The new digital platform will provide landlords with resources to help them keep on top of property and tenant management, administration and service delivery.
The continued cost-of-living crisis has had major repercussions on the private rented sector. Squeezed budgets have meant people can’t afford to pay current rent prices and increased costs on certain resources have left landlords struggling. However, a new app, which was launched this month, could help to address the latter.
Created by RoomApp, the new Exempt Social Housing Excellence (ESHE) platform, is a one-stop service hub providing landlords with the ability to access a database that is comprised of all the information needed to stay on top of property management, without the hassle of having to afford the resources for and complete endless amounts of paperwork.
The paperless task management system helps landlords to stay in-line with evidencing legal obligations, complying with service quality standards, actioning repair requests from tenants or staff recruitment and development.
Against this backdrop, the technology is also good for filtering out the bad landlords who attempt to rip tenants off by placing them in poorly kept homes. According to research from the Resolution Foundation, one in six young adults in the UK are living in dire conditions which is severely impacting on their physical and mental health.
Camarlo Richards, founder of ESHE, said: ‘There is a core body of ‘good landlords’ in the exempt supported housing arena who care deeply about their tenants and the quality of housing they provide.
‘However, ESHE was born of the unfortunate acknowledgment that there are unscrupulous landlords out there, defrauding the system of millions each year, often disregarding their safeguarding responsibilities, some even actively targeting vulnerable people.’
With this in mind, ESHE’s tenant application, RoomApp, is designed to help support vulnerably housed people and/or those who’re facing homelessness. The technology provides a function where individuals can search for suitable properties and manage their end-to-end tenancy.
Camarlo added: ‘ESHE is the quality assured gold standard. Easy and efficient for good landlords to use. It stops rogue landlords operating and in doing so, raises living standards, reduces support needs and costs while easing the pressure on our straining housing system.’
As well as helping the property sector, councils and NHS staff members have also expressed an interest in ESHE.
Image: Camarlo Richards
Airbnb are pushing landlords to become more energy efficient [4]
Government introduces protections for renting families and crackdown on rogue landlords [5]
Pick Everard have announced the completion of a new facility for the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) to host rehearsals and performances.
According to Pick Everard, a national multi-disciplinary consultancy working within the property sector, the new establishment, which held its topping out ceremony last September, can now house all 54 musicians serving under RMAS [7] – the organisation where all officers in the British Army are trained to take on the responsibility of leading their soldiers.
Funded by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) under the Defence Estate Optimisation (DEO) Army Programme, the refurbished buildings include an instrument store, music library and rehearsal rooms, as well as offices, storage, changing rooms, and a crew room that will support performances such as passing out parades and Sovereign’s parades.
Commenting on the achievement, Matt Carter, director at Pick Everard, said creating the new development has been a ‘complex’ yet rewarding project.
‘This has been a complex undertaking, which involved close collaboration with our project partners to navigate several onsite challenges, including ecology operations to ensure our work would not interfere with natural habitats present onsite,’ Matt said. ‘Our teams were committed to delivering a facility of the highest standard, with green credentials, which is reflected in our DREAM ratings.’
Matt added: ‘British Army Band Sandhurst musicians now have a modern and acoustically optimised environment, that is befitting of their reputation for excellence on the UK Defence stage.’
In addition to helping RMAS, the new development is also beneficial to the environment. Air source heat pumps, solar panels and programmable lighting systems have been fitted within the building.
Against this backdrop, social value was also integral to the project, with the team providing free decoration services to community centres nearby. These centres will also host coffee mornings with the veterans to discuss and raise awareness about mental health.
Debs Thorne, Joint Bands School Programme Manager, said: ‘This project is a fantastic example of the significant investment underway across the Army estate, to support military training and future capability through delivery of modern, sustainable infrastructure. I have been really impressed by the quality of the finished buildings and I trust that the British Army Band Sandhurst will soon feel at home in their new, purpose-built music facility.’
The Ensemble Band are due to move into the building this summer and an official opening event is planned for autumn 2024.
Images: RMAS
Henry Brothers celebrates key development stage in Staffordshire project [8]
New research from Envirohomes Renewables has revealed that properties in the Isles of Scilly are the worse affected as just 14.9% have an EPC rating of band ‘c’ or above.
The Scottish-based organisation studied data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which displayed the percentage of homes in each local authority with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of band ‘C’ or above.
Properties with an EPC rating of band ‘C’ often meet the minimum energy efficiency standards required by building regulations. However, having a ‘B’ or an ‘A’ rating is preferred.
According to the research, the Isles of Scilly, which is located off the Cornish coast, has the lowest number of energy efficient homes in England. The data examined found that in 2022, just 14.09% of properties in the area had an EPC rating of ‘C’ or above – the lowest in England by almost 10%.
However, homes in Pendle, which is situated in Lancashire, aren’t far behind. Experts found that a mere 21.83% of properties here reach the required EPC ratings. In addition, only 24.84% of homes in South Essex have EPC ratings of ‘C’ or above.
Research from Envirohomes Renewables.
Commenting on the news, Ross Jones, director of Envirohomes Renewables [12], said: ‘While there are many ways you can save money on energy for your home, having a low energy efficiency rating can make this very difficult from the start, and costs will add up, and with the current cost of living this can be a serious problem. However, if you live in one of these areas, you can improve your EPC rating by installing insulation, changing your lighting, replacing your boiler, and more.’
The new research, which was published earlier this week, coincides with government plans to ensure all fuel-poor homes have an EPC rating of a least band ‘C’ by 2030 and as many homes across the country as possible are rated a band ‘C’ or above by 2035. Although, the figures uncovered by Envirohomes Renewables show a lot more work needs to be done to make sure these goals are met.
Image: Andreas Gücklhorn
Goals set to drive energy efficiency in historic homes [13]
Two steps forward, one step back: Sunak scraps energy efficiency housing targets [14]
The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has revealed inflation rates hit their lowest level since September 2021 last month, leading experts to believe that the Bank of England is ‘likely to maintain interest rates for an extended period.’
According to the figures from the ONS, which were revealed this morning, the drop in food prices, particularly in meats and crumpets, caused inflation to fall from 3.4% in February to 3.2% in March. Although this is a positive outcome, city economists and the Bank of England had forecast a slightly larger decline to 3.1%.
Against this backdrop, economists are expecting a further decline in April, with the potential to fall below the Bank’s 2% target after a sharp drop in household gas and electricity bills to the lowest level for two years.
Commenting on the news, chancellor Jeremy Hunt, said: ‘The plan is working: inflation is falling faster than expected, down from over 11% to 3.2%, the lowest level in nearly two and a half years, helping people’s money go further.’
However, Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, has said that today’s outcome is not a win for the Conservative party.
‘Conservative ministers will be hitting the airwaves today to tell the British people that they have never had it so good,’ Ms Reeves said. ‘However, after 14 years of economic failure under the Conservatives, working people are worse off.’
Ms Reeves added: ‘Prices are still high in the shops, monthly mortgage bills are going up and inflation is still higher than the Bank of England’s target.’
