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TfL fares to be increased
Rt Hon Louise Haigh MP, Secretary of State for Transport has written to Sadiq Khan about Transport for London’s Spending Review Phase 1 Outcome FY25/26. The minister requires that “TfL rail fares will rise in line with national rail fares this year”, an imposed hike around 4.6 per cent from 2 March 2025. The Mayor had already indicated that his TfL fares freeze was unlikely to continue but this increase is significant. The letter also says that government representation on TfL’s board will continue.
Compulsory purchase guidance
On 3 October 2024 the Government introduced guidance and a factsheet as here for the removal of ‘hope value’ from the assessment of compensation when an LPA carries out compulsory purchase.
Societies could discuss with their Council if this guidance will help with land assembly for development.
Only 5% of PRS listings affordable to low income households
Research as here on behalf of London Councils has shown that people on Local Housing Allowance cannot afford 95% of private rental homes in London.
Related to that, new analysis reveals that London boroughs collectively spent £1.6 billion on homelessness in the 2023-24 financial year, with £4 million a day allocated to temporary accommodation.
Solving the Housing Affordability Crisis
The government-commissioned report “The demand for housing as an investment: Drivers, outcomes and policy interventions to enhance housing affordability in the UK” written by Professor Josh Ryan-Collins of UCL’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP), calls for major reforms to the UK’s housing market to curb speculative investment demand and make homes more affordable.
Angela Rayner sets housing target for London
Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP, Deputy Prime Minister, has written to Mayor Sadiq Khan to set an annual housing target of 81,000 for London.
The GLA is required to produce an updated London Plan to achieve that and the Mayor is warned that “output in the capital will have to increase markedly from the current average of 37,200 homes per year.”
Chief Planner’s newsletter to LPAs September 2024
Joanna Averley, the DHCLG Chief Planner, has issued another newsletter to local authorities with updates on Government announcements, planning practice and policy. It covers transitional arrangements for Local Plans, a New Homes Accelerator to focus on selected large-scale housing developments that are encountering significant delays, Historic England’s Advice on Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency, methods for achieving biodiversity net gain requirements and advice on using design codes.
Announcement on Local Government finance
London Councils chief executive Alison Griffin has welcomed the announcement by local government minister Jim McMahon of a review to identify government reforms that could better support councils, to be led by London Councils former chair, Georgia Gould, the MP for Queen’s Park and Maida Vale and Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office who issued a statement on the subject here.
Councils’ management of public assets
Many local authorities act as trustees of charities, often of public facilities such as recreation grounds and public gardens; concert halls and buildings of historic interest; swimming pools and war memorials. The Charity Commission has written to Chief Exeutive Officers of local authorities with requirements on identification of such assets and on the way they should manage them.
Letter by planning Minister to RTPI
The Housing Minister, Matthew Pennycook MP, has written to the President of the Royal Town Planning Institute to convey a clear message on behalf of government to professional planners on the vital role they have in building the homes we need.
Deputy PM letter to all planning authorities on building homes
The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP has written to all LPA planning leaders as here to explain the basis of a new “standard method” for calculating housing targets, the sharing of housing need, controlled usage of ‘Grey Belt’ for development, the supply of growth supporting infrastructure, the resources and fees of LPAS and the supply of affordable and social housing.
Chief Planner letter to LPAs August 2024
The Chief Planner, Joanna Averley, in the re-named Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government (DHCLG) wrote to senior planners in local authorities on 2nd August 2024 as here. The letter covered the proposed new National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which is published for consultation until 11.45pm on Tuesday 24 September 2024 and the Government’s plans to deliver the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation.