By Mike Hardware, Associate Director The popularity of mobile homes has grown significantly in recent years. No longer the preserve of the over-55s or retiring couples, rising house prices and decreasing affordability have led to these homes becoming more mainstream with over 3,000 sites across the UK. But the peace …

By Mike Hardware, Associate Director Of all the local authorities currently going through the local plan process, Basildon must rank as one of the most exciting, if exciting is a word to describe such things. Within a year, we have seen two changes of administration, the local plan altered and …

By Michael Hardware, Associate Director, Chelgate Local – Essex Garden Villages This article was published as an opinion piece in PlacemakingResource on 22nd January. You can view it here (subscription needed). Essex may soon overtake Kent as the ‘Garden of England’, with numerous garden communities planned and new bids about to …

  New Housing Design was the subject of a piece of high political theatre today in Westminster Hall as a Tory MP sought to hold new Housing Minister Alok Sharma MP to account. Neil Parish MP had organised the debate after concerns about the quality of new homes in the …

  The examination in public (EiP) of Part 1 of the Waverley Local Plan, allocating strategic sites across the borough up to 2032, got off to a rocky start in Farnham last week. Such was local interest in the EiP that two additional rooms had to be provided at the …

Last week our deputy chairman, Nick Wood-Dow, chaired a Westminster Briefing on developing brownfield sites. The Government has recognised the need to encourage building. House prices are rocketing skywards and there is not nearly enough housing supply of the right type and in the right places to meet demand. As …

With twin ambitions to build more homes while protecting the Green Belt, the Government is keen to see more development on brownfield land. The Housing & Planning Bill, currently going through Parliament, will create the legislative framework to make this happen. Local Authorities will be given a duty to produce …

Transforming Generation Rent into Generation Buy: The Housing & Planning Bill, Starter Homes & Affordable Housing Thursday 18th February 2016: 11.00am – 3.30pm (including networking lunch)110 Rochester Row, Victoria, London Confirmed Speakers Include: Mike Kiely, Chair, Planning Officers Society Andrew Taylor, Chief Executive, Sutton Housing Partnership Tim Baldwin, Barrister, Garden Court …