News
Lessons from the ombudsman: Are you ready for the expansion of Awaab’s Law?
2+ hour, 27+ min ago (436+ words) Awaab’s Law phase 2 and its extension into the private sector will bring major changes. Richard Blakeway, the housing ombudsman, explains what the service is seeing so far, and what learnings are needed The imminent change in prime minister has not…...
MPs call for ‘heritage-to-housing’ scheme and funding for vacant historic buildings to unlock 670,000 new homes
1+ hour, 53+ min ago (783+ words) A cross-party group of MPs highlighted lessons from international approaches to restoring historic buildings and a ‘re-use first’ approach to unlock up to 670,000 new homes. Members of the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee believe nearly half…...
Welsh government’s 20,000-home target to focus only on social and intermediate rent
2+ hour, 28+ min ago (562+ words) The Welsh government has set out how it will measure progress against its target to deliver 20,000 new social homes by 2030. In a written statement published yesterday, Siân Gwenllian, Welsh cabinet minister for local government, housing and planning, said the target…...
Meet Plaid Cymru’s first-ever housing minister
6+ hour, 13+ min ago (1777+ words) Siân Gwenllian is the new Welsh housing minister, and the first-ever Plaid Cymru politician to take on the job. Eliza Parr sits down with Ms Gwenllian to find out what Plaid will do differently to Labour In the months leading…...
The Week in Housing: mixed delivery results, new regulatory guidance and additional cladding funding
4+ day, 1+ hour ago (970+ words) Housing secretary Steve Reed said this week that he wants social tenants to have more power over their homes, and revealed that the government will publish guidance on housing quality regulations later this year. This will come after a consultation…...
London deputy mayor Tom Copley on council housebuilding, Help to Buy and emergency measures
5+ day, 2+ hour ago (1814+ words) Tom Copley is in charge of tackling homelessness and building new homes in one of the world’s most expensive cities. London is facing criticism for some of its development policies, but should the rest of the UK follow its lead?...
The inclusion illusion: what’s the point in EDI policies if they aren’t felt by staff?
5+ day, 3+ hour ago (795+ words) Action plans and public commitments only show part of the picture. The true measure is whether staff feel supported and able to progress, writes Mushtaq Khan, chief executive of the Housing Diversity Network Mushtaq Khan is chief executive of the…...
Labour losing votes as ‘direct consequence’ of housing policy, London Assembly member says
5+ day, 21+ hour ago (707+ words) Labour is losing support from voters as a “direct consequence” of its lack of a clear plan to make housing more affordable, a London Assembly member from the party has said. Speaking on a panel at the Fabian Society’s Housing…...
Inside Housing - Comment - Why our Lib Dem-Green council is challenging the cut to London’s affordable housing requirements
6+ day, 1+ hour ago (560+ words) Southwark, like the rest of London, needs more homes. But increasing supply should not come at the expense of affordability, writes Victor Chamberlain, deputy leader of Southwark Council and executive member for strategic planning Victor Chamberlain is a Liberal Democrat…...
It’s unrealistic to demand 50% affordable housing on grey belt sites
1+ week, 3+ hour ago (915+ words) The simplest fix for a complex viability problem is now a three-way split between market sale, affordable housing and build-to-rent, writes Tim Foreman, managing director of land and new homes at LRG Tim Foreman is managing director of land and…...