Category: News

Big news for anyone who loves a good café, bar, or music venue! The government is shaking things up to make it way easier — and quicker — to turn empty shops into buzzing social spots. At the same time, they’re introducing new protections for pubs, clubs, and music venues, so they’re not forced to close over noise complaints when new developments pop up nearby.

At the centre of this refresh is the National Licensing Policy Framework. Right now, every council has its own rules, and that “patchwork” can mean months of delays or even the end of a small business dream before it starts. The plan? A smoother, simpler process so great ideas don’t get buried under piles of paperwork.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds summed it up with a clear vision: “fewer boarded-up shops and more vibrant spaces where people can meet over a coffee or pint.” He added, “Red tape has stood in the way of people’s business ideas for too long. We’re slashing those barriers to give small business owners the freedom to flourish.”

One of the coolest changes is the agent of change principle. Simply put, if a developer builds something new near an existing venue, it’s their responsibility to make sure the building is soundproofed — not the venue’s job to keep quiet. This shift could be a lifeline for many music spots and night-time businesses.

The government also plans to create hospitality zones — special areas where getting approval for al fresco dining, street events, and longer opening hours will be fast-tracked. The hope is to inject more life (and foot traffic) into high streets, turning them into places people actively seek out rather than pass through.

Simon Barry, a planning consultant who specialises in hospitality, welcomed the proposals — especially the agent of change rule — but added that success will depend on how these new ideas fit with existing local planning policies. In other words, the plans sound promising, but the fine print will make all the difference.

Let’s be honest — the planning system can sometimes feel like trying to find your way through a giant maze… while wearing a blindfold… and juggling paperwork! Endless forms, confusing rules, and jargon that makes your head spin. But don’t panic — that’s exactly why we’re here. Our experienced architects and planning pros know all the secret shortcuts and clever hacks to turn that overwhelming maze into a smooth, straightforward path. Whether you’re dreaming of a cosy café, a buzzing bar, or a full-scale development, we’ll guide you step by step, cutting through the red tape and keeping headaches far away.

Get in Touch!

References:

1.) https://www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/07/30/government-modernise-planning-and-licensing-rules

Cotswold District Council is preparing to rewrite the rules—literally. After recent government planning reforms pushed their annual housing target from hundreds to over a thousand new homes, the council has confirmed it will fast-track updates to its local plan.

Under the new guidelines, the council must now allocate land for 1,036 homes every year. The tricky part? Around 80% of the district falls within the Cotswold National Landscape, where development is strictly limited. Understandably, this has sparked concern that sites once considered off-limits might now be eyed by developers.

The current local plan had comfortably exceeded previous housing supply requirements, mapping out land for development over a seven-year period. But with the government shifting the goalposts, the council says it’s no longer enough.

“We’re at a turning point,” said Council Leader Mike Evemy. “If we don’t act now, we’ll lose control over where and how new homes are built for years to come.”

To stay ahead of the curve, the council is aiming to adopt a refreshed local plan by 2027. And this won’t be a behind-closed-doors process—residents, local businesses, town and parish councils, community groups, and environmental organisations will all be invited to have their say.

This autumn, a public consultation will open, asking for thoughts not just on new housing, but also on the bigger picture: schools, healthcare services, transport links, job opportunities, and the wider infrastructure needed to support a growing population.

New builds are on the rise across the UK, and councils are making space for what’s coming next. If you’ve been considering a new build project—whether it’s your dream home or a small development—now might be the perfect time to get started. At Homz, we’re here to guide you through the entire planning journey, from first ideas to full permission. We make complex things feel simple, and we do it with you. Let’s talk about what you have in mind: Contact Us Today!

In a big move aimed at speeding things up, the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) has announced that written representation appeals — which make up most planning appeals — will soon follow a much simpler process: just send in your evidence once, at the application stage, and that’s it.

