Scottish Borders Council’s Post

Angela Rayner announces government's housebuilding plans! Something we have all been waiting for... Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has declared the UK is facing the “most acute housing crisis in living history” and announced radical reforms to the housing planning system. She pledged to reinstate mandatory housing targets of 370,000 annually for councils and review the green belt if targets are unmet. Meanwhile, Rachel Reeves warned of “more difficult choices” after ending winter fuel payments for many pensioners to address a £22bn financial gap. The chancellor's plans include cuts to infrastructure projects and limiting winter fuel payments to those on means-tested benefits, criticizing Jeremy Hunt for misleading the public on finances. #HousingCrisis #UKHousing #PublicPolicy #FinancialReform #GreenBelt #HousingTargets #PublicFinance #GovernmentReform #SocialPolicy #InfrastructureCuts https://lnkd.in/e32h29d2

South Australia has a new world leadership status of "impossibly unaffordable." A scalable State Government plan is needed to solve the worst affordable housing crisis in the State's history, which has left a shortfall of around 50,000 affordable and social dwellings. "Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide have won the dubious new accolade of "impossibly unaffordable", with buyers having to fork out a median nine or more times annual household income to secure a median-priced home, in the latest Demographia International Housing Affordability report." 'Impossibly unaffordable': Australian housing prices risk to middle classes (afr.com) The answer is not carving up the Outskirts of Metrpoitian Adelaide with strains of future budgets and unfunded infrastructure, but better density along the existing transport infrastructure in place paid for decades ago.

Earlier today, Mayor Donna Deegan presented the 2024-2025 Budget to the Jacksonville City Council. It consists of a $1.9 billion general fund budget and $489 million in the 2025 portion of the Capital Improvement Plan. This balanced budget will not only allow the City to build upon its recent success, but it will also make generational investments in her key priority areas: infrastructure, health, economic development, and public safety. It also reflects a rock-solid commitment to public safety and critical quality of life initiatives that have strong bipartisan support. “Our proposed budget makes investments that deliver the best return for our citizens, continue to make good on the broken promises of consolidation, and create the ignition point that will take Jacksonville from potential to progress," said Mayor Deegan. "The time is now to choose what type of city we want to be. Let’s be one that lifts as we climb.” 🔴 Budget address video: youtu.be/vWagsntKCNM 🔴 Budget address remarks: https://lnkd.in/ecrPjinK 🔴 Proposed budget: jacksonville.gov/budget

KING'S SPEECH - KEY POINTS: It was much as anticipated in the King's Speech, the key points being... #housingtargets / #greenbelt / #planningreform The Government is exploring reform of the national planning policy framework, including restoring mandatory housebuilding targets for local authorities, as part of the drive to build 1.5 million homes over five years. Housebuilding targets will mean allowing building on some land currently designated as green belt. There may also be measures aimed at speeding up approvals for major infrastructure projects. Planning reforms: The Government wants to fire up housebuilding - and one of the first steps is an overhaul of the national planning policy framework. Reforms include restoring mandatory housebuilding targets for local authorities, as part of the drive to build 1.5 million homes over five years. This would mean allowing building on some land currently designated as green belt, which the Government says has been wrongly classified. https://lnkd.in/eyPBBk5A.

Gerber: Key to keeping budget increase manageable is balanced development In State of Town, first selectman applauds affordable housing moratorium #fairfieldct #budget #stateoftown #firstselectman #westfaironline #choosefairfieldct https://lnkd.in/ek3XzZHk

Shame that Angela Rayner and Kemi Badenoch in the House last Friday (19 July) had words of war. It is short-sighted thinking. One party wants 1.5 new homes and the other wants 1.6 new homes. Both want infrastructure and economic growth. Neither promise can be delivered without local support and local landowner co-operation. Locally the view of these national needs is very different. But residents live with the results. And delivery cannot happen in five years. It is time for all three English political parties, with the election verdict delivered, to declare a high profile commitment to ‘working together’ in the House, to deliver local support for homes, for infrastructure and for growth in the long term. This will mean locally the end of the call for sites haphazard housing system and the returning of spatial control through ownership to local leaders for a generation ahead. And financial management, for example, rates holidays for host communities, paid by export communities who prefer no change. Radical but after decades of spatial housing failure local leaders need to accept these responsibilities so they deliver for their local communities the benefits of place making at its best. It will rebuild trust in planning.

The King’s Speech this morning confirmed planning reform is imminent and the key planning and development headlines are: • Securing economic growth will be a fundamental mission • Planning and Infrastructure Bill is on the horizon • Focus on sustainable development • Greater devolution will be at the heart of decision-making and the English • • Devolution Bill is confirmed • New powers to metro Mayors and combined authorities Nadia Shojaie MRTPI, Associate Partner in our Planning Team has provided her thought: "We await further details of the planning reforms to accelerate housebuilding which will need to address the perennial issue of local objection. How the Government intends to meet its housebuilding priorities alongside its intention to also allow greater devolution at the heart of decision making will be a balancing act, will this mean the return of strategic planning?" The Daniel Watney LLP Planning Team are following this closely so do watch out for more updates. #kingsspeech #planningreform #newgovernment

Have you ever wondered how your Council rates are calculated? We made this video to help explain what can be a confusing subject!

What was in the #Budget for #affordablehousing? As Stuart Macdonald writes, there was quite a bit actually. And it’s clear the lobbying by #housing sector trade and membership bodies since July has been effective. So, what are the key points from the Budget for the affordable housing sector and what are the next steps for housing leaders and their comms teams? Read Stuart's blog for the full lowdown and some top tips on how to ensure your organisation's voice is heard: https://lnkd.in/eiQdHe34 #budget2024 #UKhousing #socialhousing

Sam Russo Reacts to Labour’s Autumn Budget to 'Get Britain Building' Sam Russo, Partner at Welling Partnership LLP, provides his professional insight on Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget, the £5 billion of investment to housebuilding next year and its aims to boost affordable housing. Check here to see Russo’s take on what this could mean for the housing sector and for local communities: https://lnkd.in/eMUGBJRS What potential impacts do you anticipate the Autumn Budget will have on the housing sector? Share your insights in the comments below. 👇 #WellingPartnership #AutumnBudget #AffordableHousing #UKHousingMarket #RealEstateUK #HousingIndustry #UKHomes