08 News
THE MONTHLY NEWSBLOG ABOUT SOME OF THE NEWS OF INTEREST TO SOME OF OUR READERS ALL OF THE TIME.
All in all house completions are reckoned to fall to 163,000 in 2008 – that’s nearly a third less than the 240,000 a year target.
However, the Construction Products Association believes that…. …….housing starts are expected to fall to 205,000 this year but rise to 235,000 by 2012. Construction output for 2008 is forecast to grow by just over 1% compared with 2.6% enjoyed in 2007. However, the industry expects to avoid recession during the current economic slowdown according to the latest forecasts from the Construction Products Association. This is in spite of this rate of growth which is expected to remain at a modest 1% all the way through to 2012. Source: Construction Products Association,
Persimmon and Bovis are best tipped to beat the housing slump.
Slump stats 1 Housebuilders forward sales position compared with last year Taylor Wimpey - 19% Bovis - 19% Persimmon - 14% Wimpey - 6%
Slump stats 2 Number of houses sold compared with last year Barratt - 15% Miller - 10% Redrow - 9% Bovis - 6% Persimmon - 5% Source: Building 25 January.
Developers are highlighting an electric heating loophole in the Code for Sustainable Homes. For more about the code, go to www.building/
co.uk/sustainability Source: Building 25 January
House prices in Britain now stand at about nine times average annual earnings — up from about five times in 2001. Average national house prices now have risen threefold since the early 1990s, from about £60,000 to about £200,000.
£15M BIG LOTTERY MONEY TO ENHANCE GREEN PUBLIC SPACES
Over 70 communities across England are set to benefit from a £15.6M Big Lottery grant, as part of a series of nationwide projects aimed at improving people`s local environments.
The multimillion pound "Green Spaces for People" project will see a consortium of housing providers, led by Places for People and including The Riverside Group and Peabody Trust, regenerate over 70 local communities across the country to create green community spaces, and recreational activities for thousands of customers. Source: Places for People
in brief
NEW POWERS FOR COUNCILS TO RAISE MILLIONS MORE TO SUPPORT NEW HOMES
Hundreds of millions of pounds will be available to spend on vital infrastructure, like roads, schools, parks and health centres if Councils back new homes. The Government has set out how the new Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), will help fund massive new investment to sustain new homes. This is part of the Government's drive to support quality neighbourhoods, Ministers believe it is essential that new developments have parks, play areas and proper facilities and that more is done to ease transport pressures when new homes are built. They are also keen to ensure that small developments which can have a cumulative impact on areas make a contribution to local infrastructure and facilities.
The National Federation of Builders, (NFB) – the principal trade body for small and medium sized contractors in England and Wales – has announced its biggest ever recruitment drive as it looks to strengthen its support for the industry’s SME sector in 2008. The membership push is supported by a refreshed NFB brand identity, which is now being rolled out across the organisation. A new website (
www.builders.org.uk) will enable electronic consultation of members on key policy areas. An expanded sales and marketing team has also been put in place to target small builders, medium sized contractors and housebuilders - the bedrock of the NFB's 2,000-strong membership.
SMALL CHANGE - BIG DIFFERENCE
Places for People, one of the UK’s largest housing associations which manages 60,000 homes, is in talks with a contractor and materials supplier with a view to building thousands of zero-carbon homes a year. Chief Executive David Cowans said PfP’s is committing to building 5,000 homes a year by 2016, compared with 1,700 now.
British Land’s Sustainability and Climate Change exhibition is helping to act as a catalyst for change and enabling shoppers and office workers to reduce their individual environmental impact. Aimed at raising awareness of what simple measures individuals and businesses can take to reduce their resource use and related carbon footprint, the exhibition is part of British Land’s drive to reduce water, waste and energy across its £20 billion property portfolio. New exhibition venues in 2008 include: The Kingston Centre, Milton Keynes; Peacocks Shopping Centre, Woking; Birstall Shopping Park, Leeds; Parkgate Shopping Park, Rotherham; Serpentine Green Shopping Centre, Peterborough; Beaumont Leys, Leicester
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