England round-up: Counties press for new planning role to link housing and infrastructure; Government responds to Farmer Review

Counties press for new planning role to link housing and infrastructure

County councils should have an enhanced role in planning through new strategic arrangements with districts to help overcome Nimbyism and boost housing delivery.

The Planner

Labour force a key concern for transport industry in Brexit negotiations

The labour force and the aviation single market are among a number of key concerns for the transport industry as the UK negotiates Brexit.

The Planner

Government responds to Farmer Review

The government has issued its response to the Farmer Review, stating that the Construction Industry Council Training Board (CITB) should be retained, but that it should be reformed.

The Planner

RTPI pledges to help find Grenfell Tower fire answers

The RTPI has agreed to provide support and its expertise to the Department for Communities and Local Government’s independent advisory panel, through the Construction Industry Council, on how to make buildings safe following the Grenfell Tower fire.

The Planner

Housing Advisers Programme launched

The Local Government Association (LGA) has launched a scheme to help councils tackle local housing challenges.

The Planner

Clampdown on planning breaches in the borough

Breaches of planning permission are being tackled with renewed vigour by council officers as they take a more proactive approach to complaints, the council’s planning committee have been told.

Hinckley Times

Anger at plans for 42 new homes in Plymouth

Objections have been raised against building new homes in an area of Plymouth.

Devon Live

HS2 ‘will be most expensive railway on Earth at £403m a mile’

Britain’s new high-speed rail line will be the most expensive railway in the world with costs per mile expected to reach £403 million, according to government calculations. 

Independent

Waverley housing targets increased

Government housing targets for Waverley until 2032 leapt from 519 to 590 per year, following a packed six-day public examination at council offices to test if its draft local plan is “sound”. 

Farnham Herald

Call for more comments on local plan

Waverley Borough Council has asked residents to comment on part two of the borough’s new local plan.

Surrey and Hants News 

MP demands greater transparency on HS2 documents

North Warwickshire MP Craig Tracey has demanded that High Speed 2 chiefs should be more transparent on their plans for the project.

Tamworth Herald

17 Tube stations face chronic overcrowding if Crossrail 2 is stopped

Hundreds of thousands more Londoners will suffer chronic overcrowding on the Tube if Crossrail 2 does not go ahead, according to Transport for London statistics.

Evening Standard

Housebuilding boss calls for planning system suspension

A housebuilding boss says the planning system should be temporarily suspended to allow developers free rein to create much-needed homes.

Insider Media

Compulsory purchase action in countryside set to triple, warns group

Demand for housing and infrastructure is set to soar in the coming years leading to a likely tripling in compulsory purchase actions in the countryside, according to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers.

Farming UK

Grenfell council gained £50m from affordable housing deals

The council that ran the Grenfell Tower block struck deals worth nearly £50 million last year to allow developers to avoid having to build affordable homes, research for BBC News suggests. 

BBC News

Winsford housing developments make council a leading housing developer

Cheshire West and Chester Council says housing developments in Winsford are set to propel the council to one of the leading housing developers in the North-West for the next two years. 

Winsford Guardian

MPs across Kent and Bromley demand Crossrail extension to Ebbsfleet

MPs from across Kent and Bromley have united to demand an extension of Crossrail to Ebbsfleet in the next south eastern rail franchise.

Kent News

Protest over plans for 3,000 homes near North Yorkshire villages

Villagers from Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton have held a protest over plans to build 3,000 homes on their doorstep.

Minster FM