Chelgate’s Nick Wood-Dow chaired a Westminster Briefing seminar “Planning Policy in 2016” in Manchester on 21 January. It was attended by 35 planning professionals from the public and private sector, including planning directors of local authorities and several Councillors. Permission in principle The morning session looked at the Housing Bill, currently …

Manchester | Thurs, 21st January | 11.00am – 3.30pm The Housing & Planning Bill, which was introduced in October, is currently making its way through Parliament. It contains many of the Government’s key reforms to the planning system. With major changes expected, what will 2016 hold for the different stakeholders involved? …

  The Energy Secretary, Amber Rudd MP, made a speech last month which ‘reset’ energy policy in the UK. She set out the Government’s priorities with a focus on “keeping the lights on” and minimising the cost to the consumer. The Government’s aim is to move away from coal power …

Today (November 25, 2015), the Leader of the Opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, used Prime Minister’s Questions to ask five of his six questions about the Government’s energy policy. He expressed concerns that the reduction in subsidies, especially solar, will result in job losses, will stop local authorities investing in green energy, …

The Energy Secretary, Amber Rudd, has announced plans to close all coal-fired power stations by 2025 and restrict their use by 2023 in a major policy speech this morning. Ms Rudd claims her speech has set out a new vision for an energy system that puts consumers first, delivers more …

Giving evidence to the DCLG Select Committee last week about the Housing and Planning Bill, which is currently at committee stage, Brandon Lewis reiterated the Government’s aim to increase the supply of starter homes, delivering 200,000 by 2020. The general aims to increase the supply of new homes to meet …

On the back of an unexpected General Election victory, this year’s Conservative conference in Manchester was an upbeat affair with little or no controversy, some interesting new policy announcements and much media speculation about the next leader. The protests outside the conference provided an amusing distraction, although the media appeared …