<b></b><b>Milne heads south</b><br> Stewart Milne, Scotland&amp;’s largest independent housebuilder, is set to boost its presence in the English market following the construction of a new &amp;£10 million timber frame manufacturing plant near Oxford. In England the firm supplies timber frames for other developers, but builds under its own name in Scotland. The new plant will have the capacity to produce 6000 units a year allowing Stewart Milne to build in its own right south of the border.<p></p><p><b><b>Berkeley fundraiser</b></b><br> The Berkeley Group has raised &amp;£47 million through a share placing to finance city centre housing developments. The move has been seen as confirming the buoyancy of the market, with Berkeley chief Tony Pidgley famed for his judgement of when to invest and when not. Taylor Woodrow, meanwhile, has launched a &amp;£250 million 10-year bond to refinance bank debt.</p><p><b><br> <b> INTERBUILD 2002 - ONLY 123 DAYS TO GO.</b></b><br> See us at Interbuild on stand 131, Hall 9 at the NEC, June 9-13.</p><p><b><b>Conference</b></b><br> Planning minister Lord Falconer is to speak at an HBF conference looking at planning reform. Planning for a competitive economy, which is supported by the CBI, will take place at London&amp;’s New Connaught Rooms on February 19. </p><p> For details …