Tag: Housing and Communities

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 6 July 2026.

New rules include a cap on donations from those who’ve lived overseas and tougher checks on company donations.

• New safeguards to stop foreign money influencing UK elections, including a timebound cap on donations on those who move to the UK from overseas.
• Tougher checks on company donations will ensure only legitimate UK-linked businesses can contribute, with donations assessed against profits rather than revenue.
• Candidates will be required to prove campaign funding comes from legitimate sources, strengthening transparency and closing loopholes in political finance rules.

Foreign money influencing UK elections will be stamped out under a major package of reforms to strengthen political finance rules and protect British democracy.

The government will confirm today it will introduce a new timebound cap on large political donations from people who have recently moved to the UK, in effect creating a minimum amount of time someone must permanently be based in the country before they can donate over the cap to a political party or candidate. 

Other new measures include stronger tests on company donations, new and tough transparency requirements for candidates, and the closing of loopholes that could be exploited by those seeking to interfere in UK elections.

The measures, announced as part of the government’s response to the independent Rycroft Review, will strengthen safeguards against foreign financial influence and reinforce the UK’s position as a world leader in defending democratic integrity.

Together, the reforms will ensure political donations are transparent, legitimate and firmly rooted in the UK, helping to safeguard elections for years to come.

Secretary of State Steve Reed said:

British democracy is not for sale. These tough new rules will shut down dodgy funding, stop foreign money influencing our elections and keep our democracy strong.

By holding overseas donors to tougher standards and requiring candidates to prove where their funding comes from, we are taking world-leading action to protect the integrity of our elections and tackle the threats we face from abroad.

Minister for Democracy, Samantha Dixon MP, said:

The overwhelming majority of people who take part in our democratic process do so honestly and transparently, but our rules must keep pace with new and emerging threats.

These reforms will close loopholes that can be exploited by those seeking to influence UK politics through foreign money, while strengthening transparency around campaign funding and company donations.

This means political decisions are made only in the interests of voters in the United Kingdom.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said: 

For too long, foreign money, foreign bot farms and foreign powers have exploited the system, trying to warp our elections and sow division in our country for their own ends.

We’re cracking down on those trying to buy – and sell – our democracy and putting the British people first. If you want to donate to our politics, you need to have legitimate and longstanding roots in our country.

As part of the government’s response to the independent Rycroft Review today [Monday 6 July], new safeguards will be introduced to toughen the previously-announced cap on political donations of more than £100,000 from overseas donations. 

Individuals returning to the UK will now be subject to the cap for at least a full calendar year to prevent the rules being dodged – not just those who are registered to vote overseas. 

Companies will also face tougher checks, with political donations assessed against post-tax profits over the previous five years rather than revenue alone.

This means only legitimate UK-linked businesses will be able to donate in a way that is transparent, accountable and reflective of their real financial position. Anyone could set up a business with high revenue without needing to demonstrate how they operate and make money, or whether they’re paying tax in the UK. Having a profit-based system will make donations clearer and more accountable.

Views of key groups, including the Electoral Commission and Committee on Standards in Public Life, have been listened to and accepted the Rycroft recommendation, which stated corporate donation income tests should be amended to one based on post-tax profits, rather than revenue.

This will strengthen the rules already set out in the Representation of the People Bill, which outlines that companies making donations will be required to show a genuine connection to the UK or Ireland by demonstrating that they are headquartered in the UK, majority owned or controlled by UK electors or citizens and have generated sufficient revenue to cover the donation.

For the first time, candidates will also be required to prove that any campaign funding received before they become a candidate has come from legitimate sources.

Candidates will also be required to declare donations above £2,230 received prior to officially becoming a candidate, improving transparency even further. At present, donations received before the regulated election period are not covered by the same requirements, meaning funding from illegitimate sources could go undeclared and later be used to support a campaign.

This builds on the measures announced in March as part of the government’s initial response to the Rycroft Review, including the hard cap on political donations from overseas electors and a ban on crypto donations. The changes being made today will accept the rest of Philip Rycroft’s recommendations in full. 

The major reforms will be taken forward through as amendments to the Representation of the People Bill, which returns to the Commons for Report stage next week [w/c 13 July]. 

The government has been clear that we will act decisively to defend the UK’s democratic system from malign influence and the measures will safeguard the integrity, transparency and resilience of elections and political finance for years to come.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 2 July 2026.

New reforms confirmed today to speed up the approval process for major infrastructure projects.

• Planning reforms could cut pre-application time by up to 12 months and save developers £1 billion on major infrastructure projects  
• Green-lit projects already set to create 82,000 jobs and generate more clean energy annually to power homes and businesses
• Government on track to decide 150 major infrastructure projects this Parliament, nearly triple the last Parliament

Britain is set to build wind and solar farms, nuclear plants, reservoirs and new transport links at the fastest pace in a generation under major infrastructure planning reforms.

