Housing Focus
-
FeaturesThe 1.5 million-home question: Does the government鈥檚 planning reform programme add up?
Ministers unleashed a barrage of planning reforms in the dying days of 2024. Joey Gardiner asks if these can聽give the industry the boost it needs to get anywhere close to the government鈥檚 ambitious housebuilding target?
-
FeaturesA tale of two mergers: What do the completion of Barratt-Redrow and the collapse of Bellway-Crest Nicholson mean for Labour鈥檚 housebuilding plans?
Is the ground-breaking tie-up likely to help or hinder the government鈥檚 chances of hitting its sky-high 1.5 million housebuilding target?
-
FeaturesKey takeaways from the 精东影视 the Future Conference and Housing Today Live
Church House in Westminster yesterday played host to two back-to-back conferences on construction and housing attended by hundreds of professionals from the built environment. Here is a round-up of the key talking points from the event, run by 精东影视 and Housing Today.
-
FeaturesInvestigation: how are councils assessing the risks of uPVC cladding in low-rise housing after the Barnet fire?
When a fire in 2023 destroyed four terraced houses Barnet Council brought the housing sector鈥檚 attention to an overlooked fire safety issue: the use of uPVC cladding in low-rise homes. Have other councils heeded its warning? Olivia Barber launched a Freedom of Information investigation to find out
-
FeaturesA boost for housebuilding or an ill-defined gimmick? - Labour鈥檚 鈥榞rey belt鈥� plans explained
Labour hopes its rebrand of 鈥榰gly鈥� green belt land will help. But will it work?
-
FeaturesHome Truths podcast: In conversation with Darren Rodwell
Episode 4: Bricks and mortar, hearts and minds - Darren Rodwell, Labour鈥檚 candidate for Barking and council leader for the east London borough, on how he expects the Labour leadership to reveal more housing policy detail now the election has been called
-
Features鈥楪ood, but not perfect鈥� 鈥� What next for Homes England?
A year after the launch of its five-year strategic plan, an independent review of Homes England has set out recommendations for improving the body. But with an election coming soon, what might the future actually hold for the agency?聽Daniel Gayne reports.
-
FeaturesA vision for 150,000 homes but no water to supply them. Does Gove鈥檚 Cambridge plan stand a chance?
The housing secretary wants to build nearly three times as many homes as the target set by Cambridge鈥檚 own planners. Is there something he knows that they don鈥檛? Daniel Gayne reports
-
FeaturesRise of housebuilding 鈥榮uperleague鈥� predicted in wake of Barratt鈥檚 deal for Redrow as analysts brush off regulatory worries
Yesterday鈥檚 拢2.5bn move has analysts wondering who might be next to join forces聽鈥� and reduce risk of being picked off themselves
-
Features鈥楾he figures on starts are terrifying鈥�. What鈥檚 really happening to the 拢11bn Affordable Homes Programme
The government has admitted that it will not hit its development targets. Joey Gardiner聽asks what鈥檚 really going on and looks at how the situation can turn around
-
FeaturesGove and Khan鈥檚 row over London鈥檚 housing delivery numbers explained
How the mayor鈥檚 spatial development strategy become the centre of a spat in this year of multiple elections
-
FeaturesHow and why Stewart Milne collapsed: analysing the numbers
The collapse of the well-known Scottish housebuilder has shocked many within the housing sector. As聽Daniel Gayne finds out, the firm鈥檚 balance sheets over the past few years provide some clues as to what went wrong聽
-
FeaturesWill biodiversity rules prove a net gain for the housebuilding sector?
From this month, all developments will have to show how they increase biodiversity by 10%. Joey Gardiner examines what the policy means
-
FeaturesTop 50 Housebuilders 2023: The calm before the storm
Despite a year of turbulence in the housing sector, the year鈥檚 Top 50 rankings largely record the growth period seen before Kwasi Kwarteng鈥檚 mini Budget imploded the market last year. Joey Gardiner sees what the numbers say about who鈥檚 up and who鈥檚 down
-
FeaturesWhat happens to development plans when a council goes 鈥榖ankrupt鈥�?
When a section 114 鈥榖ankruptcy鈥� notice is put in place, a council鈥檚 non-statutory services are restricted and housebuilding聽鈥榞oes to the back of the queue鈥�. Yet the growing number of councils in this situation are finding ways to carry on building
-
FeaturesRevealed: average salaries for leadership roles at largest 50 housebuilders
A new survey reveals the locations and job titles within the industry that command the most impressive wages and bonuses. Matilda Battersby reports.
-
FeaturesUK housebuilding recession: How much worse is it going to get?
With little prospect of a rapid reduction in interest rates to spur a recovery, many in the industry are now just looking to 鈥渟urvive until 鈥�25鈥�. Joey Gardiner looks at the聽prospects for residential developers doing so.
-
FeaturesCan the 16th housing minister in 13 years make a difference before the election?
The past nine housing ministers have come and gone in the time it takes to get a large project to site, says Joey Gardiner. So what are the chances that the latest incumbent in the role can do what is required to pick the industry up off the floor?
-
FeaturesKey takeaways from the Conservative Party conference
This party conference will long be remembered as the place HS2 died. But rail was far from the only topic on the agenda in Manchester, as Daniel Gayne reports
-
