£1bn for high streets ‘not the panacea’
Councils say they need more help from the government after its £1bn pledge of high street funding. The government announced 50 councils could bid for up to £1bn from the[…]
Development
LGA calls for Right to Buy reform
The government faces a call to reform the Right to Buy programme amidst claims that local authority housebuilding cannot keep pace with the sale of council homes. The Local Government[…]
Interview: Tim Atkins on investing in place
Cheltenham Borough Council’s managing director for place and growth, Tim Atkins talks to Room151 about how the authority has brought together its strategies for commercial investment and place-making. Room151: What[…]
Leveraging council land value: the joint venture approach
Last year, London Borough of Haringey made national newspaper headlines after scrapping controversial proposals to regenerate a major housing estate through a joint venture with developer LendLease. However, since then,[…]
HRA lift isn’t magic fix for housebuilding, say councils
Local authorities say the decision to lift the cap on the Housing Revenue Account isn’t enough for them to deliver on the scale needed to end the housing crisis. According[…]
Manchester bolsters regeneration with £25m for joint venture
Manchester City Council is lending £25m to a development joint venture in which it is a partner, to protect a major regeneration plan. The city has decided to co-fund a[…]
Councils budget for 21% increase in spending on housing
Housing will this year displace highways and transport as the largest area of council capital spending – following the lifting of the housing revenue account borrowing cap. The government this[…]
Croydon looks for big returns on bricks and mortar
Croydon Council this week agreed to sell another 61 development sites to its wholly-owned housing company – Room151 explores the sums.
London council set to pursue 50/50 development joint venture
A London council was this week set to approve the creation of a joint venture to develop three major sites in the borough. London Borough of Harrow’s cabinet, due to[…]
Council looks to buy town centre after regeneration stalls
A Merseyside council is in discussions with a developer to buy a town centre, in a move designed to kick-start redevelopment. Knowsley Council this week announced that it has begun[…]