Delivered through the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Act, changes confirmed today (Friday 3 July), and coming into effect later this month, will scrap mandatory pre-application consultation requirements for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) – cutting up to 12 months from the planning process and potentially saving industry £1 billion this Parliament.  

In their place, developers will receive earlier technical support and meaningful advice from the Planning Inspectorate before applications are submitted, with examinations streamlined to focus on the key issues that matter – getting projects through the system faster and with greater certainty. Over 80 prospective applicants have already benefited from early advice to help shape their proposed applications since the launch of the Inspectorate’s new pre-application service.  

Since taking office, the government has made 41 decisions on major infrastructure projects – including Mona Offshore Wind Farm, Gate Burton Energy Park and the Lower Thames Crossing – double the previous Parliament’s tally at this stage. 

These major infrastructure projects could create over 82,000 jobs and generate more clean energy annually to power millions of homes and businesses across the country. Thanks to new reforms, more projects will also enter the pipeline at a faster rate – putting the government on track to exceed its target of at least 150 major infrastructure decisions this Parliament.

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:

This government is determined to make the UK a world leader in building infrastructure.

Our reforms will get work started quicker on wind farms, solar panels and transport links to connect our communities and grow our economy.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said:

Britain cannot afford to wait years for the clean energy infrastructure needed to strengthen our energy security and grow the economy.

Every turbine, every solar panel, every cable we connect helps protect families from volatile fossil fuel markets and paves the way for a new era of clean energy for our country.

Today’s reforms come as the Act’s wider reforms are already keeping major NSIP projects moving. New limits on totally without merit legal challenges were recently tested in the Stonestreet Green Solar case, where the court rapidly dismissed a meritless claim – saving a solar project that will power around 42,000 homes from months of unnecessary delay.  

Much-needed infrastructure like data centres can now opt in to the NSIP regime that allows developers to rapidly deliver these projects, if granted, through strict, fixed timeframes rather than facing endless delays locally. Ministers have already directed three data centre proposals into the NSIP regime at Wapseys Wood in Buckinghamshire, Ampthill Road in Bedford, and New Barn Lane in Dartford.  

As part of the wider package of reforms already underway, local authorities are also being supported to keep pace with the accelerating pipeline of infrastructure, as they can now set their own fees to recover costs for NSIP-related work and bid for up to £1 million through Round 3 of the Innovation and Capacity Fund.    

The Planning Inspectorate is already putting these changes into practice, with East West Rail among the first NSIP projects to benefit from more structured pre-application support and an ambition to deliver a more targeted examination process cutting overall timescales. In addition, onshore wind projects seeking permission through the Town and Country Planning Act are also set to be freed from the mandatory pre-application consultation requirements for the first time since 2015.  

The news comes as Examining Authorities made 20 recommendations to ministers on NSIPs last year, an 18% increase compared to the previous year, and these applications were processed more quickly than statutory maximum timescales. They have also recruited more inspectors, enabled by £2.2 million additional funding provided since 2024, building on £48 million committed last year to strengthen planning capacity across the public sector with around 1,400 new recruitments this Parliament.

Head of Infrastructure Decisions and Applications Service at the Planning Inspectorate, David Price said:

“The Infrastructure Service at the Planning Inspectorate has worked closely with MHCLG throughout the development of the Planning and Infrastructure Act and is ready to support its successful implementation. We are committed to working collaboratively with applicants, stakeholders and delivery partners to help realise the ambitions of the legislation and support a more targeted infrastructure consenting process.”

Further information

Changes set out in the government’s consultation response on NSIP reforms include:  

• New guidance on the pre-application period to support the removal of statutory consultation.  
• Redesigning services provided by the Planning Inspectorate to support developers during pre-application with earlier technical input and meaningful advice from inspectors.  
• Encouraging the earlier submission of Local Impact Reports (LIRs), including draft LIRs, alongside relevant representations to inform the Examining Authority of Principal Issues and focus on key local impacts.  
• Supporting efficient and streamlined examinations through greater focus on Initial Assessments of Principal Issues (IAPIs). This is when Examining Authorities identify the key issues for examination and use them to focus the structure and conduct of examinations on the key issues, while continuing to consider all relevant matters.  
• A more streamlined process for other planning routes by removing mandatory pre-application consultation requirements that currently apply to certain onshore wind projects seeking permission through the Town and Country Planning Act. Legislation currently dictates that up to and including 100MW facilities are evaluated by local authorities rather than the centralised NSIP process.

We will set out further details of the new guidance shortly, including on the pre-application period to support the removal of the statutory consultation, which will come into effect on 24 July.

An implementation plan to streamline infrastructure planning was published earlier this year.

The application period for Round 3 of the Innovation and Capacity Fund has now closed and the government is assessing the applications. The fund offers additional financial support for local authorities to engage in the NSIP process.

