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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
RTPI asks: Can England still build its utopian vision of a ‘new town’?
New research from the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) argues that the utopian ambition behind new towns doesn’t need to be abandoned, but rediscovered.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, development, government, housing, RTPI, towns
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New design guidance to raise the bar for new build developments
The government has published updated new build design guidance ‘to focus on design quality’.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, development, environment, government, housing
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Why City & Guilds says ‘Apprenticeships could be the only way out of the UK’s Housing Shortage’
When National Apprenticeship Week kicked off, global skills leader City & Guilds joined forces with Vistry, Travis Perkins, AMEY, and other major players in construction to spotlight a critical solution to one of the industry’s biggest challenges: the skills gap.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged apprenticeships, building, government, housing, skills
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IHBC’s ‘Research’ Signpost: LPA Planning Capacity and Capability Survey 2025
TheGovernment UK has published its Local Planning Authorities’ (LPA) ‘Planning Capacity and Capability Survey 2025’.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged england, housing, local authorities, planning, report
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the ‘super-rich’ doorstep’: Britain’s building standards so bad that even super-rich face housing misery…
Residents of the UK’s most expensive flats have won a court case over defective pipework – and if their homes are shoddily built, what hope do the rest of us have, asks Phineas Harper in The Guardian?
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged building, construction, expertise, government, housing, skills, trade
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IHBC ‘Management’ Signpost: Turley on ‘Grey Belt – What have we learned’
The introduction of ‘grey belt’ has been one of the most debated changes made to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in December 2024 while an article from Turley consultants considers what has been learned from its first year in … Continue reading
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged government, Green Belt, housing, NPPF, planning, policy
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RICS Scotland Manifesto 2026 – Surveying Scotland: ‘ambitions… not be achievable without urgent action on skills & workforce’
RICS has published its ‘Scotland Manifesto – Surveying Scotland’, setting out clear priorities for the next Scottish Government and warning that ambitions on housing delivery, infrastructure investment, protecting our existing assets and climate action will not be achievable without urgent … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged climate, government, housing, RICS, Scotland, skills
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IHBC urges ‘risk-based approach to retrofit’ with Government’s ‘Warm Homes Plan’ – ‘biggest home upgrade plan in British history’
image for illustration: IHBC The IHBC has welcomed Government’s £15Bn ’Warm Homes Plan’ – to ’help millions of families benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation…’ – but says it must ‘ensure that retrofit is done properly’.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged climate change, expertise, government, heritage, housing, planning, retrofit
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: Westminster Council launches ‘Retrofit First’ policy & more in City Plan Partial Review
Westminster City Council has published its ‘City Plan Partial Review’, setting out strengthened planning policies on retrofitting, affordable housing, with a new Retrofit First policy, requiring developers to explore options for retrofitting etc. before seeking permission for demolition etc.’
