Planning
Government to intervene over 5G concerns
Ministers are reportedly set to write to planning authorities urging them not to block the introduction of 5G technology.
South Oxfordshire local plan withdrawal halted by Government
Local Government secretary Robert Jenrick has written to the council ahead of tonight's vote on scrapping its local plan.
Ministry grapples with planning performance
Ministry mandarins are attempting to work out how to measure councils’ planning performance before they agree to increase fees, The MJ understands.
Councils shouldn’t be afraid to let go
Local government will need the support and collaboration of communities to tackle the big social challenges we face, argues Joe Wills of Centre for London.
‘Get out of my set!’
That’s if BBC bosses are given permission to adjust the EastEnders set without planning permission.
Social care and climate change share limelight at Lib Dem conference
Increased funding via new taxes and more powers to tackle climate change are among the policies adopted at the Lib Dem conference this week.
New rules to increase housing deal transparency
Councils will be legally required to publish deals with housing developers after new rules were introduced.
Scottish councils face up to £59m planning costs
The Planning Act could cost councils in Scotland up to £59m over the next 10 years in new burdens.
Flood prevention the holistic way
Heavy flooding and the activation of the emergency Bellwin scheme saw North Yorkshire CC calling for the system of Government support for councils to be overhauled. Nick Fraser believes a holistic approach will improve flood risk management
Unprecedented joint Spending Review bid floated
An unprecedented joint bid could be made to next year’s Spending Review by Core Cities, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and Homes England.
Planning stability will drive housebuilding growth
Joe Ridgeon says as we wrestle with a protracted housing crisis, ‘braver and brighter new thinking and adopting land reform can surely offer one possible way forward’.
Help to Buy and the future of demand
John Keyes says the housing industry has a collective responsibility to prepare for Help to Buy’s discontinuation and councils are a key part of this as policy makers and increasingly as a direct provider of homes.
280,000 approved homes not completed
The number of planning permissions granted far outweighs the number of completions, according to new research.
Herts and Veolia end incinerator contract
A contract between Hertfordshire CC and Veolia to build an incinerator has been terminated after repeatedly failing to gain planning permission.
What an opportunity for a housing minister to be radical and bold
Paul O'Brien says there needs to be a wider recognition at a central and local level of the linkages between place-making and the delivery of homes in terms of health and wellbeing, life chances and local economies.
Children's services, adult social care top list of complaints
Most complaints about councils received by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) in 2018/19 concerned education, children’s services and adult social care.
Collaboration is the default way in Herts
Broxbourne BC and Hertfordshire CC are moving towards final approval process on a £400m scheme to create a new town centre at Brookfield Riverside. Scott Crudgington and Jeff Stack discuss the key elements of the close collaboration.
Reducing the risks from transition
The May local elections returned significant numbers of new councillors including new single issue groups. Abdool Kara examines the role of chief executives in actively managing the transition.
Can we have both quality and quantity in new homes?
Michael Burton asks: 'Is it any wonder that the public are suspicious of the planning system when they see little benefit other than shoddy new estates and overloaded public services?'
Trust in planners 'almost non-existent'
Public trust in councils to make planning decisions in the best interests of communities is ‘almost non-existent,’ research has found.