Tag Archives: asia
Lack of resources in councils holding up major planning applications
Major new planning applications in English cities are taking well over six months to determine due to a lack of resources, new research suggests. Both developers and local authorities have identified a lack of resource within planning departments as a key barrier to development. The majority of developers believe higher planning fees might be part of a potential solution, helping local authorities shorten waiting times and improve performance. The average submission to determination time for a major planning application is 32 weeks across London, Greater Manchester and Bristol and the surrounding area, over double the government target of 13 weeks. In addition to this, and despite a worsening housing crisis, the overall volume of major applications determined in London fell by 26%, according to the fourth Annual Planning Survey from the British Property Federation and GL Hearn, part of Capita plc. Both public and private sector respondents to the survey expressed concern with the lack of resources available to local planning authorities. Some 55% of local authorities say under resourcing is a significant challenge and 50% believe the planning system is not operating as well as it was in 2010. Also a significant 75% of applicants are dissatisfied with the length of time a planning application takes, up from 71% last year. The survey found that 65% of applicants would be happy to pay more if it would shorten determination times. The details of the research shows that in London, the average submission to determination time is 34 weeks, some six weeks longer than last year’s study but a modest improvement from 2011/2012 when it stood at 37 weeks. The average submission to determination time is 27 weeks in both Greater Manchester, Bristol and the surrounding area. The volume of major planning applications determined has fallen by 26% in London, increased by 19% in Manchester, and stayed the same in Bristol and the surrounding area. In line with diminishing land opportunities in the capital, densification is a more prevalent priority for applicants in London at 47% compared to applicants in the North West at 14%. ‘In order to get Britain building again, we need to get Britain planning. Development activity is critical for our economy, not least in order to tackle the urgent housing crisis. This year’s Annual Planning Survey shows that the planning system needs investment and that requires action across the board,’ said Shaun Andrews, GL Hearn’s head of investor and developer planning. ‘We need to ensure that planning authorities have the right people with the right skills and powers in place to drive forward a growth agenda and that the system is able to release the right resources when it’s needed. For their part, developers need to speak with a single voice and make it clear what levels of service they need and how much they are prepared to pay for it,’ he pointed out. ‘There is… Continue reading
Majority of Americans believe in home ownership and are positive about the market
The majority of people in the United States believe that buying a home is a good financial decision, that now is a good time to buy and that they could sell their home for at least its initial purchase price. The survey from the National Association of Realtors which measures consumers' attitudes and concerns about housing issues in the nation's 50 largest metropolitan statistical areas, found that more than eight in 10 Americans are positive about the housing market. Some 68% believe that now is a good time to buy a home, 71% that they could sell their house for what they paid for it, a jump of 16% compared to 2013, the data shows. When asked for reasons about why home ownership matters to them, respondents’ answers have not changed significantly from past years. Building equity, wanting a stable and safe environment, and having the freedom to choose their neighbourhood remain the top three reasons to own a home. ‘Home ownership is part of the American Dream, and this survey proves that dream is alive and thriving in our communities,’ said NAR president Chris Polychron. The research also found that the number of renters who are now thinking about purchasing a home has increased since the last survey in 2013, up from 36% to 39and 61% said that owning a home is a priority for their future. According to the survey 80% of respondents believe that pre-purchase counselling programmes and classes are very or somewhat important. Indeed, 45% of home owners who said they did not take a counselling programme reported they would have taken part in one had it been easily available to them. Attitudes about the housing market have improved in recent years and 49% of respondents indicated that they feel activity in the housing market has increased in the past year, compared to 44% in 2013 and 12% in 2011. The study shows that 89% expect home sales in their area to either increase or remain the same. Concern about foreclosures has also declined, with only 15% of respondents indicating that foreclosure is a major concern. In addition to improved attitudes about the housing market, survey participants also showed an improved outlook regarding the economy. Only 36% think that job layoffs and unemployment are a big problem, a substantial drop from 45% in 2013. Perceived obstacles to home ownership have remained mostly unchanged compared to recent years and 78% of respondents pointed to college debt and student loans as the main obstacle to making a home purchase affordable. On top of this 76% said they have a full time job but still did not make enough money to purchase a home while 74% believe they do not have enough money for a down payment and closing costs. As the market has improved, concern about the cost of housing has increased. Two thirds of survey participants said that home prices are more expensive than they were a year ago. There is… Continue reading
Skills crisis threatens ambitious UK home building programme
A growing skills crisis in the UK building industry threatens the Prime Minister’s ambition to increase home ownership and will undermine wider economic growth, it is claimed. The Prime Minister stated last week that he wants his legacy to be defined by increasing home ownership, but this won’t be possible without an ample supply of skilled construction workers, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The organisation’s latest survey covering the third quarter of 2015 suggests that a skills time bomb is in danger of exploding with 60% of small construction firms struggling to hire bricklayers, up from 49%three months ago. The research also shows that 54% of firms are struggling to hire carpenters and joiners, up from 47% in the previous quarter. ‘If the skilled labour isn’t available, the Government’s ambitions for home ownership won’t be realised,’ said Brian Berry, FMB chief executive. ‘It’s not just house building and home ownership that are being hampered by the skills shortage. The future economic growth of our country relies on major infrastructure projects, such as HS2 and Hinkley Point, being built,’ Berry pointed out. ‘We urgently need to boost our workforce by convincing people, in their thousands, to return to our industry or join us for the first time. Key to this is the need to address the severe shortfall in apprenticeships,’ he explained. Continue reading
