England

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire have sent a ‘strong message’ to chancellor George Osborne that now is the time for a devolution deal as the two city councils publish the region’s draft deal.

Ensuring that housing of all tenures is supplied and starter homes are available for local people featured among the clauses and amendments debated during the report stage of the Housing and Planning Bill.

During the third reading of the Housing and Planning Bill, a number of MPs expressed their concerns about an amendment that is “effectively about the privatisation of the planning service”.

Housing Zones have today received £6.3 million in funding aimed at “kick-starting” work to build “tens of thousands” of new homes as part of the government’s ambition to deliver a million homes by 2020.