Not the time to abandon housing targets
MPs are calling for the Government to abandon housing targets with the slowing economy and the realisation that ambitious targets can’t be met. The Federation of Master Builders [FMB] argues that there are five 5 million people on council house waiting lists and now is definitely not the time to scrap housing targets.
Brian Berry of FMB says “The solution to the housing crisis is to develop a ‘bottom-up approach’ with an emphasis on working with local communities to provide the homes that every village, town, and city requires. An emphasis on quality would help overcome many fears about new housing... A clear, coherent and, most importantly, achievable strategy is needed to ensure that our existing homes are brought up to standard...bring the seven million homes, in England alone, which the Government says are substandard up to scratch."
Almura Building Products has already been working with Bristol City Council to regenerate tits existing housing stock. This PRC housing was originally built during the Second World War to accommodate returning soldiers. This massive refurbishment project has involved replacing existing concrete facia on 1,200, council-owned homes across Bristol; Almura was selected as the preferred supplier for all cladding materials, with a target of increasing the housing insulation to a 0.22 u-value.
The cladding had to improve the properties’ thermal insulation, withstand punishment from the elements and vandalism, add ‘racking’ strength to the overall system, and provide additional rigidity and stability. ‘Steni Nature’ was chosen as the main cladding product, and Alcoa’s ‘Grand Sierra’ weatherboarding was used to replace old timber on the gable ends. Both are ‘dry cladding’ products, meaning they can be fitted in all weather conditions, and making them ideal for use in the unpredictable British climate.