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged development, housing, local authorities, planning, policy, retrofit
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‘Empty Properties in Wales’ handbook issued by Welsh Government
The Welsh Government has published guide for finding out how to bring empty properties back into use.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged commercial, government, housing, planning, residential, urban, wales
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Regeneration leader appointed to key role at Homes England
John Reid will join government’s housing and regeneration agency in March 2026 to lead new national hub, working hand-in-hand with regional teams, as strategic plan comes into action.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged environment, government, housing, planning
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New Newsletter from TCPA on Healthy Homes
The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) has issued a new Newsletter on Healthy Homes, including resources, consultations and events.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, environment, government, housing, planning, retrofit
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Scottish Government scheme launched: Finding new owners for empty homes
A scheme launched by the Scottish Government aims to help return more empty homes to active use starting with a new online portal.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged community, government, homes, housing, Scotland
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England’s NPPF update: New consultation on proposed reforms and other changes to the planning system, to 10/03
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is consulting on a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), notably linked to data centres, onsite energy generation, viability assessments and site thresholds.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged communities, framework, government, housing, planning
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RIBA responds to Environmental Audit Committee report on sustainable housing growth
The Environmental Audit Committee report on environmental sustainability and housing growth response by the Royal Institute of British Architects(RIBA) urges the government to accelerate action on embodied carbon and skills.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged environment, housing, report, RIBA, sustainability
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CIC Responds to the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) has issued its response to the 2026 Budget.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged budget, building, construction, ecosystem, government, housing, investment, productivity, skills
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the doorstep’: ‘Failings at every level’ resulted in botched insulation scheme, MPs told
image for illustration: IHBC A botched net zero scheme which has caused damp issues in thousands of homes was the result of ‘serious failings at every level’, a UK government official has said.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged building, environment, expertise, government, housing, insulation, planning, skills
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Parliamentary Committee: Nature not a ‘blocker’ to housing; needed for ‘resilient towns & neighbourhoods’, and calls for housebuilding target changes and reduced VAT (for retrofitting)
Nature is not a ‘blocker’ to delivering new housing, but rather a necessity for building resilient towns and neighbourhoods, MPs argue in a House of Commons committee report on ‘Environmental sustainability and housing growth’, with responses from government due in … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, cross-party, environment, expertise, government, housing, planning
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IHBC features ‘Heritage from the Global doorstep’: A town wants to give away its 100-year-old convent: is it a housing solution?
image for illustration: Convent of Jesus and Mary, Gravelbourg by Archyfb, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Gravelbourg, Sask., looks for a visionary to give historic building a new life, reports CBC.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged building, conservation, environment, expertise, heritage, housing, planning
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Government’s Pride in Place: Strategy update
The Pride in Place Strategy will help build stronger communities, create thriving places and empower local people, argues Government UK.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged community, expertise, funding, government, health, housing, placemaking, strategy
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Parliamentary Committee: Nature not a ‘blocker’ to housing; needed for ‘resilient towns & neighbourhoods’, and calls for housebuilding target changes and reduced VAT (for retrofitting)
Nature is not a ‘blocker’ to delivering new housing, but rather a necessity for building resilient towns and neighbourhoods, MPs argue in a House of Commons committee report on ‘Environmental sustainability and housing growth’, with responses from government due in … Continue reading
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, construction, economics, environment, expertise, government, housing, nature, planning, retrofit
Comments Off on Parliamentary Committee: Nature not a ‘blocker’ to housing; needed for ‘resilient towns & neighbourhoods’, and calls for housebuilding target changes and reduced VAT (for retrofitting)
Housebuilding around train stations will be given default ‘yes’, including in Green Belt, as: ‘Builders Speechless’
Government says that housebuilding near well-connected train stations will receive a default ‘yes’ in future if they meet certain rules, ensuring more homes are built.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, commuting, construction, consultation, environment, government, housing, insfrastructure, nature, planning
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TCPA Blog: Review of Homes England’s Healthy Homes Standard: Our homes are not islands
New Government design requirements and guidance for the Healthy Homes Standard (HHS), to be used by Homes England etc. on under the Affordable Housing Programme, is the subject of a Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) blog.
IHBC’s ‘Professional’ Parliamentary Signpost: Lords completes examination of Planning and Infrastructure Bill
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill had its third reading, ‘a chance for members to make sure the eventual law is effective, workable and without loopholes’, on Monday 10 November.
Posted in IHBC NewsBlog
Tagged building, climate change, environment, expertise, government, housing, infrastructure, nature, planning, skills
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Home Builders Federation – ‘State of Play: Challenges and opportunities facing SME home builders’: 89% highlight LA capacity constraints
The ‘SME State of Play’ report details the findings of one of the most comprehensive surveys of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) housebuilders, conducted by the Home Builders Federation (HBF), Close Brothers Property Finance and Travis Perkins.
Posted in Sector NewsBlog
Tagged builders, building, construction, expertise, housing, report, skills
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