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- Booking opens for IHBC’s 2026 Annual Day School, #IHBCNewcastle2026, in person & online, June 19: Accessible & Certified CPD on ‘Adaptive Reuse’ – From £35+VAT 27/02/2026
- IHBC SE Branch Day School + AGM – ‘Concrete and candyfloss: Seaside structures of the 20th century’, De La Warr Pavilion, 13/03 27/02/2026
- IHBC’s ‘Research’ Signpost: Unlock Access to RICHeS Research Infrastructure with Full Access Fund Call now Open with ‘Help’ webinar on 11/03 27/02/2026
- Looking back to IHBC’s Council on ‘Heritage Skills in Conservation’, and ahead to our new ‘response-led’ DRAFT Minutes, for review and feedback 27/02/2026
- IHBC Director’s pick from HESPR’s £77K of weekly works: Authority seeks design team for a new development, to 22/03 27/02/2026
- IHBC’s ‘Evaluation’ Signpost: HE introduces the Monumental Works of Giles Gilbert Scott 27/02/2026
- DCMS Honours Team on New Year 2027 (NY27) ‘Invitation to nominate’, information sessions and nomination form (to 31/03) 27/02/2026
- RTPI asks: Can England still build its utopian vision of a ‘new town’? 27/02/2026
- New design guidance to raise the bar for new build developments 27/02/2026
- RICS modernises CPD framework and launches new member app 27/02/2026
- UK Research and Innovation launches creative industries strategy 27/02/2026
- ARB’s five-year strategy to strengthen safety, competence and culture in architecture 27/02/2026
- Pride in Place: 40 neighbourhoods join transformational programme 27/02/2026
- IHBC features ‘Heritage from the Global doorstep’: Launch of ICOMOS Report on the Implementation of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 27/02/2026
- IHBC welcomes the chance to ‘Unlock Access’ to RICHeS Research Infrastructure with ‘Full Access Fund Call’ open to 8 April, with ‘Help’ webinar on 11/03 24/02/2026
- IHBC’s Director joins RICHeS Programme Board: ‘Honoured, of course, but mostly I’m impressed by the £80M of research opportunities for historic and built environment conservation’ 24/02/2026
- IHBC MARSH Awards: Nominate to celebrate ‘Successful Learning…’ AND/OR ‘Community Contribution…’ (Ret IHBC) – with our easy-fill form open to 31/03 24/02/2026
- Booking opens for IHBC’s 2026 School, #IHBCNewcastle2026, June 18-20 (Full School only): Accessible, Certified CPD on ‘Adaptive Reuse’ – From £35+VAT (Online Day School), free pre-conference webinars and more… 24/02/2026
- IHBC’s ‘Professional’ Signpost: BEFS & Dr Scott McGibbon on ‘Skills as Strategic Infrastructure – Building Scotland’s Workforce for Net Zero’ 24/02/2026
- IHBC HESPR’s ‘Double-up Sector News’: DB on ‘Ireland’s National Residential Retrofit Plan’ & IHBC on ‘Sponsorship opportunities for #IHBCNewcastle2026 24/02/2026
- IHBC features ‘Heritage from the (SPAB) doorstep’: Henry rekindles Hot Iron Blacksmithing at Chiddingfold Forge 24/02/2026
- IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Preferred developer and development proposal for Egyptian Halls in Glasgow approved 24/02/2026
- England’s cultural infrastructure: repair, maintenance and renewal reports from Purcell show £2 billion of unfunded repair and maintenance (R&M) 24/02/2026
- Icon launches new Early Career Membership category 24/02/2026
- Why City & Guilds says ‘Apprenticeships could be the only way out of the UK’s Housing Shortage’ 24/02/2026
Tag Archives: housing
IHBC’s Practice Signpost: TCPA update blog on ‘The battle for Healthy Homes continues….’, as it notes ‘Planning is not the problem’
A new Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) blog looks at the state of play as the Lords report stage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill process has closed and the Bill returns to the House of Commons before receiving … Continue reading
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged building, construction, environment, government, health, housing, planning
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Parliament on PAC on ‘Housing developer levy funds’ failure ‘due to systemic problems’: Councils hampered by ‘asymmetry of skills’ with developers
The system designed to create new affordable housing and infrastructure through developer contributions is not working properly, reports the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), as asymmetry of skills also means that councils often find it hard to challenge developers’ claims.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, environment, expertise, government, housing, local government, planning, skills
