6% fall in private housing construction orders – BERR
Latest figures from the department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) reveal that construction orders for private sector housing work were down 6% in 2007 on the previous year, and figures for the last quarter of the year were down 11% on the same quarter in 2006.
Front gardens frontline in DEFRA flood prevention move
Government has announced plans to prevent home owners from concreting over their front gardens in a bid to reduce risks of urban flooding.
Mortgage lenders move to pass on rate cut
The nation’s mortgage lenders have pledged to pass on the Bank of England’s quarter point rate cut, which was announced yesterday, in a bid to ease lending conditions and ease conditions for mortgagees. HSBC, HBoS, Barclays, Lloyds and Nationwide all pledged to reduce their standard variable rate: the move will reduce a £100,000 mortgage by around £16 a month.
Ecotowns plans spark protest
As government plans to this month announce the successful bidders for its new ecotowns across the country – up to 20,000-home zero carbon communities – protestors are making their voices heard.
HBF chair calls for new measures to stimulate market
HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley has called for the Treasury to pull together a Budget \"brimming with practical measures to support first time buyers and stimulate the private rented sector.\"
Further £90 million in planning delivery grant allocated
The final tranche of the government’s 2007/08 planning delivery grant funding, aimed at rewarding local authorities who are improving planning processes, has been allocated.
New housing board will boost capital\'s delivery
A new partnership aimed at speeding up the capital’s £3 billion housing programme has been announced by mayor Ken Livingstone. The partnership will see the new Homes and Communities Agency, along with the mayor and CLG form a stronger working relationship to promote affordable housing delivery.
Quarter point rate cut welcomed
Industry has welcomed the Bank of England’s decision to cut interest rates, although the quarter point cut will need to be followed by further reductions to really get the housing market moving, according to commentators.
Development of the Month
Steve Menary checks out Tusk’s transformation of a former boutique hotel in London’s Holland Park into a suite of suitably upmarket apartments
Legal - Tax max
The community infrastructure levy is the government’s answer to raising funds in a post PGS world. Paul Wootton and James Smith of Eversheds consider the potential impact of a national CIL roll-out based on the Milton Keynes tariff model
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