The government is committed to fast-track decisions on at least 150 major economic infrastructure by the end of this Parliament. This is nearly triple the 59 Development Consent Order decisions taken in the previous Parliament, and exceeding the total of 138 NSIP decisions made since 2011.  

A record 21 decisions were made on major infrastructure in the first year of this Parliament.

The significant pro-growth changes in the landmark Planning and Infrastructure Act will see up to £7.5 billion injected into the UK economy over the next decade.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 28 June 2026.

The government will repeal the Vagrancy Act on Monday 29 June 2026, ending nearly two centuries of legislation that has criminalised rough sleeping and begging.

The government will repeal the Vagrancy Act tomorrow (Monday 29 June), bringing an end to nearly two centuries of legislation that has criminalised rough sleeping and begging.

Originally introduced in 1824, the Vagrancy Act has been found to punish people simply for not having a home. As a result, it has pushed vulnerable people away from support, increased the risk of fines or criminal records and made it harder for people to rebuild their lives.

Repealing the Act is a vital step in ending a system that has failed to address the causes of rough sleeping and in shifting the focus towards prevention, support and long-term solutions.

This sits at the heart of the National Plan to End Homelessness – backed by £3.6 billion over the next three years – which aims to halve long-term rough sleeping and end the unlawful use of B&Bs for families by the end of the Parliament. 

Alongside this, the government is delivering the biggest long-term investment in social and affordable housing in a generation – £39 billion over the next ten years – providing the homes people need. Recent figures show social and affordable housing starts are up 35% since 2024 and completions have risen again this year.  

Following a week of record temperatures, the public are also being reminded of the Streetlink alert system to notify their local authority of anyone who is rough sleeping and in need of support.  

Housing Secretary Steve Reed said:  

Homeless people are not criminals, they are people who need help.

By repealing the outdated Vagrancy Act, we are shifting from punishment to prevention, alongside our investment to tackle homelessness for good.

Homelessness Minister Alison McGovern said:   

Repealing the Vagrancy Act is a long-overdue step that reflects a modern understanding of homelessness.

We are turning our backs on a centuries old approach and instead focusing our attention on what works through providing support, preventing homelessness, and helping people rebuild their lives.

Our Plan to End Homelessness will drive that change, helping more people off the streets and into the security of a permanent home.

The Vagrancy Act was introduced in 1824 in response to rising homelessness following the Napoleonic Wars and Industrial Revolution. While its use has sharply declined, it is still sometimes used to move people on instead of addressing the root causes of a person’s homelessness. 

The National Plan to End Homelessness rewires the system to focus support where it’s needed most. This includes:

• A £159 million grant for supported housing is getting over 2,500 people across England off the streets and into more stable housing, as well as preventing those from getting onto the streets in the first place. 
• Setting clear targets for halving the number who become homeless on their first night out of prison and that no eligible person is discharged to the street after a hospital stay.
• It also sets a clear long-term ambition that no one should be made homeless from a public institution.

The upcoming Social Housing Bill will strengthen protections to victims of domestic abuse in social housing, helping to prevent homelessness – research shows that nearly 70% of women experiencing rough sleeping in 2025 had experienced domestic abuse since the age of 16.

There are already powers in place to tackle antisocial behaviour where it occurs, including under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. These are used where behaviour causes harassment or distress – not for simply being homeless. Statutory guidance will be updated to ensure these powers are used appropriately.

The government will continue to take a tough stance on organised crime. New offences in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 will target organised begging gangs, those who exploit others for financial gain, and trespass linked to criminal activity.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 20 June 2026.

Specialist trained firefighters in reach of communities and an overhaul of fire and rescue assets to the value of almost £100 million have been announced.

Through the new programme, teams of specialist firefighters will be positioned in key areas and ready to respond to fires across England – delivering help to people on the ground more quickly and taking pressure off local services as the number of incidents continues to grow. 

The teams have undergone intense training over spring and summer, upskilling in the latest strategies like tactical burning, and travelling to South Africa and Poland to learn from the international community. 

In the wake of devastating wildfires last year, which included widespread damage across North York Moors National Park, today’s announcement will provide crucial protection to precious countryside and communities.  

State-of-the-art kit, like dedicated off-road vehicles, will also be available through a wider £97 million investment to fund the largest scale upgrade of National Resilience assets in almost twenty years. 

Building Safety Minister, Samantha Dixon, said: 

This country benefits from a dedicated fire and rescue service and as incidents continue to evolve in complexity, it’s critical that we back those on the frontline with the latest equipment.  

Last year saw some of our most devastating wildfires in recent history and as we head into peak season, we’re getting on and delivering the resource, training and assets needed to minimise the escalating risk.

The Fire National Resilience programme was established after the 9/11 terrorist attack, recognising that specialist capabilities, personnel and resources were needed to enable fire and rescue services to respond effectively to a national-scale catastrophic incident. 

