Tag: planning
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Planning delays are leaving new homes without facilities
Across England, people are moving into newly built or expanding settlements only to find essential services, like shops, GP surgeries, community centres, falling behind. Local councils, planning documents, and residents themselves point to how phased planning permissions, developer obligations, and enforcement gaps contribute to incomplete neighbourhoods. Here are four real-world cases illustrating how planning processes…
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Horner and Halliwell’s planning troubles at country estate
Planning permission problems have dogged the couple’s attempts to improve their Grade II-listed mansion in Oxfordshire. Projects meant to enhance the property – including new stables, garden buildings, and gates – have sparked objections, delays, and even retrospective applications. These ongoing issues reveal how challenging it can be to modernise a protected home while meeting…
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New Graven Hill planning application for final phases
Graven Hill Village Development Company has submitted a new planning application seeking permission for the final phases of the UK’s largest self-build and custom-build community. The submission includes full consent for 64 homes and outline proposals for more than 1,300 additional dwellings, as well as new infrastructure, green spaces, and a revised design code. Developed…
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Planning permission reform boosts UK heat pump sales
The UK is making real progress on its goal to install 600,000 heat pumps each year by 2028. New research from energy company Aira shows a sharp rise in the number of people applying for heat pump grants through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, with applications up 54% in the first half of 2025 compared to…
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Why Refineries Need Precision Turnaround Planning Software
Refinery turnarounds are high-pressure, high-stakes events where every hour offline costs millions—and every misstep multiplies the damage. In an industry where precision isn’t optional, relying on spreadsheets and generic project tools is like flying blind through a storm. That’s exactly why specialized turnaround planning software isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. From predictive maintenance to real-time crew…
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Council takes ‘critical action’ to reduce planning backlog
Councillor Mike Rigby, portfolio holder for economic development, planning and transportation, said: “This is an incredibly complex problem to solve, and we recognise that this critical action will impact on our residents. But it is necessary to bring work in progress down to a more manageable and sustainable standard and to make Somerset’s planning service a…
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Planning bill U-turn changes new home build rules
After mounting pressure from environmental groups and rebel MPs, the government has quietly rewritten a major section of its flagship planning bill. The key changes strengthen nature protections, particularly in greenbelt and rural areas, and introduce new conditions around development timelines. For homebuilders, renovators, and self-builders, this shift could affect how and when you break…
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The quiet planning reform that could boost UK homebuilding
A little-known tweak to England’s planning rules could make it easier for small-scale housing projects, including self-builds, to get planning permission. The government’s proposed “medium-site” category aims to cut red tape for developments between 10 and 49 homes. While aimed at SME developers, it could also help self-builders and community-led groups unlock land and move…
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Capaldi’s fence dispute sparks village planning row
Lewis Capaldi has been granted planning permission for a sleek new recording studio on his £1.6 million countryside estate, but not all of his renovation dreams are going smoothly. A neighbour has formally objected to parts of a separate application, particularly a towering boundary fence that allegedly reaches over 3.5 metres high. The planning permission…
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Man wins £70k refund after council’s planning charge error
Steve Dally never expected a minor tweak to his home improvement plans would end in a life-altering legal standoff. What began as a routine planning permission amendment, spiralled into a punitive bill, threats of repossession, and five years of unrelenting pressure. Now, Waverley Borough Council admits it got it wrong, but only after one man…