Housing Focus – Page 13
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FeaturesVince Cable: 'This industry could collapse'
When the person who says this is Vince Cable, a man with a gift for eerily accurate economic predictions, you know things are serious
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FeaturesMargaret Beckett: is 240,000 homes a year possible?
Housing minister Margaret Beckett answers this and eight other questions about the state of the sector
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FeaturesGlamorous address: Candy & Candy's One Hyde Park
Candy & Candy’s One Hyde Park is coming along quite nicely, thank you. Which is just as well, because when you’re spending £100m on an apartment, you do rather want the builders out of the way before you move in
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FeaturesPerfidious Weymouth: Portland's 2012 Olympic sailing story
It doesn’t bode well. The first venue to be completed for the 2012 Olympics should have been a regeneration triumph, but instead the sailing facilities on the Dorset island of Portland have sparked resentment among the locals and a grudge against a neighbouring town. Michael Willoughby headed to the south ...
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FeaturesNo nimbys here: will Tory councils accept their party's housing policy?
The Conservatives want to give local councils more power to plan development for their areas. But given that so many Tories – especially in the South – are fighting proposed housing schemes, why should housebuilders believe their plans will work? By Muireann Bolger
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FeaturesOlympic legacy: lowering the bar again
First, the Olympic village was downsized by 1,300 homes. Now, the media centre is likely to be replaced by a ‘mixture of temporary and permanent facilities’. Whatever happened to the 2012 legacy? Joey Gardiner investigates
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Features
What it costs: Insulated renders
Insulated render systems save energy and look good. Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans sums up the variety of choices and highlights some topical issues and lifecycle costs
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Features
Rising damp
Manchester-born developer Urban Splash made its name building funky flats for trendy Northerners but the current climate hasn’t suited its business model. Muireann Bolger examines how it’s keeping its head above water
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FeaturesHappily ever after
The Gus Report: Newhall in Harlow set out to marry quality design with quality of life. So how has it done? Continuing his series of visits to important housing developments, Gus Alexander celebrates something approximating nuptial bliss
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FeaturesBattersea Power Station: the story continues
Yes, it’s on again, folks – the rescue and renovation of one of London’s most famous landmarks, that is. This time it’s Treasury Holdings’ turn to make what it can of the art deco power station. Thomas Lane looks at the scale of the job and the chances that this ...
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FeaturesThe Riverhouse project: Nautical but nice
A tidal wave of protest greeted this modern development sitting alongside traditional houses on the Dartmouth estuary. But the Riverhouse delights in its views, sense of space and daylight. Quite enough to shut the neighbours up, says Martin Spring
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Features
What it costs: Thermal insulation
Insulation is an effective way to help meet Building Regulations targets on carbon emission reduction. Peter Mayer of Building LifePlans examines the effectiveness of different materials
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FeaturesWe did it our way - Charettes
Charrettes are the new face of collaborative planning, bringing together artists, architects and town planners to thrash out a development plan for an area. But do they work?
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FeaturesKøbenhavn cool: Socially sustainable Danish architecture
Danish architecture’s love of light and openness encourages a high level of spatial and social interaction. To mark Architecture Week, Martin Spring looks at four developments that typify the city’s fresh approach to sustainability
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FeaturesWorking life - Housebuilder redundancies
As housebuilders’ troubles get ever deeper, up to 35,000 employees face losing their jobs. But for those like site manager Fraser Gray, life after redundancy doesn’t have to be the dole queue. Michael Glackin reports
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Features
What it costs: Bathroom pods
Using modular bathrooms can save cash, labour and time, says Peter Mayer. So here’s a shower of useful information to consider when specifying and fitting
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FeaturesJohn Dodds: Listen carefully
A slump in private housing and a boom in the social sector – not to mention a certain OFT inquiry – have led to restructuring plans at Kier. Its normally outspoken chief executive, John Dodds, tells Tom Bill as much as he dares
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FeaturesRotunda redux
Glenn Howells used advanced technology to convert a famous Birmingham landmark into flats – and secure a piece of modern heritage in the process
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FeaturesThink 08: a taster
Think 08 will take place at the ExCeL centre London on 7-8 May. Here’s a taster of some of the firms that will be taking part.
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FeaturesThe house with four gardens
Each window of David Mikhail’s latest house overlooks a landscape with its own unique character