The Bank of England this morning announced details of a £50 billion plan aimed at halting the spread of the credit crisis. Banks can swap UK and European mortgage debts for secure government bonds for a period of a year (with the potential to renew them for up toRead More →
The Audit Commission has cleared Westminster Council of negligence in failing to recover more money from Shirley Porter over the homes for votes scandal. A report [downloads PDF] published by the district auditor published yesterday says: ‘I recognise that many will not be satisfied with the final outcome, asRead More →
Campaigners opposing a third runway at Heathrow airport have bought some of the land earmarked for the runway and are preparing a legal battle to stop the airport’s expansion. Greenpeace has bought a field the size of a football pitch and plans to invite protestors to dig underground tunnelsRead More →
A freedom of information request by Andrew Slaughter, London MP for Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s Bush, has found presentations made by the Conservative leader of Hammersmith and Fulham council to senior Tory figures calling for limiting social housing to the old, infirm and disabled in a bid to solveRead More →
If you needed further confirmation of the continuing slowdown in the house market it has come from the Land Registry. On Friday, it reported that property prices fell by 0.2 per cent during April, taking the annual rate of house price inflation down from 3.6 to 2.7 per cent.Read More →
Taylor Wimpey sees no prospect of recovery in the short term. The company has now shed 1,900 workers this year as it tries to cope with the downturn in the housing market. The figure, revealed by the housebuilder yesterday, is more than twice its previously announced job losses, which totalledRead More →
The Electoral Commission is reminding people living in temporary accommodation that they don’t need a permanent address to have a say at the next general election. The independent elections watchdog has produced a poster encouraging residents in shelters, hostels and bed and breakfasts to discuss how to register toRead More →
A study by the North West regional design panel has found that quality design can help weather the economic storm, and could even add up to 20 per cent in rents and capital value. The research urges planners and developers to pay greater attention to ‘cost-neutral’ aspects of goodRead More →
A homeowner has won a legal victory overturning a council order demanding he tidy up piles of rubbish from his Surrey garden. Mr Wallace was served a notice under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act by the council in May, Guildford Crown Court heard. He wasRead More →
New research for the DCLG into loans for vulnerable home owners concludes there is room for expansion if more choices are developed. Councils will be allowed to build and deliver their own housing under a plan to be put to the Labour party conference in the autumn, reportsRead More →