New flats opposite Bakerloo line tube extension get the green light

One hectare of disused land next to the planned new Bakerloo tube station off the Old Kent Road has gained approval for 565 new flats in a 38-storey tower block. Southwark council has granted a resolution for the mixed-use Devonshire Square development subject to referral to the Mayor of London´s office and a three-year time-limit to start work. The hybrid plans include 200 homes for social rent as well as 43,000 sq ft of commercial space for local businesses including [...]

By |2024-06-26T07:47:06+00:00June 8, 2020|Planning News, Blog, Finance News, Projects|0 Comments

London housing schemes win £309m in infrastructure loans

Development Lenders News:-Brent Cross, Silvertown and Barking Riverside development shave bagged £309m in Homes England infrastructure loans towards building 20,000 new houses. The funding comes from the government´s £4.5bn Home Building Fund and is aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes for the capital. Housing minister Christopher Pincher said: “Our commitment to get Britain building is central to the mission of this government. “This investment is a real statement of intent, delivering up to 20,000 homes, thousands of jobs, [...]

By |2024-06-26T07:47:44+00:00June 5, 2020|Planning News, Blog, Finance News, Projects|0 Comments

Push back date for reverse charge VAT, builders urge

A further one-year delay for the introduction of the controversial tax is being called for by the sector who have written to the chancellor Rishi Sunak calling for a reprieve. Reverse charge VAT was to have gone live in October last year but was pushed back to October 2020 following concerted industry lobbying.The new system means no-one in the supply chain can invoice for VAT and pass the money on later to HMRC every quarter. Only businesses contracted with an [...]

By |2024-06-26T07:47:33+00:00June 1, 2020|Finance News, Blog, Planning News, Projects|0 Comments

Scottish housebuilders press for full return to work

Instant Bridging Loans News:- Homes for Scotland, HfS, has criticisedthe country’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon’s lockdown route map which only allows for preparation of site works to re-open from May 28th. A possible ‘soft start’ of reduced hours on building sites could resume from Thursday if social distancing rules are followed. The trade body wants selling and buying of properties to resume and for its members to be allowed to finish off 6000 homes which are nearly complete. Chief executive [...]

By |2024-06-26T07:46:24+00:00May 22, 2020|Planning News, Blog, Finance News, Projects|0 Comments

Home builders north of the border press government to re-open sites

Bridging Loan News:- Scotland’s strict lockdown on building sites needs to be lifted to help meet housing supply and save jobs and businesses, urges a key trade body. Homes for Scotland, HFS, has written to the first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, requesting for a phased return to work to allow 6,000 largely completed homes worth £1bn to be finished. Among the 20 signatories are managing directors and chief executives of some of the UK’s largest housebuilders including Barratt Homes, Taylor Wimpey [...]

By |2021-11-13T09:20:56+00:00May 15, 2020|Planning News, Blog, Finance News, Projects|0 Comments

Government policies aim to kick-start house building

Bridging Finance News:- Construction sites are to open for longer so arrival times can be staggered and smaller developers can defer payments to local councils, the government has said. Housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, has released a series of measures to support house building including allowing councils to publicise applications using social media. He announced estate agents, conveyancers and removal firms could return to work providing they followed social distancing rules. Mr Jenrick said: “Our clear plan will enable people to move home safely, [...]

By |2021-11-13T09:21:03+00:00May 13, 2020|Projects, Blog, Finance News, Planning News|0 Comments

Suppliers step up manufacture to plug gaps

Development Finance News:- Plaster and plasterboard manufacture are increased to address current shortfalls experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic, suppliers have promised. The Builders Merchants Federation and Construction Products Association said they are working together to meet the needs of housebuilders, contractors and SME builders. BMF chief executive John Newcomb said his members were seeing no major supply issues except for plaster and plasterboard. “Manufacturing is now scheduled to increase to address this problem. We want to deal with potential issues [...]

By |2021-11-13T09:21:28+00:00May 1, 2020|Projects, Blog, Finance News, Planning News|0 Comments

Building workers’ safety boosted with test access

Development Finance News:- Construction workers are relieved the government has said they are eligible for Covid-19 testing as the sector continues to re-open more building sites. Health secretary Matt Hancock said at yesterday’s press briefing that anyone who needed to leave home to work and had symptoms should be tested. “This means construction workers to emergency plumbers, research scientists to those in manufacturing – can now be tested.” Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail added: “This will significantly help prevent the [...]

By |2021-11-13T09:21:41+00:00April 29, 2020|Projects, Blog, Finance News, Planning News|0 Comments

Major housebuilders to re-open sites next week

Bridging Loans News:- One of the UK’s largest housebuilders Persimmon has said it will start to re-open sites on Monday, April 27. Yesterday Vistry Group and Taylor Wimpey’s announced they would gradually resume work at their sites under strict social distancing guidelines. Vistry, comprising Bovis and Linden Homes, will re-open a number of its housing sites from Monday onwards. Taylor Wimpey is to restart English and Welsh sites from May 4 with site management teams and sub-contractors following on May [...]

By |2021-11-13T09:21:58+00:00April 24, 2020|Projects, Blog, Finance News, Planning News|0 Comments

Building sites need to be open longer, claims the industry

Bridging Finance News:- Trade body Build UK is negotiating with councils for building sites to be open for longer to recover time lost due to social distancing rules as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Local planning authorities usually restrict site opening hours to reduce noise and disturbance in residential areas. However, the building industry argues longer hours would enable it to organise shifts with a lower concentration of workers on the site at any one time. They maintain this [...]

By |2021-11-13T09:22:06+00:00April 22, 2020|Projects, Blog, Finance News, Planning News|0 Comments

Construction supply chain set to revive

Development Financing News:- Builders merchants are being urged to support the construction industry supply chain by their own trade body with the publication of new branch operating guidelines during the covid-19 restrictions. Builders Merchants Federation, BMF chief executive John Newcomb said it was important to help the sector as more building sites start to re-open. “We have worked with the industry to develop a new operating model to minimise the risk of virus transmission. The new model centres around trade [...]

By |2021-11-13T09:22:14+00:00April 20, 2020|Projects, Blog, Finance News, Planning News|0 Comments

Virtual planning appeals could become a reality

Commercial Finance News:-Virtual site visits are being explored by the government as a way of enabling planning appeals to continue despite the lockdown. The planning inspectorate said if a case was regarded as possible to assess this way it would be contacting relevant parties to take part in forthcoming trials. “If this confirms that the proposed written representations appeal can be properly decided on the basis of digital images, a physical visit will not take place and the case will be [...]

By |2021-11-13T09:22:22+00:00April 16, 2020|Projects, Blog, Finance News, Planning News|0 Comments