Latest CONSTRUCTION News and Information

Sustainable homes milestone for Scotland - (Construction)
Fully sustainablem zero carbon homes will come to Scotland in 2008... ... more

First zero carbon homes to be built in Scotland - (Construction)
Plans to build the first Scottish sustainable homes in zero carbon standard have been unveiled... ... more

Flipping - not just for pancakes - (Construction)
?Buying Off-Plan? is quickly becoming the savvy investor's key phrase when seeking investment property to fulfill their needs. Simply put, buying off plan means investing in properties under construction... ... more

Making the right decisions in a tough market - (Construction)
An innovative new service that will revolutionise the way houses are bought and sold in England and Wales has been developed by Betternest.co.uk... ... more

The myth of Wind Farm price erosion - (Construction)
The perceived negative impact of wind farms on property prices may be a myth, say surveyors... ... more

Credit crunch hits construction - (Construction)
A slowing housing market has dampened confidence in the UK's construction industry... ... more

New-build crisis intensifies - (Construction)
The UK is suffering from a major shortfall in new-build homes... ... more

Government risks missing CO2 housing targets - (Construction)
The Government is at risk of failing to meet CO2 targets on new housing, reports Jon Land in www.24dash.com... ... more

New proposals to boost house-building - (Construction)
Housing and Planning Minister Yvette Cooper has unveiled a major £500m package of proposals to accelerate the building of the homes families and first-time buyers desperately need... ... more

Romania will rule Europe - (Construction)
Romania is set to be Europe's number one investment destination over the next 10 years... ... more

Invest in Australias next growth cycle - (Construction)
Local investors are returning to the east coast markets of Australia as record vacancy rates continue to drive up rental returns, reports Home Port Property... ... more

Greening new build around the world - (Construction)
With the world feeling the effects of climate change, developers around the world are becoming ever more aware of the need reduce their carbon emissions... ... more

SW home owners urged to sign up to flood defences - (Construction)
The Environment Agency has renewed its appeal for people to sign-up to the free Flood Warnings Direct system... ... more

Brits in home repairs shock - (Construction)
Brits forked-out a massive £48.7 billion on unexpected bills over the last 12 months, with home repairs bleeding householders dry... ... more

OFT springs housing surprise - (Construction)
The OFT has announced a surprise review of the UK's housebuilding industry... ... more

Buyers love Inflationary wrecks - (Construction)
Why are buyers seduced into paying top prices for houses that might have foxes living in the kitchen...? ... more

Devious white paper slammed - (Construction)
Changes to the planning system could kill off loft conversions... ... more

Brits build SA dream homes - (Construction)
Brits are flocking to SA to build their dream homes... ... more

Housing starts piecemeal - (Construction)
Applications to build new homes across the UK have increased by a small percentage... ... more

For returns of up to 75pc look to the Caribbean... - (Construction)
Port St George Investments Ltd is offering a unique and exciting opportunity to get involved in a new development in the Bahamas at the pre-planning stage... ... more

Planners order demolition of dream house - (Construction)
A £400,000 house built without planning permission in a picturesque village must be knocked down, reports The Guardian... ... more

Wind farm property price impact is a myth - (Construction)
The perceived negative impact of wind farms on property prices may be a myth, say surveyors... ... more

London sewage tunnel gets breath of fresh air - (Construction)
London crosses a significant hurdle towards the River Thames being free from weekly sewage discharges by way of an agreement for a 30km long Thames tunnel... ... more

The rise in gated community living in Sofia - (Construction)
www.bulgariarevealed.com discuss the rise of the gated community in Bulgaria's capital, Sofia... ... more

Flood land rethink to protect homes - (Construction)
?Turquoise belts' around waterways are set to become a planning tool to protect homes from flooding... ... more

Green light for flat-pack housing estate - (Construction)
Ikea gets planning permission for its first UK housing development... ... more

House builders set to miss green target - (Construction)
The UK will not meet its green housing targets, mortgage advisors believe... ... more

