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What Corbyn’s leaked draft manifesto says about construction

A few details from a draft version of Labour’s upcoming manifesto have been leaked. What does it say about construction, house building and infrastructure? Buildingspecifier.com investigates:

Energy

The leaked data highlights plans to bring parts of the energy industry into public ownership and introduce a local, socially owned energy firm in every area. Also introduce an “immediate emergency price cap” to make sure dual fuel bills stay below £1,000 a year.

Infrastructure

As well as nationalising the railways, Corbyn proposes to borrow £250bn to invest in infrastructure but stick to the fiscal credibility rule to balance day-to-day spending. He also plans to complete HS2 from London to Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Scotland.

Housebuilding

The draft includes a target for tackling the housing shortage, suggesting that we build 100,000 new council houses per year. Additionally, Labour would see the homes of disabled veterans insulated for free.

Skills

In a bid to tackle the skills gap without jeopardising the potential for attracting home-grown talent, the draft manifesto urges us to recognise the benefit that immigrants have brought to our industry but also introduces fair rules and reasonable management. Corbyn promises to work with employers that need to recruit from abroad but emphasises the need to prevent exploitation.

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Green Belt and the West Midlands Mayoral Election: what you need to know

The inaugural West Midlands mayoral election will be held Tomorrow to elect the Mayor of the West Midlands. All candidates have discussed building on green belt and brownfield sites in varying levels of detail, so it’s safe to say that Thursday’s result will be of keen interest to industry professionals. Buildingspecifier Editor Joe Bradbury investigates:

Thursday’s election will be the first election for a governing body covering the entire West Midlands since the 1981 West Midlands County Council election (subsequent elections will be held May 2020 and then every four years after that). Following a devolution deal between the UK government and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), it was agreed to introduce a directly-elected mayor for the combined authority, who would act as chair of the combined authority as well exercise additional powers and functions devolved from central government relating to transport and housing and planning.

Devolving such powers from central government relating to housing and infrastructure in particular naturally raises the ethical dilemma of building on land that is currently protected by Green Belt. This is understandably a strongly debated and highly controversial topic. Many campaign groups urge governments to develop brownfield sites instead, in order to protect England’s characteristic and environmentally significant countryside. However, there is also a very genuine argument that the green belt is an archaic obstacle hindering UK housing and construction in general. Let’s explore the topic:

The argument for…

The British countryside is world renowned and entrenched in our national sense of identity. It is undeniably vital that we continue to protect green space in a country known affectionately as “a green and pleasant land,” however, one cannot ignore the sad fact that the benefits of the Green Belt often accrue to a small group of people at the expense of many more in denser areas.

Studies suggest that access to the Green Belt correlates closely with household income: Green Belt policy preserves large amounts of plentiful green space around the well-off at the expense of rarer green space near the low-income areas of British cities. By limiting supply the policy inflates house prices and rents and acts as a de facto wealth transfer from poorer non-homeowners to middle- and upper-income homeowners.

Only 10% of land in England is developed, just over half of this, 5% of total land, is for homes and gardens, with only 1% of all land actually used for housing. If we were to increase our housing stock by 1.3% per year this would make a massive difference in tackling the housing shortage and would involve building on a mere 0.01% of land each year; a small loss to solve the housing crisis, many argue.

The argument against…

When looking at the argument against developing on Green Belt land, concerns seem to gather around the potential of opening a floodgate whereby once permission is granted, England’s green and pleasant land will descend into a concrete carbuncle.

The Green Belt became government policy 62 years ago this year. On its 60th anniversary, a poll commissioned by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) found that nearly two-thirds of people surveyed believed that Green Belt land should not be built on.

The Ipsos MORI poll shows that 64% of people agreed the Green Belt should be protected, while just 17% disagreed. Such strong support for Green Belt is demonstrated across a range of different groups, including people with children aged 5 and under, those renting from a local authority, and those on low incomes. And more than six out of ten people (62%) who live in towns and cities support the protection of the Green Belt – a finding that casts doubt on the claims of critics that Green Belts do not benefit people who live in urban areas.

