Opinion 鈥� Page 355
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Going all out for 80 per cent
Construction鈥檚 reform agenda needs kickstarting and a review of how the industry is placed to respond to the demands of a low carbon economy could do the trick
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CommentWonders & blunders with Chris Johnson
The Thorncrown Chapel in Arizona is worth a special pilgrimage, says Chris Johnson, but a classic example of eighties City architecture should be sent for recycling
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GDP figures: a turn up for the books
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published its initial forecast of GDP for the third quarter of 2009 on Friday. With most forecasters anticipating the end of the recession, there was considerable disappointment that the economy has now been contracting for the past 18 months.For the record, the Construction Products ...
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White Young Green: investors brace yourself
Under Stock Market rules, White Young Green has got until the end of this week to announce its results. Gulp.If the word on the street is true, chief exec Paul Hamer and new chairman Mike McTighe are probably not expecting the most comfortable morning of their lives.Although the consultant engineer ...
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Comment
Falling construction helps hold UK in recession
An estimated fall of 1.1% in construction output in the third quarter of this year has helped to hold the UK economic growth in recessionary territory.Much to the surprise of many analysts the UK economy appears to have remained in recession, with GDP output falling 0.4% in the three months ...
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Comment
A common disaster
The Construction Confederation has gone bust, leaving a 拢20m deficit in its pension fund and hundreds of people who stand to lose up to 70% of their retirement income. The situation is extremely depressing for those affected, but it鈥檚 not a scandal. It鈥檚 not a tale of incompetence or deceit. ...
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CommentThe evil that men do
The government鈥檚 removal of empty property rate relief has been universally recognised as a wicked and ungodly act. Even Alistair Darling seems to have grasped this
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The OFT vs Tony Bingham
Tony Bingham鈥檚 article, 鈥淭he cost of a phone call鈥� (9 October, page 30), is based on a misunderstanding of the Office of Fair Trading鈥檚 position. The OFT has never claimed that unilaterally submitting a high price is illegal. Rather, as Mr Bingham says, the illegality arises where the price is ...
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Linnett vs the OFT
Tony Bingham was right 鈥渙n the money鈥�, so to speak, in his article exposing the obvious weakness of the OFT鈥檚 stance on cover pricing
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CommentSport: The real enemy
Don鈥檛 get the idea that I鈥檓 speaking from any sort of moral high ground, or even from a moral hillock, but Chris Wise鈥檚 comments about steel were interesting and I thought perhaps ought to be brought to their logical conclusion (9 October, page 28)
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Bad experience
New apprenticeships are very important to the future progress of the industry (鈥淕ove: Conservatives to triple apprenticeships鈥�, www.building.co.uk)
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Learn through laughter
I was thoroughly enjoying your 9 October publication until I wandered across David Westwood鈥檚 email regarding your health and safety blunders (page 27), which sent me into fits of laughter and disbelief
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Comment
When life gets complicated
Open mike: We sing the praises of whole-life costing but find it tricky to put into practice. The recently launched British Standard will do nothing to change this: we need a new approach
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Tory planning policy: Merging on the ridiculous
The Tories say they鈥檇 integrate the new Infrastructure Planning Commission with the Planning Inspectorate. It鈥檚 a bold vision, but unfortunately it would make the situation worse
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CommentHansom: Sweet little mysteries
This week we鈥檙e trying to get to the bottom of the Laing O鈥橰ourke leadership imbroglio, the ownership of the late Denys Lasdun鈥檚 papers and the meaning of Richard Rogers鈥� smile
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CommentA common disaster
The situation is serious for those affected, but it鈥檚 not a scandal. It鈥檚 not a tale of incompetence or deceit. It鈥檚 just the way things are now
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Comment
Why let planning just look like a lottery? Make it one
On the subject of Grant Shapps and John Healey, I attended the Housing Market Intelligence conference last week at which both spoke.I obviously recommend the conference because I have a vested interest in it and indeed the associated report, which I edit. But that is not the point.While the presentation ...
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Food for thought for would-be housing minister
The 星空传媒 and Social Housing Foundation has emailed its latest report "The Future of Housing", which has just been published.It would be rather tricky to summarise the document other than to say it provides a critical look at the state of the post-credit-crunch housing market.The report is a synthesis of ...