Echoing a similar tone, Daniel Austin, CEO and co-founder at ASK Partners, said: ‘Decreasing inflation suggests that the Bank of England is likely to maintain interest rates for an extended period, particularly considering the signs of economic recovery we’ve witnessed.
‘This all points to a positive domestic story of an economy exiting a mild recession but does mean that pressure will remain on those servicing debt and with ongoing global market uncertainty surrounding the Middle East crisis, the coming months are set to be shaky.’
‘In the real estate sector and as property loan extensions expire, borrowers will face the choice of injecting fresh capital, returning assets to lenders, or selling in a soft market,’ Austin said. ‘The assets hitting the market will kickstart the cycle and offer opportunities for capital-endowed buyers, who view this as an opportune moment to acquire assets at significant discounts.’
The latest inflation news, comes ahead of the next Bank of England’s meeting where they will decide on whether to retain interest rates or decrease them. The meeting is due to take place on 8th May 2024.
Ahead of the meeting, John Glencross, CEO and co-founder of Calculus, said: ‘Today’s data shows UK inflation is falling, although still above the Bank of England’s target of 2%. If inflation continues to fall the Bank of England may start to cut interest rates by summer which could bring a renewed sense of optimism for investors, consumers and British businesses alike.
‘In his Spring Budget, the Chancellor spoke on his belief that the success achieved in tackling inflation will soon convert to economic growth, placing particular focus on the strength of the UK’s technology sector. Supporting British growth companies could help improve the near economic horizon by boosting GDP and increasing job creation.’
Image: stux
Inflation: Figures remain steady but families will still have to go without [17]
Inflation: Interest rates stuck at 5.25% for fourth consecutive time [18]
After three years of uncertainty, Northumberland City Council have ditched plans to build a new EV battery factory in favour of a computer data centre.
In 2021 Britishvolt, a UK startup manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries, proposed plans to build a new EV battery factory in Cambois, Northumberland, however the organisation collapsed at the beginning of 2023 after running out of money, which caused more than 200 people to lose their jobs.
The battery plant, which was going to be known as the ‘gigafactory’, was expected to create 3,000 highly-skilled jobs and another 5,000 indirect jobs in the wider supply chain, and had been touted as an example of ‘levelling up’.
However, following the companies collapse, Northumberland County Council have said they are now considering buying back the energy park, which was home to Britishvolt, in exchange for up to £110m from private equity firm Blackstone.
The investment firm plans to build a computer centre, known as a hyperscale data centre campus on the grounds. These types of establishments are often used by companies including Google, IBM and Microsoft and typically comprise more than 5,000 severs and cover 10,000 sq ft.
As this project is so big, the local authority have claimed that the plans would create more than 1,600 direct jobs and over 2,700 indirect roles over the course of its development.
Currently, there have been no details released about which organisation will be running the data centre, but the council is set to meet on 23rd April to speak about the plans in more detail.
Commenting on the news, Scott Dickinson, said that although letting go of the previous battery factory plan was ‘disappointing’, the new proposal shows a lot of ‘promise’.
He added: ‘The local community shares a sense of caution but is determined to support and ensure the success of this endeavour.
‘The group pledges unwavering support for all initiatives and is eagerly anticipating crucial milestones such as the submission and review of planning applications.’
Image: Britishvolt
Plans to link a huge new housing development have been axed [20]
Student housing plans scrapped following MP controversy [21]
Sadiq Khan has promised to end homelessness in the capital city if he is re-elected next month. However, he said his plans will only be successful if he works alongside a Labour government.
With just over two weeks until local elections commence, yesterday, 15th April 2024, Sadiq Khan made a speech in Waterloo in which he promised to end rough sleeping in London by 2030 if he is re-elected as the Mayor.
Speaking at St John’s church, Mr Khan claimed he would work to create more rough sleeping hubs and strengthen relationships between boroughs, businesses and charities. In addition, he followed up his vow with a promise of £10m extra spending over the next three years on top of City Hall’s current annual homeless budget of some £36m. This promise comes as the number of people sleeping rough in London has hit new record highs.
According to the latest figures, 4,389 people were found to be sleeping on the streets between October 2023 and January 2024 – compared with 2,561 in 2016, before Mr Khan was elected.
By 2021, after a year of Mr Khan being in post, the number of people sleeping rough in London had fallen by 19% year-on-year.
In his speech, Sadiq Khan said that the reason for having a 2030 deadline to end homelessness was because the promise had been ‘synced’ up with national rather than mayoral politics.
Mr Khan said: ‘It’s possible the general election won’t be until January 2024. The parliamentary term is five years, and so we’ve synced the pledge with the next Labour government’s timelines.’
Against this backdrop, Mr Khan has pinpointed the delay in banning no-fault evictions as one of the root causes as to why so many people have tragically resulted to sleeping on the streets.
‘The causes of rough sleeping we can’t deal with without a change of government,’ Mr Khan remarked. ‘We know the causes of rough sleeping. One out of four people sleeping rough was formerly a tenant in private accommodation – that’s why ‘no fault’ evictions have got to go.’
The mayor added: ‘We also know some of the welfare benefits changes made by the Government have been a source for those sleeping rough. That’s got to go as well.
‘If there’s a Labour Government, we’ll have 1.5 million new homes [over five years] across the country. [We’ll get a] big chunk of those in London.
‘In relation to landlord licensing, if we had a Labour government, we could have better quality accommodation across London, which would make it less likely for people to have to leave their homes.’
However, Susan Hall, Conservative mayoral candidate, has branded the pledge as ‘another promise that Sadiq Khan will fail to deliver.’
Ms Hall said: ‘Given his appalling record on housing. Sadiq Khan has only started building 4% of the affordable homes he promised in the latest programme, and it is his failure that has kept people stuck in temporary accommodation and made it harder to get rough sleepers off the streets.’
The latest data from the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN), which provides quarterly and annual statistics on rough sleeping in the city, found that 1,070 of the individuals spotted on the streets between January and March this year were in and around the West End boroughs of Camden and Westminster.
Following Sadiq Khan’s announcement, various industry experts have voiced their opinions including John Glenton, executive director of care and support at Riverside, who has claimed that the pledge is promising and exactly what the city needs right now.
‘It is heartening to hear Sadiq Khan’s commitment to end rough sleeping,’ John said. ‘The latest rough sleeping figures for October to December 2023 showed we had the largest number of people sleeping rough on the streets of our capital ever recorded during a quarterly period with 4,389 people identified as sleeping rough.’
John claimed: ‘These figures demonstrate a growing humanitarian crisis on the streets of London.
‘We wholeheartedly agree with Sadiq’s plan to expand the number of rough sleeping hubs in London and his aim to strengthen relationships with boroughs, charities and businesses to achieve this aim.’
The government have issued a final warning for residents looking to take part in local elections as registrations to vote closes at midnight tonight. Local elections are due to start on 2nd May 2024.
