Comfort thinking distracts from solving housing crisis
Having listened to innumerable wel-lintentioned round table discussions about Britain's housing crisis, John Stewart has concluded many housing experts suffer from a form of self delusion which distracts them from facing up to difficult issues
A time for patience
The positive news from many larger housebuilders is not yet showing in higher housing starts. We need a little patience, says Ben Roskrow
Margins in motion
Steve Menary looks at the latest largely encouraging set of results from the plc housebuilders and sees an upward trend in margins
Going for gold on Olympic rented model
Richard Jones, head of regeneration and growth at EC Harris, argues that the private rented model is set to have a major impact on housebuilding and sees a significant flaw in the NPPF
NPPF's brevity is its strength
HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley reviews the NPPF and two other key documents published recently as the housebuilding industry continues to be the focus of interest for government, academics and the media
New homes pick up in early 2012
Recent positive trends in new home sales and private housebuilding activity should be supported by FirstBuy and NewBuy, says John Stewart. While several economic indicators provide tentative evidence of a wider improvement in consumer demand.
Design critics need to see bigger picture
Ben Roskrow says that the design intelligentsia needs to see the bigger picture before criticising new homes design.
Designer snobbery
Ben Roskrow argues that views about new home design are fuelled by a design snobbery that not only manifests itself in architects’ surveys but also in popular culture – even in the Harry Potter films
Satisfying the shareholders
Steve Menary looks at the implications of Persimmon's announcement to pay out £1.9 billion of dividends to shareholders
From Cannes to Brighton
Richard Jones, head of regeneration and growth at EC Harris, reports back from property events in the south of France and the south of England and finds renewed optimism in the residential sector
