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Morning Briefing: new building regulator planned for Queen’s Speech
Building safety reforms recommended by Dame Judith Hackitt will be included in today’s Queen’s Speech according to reports, and the rest of the morning’s housing news.
In the news
Legislation to establish a new building safety regulator will be included in the Queen’s Speech later today, according to a report in The Guardian.
The news is unsurprising: as we reported in June, the creation of a new regulator has been part of the government’s plans for post-Grenfell reform for some time.
This is all part of moves to implement the findings of Dame Judith Hackitt’s review of building safety.
Theresa May’s government had planned to introduce legislation next year so today’s news is confirmation that Boris Johnson has not abandoned the plans. As for further detail, we have little yet: a government source told us this morning that the story in The Guardian was based on a ’political briefing’. The Queen’s Speech will be at 11.30am, so check back for more detail then. Remember though: this could be voted down given that the government does not have a majority in parliament.
Elsewhere this weekend, there are warnings from councils that the government has ‘severely underestimated’ the cost of homelessness prevention duties with London boroughs experiencing a funding shortfall of around £50m as a result.
This comes as The Observer publishes a special report looking at the organisations making millions from providing temporary housing to councils for homeless families.
Estate agent Knight Frank has published a briefing note on the residential development market in London, including the latest on price growth and transaction volumes.
The Independent reports on the rising number of teachers applying for emergency grants, living in sheds and relying on food banks as a result of the housing crisis.
In local news Kent Online publishes a report about a new chair for ALMO East Kent Homes and Bristol Live reports on a housing estate where a borough boundary means residents will need two different types of parking permit.
On social media
Paul Hackett comments on The Guardian’s research:
Another symptom of the #HousingCrisis - why is UK spending £1bn pa on temporary accommodation, some of it unfit and all of it expensive, when we could be investing in high quality, permanent and secure #SocialHousing? #ukhousing #homelessnes t.co/xcJtydkKsY
— Paul Hackett (@PaulHackett10)Another symptom of the #HousingCrisis - why is UK spending £1bn pa on temporary accommodation, some of it unfit and all of it expensive, when we could be investing in high quality, permanent and secure #SocialHousing? #ukhousing #homelessnes https://t.co/xcJtydkKsY
— Paul Hackett (@PaulHackett10) October 14, 2019