Mayoral candidate stances

Whatever your thoughts are on Green Belt, we are all in agreement that more homes are needed in Britain today. Perhaps what we really need is tangible, immoveable targets that won’t change the second permission to build in the countryside is given. Just how will your vote affect this? Let’s take a look at the stances taken by some of the candidates reliant on your vote:

Andy Street – Conservatives

Andy Street

From the conservatives, the message seems quite clear – always prioritise brownfield sites when planning where we need to build homes in the West Midlands. Andy’s manifesto promises to spend £200 million on preparation and decontamination of brownfield sites and lobby for more. It also highlights plans to work with all councils to compile registers of all brownfield sites that could be used for housing and business development in the West Midlands.

Andy speaks of pushing Government and councils to release public sector land in the West Midlands, to be used for housing.

Sion Simon – Labour

Sion Simon

Labour Mayoral candidate Sion Simon is more open to the potential to develop Green Belt land for the benefit of the West Midlands. Recently, he has criticised West Midlands borough Solihull for blocking green belt housing schemes and also pointed out that the town is one of the wealthiest parts of the West Midlands.

Last month, Sion called for housing on Solihull green belt during Wednesday’s mayoral hustings, saying “People want new housing but don’t want it on their Green Belt, they want it on someone else’s Green Belt.

“They want the land but don’t want the cost of cleaning up dirty land. We need to start those difficult conversations.

“And the most difficult conversation is with Solihull – which has the great bulk of the wealth and a huge pressure on land and has very expensive land.”

James Burn – Green Party

James Burn

James Burn of the Green Party seems to have a similar message to that of the conservatives, arguing for the prioritisation of building on brownfield land first.
He promises a drive on local authority house building funded by central government, in addition to other measures, including exploring the introduction of a Land Value Tax (which may discourage developers purposefully not building on valuable land and bring more land into use for housing more quickly) and raising the local authority borrowing cap so that councils can borrow more to build more houses.

The manifesto states that “We will need serious discussions about where the houses should be located, the cause and extent of the crisis, where higher density building is appropriate and much more.

“We also need to increase the supply of available land while doing all we can to protect valuable green spaces. We should in general build on brownfield land first wherever possible, and challenge the assumption that this is always more expensive than building on green belt sites.”

In summary

To the casual observer (and fellow Midlander!) it seems to me that all candidates are calling for an honest and open conversation about developing Green Belt land, yet none seem to want to commit entirely to one side of the argument – or at least discuss it on any level that may give too much away on the subject prior to the election tomorrow.

Green Belt divides opinion so drastically across all sectors of our industry. Concerns about it echo through our communities and create barriers as tangible as the physical border itself. Whether you campaign for it to be protected or petition to open it up for development, anybody who builds houses or needs houses should think carefully before entering the polling booth tomorrow, because your vote just might dictate their location.

Do you think we should consider building on Green Belt? Answer the poll on the right!
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Strong start for construction in 2017 as housebuilding flourishes

The construction industry has started 2017 strongly, with an increase in activity levels as the value of new building contracts awarded in January reached £6 billion, spearheaded by strong figures from the housebuilding sector.

According to the latest edition of the Economic & Construction Market Review from industry analysts Barbour ABI, housing figures increased sharply across January, with construction contract value reaching £2.7 billion, a massive 83 per cent increase compared with January 2016.

Housebuilding

Of all the type of projects across housebuilding, it was private housing that dominated in January, with 91 per cent of the total construction contract value in January, compared to just 66 per cent a year ago. Market conditions for private housing were also favourable for housebuilders in 2016, with Crest Nicholson recently reporting a 27 per cent increase in full year profits.
There are also currently £5.8 billion worth of housebuilding contracts that are nearing award status, suggesting this month’s growth is likely to continue over the next few months and beyond.

London unsurprisingly led all regions based on total construction contract value in January, accounting for 26 per cent. This was helped greatly by the £900 million One Nine Elms Twin Towers development, the largest project recorded on the month.

