Budget

Questions have arisen about whether measures to improve the high street and help it adapt in the face of the growing online offer are enough. They are though, a start, the industry has said.

Chancellor Philip Hammond increases the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) by £500 million to £5.5 billion as he announces a raft of measures to improve the housing market.

Ahead of the Autumn Budget, the RTPI has reiterated to the chancellor that local authorities in England should be allowed to raise planning fees to cover the entire costs of the planning application function. 

The Housing Revenue Account must be removed if councils are to contribute to meeting the government’s aim of delivering 300,000 homes a year, the Treasury Committee has said.