The significant cash boost will ensure the dedication of our fire and rescue services is matched with the most up-to-date assets, funding a huge overhaul of existing vehicles and equipment. 

This will crucially strengthen the country’s national response to the largest and most complex of incidents, from flash flooding to raging wildfires and collapsed structures. 

These specialist capabilities were used over 1,000 times in 2025 alone to tackle a diverse range of incidents, with devastating wildfires identified as a growing demand on the service.   

The wildfire teams will be located strategically and hosted by fire and rescue services in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Northumberland, London and South Wales – deployable to incidents across England by the end of June.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 18 June 2026.

New rules introduced to simplify homebuying and selling making the process easier and simpler.

• Families and first-time buyers set to save time, money, and stress under major changes to the homebuying process – supporting the next generation and those locked out by a slow and unfair system
• New sales packs to ensure buyers have the information they need upfront, earlier binding agreements, and digital tools will halve the number of sales that fall through saving millions
• Reforms will cut buying times by around four weeks, save first-time buyers an average of £650, and get the housing market moving more quickly

Buying and selling a home is set to become faster, cheaper, and less stressful under major reforms unveiled today (Friday 19 June) to cut delays, reduce and digitalise paperwork, and stop sales collapsing.   

At a time when families are feeling the squeeze, new changes will cut homebuying times by around four weeks, save first-time buyers an average of £650, and stop the nasty surprises that cost time, money, and heartbreak. This will ensure the chance to own a home isn’t determined by who can afford to take the biggest risk. 

Sellers and estate agents will have to provide key information upfront in ‘sales packs’ at the point of listing. This will set out a home’s condition, leasehold costs, and chain status so buyers can make informed decisions, and property professionals can get to work sooner – while creating a fairer, more transparent process for everyone involved. 

Changes will also see new earlier binding agreements to stop parties walking away months into negotiations without a legitimate reason. This will help to give young people confidence in the system and better plan for their next steps, not put them on hold. 

In addition, a new Code of Practice will raise standards for estate agents, alongside proposals for mandatory qualifications for the sector which could ensure agents are properly equipped to support efficient transactions and rebuild trust in the sector.   

With the average home purchase taking around 120 days, one in three sales falling through costing sellers around £400 million per year, and failed transactions costing the economy up to £1.5 billion every year – these reforms will fix a broken system.  

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: 

Getting the keys to a home you can call your own is one of the biggest events in anyone’s life. But right now, the system that should provide support instead turns it into a battle, leaving people in limbo and putting that opportunity out of reach. 

We’re turning the page. Our reforms will bring this outdated process into the modern age, saving people time and money, and giving them the certainty they deserve. 

This is about building a stronger, fairer Britain, one that works for the next generation and makes the dream of home ownership a reality for many more hard-working people. 

Housing Secretary, Steve Reed said:    

Buying or selling a home should be one of life’s great moments and not a drawn-out nightmare of delays, hidden costs, and failed deals.  

These changes will make the system faster, fairer, and more secure – giving families and first-time buyers the certainty they need all while saving them time and money.  

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves said: 

Delays, hidden costs, and deals collapsing at the last minute are not only bad for homebuyers, it’s bad for the economy too. 

Our reforms will cut those delays, cut costs and make the process quicker and more reliable – getting more people on the housing ladder while keeping more money in their pockets.  

We have the right economic plan – getting the housing market moving, building thousands more good-quality homes in every region, and transforming rights for renters.

At the heart of the reforms is a major shift to digital – replacing the outdated paper-based systems with faster, more reliable tools.   

Digital property logbooks and sales packs will allow trusted information to be shared securely between professionals and accessed by buyers and sellers in real-time, cutting out the back-and-forth that cause so many delays.   

The government will also back digital identity checks, electronic signatures and AI-assisted conveyancing to strip out duplication, reduce fraud risk and accelerate transactions from start to finish. Together, these changes will create a modern, end-to-end system where people can track and progress their move more easily.   

Phil Spencer, Property Expert & Move iQ Founder said: 

For as long as I’ve worked in property, one of the biggest frustrations I’ve heard from buyers and sellers is that the process simply doesn’t work as well as it should. It can be slow, stressful and uncertain, with too many transactions falling through after months of time, effort and expense. 

I welcome these proposals – they address many of the issues consumers have been grappling with for years, from a lack of upfront information to unnecessary delays and last-minute surprises. Giving people a clearer picture from the outset and creating greater certainty throughout the transaction process can only be a positive step. 

These have the potential to make moving home a far better experience for everyone involved. Having spent decades at the heart of the housing market, I’ve seen first-hand the emotional and financial toll that a failed transaction can take. Anything that helps buyers and sellers move with greater confidence and fewer obstacles is to be applauded. 

