Housing minister Grant Shapps has confirmed to MPs key details of the proposed new homes bonus scheme which will start in April 2011 and last six years.
Structural Engineering and Surveying Specialists
November 3, 2010
October 27, 2010
Call for Housing Conversions on Farms to be Made Easier
Average house prices in rural England have more than doubled over the past decade to over £250,000 but the average salary remains at approx. £21,000 and the number of people on social housing waiting lists in rural areas has risen to 750,000 over the same period.
Communities minister Andrew Stunell has called on all Councils to consider amending existing planning policies to make it easier for Farmers to develop disused farm buildings and offer affordable homes on the farm for local people.
Stunell said “Farmers are the custodians of our countryside, managing thousands of acres of rural land across England. But when they want to make disused buildings available for new homes, they can often face an uphill battle to get planning permission in the face of their council’s development plans. That’s why I want to make it easier for farmers to offer homes on the farm for local people”.
National Farmers Union planning adviser Ivan Moss said; “the home on the farm scheme is an excellent opportunity for farmers who want to use their outbuildings for a constructive purpose. It should also sustain the rural economy by providing homes for those working in it. The NFU will watch with interest the outcomes of the first applications from farmers to their local councils to convert disused buildings into affordable homes and hope that councils will be equally eager to be pioneers in the scheme”.
Source of information: The Planning Portal
October 20, 2010
TPO’s to be cut short
Proposals to simplify Tree Preservation Order paperwork has been announced by planning minister Bob Neill.
As part of the government’s drive to cut red tape, the proposal aims to consolidate the legal provisions currently contained in regulations and tree preservation orders (TPO’s) in England.
This move should save councils thousands in administration costs each year by using a shorter and easier to understand model order.
This is good news for homeowners and insurers alike as the new process should not only remove ambiguities but ultimately speed up the often extremely complex and lengthy process of appeals and hearings when dealing with Local Authorities and tree related subsidence.
October 13, 2010
Flood protection will escape worst of government’s cuts
The government’s flood minister has signalled that flood protection will escape the worst of the cuts in the comprehensive spending review, the details of which will be announced on 20 October.
Environment minister Richard Benyon told a Conservative Party conference fringe event on flooding, held on Tuesday by the ABI, that flood defences were viewed as a priority.
If you have suffered a flood you will know how devastating and distressing it is. Brewsters have extensive first hand experience in dealing with flood related insurance claims, most recently those in Hull and Gloucester in 2007.
There are steps you can take to help prevent flooding from damaging your home by fitting flood resistant measures such as flood guards to your property and using flood resilient materials such as water resistant plaster.
‘FLOODWALL’ provides an inexpensive flood-defence system which will not only offer you flood protection but also help you acquire sensibly priced insurance cover, normal premiums and minimal excess.
For a video demonstration and to find out more, visit www.floodwall.uk.com
September 13, 2010
Climate change; number of droughts likely to increase?
A Met Office study on how climate change could affect the frequency of extreme droughts in the UK has found a range of possibilities — the majority of them showing such droughts will become more common.
For insurers, dry spells mean an increase in subsidence claim numbers.
September 2, 2010
It won’t be long before the cracks start to appear
We can’t ignore the warnings that it won’t be long before the cracks start to appear as Britain’s insurance industry brace themselves for the predicted surge in subsidence claims following this year’s weather conditions.
The Met Office have reported that the UK has had the driest first 6 months of the year since 1929.
August 20, 2010
Dry Summers mean more subsidence claims
In anticipation of the predicted surge in claim numbers, The Independent report:
Despite the rainy weather many of us have had over the past week, this has been one of the driest summers in the past 50 years, and homeowners are warned this means the threat of subsidence – which could cause hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage to their properties – has increased.
August 12, 2010
‘Help! My House Is Falling Down’
Brewsters proudly watch on as sister company Auger feature in Channel 4’s brand new series with Sarah Beeny ‘Help! My House is Falling Down’.
Auger, who specialise in drainage and subsidence investigations and repairs, were invited by Channel 4 to investigate with Sarah some of the problems encountered by some unlucky homeowners.
The series, which is currently showing on Tuesday evenings at 8:00pm, provides an insight into a variety of serious problems unsuspecting homeowners have inherited, from overflowing wells to cracks and subsidence.
Sarah investigates the cause of the problems, with assistance from Auger and other professionals, who offer the homeowners expert advice on how best to repair their homes.
The series, which covers some extreme defects, is sure to provide gripping entertainment and what better way to see Auger in action!
Catch up on the most recent episode here and for more information visit auger’s website
April 20, 2010
As the UK’s air space and airports remain closed due to volcanic ash, more and more workers are becoming stranded overseas. How will this affect your business?
Reading today’s Newsletter from Sage Ltd, the following article was of particular interest…..
“Four days in to the volcanic ash travel chaos, and many SMEs are suffering from depleted workforces as their employees are stuck abroad. Three Royal Navy ships will be drafted in to help rescue some of the 150,000 stranded Britons, but the majority will be left to find their own way home.
March 19, 2010
Time Thieves!
Reading February’s edition of Good Housekeeping, I came across this short article of essential tips for time-crunched women! Here’s an extract;
