As planning policy changes, DevAssist is urging conveyancing solicitors to commission specialist development risk reports before clients commit to buying. Your client is buying the house. But the view, the privacy and the quiet location

For many buyers, a property in a conservation area is exactly what they are looking for. Character, charm and a sense of place that newer developments often lack. But what is often overlooked is that

Bradford Council has approved plans for a major mixed-use regeneration project delivering around 1,000 homes in the city centre, despite affordable housing provision falling below the council’s usual policy requirements. Planning officers recommended approval after

A planning inspector has granted outline permission for a residential development of up to 115 homes on green belt land in Rushall, Walsall, concluding that the council’s significant shortage of deliverable housing sites outweighed concerns

A planning inspector has ordered Wiltshire Council to pay a developer’s full appeal costs after determining that councillors acted ‘unreasonably’ in refusing a small housing scheme that officers had recommended for approval. The proposal involved

New legislation enabling the housing secretary to require councils to notify him before refusing major housing applications is expected to come into force later this month. The change will apply to planning proposals involving 150

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council has unanimously approved proposals for a major town centre redevelopment delivering up to 1,600 new homes, despite the scheme containing no affordable housing or section 106 contributions. The decision follows officer

Thurrock Council has narrowly approved outline plans for up to 2,100 homes on green belt land in West Horndon, Essex, after officers determined the site could fall within the National Planning Policy Framework’s definition of

A planning inspector has granted permission for a 290 home development on agricultural land in Buckinghamshire after concluding that the local authority could demonstrate less than half of its required five year housing land supply.

The government has signalled that it may concede a legal error in a planning appeal decision involving proposed housing on green belt land, after accepting that the relevant national policy test may not have been

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial commitments most people will ever make. When you are choosing a property you plan to live in for many years, it is natural to focus on

When you buy a home, it’s easy to focus on what you see when you first get a look at the property. But the biggest changes to your living environment can often happen next door.

A planning inspector has approved a 120-home development on green belt land near Beaconsfield, following a High Court ruling that overturned an earlier appeal refusal due to a failure to consider key national policy requirements

The Secretary of State has approved a special development order for a proposed Universal Studios theme park and resort in Bedfordshire, concluding that the economic and tourism benefits of the scheme would significantly outweigh the

In Lancashire, a recent appeal revealed how a drop in housing land supply can reopen sites that many assumed were off the table for development. In mid-November, a planning inspector approved plans for up to

A major appeal decision in Gloucestershire has highlighted once again how rapidly a weakened housing land supply can shift planning outcomes – even on large, unallocated greenfield sites that sit outside defined settlement boundaries. Persimmon

A recent appeal decision has highlighted just how sharply housing land supply positions can shift, with the Planning Inspectorate granting outline permission for 155 new homes in open countryside after finding that Blaby District Council’s

In recent years, the importance of development risk in residential conveyancing has moved from a fringe issue to one that is increasingly central to how advice is assessed. This shift carries significant implications, both for

Salford City Council has approved plans for a major regeneration project that will transform Regent Retail Park (pictured) into a high-density mixed-use neighbourhood, following assurances from developer Henley Investment Management on affordable housing delivery. The

The University of Reading has formally submitted plans for a major new urban extension that would deliver up to 2,800 homes on the southern edge of Reading, forming part of the wider Loddon Valley Garden

Buying a home is exciting – but it can also be very overwhelming. Between viewings, surveys and the legal process, it’s easy to focus on what’s inside the boundary walls and overlook what’s happening around

After months of anticipation, the government has published its long-awaited update to national planning guidance on flood risk. The new Planning Practice Guidance (PPG) introduces notable adjustments to how the flood risk sequential test is

The London Borough of Lewisham has granted approval for Landsec’s major redevelopment of Lewisham Shopping Centre – a high-density mixed-use scheme that will deliver around 1,700 homes across towers of up to 35 storeys. The

Recently, the government introduced a new set of amendments to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, refining how planning permissions, environmental protections, and nationally significant projects are handled. Here’s a summary of the seven most significant

A major planning application has been lodged for the redevelopment of the former RAF Upper Heyford airbase in Oxfordshire, with proposals centred on creating what is described as the UK’s first town to generate more

A planning inspector has allowed a revised application for 75 homes on the former Friends School playing fields in Saffron Walden, Essex, noting Uttlesford District Council’s housing land supply of just 3.46 years. The decision

The planning minister has overturned Brighton and Hove City Council’s refusal of a major regeneration scheme at the former Brighton Gasworks, granting permission for 495 new homes and ordering the authority to cover the developer’s

An inspector has granted approval for up to 30 new homes in Braunston-in-Rutland after Rutland County Council withdrew its opposition to the scheme, following a steep decline in its housing land supply. Background to the

Horsham District Council has begun legal proceedings to challenge a planning inspector’s decision to adhere to the consent of 800 homes on an unallocated greenfield site. The authority argues the ruling contained “significant legal errors”