East End rivers get Olympic go for gold - (Construction)
A new lock will open up waterways around the Olympic Park area to construction and passenger transport for the 2012 games... ... more

Thailand property market overview - (Construction)
The Thai property market continues to thrive with sophisticated destinations like Phuket leading the way... ... more

Years biggest property show this weekend - (Construction)
With only three days to go until the launch of this year's Homebuyer Show (2-4 March) at ExCel London, the property industry is gearing up for a weekend of superb property deals, exciting investment opportunities and invaluable knowledge gathering... ... more

Building firms launch green council - (Construction)
Some of the UK's leading building firms are joining forces to limit the environmental impact of the nation's homes and offices... ... more

Young investors choose Spain for home in the sun - (Construction)
Younger families are flocking to buy second homes in Spain, reports SmartNewHomes.com... ... more

House building up year on year - (Construction)
House building starts and completions were up on 2005 figures, a government report says, but only by a small amount... ... more

New housing fails design standards - (Construction)
Four out of five new homes fail to measure up to design quality specifications; some are so poor they should never have been built... ... more

700 eco-homes for Epsoms disused hospitals - (Construction)
A development of new homes that could cut carbon emissions by up to 50% is planned for Epsom... ... more

Continued progress in using brownfield land - (Construction)
The proportion of new housing built on previously developed land has increased for the eighth year in a row... ... more

Will Spain and Morocco get their own Chunnel - (Construction)
The governments of Morocco and Spain are currently in talks about constructing an underwater tunnel to connect the two countries, reports Craig Whitlock of Washington Post Foreign Service... ... more

700 first-time initiative homes unveiled - (Construction)
The first homes in a scheme that enables first-time buyers to get a foot onto the property ladder by paying 50% of the price of a new property have been unveiled... ... more

Golf in Portugal to get 50 million Euro investment - (Construction)
Portuguese tourism officials have recently announced a 50 million investment in promoting golf throughout Portugal... ... more

Surplus public land data should be revealed - (Construction)
The government should reveal how much surplus public land is available to provide more affordable homes, according to a planning campaign charity... ... more

Lifestyle preferences shape new home choices - (Construction)
Cars and dining are northerners' choice while southerners prefer books and bedrooms... ... more

125000 more units to hit Dubai market - (Construction)
At least 125,000 more residential units will be launched in Dubai between 2007 and 2009, reports Ahmad A. Elewa of www.gulfnews.com... ... more

Office of the future - (Construction)
A glass building with no air conditioning doesn't sound too attractive, but when heat-of-summer visitors praise the effective cooling, it's time to take another look... ... more

Australias West Coast in property boom - (Construction)
The city of Perth on Australia's west coast is enjoying a massive property boom, reports Principal International... ... more

Investing in Morocco - (Construction)
Paul Staines, Director of Saffron Villas speaks with Adam Samuel of Nubricks.com to give his insider information on purchasing property in Morocco... ... more

Plymouths Berlin Wall tumbles - (Construction)
The first section of a three-metre high security wall that has divided Plymouth's Devonport community for over 50 years has been breeched opening a temporary vista through to Cornwall... ... more

Property Frontiers 2007 hotspots - (Construction)
Property Frontiers give their tips on new property markets to look out for... ... more

Housebuilder looks to build up land bank - (Construction)
Housebuilder Persimmon foresees further increases in house prices a wants a bigger land bank... ... more

South Africa acts to limit coastal construction - (Construction)
South Africa's government has recently passed a draft bill limiting property development and ownership in coastal areas which many are interpreting as a step to restrict foreign investment in these areas, reports www.fly-2let.co.uk... ... more

4 hotspots to look out for in 2007 - (Construction)
International property company escapes2.com are tipping Panama City, Jersey, Istanbul and Slovakia as hot prospects for 2007... ... more

