Recent Posts
Nicola Gooch
Weighty Considerations: Local Plan Policies vs the Small Sites Exemption
When the Court of Appeal upheld the 'small sites exemption' last May, many small developers breathed a huge sigh of relief. The policy ...
27/09/16
Nicola Gooch
Staying Out of the Twilight Zone: CIL and Transitional S.73 Applications
Given the number of times that the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 have been amended, it is not surprising that there are...
21/09/16
Nicola Gooch
Here come the (planning) consultations....
DCLG is currently consulting on the details of two of the main planks of the new Neighbourhood Planning Bill. Improving the use of...
16/09/16
Irwin Mitchell
Academy to save millions by installing solar panels
Wellacre Academy in Greater Manchester has announced completion of a 430kw solar installation. It is expected this will save the school...
16/09/16
Nicola Gooch
Barwell: Government softening commitment to starter homes and promising greater support for PRS
In an article published in Property Week today, Gavin Barwell, our newest Planning Minister, has indicated that the Government is...
13/09/16
Nicola Gooch
Can Town Planning make us better people?
The idea that there is a strong link between the health and wellbeing of a community and the architectural environment in which they live...
13/09/16
Irwin Mitchell
"You will lose one pound in every eight but there will be no recession"
Or so says the Chief economist of CBRE Global Investors at the annual conference of the European Public Real Estate in Paris, putting it...
13/09/16
Irwin Mitchell
Land Registry Privatisation plans- on hold!
Controversial proposals put forward by the Government to privatise the Land Registry have been put on hold. A consultation process on...
08/09/16
Irwin Mitchell
popular electronic telephone game causes construction consternation
Keen digital observers will know that, for now, Pokémon Go is wildly popular. We understand that it encourages people to experience the...
07/09/16
Irwin Mitchell
EU Guidance published on nearly zero-energy buildings
In the EU, 40% of all energy consumption comes from buildings. To try and tackle this, on 3 December 2015, 16 leading EU companies...
06/09/16
Nicola Gooch
Autumn: A season of mists and more planning reform?
Summer is officially over: It is noticeably darker in the evenings; schools are back in session and a new parliamentary term has begun....
05/09/16
Irwin Mitchell
rumours of Get Britain Building III
There is a widely held hope that the Government will announce a new housing supply stimulus package in the Autumn Statement, as part of...
05/09/16
Irwin Mitchell
Still tons of bricks in the property industry...
In heartening if slightly indignant news the Brick Development Association has confirmed that there is no structural shortage in the...
05/09/16
Nicola Gooch
Protecting Pubs: Does removing PD Rights really protect pubs from closure?
Protecting pubs seems to be a matter of growing concern for London planning authorities and local communities. Applications to register...
22/08/16
Nicola Gooch
Consensus grows on the need for more specialist housing
Two independent reports have been published in the last four weeks that highlight the UK's increasing shortage of retirement housing. In...
17/08/16
Irwin Mitchell
IPD seismometer registers stirrings? Capital values down 2.8%
No sooner had I posted my last comment, wondering whether the Capital Economics report on rental values might need some element of...
16/08/16
Nicola Gooch
The Housing Crisis is a National Issue: levels of home ownership fall across the UK
Hidden amongst all of the political turmoil of the last few months remains one constant: We do not have enough homes in the UK. This...
02/08/16
Irwin Mitchell
Standardised toolkit helps London businesses get faster access to broadband
Getting your first business location or moving an established business is difficult. First, finding and getting the space. Then fit out....
01/08/16
Nicola Gooch
Mixed messages on major infrastructure as Hinkley Point is 'paused'
It has been an interesting week for large infrastructure projects in the UK. The decision on whether to expand Heathrow or Gatwick has...
29/07/16
Nicola Gooch
London Planning Authority accepts Brexit impact on viability of residential development
It is well recognised that the viability of any particular development can be highly sensitive to a wide range of variables. Everything ...
21/07/16
Nicola Gooch
New Commission to lead the regeneration of the Thames Estuary
Today the government will launch a new commission tasked with regenerating and reinvigorating the Thames Estuary, an area which includes...
14/07/16
Nicola Gooch
Supreme Court to reconsider meaning of "relevant policies for the supply of housing"
The Supreme Court has decided to review the Court of Appeal's judgment in Suffolk Coastal D.C. v Hopkins Homes and Richborough Estates...
12/07/16
Nicola Gooch
Theresa May promises tough action on Housing Deficit
On 11 July, Theresa May gave a campaign speech which set out her priorities as leader of the conservative party and prime minister elect....
12/07/16
Irwin Mitchell
A Zero Sum game?
If life is a "zero sum game", then this does not explain how economic growth happens. Some will tell you that this is only because what...
11/07/16
Nicola Gooch
Select Committee launches inquiry into UK housebuilding capacity
On 5 July 2016, the Communities and Local Government Select Committee launched a new inquiry into the housebuilding industry. In...
08/07/16
Nicola Gooch
Planning in (and for) the Aftermath of the EU Referendum
Regardless of your views about last week's vote, it is fair to say that the result has made everything seem more complicated and less...
27/06/16
Nicola Gooch
DCLG needs you... to build a Garden Village.
DCLG has issued a prospectus setting out how they can support local areas in the delivery of new housing. They are seeking expressions of...
22/06/16
Irwin Mitchell
What do Lenders know? Debt finance for Property.
Interestingly, two sources seem to show a slowdown in traditional debt finance for Property. First, Saving Stream reports that Bank...
22/06/16
Irwin Mitchell
Government publishes proposals for revised Electronic Communications Code- Landlords beware!
Last month the Government published proposals for a revised electronic communications code. The key points that Landlords should be...
14/06/16
Nicola Gooch
Planning: A New Era of Government Intervention?
The 2010 election of the coalition government was, in hindsight, a significant moment for the planning system. Over the parliament that...
13/06/16