Tag: Government
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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 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…
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U-turn as Government makes solar panels mandatory on all new homes by 2027
The Labour Government has announced a major policy shift, confirming that all new homes in England must be fitted with solar panels by 2027. The move comes just months after ministers rejected the Sunshine Bill, marking a significant U-turn on renewable energy policy. Environmental campaigners, including CPRE, have hailed the decision as a major victory…
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Government raked in £1.4bn in stamp duty before the March 30th deadline, as calls to remove the tax grow
UK homebuyers shelled out an extraordinary £1.4 billion in stamp duty in March 2025 as they scrambled to beat major tax threshold cuts, according to new HMRC figures. This surge marked a 34% jump from February and a 63% increase compared to March 2024, highlighting how thousands rushed transactions to avoid steep hikes set for…
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Grenfell Tower: government appoints demolition contractor
Deconstruct has been the Grenfell Tower site’s principal contractor, responsible for its structural propping, security and maintenance, site clearance, and weekly monitoring of the building’s condition since 2017. This, MHCLG added, gives the company “unique site knowledge”. View the original article and our Inspiration here