Showing Tag: "architect" (Show all posts)

The impact for planners from a landmark affordable housing judgment

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Thursday, August 13, 2015, In : Planning 

A landmark High Court ruling that the government remove planning practice guidance exempting small developments from affordable housing obligations will impact many schemes' viability and could alter the way ministers approach policy changes in the future. New planning guidance that exempts small sites from affordable housing obligations has been scrapped following a landmark High Court judgment. 

Mr Justice Holgate’s ruling, issued after a judicial review made by two councils in the south e...


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Initiative Launched by Housing Minister with Industry Following CIC Report

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Wednesday, March 13, 2013, In : Housing 

A government industry working group is being set up to promote increased use of off-site prefabrication in house building. The working group has been launched by housing minister Mark Prisk following on from the findings of a new report produced by the Construction Industry Council (CIC). 

Issues for the group to review include:

  • encouraging off-site construction and prefabrication to deliver an increased number of new houses
  • promoting investment in the emerging sector
  • helping to create market con...

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Why is it Important to Use a RIBA Chartered Architect?

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Tuesday, February 26, 2013, In : RIBA Chartered Architects 

I am repeatedly asked why it is important to use an Architect, when sometimes it can be cheaper to use an un-registered plan drawer or architectural designer, what’s the difference?

To call oneself an ‘architectural designer’ you don’t necessarily need any formal qualifications or experience, whereas the title ‘Architect’ is protected by law and can only be used by people registered with the Architects Registration board (ARB), having gone through the relevant training and demonstr...


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Chief construction adviser Hansford puts BIM at centre of new construction strategy

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Thursday, January 24, 2013, In : BIM 

New chief construction adviser Peter Hansford has stressed the importance of building information modelling (BIM) to the industry’s future. “BIM is a catalyst for a more collaborative way of working. It is a key agent for economic growth,” Hansford said at the launch of BIM2050 in London this month.

BIM2050 brings together 17 young construction professionals to consider future digital technologies, including BIM. Chaired by David Philp, head of BIM at Mace, BIM 2050 members include Rebec...


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Offices to homes conversions part of housing stimulus

Posted by Jonathan Braddick RIBA Chartered Architect on Sunday, September 16, 2012, In : RIBA Planning 

The government has revived plans to allow the conversion of vacant office buildings to residential use, a flagship policy from last year designed to increase the pipeline of new homes that the coalition said subsequently would not be implemented following a hostile reaction to consultation.

The Government confirmed that it would not take the proposals forward in a ministerial statement issued by Communities Secretary Eric Pickles last week in support of the housing stimulus package.

Pickles say...


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Home Ownership Boosts Happiness

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Monday, August 13, 2012, In : RIBA Architect in The House 2012 

The UK’s first well being survey has revealed that owning your own home makes you more happy when compared with living in other tenures.

The survey, carried out by the Office for National statistics, found that 80% of people that owned their home outright or had a mortgage were of medium to high levels of satisfaction. This compared with only 68% of people that found satisfaction living in other types of tenure.

The research even found that ‘An individual’s housing tenure and the leve...


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Wales goes its own way on Part L, with more ambitious savings than England

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Friday, August 10, 2012, In : RIBA - Part L 
The paths to zero carbon construction have begun to diverge for England and Wales, with Welsh environment minister John Griffiths launching a consultation on Part L of the Building Regulations that looks set to leave English proposals trailing behind.
The Welsh government has unveiled two options for strengthening Part L for new housing: either a 40% improvement on Part L 2010 from the start of 2015 or a staged 25% improvement in 2014 followed by an additional review two years later that would...

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Sunday Times Smart Home Competition Shortlist

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Wednesday, August 8, 2012, In : RIBA Planning 

The short list for the Sunday Times British Home Awards 'Smart Homes' competition have been released.

The competition is seeking integrated, interoperable solutions that demonstrate the application of digital monitoring and control systems in the home.

