Opinion – Page 382

  • Comment

    Are falling rents a prelude to a further nasty correction in house prices?

    2009-03-18T13:09:00Z

    The latest survey of the rental market by the surveyors' body RICS suggests that the flood of "couldn't sell" properties into the lettings market has led to a sharp fall in rents. And the expectations are that rents will fall further.This rather fits with a recent conversation with an agent ...

  • Comment

    Construction gains 47,000 jobs in 2008 - it may be official but I don't believe it

    2009-03-18T10:01:00Z

    Apparently there were 2,285,000 or so jobs in construction in the final quarter of last year up 47,000 on a year earlier and just 1,000 down on the quarter before, which appears to be the peak in this economic cycle.Puzzled? Wondering where these jobs are? Wondering why you are signing ...

  • Comment

    The Wrekin Ruby. The Italian valuers know "niente".

    2009-03-17T15:11:00Z

    So, what’s the truth behind the Wrekin ruby?In case you havent heard, it's the £11m gemstone owner David Unwin junior used to shore up the balance sheet of the Shropshire based civil engineering specialist before it went under last week.Wrekin’s last company accounts claim it was valued at £11m by ...

  • Comment

    British Workers for British Jobs - be careful what you wish for

    2009-03-17T14:59:00Z

    The news that Britain is looking to curb the flow of non-EU surveyors and construction managers entering these shores will no doubt be welcomed unreservedly by many.Not me. I read that piece of news with some deep regrets.Why?Because it represents just one more door closing on the opportunity for people ...

  • Comment

    Blackening our name

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    What is it with this industry? Just when you think we’ve left the Dark Ages well behind something comes along to remind us what a short step we are from dodgy and outdated working practices

  • Comment

    I’m cynically depressed

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    What’s going to happen to architecture now that the tyranny of the icon has ended? Well, looking around at the current state of the art, we shouldn’t get our hopes up

  • Comment

    The evolving apprentice

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Laing O’Rourke should be applauded for its commitment to doubling its apprentice numbers (27 February, page 10), but one of the most interesting parts of the story, which did not feature in your article, is that Laing O’Rourke’s new Apprenticeship Plus programme shows the evolving nature of construction training

  • Roger Alton
    Comment

    Wonders & blunders

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Roger Alton is at home at Terminal 5, but needs a map to find his way around the Barbican

  • Lord Davies
    Comment

    What’s Russian for carpe diem?

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Russia is hosting the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014, and UK construction should seize the day – with a little help from the British government, says Lord Davies of Abersoch

  • Comment

    Could do (a lot) better

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    It’s good that Cabe is assessing designs for ڶ Schools for the Future, but the way it’s going about it leaves much to be desired

  • Comment

    Catch-up from Cannes

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    ڶ’s journos are out in force at Mipim, bringing you the latest interviews, videos and news stories from the property event

  • Jools Holland
    Comment

    My digital life: Paul Rodgers

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    What’s your TV choice?

  • Comment

    Short and Tweet: 13.03.2009

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Dispatches from the Twitter social networking tool …

  • Comment

    Cakes and ale? Fat chance

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    While bigwigs from our own industry forgo power lunches and business-class flights for the communal fridge and easyJet, at least Dubai’s know the value of pointlessly exorbitant gestures …

  • Comment

    Do as you would be done by

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    With our construction supply chain under pressure, I read with great interest your article “Out of credit” (27 February, page 20)

  • Wombling free … and not to be confused with a bear from Peru
    Comment

    These things are important

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    Bernard Cribbins was the voice of The Wombles, not Paddington, who was voiced by Michael Hordern (27 February, page 32)

  • Comment

    Bargain basement

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    I read with interest the articles on markets that could ease the burden of recession and on the complex regulations associated with loft conversions (20 February, pages 46 and 62)

  • Comment

    Ready and willing

    2009-03-13T00:00:00Z

    I am currently studying ڶ Surveying and the Environment at the University of Plymouth

  • Comment

    Red alert as new orders plunge to record low in January

    2009-03-12T10:51:00Z

    January 2009: the worst monthly new orders figures ever recorded.And with little sign that February will be prove any better, the latest figures for new orders underline the collapse of construction across the board.Every sector - even public non-housing - was down on a year earlier with the exception of ...

  • Comment

    Window shoppers aplenty but buyers dwindle in the housing market

    2009-03-10T14:19:00Z

    There has been a big surge in window shoppers, but no increase in sales. In fact they are a little worse. That is the nub of the latest housing market survey from the surveyors' body RICS.Much will be read into the surge in interest with suggestions that this represents the ...