How to find out what people really think about new homes
Councils should seek the views of a representative sample of the local population, rather than a minority with vested interests, argues Paul Smith
Building safety reform was essential, but there’s lots more work still to do
It was supposed to act as an enabler of safer housing, not an unintended barrier to progress. Here’s how we can make the Building Safety Act work better, says Lee Powell
The government must be brutal in reducing planning burdens to help SME housebuilders deliver
There is no chance of meeting the 1.5 million homes target without smaller firms delivering. This government should be bolder in reforming planning to help them do it, argues Paul Smith
Streamlining gateway 2: time to take a two-tiered approach to building safety approvals?
It cannot have been the intention of the Building Safety Act to create delays to development - it’s time for a fresh approach, argues Bhavini Patel
A year after the general election, what progress are we making towards 1.5 million homes?
Today (Friday) marks a year since Labour won a historic landslide in the general election. Paul Smith assesses how the government has fared against its key housing delivery pledge
Unlocking London’s unique development challenges opens up a wealth of opportunities
Creative solutions are required to deal with some highly constrained sites and deliver much-needed residential development in the capital, says HDR’s Peter Watkins
Why puddles are the latest in a long list of obstacles to building the homes we need
The planning system no longer recognises the difference between rivers and puddles and this must be fixed, says Paul Smith
Planning reform and housing delivery in the year ahead – a lot to do but the signs are promising
Paul Smith describes the current planning reform landscape and finds positivity in the government’s general direction of travel
What exit of ‘the Peters’ means for the future of Homes England
The departure of both the chair and chief executive of the government’s housing agency sends a strong message that the ministry wants to build more homes and work with partners in a different way, writes Joey Gardiner
Partnerships and location are key to success of government’s new towns ambitions
New town developments have had mixed results in the past and there are lessons to be learnt. Four essential factors should be considered if this latest initiative is to work, says Oliver Steele
