Category: General | netMAGmedia Ltd

SWA/Balsley to design Highline Plaza at Philadelphia’s Schuylkill Yards

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

SWA/Balsley is designing Highline Plaza at Schuylkill Yards, a major mixed-use redevelopment adjacent to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station. The new public plaza will transform an underutilized surface parking lot into a vibrant landscape of connection—one that celebrates the distinctive infrastructure... View Article

LK2 welcomes new talent to its team with trio of new hires

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

Architecture, sports and leisure specialist, LK2 Group has bolstered its team with the appointment of an impressive senior architect and two new apprentices Maria Karolides – who has worked in the education sector since 2001 – has taken up the... View Article

Three affordable housing developments by Magnusson Architecture and Planning among the winners of New York State’s Buildings of Excellence Competition

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

Three affordable housing developments designed by Magnusson Architecture and Planning (MAP) were among the winners of the First Round of the Buildings of Excellence competition. The competition, administered by The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, recognises the... View Article

Emergence – The Work of Grimshaw Architects – Volume 5, 2010-2015

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

Emergence: Volume 5 by Grimshaw Architects and published by Laurence King in April 2020 is a is a new project book that showcases worldwide projects of all types, from airports and other transport hubs to museums and housing Emergence: Volume... View Article

Damning inquiry report into Grenfell Tower finally published

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

Flawed leadership at the top of the London Fire Brigade, delays in ordering an evacuation and the flammable cladding used to wrap the building in, were all strongly criticised in a damning report from the Grenfell Tower public inquiry. The... View Article

Stay put policy being reviewed after heavy criticism

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

One of the most significant outcomes of the Grenfell Tower inquiry phase one report has been the chairman’s demand to end the automatic ‘stay put’ policy for all high-rise blocks. Sir Martin Moore-Bick told Ministers to develop national guidelines for... View Article

Refurbishment of Grenfell Tower breached building regulations

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

A shocking finding from the Grenfell inquiry was that as a result of the £10 million refurbishment completed just months before the fire, the high-rise tower block was not compliant with building regulations. Sir Martin Moore-Bick said the main reason... View Article

Government adviser to new Building Safety Regulator named

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

Dame Judith Hackitt will provide independent advice to the Government on how best to establish the powerful new Building Safety Regulator and avoid a similar disaster as the Grenfell Tower fire. The appointment follows Dame Judith’s Independent Review of Building... View Article

New rough sleepers in the capital jumps 50 per cent in a year

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

The number of people recorded as sleeping rough in London for the first time has risen sharply by 50 per cent, according to figures from the Greater London Authority. Some 3,985 individuals were recorded as sleeping rough in the capital... View Article

Biggest council landlord warns of possible repair cutbacks

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

The country’s biggest local authority landlord has warned that an estimated £93 million bill for fire safety works will force it to cut spending on repairs and maintenance work to its housing stock. Birmingham City Council owns around 62,000 homes,... View Article

Over half a million people could be living in unsellable flats

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

A possible six hundred thousand people are living in high-rise properties deemed to be unsafe or unsellable due to a lack of Government action and unclear advice over cladding safety, according to the Labour Party. Analysis by the main opposition... View Article

Ombudsman consults on faster service with tougher powers

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

The new ombudsman has been consulting the social housing sector on plans to improve his organisation’s service and to spark big changes in customer service for tenants. It would be fair to say that Richard Blakeway was a controversial choice... View Article

End of benefit freeze announced as food bank use surges

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

The benefits freeze is due to end in April, bringing an end to one of the most contentious austerity policies brought in by the Coalition Government over four years ago, but the announcement coincided with a huge increase in food... View Article

Lead by the landscape

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

Click here to listen to this story ► Over 100 new apartments are in the works in the Surrey town of Oxted, offering countryside living within commuting distance of the capital. Alison Dowsett, managing director of St William Homes, explains... View Article

Regulations affecting private landlords up by a third

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

The number of laws creating an obligation on private landlords has increased by 32 per cent since 2010 according to new analysis undertaken by a leading landlords organisation. The Residential Landlords Association claims the total number of regulations affecting landlords... View Article

Extra funds to help councils crack down on criminal landlords

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

The Government has made an additional £3.8 million available for councils to tackle criminal landlords in the remainder of the current financial year. The money is to support projects which take effective and targeted action against criminal landlords, support good... View Article

Coalition formed to tackle ‘ticking timebomb’ of inaccessible housing

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

A new coalition of ten housing organisations and charities has called on the next government to ensure that all new homes built are accessible and adaptable for an ageing population. Campaigners predict a ‘dangerous shortage’ of suitable homes in the... View Article

Cladding removal deadline ‘expected’ to be met, despite delays

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

Government Ministers expect all Grenfell style ACM cladding panels to be removed from social housing high-rise tower blocks by the 31 December deadline despite the current slow rate of progress. The deadline was originally set by the former Housing Secretary... View Article

New homes plan to replace derelict garages

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

Derelict garage sites across Walsall in the West Midlands could soon be transformed into new and energy efficient housing developments, after whg revealed its modular homes vision. Social landlord whg currently houses over 40,000 people in 21,000 properties, across 18... View Article

South London council breaches the Home Standard

Wednesday, 18th December 2019

Lambeth Council has been found to have breached the Home Standard over a series of longstanding failings with regard to asbestos, fire and gas safety which potentially exposed a significant number of tenants to the risk of serious harm. The... View Article