Recent research by the Local Government Association (LGA) suggests that because of permitted development rules, communities may have lost out on over 13,500 affordable homes in the last four years. Office conversions carried out under these rules mean that they can be converted into housing without being subject to a […]
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With an estimated 8.4 million people in England living in unaffordable, unsuitable or insecure homes, there has been a call to help reverse this housing crisis. With 340,000 new homes needed every year to support our growing population, more emphasis needs to be placed on providing homes that meet our […]
Plans to impose daily tolls of up to £50 for high-polluting vehicles entering Newcastle city centre have achieved further backing from city councillors. Final proposals for a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) have been supported at a full Newcastle City Council meeting – 41 councillors voted in support of the CAZ, […]
York has announced plans to ban private car journeys from the city centre in an effort to cut carbon emissions within the next three years. Following the lead of Bristol – due to become the first UK city to ban diesel cars by 2021 – councillors have spelled out the […]
With a local farmer offering land to meet a need for bungalows, affordable homes and allotments in a village in County Durham, we contacted the county council for guidance on their support for ‘Community Led Homes’. This is set to play a big role in delivering homes in the 2020’s, […]
Despite being protected under EU and UK law for six decades, great crested newts have suffered large declines in their populations. However, new licensing to protect them could be a “win-win” for both developers and biodiversity. A new scheme for authorising developments, known as ‘district licensing’, has been created by […]
We all hope that you’re having a fantastic festive break and a very merry Christmas! We’ve got many exciting things planned for the New Year, from major developments and masterplanning to unique Paragraph 79 houses. With so many changes in planning, housing and environmental policy over the past year, we […]
As more builds meet the Passivhaus standard across the country, the extra costs associated with such a build have started to fall. Here is how you can minimise your costs on a Passivhaus project. If you’re considering embarking on a Passivhaus project, getting expert advice is crucial in order to […]
A new renewable energy record has been set on Sunday 8th December. Wind generated more than 16 gigawatts (GW) of electricity in Britain for the first time, providing more than 40% of our power nationally. This new renewable energy record was set in the evening with wind generating up to […]
There has been a rise in planning applications for battery storage projects across the UK, according to research by RenewableUK. This welcome news follows recent predictions that the UK’s energy storage needs to drastically increase to meet carbon emissions targets. ‘Project Intelligence,’ a recent report by RenewableUK, shows that the total […]
A recent practice advice note released by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) suggests that the plan making and public engagement skills planners have provides a key role in the current resurgence of local authority housebuilding. The note also considers how local authority planners can balance supporting and promoting authority-led […]
Recent government statistics show that in England in 2018/19, over 57,400 affordable homes were delivered. This is an increase of 22 per cent compared to the previous year’s affordable housing. Of all the affordable homes built, 66 per cent were for rent, such as intermediate and social rent. This figure […]