Opinion 鈥� Page 431
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Comment
Commercial property demand plummets
The latest RICS survey on commercial property demand makes grim reading.Two figures are particularly worrying for the construction sector. Firstly: The balance of surveyors reporting demand down against those seeing demand rising was 30%, the worst figure for six years. Secondly: The balance between surveyors saying there was more available ...
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Comment
Slowing lending points to worsening housing market
There was little joy in today's release of the Council of Mortgage Lenders March figures for lending, as they reinforced data pointing to a weakening housing market.Lending was up 5% on February, but the normal 20% March jump was absent with the figure 17% down on a year ago. Worse ...
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Comment
Still on course for zero
The recent report by NHBC on attitudes to zero-carbon homes must be seen as a call to action and not an excuse for failure.
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Comment
Not the final chapter
The seven architects shortlisted to design the 鈥淟ibrary of Birmingham with Repertory Theatre鈥� in Centenary Square would be well advised to take the grand promises of councillor Whitby and his senior advisers with a large pinch of salt.
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Comment
Hot air at speaker鈥檚 corner
According to The Daily Telegraph, 拢191,000 has been spent on air-conditioning for the speaker鈥檚 dwelling at the Palace of Westminster.
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Comment
As Poles depart - what then?
At last some good statistical news for the Government 鈥� unemployment down 鈥� employment up 鈥� an increase in the number of vacancies.This boost will be particularly welcomed by both the Chancellor and Prime Minister, as the employment figures are so far proving to be their strongest card in their ...
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Comment
Meanwhile... housing market gets gloomier over the pond
If the RICS housing market survey has failed to provide enough gloom, here's the story from across the Atlantic. Foreclosures (repossessions) in March up 57% on the same month a year ago, according to RealtyTrac, an online marketplace for foreclosure properties.RealtyTrac also suggests that things are so bad that more ...
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Comment
Worst housing market figures we've recorded, says RICS
The latest poll of estate agents by the surveyors body RICS produced the gloomiest set of figures on house price falls in the poll's 30 year history.According to the latest monthly RICS housing market survey, the seasonally adjusted figure for the difference between the proportion of agents seeing house price ...
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CommentReinwood vs Brown: Why their lordships were right
The latest House of Lords decision to spell out the rights and wrongs of the Construction Act, and the JCT, was based on sound commercial logic
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CommentLearn as you go
The construction and built environment diploma is to be launched this September, and the industry is working well with colleges to expand its reach. But how do we make sure it succeeds?
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CommentSurvival of the fittest
At the start of the year we carried a comment piece from David Pretty, the former Barratt chief executive, detailing two scenarios that housebuilders would have in place in the run-up to the spring selling season.
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CommentWeb watch - Jury service
Manchester鈥檚 Civil Justice Centre may have found favour with 星空传媒鈥檚 eminent panel of judges, but the verdict went in favour of Kingsdale School in our web poll, reports Katie Puckett
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Comment
Non-compliance with pre-action protocol: Orange Personal Communications Services vs Hoare Lee
This judgment arose out of an application by the remaining defendant in the claim, for a stay of the proceedings pending the implementation of the process laid down by the pre-action protocol for construction and engineering disputes.The claimant engaged Kier Regional Ltd to carry out the fitting out works to ...
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Comment
Pleural plaques: Kicking up a dust
In 2007 the Lords ruled that sufferers of pleural plaques could not seek compensation through the courts. But claimants could still succeed if they base their case on a breach of contract
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Comment
Lets be civilised
I find 星空传媒鈥檚 unbalanced response to proposals for the statutory provisions for disabled access to new build-homes disturbing (28 March, page 3, 54-57).
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Comment
Standing up for the little guy
It is little wonder that 70 SMEs went bust in a month, as reported in 星空传媒 recently (28 March, page 11). Despite the good intentions of Egan and Latham, the industry is imploding because of the ill-founded initiatives that were based on those reports.
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Comment
Two plus two makes five
Regarding the article 鈥淟ords reject economic benefits of immigration鈥� (1 April, www.building.co.uk) I wonder at times whether our government can actually add up.