A controversial new law allowing the conversion of office space into residential development without planning permission took a further twist on 9 May 2013 when Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, announced that only 17 local authorities would be exempt from the new rules. This represents only a small number of
Monthly Archives: May 2013
The fight continues to stamp out squatting
Since 1 September 2012, it has been a criminal offence to squat in residential property, punishable by a maximum prison sentence of 6 months and/or a fine of up to £5,000 (you may remember my blog posted on 25 October 2012 about the first prosecution). Many in the property industry feel that the law doesn’t
Planning a Planning Judicial Review? Better get your skates on!
On 23 April, the Government announced proposals for the reform of the judicial review procedure, including eye-catching plans to slash the time limit for bringing judicial review claims. This follows the publication of consultation proposals late last year designed to address the large volume of unmeritorious cases whose effect, increasingly, is to clog up the