IQ Features
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“Stuttering” UK infrastructure could lead to missed economic and net zero goals
The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has said that the last year has seen UK infrastructure delivery “stutter further just as the need for acceleration has heightened” and that “in a range of areas, the government is off track to meet its targets and ambitions”. The NIC has published its Infrastructure Progress Review 2023 and has called for the government to make fewer, bigger and better-targeted initiatives to deliver the infrastructure needed to reach its long-term net zero and economic goals. It believes that “infrastructure is a key part of the solution” to reaching net zero because the climate is primarily…
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‘One million tradespeople can’t afford to run their vehicles’
Last week’s Budget saw the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt unveiling plans to maintain the 5p cut in fuel duty for a further 12 months as inflation remains high – saving the average driver £100 next year. Whilst the freeze in fuel duty is a much-needed measure for tradespeople, Fix Radio, the UK’s only radio station dedicated to tradespeople, reveals a landmark study analysing other obstacles the industry is facing such as plans to increase the ULEZ to greater London and the ‘Transit Tax’. News of the expansion to the ULEZ in London, which is due to be enforced from August 29th,…
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£1.1bn in social value delivered across UK construction industry in H1 2022
New research has revealed that the UK construction industry delivered £1.1bn of social and local economic value in the first half of 2022, providing a 30.33% return on investment. Published by public sector procurement authority Scape, the new report highlights how social value delivery is evolving and becoming more sophisticated across the construction industry. A total of 520 construction contracts with a combined total value of £3.6bn and ranging from £12,000 to £130m, were analysed to establish the scale and scope of social value delivery across the UK. The findings show that ROI is up by more than 10% compared…
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UK Landscape Barometer: December 2022 findings
This month, the barometer has brought to light some positive news: confidence is on the rise from last month, and enquiries and turnover from December 2022 are either the same or on the up from the previous year. With spring around the corner, could the rise in the confidence this February compared to January be an indication of a spring market boost? This February saw 29% of respondence claim that they felt more confident (graph below) which is 12% more that the 17% we saw in January. Despite this jump being lower than last year and in 2021 – when…
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BMF confirms Mike Tattam as commercial director
Mike Tattam has been appointed commercial director for the Builders Merchants Federation with effect from 1 April 2023. Tattam has a career spanning over 35 years working with manufacturer brands in senior commercial roles. He brings experience across heavyside and lightside sectors, and with national and independent merchants as well as specialist stockists and buying groups. Tattam joined the BMF in August 2022 in an interim capacity to recruit and develop a new regional team and introduce initiatives to grow membership and enhance value to existing members. BMF CEO, John Newbomb says: “I am extremely pleased that Mike is joining…
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Plans revealed for transformation of 40-acre site
The Earls Court Development Company (ECDC) unveiled its draft plan to bring the wonder back to Earls Court. The redevelopment aims to reinstate the 40-acre site in Zone 1 London as a destination for entertainment, innovation, and excitement. The plan would deliver up to 4500 homes. The landscape-led development aims to go beyond net zero and become a climate-positive neighbourhood. Rob Heasman, CEO of ECDC said: “We want to create a place which reinstates wonder in this incredible part of London. We will help to create a more inclusive and equitable piece of the city with homes for all incomes…
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268 new homes in Thornton approved by Sefton Council
Eighty affordable homes will be delivered as part a new housing development approved by Sefton Council. The scheme, by Barret and David Wilson Homes North West, will see 268 new homes in Thornton with development of the site expected to begin in summer 2023. The site is allocated for housing in the Sefton Local Plan, which sets out how new developments will be managed in the period from 2015 to 2030. Outline planning permission was granted in January 2020. Since then, the developer Barratt and David Wilson Homes North West has created detailed plans for the site in consultation with…
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New housing minister announced – the sixth this year
Rachel Maclean has been named as the new housing minister, becoming the 15th since the Conservative Party came into power and the sixth housing minister this year. Maclean was confirmed as the Minister of State in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) as part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s reshuffle. She replaces Lucy Frazer, who has been announced as the new secretary for culture, media and sport. Rachel Maclean tweeted earlier today: “Delighted to be appointed as Minister in @luhc. Looking forward to a new challenge, tackling one of the defining issues the government faces. I start…
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UK Landscape Barometer: November 2022 findings
As the new year begins 17% of our respondents have reported an increase in confidence. Despite this increase being only 1% more than the previous month, this could suggest a positive start to the year, despite an ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the loss of two large commercial landscaping companies towards the end of last year (read more on page 83). We are also seeing many respondents reporting increases in other areas of their business for the trading month of November 2022. Take projects, for example; 20% of respondents reported an increase and 50% are reporting that there has been no…
