London boroughs face £740m TA cost deficit, report says

📢 London boroughs are facing a £740m temporary accommodation shortfall across the capital, with local authorities spending £5.5m a day on homelessness. 👉 Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eyjEndqn LSE London

The latest CSO (Central Statistics Office Ireland) Q2 2025 figures on housing planning permissions paint a worrying picture for Ireland's housing delivery. Government’s targets are for 50,000 annual housing completions, yet annual planning permissions granted are at just 31,125 taken as a 4-quarter moving sum—the lowest since Q1 2019.   As a lead indicator for housing commencements and ultimately completions, this is very concerning at a time when Ireland needs increased housing delivery.   Of particular concern are the fallen apartment figures reflecting current challenges of viability for this type of housing. If Ireland is to meet the 50,000 housing target, over 50% of these will need to be in new apartments. That’s why in Budget 2026, PII recommends that Government stimulates apartment delivery by introducing a 0% VAT rate on new apartment buildings. This will help to stimulate 11,000 new apartments for the Private Rented Sector by 2030, at no overall additional cost to the Exchequer.   ➡️ For more information on PII’s recommendations for Budget 2025, click here: - https://lnkd.in/e5FXAfhY   ➡️ To view CSO Q1 figures, click here: https://lnkd.in/ersKzCzn  

London, we have a cost problem At the time of Brexit one version of how the new UK would look was 'Singapore on Thames', improving our global competitiveness through deregulation and lower taxes. Strangely, we have spent the post referendum years heading in an opposite direction, in particular pushing up costs in a multitude of areas, making us less competitive as a result. Here are some examples: 1) Taxes, the most obvious one, we have the highest UK tax take as a % of GDP that we have had for many decades. 2) Energy, again another obvious one, more expensive than almost anywhere else. 3) The Living Wage, less well known, but this is now one of the most generous minimum wages in the world, having increased almost 100% over the last five years. 4) The triple lock, which has succeeded in embedding inflation beating increases in pension costs. 5) Regulation, remains excessive and costly across all walks of life. 6) Planning, here costs often seem to overwhelm what in years gone by would have been viable projects, meaning that much less gets off the ground, most noticeably London housing. 7) The cost of being wealthy in the UK has increased significantly over the last 5 years, encouraging the wealthy to leave. 8) The cost of moving or renting property has soared, due to stamp duty now being one of the highest in the world, and state interference in the rental market creating a lack of supply. 9) Our hair shirt approach to environmental issues, which has caused huge cost inflation in energy, packaging, food, and waste disposal. 10) Last, but not least, if something goes wrong, we always have an expensive inquiry, which by their nature have to recommend fixes that cost lots of money. It's simple, all the above has to change!

🏠☘️🇮🇪📉 My (Very humble) view on Ireland’s and Europe Housing Crisis: A Perfect Storm of Policy and Market Distortions The housing crisis in Ireland (and in many other countries facing similar struggles) is not simply the result of “too few houses.” It’s the outcome of policy choices and structural barriers that distort the free market and suffocate investment. Key drivers include: *Overregulation & red tape → Delays, higher costs, and fewer new builds. *Price caps & rent controls → Short-term relief, long-term disincentive for landlords and developers. *Immigration pressures → Sudden increases in demand without matching supply. *Lack of investment incentives → Capital flows elsewhere when returns are capped. *Planning bottlenecks → Projects stall for years instead of months.Yet instead of fixing these fundamentals, government and public debate often point the finger at landlords.This is absurd: landlords don’t create housing shortages - they respond to the environment policymakers design. If regulations, taxes, and rent caps make property investment unattractive, landlords will exit the market. The fewer the landlords, the fewer the rental units. It’s basic economics. The result? A vicious cycle: supply stays constrained, demand keeps growing, prices soar, and ordinary families are left behind.Solving this requires more than temporary schemes or subsidies It calls for bold reforms: ✅Freeing up the planning process ✅Incentivizing, not punishing investment ✅Aligning immigration and housing policies ✅Letting the market adapt dynamically to demand Basically FREE-ER MARKETS! 📈🗽 Until then, blaming landlords may be politically convenient — but it’s also economically illiterate 🫵What’s your view? Should governments step back and let markets solve the housing crisis, or double down on regulations

Labour's new planning reforms signal a pivotal shift in UK property development opportunities 🏗️ The government's move to prioritize housing delivery over Green Belt protection marks the most significant policy change we've seen in years. With Angela Rayner's reforms now being implemented by Steve Reed, we're witnessing a fundamental reset of the housing agenda that creates substantial opportunities for strategic property investors. What does this mean for the market? The relaxation of Green Belt restrictions opens up previously untouchable development sites, particularly in high-demand areas surrounding major cities. This isn't just about volume - it's about location quality. Properties that were previously off-limits due to planning constraints could now become viable investment opportunities, potentially offering better yields than traditional urban infill sites. For property investors, this policy shift presents three key considerations. First, early movers who identify suitable sites before the market fully adjusts could secure significant value appreciation. Second, the increased housing supply targets mean more consistent deal flow and partnership opportunities with developers. Third, infrastructure investment typically follows housing development, which could enhance long-term asset values in newly developed areas. The urgency behind these reforms suggests we'll see accelerated planning processes and reduced bureaucratic delays - music to any investor's ears who has dealt with the traditional planning system. However, success will require careful site selection and understanding of local housing demand dynamics. Smart investors should be reviewing their portfolios now and identifying areas where these policy changes create the most opportunity. The window for first-mover advantage won't last long as the market adjusts to this new reality. The housing crisis has created a unique alignment between government objectives and investment opportunities - a rare scenario that merits serious attention. #PropertyInvestment #UKHousing

