Housebuilders urge Rayner to ‘hit the ground running’ and rip up planning red tape Property Housebuilders have called on Angela Rayner to “hit the ground running” and rip up planning red tape after her surprise comeback as housing secretary. Rayner resigned as housing secretary in September over an investigation into her tax affairs but was cleared of wrongdoing in March this year. Leading housebuilding figures told City AM they welcomed [...]
‘Anti-growth’: Labour blocks City of London skyscraper plans London The government has been branded “anti-growth” by the City of London Corporation after a minister blocked plans to build tall buildings near the Tower of London. In a letter to planning chiefs, the housing minister Matthew Pennycock said the authority for the Square Mile should not be able to go ahead with its skyscraper plans [...]
London Local Elections 2026: Who will win in Greenwich? London CLICK HERE to view all the latest London election results As voters head to the polls in Greenwich, the Labour stronghold is set to see a rise in Green support amidst a hike in council tax and a cut in central government funding of the local authority. Back in 2022 Labour secured an overwhelming majority [...]
The housing sector deserves better than being threatened with rent caps April 30, 2026 The rental sector delivers not only homes but creates jobs and sustains communities. The government should recognise that, revalue the rental sector and stop demonising the very people and institutions building the homes Britain desperately needs, says Brendan Geraghty There are moments in life when you read a headline and feel genuine disbelief, and yesterday [...]
Reeves rent freeze: How did Chancellor turn to a Mamdani-style policy controversy? April 28, 2026 Reports of plans in Downing Street for a rent freeze came as a shock after a housing minister said Labour opposes the policy. Felix Armstrong explores why rent controls stoke so much controversy, from New York to Sweden. Rumours that Rachel Reeves is considering slapping a freeze on private rents shocked the property market on [...]
Land development transparency plans ‘solve problem that doesn’t exist’ March 10, 2026 The government has been accused of offering a solution to “a problem that doesn’t exist” over an initiative requiring landowners to publicly declare options over land. The new policy, set to be unveiled by planning minister Matthew Pennycook on Monday, is intended to help small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders by boosting transparency. The government hopes [...]
Labour must remember investors when reforming leasehold February 21, 2025 Given that many properties are directly or indirectly owned by pension funds, getting leasehold reform wrong risks destabilising the property markets, transferring value to foreign investors and undermining the UK’s attractiveness, says Natalie Chambers The government’s rhetoric on harnessing institutional capital as a driver for economic growth is welcome. In the coming months, the government [...]
Housing crisis ‘hampers growth’ but minister vows 1.5m target on track November 20, 2024 The UK’s housing crisis “hampers economic growth and productivity”, the housing minister has said, as he insisted the target of 1.5m new homes can be achieved. Labour pledged in its manifesto ahead of the election to deliver the 1.5m net additional dwellings over the course of the Parliament, ending in 2029. It came in response [...]