Planning and Housing

Government funding up for grabs as Brokenshire opens up garden communities project

15.08.18: The communities secretary has called for a boost to garden towns across England in a new announcement for a garden communities project. Under the plans released today, James Brokenshire claims the programme will lead to more high-quality ho...

Up to 2,500 homes on the way as part of York Central development proposals submitted

14.08.18: Around 6,500 jobs and a 20% surge in the local economy are expected after landmark new plans were submitted for planning permission in York. Making use of one of the largest city-centre brownfield sites in the UK, the York Central Partnersh...

Social housing green paper only small step compared to ‘huge need’ for affordable homes, LGA says

14.08.18: The government’s social housing green paper is “only a small step” in delivering more social homes says the UK’s largest local government body. Government proposals to give social housing residents greater support in...

Manchester approves £1bn plans for 15,000 new homes as part of Northern Gateway

26.07.18: Manchester City Council has approved 15,000 new homes over the next 15-20 years as part of the city’s ambitious ‘Northern Gateway’ project. Following a Cabinet meeting yesterday, the proposals, which include 3,000 affordab...

Haringey Council ditches £2bn housing partnership with private developer

19.07.18: Haringey Council has ditched plans for a £2bn collaboration with a property developer that could have brought over 6,000 homes to the area over the next 20 years. The council, who were labelled “negligent and in denial” ov...

Stronger powers granted to councils to tackle empty homes

19.07.18: Communities secretary James Brokenshire has officially granted councils across England with enhanced powers to charge greater tax premiums on empty homes following an amendment to a government bill. Councils will be allowed to triple the co...

Council invests £23m in ‘secret’ housing deal to avoid London gazumping

17.07.18: Canterbury City Council has announced an investment of £23m in social housing in a deal that was conducted “behind the scenes” over fears of the deal being highjacked by wealthier London boroughs. The council will convert...

New £420m construction sector deal to spur ‘bytes and mortar revolution’

05.07.18: A new joint government-industry sector deal worth £420m was launched today with the aim of transforming construction through innovative technologies and increasing productivity to help Whitehall deliver its pledge to build 1.5 million home...

Communities secretary to place ‘broken housing market’ as top priority, councils to have a big role

03.07.18: Previous governments have failed to build enough homes and local councils are going to have a big role in fixing the broken housing market, the communities’ secretary has announced today. Speaking at the Local Government Association (...

Midlands council saved £1.5m through combatting tenancy fraud

21.06.18: Tenancy fraud cost Solihull Council almost £1.58m last year, according to recent figures. A report presented to the council’s audit committee revealed that, since April 2017, 17 council properties have been recovered as a result of...

CCN calls for larger county council role in planning

20.06.18: A larger role for county councils in planning to solve the affordability crisis has been backed by two new reports launched today. A study from Catriona Riddell Associates for the County Councils Network (CCN) has called for a re-introduction o...

Councils should copy New York’s property levy to raise billions

20.06.18: Councils in England could raise up to £62bn by mirroring New York’s property levy, according to the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE). ACE’s report, ‘Unlocking housing: Invigorating local communities thro...

Combustible cladding to be banned in high-rises

19.06.18: James Brokenshire has finally revealed plans to ban the use of combustible cladding on high-rise residential buildings. A consultation on banning the use of combustible materials on the walls of high-rise residential buildings over 18 metres ta...

Bolton council buys shopping centre as part of £1bn town centre masterplan

15.06.18: Bolton Council has purchased Crompton Place shopping centre in a £14.8m deal. The move has been funded by the council’s £100m town centre fund, which is financed through a low interest loan and repaid using dividends from Manc...

Lambeth to create 738 homes on brown-field site

14.06.18: London’s borough of Lambeth now has planning permission for 738 new homes. A Grade II listed gas holder— in which natural or town gas is stored at ambient temperatures— will be dismantled, restored and rebuilt as part of a new...