I look forward to seeing these changes brought forward and the difference they could make to the way we buy and sell homes.

Paul Whitehead, CEO, Zoopla said: 

Zoopla sits at the heart of the UK property market and over 6 million homeowners are tracking the value of their most important asset and planning their next move. They deserve better than a home-buying process that takes months, falls through too often, and leaves everyone poorer for it. 

These proposed reforms change that. Upfront sales packs, digital logbooks and binding contracts aren’t just technical reforms – they are the foundations of a market people can trust. Zoopla will continue to be an active partner to the Government and industry in building a faster more transparent system that makes moving simple. 

Johan Svanstrom, CEO, Rightmove said:  

This is an encouraging step towards a faster and more efficient property market, addressing some of the biggest frustrations that home-movers and industry participants face. By making more information available upfront, there is a clear opportunity to reduce fall-throughs and increase transparency. Our UK-wide data shows that it takes a lengthy 170 days on average to complete a transaction and that over one in five transactions initially falls through. Last year, fall-throughs alone meant that approximately £900 million in potential stamp duty receipts and estate agency commission in England was lost, and consumers lose both precious time, certainty and money when needing to repeat transaction processes. The implementation and phasing of these initiatives will be key to ensure consistency and adoption. It needs to be helpful to the vital role estate agents play in the marketplace, and to avoid any unintended consequences. 

Increased mobility, transparency and certainty is key to overall economic growth. We strongly believe that further digitisation and improvements to the home-moving process can help to speed it up and reduce friction. It will require cross-industry collaboration and innovation to achieve the aims set out today.

Countries like the Netherlands, Norway, and Finland have already shown that reforms like these deliver real benefits for buyers, sellers and the industry alike.   

The Netherlands uses a live tracking system for buyers and sellers to check their transaction status helping to achieve a final completion time of 20 days on average, whilst Norway’s efforts to streamline and digitalise the system has estimated savings of up to £1.4bn over 10 years.  

This package will inject fresh momentum into the housing market and help people keep more money in their pockets by cutting the hidden costs and delays in buying a home to ease cost of living pressures and support a fairer housing market that works for ordinary families. 

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 17 June 2026.

Millions of homeowners could benefit from faster planning decisions, as 2 new AI tools are unveiled to modernise England’s planning permission system.

• New AI prototype that aims to halve decision times for routine planning applications is now being tested in three English counties
• Smart use of AI will support plans to modernise England’s planning system and build 1.5 million homes this Parliament
• Complements existing AI that converts decades of historic planning records into digital data in minutes, which is now available to every council in England

Millions of homeowners waiting for permission to extend their homes, convert lofts or make other improvements could see faster decisions, with 2 new AI tools unveiled today (Wednesday 17 June) to modernise England’s planning system.

The first is a new AI prototype that aims to halve the time it takes to process householder planning applications – down from 8, to 4 weeks in an average case.

It is in early stage testing with Barnet, Camden and Dorset councils. The prototype triages applications, summarises key information and provides planning officers with an initial assessment they can consider when making their decision. It has been created by government together with Google DeepMind, Google Cloud, Faculty and local planning authorities.

The second is that another tool, Extract, is now available to all councils in England as promised by the Prime Minister last year.  It uses AI to help planning officers convert decades-old planning documents and maps, sometimes with handwritten notes, into readily useable data in minutes.

Householder applications account for nearly 70% of planning applications each year. By reducing the time spent on straightforward cases, the prototype being tested in Barnet, Camden and Dorset could help planning officers focus more on complex applications, including new housing and major developments communities rely on.

If successful, the technology will be rolled out nationwide by 2027 – with every assessment reviewed and approved by a qualified planning officer before any decision is made.

The announcement marks another step in the government’s commitment to build 1.5 million homes and use technology to improve public services.

Minister for Data and Modern Digital Government Ian Murray said:

When someone wants to add a bedroom or convert their loft, they shouldn’t be waiting months for a straightforward decision. And planning officers shouldn’t be spending hours digging through decades of paper records when making the decisions that really matter.

These tools give planning officers better support to make quicker decisions – and give families the answers they deserve, faster.

This isn’t about replacing the expertise and judgement of planning professionals; it’s about taking admin off their desks so they can focus on the skilled work their communities need most.

Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook said:

Our planning system remains heavily reliant on cumbersome paper-based processes that consume the time of expert planning officers and cause delays on even the most routine types of application.

We are dragging the system into the twenty-first century by harnessing the power of AI to streamline the planning application process, freeing up planners to make quicker and better decisions and reducing unnecessary delays.

Cllr Ross Houston, Cabinet Member for Homes and Regeneration at Barnet Council, said:

Barnet has one of the busiest Planning Departments in the country. This new AI-Augmented Planning Decisions tool could significantly reduce the time it takes the council to process householder planning applications submitted by residents. Early participation in this programme has given Barnet a direct influence on the design and development of the tool, which could fundamentally change how planning decisions are supported across England. It is also an important opportunity to gain hands‑on experience of AI‑assisted planning.

