Alex King
@alexdpking.bsky.social
Senior reporter at Planning Magazine | freelance words in the Guardian, Politico, Novara Media, the Bristol Cable etc | Tips, coffees: alex.king@haymarket.com
NEW The National Audit Office has said an “imbalance in capacity and capability between the public and private sector” means developers can “manipulate” their viability assessments to cut infrastructure contributions
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1920...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1920...
June 6, 2025 at 9:31 AM
NEW The National Audit Office has said an “imbalance in capacity and capability between the public and private sector” means developers can “manipulate” their viability assessments to cut infrastructure contributions
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1920...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1920...
🚨 One of the government's own advisors on biodiversity net gain has raised concerns about its proposal to exempt small housing schemes from the duty
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
May 30, 2025 at 8:42 AM
🚨 One of the government's own advisors on biodiversity net gain has raised concerns about its proposal to exempt small housing schemes from the duty
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
NEW The government has proposed that residential schemes of up to 9 homes be exempt from biodiversity net gain in order to speed up construction
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
May 29, 2025 at 11:38 AM
NEW The government has proposed that residential schemes of up to 9 homes be exempt from biodiversity net gain in order to speed up construction
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
76% of planning committee members in England say gov’s 1.5m homes target is “unachievable”, a survey by SEC Newgate finds
-33% cited a shortage in construction skills as the main blocker
-19% blamed the “negative impact of perceived developer land-banking”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
-33% cited a shortage in construction skills as the main blocker
-19% blamed the “negative impact of perceived developer land-banking”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
May 29, 2025 at 11:37 AM
76% of planning committee members in England say gov’s 1.5m homes target is “unachievable”, a survey by SEC Newgate finds
-33% cited a shortage in construction skills as the main blocker
-19% blamed the “negative impact of perceived developer land-banking”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
-33% cited a shortage in construction skills as the main blocker
-19% blamed the “negative impact of perceived developer land-banking”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1919...
With @reform-uk-official.bsky.social now in control of 9 councils and 2 mayoralties, I've been investigating how much planning power it wields, the kinds of schemes it may back or block and what Reform control means for planning officers in those councils🧵
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1918...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1918...
May 23, 2025 at 12:33 PM
With @reform-uk-official.bsky.social now in control of 9 councils and 2 mayoralties, I've been investigating how much planning power it wields, the kinds of schemes it may back or block and what Reform control means for planning officers in those councils🧵
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1918...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1918...
NEW Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has announced he will “actively explore” releasing bits of London's green belt for development
Khan claimed GB “can often be low-quality land” that is “rarely enjoyed by Londoners”
He opposed building on it until 2024
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1917...
Khan claimed GB “can often be low-quality land” that is “rarely enjoyed by Londoners”
He opposed building on it until 2024
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1917...
May 9, 2025 at 2:31 PM
NEW Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has announced he will “actively explore” releasing bits of London's green belt for development
Khan claimed GB “can often be low-quality land” that is “rarely enjoyed by Londoners”
He opposed building on it until 2024
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1917...
Khan claimed GB “can often be low-quality land” that is “rarely enjoyed by Londoners”
He opposed building on it until 2024
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1917...
The government's proposal to cut a requirement for developers to consult on major infrastructure schemes before submitting an application is a “panicked misstep” that would be “disastrous for the natural world”, warns @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1916...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1916...
May 2, 2025 at 3:41 PM
The government's proposal to cut a requirement for developers to consult on major infrastructure schemes before submitting an application is a “panicked misstep” that would be “disastrous for the natural world”, warns @the-wildlifetrusts.bsky.social
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1916...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1916...
🚨 A planning barrister and a member of the House of Lords has been sanctioned by Russia, after calling for the government to seize Kremlin state assets in the UK to support the Ukrainian war effort
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1915...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1915...
April 25, 2025 at 12:39 PM
🚨 A planning barrister and a member of the House of Lords has been sanctioned by Russia, after calling for the government to seize Kremlin state assets in the UK to support the Ukrainian war effort
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1915...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1915...
🚨The planning minister Matthew Pennycook has flatly rejected Oldham Council's request to leave Places for Everyone, GM's joint spatial strategy
Cllr Howard Sykes, leader of the council’s opposition Lib Dem group, dubbed decision “a betrayal of democracy”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1913...
