Housing minister Grant Shapps has today pledged nearly £1bn of funding for councils that give planning permission for new housing development.
In the proposals for the New Homes Bonus, which are now open for public consultation, the government will match the council tax raised from new homes for the first six …

Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has announced that local authorities will be given the freedom to borrow against future tax increases in order to fund development.
In a speech to the Liberal Democrat conference today in Liverpool, Clegg said that Tax Increment Financing (TIF) would be introduced in England as part …

Homes and Communities Agency chief executive Sir Bob Kerslake will be replaced by an existing director when he leaves the quango on 1 November.
Kerslake told PublicPropertyUK.com that succession plans were already being made and an internal appointment would announced “within weeks”.
On Monday, cabinet secretary Gus O’Donnell announced Kerslake’s appointment as …

What is it: Communities and Local Government chief planner Steve Quartermain has written to chief planning officers at UK councils about revisions to the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995.
When did it come out: 9 September 2010
Why is it important: On 1 October, a consolidated version of the …

The government has today published a list of the 56 bids it has received from councils wanting to create local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) to take on housing, planning, and regeneration powers.
If approved, each body [full list of proposals below] will take on responsibilities currently held by regional development agenies  (RDAs).
Yesterday …

Homes and Communities Agency chief executive Sir Bob Kerslake is leaving to become permanent secretary at the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Sir Peter Housden previously held the role but left the department in June to become permanent secretary to the Scottish government.
Kerslake said: “I am honoured and excited by …

What it is: An alliance of 29 property and planning bodies have written to communities secretary Eric Pickles to express concerns over his “localist” approach to reforming the planning system.
When it came out: The letter was sent on 29 July, but was published on 5 August.
Why it is important: Developers …

Has anyone looked at the Department of Communities and Local Government’s website lately? I suspect not many – and to be fair, it wasn’t always the most invigorating read anyway.
But it did contain a significant amount of invaluable information for professionals in government, local government and the private sector dealing …

A consortium led by 10 Greater Manchester councils has been chosen to manage a £350m regeneration fund to lend to developers in the north-west.
The Evergreen Consortium, which includes the Greater Manchester Pension Fund and CB Richard Ellis, aims to create a fund of up to £350m to invest in the …

Housing minister Grant Shapps has today unveiled the government’s latest “localist” proposals for the planning system, which aim to let rural villagers decide where they want homes built.
The Community Right to Build scheme would allow villages to set up local housing trusts, and hold a referendum to decide if house …