The article assesses the 2026 Budget’s implications for construction, highlighting a larger infrastructure pipeline, efforts to speed up consenting and reduce legal delay, and a more cautious approach to energy funding. It argues that delivery will depend less on headline commitments and more on planning, regulatory stability, skills capacity and commercial viability.
The Chancellor has pledged to freeze most building regulations for the rest of this parliament and to exempt brownfield sites from biodiversity net gain requirements. The measures are presented as support for a housing sector facing pressure and are intended to reduce regulatory burdens on development.
Salford City Council has approved the allocation of £4.4m in Section 106 developer contributions for open space, sports facilities and affordable housing projects. The funding includes a major allocation linked to the Brackley Golf Course development, with additional sums drawn from several other schemes across the city.
The article outlines the construction sector’s main asks ahead of the Autumn Budget, with a strong focus on certainty around infrastructure spending, planning reform and housing delivery. Industry bodies want the government to provide clearer delivery profiles, avoid stop-start policy changes and address rising costs that are affecting housebuilding viability.
Oldham councillors refused outline permission for 37 affordable homes in Royton, despite a planning officer recommendation for approval. The committee cited highway safety, land contamination, flooding and the loss of a designated green corridor, with members warned that these reasons could be vulnerable on appeal.
The Home Builders Federation says around half of local planning authorities are missing the deadline for approving planning conditions, creating delays for development projects. It argues that these delays are disrupting construction schedules and affecting scheme viability.
The Planning Inspectorate has updated guidance and templates for serving notice on other landowners and tenants in planning and listed building consent appeals. The notice must be served within the 21-day period before an appeal is submitted, and a copy of the notice used must be included with the appeal.
Manchester City Council’s planning committee has indicated it is minded to refuse a proposed 17-storey, 153-flat scheme off Rochdale Road. The main concerns were the absence of affordable housing, potential harm to the nearby grade II-listed Marble Arch public house, and the lack of parking.
The article reports that four local authorities, including Bolton and Tameside, have refused to amend their constitutions to align with the new National Scheme of Delegation of Planning Functions, which takes effect on 1 November. The scheme shifts more planning decisions from committees to officers and sets a national standard for referral, with councils warned that non-compliance could trigger judicial review, decision reversals and costs.
The Planning Inspectorate has updated its Rights of Way order-making authority checklist to reflect changes in document submission, electronic communication, accessibility requirements and supporting information. The revised guidance also clarifies expectations where an authority takes a neutral stance and asks authorities to retain a PDF copy of the submission bundle for future access.
Knowsley Council has approved an Article 4 Direction to remove permitted development rights for small HMOs across the borough. Once the legal notice is published, conversions of family homes to small HMOs will require planning permission, subject to a 21-day consultation and confirmation by the Secretary of State.
Manchester City Council has issued a formal decision notice for Oval Real Estate’s Albert Bridge House redevelopment, following completion of a Section 106 agreement. The scheme will replace the existing office block with two residential towers and a smaller office building, although start on site still depends on Building Safety Regulator Gateway 2 approval.