Canadian rental vacancy rate inches down - (Construction)
The average rental apartment vacancy rate in Canada's 28 major centres decreased slightly by 0.1 of a percentage point to 2.6 per cent in October 2006 compared to last year, according to the Rental Market Survey released this month by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)... ... more

New home starts inch higher in Australia - (Construction)
The number of new home starts in Australia barely changed in the September 2006 quarter as new housing demand continued to struggle against poor housing affordability, reports HIA Economics Group... ... more

New Zealand residential property rises 9.4% - (Construction)
QV's November statistics released this month show national growth in residential property values of 9.4% over the past year... ... more

First-time buyers to benefit from pilot project - (Construction)
Cash boost for new homes is good news for first-time buyers... ... more

But planners already fail homebuilders - (Construction)
Planning authorities take on average nine months to deal with planning applications, three times the government target, according to a survey on behalf of home builders... ... more

Planners to compel family home builds - (Construction)
The government has set out reforms to the planning system which will help local authorities deliver more and better homes - including more affordable and family homes... ... more

Average plot size shrinks further - (Construction)
Developers are being driven to build more properties on smaller land footprints... ... more

Controversial holiday park gets off the ground - (Construction)
A flagship eco-tourism project, set to become a beacon for sustainable development within the UK, finally gets of the ground after myriad delays... ... more

Flexible homes plan gets go-ahead - (Construction)
Planning permission has been granted for homes which English Partnerships claims are the first in the UK to have adaptable room sizes... ... more

How flexible is your new home to be - (Construction)
Traditional building methods offer a chance to change your mind about room sizes... ... more

Student living pods for London - (Construction)
Science fiction style living accommodation for students is being developed at a site in King's Cross... ... more

Liverpool regeneration project stopped again - (Construction)
No sooner than the bulldozers were ready to bull their way into Liverpool's Edge Lane this week, then another shot from angry resident Elizabeth Pascoe put them into doze-mode again... ... more

Liverpools Edge Lane project starts - (Construction)
Demolition starts today on the Edge Lane West area of Liverpool paving the way for new homes and regeneration of the area... ... more

Soaring success of high rise units - (Construction)
NHBC's latest statistics show that almost half of new homes started in the UK so far this year were flats and maisonettes... ... more

Call to restore more empty homes - (Construction)
Nearly 300,000 empty homes are being held back from use and many could be swiftly restored if the government cut the unoccupied waiting time for VAT reduction... ... more

EU warns over energy efficient buildings - (Construction)
Last week nine member states received warnings over their failure to inform the European Commission about what activity they are taking to boost energy efficiency in buildings... ... more

Brighton gets UKs highest observation tower - (Construction)
London Eye architects, husband and wife team David Marks and Julia Barfield have won planning permission to a new era for Brighton's seafront... ... more

Ever considered buying a holiday cave - (Construction)
Well, strange as it may sound, "casas-cuevas" are already a very popular option with overseas buyers looking to purchase their first holiday property in Spain... ... more

Europes biggest wind farm gets underway - (Construction)
Finally, after years of technical and planning delays, Europe's biggest onshore wind farm can be built... ... more

Planning authorities working quicker - (Construction)
Councils are making progress in deciding planning applications quicker, according to annual statistics release by the Department for Communities and Local Government... ... more

Ground energy use growing - (Construction)
Builders are dipping their toes in the water and testing the claims for a 70% cut in home heating costs... ... more

Doubled carbon targets for London new buildings - (Construction)
Plans to double the carbon emissions reductions that developments in London must achieve have been set out... ... more

600-home urban village gets green light - (Construction)
A former industrial site is to be turned into a 600-home urban village now outline planning is approved... ... more

Home demolition compensation gap of 35000 - (Construction)
There is an average gap of £35,000 between the cost of buying a new home and compensation received by homeowners in the government's housing market renewal areas... ... more

USA homebuilders cutting back as demand falls - (Construction)
Weakening demand for new homes has seen builders reducing new supply in order to meet current market conditions and control their inventories... ... more

