Obviously disappointed to see nothing explicit in yesterday's Labour Manifesto about the potential of our existing buildings - but there are some clear threads to pull together to suggest re-use will be an increasingly acceptable pathway for propcos to take:
"Labour will get Britain building again... with 1.5 million new homes over the next parliament" - a report on behalf of @Habitat for Humanity puts the number of vacant commercial buildings owned by councils in England, Scotland and Wales at 7,000, with the potential to create over 16,000 homes; and estimates there are 165,000 privately-owned commercial and business premises likewise empty – also with potential for re-purposing;
"Labour will take a brownfield first approach, prioritising the development of previously used land wherever possible" - existing buildings must be seen as 'brownfield plus' - their retention avoids creating the fresh carbon emissions of new-build;
"Labour will make the UK the green finance capital of the world, mandating UK-regulated financial institutions – including banks, asset managers, pension funds,...to develop and implement credible transition plans that align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement" - upstream regulation could support a better built environment by unlocking money for different ideas of 'development' - including low-carbon re-use.
Our piece in EG today looks at - as repurposing the UK's distressed office stock becomes a real priority - where do we start?
Read it here: https://www.egi.co.uk/news/repurposing-old-offices-where-do-we-start/