Francis Truss, Partner at Carter Jonas, has outlined the key challenges he believes Steve Reed, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), must prioritise if the government is to turn early planning reforms into meaningful housing and economic outcomes. https://lnkd.in/eC2wrd8Z

Thanks to The Irish Times for coverage in yesterday’s New Homes supplement. Hooke & MacDonalds Des Donnelly, New Homes Director gives his take on the outlook for the news homes market. Read the full article below... 'Visionary policies are urgently needed' - Des Donnelly, New Homes Director at Hooke & MacDonald The outlook for the new homes market contains numerous positives and opportunities. Most importantly we have a highly efficient and dedicated building industry that is ready, willing and able to produce significantly higher volumes of new homes. However, it is dependent on policymakers to produce and implement with more urgency the measures needed to fix the flawed planning system, to fast-track investment in infrastructure, to zone many thousands of more acres for housing and to introduce incentives to attract back Irish and international pension and other institutional funds into housing delivery, especially the apartment sector in urban locations for both owner-occupiers and tenants. The lack of viability for apartment construction has been acknowledged by the Government with the introduction of the Croi Cónaithe (Cities) Scheme, which facilitates apartment purchases by owner-occupiers by bridging the gap between construction costs and sale prices. Further measures such as section 23-type tax incentives for purchasers could considerably ramp up apartment supply in urban locations, as it did in the past, successfully increasing the stock of rental accommodation over a short period. It proved to be a sound concept until politicians applied it in non-urban locations. A number of government schemes are greatly helping aspiring homeowners to achieve their goals, especially the Help to Buy scheme, the First Home scheme and the Affordable Purchase scheme. The strong Irish economy and our stable political system should support the expansion of our new homes supply to help meet demographic requirements in 2026 and beyond. However, visionary policies are urgently needed to provide the volume and variety of typologies that are required to house all sections of the Irish population. #HookeandMacDonald #IrishProperty #DublinProperty #NewHomes #NewHomesIreland #CroíCónaithe

Ahead of Labour’s Annual Conference starting this weekend, Tim Foreman of LRG outlines what the housing secretary must focus on to meet the target of delivering 1.5 million new homes. https://lnkd.in/epvhm9ys

Why Only One Government Ever Met Its Housing Target While we’re worrying about the lack of progress on current housing targets, it’s worth remembering that only one government has ever actually met its target — the 1951–1964 Conservative administration, under Housing Minister Harold Macmillan, which delivered 300,000 homes a year. Their success didn’t come out of nowhere. The groundwork was laid by Clement Attlee’s Labour government, which built a robust housing framework after the war: a trained workforce, functioning supply chains, and a clear planning structure. Instead of tearing this down, Macmillan built on it — expanding public housebuilding while backing private developers. The Conservatives streamlined bureaucracy, kept council funding flowing, and achieved high output without tearing up the rulebook. In pure numbers, Harold Wilson’s Labour government in the 1960s and 1970s still holds the record — 425,000 homes a year at its peak — just shy of its ambitious 500,000 target, but unmatched since. So why have we struggled ever since? The same barriers keep reappearing: * Planning system bottlenecks are slowing approvals * Underinvestment in public housing and overreliance on private developers * Political and local resistance to development * Economic downturns that choke investment and halt construction On top of these long-standing issues, we’ve added new ones: * Brexit is driving up material costs, bureaucracy, and labour shortages * Gateway Two bottlenecks, delaying large-scale approvals Given all this, it’s hard to see how any government could hit anything but the most modest housing targets without a significant overhaul of the construction industry itself. And that’s before we even start talking about climate change — and the extra layer of complexity it’s guaranteed to bring.

Rachel Reeves’ Planning Reforms: A Turning Point for the UK Property Market. According to The Guardian, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is preparing to announce a series of planning reforms ahead of the upcoming Budget — reforms designed to “kickstart Britain’s sluggish economic growth.” If implemented, these measures could mark one of the most significant shifts in UK property policy in over a decade. A System in Need of Renewal For too long, the UK’s planning system has been seen as slow, inconsistent, and overly complex. Developers, investors, and local authorities alike face uncertainty and long timelines that stall progress and inflate costs. The new reforms are expected to streamline the process, reduce judicial delays, and prioritise major housing and infrastructure projects. The Treasury estimates this could add £3 billion a year to the UK economy — a figure that highlights the government’s intent to make development a driver of growth. Balancing Speed and Sustainability A key focus will be on environmental protections. Reports suggest a move towards a “mitigate, not block” model — maintaining sustainability goals while ensuring they don’t bring projects to a standstill. If successful, this could make planning decisions faster without compromising the environment — something developers and communities have long hoped for. What It Means for the Property Market For estate agents, developers, and investors, these reforms could reshape the landscape: ·        Faster project approvals and shorter timelines. ·        More predictable outcomes for investment planning. ·        Regional opportunities, as growth extends beyond London. ·        Renewed confidence among buyers and institutional investors. Challenges to Watch Even with reform, there are still risks ahead: Funding & staffing: Local planning departments need proper resources or delays could persist. Political resistance: Speeding up approvals must still respect community input. Market adjustment: A sudden increase in supply could affect short-term pricing in certain zones. Nonetheless, the direction is positive — signalling a more pragmatic approach to growth and delivery. Source: The Guardian – “Ministers to announce significant changes to UK’s planning system” (October 2025) #RealEstate #UKProperty #RachelReeves #PlanningReform #EconomicGrowth #Housing #MayfairSquare