Builders still failing on quality says watchdog - (Construction)
A report from the CABE says many builders are failing to resist the pressures that drive down quality... ... more

Experimental green Fenland homes project starts - (Construction)
Work has begun on an experimental housing project that aims to measure the total environmental impact, both during and after building... ... more

300m Plymouth waterfront plans revealed - (Construction)
Plans for a £300 million Millbay waterfront regeneration in Plymouth have been submitted for public consultation... ... more

Court victory boost for N Cyprus owners - (Construction)
Last week, a UK Court refused to enforce a judgment which threatened to demolish the villa of a UK couple in Northern Cyprus, giving hope to thousands of Britons who have already bought in this region... ... more

Sufficient brownfield land for a million homes - (Construction)
Annual statistics estimate that 63,500ha of brownfield land was available for development in 2005... ... more

Young families suffer property shortage - (Construction)
An acute shortage of new family homes continues to blight young families, reports SmartNewHomes.com... ... more

Property fund managers sitting on timebomb - (Construction)
The introduction of building certificates will shorten the lifespan of commercial buildings constructed before new EU regulations on wasted energy... ... more

Victorian villa voted most popular - (Construction)
Victorian and Georgian architecture is found the most popular with homebuyers... ... more

Housebuilder says rate rise had no effect - (Construction)
Britain's largest housebuilder said the recent interest rate rise has had little impact on the market... ... more

Councils in recycled land shame - (Construction)
Some councils build on a large proportion of brownfield land, but some don't do it particularly well at all... ... more

New tower will dominate Liverpools waterfront - (Construction)
Plans for Liverpool's tallest waterfront building at Princes Dock in the centre of the city have been unveiled... ... more

Canadian construction inches up in July - (Construction)
The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts (the beginning of construction of a new dwelling) was 236,500 units in July, marginally up from June by 100 units, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)... ... more

West Midlands set to be the new South East - (Construction)
Government proposals for more housing development in parts of the West Midlands is set to sabotage urban development and destroy countryside and market towns, according to countryside campaigners... ... more

New housing should have energy sources on site - (Construction)
New housing developments in Scotland should generate 10% of their own energy requirements on site, the Scottish Executive has said... ... more

One first step to 4000 homes - (Construction)
Work has started on a pioneering development that will see the first new affordable homes for key workers... ... more

Home building mix leaves families desperate - (Construction)
SmartNewHomes.com is launching a campaign for the young family, which is currently suffering from a chronic shortage of suitable housing... ... more

Housebuilders failing green responsibilities - (Construction)
Nearly half of all major housebuilders were rated as poor or very poor when it comes to understanding their environmental responsibilities, a survey of planners has revealed... ... more

The threat of energy inefficient lighting - (Construction)
The International Energy Agency has warned that without rapid action, energy used for lighting will be up 80% by 2030 having a huge impact on energy demands and climate change... ... more

2000 jobs and 3000 homes in East Anglia - (Construction)
A masterplan for Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth expects to see around 3,000 homes built on brownfield land... ... more

Builders to retrofit water saving devices call - (Construction)
Developers should retrofit water saving devices in existing homes to ?offset' water demand from new builds, green campaigners argue... ... more

Building design lessons published - (Construction)
Ten ?lessons' have been learnt from the government's Design for Manufacture competition... ... more

Housebuilder wants wind of change over energy - (Construction)
Fit solar panels where the sun shines, and wind turbines where the wind blows says a house builder pointing to a different way to fund effective renewable sources... ... more

Canada housing starts down in May - (Construction)
The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts was 216,800 units in May, down marginally from 217,900 units in April, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)... ... more

Kids and building sites dont mix - (Construction)
Long summer evenings and school holidays can tempt kids onto building sites where all too often tragedy hits... ... more

Londoners dont get the right housing - (Construction)
A shortage of the right type of ?affordable' housing means Londoners are becoming priced out of the market... ... more