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Tamworth Borough Council appoints Speller Metcalfe as delivery partner
Tamworth Borough Council has achieved a significant milestone in plans to transform Tamworth town centre by appointing Speller Metcalfe as delivery partner. The construction firm will now work alongside Tamworth Borough Council to deliver the ambitious plans for the government funded Future High Streets project. The next stage of the project will see a detailed costed work programme developed to deliver: A new Enterprise Centre in the original 19th Century former Co-operative building on Colehill. The Middle Entry renovations which will see the walkway roof removed and some vacant units demolished to be replaced by a new flexible, multi-use building for…
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Housing minister confirms final extension of Help to Buy practical completion deadline
Housing minister, Lucy Frazer has granted an extension to the practical completion deadline for Help to Buy transactions in England by six weeks. The minister confirmed the extension in a letter to the Home Builders Federation’s (HBF) executive chairman, Stewart Baseley on Thursday evening (26 January 2023). The update follows HBF’s contact with Homes England and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), alerting them to a small number of plots that would struggle to meet the 31 January ‘First Longstop’. While expressing disappointment that the additional forbearance is required in these small number of cases, the minister has…
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£43m in government support for Darlington’s new Burtree Garden Village
Thousands of new homes will be built in a new garden village in Burtree, Darlington, thanks to £43m government funding announced by Homes England on 26 January. Burtree Garden Village is set to create a new sustainable community of 2000 homes and state-of-the-art facilities that will help more people into homeownership, while also providing affordable homes and accommodation for older people. Homes England has today announced £43m to fund vital infrastructure for the new village – including new highways, sustainable travel links, and a public park and nature reserve, which will eventually cover almost half of the 307-acre site. The…
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PfP Capital acquires igloo Regeneration
Aligned experience, purpose and values will service significant demand for PfP Capital’s end to end sustainable development and investment capabilities. PfP Capital, the social value and ESG-focused real estate fund manager, which is part of the UK’s leading social enterprise £5Bn Places for People, has acquired the UK’s first real estate B-Corp accredited organisation, and award-winning development manager, igloo Regeneration. PfP Capital and igloo have been working together since 2018 through a successful joint venture partnership formed following Places for People’s acquisition of the igloo Regeneration Fund’s joint venture holdings and development pipeline. PfP Capital’s acquisition of igloo will enable…
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Kier Construction appoints new head of sustainability
Kier has appointed Anna Baker as head of sustainability for its Construction business. This latest appointment builds on the Group’s newly formed Responsible Business team and underlines its commitment to sustainably delivering infrastructure which is vital to the UK. Anna will be responsible for delivering Kier Construction’s targets as part of the Group’s Building for a Sustainable World. These include achieving net zero carbon across business operations by 2039, eliminating avoidable waste by 2035, the delivery of 30p in every £ of impactful social value, and helping customers deliver on their sustainability targets, working with them to co-create sustainability solutions. Prior to joining Kier,…
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“Legislate for eco development now” urges Langley new build lead
Recently appointed new build lead at the Langley Group, Simon Griffiths is calling on the government to urgently legislate for all new developments to feature at least one green or sustainable element. Langley’s calls follow an Autumn Statement which saw the government pledge to invest in the country’s energy efficiency and make a renewed commitment to a 68% reduction in UK emissions by 2030 as agreed at COP26. Describing the number of empty roofs in the country as “a wasted opportunity for our planet and our wellbeing” Griffiths suggests that all new buildings should wherever possible be fitted with at…
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Planning permission granted for Chapel Place
The London Borough of Redbridge has approved plans for a mixed-use scheme in Ilford, East London. Designed by HTA the scheme will deliver 837 new homes and 447 new student bedrooms, all supported by what will be the largest piece of greened public realm in Ilford and activated at ground level by new retail, workspace and leisure spaces. The impact of the Chapel Place scheme will be transformative and, supported by the nearby cross-rail link, represents a large and important contribution to growth in Ilford as envisioned by LB Redbridge in its development prospectus. The 2 hectare site, currently occupied…
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Funding secured for next stage of Lichfield Canal restoration
HS2’s Community & Environment Fund has provided a £75,000 grant to restore the Darnford Moors section of the canal, transforming the area into a wildlife haven. Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust (LHCRT) has been awarded £116,200 to create an ecology park at Darnford Moors. The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is providing a grant of £41,200, with match funding of £75,000 from HS2’s Community and Environment Fund (CEF). This will enable LHCRT to make habitat improvements to the Darnford Brook wetlands, existing woodland and hedgerows from Darnford Lane to past the lift bridge. It will also enable the Trust…