From today, Extract is now available to all local planning authorities in England. It will slash the estimated 250,000 hours a year spent by planning officers manually checking these documents. Digitising and publishing these documents, as data, helps officers and the public access high-quality planning data more easily, and create the right foundation for the next generation of tools that could dramatically reduce delays that plague the system.

Around 350,000 planning applications are submitted a year in England, yet the system remains heavily reliant on checking old documents. For every application, planning officers must check the local planning rules that apply, many of which are hidden away in hundreds of pages of documents, before reaching a decision.

This represents a step-change in productivity, freeing up thousands of hours for planning officers to focus on decision-making to speed up housebuilding. It will also accelerate the delivery of much-needed housing, improve reliability in the planning process, reduce costs and save time for councils and developers.

It comes as the government laid regulations in Parliament earlier this month to overhaul planning committees – speeding up decisions on small planning applications, such as larger home extensions and loft conversions, through a new National Scheme of Delegation. 

Marc Warner, CEO of Faculty, CTO of Accenture, said:

For decades, England’s gummed up planning system has slowed families seeking simple home improvements – like new windows, or attic conversions.

By using AI to support planning officers with clear recommendations – with humans retaining final sign off – we will help cut approval times on simple renovations in half.

This will give councils more time and resource to focus on the bigger infrastructure projects that will improve communities and drive economic growth.

Lila Ibrahim, Chief AI Readiness Officer, Google DeepMind said:  ​​​

The UK has an opportunity to build the homes our communities need, but local councils face a mountain of paperwork.

That’s why we’re co-creating a sophisticated planning tool directly with councils to solve real-world bottlenecks. This will help significantly cut decision times, freeing up planners to focus on the future to get Britain building faster.

Following trials across 20 local planning authorities in England including Exeter and Hillingdon, Extract is expected to save the average council around 255 hours of manual work digesting documents into digital form. This is down from more than 500 – giving staff more valuable time back to focus on complex work that delivers value for the communities they serve.

Last year the Prime Minister announced that Extract would be made available to every local planning authority in England by Spring 2026 – today the government is delivering on that commitment.  

Extract was developed by the government’s expert applied AI team, the Incubator for AI (i.AI), working with MHCLG’s Digital Planning programme. You can read more about i.AI’s work on https://ai.gov.uk/.

Notes to editors 

APD is being developed under an MHCLG contract with Google  Cloud, Google DeepMind, and UK AI company Faculty as delivery partners. Alpha trials began in May 2026.

MHCLG is funding APD (Augmented Planning Decisions) with an £8.2million contract with Google Cloud, Google DeepMind and delivery partner Faculty.

Subject to successful results, the government expects to expand trials to up to 10 additional councils later in 2026, with national rollout planned from 2027.

You can find out more about Extract at: Extract – Check and provide your planning data including a video demonstration. It is available for use by local authorities.. It is a specialist tool to support planning officers and council workers; it does not replace them.

As part of Extract’s rollout, the goal is that three national planning datasets – Article 4 Directions, Conservation Areas, and Tree Preservation Orders – will be published on the Planning Data Platform.

AI support for householder applications will help planning officers to make recommendations; people will remain the final decision makers.

Around 350,000 planning applications are submitted in England every year. Householder applications make up the majority of local planning authority workloads.

Maureen Costello, Vice President, UK, Ireland and Sub-Saharan Africa, at Google Cloud said:

True digital transformation happens when advanced innovation is built on a resilient, secure foundation. Google Cloud is proud to partner with the UK Government to bring AI out of the lab and into production-ready public services to deliver faster outcomes for councils nationwide.

Graham Stallwood, Interim Chief Executive at the Planning Inspectorate said: 

The Planning Inspectorate is following closely the work being led by MHCLG and Local Authorities to enable greater use of new AI-enabled tools like Extract and the Augmented Planning Decisions Prototype. 

 AI guidance provided by the Planning Inspectorate upholds public and professional responsibility for the information generated and supports human control and oversight. We will keep our guidance under review to maintain this ‘golden rule’ for AI use, as this technology improves and we understand more about the impact on any casework.

Mike Keily, Chair of the Planning Officers Society said:

The Planning Officers Society welcomes this key announcement along our Digital Planning journey. Extract is a game changing tool as it unlocks the data trapped in PDFs and makes it available in digital form to be used by AI and other systems. We look forward to future announcements from MHCLG as their investment bears fruit.

Sarah McLaughlin, spokesperson for the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) said:  

ADEPT welcomes digital advancements that support efficiency, transparency and effective decision-making. By embracing innovative technologies, local authorities can streamline processes and deliver improved outcomes for communities and businesses. Digital innovation enables more collaborative, accessible and future-focused planning, helping towns and communities adapt to changing needs, while supporting economic growth, environmental responsibility and high-quality place-making.

