Sound future
Although the proposed amendments to Building Regulations on sound insulation could influence floor construction, Andrew Leech finds that both timber and concrete are confident of a rosy future.
McAlpine initiative makes demo debut
Alfred McAlpine Homes' procurement initiative has been included in the latest round of Housing Forum demonstration projects.
Report supports PVC use
PVC does affect the environment, according to a new government research. But its impacts are not excessive relative to commonly-used alternatives which have impacts of their own.
New home completions hit 75-year low
New home completions last year were the lowest in peacetime Britain since 1924. And government stats have revealed that completions have started the year at the same level as 2000 while private sector starts have dropped 5% year on year in the three month
Prescott delivers tough ultimatum on safety
Deputy prime minister John Prescott has called on all sides of the construction industry to deliver tough new safety plans and targets to cut deaths, injuries and ill-health in the industry. These would prevent 3,000 major injuries and deaths a year by th
Raynsford warns of life under the Tories
Housing minister Nick Raynsford has warned the industry that despite the challenges of new tough planning rules, the outlook under a Conservative government would be much worse.
Industry relieved at Part L's u-turn on U-value
Housebuilders and suppliers of traditional building materials are claiming a significant success following the revelation that new thermal insulation values for walls will be less onerous than originally proposed.
HBF points finger at Ken
The number of affordable houses being built for key workers in London is far short of that required because of Mayor Ken Livingstone's stance on the issue, say housebuilders.
Is safety your top prority?
Three construction workers died from falls in three days last month - just a couple of weeks after John Prescott hosted his Construction Safety Summit in London. None of them died on housing sites, but the falls that killed them could easily have occurred
Stealth planning guidance
Joshua Risso-Gill of law firm Denton Wilde Sapte looks at last year's Barratt/Tower Hamlets ruling on affordable housing requirements and finds it shows that courts are not keen to get involved in issues of planning judgement.
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