From the end of 2025, inspectors will only review the documents and comments already submitted to the local planning authority. That means no extra rounds of paperwork during the appeal itself. PINS says this will lead to quicker decisions, less admin for everyone, and more confidence for both applicants and communities waiting on outcomes.

But it’s not just about efficiency. The goal is to shift the focus back to where it belongs — making sure planning decisions are made with all the right information from the very beginning. It encourages applicants to put together a strong, well-thought-out case up front, helping local authorities make better decisions and reducing the need for drawn-out appeals later on.

As Paul Morrison, Chief Executive of PINS, puts it:

“Every delayed planning decision represents potential delays to development and uncertainty for local communities. This change is a common-sense approach to planning that benefits us all by removing unnecessary administrative burdens and focusing on what matters: well-informed, timely decisions based on high-quality applications from the start.”

If you’re wondering about community feedback — yes, that still counts. Any comments made during the original application will be passed on to the inspector, unless they’re formally withdrawn.

It’s all part of a bigger push to make planning fairer, clearer, and faster for everyone involved.

If you’re currently dealing with a refusal or simply want to be prepared, we’ve put together a helpful, step-by-step article that breaks down the appeals process — especially for change of use projects. It’s a great place to start if you’re unsure what happens next or how best to move forward: Read our planning appeal guide here

At Homz, we know that navigating the planning system — especially when appeals are involved — can feel overwhelming. Whether you’re unsure about what to do next or just want to make sure you’re on the right track, we’re here to support you every step of the way. From preparing strong applications to guiding you through appeals, we can help take the stress out of the process.

If you’re looking for a bit of clarity or a helping hand, get in touch with us here.

References:

1.) https://www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/06/25/submit-once-submit-right-say-pins-they-announce-changes-appeals-process

Running a burger bar might sound tasty, but doing it without the proper planning permission has left one South Tyneside businessman with a bitter bill to pay.

Majid Faek, who owns Santanos Burger Bar on Victoria Road East in Hebburn, has been fined £17,708 after South Tyneside Magistrates found he was operating his place as a takeaway without permission. On top of that, he must cover £5,365 in council costs and a £7,080 victim surcharge — adding up to a hefty lesson in why planning rules shouldn’t be ignored.

Faek was told back in 2023 to stop running the burger bar as a takeaway but chose to carry on trading. He claimed the business was for eat-in customers only, but council officers thought otherwise and launched undercover checks. They gathered enough proof to take him to court for breaching a planning enforcement notice issued in December 2023.

Councillor Margaret Meling, South Tyneside Council’s lead member for economic growth and transport, summed it up well: “Planning rules exist for good reason — they keep people, places and the local environment protected. Ignoring them isn’t just a minor slip. We won’t hesitate to take action.”

In a separate case, David Jeffels was fined £313 for breaching a Tree Preservation Order after hiring a tree surgeon to cut branches off four protected trees at his West Boldon home last November. He now has to pay the fine plus £525 in costs and a £125 victim surcharge — a reminder that local rules cover more than just buildings.

This whole story is a good reminder that skipping a proper planning application can open the door to all sorts of headaches later on — from enforcement notices and retrospective applications to unexpected fines. To help you stay out of trouble, we’ve got a clear, down-to-earth guide you can check out here: What happens if you ignore an enforcement notice?.

And if you’d rather avoid all the stress altogether, why not chat with a professional before you get started? It’s the easiest way to make sure you’re doing things right from day one. We’re here to help with friendly, expert advice whenever you need it: Take a look at our pre-planning advice service.

At Homz, we’re dedicated to helping you navigate the complexities of planning and design with ease. Whether you’re dealing with planning permissions or seeking expert advice, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us today: Contact Homz.

References:

1.) https://www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/06/18/burger-bar-operator-fined-almost-ps18k-planning-breach

West Berkshire Council has officially signed off its updated local plan after a special meeting and months of back-and-forth. The Planning Inspectorate confirmed in April that the plan is legally sound – but only after a few important tweaks.

