Covering the whole UK housing sector
www.housingspecification.co.uk
IN THIS ISSUE:
GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES EXPERT PANEL TO SPEED UP DEVELOPMENT Inspector; Liz Peace, formerly of the British Property Federation; John Howell MP, member for Henley; and Derek Stebbing, Local Authority Plans Manager for Chelmsford City Council. Local Plans give communities more say in how their area will develop from the amount of housing they need to the infrastructure that has to be put in place to help them thrive. The government launched a radical reform of the planning system in 2012, reducing the amount of policy from more than 1,000 pages to just 52 and putting Local Plans at the heart of the system. The Government has launched a new group of experts to help streamline the local plan-making process. The eight-strong panel will consider how it can be simplified
with the aim of slashing the amount of time it takes for local authorities to get them in place. This will provide greater certainty to communities regarding plans for new homes
RESIDENTS WIN SHARE OF £25M TO WARM THEIR HOMES More than 7,000 households across England will benefit from £25 million worth of government funding to tackle fuel poverty and keep bills low. The £25 million Central Heating Fund competition opened in March to local authorities across England asking for plans to support local people living in homes that are not connected to the gas grid. Twenty projects across England have been awarded funding; these new and existing
projects will deliver services to those who need it the most. Once installed, central heating can help households save up to £1,000 a year as well as keeping their homes warm more effectively. The Department for Energy and Climate Change received more than 80 proposals from more than 100 local authorities. The proposals were assessed on how they met the funding criteria which included value for money and how the plans would offer ongoing support to cut bills.
SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 2015
Housin g Specification
and infrastructure in their area, while speeding up the planning process so developers can get on site quicker. Members include: Chair John Rhodes of planning consultants
Quod; Adrian Penfold from developers British Land; Richard Harwood QC from legal firm 39 Essex Chambers; Councillor Toby Elliott from Swindon Borough Council; Keith Holland, a retired Senior Planning
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INNOVATIONS
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In total, 276 local authorities have published Local Plans to date with 216 adopted so far. However, that means more than a third of local planning authorities have yet to adopt plans.
FDS APPOINTED TO LUXURIOUS NEW SCHEME Smoke ventilation contractor Fire Design Solutions (FDS) has been appointed to work on a new luxury residential development in West London. Situated in the Park Royal area, between Chiswick and Ealing, Redrow’s Royal Waterside project consists of 265 residences, including studios, apartments and penthouses with a range of amenities, including farmers markets, music venues and Michelin starred restaurants nearby. Brought on to the project by Redrow, FDS will design, supply, install and commission
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mechanical smoke ventilation and car park smoke ventilation systems in order to meet required fire safety standards. In addition, FDS will also provide
Levato Mono Porcelain paver system; designed for fast cost effective installation over most surfaces; including single ply membranes, roofing felt and other delicate waterproofing systems. • 20mm porcelain pavers – larger formats • ‘Floating floor’ – installation over single ply membranes. • Height adjustable/slope correcting supports • Highly abrasion and stain resistant, Fire & frost proof. • Highly slip resistant; R11 • Lightweight – 45kgs per m2. • Non porous. • High load bearing and impact resistance. • Timber & stone effects; 40+ finishes available. • Ideal for balconies, roof terraces and piazzas, for both commercial and residential use.
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corridor environmental systems for the site, which will mitigate heat build-up in common corridors during day-to-day operation.
EXTERNAL WALLS
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