Reveler Development’s Post

This isn't quite the finished article, but I wanted to share a couple of aerial images taken in the very centre of our Church Lane North regeneration scheme. 'Then' was just as the works were starting around three years ago - big areas of open space that didn't work, a layout that was confusing and parking areas that weren't used or often abused. 'Now' is from a slightly different angle, but there's a star on the roof of the same property in each photo to help you get your bearings - it really is a completely different space! We've: - Demolished 10 properties shown in the first photo to create vehicular access and where possible a driveway to each home, - Provided private and secure back gardens to each property, - Re-roofed and installed external wall insulation to our properties, not only to make the homes more energy efficient but also improve the visual appearance of the estate, - Built 5 new homes that increase the choice of property sizes available on the estate (and another 28 elsewhere) and -Created a high-quality open space that we're confident will be the heart of the community moving forward. On top of all that, what you can't see is all the other hard work that has gone into the regeneration of Church Lane North, where we have also: - Worked alongside the community to promote community cohesion, - Offered training & employment skills to residents, - Introduced a firm but fair local lettings policy for future lettings; and - Provided ongoing money and benefit advice to put this community in the best possible place to thrive well into the future. There's still some work to be done, including lots of landscaping! But for me, this is what makes eighteen million quid, probably twice as many headaches and a few sleepless nights all worthwhile!

Commercial construction isn't just about offices, businesses, restaurants, or breweries. At Buchanan, we collaborate closely with developers and property owners to bring their visions for residential planned communities and multi-family projects to life. Our design+build process, combined with our exceptional team of professionals and years of experience, fosters extraordinary collaboration that maximizes resources and potential. One shining example of this synergy is the Village of Cheshire in Black Mountain, 15 minutes east of Asheville. This project exemplifies this kind of collaboration. The developer's vision was to incorporate classic design elements within a community where homes are just a short walk from a pedestrian-friendly Town Center and a Fitness Complex, creating a vibrant, health-oriented community. Together, we're not just building structures; we’re creating living spaces that promote wellness and connection. Let's continue to innovate and transform our communities! #CommercialConstruction #DesignBuild #ResidentialDevelopment #CommunityBuilding #BuchananTeam

More material to read for our forthcoming Creative Bureaucracy Day 23 April.

Paul Smith talks to Pam Beddard about how we can be more creative about housing ahead of our Bristol Ideas Creative Bureacracy Day 23 April. Challenged to name the actions he’d like Bristol to take to find smaller scale solutions to its housing challenges, Smith reels off five: 1. As a major landowner in the city, the council should make more land available at peppercorn prices for interesting, small schemes, thinking less about profit and more about progress. 2. There should be a city wide approach to mapping areas where certain issues might arise – e.g. biodiversity hotspots or sites of likely archaeological interest – so that all would-be developers can see at one glance which site problems need full investigation. 3. Planning rules and regulations should be more open to a greater diversity of ideas. 4. Speedier processing should be offered to small builds/ self-builds. 5. Politicians off all parties need to tone down their tribalism. Read more below. And there’s a booking link for the day at the end.

While housing is definitely important, that is not why I am sharing this article. What’s interesting about this rezoning is that it is the first in Nanaimo under the new legislation that doesn’t have to undergo a public hearing. This will save the development team 6-12 months by being able to proceed right to building and development permits. While community input is important, the need for housing supply is critical and that time saved makes a massive difference on the overall cost and if the project proceeds.

How many of us working on "customer portals" - an awful term which, with respect to all my colleagues who use it including occasionally myself, needs extinguishing from our housing vocabulary - would benefit from Dave Skinner's work here. Are the journeys our users take engineered by us to miss this vital information? Even if unintentional? "The Portals My Destination" is a tongue-in-cheek digital transformation post of mine that will probably never be written. #TheStarsMyDestination #AlfredBester #ExBookseller This abstracted pattern, and the sense-making it allows, is why Dave's work on the Design Patterns For Social Housing website is so important, and so valuable to me and my colleagues, and why it needs our support. See the pattern here: https://lnkd.in/eindgAAu #ServiceDesign #SocialHousing #Accessibility

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Housing options should be about quality and choice. And the planning system should safeguard where either of these is at risk. Co-living has its place when, as Damien Sharkey here highlights for Place North West, it is “well designed”, and “part of the solution” to a city’s housing offer.  https://lnkd.in/e4Wcmuwu

How can we increase urban density where there are already houses? Give my latest blog a read for more details (and fun interactive graphics)! ------ I argue that design codes are the way and that they need to be used more widely to help meet housing demand. I think people should be allowed (where it’s safe) to add stories to their terraced houses and replace garages with small housing blocks. Where there is pent-up demand for housing, our low-rise cities should evolve. Design codes can shape how this happens. They are important tools to help residents know what they can do and ensure that densification is location-appropriate. Street Vote powers, introduced last year (secondary legislation currently in the works) will be a useful tool for organised streets to up-zone themselves, but I suspect the number of these votes will be pretty limited. Widespread adoption will require Mayors to push local authorities to develop design codes with their communities, focusing on the most strategic locations. Consultation should be on how these things happen, not whether they happen. These aren't radical proposals. The 2017 draft for the current London Plan contained plans for a presumption in favour of small-site developments near train stations, guided by design guides. I'd love to see these plans re-instated in the next London Plan and allowed by the Planning Inspectorate.

How can we increase the supply of housing in existing residential areas?🏘️ The housing crisis has opened debates about rethinking the Green Belt and building more council and social housing but we need to talk about building houses on houses too. New blog by Maurice Lange 👇 https://loom.ly/JAzIXvk