Cambridge Ahead’s Post

Strong advice direct from Sir Michael Lyons himself... Councils, Combined Authorities, Developers, Landowners... whoever you are, if you have big plans, then click this link and make sure we know about them! #NewTowns #WeAreHomesEngland #regeneration #delivery #development #housing

A recent opinion poll by Sunday Independent and Ireland Thinks shows that 59% of the public identify housing as the main priority for Ireland to tackle. This highlights how important it is for the government to take an all-encompassing strategic approach to housing policy which would enable multiple accommodation options – such as Co-living.   Co-living can give life to vacant properties and provide a practical solution to overcrowded cities, like our office-to-residential property Rathmines House which has been recently highlighted on Newstalk Breakfast.    As Co-living falls under the net of banned BTR schemes in Ireland, we believe that it should be reintroduced for the conversion of derelict office buildings at a minimum.   Read more here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eunmrgk6   #RathminesHouse #GraylingProperties #RealEstate #Community #Property Irish Independent

SURREY DEVELOPMENT NEWS At the July 22 council meeting, staff presented mayor and council with an update on the study being conducting to explore options and feasibility of requiring rental and/or affordable housing (inclusionary zoning) in developments located within the recently defined Transit Oriented Areas (TOAs). The City of Surrey tends to take a relatively thoughtful and less disruptive approach to these types of major policy changes, ensuring new policies do not disincentivize development. The investigation includes proforma analyses to determine where rental and affordable housing requirements are feasible and the report states the industry will be consulted to ensure new policies do not deter development. Let’s hope that’s the case because these requirements have been quite damaging in other municipalities. CAUTION to those acquiring land in TOAs assuming the additional density is free. It could come at a cost. Read the corporate report here: https://lnkd.in/gATqVEiZ

As newly elected councillors are sworn into office, the focus turns to delivering on the mandate given to them by the community. However, this term brings with it an immense challenge. Southeast Queensland (SEQ) is expected to experience exponential population growth by 2046, with the Gold Coast alone needing to accommodate between 388,300 more people and 161,700 new dwellings. To achieve this, SEQ councils will have to adopt a mix of housing typologies, including increased infill development, more medium-high density, and some new land release. Although infill and density may present the biggest challenge, we must work with the community to meet this demand through a variety of housing types and choices, rather than just assuming that density is only about constructing large towers. It is far more nuanced than that. We see our colleagues in NSW grappling with this immense challenge too, and they are leaning into it, particularly around transport orientated developments. 🗞️ I penned a short piece in the Gold Coast Bulletin this weekend. You can check it out here if you have a news subscription or message me for a copy: https://lnkd.in/g3_WdY3E We’re going to have to work together to make sure we meet the current and future needs of our growing community through a mix of density, housing types and well designed places 🤝 🏡 Q Shelter CHIA Queensland Council of Mayors (SEQ) Local Government Association of Queensland Planning Institute of Australia Property Council of Australia Queensland Master Builders Queensland UDIA Queensland YIMBY Qld Strata Community Association (Qld) Australian Institute of Architects Urbis Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works Department of State Development and Infrastructure Economic Development Queensland #SEQ #populationgrowth #housingtypes #communityengagement #densitydonewell #infilldevelopment #mediumrise #homematters #bettertogether #goldcoast #queensland

The draft NPPF includes many exciting areas of change...not so much for town centres though! Alice Green explores this missed opportunity in her latest blog

Hume City Council make some very good points about what it would take to activate an Activity Centre like Broadmeadows. "[𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭] 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘳" 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦." "𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥", 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘳 Cr Naim Kurt 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥. "𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦" 🎯As pointed out by Gus McCubbing in the The Australian Financial Review in April (https://lnkd.in/guQ_Bm_F), four of 10 Activity Centres targeted in the Victorian Government's Housing Statement have been identified since 1981. Broadmeadows and Epping have both been on the list since 2002. Not much activity... 💰A centre like Broadmeadows does not currently have the social infrastructure, but most critically, the property values to support high density, activity-centre style development. Making such projects in these locations feasible could take another generation - and only with significant Government investment and/or subsidy in the meantime. A structure plan of itself will do nought. 🤔We need to look at other housing typologies to deliver housing supply in the short-to-mid term. #housingsupply #housingaffordability #planningreform #activitycentres  #housingstatement #housingaccord #familysizedapartments Victorian Planning Authority Department of Transport and Planning UDIA Victoria James Newbury Sonya Kilkenny