Cllr Howard Sykes, leader of the council’s opposition Lib Dem group, dubbed decision “a betrayal of democracy”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1913...
April 10, 2025 at 8:59 AM
🚨The planning minister Matthew Pennycook has flatly rejected Oldham Council's request to leave Places for Everyone, GM's joint spatial strategy
Cllr Howard Sykes, leader of the council’s opposition Lib Dem group, dubbed decision “a betrayal of democracy”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1913...
Cllr Howard Sykes, leader of the council’s opposition Lib Dem group, dubbed decision “a betrayal of democracy”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1913...
A former elected city mayor, a city council planning assistant director and an ex-planning officer and are among 12 people that have appeared in court to face bribery and public office misconduct charges
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1912...
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1912...
April 2, 2025 at 8:39 AM
A former elected city mayor, a city council planning assistant director and an ex-planning officer and are among 12 people that have appeared in court to face bribery and public office misconduct charges
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1912...
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1912...
The OBR has predicted that the gov's changes to the National Planning Policy Framework will push housebuilding to its highest level for 40 years, but that the gov will ultimately miss its target to deliver 1.5m new homes this parliament by 200,000 homes
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1911...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1911...
March 26, 2025 at 5:48 PM
The OBR has predicted that the gov's changes to the National Planning Policy Framework will push housebuilding to its highest level for 40 years, but that the gov will ultimately miss its target to deliver 1.5m new homes this parliament by 200,000 homes
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1911...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1911...
NEW Andy Burnham says the Greater Manchester Combined Authority has agreed “in principle” to a mayoral development corporation delivering the new Manchester United stadium and wider regeneration of Old Trafford, and that it has “the backing of government”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1910...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1910...
March 13, 2025 at 5:57 PM
NEW Andy Burnham says the Greater Manchester Combined Authority has agreed “in principle” to a mayoral development corporation delivering the new Manchester United stadium and wider regeneration of Old Trafford, and that it has “the backing of government”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1910...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1910...
Developers have gained planning permission for over 1.4m homes since 2007 but left them unbuilt, @ippr.bsky.social research shows
Recommendations include new laws to force them to build within a certain time frame of securing permission or face sanctions
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
Recommendations include new laws to force them to build within a certain time frame of securing permission or face sanctions
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
February 25, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Developers have gained planning permission for over 1.4m homes since 2007 but left them unbuilt, @ippr.bsky.social research shows
Recommendations include new laws to force them to build within a certain time frame of securing permission or face sanctions
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
Recommendations include new laws to force them to build within a certain time frame of securing permission or face sanctions
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
NEW A council’s planning committee has narrowly voted to approve 420 homes on the green belt, after planning officers advised the site met both the new definition of “grey belt” and the gov’s “golden rules” for releasing such sites for development
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
February 20, 2025 at 11:34 AM
NEW A council’s planning committee has narrowly voted to approve 420 homes on the green belt, after planning officers advised the site met both the new definition of “grey belt” and the gov’s “golden rules” for releasing such sites for development
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
🚨 Oldham Council has voted to ask Angela Rayner if it can withdraw from Places for Everyone, Greater Manchester's long-term spatial strategy that it adopted along with 8 other councils last year
One councillor called PfE “a profit- and developer-led plan”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
One councillor called PfE “a profit- and developer-led plan”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
February 13, 2025 at 4:16 PM
🚨 Oldham Council has voted to ask Angela Rayner if it can withdraw from Places for Everyone, Greater Manchester's long-term spatial strategy that it adopted along with 8 other councils last year
One councillor called PfE “a profit- and developer-led plan”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
One councillor called PfE “a profit- and developer-led plan”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1906...
NEW Ed Miliband has granted development consent for two huge solar farms in the same county
Between them they would supply 980MW – enough to power around 244,000 homes
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1905...
Between them they would supply 980MW – enough to power around 244,000 homes
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1905...
February 6, 2025 at 1:51 PM
NEW Ed Miliband has granted development consent for two huge solar farms in the same county
Between them they would supply 980MW – enough to power around 244,000 homes
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1905...
Between them they would supply 980MW – enough to power around 244,000 homes
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1905...
