4 INDUSTRY NEWS
FROM THE EDITOR
James Parker
First and foremost, on behalf of the team at netMAGmedia, I would like to say that it’s very satisfying to be able to bring you not only a print edition after a short Covid-related hiatus, but what is our largest ever issue of Housebuilder & Developer.
The magazine’s deputy editor Jack Wooler has been working hard to produce great content for the title in recent months since the pandemic forced a pause in operations, and has been a consistent figure in the market in terms of engaging with developers in order to find interesting new case studies and features to report on. Contact Jack with any ideas for content at
jwooler@netmagmedia.co.uk
The ‘return of the lockdown’ has plunged the UK back into limbo, although construction mercifully remains exempt from the full force of work suspension regulations. The problem is, as so often, those regulations are slightly hard to fathom.
It’s clear that construction staff cannot “work effectively from home,” therefore they should continue travelling to sites to maintain operations. However the guidance (which doesn’t appear to be backed by legislation), says this is ‘not limited’ to construction (and critical infrastructure or manufacturing), so there could be considerable wriggle room here for employers in fields outside of, but related to, construction to insist that their staff must come into work.
The bottom line is that Covid still appears to be affecting some areas of the country in a highly disproportionate way, with hospital admissions in the north and the Midlands remaining much higher than those across the south.
ON THE COVER
Marco Abdallah of Drees & Sommer on what a ‘circular economy’ could look like for housebuilding
11.20
HOUSEBUILDER & DEVELOPER
The FMB’s Brian Berry explains the importance of diversification in UK housing
Patrick Mooney ponders whether the Housing Secretary will succeed where others have failed
The good news is that construction’s exemption is a sign the government for once at least recognises its crucial importance to the economy, not always something you feel is given the maximum weight by Ministers.
Enabling construction to continue also has a lot to do with the fact that the housebuilding industry’s efforts to climb towards 300,000 homes a year has been severely knocked by this virus. It needs all the help it can get now to get back on track. The freeing up of permitted development in town centres is one major weapon in the fight.
Currently, building on the right land for the right customers is one of the big challenges facing developers, but nonetheless a 222-bed brownfield scheme for elderly residents in leafy suburb Walton-on-Thames has just been rejected on the grounds that it was “turning into a town for old people.” This seems to be ageism gone mad, given that avoiding building on greenfield sites, and tackling such derelict urban sites is the way forward on a host of criteria, not least sustainability.
ON THE WATERFRONT
Labelled one of Europe’s “most exciting placemaking projects,” Barking Riverside is set to bring over 10,000 homes to the capital. Jack Wooler reports
Barking Riverside, London – go to page 22
WWW.HBDONLINE.CO.UK
Especially given the pandemic's impact on their demographic, if such brutal as well as inflexible decision-making persists and becomes widespread, there’s little chance of the housing sector tackling the UK’s demographic timebomb.
James Parker
HOUSEBUILDER & DEVELOPER
Publisher Anthony Parker
Managing Editor James Parker
Deputy Editor Jack Wooler
Editorial Assistant Roseanne Field
Studio Manager Mikey Pooley
Production Assistants Georgia Musson Kimberley Musson
Account Manager Sheehan Edmonds
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PR Executives Suzanne Easter Kim Friend
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Managing Director Simon Reed
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