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Government’s ‘Pro-growth package unshackling Britain to get building’
Pro-growth changes to the government’s landmark Planning and Infrastructure Bill to get Britain building faster have been announced by Government UK.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, economics, emplyment, expertise, government, housing, localauthority, planning, skills, water
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Sean Bean says houses plan for land where he played as a child is a ‘tragedy’
Hollywood star Sean Bean has backed a campaign to save green belt land where he played as child, saying proposed housing developments would be a ‘tragedy’, reports The Times and Star.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged conservation, construction, environment, heritage, housing, planning
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IHBC’s ‘Practice’ Signpost: Traditional and historic buildings – a new Retrofit British Standard, an update from IHBC’s John Edwards, with joint CPD webinar 14/11
‘BS 40104: 2025: Retrofit Assessment for Domestic Dwellings – Code of Practice’, was officially published at the end of September and here Prof. John Edwards, IHBC’s Technical Panel Secretary and lead on the heritage/traditional buildings workstream, updates NewsBlog readers on … Continue reading
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged BSI, building, climate change, conservation, environment, expertise, heritage, housing, IHBC, planning, retrofit, skills, STBA
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Interim Chief Construction Adviser appointed, to ‘… provide expert, independent advice to… government on building safety and regulatory reform’
A new interim Chief Construction Adviser has been appointed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged architect, building, communities, construction, expertise, government, housing, local government, safety
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Expert Taskforce recommends locations for new towns
The New Towns Taskforce has recommended locations for the next generation of new towns.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, community, construction, environment, expertise, government, housing, nature, planning, towns
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New LGA analysis shows nearly 28,000 affordable homes lost due to permitted development rights
New Local Government Association (LGA) analysis has spurred campaigners to sign an open letter calling on Government to scrap permitted development rights (PDR) that have cost thousands of affordable homes.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, environment, expertise, housing, local government, planning
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40,000 people to get skills in new Technical Excellence Colleges, using ‘hub and spoke’ model
Tens of thousands of future construction workers to be trained up in high-demand construction skills by 2029, delivering growth and helping build new homes, Government UK has announced, operating on a ‘hub and spoke’ model.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, construction, expertise, government, housing, skills, work
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Historic Park Hill Housing development model photos found in attic
A remarkable collection of historic photographs documenting the planning and development of Sheffield’s famous Park Hill housing estate has been discovered in an attic, revealing intimate details about one of Britain’s most significant post-war architectural projects, reports SayArt.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged architecture, building, conservation, heritage, housing, photgraphs
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IHBC’s ‘Research’ Signpost: ‘Empty Spaces to Homes’…
image for illustration: Joanna Theobald ‘Repurposing Empty Spaces: Research to Address the Housing Crisis’, is a new piece of research, exploring the current opportunities available in reutilising socially owned vacant buildings and spaces, for use as?accommodation?for those at risk of?homelessness??across … Continue reading
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged accommodation, building, government, homelessness, housing, local government, planning
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Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment asks: ‘How can we build 1.5Mn quality homes… this Parliament?’
