Planning and Housing

LGA launches scheme to help councils fix housing problems

18.07.17: The LGA has today unveiled a new scheme to support councils with solving local housing problems called the Housing Advisers Programme. The programme pays for an independent expert who will help local authorities deliver specific projects to...

Khan strikes £1.7bn deal to deliver 50,000 affordable homes in capital

14.07.17: A record £1.7bn deal has been struck to deliver 50,000 new homes in London. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that the deal between City Hall, London councils and housing associations would see new, affordable housing constructed in every bo...

DCLG launches £2.3bn fund to boost infrastructure and drive housebuilding

04.07.17: A fund worth £2.3bn with the potential to unlock 100,000 new homes in high-demand areas has today been officially launched by the DCLG. Speaking at the LGA Conference, attended by PSE, communities secretary Sajid Javid explained that...

Lack of affordable housing leading to ‘rental logjam’, warns LGA

03.07.17: Councils leaders have warned of a “rental logjam” as new data suggests that one in seven private renters were forced to spend half their income on rent. Analysis carried out by the LGA found that 14% of residents in privately re...

Bristol to sell houses on the private market for the first time

27.06.17: Bristol City Council is set to sell houses on the private market for the first time as part of an innovative development model designed to reinvest sale proceeds to build more social homes. A new housing development planned for south Bristo...

DCLG orders councils to list buildings with cladding similar to Grenfell Tower

20.06.17: Authorities and social housing providers have this week been instructed to check if their buildings have been refurbished using Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) after the Grenfell Tower tragedy that killed at least 74 people. This is so t...

Scottish councils receive £1.75bn to invest in affordable housing

13.06.17: Over £1.75bn is set to be allocated to councils in Scotland as part of a bid to drive construction of affordable housing in the country. Today, for the first-time details about the extent and timeframe of the funding have been release...

Councils to save £150,000 by merging planning teams

09.06.17: Proposals to bring the planning teams of two councils together have moved forward this week as one of the authorities approved a decision for the merger. Members of Cherwell District Council’s executive voted in favour of a final busi...

Labour unveils housing reforms to reverse ‘seven years of failure’

06.06.17: A ‘New Deal’ has this week been launched by Labour in a bid to win votes by setting out the party’s plan to fix the housing crisis. Labour has promised to give priority to those let down most by failings in the housing mar...

Most councils fail to enforce estate agents displaying hidden letting fees

02.06.17: Almost all local authorities are currently failing to enforce new rules that force letting agents to display hidden fees to tenants. Since 2015, letting agents have been required by law to clearly state any agency fees to prospective tenant...

Workers shelling out almost half of their salary to pay ‘sky-high’ rents

30.05.17: Workers in the UK are having to pay almost half of their salary to keep up with ‘sky-high’ private rents, housing charity Shelter has found. In findings released today, it was revealed that low-paid workers earning between &poun...

Almost all councils facing ‘severe or moderate’ housing problem

24.05.17: Councils have almost unanimously announced this week that local areas are severely in need of affordable homes. In a survey conducted by the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) with the Association for Public Service Excellence (AP...

Neighbourhood planning handbook launched for councillors

22.05.17: A handbook to help councillors plan their neighbourhoods has been launched by a key local government organisation.   The publication, called ‘The Good Councillor’s Guide to Neighbourhood Planning’ has been released by...

Mandatory voter ID checks ‘like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut’

19.05.17: Experts have slammed the Conservatives manifesto pledge to make voters have to show ID to be able to vote in elections across the UK. The Electoral Reform Society (ERS) said that the decision, which Theresa May’s party says is being b...

Third of low-earning tenants borrowing to keep up with rent

12.05.17: A third of low-earning renters in Britain have been forced to borrow money to cover the cost of their rent, new research released today by Shelter has found. New figures from a survey conducted by the housing charity showed how many people...