A by-election result spells potential trouble for the UK government’s plans for planning reform, says Jane Embury It was interesting that the Liberal Democrats won the recent Chesham and Amersham by-election. They took the seat from the Conservatives. They won the Buckinghamshire constituency which has been a Tory stronghold since its creation in 1974. Their victory […]
glass in buildings
Lighting the retail sector
Jane Embury looks at fire and shopping centres Now that lockdown restrictions are being eased, retail therapy is back on the agenda. We’ve all missed going to the shops, and shops have missed us. But for some, the easing of lockdown has come too late. The Centre for Retail Research says that this year, to […]
Goodish news, just maybe
Jane Embury looks at green shoots… It’s not quite the season to be jolly, but there is some cause for optimism. Building industry optimism over the three months to the end of May has jumped by 90% compared to figures published in December last year. While that doesn’t amount to a great deal, given where […]
Fire safety in atria
Jane Embury looks at a recent fire test and dual-directional fire safety in atria. It was the Romans who first made atria fashionable, and gave it the name by which we still know them. Their domestic version was an open central courtyard, often with a sunken pool to catch rainwater. Today, atria remain a popular […]
Consultation and legislation
Jane Embury looks at proposed fire safety legislation Flouting fire safety regulations could soon become a whole lot more expensive. Building owners could face unlimited fines following a Home Office announcement. They’ve just published a number of new measures aimed at strengthening fire safety. The new measures were announced as part of the government’s response […]