So, what’s changed? The plan now runs from 2023 to 2041 instead of 2022 to 2039, raising the minimum housing requirement to at least 9,270 new homes – about 515 each year. It also secures a clear five-year supply of deliverable sites, giving local residents and developers more certainty about where new neighbourhoods will grow. A standout detail: North East Thatcham will now take around 2,500 new homes instead of 1,500.

There’s good news for local jobs too – the minimum employment land requirement has been increased to over 57,000 square metres for offices and nearly 100,000 for industry and warehousing up to 2041, ensuring that work opportunities grow alongside housing.

Interestingly, the plan almost didn’t make it. When the Liberal Democrats took over the council, they wanted to withdraw it and start from scratch. However, the government stepped in and required the plan to go through the full examination. In the end, the council decided adoption was the best way to protect valued landscapes and make sure new development is well-planned and truly beneficial for the community.

Council Leader Jeff Brooks summed it up well: “We’re not just setting aside land for houses and jobs – we’re tightening up our policies on design, infrastructure, flood risk, biodiversity, and the environment too.”

Local plans like this shape how communities grow and what kind of places we live and work in. If you’re planning a project or wondering how local planning changes might affect your land or property, we’re here to guide you through every step.

At Homz, we help you understand the opportunities and navigate local planning rules with ease, so you can move forward with confidence. Get in touch with us here – we’d love to hear about your ideas and help you make them happen!

References:

1.) https://www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/06/16/local-plan-adopted-west-berkshire

Manchester is taking another big step toward making the city more affordable for everyone. The City Council has just approved a new joint venture with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF), a partnership designed to help build more low-cost homes across the city.

At the heart of this effort is This City—the Council’s own house building programme, created to make better use of brownfield land owned by the city. The aim? To build well-designed, sustainable homes that local people can actually afford. Their first major development, No.1 Ancoats Green, is almost complete and already sets a promising tone. Sitting alongside a new park, the project will offer 129 low-carbon homes, with nearly a third available at the Manchester Living Rent—a level carefully set so that people relying on housing benefit aren’t priced out.

Now, with GMPF officially on board, the second phase of This City is ready to get underway. The Pension Fund was selected through a competitive process as the investment partner for this next chapter—and it’s a partnership that brings not just funding, but shared values around sustainable growth and long-term benefit for communities.

This next phase has big ambitions: a pipeline of 1,583 new homes to be built on council-owned brownfield sites throughout Manchester. At least 20% of those homes will be let at affordable rent levels, helping to ease the city’s housing pressures.

The first of these new sites—on Postal Street in the Northern Quarter—is already in motion, with a planning application expected in the coming weeks. The proposal includes 126 new homes, once again with 20% offered at the Manchester Living Rent.

Commenting on the partnership, Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said the deal gives them “the financial boost to go further and build much-needed low-cost, low-carbon homes for Manchester residents.” She also underlined how these homes will support the city’s wider housing goal: delivering at least 36,000 new homes by 2032, including at least 10,000 that are social, council, or genuinely affordable.

Councillor Eleanor Wills, Chair of GMPF, echoed the urgency of the moment. “We are acutely aware of the severe housing crisis both nationally and here in the North West,” she said. “This is why we’re proud to continue investing in This City—a vehicle that not only supports families in need of affordable homes but also secures reliable, long-term returns for our members’ pensions.”

At its core, this partnership shows how public values and long-term investment can work hand in hand to build not just homes, but real opportunities for people across Manchester.

New builds are on the rise across the UK. More and more people are turning to high-quality, energy-efficient homes as a long-term investment—both for their future and their family’s well-being. If you’ve been thinking about starting a similar journey, now might be the perfect moment to take the first step.

At Homz, we make the planning process simpler, clearer, and less stressful—so you can focus on what matters most: building a home that works for you. Whether you’re exploring affordable housing, thinking about a new build, or simply want to understand your options, we’re here to guide you. Reach out to us today!

