Eddie Hughes

A photo of Ben Twomey from Generation Rent, left, Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook MP, centre, and Niamh Evans from Renters' Reform Coalition, right. All are dressed in suits and smiling at the camera.

Thank you to @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social for meeting with us today.

Along with @generationrent.bsky.social, we discussed the end of Section 21 evictions and the pathway to securing decent standards for rented homes. 🏡

Illustration of the precinct shopping centre in Coventry, with its shiny 1960s architecture, walkways and colourful flower planters

“An example of the town of the future is Coventry.... Traffic and pedestrians are kept apart and the roads are planned to let traffic flow smoothly”

(Our Land in the Making, 1966)
Artist: Ronald Lampitt

The New Towns Taskforce recommendations show a strong commitment to affordable housing, a key step to solving the housing crisis.

Our members are ready to work with local partners and the government in building new towns – creating sustainable homes and thriving mixed communities.

Expert Taskforce recommends locations for new towns The New Towns Taskforce has recommended locations for the next generation of new towns.

A big day for New Town news
www.gov.uk/government/n...

Local Plan Reviews – who reviews the review? The headline figure from Labour’s manifesto of building 1.5 million new homes in five years is now a well reported ambition of Government, in order to “recapture the dream of homeownership [and to] su...

The headline figure from Labour’s manifesto of building 1.5 million new homes in five years is now a well reported ambition of Government, in order to “recapture the dream of homeownership [and to] support families & communities”.

Jennifer Heron's full blog: lichfields.uk/blog/2024/oc...

Pragmatic Planning Guidance: The Revised Flood Risk PPG The application of the flood risk sequential approach to development proposals has been watered down this week. From being part of a sensible risk-based assessment as to where it is safe to locate …

New blog post, Pragmatic Planning Guidance: The New Flood Risk PPG

simonicity.com/2025/09/21/p...

Flood risk and coastal change Advises how to take account of and address the risks associated with flooding and coastal change in the planning process.

Uncertainty about the application of the sequential test is causing real problems for housebuilders across the country.

To ensure a proportionate, pragmatic and consistent approach to surface flood risk, we have today updated Planning Practice Guidance 👇🏻

www.gov.uk/guidance/flo...

Second red box.

This time, as minister for local government and homelessness. So much to do to rebalance our economy and make sure there are no more forgotten places, no more forgotten people.

With my mug from my time as a member of the best London borough, Southwark 💜

Historic England Archive, Swindon Historic England Archive, Swindon

Specialist surveys will help Historic England Archive reduce carbon emissions while preserving 15 million historical records and photographs.

The number of new homes that received planning permission in England during Q2 was 17% lower than the same quarter in 2024

Our latest Housing Pipeline report is live. Here are the key statistics you need to be aware of 👇

Scotland’s housing secretary has pledged almost £5 billion of cash over the next five years to build around 36,000 affordable homes.

news.stv.tv/scotland/hou...

The Guardian view on social housing: invest boldly to tackle ‘simmering anger’ about substandard homes Editorial: Two weeks before the spending review, the housing ombudsman has issued an important warning about a deepening crisis and growing human misery

“For too long, social housing failures have been dismissed as second-tier concerns, largely because the tenure is for people on lower incomes.”

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Professor David Mosey appointed to Construction Playbook team to review public procurement frameworks https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2021/02/09/lawyer-to-lead-review-of-construction-frameworks/
#TransformingConstruction

Heat pumps could halve heating bills with energy system reform, study finds Steps to make electricity cheaper, such as ending levies, could transform prospects for pumps, thinktank shows

NEW @e3g.bsky.social analysis - Heat pumps have potential to *halve* UK heating bills.

But policies need to change if these savings are to be accessible to the mass market 🔌💡
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Over the past year, our New Homes Accelerator has expedited the delivery of almost 100k homes on large-scale housing developments across England.

From today, six new sites will receive targeted support – speeding up the delivery of another 12k homes to buy and rent.

Midlands council hits landlords with £450,000 fines One of the country's most comprehensive licensing schemes nets Birmingham council nearly half a million pounds in fines to landlords.

Birmingham City Council has issued fines totalling £450,000 to landlords of unlicensed rental properties as it enforces one of the country’s most comprehensive property licensing schemes.

thenegotiator.co.uk/news/regulat...

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A piece from me about some interesting questions in housing research right now and how submissions to @thinkhouseinfo.bsky.social might help to answer them. Get your papers in by 25th September.

Loving this month's cover @insidehousing.bsky.social!

A modular factory where one in three staff are prisoners on day release On the factory floor of a warehouse in Peterborough, prisoners on day release are helping to make modular homes that will be erected as social housing and temporary accommodation. The project also has...

We have a really interesting story today by @jamesriding.bsky.social on a modular factory staffed by prisoners on day release.

This type of project has good evidence that it reduces reoffending. A portion of wages go to a fund to support victims.

www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/a-mo...

It's Friday and time for our round-up of all things #UKHousing from this week including all the latest policy, news, and events you need to know 🏘️ 📰

Read the full round-up on LinkedIn ➡️ buff.ly/7iH8f0O

Record momentum for UK battery storage!

Planning approvals hitting new highs amid a surge in apps for renewables.

100+ battery storage filings April-June 2025: 8.4 GW—double last year. Year to June: 30 GW across ~400 schemes. UK needs 23-27 GW by 2030 (from 6 GW now)—if delivered, we're there.

The Building Safety Regulator's slow decision making and high number of refusals at 'Gateway 2' are grinding housebuilding to a halt in London especially.

And new evidence is starting to emerge of similar delays at Gateway 3 - which is is after the new homes are built, and ready to occupy:

Economists see limited BOE easing in 2025 as wage growth and prices stay sticky A Reuters survey of forecasters this month suggests the Bank of England is likely to trim rates only once more in 2025, most probably by 25 basis points in November, as resilient inflation and firm wa...

Economists see limited BOE easing in 2025 as wage growth and prices stay sticky

www.economicuk.com/post/economi...

Microsoft copilot for Excel has a warning not to use it for “business critical” calculations because the answer may not be accurate.

Would someone explain why I might *ever* want to use a spreadsheet where results are unreliable?

‘Russia is in worse position now than start of invasion’ – former Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister We were joined from Kyiv by the former Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Volodymyr Havrylov.

"It's not easy for Putin to find a compromise in this war on terms not related to his initial goals."

Ex-Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Volodymyr Havrylov talks to Matt Frei about international talks held this week seeking a peace deal.

Read and watch:
www.channel4.com/news/russia-...

ONS house price figures this morning www.ons.gov.uk/economy/infl...

I think part of the lure of these chatbots is the illusion that there's an easily accessible answer to every question. I'm a busy man, just tell me what the best laundry detergent is, and also whether climate change is real