Dr Marie Mary Stewart Macklin CBE’s Post

Human Nature we try to be people who do and demonstrate - we're out there in the real world trying to put exponential sustainbility into play in relatable ways for all to see - but this feels like a moment not to miss... GETTING BRITAIN ON THE MOVE A new day, a new planning reform. Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner have got off to a flying start. Impressive. Refreshing. Obvious determination to get things done. First 100 days and all that... Human Nature supports much of this government's agenda and the alacrity with which it is being prosecuted. As a contribution we are offering 10x ACTIONS (see below): we see the imperative of weaving action on the climate and nature crises deeply and seriously into the fabric of planning and development and offer practical ways to do this; highlight ways of rapidly improving access to (affordable) homes for young people especially. We've added a thought on the huge value of instituionally-funded, well-made, 5-7 storey apartment blocks with long-term, secure rentals (a new model please) and an idea for a more precise focus for Homes England: exclusively supporting radical innovation for housing delivery and green construction by SMEs. And please drop stamp duty - this will ease access for first time buyers and replace it with a levy on underaned capital uplift. Very Swedish; very good. "There is a far, far beter world. But it needs to be seen to be believed." Foreword to 10x ACTIONS "Ours is an industry in crisis and in need of a new vision and a plan. While there is no silver bullet, and the transformational change needed will take time, there are many sensible actions that can set the UK on a clear, exciting and rapid path to better homes for all, while bolstering the creative and circular sustainable economy and generating common-wealth rather than maximising private wealth. But there are risks. Liberalising planning policy and processes to enable housebuilding could wholly undermine any serious commitment to a safe climate, enhanced nature, quality of life, health and community. If planning reform makes it easier for volume housebuilders to build in their care-free way, carbon emissions caused by construction and private cars will soar, precious habitats will be lost, roads will be congested and the edges of our villages, towns and cities will become ever more banal. As we move quickly with a fresh and energetic government and a country hungry for change, let’s set in train policy and practice that will build (and rebuild) our homes, places, communities and economy sustainably for the long-term. We warmly welcome this new government and wish it well – we hope you can seize this moment and its many opportunities"

🌍 Forum for Better Homes NI Calls for Certainty on Programme for Government Commitments! 🏡 This week at Stormont, policymakers and housing experts gathered to discuss how we can decarbonise homes in Northern Ireland. 💡 Key Commitment: The draft Programme for Government focuses on decarbonising all housing stock and retrofitting existing homes to meet net zero by 2050. 💬 David Little, Chair of the Forum for Better Homes NI, stated: "The commitment to decarbonise is crucial, but the housing sector needs clarity. More details must be provided on how this will be achieved." 🤝 Forum members like Jenny Burnside, Northern Ireland Ambassador for Lloyds Banking Group, are working alongside the government to provide sustainable funding and partnership models to support this vital cause. 🏘️ Decarbonising homes: Tackling fuel poverty Reducing emissions in residential areas Boosting green jobs for economic growth https://lnkd.in/eSUz8Jpd #NetZero2050 #GreenHousing #SustainableHomes #BetterHomesNI #Decarbonisation #HousingPolicy #StormontEvent #GreenEconomy #NorthernIreland Caption: David Honeyford MLA, Colin Crawford MLA, Alan Ritchie former Chair RSUA Climate Emergency Committee, Philip Brett MLA, David Little Chair Forum for Better Homes NI, Gavin McGuire NI Director Federation of Master Builders, Jenny Burnside Northern Ireland Ambassador Lloyds Banking Group, Carol McTaggart Group CEO Clanmil Homes