NEW The government’s idea of re-designating "low quality" green belt as "grey belt" in a bid to boost development has been rendered "redundant" by wider planning changes, a Lords built environment committee has said
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1905...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1905...
February 5, 2025 at 2:36 PM
NEW The government’s idea of re-designating "low quality" green belt as "grey belt" in a bid to boost development has been rendered "redundant" by wider planning changes, a Lords built environment committee has said
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1905...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1905...
EXC 🚨 The government has admitted to me that an “additional £100 million of cash” for council planning departments that it announced in December is in fact “not new funding”.
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
January 31, 2025 at 4:09 PM
EXC 🚨 The government has admitted to me that an “additional £100 million of cash” for council planning departments that it announced in December is in fact “not new funding”.
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
NEW Rachel Reeves has revived government support for an Oxford-Cambridge ‘growth corridor’
She reveals there have been 18 proposals for new towns along East-West Rail, which runs between the two cities
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
She reveals there have been 18 proposals for new towns along East-West Rail, which runs between the two cities
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
January 29, 2025 at 4:56 PM
NEW Rachel Reeves has revived government support for an Oxford-Cambridge ‘growth corridor’
She reveals there have been 18 proposals for new towns along East-West Rail, which runs between the two cities
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
She reveals there have been 18 proposals for new towns along East-West Rail, which runs between the two cities
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
🚨 Rachel Reeves confirms the government supports a third runway at Heathrow
Sadiq Khan remains opposed: “I’m simply not convinced that you can have 100,000s of additional flights at Heathrow every year without a hugely damaging impact on our environment.”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
Sadiq Khan remains opposed: “I’m simply not convinced that you can have 100,000s of additional flights at Heathrow every year without a hugely damaging impact on our environment.”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
January 29, 2025 at 4:54 PM
🚨 Rachel Reeves confirms the government supports a third runway at Heathrow
Sadiq Khan remains opposed: “I’m simply not convinced that you can have 100,000s of additional flights at Heathrow every year without a hugely damaging impact on our environment.”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
Sadiq Khan remains opposed: “I’m simply not convinced that you can have 100,000s of additional flights at Heathrow every year without a hugely damaging impact on our environment.”
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1904...
🚨EXCLUSIVE The UK’s biggest housebuilder has said it has restarted three planning applications that it had previously shelved over viability concerns, after the government softened its "golden rule" for providing affordable housing on green belt
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
January 28, 2025 at 9:29 AM
🚨EXCLUSIVE The UK’s biggest housebuilder has said it has restarted three planning applications that it had previously shelved over viability concerns, after the government softened its "golden rule" for providing affordable housing on green belt
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
NEW A developer is applying to have £50 million's worth of section 106 obligations dropped for a 5,750-home scheme, citing "significant changes" such as the pandemic.
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
January 23, 2025 at 9:26 AM
NEW A developer is applying to have £50 million's worth of section 106 obligations dropped for a 5,750-home scheme, citing "significant changes" such as the pandemic.
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
Full story 👇
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
NEW Planning minister Matthew Pennycook has said the government may consider creating a new planning use class for short-term lets, to help councils manage the number of STLs in their local area
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
January 22, 2025 at 10:42 AM
NEW Planning minister Matthew Pennycook has said the government may consider creating a new planning use class for short-term lets, to help councils manage the number of STLs in their local area
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
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www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1903...
NEW Angela Rayner has revealed that the government is likely to introduce its flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill “around March” and suggested the bill will tackle “issues” arising from the government's pollution rules for developers.
Full story 🔽
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1901...
Full story 🔽
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1901...
January 10, 2025 at 10:35 AM
NEW Angela Rayner has revealed that the government is likely to introduce its flagship Planning and Infrastructure Bill “around March” and suggested the bill will tackle “issues” arising from the government's pollution rules for developers.
Full story 🔽
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1901...
Full story 🔽
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1901...
🚨 England's regional mayors could be handed new planning powers, including the ability to intervene in “applications of strategic importance” and to establish a “mayoral levy” to ensure new developments come with infrastructure.
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1900...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1900...
December 20, 2024 at 10:47 AM
🚨 England's regional mayors could be handed new planning powers, including the ability to intervene in “applications of strategic importance” and to establish a “mayoral levy” to ensure new developments come with infrastructure.
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1900...
www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1900...