Destination Chesterfield’s Post

This report shows how important HS2 has been in accelerating regional economic growth across the country, particularly in the West Midlands. It also serves as a timely reminder that the full benefits of HS2 will only be realised by building the scheme in full. #HS2ITWM #WestMidlands #HS2

We are pleased to announce Pobl Group has climbed two places to secure the 40th spot in the Inside Housing Top 50 Biggest Builders development survey, demonstrating the significant contributions Welsh housing associations are making on the UK scene. With an impressive 27% increase in home completions from the previous year, we delivered 462 homes across various tenures in 2023-24. Following the merger with Linc Cymru, the expanded Group is poised to deliver 689 homes in 2024-25 and close to 4,500 new homes over the next five years. Upcoming developments include exciting projects in Newport, Swansea, and Caerphilly, with longer-term plans for major developments in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Haverfordwest. Scott Sanders, CEO of Pobl, highlights, "This is an exciting time for Pobl Group post-merger. The figures in the Biggest Builders survey underline the enormous potential we have as an expanded Group to create a fresh outlook and ambition aligned to the needs of communities across Wales." Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/erKis2ZE #PoblGroup #AffordableHousing #WalesHousing #CommunityDevelopment #InsideHousingTop50 #SocialRent #HousingAssociations #WelshGovernment #Homebuilding #SustainableCommunities

The kneejerk reaction to yesterday's new NPPF was, in large part, concern about the reduction in housing targets for London. However, compared to the average delivery, there is still a HUGE amount of new build needed in London. I don't disagree that reducing the total numbers is silly, given the demand, but whether the capital needs 98822 or 80693 homes a year, it's actually only delivering 37769 homes a year, so it's not like there is a REAL reduction... #nppf #newnppf #planningreform #housing #londonhousing #housingcrisis #planning #planningpermission #rtpi

Britain has not built more than 300,000 homes a year – the annual average Keir Starmer needs to hit – since 1977, when about half were built by councils. Last year, 189,260 homes were added to the UK’s housing stock, about three-quarters from the private sector. Can ‘New Towns’ be the answer? See The Guardian below ⬇️ Surely, they can seriously help but have to be in the right locations - with great existing infrastructure (near existing settlements with a train station) and near centres of employment. We must support construction skills training too. And then we really must build not just more sustainable homes, but create ultra-sustainable places. #sustainabilityleadership SDG 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15.

Toronto committee endorses plan to build nearly 6,000 housing units Contact me to discuss the latest scoop in real estate! #askziba #mississaugarealestate #realtor #torontorealestatenews #realestateinvesting #gtarealestate #newcondo #preconstraction #realestateToronto #torontorealestate

CAHEC, a community investment organization based in Raleigh, NC, and Columbia, SC, recently announced the closing of six affordable housing properties during the second quarter. These developments, located in North and South Carolina, will provide 602 units of affordable housing with a combined net equity of $53,996,848. The properties include a mix of new construction and acquisition/rehabilitation projects, ensuring existing affordable housing communities are preserved and enhanced. 'The communities completed in the last quarter hold significant importance, serving as exemplars of our commitment to forging new pathways in affordable housing and preserving and revitalizing existing communities,' stated Greg Mayo, Vice President of Acquisition and Risk Management at CAHEC. CAHEC's mission is to strengthen communities by offering housing and life-changing opportunities to residents throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. In addition to investing in low-income housing tax credits, historic tax credits, new markets tax credits, and renewable energy credits, CAHEC provides loan programs, wellness and education initiatives for residents, affordable housing development, and property management services. #affordablehousing #communityinvestment

David Cracklen, Director of AJC Group, affordable housing partner for housing associations and councils in the Wessex region, has expressed grave concern over the costs of planning applications, and the implications this has on the affordable housing supply. David Cracklen, said: “Planning application costs have doubled in places such as Winchester and pre-application fees have gone up by over ten times in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, adding no benefit to the housing sector in general, and further adding to the financial pressures for SME developers. “The Chancellor’s pledges do seek to help the housing industry, by reducing pre-application planning costs in the first instance and reviewing it at a more local level. Further relief will be offered with the reform of the National Planning Policy Framework, as well as the introduction of mandatory housing targets. Investment and a tightening of targets for local authorities will aid in resolving planning applications in a timely fashion. “We hope that this is just the start, and that the newly elected Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his government will continue to offer support to SME housebuilders, and by reviewing the local planning system is a way to do that. Changes to prevent poor local planning decisions being made will help necessary planning applications go through with more financial ease.” #AJCGroup #affordablehousing #DavidCracklen #planningapplications

A Great Cheer for the Development Sector & SME Builders - 370,000 A Year The deputy prime minister yesterday stated that the UK will be building a groundbreaking 370,000 homes a year. According to EPC data, in 2023 only 231,100 new homes were built. A figure that was 9% lower than 2022 and marked the fifth consecutive quarterly fall in annual completions. The planning consents do well either with around 235,000 new homes gaining full planning consent in 2023, according to the HBF. This was the the lowest figure for planning consents since 2013, no doubt constrained by greenbelt politics, water neutrality, nutrient neutrality and BNG requirements. There is a desperate need to accelerate the delivery of planning consents as in the short to medium term fewer homes will be built, well below the government’s new target of 370,000 new homes per annum. Unlocking the planning constraints needs planning reform which the new government has set an exciting tone for the market: - Allowing development in the greenbelt of greybelt sites; - Building more homes in areas of desperate need; - Accommodating some greenbelt development with a 50% provision for affordable homes; - Strategic housing delivery targets at regional level fostering greater cooperation. These reforms put into sharp context the work that is currently being undertaken by the Regional Builders Hub together with The King's Foundation and University College of Estate Management, to bolster the capacity of SME builders to deliver more homes in the United Kingdom. This stalling work jointly led by Ben Bolgar MVO and Edwin de Silva covers the entire spectrum of development from planning, funding and development support. They are supported by a cohort of leading industry experts to deliver on the promise and capacity that SME developers can bring to the housing market. Some 10,000 SME developers helped the UK build more than 300,000 in the years soon after the 2nd World War. SME developers working in collaboration with national house builders and social landlords can help plug the gap, as we are currently delivering just over 60% of the new 370,000 homes target. Megi Zala Charles Dugdale Johnny Beresford Daniel Joyce John Newcomb Lee Jackson Mark Farmer Wei Yang Gail Mayhew Paul Sonabend Tapiwa Gavaza Ada Rădescu Dr Graeme Larsen FCIOB #370000homes #planningreform #greybelt #RBH #SMEdevelopers

NPPF Herefordshire Housing Need Update So, we had the big Government announcement earlier this week on how they are going to get Britain Building with the draft NPPF being published for consultation with a view to it being in force by the end of 2024. This includes a revised methodology for housing need figures which significantly increases housing requirements. In Herefordshire, housing requirements number will be going up 78%. During the Reg 18 consultation for the emerging Local Plan over Easter Herefordshire Council said they needed to provide 16,100 homes between 2021 to 2014. Based on the new revised methodology this now needs to be 27,500. Even if you remove the 6,512 homes that the Council says have already been built or granted planning permission since 2021 this still requires 21,000 new homes. Herefordshire Council will need to completely reassess their housing strategy to identify additional villages and settlements for housing growth and allocated more housing numbers to all the villages and settlement currently identified. Please get in touch if you have any questions regarding changes to the NPPF and the opportunities that the new housing figures will have. Berrys #planning #NPPF #Herefordshire