References:

1.) https://www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/06/05/partnership-aims-deliver-affordable-housing-across-manchester

A well-known piece of Edinburgh’s industrial heritage is set for a thoughtful transformation. The City of Edinburgh Council has unanimously approved plans to redevelop the former Caledonian Brewery site into 168 new homes, giving this iconic Victorian site a second life this time as a vibrant, low-carbon residential neighbourhood.

The proposal, led by Artisan Real Estate, blends history with forward-thinking design. The brewery, first established in 1869, has evolved over 150 years with buildings added in different eras, making it a uniquely layered and complex site. According to Artisan’s Managing Director for Scotland, David Westwater, that complexity has opened the door to a one-of-a-kind opportunity: to bring high-quality housing to the city centre while honouring the character of the past.

A central focus of the design is heritage. The original brewhouse and maltings — designed by notable Edinburgh architect Robert Hamilton Paterson — will be carefully retained and reimagined. In fact, around 20% of the new homes will be created within the historic listed buildings. Where new structures are introduced, they’ll echo the original brewery layout, even restoring the skyline of the maltings lost to fire in 1994. There’s also a plan to creatively reuse some of the site’s old brewing equipment, like the traditional copper vessels, as part of the final design a subtle tribute to its industrial roots.

While the project has received strong support overall, some local residents raised questions during consultation about parking availability and how affordability would be addressed in the final housing mix.

Artisan Real Estate purchased the site from Heineken in late 2023 and now looks ahead to delivering a new kind of neighbourhood — one that connects Edinburgh’s architectural past with its future housing needs.

New-build developments are on the rise across the UK, and with demand for housing continuing to grow, now is a better time than ever to start planning your own project. Whether you’re thinking of a small self-build or something on a larger scale, our team at Homz is here to help you navigate every step from initial ideas to full approvals. Get in touch with us today.

References:

1.) https://www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/05/29/permission-given-168-homes-historic-edinburgh-site

The early months of 2025 have brought a wave of optimism to England’s housing landscape, with more than 70,000 new homes applied for between January and March — the busiest first quarter for planning submissions since 2022.

The data, released by Planning Portal operator TerraQuest, covers over 95% of all planning applications in England. In total, 71,813 homes were proposed during Q1 2025 — a significant jump of over 22,000 homes compared to the same period last year. And it wasn’t just housing numbers on the rise — overall planning applications increased by 12,348 year-on-year.

What’s particularly striking is the renewed focus on houses over other property types. Applications for individual homes made up 64% of the total, widening the gap even further from flats and other developments — a trend that’s gaining pace year after year.

TerraQuest also noted that this growth wasn’t isolated — nearly every region in England saw an increase in new housing proposals. And while housing applications tend to dip after the year-end rush (with Q1 figures usually falling 20–25% below Q4), this year’s Q1 numbers were just 2% shy of the previous quarter. That’s a strong indicator of steady momentum.

Geoff Keal, CEO at TerraQuest, believes we could be on the brink of a building boom. “These figures are the strongest sign yet that England stands on the doorstep of a housebuilding boom,” he said. “The intent is clear — from government and from developers. But to turn that intent into actual homes, we need to overcome some long-standing challenges.”

He also pointed out that large-scale developments often have long lead times, meaning these numbers may be a reflection of the government’s recent ambitions, rather than the direct result of implemented policy. The true impact? That may become clearer in the second and third quarters of this year.

The government’s current goal is to deliver 1.5 million homes during this Parliament — and if this trend is anything to go by, we may finally be seeing the first steps in that direction.

Thinking about a new build of your own? There’s no better time to get started. With application numbers on the rise and momentum building across the country, taking that first step now could put you ahead of the curve.

If you’re unsure where to begin — whether you’re questioning what can realistically be built on your land, how local planning policies might affect your ideas, or what kind of application you’ll need — our Pre-Planning Advice service is the perfect place to start.