Commenting on the figures, Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said: “Whilst the housebuilding sector is performing admirably, we expect to see its growth continue to flourish across 2017. However, other sectors now need to start producing more auspicious figures, such as the commercial & retail sector, which saw a year-on-year decrease of 40 per cent last month. Infrastructure, another traditionally big performing sector, is also in a slump with January figures being the lowest for 12 months.”

“On the positive side, the number of projects awarded in January jumped by 50 per cent compared with December and 25 per cent when looking at January last year. These figures are encouraging and would suggest that work is most certainly on the way.”

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Offsite construction expected to feature in Housing White Paper

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid will set out the details of the housing White Paper in a statement to MPs today. The Minister admitted that the current market is “broken” and if we are to fix it we need to consider modern methods of construction such as offsite and modular.

Javid’s speech intends to highlight the need for more homes (at least 250,000 new homes each year) as a matter of priority. Over the weekend Housing Minister Gavin Barwell admitted that the government were currently behind schedule on its goal of building one million new homes in England by 2020.

When unveiling the paper, Javid will say: “Walk down your local high street today and there’s one sight you’re almost certain to see. Young people, faces pressed against the estate agent’s window, trying and failing to find a home they can afford.

“With prices continuing to skyrocket, if we don’t act now, a whole generation could be left behind. We need to do better, and that means tackling the failures at every point in the system.

“The housing market in this country is broken and the solution means building many more houses in the places that people want to live.”

In an interview with BBC Radio 4, the Communities Secretary also indicated the need for a shift in focus on increasing home ownership, an ambition of most post-war Conservative governments. He said “It is a false choice. The reality is we need more homes, whether to rent or buy.”

The White Paper is expected to contain the following measures for meeting demand:

  • A £3bn fund will allow housing associations and councils to fully utilise the skills and facilities of smaller building firms, including support for modern methods of construction, such as modular and offsite
  • Councils will be required to provide the government with an up-to-date plan for housing demand
  • The delivery time for housing will reduced from three to two years between planning permission being submitted and construction works beginning
  • Green Belt is expected to be protected, only to be built on in exceptional circumstances
More on this following the release of the paper later today.
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VIDEO: A visual tour around the House of the Year

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is announced last week that Murphy House in Edinburgh by Richard Murphy Architects is the 2016 RIBA House of the Year, sponsored by Hiscox Home Insurance. Take a look round with Buildingspecifier:

This five-level house is a surprising addition to an otherwise conservative sandstone terraced street in Edinburgh’s UNESCO-listed New Town. Built on an awkward plot at the end of a terrace, Richard Murphy has designed for himself a deeply personal space filled with tricks, surprises and references to his own design heroes. From a hidden bath in the master bedroom and a folding corner wall, to sliding bookshelf ladders that glide around the subterranean library, this house is filled with a unique and spirited charm. Murphy, inspired by the work of the late Carlo Scarpa, a 20th century Italian architect has created a house full of pure, beautiful craftsmanship.

RIBA President Jane Duncan said “The Murphy House is this year’s best example of how to overcome challenging constraints – from planning restrictions and an awkward site in an urban location – to build a stunning house. Plus the architect overcame one of the biggest obstacles: a demanding client – himself!

“Nearly a decade in the making, this house is a true labour of love for Richard. Part jigsaw puzzle, with its hidden and unexpected spaces, and part Wallace and Gromit with its moving pieces and disappearing walls, this is a model house of pure perfection and a worthy winner of the RIBA House of the Year 2016.”

Architect Richard Murphy commented: “We celebrated our 25th birthday last month and to receive this award is a wonderful present with such astonishing levels of public interest. It’s our 21st RIBA award, and takes its place in a long line of awards for buildings small and large and for whole variety of types including domestic, educational, health, arts and a new British Embassy. It emphasises yet again that the practice demonstrates both great versatility and consistently high quality in all its work current and past. It’s been a huge pleasure to develop a lifetime’s themes and now it gives me great pleasure to live there.”