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New leadership for CIC’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has appointed a new leadership team for its Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Bola Abisogun OBE was elected as chair and Rebecca Lovelace was elected as deputy chair. The Diversity & Inclusion Committee is a collaborative forum and platform for members of all construction disciplines and professional bodies to identify and promote diversity policy and activities within the construction industry. With almost 30 years of industry experience Bola is a fellow of Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), member of the Chartered Institute of Builders (CIOB) and the chair and founder of DiverseCity Surveyors (DCS), a…
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Deal agreed with Landsec for first phase of 24-acre site in Manchester
The Mayfield Partnership has reached an agreement to fund the first phase of development at the 24-acre central Manchester site with Landsec, regeneration developer U+I’s parent company. The deal allows Landsec to begin drawing down land from an agreed first phase along the south side of the city-centre site that could total more than 800,000 sq ft of mixed-use development with a potential GDV of £400m. The first plots available for draw down from this agreement include two office buildings totalling 320,000 sq ft and a 581-space multi-storey car park, which were granted unanimous planning consent in January 2020. Subject…
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Atkins secures Surrey County Council highways contract
Atkins has been appointed by Surrey County Council to develop and lead maintenance and improvement works across its 3,000-mile road network, as part of a major investment programme. Under the terms of the £40m+, five-year Highways and Infrastructure Professional Service contract – which includes the option of a further four years – Atkins will deliver asset management design for single carriageways, dual carriageways, and local roads, as well as associated infrastructure such as bridges, embankments, street lighting and drainage systems. Services being provided by Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, include placemaking and urban design, and environmental and ecological…
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House price growth slows in March
The latest house price data published by HM Land Registry (HMLR) for March 2022 has shown that average house prices in the UK increased by 9.8% in the year to March 2022, down from 11.3% in the year to February 2022. March 2022 saw UK house price growth slow to 9.8% Annual house price rates of change for all dwellings, UK, January 2006 to March 2022 Because of the impact of COVID-19 on both the number and supply of housing transactions, we might see larger revisions to the published UK House Price Index (HPI) estimates than usual. There may be increased…
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Further growth forecast as expanding homebuilder reports £24m rise in revenue post-Covid
A HOUSEBUILDER is celebrating a major post-Covid recovery after seeing annual revenues grow by more than 200 per cent. After posting revenue of £37m for the 2021/22 financial year – a rise of nearly £24m from the previous year – Cumbrian-based Genesis Homes is anticipating another successful 12 months as it looks to nearly double the amount of new homes it builds. The company, which acquired fellow Cumbrian homebuilder Russell Armer Homes in April 2021, legally completed on 96 new homes during 2021/22 and is well on track to achieve or exceed its current build target for 2022/23 of 176…
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Impressive UK construction growth unlikely to continue, says GlobalData
GlobalData currently forecasts that construction output growth will stand at 3.4% in 2022 as a whole, which means that in constant prices terms, output will just be marginally below the 2019 level. However, the downside risks to the outlook have intensified given the sharp increase in prices for key construction materials, supply chain bottlenecks, and higher energy costs. Danny Richards, construction analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Construction output in the UK has continued to edge higher in recent quarters having rebounded quickly in late 2020 following the slump in Q2 2020, when the country went into lockdown to contain the spread of…
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Construction output increases for fifth consecutive month
Monthly construction output grew 1.7% in volume terms in March 2022 compared with February 2022. This is the fifth consecutive month of growth and is the largest single-month growth since January 2022 (2.1%). Monthly construction output in March 2022 is now at its highest level (£14,944m) since monthly records began in January 2010 (Figure 1). The stormy spells caused by storm Dudley, Eunice and Franklin brought heavy rain and winds across much of the country and, for the construction industry, lots of working days were lost during this time. However, demand continued to be strong and anecdotal evidence received from…
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Augmented reality would attract young talent to ageing construction workforce, says GlobalData
Giving construction workers access to technology such as augmented reality (AR) will not only combat soaring resource costs, but help attract young people to construction roles, says GlobalData. The company notes that, while AR could give the industry a much-needed reinvigoration, a large number of executives are not planning to invest. According to GlobalData’s report, ‘Augmented Reality (AR) in Construction’, around 55% of construction industry executives surveyed by GlobalData in late 2021 intend to invest in AR within the next two years. However, the same survey reveals a whopping one third have no plans to buy into the technology. Robert…
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