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Jubilee Marsh feels chirpy

It would be easy to be cynical about Crossrail鈥檚 鈥渄onation鈥� of three million tonnes of tunnel spoil to the RSPB, to create a new nature reserve in Essex. That鈥檚 just a cheap way of dumping its muck on someone else, the sceptical among you may have thought. But it seems Crossrail鈥檚 largesse has been appreciated by our feathered friends. Two years on from the completion of Jubilee Marsh on Wallasea Island, record numbers of wintering birds are flocking to the reserve, according to the RSPB鈥檚 Rachel Fancy. It鈥檚 one conservation project where nobody minds that it cost the earth.

What鈥檚 in a name?

My eye was drawn to details of the appointments being made at the Architectural Association, the Bloomsbury architecture school and institution. One caught my eye in particular. According to Companies House, the grandly named 20-year-old Quentin Horatio Ballard Martin has been made a director. The only other Ballard I鈥檝e ever heard of is the actor Ballard Berkeley who played the major in TV series Fawlty Towers. On the news of Quentin鈥檚 appointment, one of my hacks asked: 鈥淲hich council estate is he from?鈥� with a wry smile. Who said architecture was elitist, eh?

Self-build ambitions

The housing shortage has prompted an enterprising bunch to set up a scheme that aims to teach people how to build their very own des-res. According to its website, the Rural Urban Synthesis Society (RUSS) wants to self-build a community space on its site in Ladywell, south-east London, to create a knowledge hub for self-building, community-led housing and sustainable living. A crowdfunded venture, it is 11% of the way to hitting its 拢57,000 target. RUSS says the space will host its School of Community-led Housing 鈥渁nd become a knowledge hub to share and inspire other communities in self-building and affordable housing projects鈥�. And if planning permission is denied by Lewisham council? 鈥淚n the unlikely event we are not successful, no money will be taken from backers,鈥� RUSS says.

Family affairs

An innovative lot, the Swedes. With the country鈥檚 divorce rate soaring and one in four youngsters coming from 鈥渂roken homes鈥� - and living alternatively with both separated parents - housing firm St氓ng氓staden has come up with its own solution. The 鈥�5:1鈥� is a home that can change from one room to five, thanks to movable walls and fixtures. This enables the number of rooms in the apartment to be changed depending on how many family members are at home, so visiting children can have their own room and sense of space. I鈥檓 not sure what the reduction in the size of each room as another is added will do for family relations, though.

Setting a great example

The fallout from the rumpus between Mace and HS2 over a contract earlier this year rumbles on. You may remember it caused transport secretary Chris Grayling and HS2 chairman David Higgins to be hauled before a House of Commons select committee in April. In an update on the scheme to MPs, Grayling last month warned firms 鈥渢hey will be unable to continue to work for us if they do not do the right thing鈥�. Grayling鈥檚 name cropped up last week when the Supreme Court ruled that workplace tribunal fees are unlawful, forcing the government to repay more than 拢27m forked out by employees. These were introduced by 鈥� ? Then-Lord Chancellor Chris Grayling. So not exactly the right thing, then.