House of the Year judge, Philip Thorn from Hiscox described his reasons for picking Murphy house as this year’s winner, saying “Murphy House was a real box of tricks with a unique, playful character. Although a small property, it was deceivingly large inside due to the clever use of space. Every room contained a surprise and the attention to detail was exceptional. The roof terrace was a real oasis of calm and I loved the long list of environmentally friendly touches. A true pleasure to visit and I would imagine a lot of fun to live in.”

Take the tour below:

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Housebuilders say Government New Housing Figures are unrealistic

74 per cent of housebuilders think the government’s aim of building a million homes during the current parliament is unachievable – so the latest survey run by the Build Show, as part of UK Construction Week, and Housebuilder magazine reveals.

Targeted solely at housebuilders, the survey has highlighted a number of strong opinions, concerns and predictions held within the industry about the future of this critical sector. Following the question on the government’s targets, housebuilders were asked what they thought were the main constraints to increasing the UK housing supply – the top two answers given were problems with the planning system and the availability of enough skilled labour.

As one of the first canvases of the sector since the EU referendum, the survey has provided a valuable insight into how the industry feels about the affects it might have. Over half of those surveyed said that Brexit would make meeting the UK’s new housing needs more difficult and only 11 per cent saying it would make it easier.

Equally, those surveyed were cynical of government initiatives such as the Starter Home scheme with two thirds saying it will not boost supply or that they’re unsure. Similarly, only 40 per cent believed that government initiatives would increase the number of affordable homes being built.

When asked about the possible solutions to the UK’s housing needs, 64 per cent of housebuilders felt that SMEs were the key. Also identified was offsite construction with over two thirds of respondents saying it would play a major role in new home supply as was new investment models with over 75 per cent highlighting the contribution they could make.

Nathan Garnett, Event Director for the Build Show, commented: “The survey has provided valuable honest insight into the housebuilding sector and clearly indicates that there is a lot of uncertainty. In this regard, the show in October will offer a much needed opportunity to develop strategy and build stronger business relationships with key customers, peers and associations. Excitingly, the sector also sees a lot of potential in SME builders and we do too. There will be a wide variety of content suited to both national and SME housebuilders at the show to help them overcome the hurdles they currently face.”

Some of the other notable findings from the survey include:

  • One third of housebuilders believe the government should do more to encourage more people into the industry
  • More than 60 per cent of those surveyed do not believe the private sector is capable of building enough homes to tackle the lack of UK supply
  • According to housebuilders, access to finance is the biggest barrier for SMEs, followed by the planning system
  • Almost two thirds of housebuilders believe that manufacturer innovation will play a key role in new home supply
  • When asked what would be the one thing that would help them build more houses, the top five answers from those surveyed were: improvements to the planning system, more investment and access to funding, more skilled labour, increase in land supply and innovation such as offsite construction methods

Taking place at the Birmingham NEC from 18 – 20 October, UK Construction Week combines nine shows in one location. With over 24,000 trade visitors last year – a figure expected to double at this year’s event – the show boasts over 650 exhibitors. Visitors are able to attend Timber Expo, the Build Show, Civils Expo, the Surface and Materials Show, Energy 2016, Plant & Machinery Live, HVAC 2016, Smart Buildings 2016 and Grand Designs Live.

For more information, booking enquiries or to register for free to attend, please visit www.buildshow.co.uk or follow @BuildShow on Twitter.
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“It’s not the end of the world” – A post-Brexit construction industry

The result of last week’s referendum on whether we remain or leave the EU came as a massive shock to everybody – the construction industry being no exception. We have been plunged into the unknown and understandably concern and fear has arisen. However, it isn’t all doom and gloom for the construction industry, and regardless of your opinion on the result it is everybody’s responsibility to roll up their sleeves and help make this work.

Strength in unity

Following 52% of UK voters deciding to leave the European Union, organisers of the UK’s largest construction event have called for a united front in the industry to face the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Nathan Garnett, Event Director for UK Construction Week, commented: “A new dawn for UK construction begins here. It is inevitable that our industry will experience a period of uncertainty and adjustment, but the construction sector has proved time and time again to be incredibly resilient. Now the result of the referendum is clear, we, as an industry, must move forward together with confidence. Leaving the EU will likely mean UK construction firms will be looking to invest in British products and services like never before.

