A leading insurance group has received planning consent to build what will be one of Britain’s biggest housing projects made up of homes built almost entirely in a factory. The 154-home scheme in Selby, North Yorkshire, will be the first full modular housing development delivered by Legal & General, from buying the land through to design and construction. Casting aside years of scepticism about the quality of prefabricated homes, the insurer launched its modular housing business four years ago. It set up a factory in Sherburn in Elmet, near Leeds, but output has been slow owing to early design problems that have been fixed since, according to L&G. Each...
The Land Market Blog
Make Help to Buy permanent
Make Help to Buy permanent, says housebuilder Redrow after record profits Redrow entered the current financial year with a strong order book of £1.14 billion in sales, £110 million higher than last year The Help to Buy scheme should become a permanent part of the property market, one of Britain’s biggest housebuilders claimed yesterday as it revealed a record set of profits. Redrow said that builders would not be producing homes at the same pace without the government-backed programme. Steve Morgan, chairman and founder of the FTSE 250 company, said: “If it ain’t broke, why fix it? We have a phenomenal housing shortage in this country and there have been houses...
Incentives for older home owners to sell up larger homes.
PENSIONERS will be given incentives to downsize from largely empty family homes to flats and bungalows as part of measures to ease the housing crisis. Sajid Javid, the Communities Secretary, will set out plans to tackle the chronic shortage of housing in a White Paper later this month. Under the plans, which are still being finalised, the Government could give pensioners help with moving costs or an exemption on stamp duty to encourage them to move. Ministers are hoping the measures will encourage older people to move out of larger homes to make space for younger families. Research suggests this could release hundreds of thousands of homes on to the market. The...
5 Top Tips for Building a Home on a Steep Site
Building a home on a steep site is both an issue and a blessing. Here are our 5 top tips that should offer you some assistance with understanding the issues with building onto sloping land and how to overcome them; providing some initial steps, insight and design solutions. 1 – Level the site yourself – Cut and Fill One route to defeat the issues of building a home on a steep site is to increase your foundation costs and implement plans to cut out a level plinth and make up levels on the lower edge with the spoil remains. Keep in mind: Test your soil! – weaker ground structure...
RIBA House of the Year 2015
Every year the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) looks for the best new home in Britain to be awarded the accolade of ‘House of the Year’. Celebrating excellence in housing design the panel of judges scoured the country to find the leading examples of new properties built by architects in the UK. The shortlisted properties are the work of designers who have pursued the highest standards of design to create cutting-edge homes. For the first time, this year saw RIBA teaming up with Channel 4’s Grand Designs to present the House of the Year award. In a special 4 part series the programme followed presenter Kevin McCloud as he toured the...
Land Value – Expectations vs Reality
With property prices at an at an all-time high in some locations, it’s understandable that one might assume that land value is increasing in line with the value of housing, however this is not always the case. In this blog we take a look at the method for valuing land to help you understand the reality of what to expect from your land valuation. When landowners approach us, there can often be an unrealistic expectation relating to the perceived value of their land. The recurring misconception is that the land is worth is in direct correlation with the current property market but the reality is more complex. The process of land valuations...
Land Stories – The DIY House That £1k Built
In our Land Stories series we shall be taking a look at news, stories and case studies that inspire lots of us to buy and develop on land. We feel these success stories really help encourage development projects and help to build visions in and around the UK. Herefordshire is a wonderful area in the West Midlands in the U.K, full of culture and attractions which not only attracts tourists but draws in an older generation to settle down and retire here. As such, the house prices of course are high and the market had led young couple Christian Montez, 29, and Kyra Powell, 28, to create their own DIY house for the...
Wapping Wharf, Bristol
Wapping Wharf is a large scale development taking place in Bristol’s harbourside. The location will consist of homes, retail units and office space and aims to form a link between the residential communities of south Bristol and the city center. Wapping Wharf is located south of the river, behind the M Shed Museum, an area which is undergoing a transformation thanks to this and other developments happening in the area, extending the reach of Bristol’s historically harbourside. Developed on derelict land, Whapping Warf has drawn on inspiration from thriving areas in other cities such as the Lanes in Brighton and the Castlefield area in Manchester. With a number of retail units available, Whapping...
National Planning Policy Framework – The Basics Of Sustainable Developments
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) documents the Government’s planning policies for England and sets out how these guidelines are expected to be applied. In this blog post, we take a look at the basic principles of sustainability laid out by the NPPF and what this means for developers. When the NPPF was published on 27 March 2012 it replaced over two dozen previous planning documents, namely the Planning Policy Statements (PPS) and Planning Policy Guidance Notes (PPG). In replacing these papers the government sought to simplify the process of applying for planning permission, with a strong focus on granting planning for sustainable developments and making the planning procedure more inclusive for individuals and communities....
Land Market’s Guide To Development: Wildlife and Trees
When it come to developing land, environmental and ecological factors have a huge bearing on whether a proposal will be granted. When seeking to obtain planning permission your site will be subject to numerous assessments to analyse these factors and ultimately determine its eligibility. When granting permission for development the local authorities have a duty to protect important habitats, wildlife and trees. Ecology Reports An ecology report will consider whether any wildlife or important habitats could be harmed in the building process, or if there are any legally protected species living on your site. When there is a likelihood that a planned development could have an impact on protected wildlife planning...