Dr Wei Yang OBE, CEO at the Digital Task Force for Planning said:

High-quality, standardised planning data is essential for a modern planning system. Extract can help local planning authorities accelerate the transition from document-based processes to data-enabled planning by making it easier to convert existing planning information into usable digital data. This represents an important step forward in improving efficiency, transparency and evidence-based decision-making across the planning system.

Rachel Fisher, Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said:

While some of the UK’s planning departments are ahead of the digital curve, not everyone is applying the most up-to-date technology. ‘Extract’ will therefore be a refreshing update to a local planning authority’s toolbox, which can sometimes feel out of date and unfit for purpose in today’s digital landscape.

With the ability to draw on robust datasets, this new tool could help planners make better-informed decisions. While a planner’s work should never be fully autonomous, tools that help alleviate pressure from hard-working local authorities while helping planners deliver better outcomes for their communities are always welcome.

RIBA President, Chris Williamson, said:

Given our research at the end of last year showed that 80% of practices were experiencing significant project delays due to planning system backlogs, with over 10% abandoning projects entirely, we welcome the Government’s willingness to experiment with AI to help speed up applications. This is an exciting opportunity for local planning authorities to benefit from the efficiencies AI can bring to digitise applications, while maintaining the critical human oversight of architects and planners within teams to ensure high-design quality.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 16 June 2026.

£61m fund to encourage people to save treasured local assets announced as part of a set of reforms to put more power in the hands of communities.

• £61 million fund to encourage local people to step in and save pubs, shops and other community gems
• Communities Secretary Steve Reed announces cash boost in part of a wider £301 million package to support high streets, drive community control and back local people
• Package builds on wider £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme, handing real power and money to local people who know their areas best

Pubs, shops and other treasured high street gems will be saved from closure more easily thanks to a new £61 million package to back local communities announced today (16 June). 

This government’s latest Pride in Place initiative, a new Community Right to Buy Fund, will hand people in deprived areas the money they need to step in and take over community assets at risk of closure otherwise – allowing pints to continue flowing and community centres to keep bringing people together in their areas. 

Communities Secretary Steve Reed announced the investment at a speech in London earlier today as part of a package of measures, building on wider reforms in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act to allow people to take over treasured assets. This funding is part of the £301 million announced by the government to support our high streets and community spaces. 

Further action was committed to on tackling profiteering in the temporary accommodation and children’s social care sector, allowing councils to spend taxpayers’ money on what local people want to see, alongside making it easier for social housing tenants to take control over their homes. 

These reforms build on the government’s commitment to shift more power out of Westminster and empower communities, including through the £5.8 billion Pride in Place programme. 

Communities Secretary Steve Reed said: 

I am pushing power out of Whitehall and into the hands of the people who actually use these high streets. They know what they need better than any politician in Whitehall. 

We’re backing communities to step in and save these high street gems, building on our drive to give communities the key to their own future and power over what matters to them.

The Communities Secretary also announced: 

• Streamlining Right to Manage: Supporting social housing tenants to come together, take control of their homes and estates, and make housing managers accountable to the people who live there. Reforms include stronger enforcement action where serious mismanagement puts residents’ safety at risk, as well as calling on social landlords to encourage tenants to take up the Right to Manage.  
• Test and Learn funding: The Test, Learn and Grow programme is putting people at the centre, starting small and building on what works – empowering frontline staff and local places to respond to what users need. Crucially, it is also about growing this way of working. To build regional capability and ensure that learning from the programme is diffused across the country, a £10 million Test, Learn and Grow Capability Fund is being launched to support up to 20 places. The fund will first be targeted at those already involved in the programme, with a specific focus on extending learning beyond individual local authorities and across sub-regions, through Mayoral Strategic Authorities and clusters of local authorities working together. It will then expand to new locations later in the autumn. 
• Community Power Pilots: Supporting community groups and local authorities in up to 25 areas with £15 million in funding to transform services for residents with their input. 
• Commitment to tackling profiteering: The government will work with councils in London to compare the prices of temporary accommodation, stopping companies exploiting different parts of the state. Further action will also be taken in the children’s social care sector where profiteering off vulnerable children is leaving councils on the brink. 
• Commitment to support better use of local data: Ineffective data sharing is hampering local authorities from delivering better, more joined up services. To fix this, DSIT is developing standardised data sharing agreements for central government and wider public sector, including local governments to use, reducing administrative burdens and speeding up processes. 

The press release issued by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 2 June 2026.

A new Development Corporation will give Greater Cambridge the powers and certainty to deliver infrastructure-first growth at scale.