“The UK boasts many long-term infrastructure projects and the Bank of England have made sound contingency plans for leaving the EU. The UK also has the foundations for a boom in house building, and the industry must and will be committed to meeting the national need for housing. Leaving the EU will inevitably attract new investors to our shores offering new opportunities, and that will happen sooner rather than later. The last few weeks and months have been uncertain for the UK construction industry, but now is the time to embrace the change and these new opportunities.”

“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.”

As social media reverberates rumours that the bottom has fallen out of the industry and the wider economy overall, many are actually quietly reporting that both the overall uncertainty and the subsequent result of the referendum have actually had little to no impact on their business activity.

In a year-end trading statement released this morning by Redrow housebuilders, Chairman Steve Morgan has indicated that annual profits were expected to be at the upper level of city expectations of £240m. “Although it is too early to tell whether Brexit will have any effect on future sales, initial feedback is that sites remain busy, reservations continue to be taken.

“Indeed, we witnessed long queues and strong reservations at new sites launched last weekend.”

David Orr, Chief Executive at the National Housing Federation has highlighted the importance of a strong stance as an industry. Speaking on behalf of the Federation, he said “We recognise the uncertainty that this result will bring to the sector and we are working with our housing association members to support them to continue delivering the homes and services this country needs. Whatever happens there is still a housing crisis and we remain committed to ending it.”

David Brown, the head of agency Marsh & Parsons, addressed the widespread moral panic gripping the housing sector in the Guardian. He pointed out that regardless of the result of the referendum there was still plenty of pent-up demand in the UK housing market “and a leave vote doesn’t change that overnight.”

He added: “When you think back to before the financial crisis and the volume of transactions we were witnessing on an annual basis, there’s clearly scope for further improvement. The decision to leave doesn’t alter the fact that plenty of people have to and still want to move.”

One reason perhaps that indicates that Brexit will not impact the construction industry quite as heavily as other sectors is that many construction companies work exclusively within the UK. A recent CBI study into the implications of British withdrawal from the EU, showed that construction is the second most domestically focused major UK sector, surpassed by a hairs breadth by Government. “It’s a domestic market, so while there are some that operate internationally, what really affects them is what they do in the UK,” says Suzannah Nichol, chief executive of Build UK.

Home-grown talent

Whilst the skills gap is likely to worsen in the short term, Brexit is perhaps the catalyst for change long term regarding the training and retention of a better homegrown workforce. According to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) The UK construction industry has been heavily reliant on migrant workers from Europe for decades now – at present, 12% of the British construction workers are of non-UK origin.

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said “we need to ensure that we invest in our own home-grown talent through apprenticeship training. We need to train more construction apprentices so we are not overly reliant on migrant workers from Europe or further afield. That’s why it’s so important that the Government gets the funding framework right for apprenticeships – when you consider that this whole policy area is currently in flux, and then you add Brexit into the mix, it’s no exaggeration to say that a few wrong moves by the Government could result in the skills crisis becoming a skills catastrophe. The next few years will bring unprecedented challenges to the construction and house building sector, and it’s only through close collaboration between the Government and industry that we’ll be able to overcome them.”

In summary

In summary, the biggest immediate threat to the construction industry following news of our departure from the EU is widespread confusion, stalling due to a feeling of insecurity and failure to act going forward. Demand remains strong as shown by reports from some of the major contractors and housebuilder’s across the UK. The construction sector remains strong but we need to keep moving and resist succumbing to hype in order to ensure it stays this way. It has to be business as usual. Keep calm and carry on!

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Willmott Dixon to build 1,000 ‘offsite’ homes a year

Contracting, residential development and property support business Willmott Dixon intend to future-proof their residential construction business against a worsening skills shortage.

The company currently deliver 2,000 homes each year. Their latest announcement suggests that they plan for half of these to be constructed using offsite methods and materials going forward.

