Planning
Two new ‘garden towns’ to deliver 50,000 new homes
The government has announced two new "garden towns", which will get £1.1m in new funding to help deliver up to 50,000 new homes between them.
Holland Park basement developer hit with hefty fine
A developer has been ordered to pay £4k in fines and costs for cracking on with a basement extension after being served up with a stop notice.
Strutt & Parker acquires Surrey planning consultancy
Strutt & Parker has bought AKA Planning, an independent planning consultancy based in Leatherhead.
AKA's team of six planners will join Strutt & Parker’s existing development team in Guildford;
Mayfair Play: £2 billion Audley Square scheme recommended for approval
Plans to turn a grotty Mayfair car park into a 296,000 square foot neo-classical scheme worth an estimated £2bn have received the initial thumbs up from Westminster planners.
Bloomsbury mansion block sells off air space after unexcavated basement goes for £150k
If you missed out on the unexcavated basement beneath this Bloomsbury mansion block last month, you can now snap up the empty air space above it.
Westminster names new planning chief
Westminster has announced a new Executive Director of Growth, Planning and Housing.
Ed Watson, who's been in local government for a good 25 years, will take on the role from January.
RBKC forces spruce up of Royal Crescent
Council planners in Holland Park have been coming down hard on appearances in recent months, forcing 12 owners of houses on Royal Crescent alone to get sprucing or face the consequences.
Planning nod for Londonewcastle scheme in the ‘best location in Shoreditch’
Urban developer Londonewcastle has been given the go-ahead for a prominent resi-led scheme smack bang in the middle of Shoreditch.
Basement battle on Chelsea cul de sac
Chelsea's Seymour Walk hit the headlines over the weekend after it emerged that six simultaneous basement extensions are planned for the quiet cul de sac.
BoJo green lights Greenwich masterplan
Mayor Boris Johnson has OK-ed the revised Greenwich Peninsula masterplan, paving the way for London's biggest single regen project.
Planning Portal reveals new look
The new look Planning Portal is, after a bit of delay, shaping up ahead of an early 2016 launch after its services were outsourced to land referencing agency TerraQuest by the government in January.
Government launches independent review of the Community Infrastructure Levy
Greg Clark and Brandon Lewis have announced an independent review into the the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), led by former British Property Federation boss Liz Peace (pictured), to "ensure communities…