The Housing Corporation announced it was adopting the 2012 Construction Commitments, which were developed by industry and government to set the standards for the construction of the 2012 Olympics.
The Corporation will expect all bidders to its 2008 National Affordable Housing Programme to sign up to a set of 2012 Construction Commitments adapted for affordable housing providers.
The Construction Commitments will replace the Housing Corporation's existing Clients Charter as a requirement for bidders. This will result in a reduction of bureaucracy for affordable housing providers as well as a clear industry-supported focus on best practice across this multi-billion construction sector.
The Construction Commitments were developed by the Strategic Forum for Construction's 2012 Task Group. The six areas covered include:
Peter Rogers, Chair of the Strategic Forum for Construction Olympic Task Group, said:
"The 2012 Construction Commitments succinctly set out best practice in construction procurement. I am delighted that the Housing Corporation is joining with the Strategic Forum for Construction in promoting their use. With clients and the industry working together in this way, we really will deliver a better, more sustainable end product and an improved industry."
Richard Hill, Director of Investment Programmes and Procurement at the Housing Corporation, said:
"Ensuring affordable housing providers follow the Construction Commitments developed for the 2012 Olympics is an important move forward for the whole sector. These standards have been developed and adopted by industry leaders and the Government, and offer a clear focus on improving practice for our partners. At the same time, replacing our reliance upon the Clients Charter regime and instead focussing on a sector specific version of these commitments will minimise bureaucracy for providers, achieving the outcome sought by respondents to our Future Investment Approaches consultation."
The Government launched a major modernisation of the building control system with the publication of a paper detailing its vision for how the system can be improved.
The Future for Building Control sets out a package of options the Government is keen to develop further, and invites interested parties to provide suggestions on how reform should proceed. The publication follows detailed discussions with key members of industry on the strengths and weaknesses of the current system, which have highlighted the strong case for reform.
The paper recognises a number of important shortcomings with the current system, including the lack of a clear future vision for the purpose of building control, the current piecemeal approach to regulatory change, and the complexity of guidance. Problems with achieving compliance and with effective enforcement are also highlighted as key areas for action.
Amongst those ideas included in the package are options for:
Providing greater enforcement powers for local authorities to tackle persistent offenders.
Further helping with compliance by providing simple customer focused guidance that helps with specific building work or types of problems.
Moving away from a piecemeal approach to building regulation review and towards a longer fixed-term cycle with planned pauses and a clear indication of future changes.
Formulating options for making sure that building control bodies are properly resourced into the future.
Angela Smith, Minister for Building Regulations, said:
"There is a clear case for reform of the building control System, both for industry and for the consumer. Initial talks with stakeholders have proved very helpful in giving government a steer on the areas we need to modernise to make it as effective and straightforward as it should be."
A study document was also published - Achieving Building Standards - which has fed into the Government's analysis of the current system.
New research reports that more than 16,000 jobs have been created in former coalfield areas, and 4,500 football pitches' worth of previously derelict contaminated land put back into use over the last ten years.
At the 6th National Coalfield Conference, in Rotherham, it was announced that a further six sites - two of them on Tyneside - are now set for regeneration with additional new funding of £20 million.
The research report confirms 10 years of work and £374 million of government investment via the National Coalfield Programme (NCP) and the Coalfield Regeneration Trust (CRT), which have turned round some of the most deprived areas of the country.
Jarrow Riverside in South Tyneside and Felling (John) Pit in Gateshead are among the six new sites, which will now be part of the NCP. Other sites are in Nottinghamshire, Wigan, Deal in Kent and Pooley Hall in Warwickshire.
Renewing land, building homes and creating jobs are important parts of regenerating coalfield communities. By 2012 the regeneration will:
Sustained regeneration of the coalfields will now depend on how the resources are allocated and used by organisations such as Job Centre Plus, LEAs and schools, DWP, PCTs, local authority transport planners, regulators and the sub-regional passenger transport authorities.
Genesis Housing Group was set to develop more than 180 homes after receiving planning permission for the scheme from Tower Hamlets Council.
The site will feature three residential blocks, as well as commercial units at Thomas Road in Tower Hamlets. Half of the homes will be available to rent at affordable rates and to buy through the New Build Homebuy scheme. Several four and five bedroom homes suitable for local families will also be built at the site.
The homes feature landscaped courtyards, rooftop gardens, and a canal side walkway linked directly to Bow Common Bridge.
The scheme is expected to complete by summer 2009.
Sally Keeble, MP for Northampton North, officially opened a multi-million pound development of affordable homes at Countess Road, in Northampton. Originally a brown-field site, which had fallen into disrepair, the development for Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) will provide a mixture of 142 rented and shared-ownership homes just outside the town centre.
The site has been built in two phases. Phase 1 includes a 10-room purpose-built teenage parent project called New Horizons. NCHA'S Housing with Care and Support team manages the property, and Bromford Housing Group provides support to the service-users.
Some of the rented accommodation has been adapted for disabled users, including a stair-lift, a wheelchair kitchen, and a level access shower.
All nominations for the rented accommodation will come from Northampton Borough Council or NCHA's other accommodation in the Northampton area.
An ambitious £5 million scheme to redevelop the site of a large factory and a part of a local authority car park into housing, in South Wigston, has begun.
The mixed tenure development by housing group LHA-ASRA will comprise 41 units. 21 units will be for Newbuild Homebuy, and 15 units will be for outright sale.
Prospective purchasers will be able to choose from two-bed and one-bed apartments and studios. Five two-bedroom homes will be available for social rent.
