Paul Finch

Labour’s election victory was given a cautious welcome by the property and construction sector. Presenting itself as the party of housebuilding and a proponent of growth made a change from the shambles of the last lot, the first Conservative government that sadly thought kicking away the homeowning ladder (and housebuilders) was a formula for electoral success.

Just about anything that could go wrong did go wrong at Grenfell Tower. But subsequent revelations make it clear that while the tragic fire took place as a result of specific circumstances, it also highlights a deep-seated construction sector malaise that affects thousands of buildings and tens of thousands of occupants.

Labour’s inevitable election triumph creates an opportunity for the government to address the most important social issue of the day: the acute shortage of housing that has bedevilled the country for decades. Will the policies announced or hinted at pre-election achieve the desired result of an additional 1.5 million homes over the next five years?  

The annual British Council for Offices (BCO) dinner was a sell-out and a cheery event, despite the travails besetting the sector

The year was 2010, the client was Capco, the development site was Earls Court. I was part of the advisory team picking masterplanners for this ambitious project.

The year was 2010, the client was Capco, the development site was Earls Court. I was part of the advisory team picking masterplanners for this ambitious project. 

When it comes to the design and operation of new buildings, environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are right at the top of the agenda.

Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Trust, by Herman Diaz, concerns two lives and the way they were lived – or the way they were lived according to accounts written by people (themselves artificial literary creations) with personal axes to grind.

Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Trust, by Herman Diaz, concerns two lives and the way they were lived - or the way they were lived according to accounts written by people (themselves artificial literary creations) with personal axes to grind.

Creating communities comes in many guises and, having worked with developers and resident managed clients on many community strategies, I know these things take time and consideration to strike the balance to ensure the community will flourish.