Yesterday the Government's New Towns Task Force, established in September 2024 to support the delivery of new generation of "new towns", launched a "call for evidence" asking for the submission of places where there is an opportunity for "significant" housing growth. The call for evidence notes that new towns must be of at least 10,000 homes, well-designed, sustainable, well-connected, and able to deliver all the infrastructure needed to sustain thriving communities. Both new settlements and urban extensions are to be considered. A Government policy statement in July 2024 envisaged that urban extensions would be the most likely for of new town. These details shed little light on what areas the Task Force may consider to be suitable. If emphasis is to be placed on urban extensions and well-connected locations, with most of the Country's major urban centres (which typically are the better connected locations) being surrounded by Green Belt, will the Task Force not see the Green Belt as a significant constraint to the delivery of new towns? The Government has already stated that the delivery of new towns is of "national interest". Local populations and some Councils may see it differently (see the "Silkingrad" incident when Stevenage was designated a new town in the 1940s). Alternatively, the East Midlands is relatively free of Green Belt and large areas of environmental / landscape designations. Could some of the smaller settlements in the likes of Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire or Leicestershire be the focus? Interestingly, the call for evidence states that many suitable locations for new towns are already known to the Task Force. It may therefore already have a good idea of the locations it will be recommending to the Government. The call for evidence closes on Friday 13 December 2024, with the Task Force recommending a list of preferred locations to the Government before July 2025. Please get in touch if you would like to know more. https://lnkd.in/evFtCXWN #housing #newtowns #urbanextensions #planning #housingdelivery

The Planning Institute of Australia calls for a growth dividend from development in the form of a commitment to measurable outcomes in amenities like open space, walkability and social and affordable housing in our Better Places Better Housing position paper and as mentioned by me in this article. Time for a step up in place and precinct planning - including MORE housing alongside much BETTER places. https://lnkd.in/gRjJZQFF

The past decade of housing development in England has underscored a persistent disconnect between new residential developments and access to effective public transport. Despite the rise in housing numbers, these developments often remain poorly connected to public transportation and other essential services, as highlighted by the Royal Town Planning Institute's (RTPI) report just published. This disconnect has significant implications as it encourages car dependency, contributes to traffic congestion, and undermines both environmental and social sustainability goals. The RTPI's findings point to critical regional and rural-urban disparities, with London developments generally closer to services, while areas like the South West and East of England experience much longer travel times to key destinations. Alarmingly, the majority of new homes continue to favour car accessibility over more sustainable transport options, highlighting a systemic issue that can only be addressed through a whole-system approach. The RTPI advocates a reform to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to address this, aiming to integrate housing location, transport infrastructure and land use more effectively. A whole-system approach, which I often advocate, is essential in addressing these complex issues. By viewing housing, transport and urban planning as interconnected, we can create cohesive policies that support sustainable living. This approach would enable planners and policymakers to move beyond piecemeal solutions, ensuring housing developments are not only well-placed but also supportive of public transport networks and active travel. Such an integrated strategy would help reduce car dependency, improve regional accessibility and create healthier, more resilient communities. LandTech, Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom, Dr Victoria Hills MRTPI FICE FRSA MCMI CMgr, #publictransport, #systemthinking https://lnkd.in/e9bEQZ-T

🏢 Planning Reform, High Streets, and the Future of UK Town Centres! 🏙️   We’re thrilled to share this insightful article by our corporate partner Planning Potential that dives into the crucial role planning reform can play in revitalising UK high streets and town centres. 🌍🏬 Discover the challenges and opportunities in creating thriving local communities!   🔗 Read the full article to explore the future of urban development: https://lnkd.in/ejGMc-fb   #TownCentreRevival #PlanningReform #UrbanDevelopment #JoinusinKent #PlanningPotential