Planning
Factor inclusivity in from day one
Tackling social exclusion cannot end at the planning committee or once legal agreements are signed, according to Paul Hackett.
Rule change signalled following London 'social cleansing' accusation
Local government secretary James Brokenshire has signalled a possible change to the rules to help councils facing an influx of London’s homeless.
Councillors grill Capita over planning service
Directors of an outsourced planning service have been taken to task by councillors.
Scrapping permitted development will lead to better quality housing schemes
Senior researcher at the Fabian Society Jason Brock argues that a broken planning system is harming the future of our town centres and making Britain’s housing crisis worse.
A solid partnership was key to the new vision for Bracknell
A ‘solid public-private partnership’ was critical to making the masterplan for Bracknell’s transformation work, says Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker.
Extracting quality from the Future High Streets Fund
Retail expert Bill Grimsey says the £675m Future High Streets Fund is welcome, but the Government is forcing the pace on bids and leaving councils without the time to put together quality schemes.
Brokenshire announces Accelerated Housing Green Paper
A Green Paper aiming to speed up the planning process will be published later this year, communities Secretary James Brokenshire has announced.
Housing minister urges councils to revive HRA building
Minister Kit Malthouse has expressed a preference for building new homes using Housing Revenue Accounts (HRAs) instead of creating property companies.
Brokenshire backtracks after blocking Baptist bid
A judicial review next month has been averted after communities secretary James Brokenshire backtracked on a decision to block a planning application for 220 homes.
Planners in growth and infrastructure warning
Large-scale infrastructure projects and construction-led economic growth in Scotland are at risk if under-resourcing of the planning system continues.
Truss backs fiscal devolution
Chief secretary to the Treasury, Liz Truss, has given her backing to further fiscal devolution.
Planning system ‘underperforming’
The Government’s planning system is ‘underperforming’ and struggling to deliver on its aim of building 300,000 homes a year, auditors have found.
Councils should have a planner in top team
Cuts to planning authority budgets have left them unable to compete with the private sector for the best in leadership talent. It's time for local authority chief executives to put planning back at the top table, says Victoria Hills
Austerity undermines planners ability to ‘serve public interest’ - report
Government cuts have eroded the ability of planners to think strategically and to ‘serve the public interest,’ a report has claimed.
Council to take legal action over Local Plan delay
Stevenage BC will request a judicial review as the Government continues to hold up its Local Plan.
New year, new council homes
Later this year the first four MetroHomes will be built in Lambeth – a housing approach that uses Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Cllr Matthew Bennett says it's an important first step in delivering the homes the borough needs.
A quarter of councils yet to submit a Local Plan
A quarter of local authorities have yet to submit a Local Plan six years after being required to act, new research has revealed.
Work to begin on new planning register
Work is being started on a new project to bring together data on planning applications from all councils across England.
Councils approve planning applications at ‘fastest rate’ in a decade
Local authorities are approving planning applications at their fastest rate in over a decade, a homelessness charity has revealed.
Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village – a great start to the race to completion
Planning permission has been secured for the flagship Village for athletes taking part in the Birmingham 2022 Commonweath Games. This council-led regeneration project has made three years’ progress in just 364 days, say Ian Ward and Waheed Nazir.