Category: Comment | netMAGmedia Ltd

Thames Hub Airport response submitted to Airports Commission

Tuesday, 27th May 2014

The Foster + Partners team has submitted a detailed response to the Airports Commission’s call for evidence, addressing surface access, costs, delivery and an analysis of the environmental, economic and social impacts of a new airport on the Isle of... View Article

Exploiting the capabilities of fire-resistant glass

Tuesday, 27th May 2014

By Mike Wood, Pilkington UK Ltd One of the most significant themes in today’s building designs is the extensive use of glass, not only by area but also in the range of glass function. The story of architecture is inextricably... View Article

CE marking for glass is anything but clear

Tuesday, 27th May 2014

The Construction Products Directive (CPD) in 1989 was replaced by the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). The CPR was officially published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 4 April 2011 and came into full force on 1 July 2013.... View Article

Trees cause over £25 million damage to new homes

Tuesday, 27th May 2014

Over £25million of damage has been caused to new homes by trees over the last six years, according to figures released by NHBC. The UK’s leading warranty provider and standard setting body for new build homes is so concerned by... View Article

TrustMark welcomes new guideline on tougher sentencing for rogue traders

Friday, 23rd May 2014

The new sentencing guideline published today has been welcomed by TrustMark, the Government-endorsed quality mark for reputable tradesmen, as it could mean tougher sentencing for rogue traders who defraud and rip off the public. TrustMark contributed to the Sentencing Council’s... View Article

BPF: New Green Deal Home Improvement Fund welcome

Monday, 12th May 2014

The British Property Federation (BPF) has welcomed the new Green Deal Home Improvement Fund. It has praised the Government for launching sensible changes that will make the application process easier, but would like to see further details on what will... View Article

BPF warns that increasing threshold for planning designations risks encouraging bad practice

Friday, 9th May 2014

Increasing the threshold for putting local authorities into special measures could produce perverse incentives and lead to adverse consequences for the planning system, warns the British Property Federation (BPF). Proposals from DCLG in its ‘Planning Performance and Planning Contributions’ consultation... View Article

£7600 to make your home more energy efficient

Thursday, 1st May 2014

Households carrying out energy efficiency improvements on their home can now get more money back to offset the cost of having the work done. From June, people in England and Wales will be able to get up to £7600 back... View Article

Call to support efficient appliance sales

Thursday, 1st May 2014

A new report published today “Promoting highly efficient electrical appliances” calls on the Government to help the public replace their old appliances and cut their energy bills by up to £75 a year. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR)... View Article

Building recovery under threat, warns FMB

Wednesday, 30th April 2014

The economic recovery in the SME construction sector is under threat from rising building costs and material shortages warns the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Commenting on the results of the FMB’s State of Trade Survey for the first three... View Article

Homeowners at risk of flooding urged to speak out amid fears that millions of homes could be excluded from new flood insurance scheme

Monday, 28th April 2014

Homeowners at risk of flooding who have seen the price of their insurance rise in recent years have been urged to speak out amid warnings that Government plans could leave them without access to affordable flood cover from next year.... View Article

Greater Birmingham delegation reflects on positive MIPIM

Thursday, 24th April 2014

This year’s MIPIM property exhibition has been hailed as “the most positive in years” by members of Greater Birmingham’s delegation, with an increased audience of investors taking notice of the momentum and ambition of the region’s large scale development projects.... View Article

TCPA welcomes Garden City prospectus and announces conference and standout document

Monday, 14th April 2014

Leading housing and planning charity the Town & Country Planning Association (TCPA) welcomes the Deputy Prime Minister’s launch of the Garden City Prospectus to deliver inspirational Garden Cities for the future. The TCPA believes this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to... View Article

New heritage regulations will help to maintain and manage change to listed buildings

Monday, 7th April 2014

A new regulatory regime surrounding listed buildings came into effect to help those seeking to maintain and manage change to our built heritage. The regulations, brought in via the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, introduce: Listed Building Heritage Partnership... View Article

The UK’s rooftops to become power stations

Friday, 4th April 2014

Plans to turn the Government estate as well as factories, supermarkets and car parks into “solar hubs” have been outlined in a new strategy by Energy Minister Greg Barker today. The Solar Strategy, the first of its kind in the... View Article