Councils face exodus of planners in threat to housebuilding goals November 18, 2025 One in five UK planners intends to leave the field or retire by 2028, in another significant threat to the government’s housebuilding target, according to new data. Nearly two-thirds of planners said their teams lacked the capacity to meet demand, according to the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). The RTPI has warned that the exodus [...]
London office starts lowest in 15 years November 6, 2025 New starts on London office developments have fallen to their lowest level since 2010, City AM can reveal, as stubbornly high interest rates and thorny planning laws continue to blight construction in the capital. In the 12 months to October, construction got under way on just 2.5m square feet (sq/ft) of London office space, less [...]
Four in 10 Londoners ‘ready to quit capital’ over housing costs November 5, 2025 Nearly half of the capital’s 25-45 year olds are ready to leave over unsustainably expensive housing, according to a new study. In fact, two in three are regularly borrowing money to pay housing costs, most commonly turning to credit cards, payday loans and family support, according to a new report from Pocket Living. “The pressures [...]
Will the new Planning Bill get Britain building? October 28, 2025 The Planning and Infrastructure Bill promises faster decisions and greener outcomes. But will it actually deliver, asks James Clark.
Cutting affordable housing quotas is a slap in the face for Labour voters October 20, 2025 If Labour is no longer in favour of building affordable housing, what exactly is the party for, asks James Ford.
Economists ask Labour to prioritise planning reform and cut tax to boost growth October 6, 2025 A survey of economists and policy experts has put pressure on Labour to “spend political capital” on planning reform to encourage more home building and on reforming the welfare system, reflecting the urgency of the government’s mission to grow the economy. A centre-left think tank focused on growth policy, the Centre for British Progress, has [...]
New City of London ‘showpiece’ skyscraper approved September 30, 2025 A 34-storey skyscraper set to dominate the City skyline has been approved by Square Mile officials, in a major boost to the area’s high-grade office capacity and local economy. A proposal to redevelop a tower block at 130 Fenchurch Street into a “showpiece office building” was approved unanimously by the City of London Corporation’s planning [...]
New minister must not kowtow to the social housing mafia like Angela Rayner September 10, 2025 Steve Reed must choose: will he side with reformers who understand the need for the private sector to be allowed to deliver, or with the old guard whose obsession with social and affordable housing means perpetual scarcity dressed up as compassion? Asks Simon Clarke When the new Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, declared on Monday he [...]
The silent majority wants more homes August 27, 2025 It’s far too easy for a vocal minority who’ve already got their foot on the housing ladder to pull it up after themselves. A representative planning system will unlock the new homes we need, says Simon Clarke For decades, Britain’s planning system has been run by the same cast of characters: the colonel guarding his [...]
Rachel Reeves to slash environmental protections to boost builders August 18, 2025 Rachel Reeves is looking to take the axe to environmental protections blocking infrastructure projects in a bid to boost Labour’s building pledges. The Chancellor is considering reforms to prevent nature concerns from inhibiting new developments as she desperately looks to supercharge her growth agenda. Labour’s Planning and Infrastructure bill is in the committee stage at [...]