The Building Safety Act is the most significant suite of improvements to fire and safety regulations in living memory. From the "golden thread" of information to the new Gateway approval process, Watts Group explores how the industry is shifting toward long-term accountability and better buildings

Transforming an unmade road into a Climate Change Educational Beach Garden sounds simple, but as John Morris discovers, it involves years of planning consent, road safety audits, and public inquiries.

As the government looks to a new era of new towns, Nigel Booen explores whether the 19th-century principles of Bournville can inspire today’s digital age. By anchoring 15-minute neighborhoods around modern industries like data centers and life sciences hubs, we can create sustainable, high-quality communities that solve the housing crisis while driving national productivity.

The UK is facing a devastating housing crisis with over 172,000 children in temporary accommodation. ACES leaders Alan Richards and Melvyn Stone propose a radical new "Affordable Housing Model" to bypass viability delays and accelerate the delivery of social rent homes.

Thirty years ago, I was made redundant from a commercial practice in Norwich. What followed was a second journey that took me from a private office overlooking the Cathedral to a career in local government and a long-awaited academic victory.

As the UK faces intense demand for quality rental homes, 2026 marks a critical crossroads for the Build to Rent (BTR) sector. From planning reform to the Renters’ Rights Act, discover what will determine if BTR becomes a mainstream solution for the housing crisis.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill promises to hand communities a new right to buy local assets, from empty pubs to shops. While the aim is to stimulate local pride and tackle high street decline, the policy echoes the "Community Right to Bid" introduced in 2011—a process that proved cumbersome and rarely successful. For this new initiative to be transformative rather than just a "well-meaning echo," the government must provide the funding and technical sup

Shared ownership is being sidelined by the government despite being a vital route for "the missing middle"—households who earn too much for social rent but not enough for the open market.

Milton Keynes is undergoing a remarkable transformation from a post-war new town to a dynamic "Renewed Town." With plans for 60,000 new homes, a cutting-edge Mass Rapid Transit system, and a £15bn tech-driven economy, the city is setting a new standard for sustainable urban development in the UK.

RICS recently opened its doors to the next generation of surveying professionals for its first-ever University Open Days. From interactive ethics sessions and "day in the life" talks to exclusive tours of the historic London headquarters, discover how this new initiative is helping students find their place within the global surveying community.

While councils have long established centralized procurement, contract management remains largely devolved. Natalia Silver explores the changing landscape, the impact of the Procurement Act, and how the Contract Management Pioneer Programme (CMPP) is driving value and culture change across local authorities.

To meet the UK's goal of delivering 1.5 million homes, local authorities must move beyond simple numerical targets. By aligning housing delivery with demographic realities—such as the 33.8-year average age of first-time buyers and an ageing population—councils can create sustainable communities that support both economic growth and social wellbeing.

Local Government Reform often focuses on finance and staffing, but sidelining property professionals early on is a critical mistake. Discover why property experts are the foundational strategic partners needed to turn ambitious unitary authority plans into realistic, financially sound realities.

Local authorities currently control over £41bn in property assets, but high borrowing costs and geographic restrictions have brought new acquisitions to a standstill. As LGPS pooling nears completion and market sentiment improves, we look at why the "stalemate" in regional offices and shopping centers may finally break in late 2026.

The long-standing approach to local authority asset revaluation is facing its biggest shift in years. As CIPFA/LASAAC moves from viewing indices as optional tools to making indexation effectively mandatory, valuers and accountants must now navigate new requirements for quinquennial cycles, desktop revaluations, and the challenges of selecting appropriate indices.

With over 500 PFI contracts set to expire by 2050, local authority surveyors face a critical window for managing asset handback. Learn why planning must begin seven years in advance and how comprehensive condition surveys protect the public sector from significant financial and operational risks.

As London prepares for the 2026 London Plan, Knight Frank analyst Kat Rowland examines the feasibility of building 880,000 homes. Discover the challenges of fragmented planning data and how geospatial insights are uncovering the "big picture" of housing delivery, connectivity, and Green Belt impact.

As Build to Rent moves from a niche market to a vital housing solution, the sector faces a landscape of legislative clarity in England and strategic reversals in Scotland. This article examines the critical need for public-private collaboration to unlock the 64,000 consented homes currently stalled in the UK pipeline.

Regen Partner’s Healthy Living Hub model offers a sustainable solution to the UK housing and social care crisis. By combining multi-generational extra care housing with wellness facilities, this model helps councils reduce hospital admissions and social care bills while protecting public capital.

With a pledge to deliver 1.5 million new homes, the Labour government is moving to "oil the wheels" of the planning system. But can planning reform alone solve the deep-rooted imbalance between rising build costs and the need for affordable housing?.