Policy
Office to resi rules in play from today
New permitted development rights that allow the conversion of unused office space into residential use come into force today, although 17 local authorities, including swathes of London, are exempt from …
The parable of the wind, the sun and the developer
Rather than bullying developers to build out their land banks, Boris should take heed of a simple parable, says Trevor Abrahmsohn...
Boris….bless your heart.
Rozzers of Rent: Why lettings agents shouldn’t be on immigration duty
It's already tough enough being a letting agent, what with all the money laundering and cannabis farms, says James Bailey; new rules that will see agents and landlords policing tenants' immigration statuses…
A year on, what has NPPF done to the housing supply?
Has the National Planning Policy Framework had the intended effect of smoothing the way for housing delivery in England, asks Savills' Melys Pritchett
Seconds out on second homes
As the market becomes more polarised, so the debate on second homes becomes more intense
Landlords’ immigration checks will be a “light touch” – Prisk
Mark Prisk, the Housing Minister, has claimed that landlords' responsibilities for checking the immigration status of their tenants, as proposed in the Queen's Speech, will be a "light touch"
Floods covered for another month as insurance deadline looms
As the 30th June looms with no concrete agreement on flood insurance in sight, British insurers have agreed to carry on offering flood insurance for an extra month, until 31st July 2013
Required Reading: Stamp duty land tax and prime residential property
Anthony Hennessy of Brecher deftly guides us through the SDLT maze, summarising the factors that owners of high value property should now be considering..
BPF calls for a review of the review process
The British Property Federation has today called for the government to consider further reforms to streamline the judicial review process and reduce the unnecessary delay and cost to development projects
Are we nearly there yet, Merv?
As Mervyn King announces that the end of the recession is "in sight", it's time to stop all the navel gazing, says Trevor Abrahmsohn; things are brightening up..
HS2 gathers pace with Environmental statement consultation
The first phase of HS2 picked up speed yeaterday (16 May 2013), with the launch of consultations on the project’s draft Environmental statement (ES).
RBKC rejig; New planning line-up unveiled
The top brass at the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea have undergone something of a reshuffle, announcing a raft of internal changes including a new Chairman of the Planning Committee