16 industry news NEWS IN BRIEF
Households to grow by 210,000 a year
Government figures say the number of house- holds in England is likely to increase at an average of 210,000 a year between 2014 and 2039. The figures also show average household size
is projected to fall from 2.35 in 2014 to 2.21 in 2039 as the number of households increases from 22.7 million in 2014 to 28 million in 25 years time. One-person households will increase (by 68,000 per year), while households headed by someone aged 65 or over are likely to increase by 155,000 a year. The Government has added the caveat that the
projections do not forecast the impact of likely policy changes, including post-Brexit reduction in inward migration from the EU.
DECC cull criticised
Theresa May’s decision to scrap the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has been criticised by the FMB as “alarming” as it “signals that improving the energy efficiency of our existing buildings has been pushed ever-fur- ther down the list of Government priorities.” Brian Berry, FMB chief executive said: “Three
years ago Cameron told his officials to ‘cut the green crap’ and May has taken this further still. This means that there will be no Cabinet-level Minister championing climate change issues at the highest level of Government, which is bound to result in less emphasis and less action. He added: “Andrea Leadsom’s appointment as
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provides little solace when you con- sider that she has regularly voted against measures to tackle climate change in the past. Sidelining green policies would be to sacrifice their numerous economic benefits.”
DCLG meets HBF
Following the Brexit vote outgoing Communi- ties Secretary Greg Clark and Housing Minister Brandon Lewis met with members of the Home Builders Federation (HBF), to reaffirm housing’s top priority status for the Government and reit- erated the Government’s ambition to build a million more homes. Peter Andrew, deputy HBF chairman said:
“We were very pleased to hear the Secretary of State reaffirm the Government’s commitment to increasing housing supply. We welcomed his reit- eration of support for successful programmes like Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme which is underpinning demand and helping tens of thou- sands of buyers each year to take their first steps on the housing ladder. “Housebuilders remain confident in the underlying level of demand for housing.”
respond online at
www.hbdonline.co.uk BEATLES BALLROOM REVAMP
Construction starts on new Liverpool transformation
I
conic Liverpool institution Reece’s Ballroom, is to be given a new lease of life, with construction now underway on a
transformation of the property into residential apartments. Reece’s Ballroom was the jewel in the crown
of a string of cafés owned by Reece & Sons, and was a popular Liverpool night spot for socialising in the heyday of the Beatles. The venue was hired by John Lennon for his and first wife Cynthia Powell’s wedding reception. Parker Street Residences, which is due for
completion by Property Frontiers next sum- mer, will begin a new phase in the building’s history, restoring this piece of Liverpool’s her- itage to its former glory but “in a new form for a new generation.” The demolition works and structural alter-
ations now underway will be followed by steelwork and roof structural work in September. October will see the windows replaced, while construction of upper levels will begin in November. These are due for completion by April 2017, with internal fit out completed by June 2017 and overall comple- tion in August 2017. The development will offer spacious apart- ments with 24/7 on-site concierge service,
YOUNG BUILDER OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Young stars of the future Y
oung people who are learning, train- ing or employed in the construction industry, have entered the Young
Builder of the Year Awards which recently closed for entries. The awards sponsored by Toolstation offer
an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of young people, who are succeeding in the sector despite having to overcome barriers. The awards are run by Youthbuild UK, the
charity that promotes engagement and com- bats social exclusion among young people through the development of construction based services. The awards are open to 14-16 year olds still in education or training, includ- ing apprenticeships, and 18-24 year olds in employment or training. The winners will be announced at a presentation to be held at the House of Commons on 19th October. Now in their 17th year, the Young Builder
of the Year awards have helped to raise the profile of the construction industry amongst
security, bicycle storage and gym membership. Ray Withers, CEO of Property Frontiers,
said only 11 units are left for sale at the devel- opment, and commented: “This building has such a rich history and I'm delighted to see this new chapter in its story getting underway. Properties like this in such a central location are few and far between."
young people, supporting and encouraging them to enter the trade whilst helping to address the national skills shortage in the industry. Neil Carroll, commercial development
director at Toolstation, and a member of the judging panel, said: “We’ve been involved with Youthbuild UK since 2013 and have witnessed the great support they give to young people not just through these awards, but also in their work with many public and private sector organisations, training providers and contrac- tors to create projects.”
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