The panel of judges have selected a shortlist of 6 designs which are now open for your vote until midnight on August 13 2012 through thewww.thesundaytimes.co.uk/homeawards

SHORTLISTED

    • Street Smart: White arkitekter
    • S,M,L home: Pentan...


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Neighbourhood Planning

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Saturday, July 7, 2012, In : RIBA Planning 
The Government has recently introduced new legislation, in the form of neighbourhood planning powers, that will allow local communities to have greater control over the look and feel of their area.

Planning is complex, and so the structures must be in place to ensure communities have the necessary support in this process. The profession has a key role to play in enabling the best outcomes from this policy initiative and we are looking to explore the ways in which to provide both the structures...

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Last Chance to Sign up for RIBA Architect in The House 2012

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Monday, June 25, 2012, In : RIBA Architect in The House 2012 

It is the last chance to sign up for the RIBA's 'Architect in the House 2012' and help to raise money for the Charity Shelter. Registration to the scheme closes on Monday 11 July, so if you or your friends or colleagues are considering signing up to the scheme, then now is the time. 

So far over 1,200 fellow RIBA architects have donated their time in support of Shelter and over 2,500 homeowners have signed up to Architect in the House 2012, raising over £200,000.00 for the charity Shelter. 

Yo...


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All change for conservation area consents and immunity orders in heritage legislation

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Thursday, June 7, 2012, In : Planning 

Changes to the heritage protection regime are on the way following publication of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill sponsored by the Department of Business. Many of the proposed changes have been in discussion for some years and English Heritage has welcomed the arrival of legislation to deliver improvements to the system.

The bill seeks to fundamentally change the Heritage List for England so that the extent of a building's special interest would be legally defined in its list entry ...


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Extensions, Loft Conversions and Adding Value to Your Home

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, In : Extensions 
More and more people are deciding to improve their homes rather than move, taking the view that there is plenty of scope in adding to the value of their home for longer-term gain through carefully considered extensions, upgrades and installations. Why move and pay huge amounts of stamp duty, legal fees, estate agents fees and removal costs when, with a bit of creative thinking, you can invest this money to make your current house the home you have always dreamed of.
A  well-planned and execute...
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New Self Build Portal Launched

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Thursday, April 26, 2012, In : Self Build 

Grant Shapps, the minister for housing and self-proclaimed self-build enthusiast, hosted a celebrity 'workshop' at 10 Downing Street last week to highlight new support measures for self-builders and to make a pledge to double the size of the bespoke homes sector.

The event saw the launch of a new one-stop Self Build Portal that brings together sources of advice and a progress report from the National Self Build Association (NaSBA), which drew up an action plan last year at the request of the...


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Warmer Homes

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Friday, April 6, 2012, In : Green Refurbishment 

The Green Building Store has just launched some extremely useful new resources on low energy retrofits, which aim to help householders make well-informed decisions for improving the energy efficiency of their homes.

The resources include case studies of typical hard-to-treat homes in West Yorkshire and also offer guidance on developing 'whole house plans' and ventilation strategies. 

Click here to download

Click on the You Tube link below to watch computer animations showing examples of best pra...


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Neighbourhood Planning and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, In : Planning 

The Government’s new planning reforms (NPPF) will result in a presumption in favour of ‘Sustainable Development’ and present a huge opportunity for commercial developers and house builders, as long as they are able to demonstrate the sustainable credentials of a scheme and a willingness to engage with local neighbourhoods at the planning stage.

Projects that have been previously refused and even dismissed at appeal also promise to be reincarnated, again, as long as the schemes sustainabl...

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Consumer Guide to Buying Replacement Windows and Doors

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Friday, March 2, 2012, In : Windows and Doors 

If you’re looking to buy new windows and doors, then here a few hints and tips to make sure you choose the best company to install your new home improvement products.

1.0       Recommendations

As with all building work, picking a company to install your windows and doors requires you placing your trust in a company you may never have used or even heard of before. That is why it is a good idea to use a company that has been recommended to you by word of mouth. It needs to be someone recommende...


