Housing

• Councils urged to create new garden towns

  Councils are being urged to apply for a place on the government's garden communities programme.

  

• Plan submitted for 2,500 new homes in York city centre

  York Central Partnership has submitted plans to transform one of the UK's largest city centre brownfield sites, creating 6,500 new jobs and up to 2,500 new homes.

  

• A third of Scottish homes failing to meet public's idea of decent housing

  One in three homes in Scotland do not meet the Living Home Standard, new research has revealed.

  

• Housing for elderly and disabled gets £228m funding boost

  The government has announced it will create thousands of extra homes for people with disabilities, mental health issues and older people who need extra support.

  

• Ready and able to build more council homes

  What role does a council have in tackling increasing private rental costs and low wages? Cllr Darren Rodwell is leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, explains.

  

• Councils welcome possible reform of Right to Buy

  Town hall chiefs have welcomed a new consultation into how they are allowed to spend the money raised from Right to Buy sales.

  

• 'New deal' for social housing branded as 'pitiful'

  The Government's social housing green paper has been criticised for failing to provide any new funding for social housing.

  

• Whitehall announces £100m plan to end rough sleeping by 2027

  Council leaders have welcomed the government's £100m strategy to end rough sleeping by 2027 but warned it is only the 'tip of the iceberg'.

  

• Supported housing to be funded by welfare system

  Council leaders have welcomed the announcement that supported housing will be funded through housing benefit.

  

• Nearly half a million new homes to be built on Green Belt land, campaigners say

  Nearly half a million new homes are set to be built on land that will soon be released from the Green Belt, study shows.