Planning and Housing

Blackpool bids for £25m Future High Streets Fund

13.07.20: Blackpool Council has bid for up to £25m of the Government’s £1bn Future High Streets Fund, to support the next phase of its Town Centre Regeneration Strategy. The town is one of 100 that has been shortlisted to use the Fu...

Knowsley Council agrees proposals for 360 new garden village homes

10.07.20: Knowsley Council’s Planning Committee has approved a multi million pound proposal (July 10) to build up to 360 new family homes in Whiston. The development at Halsnead Garden Village is a major project for Knowsley and the wider Liver...

Islington Council set to take back management of 4,000 council homes

10.07.20: Islington Council is set to take on housing repairs and maintenance for more than 4,000 council homes following month-long public consultation. The council announced yesterday (July 9) that one of its two Private Finance Initiative (PFI) co...

Wakefield Council secures £1.75m from Towns Fund

03.07.20: Wakefield Council has secured a £1.75m Government grant (July 2), to support projects to immediately improve Wakefield city centre and Castleford. The Council were chosen for the opportunity to bid for a share of the £3.6bn Town...

‘Landmark moment’ as devolution deal for South Yorkshire secured

29.06.20: Today marks a breakthrough in Sheffield City Region’s fight for devolution, as a multi-million pound deal is agreed (June 29). The ‘landmark’ deal, which will be approved in Parliament in the coming weeks, will unlock and...

Liverpool submits £1.4bn economic recovery plan

25.06.20: Liverpool City Council has submitted a £1.4bn five-year recovery plan to Government today (June 25) to boost the nation’s post-Covid and post-Brexit economy. The 178-page report outlines the city’s aims to create 25,600 jo...

LGA calls for construction of 100,000 social homes a year

22.06.20: The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that 100,000 social homes a year need to be built as part of the recovery from Covid-19. The report, published by the LGA yesterday (June 21) says a ‘post-pandemic building boom’...

Watford Council unveils new place shaping panel

17.06.20: Watford Borough Council has today (June 17) announced the members of its new Place Shaping Panel as part of its commitment to enhancing quality of life for residents. It will serve as a rigorous independent board of reviewers for any develo...

Norwich regeneration masterplan given green light

12.06.20: Norwich City Council can begin planning the biggest development opportunity in the East of England following the go-ahead from Cabinet Members this week (June 10). The city regeneration scheme is set to make way for thousands of homes and j...

Homes England agrees £309m for 20,000 London homes

04.06.20: Yesterday (June 3) saw the Government’s housing agency, Homes England, agree £309m for the delivery of three major London housing developments. The three sites, in Brent Cross, Silvertown and Barking Riverside have capacity...

Council-owned housing company set to deliver 500 affordable homes a year

01.06.20: Manchester City Council has announced plans for a new housing company, set to deliver 500 affordable homes a year. Initial proposals for the council-owned housing development company were agreed in March, with a view to accelerate the numbe...

Homes England invests £61m into Cambridgeshire development

28.05.20: A £61m investment has been agreed today (May 28) by Homes England for the development of a neighbourhood with 6,500 new homes. Developers Urban&Civic will deliver the 716-acre community at Waterbeach in Cambridgeshire, with the fi...

Kirklees Council makes £250m Blueprint part of planning policy

27.05.20: Kirklees Council’s Cabinet gave the green light yesterday (May 26) for the £250m Huddersfield Blueprint to be part of planning policy, following the extensive input of local people.   The Blueprint is now agreed as a Supple...

Moving Forward Together: Bristol council housing set for transformation

27.05.20: Bristol Council has announced that a new project, with the potential to transform the lives of people living in council homes, will be discussed by the Cabinet next month. The programme, Moving Forward Together (MFT), will look to improve t...

Housing Secretary to re-start housing market with new measures

13.05.20: Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has published a plan to re-start the housing market allowing anyone form today (May 13) to move home providing health and safety guidance is followed. According to the Ministry of Housing, Communities &...