Insights

Richard Murphy OBE

Insight into the UK’s Best Luxury Development

Architecture, Features, Insights, News /

Richard Murphy OBE, the visionary architect, gives rare insight into the creation of CALA Homes’ The Crescent, winner of Gold for Best Luxury Development at the WhatHouse? Awards 2019. He has revealed what he hopes will be the legacy of Scotland’s most upmarket and ambitious new development. In an exclusive video for the housebuilder filmed at his Edinburgh home, the creative mind behind The Crescent in the city’s West End, provided a rare and detailed insight into the creation of the development. The Award-winning site is the flagship development for CALA Homes (East) and its forensically considered design draws direct inspiration from the Scottish capital’s famous Georgian New Town architecture. As part of its new #AskTheArchitect campaign which gives a rare insight […]

Insight into the UK’s Best Luxury Development Read More »

Thank you NHS

Coronavirus: An industry responds

Features, Insights, News /

The housebuilding sector has risen to the challenge of supporting the battle against coronavirus – the fight of a lifetime, writes Rupert Bates. As COVID-19 took an increasing and deadly grip last month, leading to a national lockdown, it forced many construction sites to shut, with a crippling business effect, particularly on SMEs without the cash reserves and credit facilities to cope with a global pandemic that has no rules of engagement; a war with no diplomacy to negotiate a peace deal. The industry is well versed in recessions caused by the volatility of economic cycles and the wider friction of geo-politics and global markets, but this was something else entirely. Financial hardship is one thing; a killer disease of unfathomable depth

Coronavirus: An industry responds Read More »

Anthony Kaye of Alderpoint Partners

Tackling the counter-offer culture

Career Advice & News, Careers, Features, Insights, News /

Recruiting top talent in the construction industry is tough at the best of times, but the shortage of skilled professionals is creating a counter-offer culture that can set key recruitment searches back months. Property and Construction recruitment specialist Anthony Kaye, of Alderpoint Partners, has seen a surge in counter offers over the last 12 months, with one in three candidates reporting they are being offered an increase in salary from their current employers when they break the news they are moving to a new company. He says: “Counter offers are one of the biggest barriers developers are facing in hiring people at the moment. It is a candidate-driven industry, and wages are being inflated across the board because developers are keen to

Tackling the counter-offer culture Read More »

Tracey Forbes-Taylor of Miller Homes

Bringing more women into construction

Career Advice & News, Careers, Features, Insights, News /

Tracey Forbes-Taylor, regional managing director of Miller Homes Southern, shares her thoughts on how the sector can continue to attract more women into the workforce. In 2016, it was reported that the divide between men and women in the construction sector had hit an all-time low, with the split 87-13 in favour of men. However, the industry has been taking steps to address the imbalance. While figures demonstrate there has been a shift, latest reports from the Office of National Statistics show that women now make up 28% of the UK construction workforce. Clearly, there are still strides to be made before the industry achieves greater equality. To accomplish this, we need to target the next generation. Construction and homebuilding may not be an obvious choice

Bringing more women into construction Read More »

Andrew Cornelius of Stonebond Properties

Career challenges and rewards working for an SME

Careers, Features, Finance, Insights, News /

Andrew Cornelius, chief financial officer at Stonebond Properties, tells us about his career and the attraction of joining an SME housebuilder. A chartered accountant by background, Andrew began his career on a graduate scheme with EY in London. Having spent four years there, he took an opportunity to join Berkeley Group. He explains: “I decided that I wanted to leave the professional services sector and I always had a passion for property. When the opportunity arose to join the Berkeley Group plc as a group financial accountant and analyst, I knew that this was would be the perfect organisation to work for to build my career within housebuilding. It turned out to be an amazing opportunity, working along the corridor from Tony

Career challenges and rewards working for an SME Read More »