Opinion 鈥� Page 390
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Comment
Construction job vacancies collapse
Record redundancies may be the headline in today's news bulletins and tomorrow's papers as the ranks of the unemployed creep towards 2 million.But in the detail of today's labour market figures of more concern to the thousands of redundant construction workers now looking for new jobs is that vacancies are ...
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Comment
Plunging sales rates in 2008 and the threat to new housing development
The latest figures show that home sales in 2008 were down 43% compared with 2007, but scarier than that is the drop in level of property transaction over the second half of last year.This poses a real threat to even "technically" viable housing schemes.Sales are running well below half of ...
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Comment
Will construction win or lose from collapsing hope in the UK economy?
We are heading into the worst peacetime economic slump since the 1930s, according to the latest forecast by the highly regarded ITEM Club.This marks a massive collapse in hope for the UK economy. Just three months ago the ITEM Club's autumn 2008 forecast carried the sub headline "...the recession in ...
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CommentWhatever possessed you?: Early partial possession
Ann Minogue聽If you鈥檙e lucky enough to have a tenant lined up, you might be tempted to give them partial possession so they can make an early start on their fit-out. That way madness lies鈥�
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CommentNot a problem, a solution
Like collaborative working, being sustainable was a child of the boom years.
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CommentThat was then, this is now
The recession gives us the opportunity to explore new ideas, says Gus Alexander. And, who knows, we might even get to think beyond the certainties of our home-owning democracy
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Comment
Every man needs protection: Financial security
These days, it takes nerve to enter into ordinary commercial relations. But luckily for all you cowards out there, what you lack in courage you can make up for in paperwork
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CommentGreen Tape: Sustainability regulation
To keep up with environmental regulations, contractors must build sustainability into their contracts
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Comment
Most local builders are now shedding jobs as workload collapses
The latest survey of local builders by their trade body FMB paints a grim picture with workload, inquiries and employment plunging.This throws into question how focused the Government is on saving jobs in the construction industry.If saving jobs is top of the agenda it should think a lot more about ...
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Comment
Did monthly new orders really hit an all time record low in November 2008?
I have been seeing a lot of "worst ever" and "worst since at least" stories about the November new orders figures.I am conscious that so many statistics are being thrown around at the moment that it is confusing. And there is enough distress out there as it is.So I thought ...
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CommentMy digital life:Kai Midgl
What is your favourite website? Travelsupermarket.com because I like weekends away and I use it a lot for getting flights and deals on hotel rooms
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CommentDing dongs merrily on high
The season of goodwill to all men is well and truly over and it鈥檚 back to the usual name-calling, back-stabbing and top-level fist-fighting. A sigh of relief all round, then鈥�
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CommentWonders & blunders
David Mann tells a tale of two shopping malls, one in the friendly North, the other in the grim South
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CommentFancy a brew?
Hugh Wilson and Lewis Womersley鈥檚 design for the Arndale was begun in 1972 and when it was completed in 1979 it was the largest covered town shopping centre in Europe, attracting 750,000 shoppers a week
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CommentDo I know you?
The 拢1.6bn, 150,000m2 Westfield Centre in west London was opened on 30 October 2008
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CommentYou鈥檙e part of the problem
鈥淏SF Schools: Why is it so difficult?鈥� was the web headline of an article in your 9 January issue.
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Comment
Hurrah for eco-towns!
It would be surprising if developments of the scale of new towns were not the subject of debate and controversy, but your article on eco-towns (19 December, page 19) fails to do justice to the scale of the ambition behind the programme.
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Comment
Payup time
We have recently completed the fit-out of the offices of Maidstone council鈥檚 鈥渙ne-stop-shop鈥�, and were genuinely pleased to have our invoice for the architectural work paid in just 15 days
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Comment
Why can鈥檛 we get along?
I know Tony Bingham likes being controversial, but in his article 鈥淕et a truck load of this鈥� (12 December, page 48) he really has overdone it