📢Key players in #housing and finance are invited to Milan this November, to tackle the funding challenges faced by housing providers, municipalities, and companies across Europe🏘️ The advancement of the Renovation Wave and the New European Bauhaus is fundamental at the moment, especially with the designation of an EU Commissioner responsible also for housing.⚡ This event is part of our Housing Finance Working Group, launched in June 2023, to drive innovation in #financing and governance for sustainable housing. The Annual Responsible Housing Finance Summit, a cornerstone of the Working Group, promotes peer learning and supports the ambitious goals of the 2024 Liège Declaration. With ministerial interventions, the support of the CEB - Council of Europe Development Bank or a hands-on workshop organised by the European Investment Bank (EIB) on November 19, this is a must-attend event for anyone committed to solving the housing crisis. The session will be preceded by a strategic summit of the Housing Europe Leaders, which will focus on shaping the future of the sector, steering it toward better outcomes for tenants and residents.💡 For more information and registration➡️https://lnkd.in/eHjcQGyn Mario Nava, Carlo Monticelli, Bent Madsen, Rossana Zaccaria, Laurent Ghekiere, Amaryllis Verhoeven, Marco Buttieri, Samir Kulenovic, Peter Surek BL - Danmarks Almene Boliger, Legacoop Abitanti, Irish Council for Social Housing, The Land Development Agency, NRW.BANK, The Housing Agency Ireland, AVS Gestores Públicos, FEDERCASA, GEBALIS, @Erste Group, Aedes vereniging van woningcorporaties, Fitch Ratings

The annual State of the City report for Manchester has been launched, providing in-depth analysis of the successes and further challenges for the region. The strategy is summarised into five key objectives including sustainability, skills, equity, liveable and low carbon, and staying connected as a city. https://lnkd.in/eUZJDhRm #manchester

"We need to build about 1.3 million homes to house our homeless, our existing building stock pours out carbon which must be addressed to meet our sustainability targets, the planning system is recognised to be dysfunctional by just about everyone, and the NHS consumes ever more alarming amounts of cash and performs worse and worse. Where do we start? Perhaps with the remedies that also deliver to our GDP and to our economy." "According to the Climate Change Committee (CCC) we need to decarbonise 29 million leaky, gas-guzzling or oil-fired homes all around our country that are uncomfortable to live in and cost a fortune to heat. We need a national retrofit strategy – a long-term plan and investment programme for upgrading the energy efficiency of our housing stock, funded by a green bank. The reduction in fuel bills can pay for the work over time. Sounds familiar? This time we need to get it right by addressing incentives for home owners and building a simple funding and execution mechanism that householders, landlords and tenants will engage in. The resulting investment – which the CCC estimates as £250bn over, say, a 10-year period – would be a welcome nationwide boost to GDP." #architecture In Building Magazine managing director of Studio Pringle and chair of RIBA board, Jack Pringle PPRIBA, discusses what he expects from the next government for sustainability, housing, planning and the public estate. https://lnkd.in/eYySFPTU

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the Scottish Property Federation Annual Conference in Glasgow, where industry leaders and Government came together to address crucial issues facing Scotland's property sector. While I pride myself as an armchair expert on many topics, it's clear that the Scottish government's recent actions have directly impeded economic growth, livelihoods, and efforts towards Net Zero. This mornings resignation of Patrick Harvie, the architect behind Scotland's controversial rent control policies, has left many uncertainties. These policies, aimed at curbing rent prices, have ironically led to soaring rents and deterred investment in new housing. During the conference, concerns were raised about the Scottish Housing Bill and its potential impact on investment in rental properties. The lack of clarity surrounding rent control policies has deterred institutional investors, risking over £2.5bn in new housing investment. Chris Stewart's impassioned plea to Housing Minister Paul McLennan resonated: "If capital is what fuels the car, you’ve not only turned off the petrol pumps, you have shut down Grangemouth." It's a sentiment echoed by many in the industry who feel the government's policies have stifled growth and innovation. With a shortage of over 125,000 homes and a waiting list of nearly 250,000 people for social housing, it's clear that urgent action is needed. The government must restore investor confidence and create a conducive environment for investment in Scotland's built environment.