Pre-fabrication not suited to brownfield sites - (Construction)
A trial of modern methods of construction showed them to be inflexible for use on brownfield sites... ... more

Retirement homebuilder in massive buy-out - (Construction)
The UK's largest takeover of a house builder is rumoured... ... more

Construction industry needs skilled recruits - (Construction)
The construction industry will need 348,000 new employees to meet expected demand to 2010... ... more

200 homes in canal-side scheme get green light - (Construction)
Nearly 200 new homes will built on a canal-side regeneration site in Edinburgh... ... more

500 homes to spring from sand quarry - (Construction)
Holmethorpe sand quarry in Redhill is under transformation into a visionary new sustainable community... ... more

Building progress masks worsening affordability - (Construction)
The affordable housing crisis worsens by 165 homes per day, says Premier Guarantee, who point to the sharp fall in homes being built by housing associations... ... more

Retirees boost Spanish market - (Construction)
One in five Britons and a third of Germans are considering retiring to Spain, according to a new survey by property consultants King Sturge... ... more

Eco-communities set to be next challenge - (Construction)
New sustainable homes that the next generation need must be sustainable for the next generation too... ... more

House building numbers up but not by enough - (Construction)
House building in England continued to increase in the first quarter, but nowhere near enough to satisfy demand... ... more

Lessons learnt from 60K homes - (Construction)
The achievements of the Design for Manufacture competition and the role it will play in shaping the future of UK homes were set out this week... ... more

New homes fitted with pollen filters - (Construction)
Healthier living is on the cards for purchasers of new homes fitted with filtered ventilation systems... ... more

Smaller builders are greener - (Construction)
Small housebuilders exceed government targets with over 80% brownfield development... ... more

Bid for environmentally friendly homes accepted - (Construction)
280 environmentally friendly homes are to be built by George Wimpey at Campbell Park Phase 1 in Central Milton Keynes... ... more

Agency in-fighting set to rocket house prices - (Construction)
A specialist brownfield residential developer has hit out at wildlife protection in-fighting that threatens cause house prices to soar even further from first-time buyers reach... ... more

Call to focus regeneration cash on fewer cities - (Construction)
As the amount of cash for regeneration from the EU falls, a think tank says the money will be better spent by concentrating it on a few key city locations... ... more

60K home builds get underway - (Construction)
Development work is now starting on site for the first of the government's Design for Manufacture homes... ... more

Marbella in multi-billion property scandal - (Construction)
The Spanish government last week took the unprecedented decision to dissolve Marbella's town council after a long-running planning dispute erupted into a multi-billion euro corruption scandal... ... more

Build us conservatories with new homes - (Construction)
New homebuyers surveyed say ?build us conservatories with our homes'... ... more

Massive brownfield site to see 4000 new homes - (Construction)
Major plans have been unveiled to transform the heavy end of Llanwern steelworks that could create up to 6000 jobs ? almost the same number employed at the steelworks in its heyday... ... more

15m for Gateway transport and homes - (Construction)
Residents of the Thames Gateway are set to benefit from a funding boost of around £15 million for transport to support new homes, announced yesterday by Transport Minister Stephen Ladyman and Minister for Housing and Planning Yvette Cooper... ... more

Can you spot the snag - (Construction)
Buyers of brand new homes are not getting value for money on the finish of their new home according to a new report out today from Inspector Home and Glasgow Caledonian University... ... more

Cardiff airport plans 100m expansion - (Construction)
In response to a UK government White Paper on air transport, Cardiff International Airport have unveiled a 24-year expansion strategy costing £100m, reports the BBC... ... more

Australian residential construction slows - (Construction)
Fewer new homes and units were built in the December quarter of 2005 as the Australian housing market slumped, reports The Australian this week... ... more

Clockwork radio man to electrify building skills - (Construction)
The man who invented the clockwork radio is to put a spring into the technology used to build houses... ... more