Image: chan lee
Council to borrow millions to address homelessness crisis [24]
£90m monthly spending on homelessness accommodation ‘threatens to bankrupt boroughs’ [25]
With the General Election just around the corner, Toby Lambert, head of residential development at Carter Jonas, discusses how politicians urgently need to buck their ideas up regarding the property sector.
The position of the two main political parties could not be more diametrically opposed: Labour as YIMBYs, Conservatives as NIMBYs; Labour in support of Green Belt release, Conservatives opposed; Labour committed to housebuilding targets for both market and social/affordable housing, Conservatives blocking development through indecision and delay. This contrast is exemplified in the fact that housebuilding was a major focus of Labour’s autumn conference, whereas it was notably absent from the Conservatives’ conference agenda.
The need for change
Most of us in the development industry recognise the need for change. As the Home Builders Federation (HBF) says in the introduction to their recent report Firmer Foundations, ‘The UK is in the midst of a housing crisis, where politics has too often got in the way of practical solutions’. Its ten-point plan for government action states that England is the hardest place in the developed world to find a home, with the lowest rates of vacant homes across all OECD nations.
Despite there being demand for change, however, I am beginning to question whether politics is the force to bring it about. Should something as important as a home become a political football, with approaches to development radically shifting with political whim or a change of government, and should the output of the development industry be so intrinsically linked to politicians’ and pundits’ desire to talk up or down the housing crisis?
It was over a year ago, following a rebellion by backbench Conservative MPs, that Michael Gove promised to make government-set housing targets more flexible. The statement resulted in many local authorities stalling their local plans in anticipation of further clarification – clarification which is still awaited. And whilst the new NPPF shows that we delivered 232,820 net additional dwellings in 2021/2022, this still falls short of the government’s stated target of 300,000 homes to be built year on year from 2025.
The shortage of consented land is compounded by delays in the planning system – the latter the result of the failure to resolve the nutrient neutrality problem, the under-resourcing of local planning authorities and the inertia in local plan production, especially in authorities dependent on Green Belt release for growth.
The impact on the development industry is intense competition for available land, with higher bids than anticipated and less of a variance between conditional and unconditional offers. This immediately factors into viability assessments. In some cases it dilutes the quality of new communities or substantially reduces the benefits that can be provided – from open spaces and community infrastructure to social / affordable housing, and it invariably perpetuates house price rises. With the PLC housebuilders competing for smaller sites than before, SME housebuilders are often priced out of the market. Unsurprisingly, the HBF despairs of a housing crisis, ‘decades in the making’.
In part a consequence of slower development, in part a consequence of increased house prices and increased mortgage rates, sales rates are currently as low as 0.5 sales per week per operational outlet compared to an average of 1.5. This then impacts on financing of development schemes, which is already stretched by the considerable hike in interest rates.
With each of these factors the result of recent political decisions, I believe the argument in favour of separating land from politics has never been more valid. There are many levels on which this could occur, and in doing so substantially benefit the functioning of the sector and the supply of new homes.
A long-term approach to land assembly
Land assembly is a long-term process which invariably extends beyond a single political term. But the release of land must be a continual process – not one to be delayed because greater restrictions on the Green Belt (under the Conservatives) might raise values or rushed through because the potential for CPO by Local Authorities (under Labour) might reduce values.
Strategic planning should operate outside the remit of local authorities, the elected members of which are too easily swayed by constituents’ sentiment, especially in the run up to an election.
Consistency in planning gain
Greater clarification and consistency are required over the provision of community benefits, social / affordable housing, biodiversity net gain and the many other demands made on developers throughout the planning process – demands which have the potential to threaten the viability of an entire scheme when announced at a late stage in its conception.
The proposed Infrastructure Levy is probably not the ideal – not least because, being determined by development profits – it cannot be budgeted for and therefore considerably increases uncertainty.
Greater consistency in housebuilding input can only be achieved through greater consistency in the requirements made of developers.
Objectivity in decision-making
The developer’s utopia would include the abolition of planning committees. This would deliver the much-needed separation of development from local politics and an increased consistency and transparency in planning decisions, based on universal, objective principles. The policies need not be put in place by the Secretary of State as is currently the case with the NPPF (although that said, at the time of writing, the revisions first proposed a year ago are yet to be implemented) – but might be better drawn up by nationally based arms-length organisation.
While the Regional Spatial Strategies of the early 2000s were far from utopia, the majority of the development industry would, I believe, agree that they are the closest we have been to achieving utopia when it comes to allocating land for development, and that coupled with the ‘zoning’ process that is proven to work in other countries, may provide the best solution to date.
Longevity and political separation in planning principles
This process would have the further benefit of allowing policies to extend beyond a five-year parliamentary term, as is necessary for example in implementing a wholescale review of the Green Belt, establishing investment zones or new towns, or of any development reliant on new transport infrastructure.
The positive elements of politics
With the development industry representing such a large portion of the UK economy, the variance in economics, market forces and social demands would mean that politics could not be disassociated from the sector entirely.
The involvement of politics would be largely fiscal – for example, in providing initiatives for first time buyers to get onto the property ladder or incentivise downsizing through Stamp Duty reductions. Both are crucial to re-starting the market after a slow-down but may require a shorter-term, closely monitored application which does not create a disruptive bump in the market (as was said of Help to Buy). A single initiative to encourage baby boomers to downsize could release trillions of pounds of equity from homes, ultimately cascading down to ensure we stimulate the market from the bottom up.
Conclusion – is politics-free development a reality?
Within its first 100 days, the 1997 Labour government took interest rates out of politics. This move was previously unimaginable – although it has largely been seen as successful. Could a 2024 Labour government take planning out of politics? Perhaps not – not because it would be impossible to do so, but because the Labour party is intent on resolving the housing crisis, and to succeed in doing so would not only be an unparalleled achievement but would almost certainly guarantee a second term. However, elements of the planning system, as we saw with Labour’s Regional Spatial Strategies and Regional Assemblies, can be successfully disentangled from politics to the advantage of all involved, politicians included.
Images: Gary Walker-Jones, Sidharth Bhatia and Ivan Bandura
More features:
One of Yorkshire’s leading transport planning, engineering and infrastructure specialists is bolstering its commitment to developing talent in the West Yorkshire city.
SYSTRA, which was founded in July 1992 and means ‘Systèmes de Transports’, has recently announced that it has relocated to Leeds to assist in levelling up the city.
Now situated on 114 Wellington Street, the new office provides a modern open-plan creative space that helps SYSTRA staff work to the best of their ability. Members of the team who are now based in Leeds are working on projects for various local clients including West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), Leeds City Council, Kirklees Council, and national infrastructure organisations such as HS2, Network Rail, Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), and National Highways.
In addition, SYSTRA are also involved with the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU East) electrification project, which will transform the rail passenger experience between Leeds and York. It aims to do this by improving capacity and making journeys more reliable, safer and sustainable.
The positive news from SYSTRA to help improve train experiences has been well received as it seems these days, all that seems to make headlines is the fact that trains are either on strike or routes are getting cut.
