STATE OF TRADE
Super squad planning teams will be sent to assist local authorities with planning permissions, according to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC). Additionally, relaxation of permitted development rights and reforms to compulsory purchase orders will enable New super squads for local authorities NaviLens app points for blind and partially sighted people to access and locate information and interact with their environment by scanning a code using serenity spaces to mitigate stress and sensory overload; amenities for guide dogs; visually contrasting floors, walls and furniture; colour-coded, tactile signage system with Braille and embossed text and symbols; The newly built London office of the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has fully adopted the new BSI neurodiversity standard, providing additional support to visually impaired people. The Grimaldi Building in Islington can be navigated using the Navilens app for those with sight loss, and has met design standards laid out by the British Standards Institution (BSI) PAS 6493 Design for the Mind – Neurodiversity and the Built Environment guidance. Additionally, the building provides greater accessibility and inclusivity to all of its users, including: a multi-faith room; London has a neurodiverse building
local planning authorities across England to take more decisive action on planning permissions. A budget of £800 million, coming from the £1.5 billion Brownfield, Infrastructure and Land fund, will be used to make space for more than 50,000 new homes on brownfield sites. Prime minister Rishi Sunak said the reforms will make it easier to regenerate disused brownfield land, streamline planning processes and help homeowners renovate and extend their homes “outwards and upwards”. Jean Hewitt, Inclusive Environments Specialist at Buro Happold, said: “As technical author of the new PAS 6463 design standard, it’s been a true joy and a privilege to work on the first building in the UK to interpret and apply the new guidance. It’s purposefully drafted to offer flexibility in the way it is applied to meet different circumstances and user needs. “With this building demonstrating what’s possible, I hope others will follow suit, to make places as inclusive as possible for everyone to enjoy and have the opportunity to flourish.” their phone camera to hear an audio description of the area; an embossed vinyl flare path showing the main circulation route around each floor; controllable lighting, for both intensity and colour temperature; acoustics that reduce noise; a passenger lift with voice annunciation, visual displays and tactile signage within the lift and on each landing; and kitchens with tactile and visual cues for cupboards and taps, and contrasting marine edge worktops.
40% FMB members reporting an increased workload in Q2 2023. Source: FMB State of Trade Survey Q2 2023
38% FMB members struggling to hire carpenters . Source: FMB State of Trade Survey Q2 2023
29% FMB members struggling to hire bricklayers . Source: FMB State of Trade Survey Q2 2023
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Master Builder
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