Tag: Government
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How’s the government going to ‘get Britain building’?
The government has published two major planning announcements aimed at the housebuilding sector. David Parry explains what’s in each of them. (Image: Paul Maguire via Dreamstime) The end of May saw the publication of two major government announcements for the construction sector, both setting out further intentions to free up the planning system and get…
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Government to appoint interim chief construction adviser this summer
The government is planning to announce an interim chief construction adviser this summer ahead of a permanent appointment next year. The update was included in the government’s progress report on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 2 recommendations, published today (29 May). One of the Inquiry’s recommendations was the appointment of a chief construction adviser to…
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Government tells industry to continue using its advice to determine HRBs
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published a notice asking the sector and regulatory bodies to continue using government guidance to determine whether a building is higher-risk. It follows confusion arising from a first-tier tribunal decision last July, which ruled that a roof terrace in a residential property in East London…
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Government urges industry to continue using its advice on HRBs
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published a notice asking the sector and regulatory bodies to continue using government guidance to determine whether a building is higher-risk. It follows confusion arising from a first-tier tribunal decision last July, which ruled that a roof terrace in a residential property in East London…
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Government cuts higher level apprenticeship funding
The UK government has announced plans to “refocus” funding away from Level 7 (masters level) apprenticeships from January 2026. From next year, only existing apprentices or those aged 16-21 will be eligible for levy-funded training. According to the government, the new measures will allow levy funding to be “rebalanced towards training at lower levels, where…
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Housebuilders will have to set delivery timeframes under new government plans
The government said that the proposed Delayed Homes Penalty, which would be worth “thousands per unbuilt home”, would be a last resort measure for local authorities where a developer has agreed a build-out schedule in their planning permission, but falls materially (10% or more) behind it without a good reason. View the original article and…
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MPs criticise ‘stop-start’ government retrofit schemes
“Our sector has well-documented skills and worker shortages, so instead of short-term, ever-changing schemes, long-term policies that provide a steady pipeline of demand for retrofitting must be the way forward. This would provide the industry with the assurance to invest in training and upskilling the workforce, which in turn gives households confidence that retrofit works…
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Would you volunteer? Government launches new ‘Dad’s Army’ Home Guard to protect power plants and pipelines
The UK government plans to bring back a volunteer ‘Home Guard’ to protect critical infrastructure like power plants and energy pipelines. This move aims to reduce risks of disruptions that could trigger energy price rises and impact household bills. It forms part of a broader Strategic Defence Review responding to increasing global threats and aiming…
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Nature protections ‘not the problem’ — so why is the government rolling them back?
The UK government’s Planning & Infrastructure Bill aims to expedite housing and infrastructure projects by streamlining environmental regulations. Central to the bill is the establishment of a Nature Restoration Fund (NRF), allowing developers to offset environmental obligations through financial contributions. While the government asserts that these latest planning reforms will support development without compromising environmental…
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Government approves plans for controversial data centre in green belt
Today (12 May), housing minister Baroness Sharon Taylor of Stevenage, on behalf of secretary of state for housing, communities and local government Angela Rayner, published a 98-page letter addressed to Greystoke Land’s development consultant, Pegasus Group, granting planning permission subject to conditions for the project after agreeing with the planning inspectorate’s recommendations. View the original…