• New regeneration body will end the cycle of homes coming first and services catching up years later by developing land faster
• £800 million already committed to accelerate new homes, jobs and infrastructure across Cambridge and Oxford

A new regeneration body will deliver thousands of new homes, jobs, and long overdue transport links in Greater Cambridge in a major move to unlock growth in the region.

Working in partnership with local leaders and communities, the region’s biggest Development Corporation will drive faster, more sustainable growth – ensuring transport and services are built alongside new homes, not as an afterthought. It will also rake in millions more in investment, cementing Greater Cambridge’s status as a world-leading centre for science and innovation. 

The Corporation will bring land together for development, invest in key sites and unlock stalled and derelict land – tackling housing affordability, cutting commuter delays, breaking down barriers to employment, and improving connectivity. 

Today’s announcement builds on the up to £800 million already committed to kickstarting development around Cambridge and Oxford, which will increase the supply of affordable homes, upgrade transport links, and provide more green spaces for residents. 

Housing Secretary Steve Reed, said: 

“Greater Cambridge is an area with huge potential that the new Development Corporation will help turn into more affordable homes, good jobs for local people and infrastructure that supports its communities.”

Chancellor Rachel Reeves, said:  

“Greater Cambridge is a powerhouse for regional growth – and we’re unlocking its full potential as part of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor.

“We have the right economic plan – by working with local leaders to unlock stalled sites and invest in infrastructure, this Development Corporation will deliver homes, jobs and opportunity at scale, driving regional growth and supporting our science and innovation strengths in Britain.”

The Greater Cambridge Development Corporation will be a joint national and local body, with the powers and long-term leadership to turn ambition into delivery.   

It will bring sites ready for development together quicker, invest in critical infrastructure and bring forward sites that have sat idle for too long – building well-designed communities where people want to live and work. 

As well as new homes, it will create thousands of jobs for local partners and businesses, state of the art innovation spaces, bolstering Cambridge’s position as a global centre for science and enterprise. 

Local partners and businesses have backed proposals for the Development Corporation, recognising its role in unlocking growth and new jobs across the city, providing the certainty and momentum needed to bring forward strategic sites and attract private investment.

Progress is already being made to remove barriers to growth in Greater Cambridge, including government action to provide adequate water supply and wastewater capacity. This has enabled over 9,000 homes and more than 500,000 sqm of commercial space to come forward so far. 

Cambridge Growth Company Chair, Peter Freeman CBE said: 

“We welcome the government’s intention to establish a Development Corporation for Greater Cambridge. This provides the long-term certainty, status and coordination needed to deliver infrastructure at the scale Greater Cambridge demands.

“The real work begins now, and we are determined to deliver – making Greater Cambridge not only more economically vibrant, attracting world-class businesses, but more liveable, better connected and a place that genuinely works for all current and future residents.”

Chief Executive at Cambridge Ahead, Dan Thorp said: 

“In the 65+ years of the Cambridge Phenomenon, which is over half a century of world-leading innovation and exceptional economic performance, this could be one of the biggest moments. A Development Corporation can provide strategic direction, delivery capability, and financing in a way not previously possible and through this the Cambridge economy can deliver more for national and local benefit. 

“With over 80% of Cambridge industry leaders telling us that the UK Government’s commitment to the Ox-Cam Growth Corridor has either increased or maintained business confidence, it is evident that clear and consistent national policy is having a growth-positive impact on the ground in our high-potential region. 

“It will be vital that the Development Corporation truly works in partnership with local leaders, is set up to deliver good growth with certainty and clarity, and acts in the long-term interest of Cambridge and its region. Cambridge Ahead will continue to work with UK Government to build on today’s announcement and ensure that the momentum Cambridge has built translates into the jobs and homes this region and the country needs.” 

Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Paul Bristow said: 

“Our Local Growth Plan is intentionally the most ambitious in the country, and delivering it means tackling infrastructure constraints we’ve put off for too long. 

“A Development Corporation has the potential to help us deliver that plan, working as genuine partnership between local leaders, government and communities, all focused on the same plan. 

“As Mayor, I will work closely with a Development Corporation to support delivery at pace and make sure that collaboration translates into real progress on the ground.”

Further information

The Cambridge Growth Company was established by government as a subsidiary of Homes England, working closely with local leaders, communities and industry to develop and deliver an ambitious plan to remove barriers to growth in Greater Cambridge.  

Up to £800 million has already committed to kick‑starting development around Cambridge and Oxford to deliver tangible benefits to residents. These include:  

• Thousands of new, high-quality homes to meet local demand and tackle the housing shortage.  
• Creation of good jobs across a range of sectors, supporting economic growth and prosperity.  
• Improved transport links and infrastructure, making it easier for people to access work, education, and amenities.  
• Regeneration of key sites, turning long-stalled areas into thriving, sustainable communities.  
• Opportunities for business expansion and innovation, cementing Cambridge’s status as an engine for growth.