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RIBA asks housing clients for views on working with an architect

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has launched a new survey to ask housing clients for their views on working with an architect.

The RIBA’s 2020 Working with Architects survey is in collaboration with our partners including the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Planning Portal.

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Planning news – 5 November 2020

Public to be surveyed on England’s planning system
The Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee has asked the public to take part in a survey on the planning system in England and the government’s proposed reforms to it.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

Task force launches guidance for self-build homes
The Right to Build Task Force has published the first phase of its guidance to support the delivery of custom and self-build homes in England.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

Forestry strategy for Great Britain is published
The Welsh Government, supported by the Scottish and UK governments, has issued a new science and innovation strategy for the long-term future of forestry in Great Britain.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

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Planning news – 29 October 2020

Demand for retirement communities is growing, finds survey
A survey of UK retirement community operators indicates that there has been a ‘very significant’ increase in the number of older people enquiring about and moving to retirement communities.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

Plans to decarbonise transport should link to spatial planning
Although welcome, plans to decarbonise transport need to link to spatial planning and transport policies should provide a ‘clear route map’ to net-zero 2050.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

AHF announces grants for heritage projects
Projects in England that seek to revitalise local high streets will receive grant money from the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF).
Laura Edgar, The Planner

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Planning London Datahub Go Live

On 16 November the planning application forms for London changed. The Greater London Authority is leading a project which involves amendments to the Planning Portal’s existing online application forms for submission to London Boroughs. This includes the addition of new questions as well as alterations to a number of existing questions. These changes will enable planning authorities in London to access information and data about planning proposals in a more effective way. The changes were piloted beforehand, on 9 November, by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and the Borough of Ealing.

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Important announcement – Planning Portal Virtual Conference, 16-19 November

The Planning Portal Virtual Conference 2020 is pleased to welcome:

Minister of State for Housing
Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP

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Planning news – 22 October 2020

People should live ‘never more than 10 minutes’ from basic facilities
When designing neighbourhoods, the aspiration should be for everyone to live within a five-minute walk of ‘significant’ green space or a park and ‘never be more than 10 minutes’ from basic facilities.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

Council upgrades planning tools to improve customer service
Derbyshire County Council has begun using a suite of planning tools as it seeks to deliver a customer-focused service that can respond more quickly to changes in planning legislation.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

London council is keen to be pilot for digital planning
Councillors at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council have given their support to plans for the government’s plans for better digital engagement and online local plans.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

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The upward trend for planning applications continues

October’s Planning Market Insight Report once again delivers news of an increase in planning applications, with September’s figures continuing to buck the trend in this most unusual year. September saw an acceleration of 29 per cent in the number of planning applications against the same month last year, making the monthly number of applications the second highest ever after July.

Although this continues the upward trend seen over the last few months, the acceleration remains a little surprising as we reported last month that the shortfall in applications created between March and May had been made up.

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Planning news – 15 October 2020

Builders workloads increase due to home improvements
New data shows that 47 per cent of builders saw an increase in their workloads during the summer months.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

Nature is ‘vital’ to the economy
Natural England has pledged that in its role as an adviser to the planning system it will ensure that the value nature provides is not just a ‘nice-to-have’ but recognised as being ‘vital’ to economic and social needs.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

Spending review should be used to build resilient communities
The government should empower local authorities and local economic partnerships (LEPs) to lead the redesign of the built environment through the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR).
Laura Edgar, The Planner

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The Construction Client Buddy Scheme

About the scheme

As a business owner, when you are embarking on construction or maintenance work, you take on the role of a construction ‘client’.

This comes with a number of responsibilities which you need to know and understand.

The purpose of this scheme is to equip you to engage with the construction industry by helping you to understand these responsibilities. We enable you to find the guidance and advice you need by:

  • Bringing this wealth of information together in one place: https://www.cclg.co.uk/
  • Providing those who need it with a client buddy: an experienced construction client who, via a 5-10 minute phone call, can offer their free and impartial support.
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Planning news – 8 October 2020

Jenrick: Homes delivered through PDR will have to meet space standard
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has announced that all new homes in England delivered through permitted development rights (PDR) will have to subscribe to a Nationally Described Space Standard.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

Council approves Cumbrian underground mine
Cumbria County Council’s regulation committee has granted planning permission for a new underground mine to be located on a brownfield site south-west of Whitehaven.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

Application for memorial to Manchester Arena victims submitted
The planning application for the memorial to victims of the Manchester Arena bombing has been formally submitted.
Huw Morris, The Planner

Shapps approves Norfolk NSIP
A Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) application for the Great Yarmouth Third River Crossing scheme has been approved by transport secretary Grant Shapps.
Laura Edgar, The Planner

Welsh ministers set up government company to develop Trawsfynydd site
The Welsh Government is establishing a company to focus on developing the site of the former Trawsfynydd nuclear power plant in Gwynedd.
Roger Milne, The Planner

News round up

  • Prime minister backs wind power
  • Charity appointed to help council map route to net-zero carbon
  • Modular homes revealed for capital homelessness scheme
  • Eco-friendly homes designated for oil refinery site
  • Johnson launches review to boost UK connections
  • And more stories…
    Laura Edgar, The Planner