Nick Salt, CEO of SYSTRA, said: ‘We are delighted with our new space in Leeds. It is a bright modern space which complements our colleague’s shining skills across our range of services. We look forward to growing the business through delivering sustainable infrastructure and creating places that thrive across Yorkshire.’
Likewise, Sebastien Dupont, managing director of consultancy at SYSTRA, has remarked that despite having a presence in Leeds that dates back ‘more than three decades’, it is ‘wonderful to have a newly-created, modern office space to reflect our brand and our ambition to deliver first-class services.’
Sebastien added: ‘We are very much looking forward to growing our portfolio of work in Yorkshire and continuing to support our clients on complex sustainable infrastructure projects in the UK, Ireland and around the world.’
Image: SYSTRA
David White appointed as SYSTRA’s new Director of Health, Safety, Security & Sustainability [31]
Research from a leading homelessness charity has found that inaction to scrap section 21 notices has meant 84,650 households in England have faced eviction in the last five years.
‘Everyone deserves a safe, secure place to live,’ according to Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link. However, according to the charity’s new research, this view doesn’t seem to be echoed amongst the Conservative Party.
Published this morning, the research found that 84,650 households in England approached local councils for support after facing eviction within the last five years. This statistic was discovered even after the Conservatives pledged to scrap section 21 notices, which allow landlords to end tenancies at will with just two months’ notice.
Theresa May, former prime minister of the Conservative party, was the first to announce that this legislation would be scrapped in April 2019, but fast forward five years and it is still yet to be done.
To conduct their research, Homeless Link analysed official data from the Department for levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), which showed that homeless numbers peaked between April and June 2023, the period when the government introduced its renters’ reform bill pledging to end the uncertainty hanging over private tenants.
Against this backdrop, Ministry of Justice figures that were released towards the beginning of this year, found that more than 26,000 households had been thrown out of their homes by bailiffs after court proceedings following section 21 notices since the pledge.
Rick Henderson said: ‘It is clearly not right that someone can be evicted from their home for no reason with just two months’ notice. The government identified this in 2019 but its inaction has led to tens of thousands of households unnecessarily facing homelessness.
‘A huge shortage of genuinely affordable housing means when a household approaches their local authority with a section 21 notice, and the local authority has a statutory duty to help them, often all they can do is try to keep them in that property, find them another private rented property or, as a last resort, place them in temporary accommodation at huge expense.
‘Those who the local authority don’t have a duty to support tragically often end up sleeping rough.’
One tragic example of this is Kelvin, whose name has been changed for anonymity purposes. He was living in a privately rented London house-share for three years when one day, out of the blue, him and his housemates received a letter from their landlord saying they were being evicted with no given reason.
‘I was so shocked and upset by what had happened,’ Kelvin said. ‘It really impacted me. All of a sudden, even though I was keeping up with my rent and my bills, I was homeless. I spent time sofa-surfacing while I figured out what to do, and all the time kept working.’
At the time of eviction, Kelvin wasn’t provided with enough time to move all of his belongings out of the house-share before the locks were changed.
However, Kelvin’s story did end on a positive note, as he found a safe place to stay at Your Place – a charity that provides people on the streets with temporary accommodation.
Kelvin said: ‘It’s peaceful and I’m able to focus on my career and getting back on my feet. My keyworker has been awesome; she’s always really supportive and I’m so grateful to have the support and stability that I didn’t have before. But I’ve lost trust in private landlords and things need to change so that this doesn’t keep happening to people.’
Image: Allan Vega
Council to borrow millions to address homelessness crisis [24]
£90m monthly spending on homelessness accommodation ‘threatens to bankrupt boroughs’ [25]
SOS Children’s Villages Denmark (SOS DK) have created a scheme to help house children in Ukraine. Even before the tragic war erupted, the country was found to have one of the highest rates of children living without a stable home.
Today, 15th April 2024, SOS DK have launched their new initiative, which is otherwise known as the Children’s Living Project. The idea, which was made possible through the support of 11 charities and organisations across Denmark, is to create new, sustainable homes for children in Ukraine.
The project couldn’t have come at a better time. Even before Russian military forces entered Ukraine in 2022, research from Save the Children found that the country had one of the highest rates of children living in institutional care in Europe, with around 100,000 living in some form of residential care facility. However, since the war began, the problem has tragically escalated.
To help the ongoing crisis, the new project from SOS DK will see a cluster of buildings created in three different locations across Ukraine. Each cluster is set to feature homes for foster families, shared recreational and social spaces for both inhabitants and local communities, and social centres that will supply a range of mental health support for foster families as well as locals living in the surrounding area.
Commenting on the news, Mads Klæstrup Kristensen, managing director of SOS Children’s Villages Denmark, said: ‘The ongoing war in Ukraine has affected millions of children, leaving many of them without parental care, protection, and a safe space to call home. Our priority has always been to ensure children around the world have their needs and rights met to enable them to grow up in a caring home, thrive and become their strongest selves.
‘Through this project, we want to inspire better ways of caring physically, emotionally, and socially for children without parental care and help move toward de-institutionalization by demonstrating new, holistic solutions for alternative care environments.’
According to SOS DK, the new establishments will be constructed within existing neighbourhoods to help better integrate new families and make children feel as at home as possible.
Lee Petersson, CEO of the VELUX Group – one of the partners of the new project – claimed that the scheme will hopefully help inspire other organisations and authorities to act, as no one should have to experience what individuals in Ukraine are, especially children.
‘With the war causing unprecedented destruction across the country, we want to contribute with a more sustainable way of rebuilding homes in Ukraine,’ Lee said. ‘With our Living Places concept, we demonstrate that it is possible to build healthy homes with a low carbon footprint – and we are happy to contribute to this impactful project that helps secure a more promising future for children without parental care in Ukraine.’
Lee added: ‘Our contribution is small in the grand scheme of things, but the children who will be living in the new homes will grow up in an environment that promotes health and their wellbeing. We hope that this project will help inspire others to take action – both in terms of supporting the rebuilding of Ukraine, but also to transform the building industry.’
Image: SOS DK
Feature: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine creates timber supply chain challenges for construction [36]
Figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 0.1% in February, but despite positive indicators experts have warned ‘challenges still persist.’
January 2024 was potentially one of the wettest starts to a new year that has been experienced for a while. Conditions had major effects on construction and retail, but deposit this, new ONS data shows GDP increased by 0.1% in February, matching City economists’ forecasts and extending a recovery after growth in January was revised up from 0.2% to 0.3%.
Commenting on the news, Liz McKeown, ONS director of economics statistics, said: ‘The economy grew slightly in February with widespread growth across manufacturing, particularly in the car sector. Services also grew a little, with public transport and haulage and telecommunications having strong months.
‘Partially offsetting this there were notable falls across construction as the wet weather hampered many building projects.’
In addition to the data showing a growth last month, the latest figures also highlight the rise of 0.1% over the last three months to the end of February. This is the first time this has happened since last summer, with activity recovering from a slump last year as households cut back on spending amid the cost-of-living crisis.
