Category: Planning
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Can the Government’s new planning lawyer deliver 1.5m homes?
The Government has appointed Catherine Howard, a senior planning lawyer, as Infrastructure and Planning Adviser to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, in a bid to tackle delays in housebuilding. Howard will advise on implementing planning reforms aimed at increasing the pace of approvals for housing projects. The appointment comes as ministers face pressure to meet the target…
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New research destroys Government’s plans to build on the green belt
The government has been pushing ahead with controversial “grey belt” housing proposals, which would see swathes of Green Belt land released for housing development. But new research from CPRE’s State of Brownfield 2025 report shows there is more than enough previously developed land available to build enough houses to meet the government’s 1.5 million housing…
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Housing crisis at centre of Labour Conference as industry demands action
The housing crisis is set to take centre stage at the Labour Party Conference as industry leaders call for urgent government action. Developers warn that stalled approvals, rising costs, and regulatory hurdles are threatening the government’s target of 1.5 million homes. Ministers are being urged to reform planning, boost skills, and support first-time buyers to…
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Gorilla warfare: Homeowner’s planning debate over 4ft gorilla statue
In Wakefield, a homeowner has become involved in a planning dispute over a prominent garden ornament. Adele Teale, 58, installed a four-foot resin gorilla statue, known as Caesar, on the front of her terraced house. The dispute revolves around the council’s view that the statue is out of character with the surrounding area and should…
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New Housing Secretary continues pledge to ‘build baby build’
Britain’s new Housing Secretary has pledged to accelerate housebuilding as Labour ramps up efforts to tackle the housing crisis. Steve Reed, who stepped into the role after Angela Rayner’s resignation, has adopted her well-known slogan, “build, baby build,” to signal continuity and urgency. He told officials he would “pull every lever” build homes and deliver…
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Why councils are reclassifying villages as towns
Councils across England are using settlement reclassification as a tool to defend green belt land from national housing pressures. Solihull Council has proposed reclassifying four villages – Knowle, Dorridge, Bentley Heath and Balsall Common – as towns to limit the impact of grey belt planning reforms. By changing how these settlements are officially defined, councils…
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How sewers are flushing Britain’s housing plans down the drain
Almost 30,000 new homes across the UK are currently stalled because of concerns about sewer and wastewater capacity, including 7,000 affordable homes. Developers have paid £2.3 billion to water companies since 2020 to fund infrastructure upgrades, yet planning permissions are still being delayed. According to the Home Builders Federation (HBF), the disconnect between councils, water…
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Why keeping your neighbours sweet is top planning tip
Whether you’re planning a modest home extension or a new self-build dwelling, engaging with your neighbours is often one of the most overlooked – yet potentially most impactful – parts of the planning permission process. It’s therefore important to understand how neighbour engagement fits into the planning system, why it matters even when it’s not…
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Change of use: How to turn non-residential land into a plot
When you’re hunting for a building plot, it’s easy to think you’ll stumble across a neat patch of grass with planning permission already sorted and services waiting at the boundary. In reality, that almost never happens and more often than not, the best opportunities are hidden in plain sight – old garages, barns, or even,…
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Councils rebel against Labour’s planning reforms
Councils across England are mounting a united challenge to the Government’s proposed planning reforms, warning they will strip away local decision-making powers and damage trust in the system. Leaders from urban and rural authorities say the changes – including a two-tier system and tougher housing targets – are unnecessary, unrealistic, and harmful. The growing backlash…