Planning and Housing

A symbiotic approach

19.04.18: Brian Reynolds, One Public Estate (OPE) programme director at the LGA, outlines the successes of the scheme so far and argues that even more could be achieved if greater flexibility, skills and regulatory powers were baked into the system. ...

Whitehall must ‘urgently change rules’ in light of leaked Grenfell findings

18.04.18: The fire that consumed Grenfell Tower would not have spread beyond the flat of origin had the original façade of the building not been re-clad, a report has concluded. According to the report, leaked to the London Evening Standard, the c...

Council adopts corporate strategy

16.04.18: Ashford Borough Council has adopted a corporate property management strategy to handle its portfolio of assets. The council says that the strategy has been prepared against a backdrop of “unprecedented change” in local government, w...

New project to tackle housing shortage

16.04.18: The County Councils Network (CCN) and the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) have joined for a new housing project. According to CCN, the project will explore how county councils and unitary authorities are innovating to deliver much...

LGA presses for cash as Javid unveils new building safety proposals

12.04.18: The government must ensure that unexpected costs arising from fire safety work are met, the LGA has argued today. The comments come after housing and communities secretary Sajid Javid published new legislation to strengthen fire testing of clad...

Council cuts waiting times for land searches by 8 weeks

11.04.18: Homebuyers in West Dorset are benefitting from faster land searches after a council implemented new measures. West Dorset District Council put an improvement plan in place in 2016 to deal with a backlog of applications for conveyancing sear...

Glasgow to deliver 1,000 homes in biggest regeneration scheme outside London

10.04.18: Glasgow City Council has committed to delivering more than 800 homes at the city’s Sighthill Transformational Regeneration Area (TRA). The council has signed the agreement with Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) and Keepmoat Homes to deliv...

Database to help councils crack down on rogue landlords goes live

09.04.18: Rogue landlords are being forced out of the sector as new banning orders and a national database of offenders are brought in. Landlords convicted of housing, immigration and other criminal offences, such as leasing overcrowded properties, fire...

Brighton council seeks views on new £2m infrastructure levy

09.04.18: A new charge on development could be introduced to contribute £2m a year towards Brighton and Hove’s infrastructure. Developers will have to pay a financial contribution to the council when they want to build new homes, shops or stu...

Councils given new taxation powers to tackle empty homes

28.03.18: Thousands of properties across England could be brought back into use as new legislation is introduced to allow local authorities to double the rate of council tax on empty homes. It is hoped that the new rules, which will allow councils to lev...

Older private renters ‘invisible’ in policy-making decisions

27.03.18: A national focus is needed to tackle the “chronic shortage” of homes to support the ageing population, the LGA has said. The call comes in response to a report by charity Independent Age, which claims that older private renters are...

Three councils facing intervention from gov after failing to produce local plan

26.03.18: Three local authorities are facing action from the government over failing to produce a local plan. In a statement to Parliament today, Sajid Javid said that he had written to 15 local planning authorities to commence the process of interve...

Khan commits £600,000 to ‘tackle barriers to social integration’

19.03.18: The mayor of London has committed to a new £600,000 integration strategy, which will specifically look at bringing young people and families close to the community. Sadiq Khan launched the new measures earlier this week in response to...

Parliament considers giving councils new powers to punish ‘unscrupulous’ rogue landlords

19.03.18: Councils could receive tough new powers to punish rogue landlords, with measures set to go in front of Parliament today. Under the new laws, those found in breach of overcrowding and living conditions regulations would be subject to fines a...

WMCA strikes £350m government housing deal

13.03.18: The West Midlands has committed to deliver 215,000 homes by 2030-31 in a deal with the chancellor and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Philip Hammond announced the £350m deal, which will be facilitated by...