Another busy month -a lot of time spent doing working drawings and specification for the affordable housing for Oxford Community Land Trust. We have been wrapped up with balancing the different criteria -Code for Sustainable Homes (level 5), Lifetime Homes, Secured by Design and meeting HCA Design Quality Indicators. Building is to be constructed using SIPS panels -see the draft detail opposite. All fascinating stuff.

Closer to home, our small project for studio workspaces in Backfields Lane is due on site next week. Tight site and the works include re-roofing….should be interesting.

Meanwhile we were happy to be shortlisted for Bristol City housing framework -ours is a collaborative bid with other local practices -tangentstudio and Barefoot Architecture.

The subject of cost has come up repeatedly in the last few weeks. We are seeing signs of inflation in the construction industry with prices rising sharply as contractors and suppliers seek to make up the losses of recent years. I fear the housing market is overheated again. Just hope it doesn't end in tears again. Either way it doesn't help those trying to provide affordable housing.

Lastly an opportunity came up for an interesting creative workspace development in Bristol, so have made a bid to buy the site. I notice articles appearing on shortage of workspaces -permitted development to convert to housing cannot help. We await the vendors decision.

Looking ahead, next month Joe will be working with Sam to prepare something more out of the ordinary…….watch this space.