However, Douglas Grant, group CEO of Manx Financial, has warned that despite a positive increase, individuals and businesses are still set to face financial difficulties.
He said: ‘The most recent GDP figures in the UK serve as a stark reminder that despite certain recent positive indicators, challenges still persist. This underscores the importance for SMEs to seize this moment to reassess their existing lending arrangements and strengthen their positions.
‘The data is reflective of separate research conducted by Manx Financial Group that reveals a significant shift in the financial landscape for SMEs. In contrast to the previous survey, where only 25% faced challenges, the current findings indicate that two out of five SMEs are now grappling with operational slowdowns or halts due to a lack of external financing.
‘The survey also underscores that 15% of SMEs seeking external finance or capital are unable to secure the necessary funds. These financial constraints, coupled with a potentially unprecedented and volatile environment marked by ongoing conflicts, multiple elections, a tightening labour market, and persistent cost-of-living challenges, pose obstacles to the prospects of SMEs and national economic growth.’
In addition to SMEs struggling, the research from the ONS shows that construction output collapsed by 1.9% on the month as heavy rainfall forced cranes to sit abandoned on building sites. The UK’s dominant services sector, which makes up about four-fifths of the economy, also struggled. Figures show the sector only grew by 0.1% in February amid weaker activity in retail and wholesale distribution.
John Glencross, CEO and Co-Founder of Calculus, said: ‘Following a surprise contraction in UK GDP at the end of last year, today’s data signals small consistent steps back towards growth for the economy. The slight growth seen in the second quarter indicates that the UK is steadily emerging from a relatively short recession in record time.
‘As we observe where the economy will head in Q2 and beyond, now more than ever we need to support UK smaller businesses, which ignite growth, increase employment, and drive innovation.’
Image: Towfiqu barbhuiya
Inflation: Figures remain steady but families will still have to go without [17]
Inflation: Interest rates stuck at 5.25% for fourth consecutive time [18]
An application to build up to 100 new homes on land east of Spitfire Road in Clane has been refused due to infrastructure concerns.
Robert Hitchins, a family-owned property company, submitted the application in 2022 to create ‘much needed housing in Calne’ however, Wiltshire Council denied planning permission after they found the proposal was contrary to multiple polices in the Wiltshire Core Strategy.
The application remarked: ‘The overarching vision is to create a distinctive development with a strong identity that responds to the local character of the site, its position close to newly build development and environmental context to deliver a new development appropriate to its location and setting.
‘The proposed development will create much needed housing in Calne in a sustainable location whilst improving public access across the site and to the wider pedestrian and cycle network.’
However, Calne Town Council and Calne Without Parish Council have expressed their concerns about the development of the new homes, particularly the location of them and their impact on local services.
The town council said: ‘The level of recent development in Calne has left a serious issue with infrastructure in the town and this application will worsen the situation.
‘Specifically, there is real concern that no additional doctors and dentists have been provided to address the additional housing numbers and residents are already experiencing issues in accessing medical and dental provision in the town and that this proposed development will only worsen this already very serious situation.’
Against this backdrop, 13 further representations were received, with residents raising issues such as the potential traffic congestion and loss of greenfield.
Wiltshire Council also discovered that the plans were contrary to multiple policies in the Wiltshire Core Strategy and denied planning permission for the development.
The case officer report said: ‘Issues of noise, odour and dust impacts arising from the immediate neighbour at Abberd Fields Farm have not been appropriately considered and addressed, resulting in a maintained objection from the Public Protection Officer.’
Overall, it was concluded that problems the development was causing outweighed the benefits, ‘particularly in light of the fact that the council can at the current time, demonstrate sufficient supply of housing land.’
Image: Jonny Caspari
Northern MP calls for new Stockton-on-Tees housing plans to be rejected [42]
Guildford Cathedral housing plan rejected by local authority [43]
According to knight frank’s 2024 Single Housing Family (SFH) report, investment into the properties soared by £1.9bn last year as investors acquired or funded the development of over 6,200 rental homes.
Launched yesterday, the report found that the amount of money that has been invested into SFH represents a fivefold increase compared to the £388m committed in 2022.
Overall, SFH investment accounted for more than 40% of all Build to Rent investment in the UK last year, with the remainder targeting multifamily apartment schemes and co-living.
Jack Hutchinson, a partner in the residential investment team at Knight Frank, said: ‘The single-family housing sector is experiencing a period of significant growth, as evidenced by a fivefold surge in investment volumes in 2023, reaching £1.9bn, compared to the previous year.
‘Despite an improving sales market forecasted, we fully expect this trend in increased investment volumes to continue into 2024 and beyond, thanks to a growing weight of capital attract to the sector by its strong fundamentals. In addition, developers and housebuilders are becoming more comfortable with the concept of incorporating single family housing into their wider sales and marketing strategies, which is helping to accelerate delivery of much needed housing.’
Whilst speaking with investors who are currently interested in SFH, Knight Frank, a global real estate consultancy and estate agency, discovered that together they plan to commit £17bn of capital to the SFH sector within the next five years.
Against this backdrop, the consultancy have said that if patterns continue, SFH rental units in the UK will almost triple from the current level of 26,575 homes.
Oliver Knight, Head of Residential Development Research at Knight Frank, added: ‘Our research provides clear evidence of the opportunities for single family rental housing to play a key role in addressing the UK’s housing shortage, particularly for families. The geographic distribution of the sector is broadening as institutional investors increasingly eye suburban markets across regions like the East of England and West Midlands to deploy capital at scale.’
Image: Nathan Dumlao
Global accounts show record investment in social housing repairs despite problems [46]
Notting Hill Genesis to make biggest-ever social housing investment [47]
An independent review has recommended that funding methods for Homes England should be rethought and they should grow closer with local authorities.
Since the cost-of-living began squeezing budgets, various government organisations, including Homes England – the government’s housing and regeneration agency that was founded in 2008 – have come under fire. However, findings from a new review, which is part of the Cabinet Office’s public bodies review programme, have claimed that the government organisation should have ‘closer’ relationships with councils to ensure projects that require urgent attention are prioritised.
Tony Poulter, a non-executive director for the Department of Transport, who led the review, told the Local Government Chronicle that the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) must ‘determine the balance’ between Homes England’s role in regeneration and housing delivery.
Tony said: ‘If you want to do more regeneration and placemaking, in the short term, it might mean slower housing delivery.’
As part of the government’s levelling up agenda, Homes England has a series of priority places for regeneration work, however, to ensure schemes run smoothly, Tony claims that the ‘DLUHC needs to coordinate better with Homes England to make sure that they aren’t tripping up over each other.’
Mr Poulter referenced the incident that occurred in 2023, when Homes England faced backlash after they were forced to return funding to the Treasury.
Against this backdrop, the review, of which the findings were published earlier in the week, also proposed changing Homes England’s funding arrangements so it can ‘commit to large, long-term schemes’.
Likewise, authorities have suggested the government allow Homes England to ‘take more risks at some points in the economic cycle [which could increase] additionality and impact.’
