Good morning, this is your AM bulletin with the latest news and views from EG, as well as a few of the best bits from the morning papers.
And there are some provocative views in the papers today. Firstly, former Conservative leader William Hague has said that not only has his party failed to hit its 300,000 homes target, but that it was “a fantasy” to begin with. He argues that even if Labour went several steps further and pledged to bulldoze the entire green belt and outlaw nimbyism, the homes still wouldn’t get built. The problem is not the planning system, he writes, the problem is the lack of skilled construction workers.
Meanwhile, the housing ombudsman is calling for a royal commission to re-establish the link between social housing and health. Richard Blakeway says “mistreatment, disrepair, discrimination and squalor” have brought the sector to breaking point.
But adding greenery might not be the answer, according to a provocative new book that seeks to break the consensus that cities need to be leafier.
And planning needs a shake-up (again), but not to provide more homes or data centres or life sciences space. A group of charities has told MPs that urgent reform is needed to improve children’s outdoor play areas. The era of “no ball games” must end!
In other news:
GPE pledges further flex as leasing strengthens
Countryside wins £276m resi redevelopment project
Moda lodges fresh plans for Brum BTR
South East office take-up stays static at 3.5m sq ft
Shopping centres falling short on service charge compliance
Morrisons HQ abandons four-day week
