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Tall towers 2012: London’s high-rise residential developments
Posted on: 29 October 2012
By: mackene
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A new report on tall residential and mixed-use towers in London, released by Knight Frank, EC Harris and Barton Willmore, shows how a new wave of residential towers are set to re-define London’s skyline. It examines the unique planning, construction and funding challenges inherent in building tower schemes, including the additional costs of building ‘up’, but also reveals that there can be a clear cost versus value benefit of building higher in certain locations across London’s largely low-rise skyline when the tower scheme is built to the correct specifications.
Growth and Infrastructure Bill (House of Commons Library Research Paper)
Posted on: 29 October 2012
By: mackene
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The Growth and Infrastructure Bill [Bill 75 of 2012-13] was introduced to the House of Commons on 18 October 2012. It seeks to reduce delays in the planning system through various means, including referring certain projects to the Secretary of State to be determined within a 12 month timetable, rather than by local planning authorities. It has provisions relating to telecommunication equipment and energy infrastructure and gas transport. To promote development, the Bill would allow for planning obligations (section 106 agreements) relating to affordable housing to be renegotiated to make a development economically viable again. To promote economic growth, it makes provision for a planned revaluation of business rates in England to be postponed and to create a new employment status of employee owner. This research paper has been prepared to inform the Second Reading debate on the Bill, on 30 October 2012.
Building scientific capacity for development
Posted on: 29 October 2012
By: mackene
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The developing world needs to have the capacity to find their own solutions to their own problems and this requires them to develop home grown scientists and technology, according to a report by MPs on the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee. An important feature raised in the report by the Select Committee was that there had to be more attention paid to ensuring that scientists, especially those trained through UK support, were facilitated in staying in their home country and utilising the skills they had acquired. More support was needed to permit scientists from developing nations to build and develop their early career within in their native country. Only then could programmes to build scientific capacity eventually become self-sustaining. An additional volume contains written evidence to the Committee
Design competitions: Guidance for clients
Posted on: 26 October 2012
By: mackene
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A new practical guide for professionals interested in using a competition to procure a great design for a new building or structure has been launched by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The guide seeks to cut through the jargon, explain the different competition formats, how they work and covers the key points to consider when planning and running a successful competitive process. It includes guidance on how competition programmes should be structured and the cost of organising a competitive selection process taking into account payment of prize money/honoraria to short-listed teams.
High rise hope: The social implications of energy efficiency retrofit in large multi-storey tower blocks
Posted on: 26 October 2012
By: mackene
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This document is a report to Rockwool, who funded this study into the social effects of energy efficiency measures in large multi-dwelling occupancies, using the Edward Woods Estate in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham as a case study. Rockwool is the insulation provider to the £16.13 million low carbon refurbishment of the estate, working alongside ECD Architects, and The Breyer Group (the main contractor). The study was carried out by the LSE Housing and communities is a research and consultancy group within the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE) at the London School of Economics and Political Science led by Professor Anne Power.
Building the homes and communities Britain needs
Posted on: 26 October 2012
By: mackene
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The Future Homes Commission was set up in 2011by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to conduct an independent inquiry into the quality of newly-built housing, to ensure that more and better homes become available to house a growing and ageing population. The Commission has issued a final report which makes recommendations in four areas: Internal design; Designing local communities; The housing marketplace; Finance and affordability.
NHBC New Homes Statistics Review: 3rd quarter 2012
Posted on: 26 October 2012
By: mackene
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House building registration figures for the third quarter of 2012 show that overall levels decreased by 6%, compared with the three months July to September in 2011, according to the latest statistics from the National House Building Council.
A guide to heritage protection in England
Posted on: 26 October 2012
By: mackene
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Law, policy and guidance exists to protect our historic areas, sites, buildings and monuments in England. This guide to heritage protection in England is an introduction to these topics for owners, developers, local authority decision-makers and all those with an interest in heritage conservation in England.
Draft National Aviation Policy Framework consultation
Posted on: 26 October 2012
By: mackene
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In their response to the Government’s draft Aviation Policy Framework consultation, the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation say the long term choice is not whether to build a third runway, or a new hub airport, but whether Heathrow can realistically be expanded beyond three runways. If not, plans for an alternative hub airport in South East England must be developed quickly. These organizations have also published a separate vision for aviation capacity, UK Aviation Strategy: Time to choose, looks at the value of aviation to the UK economy and the options available to maintain a strong aviation sector in the UK
Buying sustainable timber: A guide for public purchasers in Europe
Posted on: 26 October 2012
By: mackene
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The new Sustainable Timber Action (STA) project guide for European Public authorities provides procurement guidelines and support on sourcing timber sustainably and socially responsibly. It contains text and criteria for legally sound tenders for a variety of timber products which can be directly used. The guide covers the basics of sustainable timber procurement but also offers help for procurers who want to address social and ethical issues along the supply chain more strongly. A straightforward procurement model is also offered in the guide, with text which can be directly inserted into tendering documents.
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