Opinion – Page 398
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Comment
Plunging car sales point to a major collapse in work for small builders
Car sales have fallen off a cliff. The latest figures from the motor trade body smmt show that in November sales were more than a third down on the same month a year ago.This news reminded me of a spookily strong relationship between new car sales and the official data ...
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Comment
Spot the difference
I was quick out of the blocks this morning keen and eager to get my hands on the latest construction output figures. Sad really, but it keeps me happy. Until this morning that is.Hot on 9:30 I downloaded the press release. Here is the release. oec1208a.pdfIt showed construction down 1%. ...
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CommentTell it to me straight
When did clients become scared of saying what they want? Tarek Merlin is getting a little tired of prevarication, procrastination – and endless competitions
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CommentHansom: rethinking construction
This week, the industry takes a fresh look at urban regeneration, pay packets, energy performance certificates and even the design of the humble chair
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CommentNot quite a pick-me-up
The pre-Budget report should have been the equivalent of a cask-strength Macallan, but it was more like a bucket of cold water – and we’re still heading for a hangover
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Comment
Building buys a pint … for Woods Bagot
Chosen watering hole: The Duke of York, Fitzrovia Ambiance: Rain, wind, patio heaters Topics: Working abroad, Oxford Street and dodgy environments, the number of ex-HOK architects in London Drinks drunk: 4 Kronenbourgs, Guinness, Abbots, Becks Vier, Fosters
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CommentMy digital life: Tom Holbrook
This architect enjoys the digital realm, but can imagine some improvements: emails that smell of ink, perhaps, a world without Facebook and an iPhone with a built-in corkscrew
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Comment
The truth about Hollandia
The article on your website on 20 November was wholly inaccurate, as Hollandia sees the UK as the hub of future activity and development.
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Comment
Emission omission
Participants at the CBI conference last week agreed we face one of the most difficult periods in memory.
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Comment
Annable of the yard
A reader wrote in recently to express concern about the garden arrangement of our Ecoterrace refurbishment (21 November, page 47).
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CommentOkay, we've stopped
In your piece about Philip Turner’s digital life (7 November, page 110) you printed a picture of Talking Heads’ Remain in Light, whereas he referred to Stop Making Sense.
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Comment
Why record low interest rates will fail to ease house building woes
The Bank of England's decision to cut interest rates to just 2% today, the lowest in its 300 plus years, will come as a relief to some.But in reality the Bank is near powerless to influence the direction of house prices or the rate of their decline.There will be some ...
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Comment
Shock drop in Halifax house prices index spells more gloom
The Halifax has just recorded its second biggest house price fall in its 25 year history.The average price of a British home fell 2.6% in November according to the mortgage lender's figures.It means house prices have fallen on the Halifax unadjusted measure by 19% since last August and 16.2% on ...
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Comment
Repossessions may be worse than in the 1990s crash
The ubiquitous Robert Peston in his blog suggests that the Council of Mortgage Lenders has advised ministers that repossessions could rise to 75,000 next year.That would mean a return to the bleak days of the early 1990s when repossessions peaked at 75,500 in 1991, according to the CML figures.And in ...
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Comment
How chummy are you with your bank manager?
As someone close to the demise of Pettifer Construction lamented last week: "The banks are the banks".You can't argue with the logic. Nor can you argue with your lender when they decide to pull the plug.A transparent relationship may buy you some time though.Many companies are pushed under due to ...
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Comment
Import figures highlight scale of construction slowdown
Data released today showing the level of building materials imports into the UK provides a further indication of the depth of the recession facing construction.Historically the material import figures provide a good gauge for the state of the UK construction market.The data shows that in the third quarter of this ...
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Comment
Planning pipeline shows signs of drying up
A rough and ready way to judge future levels of constrution work is to look at the level of planning applications being submitted.You have got to be a bit careful about drawing conclusions too quickly, as many factors influence the decision to apply for planning consent, not just the state ...