In response to the review, Peter Denton, chair of Homes England, said: ‘Much of this work is already happening. Other recommendations will require changes in partnership with the DLUHC and Treasury, but if progressed could be transformational in how we deliver new homes and create thriving places.
‘While there is much to celebrate, we are steadfast in our resolve to always to improve, ensuring that we are effective and efficient in driving forward the country’s housing and regeneration ambitions.’
In addition, Michael Gove, remarked: ‘[The] independent report shows Homes England is the right vehicle to deliver more affordable homes and support our plans to regenerate towns and cities across the country.’
Image: Ming Jun Tan
Homes England investment chief to quit amid new career plans [50]
The specialist property lender has developed its own digital private wealth platform for high-net-worth investors.
ASK Partners have recently announced that £45m invested in commercial and residential real estate debt has been exchanged via its secondary market platform.
The platform, according to ASK, is currently used by an exclusive network of individuals and family offices to invest in commercial and residential property loans originated by the organisations specialist lending team.
People involved with the platform, also have the option to exist via a secondary market and this exchange function has now facilitated 174 transactions between ASK’s private client investors on loans provided for commercial and residential real estate across the UK.
Against this backdrop, experts have found that 71% of the loans provided went to covering planning costs associated with the real estate projects, with the largest property type being mixed-use/life-science projects (24%).
Following closely behind were mixed use residential buildings as 23% of loans provided went into these schemes.
Mark Templeman, CIO at ASK, commented: ‘Reaching over £45m in exchanges is evident of the growing number of investors looking for the greater choice, flexibility, and liquidity which our private wealth platform can provide.
‘ASK’s investment in technology aims to reshape the market, challenging traditional fund managers and operators, and fostering evolution in property finance and private investment sectors.
‘We are committed to developing our own digital platform to meet the rising demand from high-net-worth investors for a best-in-class service and the ability to fully manage their own portfolio in one place online.’
From the research, regionally, London came out on top of the list for investment opportunities (85%), however, in a shocking turn of events, the Midlands was found to represent 5% of all secondary transactions.
Image: Tierra Mallorca
Opinion: Real estate debt investing can address planning issues and boost construction [54]
Aldi creates ‘centralised’ real estate team to power a store expansion spree [55]
A study of 25 million British homes has found that just over half of properties still only meet the insulation standards set in 1976 or earlier.
In the words of Cher, if we could ‘turn back time’, I’m sure developers and builders would try and create better insulated homes if they knew how the state of housing in England would turn out in 2024.
Two years ago EDF Energy, in partnership with property data platform Sprift, analysed the current levels of home insulation (including floor, roof, window and walls) against buildings regulations that were set across different time periods to calculate the nation’s ‘Home Insulation Age’.
Experts, who examined 25 million homes, found over 13 million properties in England and Wales, which equates to (55%), only meet the insulation standards of 1976 Building Regulations or earlier.
However, the latest iteration of research, which was published yesterday, has revealed that there has been a small improvement in the nation’s home insulation standards over the past two years, with 18% of properties now having an insulation age of 2022 or younger compared to 8% that was discovered two years ago.
However, most of this improvement comes from newer properties, built since 2022 which are required to meet new regulatory insulation standards.
The primary causes of heat loss in these homes are insufficient cavity wall insulation, absence of double-glazed windows, inadequate loft insulation, and poor floor insulation. These are all features that current building regulations require.
Philippe Commaret, Managing Director for Customers at EDF, said: ‘It’s clear from this research that, despite the energy crisis, little progress has been made in improving the energy efficiency of older British homes in the past two years, meaning millions of homeowners are missing out on significant savings on their energy bills.
‘Our ongoing efforts to support and improve crucial initiatives such as the Great British Insulation Scheme will help empower customers to embrace energy efficiency so they can save both cash and carbon.’
Although energy prices have been coming down over the past few months, bills remain, on average, 56% higher than they were before the cost-of-living crisis began. Despite this fact, researchers found that two thirds of respondents are unaware of the EPC rating of their home and almost a fifth of homeowners have no knowledge about various insulation methods available to help individuals save money in the long-run.
As there have been little changes to housing insulation standards, EDF Energy are now lobbing the government to expand their Great British Insulation Scheme [GIBS] in the following ways:
• Allowing the installation of more than one measure. Currently only one measure per home is allowed. Allowing multiple measures in homes that require them would help customers lower customers energy bills and carbon footprint, as well as reducing the costs of delivering the scheme.
• Including heating control measures e.g. room thermostats, as a secondary measure for all customer groups (currently only delivered within the ‘low income group’). Heating controls are cost effective to install and can bring a big benefit on bill and usage reduction for households.
• Extending the scheme eligibility to include Council Tax Band E homes in England, which would bring in scope an additional 2.4 million homes – representing an extra 10% of all homes in England. Currently the eligibility criteria is Council Tax Bands A-D. This could open up much needed support to customers, including those on low incomes, struggling with the cost of heating a larger home.
Image: Erik Mclean
Grenfell: Insulation company accused of trying to ‘wriggle out of their responsibilities’ [58]
‘Hitting a brick wall’: government must prioritise housing insulation [59]
The news recently has been rife with ways on how to improve buildings’ fire safety. However, Carter Jonas’ James Staveley, examines how the development of tall buildings will be effected by such changes.
Following the 2017 Grenfell fire, the issue of fire safety within high-rise residential blocks has come into sharp focus. It had become abundantly clear that the UK needed to update regulations to prevent such a tragedy happening again. In Summer 2023 the government announced that the threshold for the introduction of second staircases into new residential buildings would be reduced to 18 metres, effectively in the region of seven storeys in height. This was an update on announced plans in late 2022 that second staircases would be required in buildings of over 30 metres. Although the government have published and confirmed its building safety guidance for second staircases to be implemented, in October last year it was revealed that there will be a 30-month transitional period from when they will be introduced.
So how will the new regulations impact the development of tall buildings?The new policy will reduce the sales areas within schemes: traditionally, developers of residential towers in urban areas aim for at least 80% of a floor plate as ‘saleable’ (individual apartments for sale, as opposed to circulation spaces). With the requirement for a second staircase and the additional corridor area that this necessitates, the ratio of saleable area to circulation space would reduce by approximately 5-10%.
In parts of London, on an eight-storey development, this could result in a reduction in gross development value by maybe £1-2m per floor and a total reduction of possibly £15m or more. Clearly, this has a significant impact on the land values anticipated by landowners and could even lead to challenging viability when coupled with other factors such as escalating build and finance costs and affordable housing.
In instances where land has been purchased at a premium, developers may then look to use the requirement for an additional staircase to argue for reductions in the levels of affordable housing from policy-compliant levels.
Alternatively, developers may look at options to reduce the height of developments to below the 18m threshold, maintaining the strong relationship between a building’s footprint and saleable area. Whilst this would result in fewer units, it could be that for landowners promoting such schemes through the planning process, a ‘less is more’ approach is sought instead, to maximise the land value. Certainly, there would appear to be limited commercial value in pushing to promote for a development with a single additional storey – which could result in more units but may introduce a requirement for a second staircase. As such, it is likely that future schemes will either be below 18m or will be considerably higher.
