A framework for planning change
The draft National Planning Policy Framework has been mkaking waves with its pro-growth approach. Suzie Mayes reports the key details and hears the issues from the experts.
Localism is not nihilism
Ministers need to explain to their heartland supporters that localism does not equal nihilism
Be heard on planning reforms
Ben Roskrow looks at the feisty debate over new draft planning rules and calls on housebuilders to get their voices heard in the consultation
Excellence is well worth the effort
Ben Roskrow says that the quality of entries for this year's Housebuilder Awards demonstrates how far the industry has come in improving all aspects of the new homes business
The Last Word
Establishing what constitutes a suitable effective edge seal around cavity party walls, as demanded by Part L 2010 for zero U-values, is a complicated issue. Professor Sean Smith, director of the Institute for Sustainable Construction at Edinburgh Napier University, discusses the potential alternatives available to housebuilders
The private sector
Steve Menary rounds up what he can glean about the recent performance of privately owned housebuilders
The use of public sector land
Richard Jones, head of regeneration and growth at EC Harris, looks at the issue of using public sector land to deliver new homes and the need for partnerships to make the deals work
Planning ahead
HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley says decisions made in the next few weeks will dictate whether the industry can build the homes the country needs
Is housing a local issue?
Under localism, responsibility for meeting the country's housing requirements is passed down to local authorities. But, John Stewart asks, is housing a local issue, or is some form of top-down compulsion necessary?
Getting better all the time
Ben Roskrow looks at two things that are getting better – the quality of entries for the Housebuilder Awards and the government's attitude towards housebuilding
