An urban dimension in a new set of development goals

Posted on: 31 January 2014
By: mackene
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One of the longstanding themes in the post-2015 discussion has been how a new set of goals might address the problems and opportunities of urban areas more satisfactorily than the existing Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). More people in developing countries will be living in urban areas over the next decades, with a wide range of implications for both urban and rural poverty. Yet it is not clear how such a local, context-specific and cross-cutting issue can be integrated usefully into a global set of goals. After a careful consideration of the existing evidence, the experience with the MDGs, including the ‘slum target’, and existing proposals for a post-MDG framework, this working paper proposes five steps to incorporate an urban dimension into a new development framework.

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The audit of housing associations in the UK

Posted on: 31 January 2014
By: mackene
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The Financial Reporting Council, the UK’s independent regulator of auditors, has published new guidance for accountants reviewing social landlords’ businesses. Reductions in grant funding and welfare reform have led many associations to diversify their activities, including commercial activities such as student housing and care homes. The practice note also references the move away from long-term bank financing to bond deals and interest swaps. The new guidance is designed to allow auditors to recognise these business risks, and identify risks of ‘material misstatement of housing associations financial statements’.

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Survey of London landlords and Housing Benefit tenants

Posted on: 31 January 2014
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A survey of London landlords, conducted by the Residential Landlords’ Association has found that almost 60 per cent of its members are standing by their housing benefit tenants.

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Too far, too fast: Sochi, tourism and conflict in the Caucasus

Posted on: 31 January 2014
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The International Crisis Group has published a report which explores the opportunities and dangers that the Sochi games and the North Caucasus Resorts project hold for the region’s security. The paper argues that there is an urgent need to achieve a comprehensive political solution to the North Caucasus conflicts before rolling out fully an ambitious tourism project in republics that still have active insurgencies or have been seriously affected by conflict.

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Allotment disposal guidance: safeguards and alternatives

Posted on: 31 January 2014
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The statutory and policy criteria councils must meet in order to obtain the Secretary of State’s consent to dispose of allotment land.

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Noise action plans: large urban areas, roads and railways

Posted on: 31 January 2014
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The Government has published Noise Action Plans to address the management of noise issues and effects from large urban areas, roads and railways. A further document provides a report on progress on the implementation of the Environment Noise Directive (END) in England, and more specifically on progress made in implementing the first round of the Noise Action Plans, including the long term strategies on managing noise from road, rail, and industrial sources. It also provides a high level summary of the implementation of the first round of airport Noise Action Plans prepared separately under the END by the relevant airport operators.

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The rental revolution: Examining the private rented sector 2014

Posted on: 31 January 2014
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This report from Knight Frank examines the private rented sector (PRS) in detail, discussing the dynamics underpinning the recent growth in the sector and examining the policy moves to encourage more institutional investment. It includes our forecasts for the size of the rental sector and rental movements in the UK.

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UCAS figures show undergraduates shun building but pick architecture

Posted on: 31 January 2014
By: mackene
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Figures released last week by university admissions body UCAS show that just 2,510 students were accepted onto full-time building and surveying degrees in 2013, while the number of fellow undergraduates accepted onto architecture courses was 4,265. However, in 2008, before the impact of the credit crunch and the £9,000-a-year fee regime, the two groups were of roughly equal size: 4,465 in UCAS category K2 Building and 4,247 in K1 Architecture.

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How can Building Information Modelling (BIM) support the new rules of measurement (NRM1)

Posted on: 31 January 2014
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The research piece investigates the required information from a BIM model to support the RICS’s New Rule of Measurement order of cost estimating and elemental cost planning, (NRM1). The research also reviews the technical requirement for BIM based software tools to support NRM1. Register to download the document. The report reviews the four most well-known tools in the UK market, namely, Solibri model checker, Autodesk QTO, CostX and Causeway BIM measure, based on a set of criteria which is relevant to the NRM1 cost estimating and cost planning exercise.

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NHBC Annual New Home Statistics Review 2013

Posted on: 31 January 2014
By: mackene
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The volume of new homes registered with the National House-Building Council (NHBC) in 2013 was the highest since the beginning of the economic downturn in 2007 and sustained growth was seen throughout the year across the vast majority of the UK. Greater London enjoyed its highest ever annual total of new home registrations and a 60% increase on 2012.

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