More Comment – Page 2
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CommentLabour’s new towns are an opportunity to turbocharge community development
Following the government’s announcement that it has received 100 proposals for new towns, Amanda Williams calls on ministers to include community-led development quotas in their plans.
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CommentLand banking: the baseless conspiracy theory that refuses to go away
Despite numerous reviews finding no evidence of housebuilders deliberately withholding land from the market, we are again having to talk about ‘unbuilt’ homes, writes Paul Smith
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CommentHow landmark building safety court rulings could clarify the law on liability
Recent court rulings - including Grey GR Limited Partnership vs Edgewater (Stevenage) Ltd – could provide better understanding, prompting clear thinking, rapid remediation and the faster resolution of disputes, writes Theresa Mohammed
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CommentStriking a balance between PRS regulation and attracting investment
The Scottish government is proposing rent controls but has also set up a Housing Investment Taskforce. As the Labour government in Westminster looks to strengthen renters’ rights, Suzanne Hardie argues this balanced approach should be of interest south of the border.
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CommentMinisters must not push the pace of building safety work beyond supply chain and balance sheet capacities
Simply bringing in stringent targets in an attempt to speed up remediation would misdiagnose the problem - a wider package is needed, writes Paul Hackett
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CommentIt’s time for the government to safeguard shared ownership’s affordability
Affordable homeownership must be a central part of Keir Starmer’s plan for economic growth, writes Mel Barrett
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CommentMaking new towns financially viable
Local authorities should place the achievement of financially viable programmes at the centre of their New Towns delivery schemes.
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CommentHere’s how we can deliver the right homes in the right places
As the government sets out plans for 12 new towns Hugh Petter argues that the best outcomes will come from a legacy development model—where landowners retain an active role—rather than speculative land sales
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CommentProcurement Act 2023 – what do the new rules really mean for the housing sector?
As the act comes into force this week it’s time for housing associations to embrace the opportunities, writes Rebecca Rees
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CommentThe £300m AHP top-up is welcome, but without a longer-term solution it’s just a sticking plaster
Social landlords in the north of England are ready to deliver but they need the right resources, argues Tracy Harrison
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CommentBalancing quality and quantity to deliver 1.5m homes
The government – and housebuilders – must be given the best possible chance of achieving its ambitious target writes Ben Derbyshire
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CommentWhy is abolishing the Right to Buy so far off the table in England?
In the first in a series of monthly pieces by the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence, Professor Ken Gibb reflects on the endurance of Thatcher’s flagship housing policy
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CommentWhy there are reasons to be cheerful about the housing market
Resilient consumer confidence, falling interest rates and planning reforms are giving housebuilders hope for 2025 – but the government must do more if it wants to hit its targets, says Joey Gardiner
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CommentMandatory Biodiversity Net Gain one year on. Is it working?
A year after 10% Biodiversity Net Gain was mandated for large, newly-approved housing developments, James Taylor reflects on the policy’s impact on the housebuilding industry and the challenges it continues to face
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CommentInvestment partnership models are our best chance to get close to 1.5m homes
Increasing the development liquidity of councils and housing associations, including through new external finance, is key to meeting Keir Starmer’s housebuilding goals, writes Richard Jones
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CommentCollaborating not competing: Why place-based tendering makes more sense
The fragmented nature of the social housing sector can see multiple landlords competing for the same suppliers. Matt Forrest explains how North east social housing providers are coming together to find a better way.
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CommentThere are many unanswered questions about the government’s Nature Restoration Fund
Ministers plan to create a new fund as a way for developers to meet their environmental obligations without slowing down housebuilding, writes James Clark. But how will it work and will it be successful?
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CommentPlanning reform in the year ahead – a lot to do but the signs are promising
Paul Smith describes the current planning reform landscape and finds positivity in the government’s general direction of travel
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CommentWhy the sector needs to engage more with ‘the other regulator’
Ofgem is set to play a much bigger role in housing than ever before. Matthew Scott and Megan Hinch explain why
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CommentHow supporting small charities is helping Hyde better understand its communities
The Hyde Charitable Trust has ramped up its funding for local charities amid a tough operating environment for the third sector. But, writes Katherine Rodgers, it’s not just about the money.