Features

Place Makers

Good development is all about “place making”– ensuring the community benefits from a mix of uses and tenures plus facilities and well designed open spaces. But too many schemes are developed in isolation from their surroundings. Scott Lawrieof PRP argues that a more holistic attitude is required to create sustainable communities

The way forward

Last month The Housing Forum hosted its national conference. Shelagh Grant, chief executive of The Housing Forum, outlines the key recommendations resulting from the conference and the steps the house building industry now needs to take on its road to recover

Taking the plunge

KingsWharf in Glasgow is a child of the housing slump,with Miller pressing ahead but taking its time. Steve Menary looks at the scheme which still has great potential, and waterfront views

Making plans to build new homes

The government is trying to find ways to get houses built in the downturn. HomeBuy Direct will help the private sector, but what of the public sector? They are keen to help but are hampered by complex rules and constraints.Mark Smulian looks at the plans, the obstacles and the government plan to remove barriers to building

London Irish

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Housebuilder’s latest planning survey suggests developers are pulling back from schemes throughout the UK – but, as Steve Menary reports, two regions are bucking the trend

Losing the lifeblood of the industry

The sharp downturn in the industry is causing havoc on the supply side, with factory closures, redundancies and the industry haemorrhaging skills. Steve Menary looks at the challenges and wonders whether the industry will have the skills and resources tomeet demand when the market turns

Carbon nation

“The challenge of achieving the very high levels of energy efficiency suggested should not be underestimated – they are extremely demanding”

Corporate turnaround – how it might work

A good turn

Housebuilder talks to John Anderson, formerly group sales and marketing director at Taylor Woodrow, about his new venture aimed at helping housebuilding companies in distress

Safety first

Slips and trips account for a third of all housebuilding accidents. Industry bodies have banded together to show housebuilders how these accidents can easily be prevented through their slips and trips campaign that launched on April 1. Suzie Mayes reports