Great start to @LREF_ with a State of the Market look. #Confidence is getting higher. Still some uncertainty and cautious with an eye on the Autumn #Budget. #Labour are VERY focused on #housing and particularly #social and #affordable housing (scary fact: the G15 group concluded from research that the average household income needed to be £76k to rent in London - this needs to change). This all points towards more housing but the #construction workforce has reduced by a third in last 5 years. Now likely to have capacity to deliver 200k homes a year (not the 300k being targeted) so new training and skills need to be delivered to grow workforce. The positive is that we have been here before as an industry and so can use lessons learnt from previous years. Final key themes mentioned we have heard before but need to crack, my #collaborative working between public and private sector, more long term thinking and long term #investment and faster approval of local plans and strategies so they can be implemented and delivered. #Sustainable and #ClimateResilience measures must be fully embedded in the above themes to ensure what we deliver better, greener and more #resilient places for both #people and #nature. #SustainabilityMatters #SocualSustainability #RegenerativeDesign #LongtermThinking #NatureBasedSolutions

This must be taken as an opportunity to reset and rethink key housing policy at a time when rents are rising, there is uncertainty for agents and their landlords, local authorities are declaring housing emergencies and there is not enough property for people to rent across Scotland.   Tax burdens on home buyers and those looking to purchase buy to let property must be reduced and any plans for minimum energy efficiency standards for homes must be realistic, achievable and provide funding incentives through grants and clear advice to help people improve their homes and property.   The Cost of Living legislation that introduced rent caps has damaged investment in Scotland, reduced available property to rent and caused rents to rise. Propertymark urges the First Minister to take this opportunity to rethink future plans for rent control and introduce measures that increase the supply of homes across Scotland that will ultimately make renting and buying a home more affordable. https://lnkd.in/gcrAHr3Q

"We need to build about 1.3 million homes to house our homeless, our existing building stock pours out carbon which must be addressed to meet our sustainability targets, the planning system is recognised to be dysfunctional by just about everyone, and the NHS consumes ever more alarming amounts of cash and performs worse and worse. Where do we start? Perhaps with the remedies that also deliver to our GDP and to our economy." "According to the Climate Change Committee (CCC) we need to decarbonise 29 million leaky, gas-guzzling or oil-fired homes all around our country that are uncomfortable to live in and cost a fortune to heat. We need a national retrofit strategy – a long-term plan and investment programme for upgrading the energy efficiency of our housing stock, funded by a green bank. The reduction in fuel bills can pay for the work over time. Sounds familiar? This time we need to get it right by addressing incentives for home owners and building a simple funding and execution mechanism that householders, landlords and tenants will engage in. The resulting investment – which the CCC estimates as £250bn over, say, a 10-year period – would be a welcome nationwide boost to GDP." #architecture In Building Design., managing director of Studio Pringle and chair of RIBA board, Jack Pringle PPRIBA, discusses what he expects from the next government for sustainability, housing, planning and the public estate. https://lnkd.in/evPWyNG8

This afternoon, the first-ever Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen, will face the European Parliament’s scrutiny – a crucial moment for all of us and surely for the 43,000 public, cooperative, and social housing organisations across Europe. As Housing Europe, the backbone of affordable and sustainable housing, we are listening closely whether our call to bring the ❤️ social heart of housing to the surface is heard. What would we be looking for? 🔍 Support for public, cooperative, social housing OVER commercial interests The European Investment Bank (EIB) has recently established a housing task force to tackle innovation, sustainability, and affordability, alongside a proposed pan-European Housing investment platform. But questions remain: Will this platform reinforce the proven track record of community-led housing, or drift towards commercial interests? 🌍 Commitment to address the climate and housing crises together The fight for climate resilience must go hand in hand with accessible, decent, affordable housing. Commissioner Jørgensen, however, wears two hats – Energy and Housing. Will energy priorities risk overshadowing housing needs? Through initiatives like the European Affordable Housing Initiative, we continue to prove that a balanced energy transition can be people-centred, benefiting communities and the environment, not merely market targets. Local skills and readiness to deal with renovation and new-built will be essential for achieving these goals. 🤝 EU support to housing, which remains a competence of the 27 countries in the Block While housing remains a national competence, the EU’s role in regulation and finance is vital. We call on the EU to support public, social, and cooperative housing providers – and, where they don’t exist, help establish them to foster affordable, quality homes across all Member States. We are prepared for 14:30 CET and listening. 👂 https://lnkd.in/euZv2_DA Read our 20 actions that would help the Commissioner and the EU to transition to a #NewHousingParadigm - https://lnkd.in/eYDheXRz