This would then have a knock-on effect on urban councils, which need more housing to support a growing population. Sites which have previously been consented for eight, nine or ten storeys may no longer be viable. This would especially impact parts of Zones 3-6 in Greater London. With limited land supply for new residential schemes, there is a preference for taller developments in these locations, where sales values in the region of £650-£800 per sq ft may be anticipated. Councils in such areas may potentially be forced to look at additional or alternative sites for housing.
Developers who chose to submit a planning application for a lower height development than previously consented may be criticised for under-development, even if such a scheme is demonstrated to be the optimum financially and delivers policy-compliant levels of affordable housing. And whilst some councils may accept a reduction in scale, this will lead to a decrease in CIL revenues, which could impact investment in local services. There would also be fewer affordable housing units delivered overall as the number of such units is based on a percentage of total units constructed.
The alternative may be for even taller developments than had previously been considered appropriate. This will greatly increase density, which apart from being very controversial, may, in some circumstances exacerbate social problems.
There is a strong possibility that the design and density of buildings will change: the days of eight-storey development could be limited with a preference for either developments to be reduced to seven storeys or below. The impact on tight development sites is likely to be greatest. Having once exceeded the height threshold to enable a second staircase to be included as a part of a scheme a developer will likely push the height as much as possible to maintain a gross development value to compensate a reduced gross-to-net ratio. For a scheme on the cusp of the requirement for a second staircase, the developer’s preference would probably be for a decreased height, unless they can secure reductions in the levels of affordable housing. The alternative might be for developers to absolutely maximise building footprints and minimise the impact on the saleable area.
Either way, this very significant legislation will change both developers’ approaches to tall buildings and city skylines too.
Images: João Barbosa and Sean Pollock
More features:
Here’s how we stop the built world from being a contributor to GHG emissions [63]
Plans to construct 130 new homes on two neighbouring sites in the northern city have been revealed.
Incommunities, one of the largest social housing providers in Yorkshire which was formed in 2023 after a stock transfer from Bradford Council, has submitted an application for the plots of land in the Ravenscliffe area.
If the application is approved, one set of homes will be built on land to the east of Roundwood Glen and Ranelagh Avenue, which is located near Fagley Beck. The other set of properties will be taking place on an area of green land off Norbury Road.
However, before the development can take place the planning application has also requested to improve Norbury Road – an unmade road that passes through one of the sites that will become the main access for some of the new houses.
The application said: ‘The scheme will deliver economic, social, and environmental benefits whilst utilising the space to meet an identified housing need within the area and will deliver positive outcomes for the local area.’
Although, the application goes on to detail that trees will have to be removed from the sites and that any controversy that this might cause should be considered against the ‘delivery of a significant number of homes and the provision of landscaping.’
The application added: ‘Ultimately, the scheme has sought to deliver a successful housing scheme on the allocated site.’
One part of making this new scheme ‘successful’ includes the plans to incorporate certain measures that boost biodiversity in the area with street trees and hedgerows, according to the Local democracy Reporting Service.
News of these new homes potentially being in the pipeline couldn’t have come at a better time as recent data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revealed full-time workers in Bradford could except to spend 5.1 times their annual earnings on purchasing a home in 2023 – close to the ratio of five times the previous year.
In addition, figures from the ONS found that houses in Bradford were 3.2% more expensive last year as opposed to 2022, at an average price of £160,000.
MPs from Bradford Council are due to meet in June to discuss the new homes application.
Image: Richard Horne
Bradford Housing Association have appointed a new vice chair [67]
Bradford-based housing organisation achieves world first for diversity and inclusion [68]
A geothermal heat pump project, worth millions, has launched in Nottinghamshire with an aim to save British Geological Survey’s (BGS) headquarters 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
Ruth Edwards, MP for Rushcliffe, broke ground on the scheme, which was launched towards the end of last week. The project, worth £1.7 million, is the largest renewable energy system of its kind in the area, consisting of an array of 28 boreholes drilled into the depth of 225m.
Forming part of BGS’s Keyworth campus decarbonisation plans, the new energy system will see the removal of gas boilers and will heat two buildings on the site.
News of the new project taking off has been welcomed with open arms, especially as more organisations are pushing to hit net zero goals by 2040.
Ross Goodband, senior environmental engineer at Pick Everard – the company leading the scheme – said: ‘This is a complex and fascinating project to be a part of. It has seen several members of our geo-environmental, project management and building services teams work closely with BGS and their partners. Our role was to carefully manage the initial investigation and subsequent installation of the borehole array, utilising the latest borehole drilling and downhole geophysical techniques.’
‘Our combined work has facilitated several research experiments, including core analysis, electrical resistivity, thermal modelling and a full suite of downhole geophysics, which will help inform our knowledge of environmentally-sound energy solutions, such as ground-source heat pumps, in our public and private infrastructure,’ Ross added. ‘We look forward to playing an active role as the site evolves over the coming years and continue our long-standing relationship with BGS.’
In addition, Steve Wilkinson, head of commercial projects at Cenergist, remarked: ‘Cenergist are proud to be supporting the British Geological Survey in their plans to achieve net zero by 2040. Our solution for this site will provide modernised futureproof low carbon heating and hot water systems to these two buildings, significantly reducing carbon emissions.’
Funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC) and the UK government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, this huge project has helped to restore some faith that organisations are looking to install heat pumps, after research that was reported last month [70] found that the UK are falling majorly behind on heat pump targets.
Daniel Crow, head of BGS Estates and Facilities, said: ‘This exciting project gives us the opportunity to blend our observation of the subsurface with leading low-carbon heating. The disruption to BGS staff will be kept to a minimum, with short closures of a couple of buildings to allow for the installation of heat emitters.
‘The drilling and heat pump installation is due to last around three months. The borehole installation should not impact on Keyworth site operations due to the careful planning and specification involved in the project.’
Image: Pick Everard
New research from Goodlord has found that rents have climbed by over 6% compared to year-on-year figures.
Although change is something we’re all objectively weary of, an exception to this would be the continuing increases of rents across England. Unfortunately, new data from Goodlord, an award-winning lettings platform, demonstrates that individuals will be bearing the brunt of high rents for a little while longer.
The firm’s latest rental index highlighted that rents are now 28% higher than in March 2020 – just before the country was put into lockdown as a result of Covid-19. During this period, the average rent for a property in England was £909, but by the end of March 2024 this figure has jumped to £1,160.
According to the findings, which were published towards the end of last week, rent rises particularly accelerated in 2022, with a 10% year-on-year rise. Though, the data does show that the pace of increases has since slowed, but warns rents continue to rise.
Data from Goodlord showing how much rents have increased in England.
William Reeve, Goodlord’s chief executive, said: ‘March was another strong performing month for the rental market, with rents and voids holding steady.
‘However, the truly eye-opening data can be found in the year-on-year figures, which show just how rapidly rents across England have shifted since 2020.
