Category: Government
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Building Safety Levy delayed until 2026 after government bows to industry pressure
The government has pushed back the implementation of the Building Safety Levy from autumn 2025 to autumn 2026. This comes after the government was criticised by homebuilding groups, particularly the Home Builders Federation (HBF) who said the move would seriously discourage housing construction. The levy, designed to fund building safety improvements, will now give developers…
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Spring Budget brings major boost for homebuilders, homeowners and housing market
In today’s Spring Budget Statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced measures aimed at reviving the UK housing sector. With a shortage of skilled tradespeople holding up the building of houses, the government is injecting significant funding into training the next generation of builders. Alongside this, energy efficiency initiatives are being introduced, with the government claiming these…
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Industry says Planning & Infrastructure Bill offers a ‘blueprint for the future, but will it be built to last?’
The government’s newly introduced Planning & Infrastructure Bill has ignited discussions across the industry, with its promise to accelerate housing construction and infrastructure delivery. From speeding up planning decisions to reforms on compulsory purchase orders, the bill touches various aspects of the planning process that could reshape the landscape of housing and development. But will…
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What is the Planning & Infrastructure Bill? We explain the key reforms to the planning system
The Planning & Infrastructure Bill is a new law introduced by the government to make the planning system simpler, speed up housebuilding, and remove legal hurdles that have slowed down housing projects. The bill, which has been described by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner as enabling the “biggest building boom in a generation”, plans to…
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The end of leaseholds? Government pushes major housing reform
The Government has announced sweeping changes to homeownership, taking a step toward banning new leaseholds in England and Wales. The move, aimed at replacing the controversial system with commonhold ownership, promises to give homeowners greater control over their properties while addressing mounting complaints over spiraling service charges. These reforms could transform the way people manage…
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Government’s plans to build homes in ‘Europe’s Silicon Valley’ at risk of subsidence before work even begins
Thousands of new homes planned for construction in the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor could face serious subsidence risks, potentially leaving future homeowners with uninsurable properties, experts have warned. The Government’s plan to build 4,500 homes in the region, part of a wider drive to tackle the housing crisis, is now under scrutiny as geological concerns come…
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MPs blame Brexit for soaring energy bills in key Parliamentary debate
MPs have warned that Brexit is making energy more expensive for UK households, with some arguing that leaving the EU has led to higher prices, inefficiencies and reduced energy security. During a debate in Westminster Hall today, Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse (Bath) and others called on the government to address the impact of Brexit…
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Government’s ‘grey belt’ housing plan branded ‘ineffective’ by Lords Committee
The Government’s controversial ‘grey belt’ housing policy is unlikely to have any meaningful impact on boosting housebuilding numbers, according to a damning report by the House of Lords Built Environment Committee. The policy, first introduced in the draft National Planning Policy Framework in July 2024, aimed to unlock land on the fringes of existing communities…
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Sunshine Bill requiring solar panels to be mandatory rejected in parliament
The UK Parliament has voted against the “Sunshine Bill,” officially known as the New Homes (Solar Generation) Bill, which proposed all newly built homes would be required to have solar panels. This bill aimed to make new homes not only more cost-effective to live in but also more environmentally responsible. However, it faced opposition from…