Slash-and-burn deregulation is no fix for the viability crisis
The Conservative Party’s bonfire-of-regulations pitch makes some fair points about development viability – but the crude politics of scrapping the Future Homes Standard obscures what smarter reform could actually look like
Councils can build homes again, but funding alone won’t drive delivery
Local authorities will need to be efficient and have the necessary capacity to translate Burnham’s ambitions into outcomes, writes Caroline Compton-James
Why London should lead the UK’s shift to circular construction
Sticking to the norm is not an option given construction’s contribution to waste. We must move to an approach prioritising re-use and the capital is perfectly placed to spearhead the effort, writes David Wellwood.
The planning system needs to take viability more seriously
Residential development is unviable in nearly half of England. Government must either reduce build costs by removing regulation or subsidise development from the public purse, argues Paul Smith
Office to resi needs a shot in the arm - here’s how to do it
A decade after PDR were made permanent, some are questioning if the bubble has now burst. But with MHCLG launching a fresh consultation on potential amendments last month, Jonathan Childs explains how we might get conversion rates back to their peak
Milburn Review should be a catalyst for youth recruitment in the construction sector
Industry needs to apply models for skills training at scale, argues Kevin O’Connor
We can solve the UK’s housing crisis by protecting smaller builders
The backbone of postwar Britain’s vast housebuilding drive, small builders now face extinction as regulatory barriers and policy layering make it ever harder for them to compete, build and survive. Hugo Owen has some solutions
How housebuilders can take a sustainable approach to placemaking
Sustainability in housebuilding encompasses everything from construction to placemaking to future skills requirements. Keepmoat’s John Bowden says housebuilders must integrate all these elements in their projects – with placemaking at the centre
Can Steve Reed save Christmas with his planning reforms?
The fact that measures to standardise planning decisions will be made non-statutory is disappointing, but planning reform can still be a valuable gift, writes Paul Smith
Why it’s so important to change the public perception of new towns
Only large-scale developments can offer enough investment for the major new infrastructure that people want and need, but we must work hard to take those people with us, writes Brian Yates at Stantec
