Communities secretary Eric Pickles has offered local authorities £55m over the next five years as part of a bid to encourage more localism in the planning system.
In a letter to councils, sent after yesterday’s Spending Review, Pickles gave details of how various grants would be distributed over the next five …

As property braces itself for the Comprehensive Spending Review, Nick Johnstone considers the repercussions of a “once-in-a-century” moment in government property policy.
____

A scruffy 200,000 sq ft office block is about to come on to the market in Edinburgh. Its occupier, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is cutting costs …

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 …

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 …

The Scottish government launched a consultation into the future of planning this week.
‘Resourcing a High Quality Planning System’ looks at planning fees and ways of funding government agencies involved in planning. Proposals include charging for pre-application discussions, meaning developers would have to pay for advice …

Councils, developers and housebuilders in limbo after government announces scrapping of regional plans
Planning authorities throughout the country have been plunged into chaos after communities secretary Eric Pickles advised them five weeks ago that regional plans would be scrapped.
Several councils have put decisions on key development proposals on …

There are major inconsistencies in the way planning applications are processed across Wales, according to a report published by the Welsh Assembly Government today.
The report, called Study to Examine
the Planning Application
Process in Wales,  sets out recommendations to improve the planning system and aid sustainable economic recovery.
The report found a lack …

The government plans to ease the planning system in growth areas through promoting the use of Local Development Orders by local authorities.
As part of the Emergency Budget, which was published today, the Treasury has announced plans to publish a white paper later this summer that will encourage a “simplified planning consents …

Decentralisation minister Greg Clark has today unveiled plans to end the practice of garden grabbing and scrap minimum housing density targets.
Clark has today announced plans to take gardens out of the “brownfield” planning designation and allow local authorities to decide how many new homes should be concentrated in their area.
On …

The Royal Town Planning Institute has warned that replacing regional planning with a more local approach to planning could threaten the UK’s economic recovery.
Today, plans for a Decentralisation and Localism Bill were unveiled as part of the Queen’s Speech. The RPTI has responded by saying strategic planning between local and …