By signing 3 year strategic agreements with leading suppliers of timber frame (Robertson Timber Engineering) and light-gauge steel frame systems (Fusion Building Systems), Willmott Dixon hope to drastically reduce current reliance on traditional construction methods due to rising costs and lack of skills.

Residential construction chief operating officer, Charlie Scherer says “This is an important step in our strategy to provide a high quality product that utilises all the benefits of factory-made systems while also reducing our exposure to the labour price escalation we’ve seen in recent years. We aim to be building 1,000 homes a year by 2017 using systems provided by Robertson and Fusion, with the consistent quality also aiding our zero defects strategy.”

“These two deals are the cornerstone of our ‘Capacity Building’ strategy. This is our people, engineering and technology programme that is central to counterweight the resource challenges in industry, and deliver cost-effective, sustainable build solutions for our clients.”

Tim Carey, product director for Willmott Dixon, added “If we are to address the significant capacity gap that currently exists in the construction sector, we need to think strategically about our supply chain. The selection of Robertson and Fusion will help maximise efficiencies across our projects, enabling us to deliver as many high-quality homes in as short a time frame as possible whilst ensuring they are delivered to the quality our clients deserve.”

About Willmott Dixon:

Willmott Dixon has built nearly 50,000 homes since the 1974, and operates across the South, Midlands and North, building for developers, housing associations and local authorities. The mix includes affordable, care residential, retirement villages, housing for sale and private rent, plus student accommodation. Projects vary in scale, from a standalone 90 unit care homes to multi-phase ten year estate regenerations that create a new ‘destination’ for communities.

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From deprivation to dream homes

A panel will look at how the layout of deprived estates can be best regenerated and reused to deliver more quality homes for Britain.

New tenants rights will be at the heart of the regeneration of some of the country’s most deprived estates, Lord Heseltine said this week (9 February 2016).

A panel, who met for the first time today, will look at how the layout of estates can be best used to deliver more quality homes that people can buy and rent.

The experts will also ensure that there are strong protections in place for existing residents so they will always be given the right to return to their communities.

The 17-strong group, co-chaired by Lord Heseltine and Housing Minister Brandon Lewis and reporting to the Prime Minister and Communities Secretary Greg Clark, will develop a national estate regeneration strategy and work with up to 100 estates to tackle deprivation and transform them into vibrant communities.

The Prime Minister announced last month that £140 million would be made available to jump-start the regeneration. The loan funding will allow communities to lever in investment from the public and private sector to deliver ambitious projects that local people can be proud of.

Lord Heseltine said “Estates regeneration is key to transforming the lives of people living on poorly designed housing projects. The panel will provide expert advice, support and explore innovative funding solutions to drive forward the regeneration of estates around the country.”

“However, I am clear that this has to be locally led and we must work with the residents of such estates. I now want to see local communities coming forward with innovative ideas to achieve desirable neighbourhoods that local people can be proud of.”

Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said “We know these estates offer huge potential to be revived so that they become thriving communities and places which people want to live and work in.”

“This panel provides a wealth of experience to kick-start work that will help transform the lives of thousands of people by delivering better homes in better estates.”

The panel met at the York Road Estate in Battersea, London where plans are being developed for a major regeneration scheme.

Wandsworth Council leader and panel member Ravi Govindia said “I’m delighted to join panel and to play a part in unlocking the great potential of our country’s housing estates.”

“Here in Battersea we are demonstrating that estate regeneration can be done with the support of the local community. Our approach is centred firmly on improving the lives of Winstanley and York estate residents and to providing new opportunities and better life chances.”

