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Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud’s company to build new homes in Bristol
Presenter of the hit TV show Grand Designs is to build his biggest and most sustainable housing development to date in Bristol. The new housing development in Southmead should be complete by 2019 on the site of an old primary school after Bristol Council agreed to sell the land to housing association United Communities. The association will build the homes in partnership with Kevin McCloud's development company HAB Housing (Happiness Architecture Beauty) which will include 150 properties of which a third will be affordable. The affordable homes will be built to the equivalent of Passivhaus energy efficiency standards and all homes will meet level four of the Code for Sustainable Homes. And it is not just the homes that are to be sustainable. The whole development will be built with the environment in mind. The estate will have a green infrastructure, including sustainable food production, low carbon energy sources and new cycle routes. ‘This development will raise the bar in terms of sustainability and quality of design. The aim is for this to be a transformative housing scheme, one that drives a healthier way of living. “We have worked really closely with the Southmead community throughout the process, and their ideas have been reflected strongly in the design,’ said George Ferguson, Mayor of Bristol. ‘HAB has been eager to win a project in Bristol ever since we began to plan our move here. Now that our offices are in the city, it's with great relish that we can roll up our sleeves and begin work at Dunmail,’ said McCloud. ‘This scheme gives us the opportunity to work alongside local people and organisations and to partner with United Communities, whom we particularly admire. We're looking forward to working in Southmead and delivering something of quality, richness and sustainability for the area,’ he added. Local residents helped to shape the design of the development, and the community will continue to be involved throughout the project. Feedback from residents reflected in the scheme includes the desire for smaller low rise properties, the need for a mixed tenure site and the inclusion of outdoor community space. ‘As a locally based housing association we already have a long track record of working in Southmead, so we’re really thrilled to have won the bid to redevelop the former Dunmail School site. The 150 new homes here will help to tackle the affordable housing crisis in the city, by providing a mix of homes for sale, rent and shared ownership,’ said Oona Goldsworthy, Chief Executive of United Communities . ‘We’ve already starting talking to the local community about what the homes might look like and hope that existing and future residents will be really proud of the new development,’ she pointed out. It is hoped that a planning application for the development will now be submitted in March 2016, and if consent is given work would be due to start in September 2016. Continue reading
Report suggests shared ownership is misunderstood and under used
Shared ownership could help thousands more home buyers in the UK to get onto the housing ladder but research has found that this growing lending sector is under used and misunderstood. With house prices rising at a faster rate than most salaries and people continuing to struggle to get onto the property ladder, shared ownership is a potential solution for many, yet is often overlooked despite having been introduced 30 years ago. The research from the Leeds Building Society has identified a number of key myths around shared ownership including the belief that a shared ownership mortgage is more difficult to place than an ordinary mortgage. It also found that people think that shared ownership properties are in less desirable areas, that it’s more expensive than renting, that it’s difficult to qualify unless you’re on a very low wage, or a key worker and that it is like a consolation prize and not real ownership. ‘In a nutshell, the lack of understanding around shared ownership boils down to these five distinct points,’ said Louisa Sedgwick, head of intermediary distribution for Leeds Building Society. ‘In reality, these beliefs are inaccurate and there is an abundance of information for intermediaries, and the borrowers they serve, available from housing associations, the Government and lenders to help them understand how shared ownership could work for them,’ she added. She pointed out that while many housing developers or associations are linked to specific intermediaries in certain areas, there’s nothing to stop individuals approaching their own broker about shared ownership. ‘At this stage, many clients will have been assessed, certainly in terms of eligibility for shared ownership, by the relevant Housing Association before going to consult an intermediary, meaning the process for the broker can actually be fairly straightforward since they only need to place the mortgage,’ explained Sedgwick. ‘A mistaken public perception exists that shared ownership homes may be badly maintained, poor quality properties in poor, or less desirable, areas. Again, this is far from the truth. London provides an interesting example and showcases the fact many shared ownership properties offer a desirable home and community environment to live in,’ she pointed out. ‘Properties available through the scheme can be found in prestigious and sought after areas such as Notting Hill. What’s more, the availability of shared ownership properties extends far beyond London to desirable areas across the UK including Harrogate, Chester and York. ‘Shared ownership schemes are found across the UK as housebuilders are often obliged to include a proportion of affordable housing, some of which will be for shared ownership, regardless of where they are developing,’ she added. In terms of cost she explained that while many believe the monthly payments required to live in a shared ownership property hover somewhere between those paid for a full mortgage and rent, in reality, monthly payments for shared ownership properties could be lower than either full ownership or private renting. Indeed, a report published by the National Housing Federation in 2013… Continue reading
Bucharest real estate markets have seen strong sales in 2015
A stable economic environment and growth potential has resulted in the commercial real estate market in Bucharest, Romani, gaining momentum with sales expected to be close to €800 million by the end of 2015. This year has continued the growth trend begun in 2014 and saw a real estate market dominated by more courageous players, according to the latest analysis report from real estate firm Colliers International. It forecast at the beginning of the year that the Romanian investment market would see sizable transactions value exceeding the €100 million threshold, and international investors either entering or consolidating their positions on the local market. The report says that outsourcing businesses are still the prominent pillars of the office sector, as Romania becomes more visible for reputable BPOs, SSCs and IT companies, with focus on Bucharest, but also secondary cities. More than 60,000 people are currently employed in outsourcing activities and forecasts provision up to 150,000 in the next five years. Characterized by vibrant activity, office sector in Bucharest is on the verge of a new era of premium quality deliveries in what is to become a half million square meter office hub by 2020 in the Floreasca Barbu Vacarescu area. ‘Aligned with our expectations from the beginning of the year, real estate market has been characterized by general positive evolution for transactional activity for all sectors. Relying on good macroeconomics indicators, the year brought more intense consumption and higher interest in investment,’ said Ilinca Paun, managing director of Colliers International. ‘With take-up picking up and vacancy rates reporting low record levels, developers felt confident enough to start projects across the entire market. Industrial sector will add new stock to the static inventory registered in the past years, while investment market continues to post remarkable results this year also, with total volume expected to reach Euro 800 million by the end of the year,’ added Paun. The report says that the Floreasca Barbu Vacarescu sub-market stands out as the new CBD area in Bucharest. The modern stock of buildings in the area was subject to the biggest part of the demand, with 215,000 square meters leased in the past five years. The area will continue to be in the spotlight in the years to come with 155,000 square meters of GLA of office space being planned for development. Nevertheless, the competition in the sub-market becomes fiercer with each new announced development, the report says. According to Andreea Paun, associate director of office agency at Colliers International, Romania not only has become an attractive destination for the outsourcing industry, but has also changed the way it’s being perceived by large companies. ‘Romania is no longer seen solely as a cost effective destination, but rather a value added generator and valuable talent pool. Similar to previous years, the business services industry has driven most of the office demand. We foresee this trend will grow stronger in the future as renowned outsourcing companies are… Continue reading
