradespeople is threatening to make some sites simply unviable. Unless we see a massive uplift in apprenticeship training in our industry, there won’t be enough pairs of hands to deliver more housing on this scale.
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That’s why we’re keen for the Government to tread carefully when applying the new proposed Apprenticeship Levy to the construction industry.
UK’S BEST NEW HOUSE CROWNED BY RIBA The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has chosen Flint House as the winner of the coveted 2015 RIBA House of the Year award, sponsored by specialist insurer, Hiscox. Flint House, designed by architects Skene Catling De La Pena, was announced as the winner during a special four part TV series for Channel 4, Grand Designs: House of the Year. The series featured homes long-listed and shortlisted for the prestigious annual award. Set in the flintlayered fields of the Rothschild’s
estate at Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, the building rises from the ground as dark, fashioned flint and slowly changes in construction and texture until its refined white chalk blocks disappear into the sky. RIBA President Jane Duncan said: “The shortlist for the RIBA’s House of the Year represents a remarkable diversity of architectural skills and outcomes. “Although superbly original and unique, (Flint House) continues a fine tradition of
RIBA award-winning houses that provide exemplars for others: architects, clients and developers. Congratulations to all involved.”
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