Planning passports. Housebuilder Pro to host next webinar. Calls for a new build garden strategy. New deal for first-time buyers.

Planning passports put forward by Starmer

At the Labour Party conference, Keir Starmer has put forward a plan to introduce ‘planning passports’

These would work to tackle city housing problems and would provide immediate planning approval to those proposals that meet design and quality standards.

To achieve this Labour are claiming to be working closely with the Metro Mayors to get this system in place.

Starmer said: “Working alongside our mayors and local leaders, the new planning passports will put rocket boosters under housebuilding. They mean that where development proposals meet design and quality standards, the default answer will be yes, not no.

“Because I mean what I said before the election: Labour are the party of aspiration, security and growth. We don’t shy away from tough decisions. We are the builders, not the blockers.”

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Housebuilder Pro to host webinar with NHQB

You're invited to the next Housebuilder Pro webinar, we're teaming up with Amy Wright and Dave Farley from the NHQB to run through what's changed since we last sat down with the NHQB late last year.

The webinar is on Friday 11th October @ 10AM

In this webinar, you'll learn about what's changed at the new homes quality board and what you need to know about upcoming industry changes.?

Including:

Developer Fee Structure

Revamped Pre Completion Checklist process

Regulation changes impacting the NHQB

We'll have time for a Q and A so you can get your questions answered.

Sign up here

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RHS call for a new build garden strategy

In a recent article, the RHS has called for a national garden strategy to go alongside the 1.5 million new builds over the next 5 years.

The RHS highlight that bio-diversity net gain does not include garden requirements which not only present a needed environmental benefit but also needed well-being improvements that are available.

Professor Alistair Griffiths, RHS Director of Science & Collections said: “It is time for a collaborative and coordinated strategy that puts gardens and cultivated green spaces at the heart of our communities”.

Within reforms, the RHS would like to see include “updated planning guidelines to require cultivated landscapes, and garden masterplans for urban areas. Crucially, these gardens or planted spaces might take on new and creative forms.”

The society cites Athens, Seoul and Turin as example cities which have added greenery to disused infrastructure, rooftops and walls respectively.

New deal for first-time buyers

With Nationwide first-time buyers can now borrow 6 times their income with a 5% deposit.

This marks a decrease in loan criteria as the market gets more competitive again with rates touching beneath 4% in the preparation for base interest rate cuts.

Spending from first-time buyers has been increasing with figures ￡4 billion higher in Q2 this year than last.

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