In a recent appeal case, the planning inspector supported a council in refusing to give a lawful development certificate to a property owner who had divided an existing flat above a shop into two flats.
Currently it is possible under recent changes to the General Permitted Development Order (GPDO) to convert retail space above a shop into two flats without needing planning permission. Prior to the changes, there had been the flexibility to create only one flat.
In this appeal case, there was already a single flat above the retail premises. The owner appears to have taken the view that...
In a consultation document issued on 31st July, the government announced plans for further relaxations around the conversion of commercial...
The 2015 General Election campaign starts here as far as housing policy goes. In a hard-hitting speech delivered in Nottingham,...
A letter has been written to Brandon Lewis, MP (Minister of State, Housing and Planning) and Stephen Williams, MP (Communities...
At last Thursday's Empty Homes Summit, organised by the Empty Homes Network, representatives from the Homes and Communities Agency and the Department of Communities and Local Government stressed the need for organisations with allocations under Rounds 1 and 2 of the government's Empty Homes Programmes to be confident of delivery or hand allocations back so the funding could be re-deployed elsewhere.
Re-allocation within Empty Homes pot
Sarah Streater and Helen Williams of the HCA, both Area Managers with operational responsiblities for delivery, described how the aim throughout was to keep money within the Empty Homes Programme if at all possible....
An Opposition Day debate on Housing Supply on the 9th July gives some indication of where the empty homes issues...
There is now an Empty Homes Network pinterest webpage which will provide a useful hub of links to stories and...
After research by the BBC revealed that seven London boroughs were not using the Empty Homes Premium (see story here),...
Adrian White, a student at Plymouth University, is conducting research into housing supply, including the role that can be played...
In the July government reshuffle both Nick Boles, previously responsible for planning, and Kris Hopkins, previously responsible for housing, have...
With the approval on 8th of July by the Welsh Assembly of the Housing Wales Bill, Wales has taken the lead with its approach to council tax on second homes by introducing what is effectively a "Second Homes Premium" to sit alongside the Empty Homes Premium.
Second Homes Premium
The flexibility introduced by the provisions of Part 7 of the Housing Wales Bill include the power for local authorities to charge a council tax premium of up to 100% on homes where:
"(a) there is no resident of the dwelling, and
(b) the dwelling is substantially furnished."
This immediately closes...
The second award featured in our series about the Empty Homes Awards 2014 presented at our Conference in Birmingham in...
George Osborne seems to have given a resounding NO to London pleas for the right to hike Empty Homes Premium,...
In a recent letter (see attachment), the Homes and Communities Agency has changed its Start-on-Site tranche from 50% to 75%...