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Excellence in the Built Environment (APPGEBE) has been reformed and has announced a new inquiry into ‘How can we build 1.5 million quality homes in this Parliament?’.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, construction, design, environment, expertise, housing, placemaking, planning
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SPAB ‘Old House Project’ completes, and now for sale ‘to become a home’
image for illustration: SPAB The SPAB team is delighted that the seven-year Old House Project is now completed as the house, St Andrew’s Chapel is for sale, ready to become a home again.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged conservation, expertise, heritage, housing, renovation, research, skills
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Housebuilders to pay £100m to avoid legal decision on breaking competition law
Britain’s biggest housebuilders have agreed to pay £100m towards affordable homes to avoid a regulator’s decision on whether they broke competition law, reports BBC News.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged building, housing, law
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University of Cambridge on ‘The Business Case for Integrated Retrofit: How banks, insurers, and the government can support healthy, efficient, and resilient homes’
A joint research between Banking Environment Initiative and ClimateWise examines the socioeconomic and resilience benefits of building retrofit, and proposes business case for banks, insurance companies, and the government.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, environment, expertise, housing, retrofit, skills
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Young Foundation on ‘A just transition in London’s retrofits’: 50%+ of London homes need urgent action, amid widespread barriers – affordability, distrust and accessibility
image for illustration: London by Kleon3 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 A Young Foundation report draws on extensive participatory research with Londoners from across the city to find widespread barriers to retrofit participation, including affordability concerns, distrust in providers, … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, environment, government, housing, planning, retrofit
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IHBC’s ‘Starter’ Signpost: HE’s ‘Brief Introduction to Semi-Detached Housing’
Historic England (HE) in its introduction to Semi-Detached housing explores the history of semi-detached housing in England.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged architecture, building, environment, history, housing, planning, rural, styles, urban
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Major investment partnership of Crown Estate and Lendlease: £24Bn to transform key growth sectors and deliver affordable housing across UK
A major new partnership between the Crown Estate and Lendlease has been agreed which will unlock housing and science innovation hubs across the UK worth £24 billion.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged expertise, funding, housing, jobs, science, skills, technology
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Planning and Infrastructure Bill Impact assessment published
The Impact Assessment for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill has been issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, communities, environment, expertise, government, housing, legislation, planning, skills
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Major reforms to environmental regulation ‘to boost growth and protect nature’, says government
image for illustration: Open Government Licence v3.0 Government reforms will streamline and modernise regulation to unlock growth, deliver 1.5 million homes and do more for nature under the Plan for Change.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged climate change, environment, expertise, government, housing, nature, planning
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Government unleashes next generation of construction workers to build 1.5m homes
image for illustration: Open Government Licence v3.0 New training will help deliver 1.5 million homes which will transform communities and drive growth through the Plan for Change.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, environment, expertise, government, housing, planning, skills, training
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Scotland’s guidance on ‘Effective community engagement in local development planning’
The Scottish Government has issued new guidance to assist with engagement activities in the preparation of local development plans, and is part of measures introduced by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 to ‘put community voices at the heart of the … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, community, development, environment, expertise, government, housing, planning, skills
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Built Environment Committee of House of Lord: Enquiries summary
The Built environment Committee of the House of Lords is currently conducting three enquiries in relation to the built environment which include: ‘New towns: Practical Delivery’; ‘The Grey Belt’; and ‘High Streets in Towns and Small Cities’.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, environment, expertise, government, grey belt, high streets, housing, planning, towns, urban
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Heritage Counts on ‘New Homes from Vacant Historic Buildings’: Up to 670K new homes ‘by repairing and repurposing existing historic buildings’
image for illustration: Joanna Theobald From vacant historic properties to new homes, there is an opportunity to provide 560,000 – 670,000 new homes in England by repairing and repurposing existing historic buildings.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, community, conservation, environment, expertise, government, heritage, housing, planning
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New Towns inquiry launched by Lords Built Environment Committee: to 12/05
image for illustration: Open Government Licence v3.0 The House of Lords Built Environment Committee has launched a modular inquiry into new towns and expanded settlements, taking evidence to 12 May 2025.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, environment, expertise, government, housing, nature, new towns, planning, skills
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