‘In this post-pandemic era, rent rises have consistently outstripped inflation; evidence of the needs of the growing tenant population colliding directly with a lack of stock and a complicated combination of pressures facing landlords.’
Goodlord has claimed that while February experienced a higher-than-expected climb in rents, there was a brief respite last month – the average rent remained nearly unchanged at £1,160 compared to February’s £1,162.
Certain areas in England also experienced worse rent increases than others. In Greater London some rents hit £1,954 last month, whereas in the North East some landlords were only charging £851.
In addition to showcasing the increasing rental costs, the data also found that voids were unchanged month-on-month, with the number of days a property is vacant in between tenancies holding at 18 days, mirroring the trend seen in March 2023.
Image: Mika Baumeister
Scottish housing bill could create new rent control areas [75]
Ramped up rural house prices are forcing locals into renting [76]
Links
[1] http://newstartmag.co.uk/feed
[2] https://newstartmag.co.uk
[3] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/app-launched-to-support-good-landlords-and-evict-the-rogue-ones/
[4] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/airbnb-are-pushing-landlords-to-become-more-energy-efficient/
[5] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/government-introduces-protections-for-renting-families-and-crackdown-on-rogue-landlords/
[6] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/construction-complete-on-12m-facility-for-army-musicians/
[7] https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/our-schools-and-colleges/rma-sandhurst/
[8] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/henry-brothers-celebrates-key-development-stage-in-staffordshire-project/
[9] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/2-5m-regeneration-project-completed-in-leicester/
[10] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/here-are-the-areas-in-england-with-the-least-energy-efficient-homes/
[11] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/7razcd-rugs.jpg
[12] https://envirohomesrenewables.com/
[13] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/goals-set-to-drive-energy-efficiency-in-historic-homes/
[14] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/two-steps-forward-one-step-back-sunak-scraps-energy-efficiency-housing-targets/
[15] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/uk-inflation-has-dropped-to-3-2-which-isnt-good-news-for-interest-rates/
[16] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/414418.jpg
[17] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/inflation-figures-remain-steady-but-families-will-still-have-to-go-without/
[18] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/inflation-interest-rates-stuck-at-5-25-for-fourth-consecutive-time/
[19] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/ev-battery-factory-plan-dropped-for-good/
[20] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/plans-to-link-a-huge-new-housing-development-have-been-axed/
[21] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/student-housing-plans-scrapped-following-mp-controversy/
[22] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/mayor-of-london-pledges-to-end-homelessness-under-one-condition/
[23] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/btjutrjnsw4.jpg
[24] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/council-to-borrow-millions-to-address-homelessness-crisis/
[25] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/90m-monthly-spending-on-homelessness-accommodation-threatens-to-bankrupt-boroughs/
[26] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/could-a-politics-free-development-sector-become-reality-because-thats-where-were-headed/
[27] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/q-5u8tymyo.jpg
[28] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/ybrd8qqem_y.jpg
[29] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/wv2u24g2f78.jpg
[30] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/global-infrastructure-business-flourishes-following-leeds-office-move/
[31] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/david-white-appointed-as-systras-new-director-of-health-safety-security-sustainability/
[32] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/new-partnership-confirmed-to-deliver-a-healthier-leeds/
[33] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/over-80000-households-have-been-threatened-with-homelessness-following-law-delay/
[34] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/idy16o-uase.jpg
[35] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/project-launched-to-build-low-carbon-housing-for-parentless-children-in-ukraine/
[36] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/feature-russias-invasion-of-ukraine-creates-timber-supply-chain-challenges-for-construction/
[37] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/uk-launches-homes-for-ukraine-scheme/
[38] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/another-rise-in-gdp-shows-the-uk-are-on-track-out-of-recession/
[39] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/jpqyfk7gb4w.jpg
[40] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/no-infrastructure-no-greenlight-housing-development-rejected-in-calne/
[41] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/1je5j4an2ri.jpg
[42] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/northern-mp-calls-for-new-stockton-on-tees-housing-plans-to-be-rejected/
[43] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/guildford-cathedral-housing-plan-rejected-by-local-authority/
[44] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/single-family-housing-investments-have-grown-fivefold-report/
[45] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/wr3comvzjxu.jpg
[46] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/global-accounts-show-record-investment-in-social-housing-repairs-despite-problems/
[47] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/notting-hill-genesis-to-make-biggest-ever-social-housing-investment/
[48] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/homes-england-have-been-warned-they-must-strengthen-relationships-with-councils/
[49] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/o6icdlt5_2k.jpg
[50] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/homes-england-investment-chief-to-quit-amid-new-career-plans/
[51] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/homes-england-renounces-land-banking-accusations/
[52] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/ask-unlocked-45m-in-real-estate-investment-liquidity-for-private-clients/
[53] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/nptbvokkom8.jpg
[54] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/opinion-real-estate-debt-investing-can-address-planning-issues-and-boost-construction/
[55] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/aldi-creates-centralised-real-estate-team-to-power-a-store-expansion-spree/
[56] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/half-of-british-homes-meet-insulation-standards-set-in-70s/
[57] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/acshjn3y93s.jpg
[58] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/grenfell-insulation-company-accused-of-trying-to-wriggle-out-of-their-responsibilities/
[59] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/hitting-a-brick-wall-government-must-prioritise-housing-insulation/
[60] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/the-impact-of-the-building-safety-act-in-reducing-structures-heights/
[61] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/phyq704ffda.jpg
[62] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/iszjxklblkw.jpg
[63] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/heres-how-we-stop-the-built-world-from-being-a-contributor-to-ghg-emissions/
[64] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/ai-in-planning-and-development-friend-or-foe/
[65] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/exposed-over-100-affordable-homes-proposed-for-bradford/
[66] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/q8stcvvantk.jpg
[67] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/bradford-housing-association-have-appointed-a-new-vice-chair/
[68] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/bradford-based-housing-organisation-achieves-world-first-for-diversity-and-inclusion/
[69] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/largest-renewable-energy-system-to-be-built-in-nottinghamshire/
[70] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/the-uk-are-still-falling-behind-on-heat-pump-installations-heres-why/
[71] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/heat-pumps-boiler-tax-to-be-delayed-until-2025/
[72] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/demands-for-heat-pumps-have-surged-by-over-30/
[73] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/rents-have-increased-by-28-in-england/
[74] https://newstartmag.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/04/migsuhokvio.jpg
[75] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/scottish-housing-bill-could-create-new-rent-control-areas/
[76] https://newstartmag.co.uk/articles/ramped-up-rural-house-prices-are-forcing-locals-into-renting/
[77] https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/aggregator/sources/6
[78] https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/aggregator/sources/6?page=3
[79] https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/aggregator/sources/6?page=1
[80] https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/aggregator/sources/6?page=2
[81] https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/aggregator/sources/6?page=5
[82] https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/aggregator/sources/6?page=6
[83] https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/aggregator/sources/6?page=7
[84] https://manchestercommunitycentral.org/aggregator/sources/6?page=8