We take a close look at your site, review relevant planning constraints, and help you understand what’s likely to gain approval — before you spend time or money on full drawings or applications. It’s a smart, low-commitment way to explore your project’s potential with expert guidance tailored to your specific situation.

You can learn more here!

At Homz, we’re here to help you make sense of planning and design — no matter how complex things might seem. Whether you need guidance on permissions, policies, or simply want to understand what’s possible, our team is ready to support you with honest, practical advice.

Don’t hesitate to reach out — Contact Homz Today and let’s take the next step together.

References:

1.) https://www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/05/19/permission-sought-more-70000-homes-q1-statistics-show

Big changes might be coming to London’s Green Belt — and they could mean thousands of new homes. But what exactly is the Green Belt, and why does it matter?

Before we dive into the Mayor’s latest announcement, let’s take a moment to explain what the Green Belt actually is.

Green Belt land refers to protected areas around cities, originally set aside to prevent urban sprawl and keep communities surrounded by open space. In theory, it’s land that should remain undeveloped — but in practice, not all Green Belt is countryside, nor is it always of high environmental value. If you’d like a clearer picture of how Green Belt land works (and how to work with it), we’ve broken it down in our full guide here: What is Green Belt and How to Work With It.

Now, back to the news.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has revealed a significant change in stance, signalling that select areas of Green Belt land may be considered for development as part of efforts to address London’s growing housing crisis.

Speaking in Greenwich on 9 May, Khan said that while brownfield-first policies have their place, they’re not enough to meet demand. London needs 88,000 new homes each year for the next decade — a number that hasn’t been achieved in recent years. And the consequences are visible: young Londoners priced out of renting, families stuck in overcrowded or unfit homes, and more people facing homelessness.

Khan described some of London’s Green Belt as “low-quality, poorly maintained, and rarely used,” arguing that certain carefully selected areas — especially those near public transport — could be redeveloped to deliver “hundreds of thousands” of new homes, including affordable and social housing.

This wouldn’t mean a free-for-all on protected land. Any changes would come with clear conditions: energy-efficient, high-quality housing; increased biodiversity; and better access to green space for the public.

Infrastructure is a key part of the plan, with the mayor highlighting the need for transport investment to support more dense development. City Hall is set to work with the government on major upgrades, including extensions to the Bakerloo line and Docklands Light Railway.

Acknowledging that the topic is a sensitive one, Khan urged environmental groups, developers, and local councils to collaborate. “We have to be honest with Londoners,” he said. “We’ll keep pushing for as many homes as possible on brownfield land — but that alone won’t solve this. That’s why we’re now prepared to explore releasing parts of the Green Belt.”

His announcement received support from both national and local figures. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner called the move “bold” and necessary, while local leaders and MPs backed the mayor’s call to build homes Londoners can actually afford.

Planning professionals also see potential. Philip Allin, Director at Boyer (London), noted that underused Green Belt sites in accessible locations — particularly in outer boroughs — could finally come forward. But, as he pointed out, making the case and bringing local authorities along won’t be easy.

The consultation on the next London Plan — which will guide the city’s growth over the next 20-25 years — is open now until 22 June. The updated plan is expected to be adopted in 2028.

If you’ve been sitting on land in or near the Green Belt, or just wondering whether you’ve got any development potential — this could be your moment.

So, what does this mean for you?

At Homz, we specialise in turning complicated planning situations into real-life approvals. Especially when it comes to the Green Belt. It’s a tricky space to navigate, but that’s exactly where we shine.

Whether you’re just testing the waters or seriously thinking of moving forward, we’d love to help you figure out what’s possible. 

Contact us here and let’s see what we can unlock together.

References:

1.) https://www.theplanner.co.uk/2025/05/12/khan-explore-releasing-green-belt-land-deliver-housing