Mapping UK house prices

The ONS has created an interactive map, using house price data, to show the most and least expensive parts of the country to buy a property at a local level. While the average price of a home in the UK is now £272,000, up 9.8% over the course of last year, regionally this figure rises to £502,191 in London and falls to £142,195 in Northern Ireland. The five most pricey areas in the UK are all found in London – Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, the City of, Camden and Hammersmith and Fulham. ONS analysis shows the average price for properties bought by first-time buyers last year rose by 10%, down on the 11% rise the previous year. Separately, property sales fell in January, dropping by 6% compared with a year ago. Transactions totalled 97,320 in January, according to the latest seasonally-adjusted figures from HMRC. That is the lowest level since October 2013, and the fourth consecutive monthly drop in sales. Peter Rolling’s of Marsh & Parsons, said that buyer demand was "still rosy" so he expected activity to pick up again. "January has seen a boost in agreed sales, which has firmly set the ball rolling for 2015, and this will only gather faster momentum during the spring - typically one of the most popular times to move house - when these completions come to fruition," he said.

A new company given the contract to assess disabled people for a sickness benefit has told the BBC it will do one million assessments this year.

Maximus is being paid £595m over three years to carry out work capability assessments for people applying for employment and support allowance. The Department of Work and Pensions cut short a contract with Atos last year after "significant quality failures". Maximus is promising to clear a backlog of around 600,000 claims. It is also planning to reduce the time people wait for their results from at least 120 days to the recommended 90 days. President of health services, Leslie Wolfe, told BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme: "Part of what Atos didn't have was a [big] enough team to keep up with the wait times. "That's one of our first priorities. We need to clear about one million [work capability assessment] claims this year. "We'll actually need hundreds of new healthcare professionals across the UK in order to clear the backlog that's there, which is about 500,000-600,000 people, and also to keep up with the ongoing new volume of claims that customers are putting in." Read the rest of this article here.

Guidance on CDM Regulations 2015

Draft Guidance on The Construction (Design and Management),Regulations 2015 These new regulations which come into force on the 6th April have prompted much discussion in our office. It would be interesting to have yours too. I've attached the latest HSE draft guidance for your use. Click HERE to download the draft document.

Leeds best value

New research by DTZ suggests that commercial property in Leeds is the most under-priced in the country. David Thompson, retail director in DTZ's Leeds office, said: "The Leeds retail market looks particularly good value at the moment, as yields have not compressed as much as in other, larger, markets…in addition there are some good buying opportunities available now, before the whole retail market benefits from the opening of the Victoria Centre with a new John Lewis store in 2016." We are currently involved as the Access Consultants on this develop and have recognized a real buzz in the economy since works began on site.

Hammerson doubles profits

Hammerson has reported that pre-tax profits more than doubled last year due to revaluation gains. For the first time since the financial crash, Hammerson is able to charge higher rents across its £6.7bn portfolio as retailers’ battle for space in the best shopping centres. Profit before tax at the firm more than doubled from £341.2m a year earlier to £703.1m for the year ended 31 December 2014. Net asset value jumped 11.3% to £6.38m. Net rental income - comprised of income from rents, car parks and commercial sales - rose 8.1% to £305.6m from £282.8m a year earlier. The number of people visiting Hammerson’ s malls actually fell 1.3% last year as the popularity of online shopping increased. But the firm said: “Consumers are spending more time and money during each visit to our centres.” The FT’s Lex column admits that things are looking rosy for Hammerson, but points out that property is a cyclical business so it might not pay to hang on to shares too long. Elsewhere, the Evening Standard notes that Hammerson may have to revise its plans for an £800m overhaul of Bishopsgate Goods Yard in Shoreditch due to local opposition.

TV homes unaffordable for shows’ characters

Halifax has published a “light hearted look at house prices” which ranks the cost of residential property in a number of areas home to TV soaps. The average price of a home in Albert Square, home to EastEnders, is up 923% since the show began 30 years ago. A home in Coronation Street, on the other hand, has risen from £19,097 in 1984 to £128,626. The research also considered whether characters featuring on the shows would be able to afford a modern home on their salaries, finding that in most cases they would find it extremely difficult.

Output falls in December

ONS figures reveal that UK industrial output fell 0.2% in December, partly hit by maintenance work on North Sea oil and gas fields. However, year-on-year industrial output was up 1.7% and manufacturing growth of 0.1% in the month surprised economists, who had forecast a 0.1% decrease. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research has predicted that construction growth went into reverse between October and January, and that only the services sector expanded.

The first straw houses in the UK to be offered on the open market are on sale.

Though straw walls might be most readily linked to a story of pigs making questionable construction choices, the team behind these homes says the material could help to sustainably meet housing demand. The homes are the result of an engineering research project led by the University of Bath. The researchers worked with specialist architectural firm Modcell. The team says this development should move building with straw from a niche technique for the ecologically minded to the wider market. Prefabricating straw bale walls (c) Modcell A typical three-bedroom house would use about seven tonnes of straw. The houses, on a street of traditional brick-built homes in Bristol, are clad in brick to fit in with the surroundings. But their prefabricated walls are timber framed, filled with straw bales and encased in wooden boards. Prof Pete Walker from the University of Bath, who led the project to develop and test this construction method, told BBC News: "I think there's a lot of misconception about using straw - stories about the three little pigs and the big bad wolf, concerns about fire resistance." As part of this EU-funded project, Prof Walker and his colleagues have systematically tested and refined the technology - including testing its structural and weight-bearing properties, and its thermal insulation. "Our testing over a number of years, and our research has demonstrated that it is a robust and safe form of construction." He added that, since straw absorbs carbon dioxide as is grows, using it as a building material actually "locks carbon into the walls" of a building

Sean Lennon sued over invading tree

John Lennon's son Sean is being sued for £6.6m by his Manhattan neighbours who claim a rotting tree on his property is invading their home.

Survey reveals housing to be an election issue

A survey carried out for the Generation Rent campaign found that 38% of the public would be more likely to vote for a party which put housing in its top three priorities. The poll conducted by Survation revealed that 57% of people said they, or someone they knew, was having problems buying or renting a suitable home. Asked which party had the best policies for helping homebuyers, 21% said Labour and 18% said the Conservatives.

Chancellor voices Greece-Eurozone fears

George Osborne has warned the stand-off between Greece and the Eurozone is becoming the biggest risk to the global economy. The chancellor was speaking after his meeting with Yanis Varoufakis, in which he urged the Greek finance minister to “act responsibly" in any bailout negotiations with Europe. He added the stand-off presented "a rising threat to our economy at home". Greece’s new government unveiled proposals on Monday for ending the confrontation with its creditors by swapping outstanding debt for new growth-linked bonds, running a permanent budget surplus and targeting wealthy tax-evaders.