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£24k For Ashburton Householders To Show Us Their Hotspots

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Friday, February 17, 2012, In : Green Refurbishment 

An Ashburton initiative has won thousands of pounds of Government funding to explore how local homes can go much greener.

Local residents are being urged to “Show us your hotspots” and take part in the study – which will arm all Ashburton householders with expert knowledge to help make their homes cosier and their energy bills smaller.

The money will also pay for 100 residents to take a day trip to a national green building centre to see for themselves the best way to improve their h...


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Part L carbon reduction target drops from 25% to 8% for 2013

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Thursday, February 2, 2012, In : Building Regulations 

"The Government launched its long-awaited consultation on proposed changes to the Building Regulations this week, setting out a number of proposals designed to boost energy efficiency.

The Government has has made great efforts to mitigate the cost impact on house builders of achieving Part L from next year by setting an improvement target of 8% in additional carbon savings compared to the 25% that the industry had been told to expect by the previous government. There is no plan to drop the obj...


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Green Deal ... Deal or No Deal ?

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, In : Green Deal 

Overall the ‘Green Deal’ is a very exciting and positive scheme that should be supported and encouraged, however there are still some key concerns that need to be addressed if the scheme is to be the success it could be.

The ‘Green Deal’ is a framework to enable private firms to offer consumers energy efficiency improvements for their homes, community spaces and businesses at no upfront cost, and recoup payments through ongoing charges on energy bills.

The financing mechanism allows con...


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Proposed Reforms to the Planning System Needs Significant Changes, According to MPs...

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, In : Planning 
According to a report by MPs, the Government’s proposed reforms to the planning system will allow unsustainable developments to go ahead and needs “significant” alterations. The report says that the government needs to clarify the definition of sustainable development, and tighten up drafting in a number of key areas in order to avoid: “fuelling a system of planning by appeal”.

Clive Betts MP, chair of the Communities and Local Government Committee, said:

“The way the framework is d...

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Planning ... All Change?

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, In : Planning 

Building Magazine has reported that the number of planning permissions granted in the three months to September 2011 was 10% down on the previous year. This is according to the latest figures from the Home Builders’ Federation.

The HBF is reported to have said its quarterly housing pipeline report showed that just 32,500 homes were given planning permission in the third quarter, down from 38,500 in the same period last year.

The number of units approved in the first nine months of the year is...


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Introducing Jonathan Braddick Chartered Architect

Posted by Jonathan Braddick on Tuesday, January 10, 2012,
Thank you for visiting my web blog. 

 Please click here to visit my website home page.

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Jonathan Braddick - RIBA Architects Devon


Jonathan Braddick Jonathan Braddick is a RIBA Chartered Architect based in Devon, in Exmouth near Exeter. Jonathan is Chairman of the South West Region of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Jonathan is also founder and chairman of the Design Review Panel (www.designreviewpanel.co.uk) which provides impartially, independent, multidiciplinary design review / place review services to local authorities. In private practice, Jonathan offers a comprehensive Architects service: from conceptual design through to completion on site, and beyond. Jonathan practices throughout the South West and South East of England. Jonathan provides full Architect services across all project sectors and types, but his particular passion is for bespoke, ecologically sustainable, residential developments including: housing developments, individual house builds, conversions and high-end extensions for both developer and private clients. Jonathan Braddick is not just a designer, but has a strong focus on carrying projects through from inception to completion on site. Jonathan provides a high level of legislative and technical knowledge as well as specialist expertise in construction procurement and on site contract administration. Jonathan ensures that his designs respond to all relevant planning legislation, will comply with the building regulations, are constructionally cost effective and buildable on site. In house sustainability/energy efficient design is provided as a matter of course.

Copyright 2012  Jonathan Braddick  - RIBA Chartered Architect Devon    44a Waverley Road, Exmouth Devon EX8 3HJ    01395 265768     www.jonathanbraddick.co.uk     jb@riba.co