Planning

• Rural business ‘stifled’ by planning system, warn landowners

  Delays by local authority planning departments are viewed as a ‘barrier’ to economic growth and development in rural areas, survey reveals.

  

• Data reveals 45% increase in completed build-to-rent homes

  Local authorities and developers have earmarked sites that can deliver more than 17,500 new build-to-rent homes, latest data has revealed.

  

• Planning permission delays have ‘limited impact’ on housing supply

  Attaching automatic planning permission to housing land allocated in local plans would have ‘limited impact’ on increasing the supply of homes, new research reveals.

  

• Government to review council powers over illegal traveller sites

  The Government is to review how local authorities can deal with unauthorised caravan sites and developments more effectively.

  

• Three councils face intervention over local plans

  Three councils are facing government intervention over their failure to produce a local plan.

  

• Planning laws should be reformed to protect commercial space, think tank says

  Major cities in the North and Midlands are growing rapidly, but the Government needs to take action to protect the commercial space driving this growth, think tank says.

  

• Conversion reforms will ‘heap’ pressure on local areas, council chiefs warn

  Local authority leaders have warned forthcoming plans to change the laws governing the conversion of agricultural buildings will ‘heap more pressure’ on local infrastructure.

  

• Government launches £23m neighbourhood plan

  The Government yesterday launched a £23m fund to help local residents plan their own communities.

  

• Shining political spotlight on New Towns

  Kate Henderson explains why a new cross-party group on New Towns has been set up and what it aims to achieve.

  

• Planning reforms to boost rural homes

  The Government has announced changes to permitted development rights to allow more agricultural buildings to be turned into new homes.