Joe Irvin former Special Adviser to John Prescott has been picked to replace Fiona Gordon as No10 Political Secretary. This presumably leaves a position to be filled on housing and planning issues in the Policy Unit.
In the Republic of Ireland the Environment Minister John Gormley TD has forwarded proposals to exempt entirely heat recovery, biomass and composting developments from planning regulations. This will mean in theory that the developments will be goverened by the same planning regulations that cover kitchen extensions, conservatories and porches.
We can see this thinking causing a stir over the next few weeks prior to the Dáil committee meeting set up to see if this is nothing but hot air.
I know it will be built in Dubai but this building is WAY too cool not to mention. Check it out here on the BBC website.
Big thanks to the guys at SiliconRepublic.com - Ireland’s leading Technology News Service - for their very kind words on prop-arazzi.com in their latest Blog Digest. See below for what they said about us:
‘A comprehensive property blog from the Weber Shandwick property team, this site covers planning, new developments, the environment and all property related issues important to those in the industry.
Although there is a heavy bias towards coverage of the UK, there are still many good posts relating to both the Republic and Northern Ireland.
With the current credit crunch and the downturn in the construction industry, it appears vital to keep your eyes peeled for news on property, whether you are in this business or not, as changes in this sector are likely to ripple throughout the economy’.
Check out the website by clicking here.
The continuing gloom in the housing market was the subject for discussion at talks in April between the Prime minister and the UK’s leading banks and building societies - including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Nationwide and Royal Bank of Scotland. Mr Brown asked banks to pass on the interest rate cuts to consumers. In return the banks warned of a reduction in mortgage lending and that more liquidity needed to be poured into the financial system.
Downing Street denied that the meeting was a crisis summit, stating that it had been in Mr Brown’s diary for some time. Of course, this all took place on the back of extremely adverse coverage of the abolition of the 10-pence tax rate.
Despite many banks stating they expect moderate growth in new mortgage lending - albeit at higher rates - Bradford & Bingley’s surprise profit warning will do little to steady shareholders. In a further indication of market uncertainty, Citigroup’s internet bank Egg, announced last week that it is withdrawing from the UK mortgage market.
The latest report on the housing market by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has claimed that there has been a “collapse” in the number of transactions.
Responding to the study, the Department for Communities and Local Government said: “We are well placed to meet the challenges of the global credit crunch, the fundamentals of the economy are sound with low unemployment and historically low interest rates, and long-term demand for housing remains high…The issue affecting the market is fundamentally about the supply of credit - a different situation to the early 1990s which was about high interest rates and unemployment.”
But there is still some positive movement in retail banking. Lloyds TSB announced that it will offer mortgages to some Northern Rock customers when their present deal expires in a three-year agreement signed between the two banks. However critics may be quick to point out that only customers with the most attractive credit ratings will qualify.
The Bank of England and the Treasury blocked Lloyds TSB’s previous attempt to buy Northern Rock last August, citing competition concerns, so this latest news may come as little surprise.
Having attended the fascinating Colliers CRE Retail breakfast this morning, I found myself trying not to cry into my pastry. Colliers report that the market is going to bomb for the rest of the year and the majority of next.
However, there are some good deals out there, particularly in central london, the great north east and the best out of town retail. Roll on next year…
Housing Minister Caroline Flint MP joined us this morning at Weber Shandwick for a briefing session for which we are very grateful. Please click the link below for our latest briefing -Housing the Nation.
Demographic and social changes, leading to the formation of more, smaller households, have been upping the pressure for an increase in housing supply for nearly a decade. More recently, the squeeze on access to mortgage finance means that the affordability of buying one’s own home is becoming increasingly remote for lower income groups. When you add to that the challenge of improving the environmental performance of domestic accommodation – a major source of carbon dioxide emissions – it is easier to still see why housing has again been elevated as a major policy issue for the Government. This guide explores the Government’s growing concentration on the provision of greater social housing.
Please click here to download the guide.
Caroline Flint was on sparkling form as she addressed a packed audience at Weber Shandwick this morning.
Speaking to a room full of industry experts she outlined the Government policy on eco-towns, refurbishment, local government, use of government land and much more.
Watch this space for future event information.
Caroline Flint is due to join WS and guests for breakfast tomorrow morning. She will speak about eco-towns, the credit crunch and Gordon Brown’s target of 3million new homes by 2020.
After teasing us with a glimpse of her notes to Cabinet, we are anticipating an interesting debate!
American Kazillionaire Donald Trump has jetted in again to speak at the first day of the public local inquiry on his plans to create a $1 billion golf course at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire - however one local stands in his way right slap bang in the middle of the proposed course…lets see how this pans out. Otherwise he’s ‘off to Northern Ireland’ he says.