The Society of Licensed Conveyancers has renewed its call for HM Land Registry to review its approach to qualified electronic signatures, arguing that current guidance may not reflect the practical and evidential realities of conveyancing. While supporting digital transformation, the SLC says execution rules need more flexibility for complex, multi-party transactions and mixed-signature scenarios.
The article argues that Manchester’s build-to-rent market has been highly successful in delivering large numbers of city-centre apartments, but that the next phase of rental growth needs to focus more on family housing in suburban locations. It highlights that private landlords are constrained by higher borrowing costs, SDLT on additional properties and future energy-efficiency upgrade costs, creating space for institutional capital to deliver single-family rental homes at scale.
The article outlines a proposed shift of AML and counter-terrorist financing supervision from the SRA and other professional body supervisors to the FCA. It says firms should prepare for a more data-led supervisory approach that focuses on whether controls are operating effectively, not just whether policies exist on paper.
The government has opened a consultation on extending judicial review reforms beyond nationally significant infrastructure projects to major housing, transport and energy schemes. The aim is to reduce delays caused by repeated or weak legal challenges while preserving access to justice and the rule of law.
A build-to-rent developer group is suing Laing O’Rourke over alleged defects in work on a high-rise residential development, claiming the towers were left not fit for human habitation. The article indicates the dispute concerns multiple alleged defects, but provides limited detail on the specific issues or legal basis beyond the headline claim.
Ribble Valley Council’s planning committee has been warned that repeated appeal losses could trigger government intervention and potentially remove some local planning autonomy. The warning comes as members prepare to determine two housing applications totalling 165 homes, including one recommended for refusal despite the council’s recent appeal setbacks.
The government has launched a six-week consultation on extending judicial review reforms to housing and transport projects. The aim is to reduce legal challenges, particularly for smaller schemes, and to speed up delivery.
The government has launched a consultation on extending judicial review reforms to major housing and infrastructure projects, with the stated aim of reducing delays to development. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government say the proposals could help unblock projects that are currently slowed by legal challenge processes.
The Ministry of Defence has set out three major 10-year infrastructure programmes worth £60bn to renew naval, army and RAF estates across the UK. The plan also includes wider defence estate spending over the next four years, but it does not yet explain how the work will be packaged or procured.
The Mayor of London has proposed reducing the affordable housing threshold for some developments that want to use a faster planning route. The draft plan still retains the broader objective that 50% of new homes in London should be affordable, but individual schemes may be able to secure fast-track approval under a lower requirement.
This article is a satirical roundup of several North West property and local government stories, including a rejected housing scheme in Sandbach, a commercial launch at a Manchester resi scheme, and ongoing political deadlock at Oldham Council. It also briefly notes a new wellbeing-focused gym opening at Manchester’s Treehouse hotel.
Police are investigating alleged fraud, money laundering and missing client funds at PS&B Estate Management Limited, formerly Parsons, Son & Bailey, following the arrest of a staff member. The firm, which specialises in block management, has also faced bank account freezes, unpaid staff, Trading Standards scrutiny and repeated Companies House filing issues.
