Government launches survey on retrofitting real estate

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a survey looking at how national planning policy and guidance around the demolition and redevelopment or retrofit of buildings should be updated. The ministry said the survey, open until the end of October, would “help to improve MHCLG’s understanding of what types of policy intervention could be needed in national planning policy and guidance”. The move has been welcomed by the London Property Alliance on the back of its Retrofit First, Not Retrofit Only report and subsequent recommendations with Savills. In a message to members promoting the survey, LPA chief executive Charles Begley said: “The London Property Alliance has played a leading role in this critically important issue, using our members’ extensive expertise in what is often a highly politicised and binary debate. We believe national government has an opportunity to progress its economic growth and sustainability ambitions through the planning system, in turn helping local councils take informed and balanced decisions based on reliable and consistent data.” Access the survey >>