Planning

• Builders warn new mapping tool fails to tell 'full brownfield story'

  Building companies have cast doubt on research showing a million new homes could be built on undeveloped brownfield sites.

  

• Councils failing to plan for 'last mile' logistics, survey finds

  Only a small minority of local authorities have plans to support the 'last mile' stage of online shopping deliveries, according to a new report.

  

• Councils must ‘act now’ to tackle carbon emissions

  Councils must ensure all plans have carbon-reduction targets, charity says after report warns global warming will lead to ‘unprecedented changes' in society.

  

• Landowners make £13bn profit every year just for getting planning permission, says report

  Housing campaigners are demanding action over huge profits being made by developers just by gaining planning permission for land they have bought.

  

• Councils often fail to explain planning decisions, LGO says

  Local authorities frequently fail to explain the reasons behind planning decisions, Ombudsman says as he publishes guidance for planners.

  

• Councils should benefit from land value ‘uplift’, MPs say

  Increases in land value that result from policy decisions should be shared with councils and should not just go into the pockets of developers, MPs say.

  

• Westminster CC forced to play phone box ‘whack-a-mole’

  Westminster City Council has called for greater powers to reject planning applications for new phone boxes.

  

• Over 6,000 houses nearly blocked due to councillor objections

  Over 6,000 new homes will now be built after councillors’ objections were overturned on appeal, planning consultants have found.

  

• Permission granted for ‘fracking’ site despite council’s opposition

  A planning application to explore underground shale gas reserves in Derbyshire has been given a green light despite objections from the county council.

  

• Councils urged to create new garden towns

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