Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the UK government has announced today the ‘most radical reforms to our planning system since the Second World War’ and they’re set to make it easier to build better homes in places where people want to live.
These new regulations are designed to create new homes from the “regeneration of vacant and redundant buildings” and “give greater freedom for buildings and land in town centres to change use without planning permission”.
Under the new rules, existing commercial properties can be converted into residential housing more easily and it’s a move that’s looking to “kick start the construction industry and speed up rebuilding”.
These plans were announced live this afternoon by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and are expected to come into effect via changes in law this September.
The PM also outlined plans for the Affordable Housing Scheme that’s set to deliver thousands of homes in England, and crucially, in Greater Manchester and the North West.
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) June 30, 2020
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Affordable Housing
What has been announced?
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Confirmed by the PM this afternoon and via the official gov.uk website, a package of measures to support home building across England have been announced and these include:
A £12bn affordable homes programme that will “support up to 180,000 new affordable homes for ownership and rent over the next eight years”.
A 1,500 unit pilot of ‘First Homes’ (part of the Affordable Housing Scheme) – houses that will be sold to first time buyers at a 30% discount. These will remain in perpetuity and keep them affordable for generations of families to own.
Funds from the £400m Brownfield Land Fund have been allocated to the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, Sheffield City Region, and North of Tyne and Tees Valley to support around 24,000 homes.
The Home Builders Fund – to help smaller developers access finance for new housing developments – will receive additional £450m boost and this is expected to support delivery of around 7,200 new homes.
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The Prime Minister also announced that work will begin to look at how land owned by the government can be managed more effectively.
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Ahead of the Spending Review, a “new, ambitious cross-government strategy” will look at how public sector land can be managed and released, so it can “be put to better use”. This intends to include home building, improving the environment, contributing to net zero goals and “injecting growth opportunities into communities across the country”.
The government will launch a Planning Policy Paper next month, which will set out its plan for a “comprehensive reform of England’s seven-decade old planning system” as an aim of introducing a new approach that works better for the modern economy and society post-COVID.
For more information on the above plans, visit the gov.uk website.
News
Student police officer charged with off-duty rape and kidnap of woman in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A student police officer has been charged with the rape and kidnap of a woman in Manchester while he was off duty.
Mohammad Hassan, 23-years-old and of Asian-Pakistani ethnicity, has been remanded in custody following the charges, and has been suspended Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
The charges – which have been authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) following a police investigation – relate to reports made to authorities on the evening of Saturday 8 August 2026, which ended in a police pursuit on the M62 in West Yorkshire.
Following the police pursuit, a woman was safeguarded at the scene, and continues to be supported by specialist officers and support services.
Hassan has been charged with oral rape, kidnap, strangulation, sexual assault, theft of mobile phone, and dangerous driving.
He is set to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today (11 August).
“GMP detectives and staff have been working on this investigation throughout the last 48 hours to ensure charges are brought in this case,” explained GMP Assistant Chief Constable, Mark Dexter.
“The victim is our priority, and we are ensuring she continues to receive specialist support. Criminal proceedings must now take its course without interference.
“I understand, and share, the feeling among the public and our thousands of hard-working, decent staff who will have seen this news. Proceedings are underway and necessary action will be decisively taken within the regulations.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation to open in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation is set to open its doors in Manchester very soon.
Since it was first founded in Los Angeles all the way back in 2009, Reformation has gone on to become one of the largest sustainable womenswear brands on the planet, and is now known and loved for making beautiful, timeless apparel and accessories that aim to ‘inspire confidence’ across life stages and occasions.
Operating on a business model that pairs a smart approach to merchandising with a responsive supply chain, Reformation now operates more than 70 retail stores across the US, UK, Canada, and France.
At the heart of the Reformation story is a genuine commitment to ‘doing things differently’.
Since day one, sustainability has been woven into everything the brand makes – from the eco-certified fabrics and responsible factories, to its famously transparent sustainability reports.
Currently, Reformation has five UK stores to its name – but, it may come as no surprise to fans of the brand that they’re all in London.
That’s why the news of this new Manchester opening is such a big deal.
Set to be the label’s first UK store outside of the capital, Reformation has secured a prime spot on King Street in the heart of the city centre, and although there’s no confirmed opening date as of yet, if the shop windows saying ‘Summer 2026’ are anything to go by, we can only imagine it’ll be very soon.
“For Manchester, it’s a landmark moment, and for King Street, it’s the latest signal that this is one of the UK’s most exciting retail destinations,” a spokesperson for King Street said in a statement.
Stay tuned for details on opening dates to be announced in due course.
The Manc -
30th June 2020 