Future meetings will be held at estates across the country. Members are:

  • Councillor Ravi Govindia, leader of Wandsworth Council
  • Nicholas Boys Smith, director of Create Streets, a social enterprise and independent research institute which pushes for well designed estates
  • Andrew Boff, leader of the Greater London Authority Conservatives housing group
  • Elaine Bailey, chief executive, from Hyde Housing Association, which successfully regenerated the Packington Estate in Islington
  • Paul Tennant, chief executive from Orbit Housing Association, which successfully regenerated Erith Estate in Bexley
  • Tony Pidgley, chief executive of Berkeley Homes – a lead partner on various estate regenerations across London
  • Peter Vernon, chief executive of Grosvenor Estates
  • Jane Duncan, president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)
  • Ben Bolgar, director of Design Theory and Networks at the Prince’s Foundation
  • Dominic Grace, head of London Residential Development at estates agents Savills
  • Emma Cariaga from the British Land and Thames Valley Housing Association
  • David Budd, Mayor of Middlesbrough
  • Natalie Elphicke, chief executive of the Housing & Finance Institute
  • Graham Allen, MP for Nottingham North
  • Felicie Krikler, associate director at Assael Architecture

The group will now work with a range of local stakeholders, including communities, local authorities, landlords, investors, builders, housing associations, and anyone else with ideas and ambition. It will draw up the national strategy for estate regeneration by the autumn. Its objectives include:

  • providing strong protection for existing residents, such as rights of return
  • delivering more homes for rent and ownership
  • delivering homes more quickly
  • promote high standards of design to provide commercially viable schemes which have the potential to be self-financing
  • encouraging and attracting more private and public sector investment to help regenerate estates

Britain is building again with the number of new homes up 25% in the past year and revived estates will play an important part in providing good quality social and affordable housing, and offering people the chance to achieve their dream of home ownership.

Wandsworth Council has announced ambitious plans to regenerate the neighbouring York Road and Winstanley Estates in Battersea, which will see more than 2,000 new home built. A range of affordable homes will provided for people to buy or rent at below market rates and the number of social rent properties will increase.

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Zedfactory to unveil groundbreaking solution to homes shortage at Ecobuild

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Industry renowned architects and pioneers of the zero carbon agenda, Zedfactory, are set to unveil a groundbreaking solution to the housing shortage at Ecobuild. The solution claims to require no land whilst offering zero energy bills and the ability to relocate the property in the future, providing next generation future proofing.

The Government has pledged to build 400,000 homes over the life of this Parliament and there is currently little sign of that being delivered. In addition, as towns and cities expand, buildings are being demolished as a result of them no longer being suited to requirements. There needs to be an alternative visionary on how this will happen and Zedfactory believe they have found a solution.

Founded by Bill Dunster, OBE, Zedfactory are well-renowned as leaders in the field of zero-carbon design and development. Offering the full range of architectural services, from master-planning and design of large-scale ‘eco villages’ to one-off individual building commissions, the company has a unique track record of pioneering Zero (fossil) Energy Development (ZED) buildings in the UK.

ZEDfactory collaborates with the best global industrial partners to deliver replicable new construction industry solutions to assist timeless problems ranging from zero carbon urban design, architecture and product design in many climatic zones at a wide range of densities.

By looking at the way in which towns and cities grow and how the needs of their occupants change, coupled with unrivalled expertise in the creation of low energy buildings, Zedfactory have created a solution that could change the way the UK builds new homes.

ZEDliving – which will be exclusively unveiled at Ecobuild – is an affordable urban lifestyle solution that creates homes that require requiring no land, have no energy bills, no carbon footprint and help to reduce air pollution.

“If an affordable and low risk future powered by renewable energy is now possible, it is irresponsible not to provide it given accelerating climatic change,” commented Bill Dunster. “ZEDliving offers this. We are refining the zero carbon agenda and making it economically viable today by our homes being capable of having net zero annual energy bills. This offers a tangible benefit to everyone affected by rising fuel prices.”

“We are thrilled that Zedfactory have chosen Ecobuild to unveil ZEDliving, a unique solution to the delivery of future homes,” commented Martin Hurn Ecobuild Event Director. “Zedfactory has a reputation for delivering architecture that challenges and inspires. Their new solution looks set to continue this trend.”

Zedfactory will be exhibiting on stand number E4220. For further information about Ecobuild 2016 which takes place from 8th to 10th March at London’s ExCeL, please visit www.ecobuild.co.uk.

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