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Expect more ‘block, baby, block’ than ‘build, baby, build’

21 January 26

Who are local authority planning committees most afraid of? It ain’t Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government secretary of state Steve Reed, that’s for sure.

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Will the government’s new towns plan add up?

14 January 26

There will be much to keep an eye on as 2026 unfolds, but few initiatives are likely to be as significant or as problem-prone as the government’s new towns programme.

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NPPF: Labour revs up its bulldozer again

17 December 25

Prime minister Keir Starmer first pledged to clear a path through planning restrictions well before he won his current job.

Property ownership needs more transparency

10 December 25

David Lammy’s unveiling of a new anti-corruption strategy in London this week was more than just a handy reminder, to anyone who might have forgotten or possibly never even realised, that he is deputy prime minister.

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Business rates (and appeals) to rise as 2026 valuations revealed

3 December 25

The Budget confirmed that many firms across the country will face higher business rates from next April, with the overall take due to rise 10.2% from £33.6bn in 2025-26 to £37.1bn in 2026-27.

The chancellor of the exchequer leaves Downing Street to deliver the Budget. Credit: Picture by Simon Walker / HM Treasury

Budget 2025: Mansion taxes and massive fibs

26 November 25

To a chorus of jeers and cheers, chancellor Rachel Reeves concluded her Budget speech on Wednesday by saying she’d kept “every single one of our manifesto commitments”.

Data is ESG’s best defence

19 November 25

Last week we hosted our second ESG Edge conference and awards, both discussing and celebrating progress on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.

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Which provider is cleaning up in the PBSA sector?

12 November 25

This week we publish our inaugural ranking of the top 10 UK purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) providers – an attempt to learn which student brands are rising or falling among their competitive set.

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Any bets on a Budget boost?

5 November 25

Whatever nice surprises chancellor Rachel Reeves might have in store for the Budget remain shrouded in mystery. Never mind rabbits from hats, everyone expects rats from a sack.

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AI has arrived: enjoy the ride

29 October 25

We recently rolled out a new feature for online subscribers called Ask Property Week. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to tackle questions posed in ordinary language.