Planning hits the headlines at this crucial time… With the Budget looming, the world of planning has again hit the headlines for several reasons. Of course, there is the usual abuse directed toward the delivery of housing – it’s the fault of the greedy developers / incompetent local planning authorities (*delete as applicable!) – which…
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Two recent Government announcements could help developers get homes built with fewer delays… There have been a couple of major developments in the planning world recently. Statement of Common Ground The first is the requirement for councils to produce a Statement of Common Ground with neighbouring authorities. This initiative is one of several consultation proposals…
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Are greedy developers at fault for the lack of land for housing, or are there other factors contributing to the UK’s housing crisis? An article in The Guardian earlier this year claims that the housing crisis is being worsened by greedy developers, who are hoarding land in a bid to sell it on at a…
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Holographic, virtual designs are set to change the way architects and developers work and interact with planning authorities and potential buyers… The advance of technology is changing the way we live and work on an almost-daily basis – just look at how smartphones have become such a staple of everyday life. And the architectural industry…
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After the dust has settled… the planning and construction industries after the election: Some things have certainly changed since the snap General Election on June 8. One of the major factors for the planning industry was the fact that Housing and Planning Minister Gavin Barwell lost his seat, as we predicted. In his place is…
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We take a look at the planning-related policies in each party’s manifesto… The prelude to the General Election has been notable for its relative silence on the matter of planning and housing development. It is possible that this was, in part, due to the protracted and extensive discussions that happened before Parliament was dissolved, which…
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Traditionally, developers have built homes to buy, but the trend looks set to change… In the past, builders constructed homes to sell to home-buyers – or they built social housing under the remit of a local housing authority. Of course, developments now usually have to provide a certain proportion of ‘affordable’ housing as well –…
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As more of us retire earlier, and with more than just a government pension to sustain us, the call for housing for the retired will grow, but will there be enough to go around? Ageing Population We are an ageing population – there are more people over 60 than there are under the age of…
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The Midlands looks set to benefit from more housing development, according to both the recent Housing White Paper and the Midlands Engine Strategy. The Midlands Engine Strategy was published this month, and refers to the recent Housing White Paper and its commitment to build more housing in the Midlands. The Strategy draws attention to the…
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A recent White Paper details how the government plans to get the right new homes built in the right places and help people onto the housing ladder. February 2017 saw the release of the White Paper ‘Fixing our broken housing market’, which details a number of broad reforms aimed at improving the housing market and…
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