INNOVATION IN HOUSING & PLANNING Levvel About Us Private Sector Public Sector Case Studies Testimonials News & Views FAQs Contact International CURRENT NEWS V Positive Budget for Housing ... more     V Affordable rent decision expected within months, housing sector learns ... more     V Levvel, busier than ever - Levvel awarded East Herts contract ... more     V Housing Development Consultant Vacancies ... more     V What can housing expect from the autumn statement? ... more     V Radical changes needed for private rented sector - Sir Adrian Montague's review ... more     V Renegotiation of Section 106 planning obligations: Consultation ... more     V RICS release final guidance note - Financial viability in planning ... more     V Poole CIL Examination - Council drops differential CIL charge ... more     V Stuart Woodward attends Poole CIL Examination ... more     V Levvel awarded Bolsover District Council contract ... more     V Greater Manchester Pension Fund to pay for new homes ... more     V The States of Jersey - Affordable homes 'not a pipedream' ... more     V Housing strategy receives mixed reaction ... more     V Housing strategy: at a glance ... more     V Levvel advise States of Jersey on Affordable Housing ... more     V Stuart Woodward at the Saudi Arabia Social Housing Development Summit ... more     V Levvel advise at Saudi Arabia Social Housing Development Summit ... more     V Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing ... more     V First Buy Scheme can help developers with affordable housing contribution ... more     V Land auctions, an international idea introduced in the UK Budget ... more     V Levvel and the RICS' work with UN FAO on Land Tenure Governance ... more     V The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) releases details of its new strategy to leverage private investment to provide more affordable homes ... more   V Stuart Woodward invited to attended United Nations' workshop on 'Implementing Responsible Governance of Tenure ... more     V Stuart Woodward gives the international perspective at televised panel discussion at RICS India Affordable Housing Conference ... more     V RICS Report on Affordable Housing ... more     V Stuart Woodward of Levvel to speak at RICS India Affordable Housing Conference ... more     V Levvel secure two new housing viability studies ... more     V Levvel, International Knowledge Partner at RICS India Affordable Housing Conference ... more     V Non housing land - new viability study by Levvel ... more     V David Cameron announces plan to end lifetime council tenancies ... more     V Social housing waiting lists could swell by half a million ... more     V Raynsford appointed Olympics homes company chairman ... more     V Anxiety over government's housing revolution ... more     V Further Viability Study Secured by Levvel in Stafford ... more     V Scottish private sector housebuilding at 30-year low ... more     V Cuts threaten housing with arrested development ... more     V Impact of Government spending review on the HCA ... more     V Boris warns Conservatives to maintain affordable housing investment ... more     V Gaining ground - Planning article Levvel's response ... more V Darlington Borough Council appoints Levvel to provide viability appraisal ... more V January Housing Update ... more V Levvel commences work on new sub regional viability study! ... more V Pre Budget Report ... more V Levvel really enjoyed the Cobham half-day seminar ... more V Levvel's approach in Wokingham gets approval from The Planning Inspectorate ... more V Levvel seminar - a big hit with developers and land owners ... more V Levvel launches a series of seminars ... more V Levvel completes study for Fareham Borough Council ... more V Levvel completes study for Waveney District Council ... more V Levvel speak at international housing conference ... more V Funding concerns for affordable housing ... more V Robust viability assessment upheld at recent appeals ... more V Levvel secures major international contract ... more V Levvel selected to advise on viability in Stafford ... more V Levvel appointed for viability study in Manchester ... more V Success for Levvel at Poole core strategy examination in public ... more V Affordable housing planning conditions ... more V Appeal court outlines need for viability assessments ... more V Levvel completes Wokingham affordable housing viability study... more V Local Spatial Planning and PPS12 ... more V Lifetimes homes ... more V CIL ... more V Withdrawal of paper on valuation of affordable housing land in Scotland ... more V Ecotowns ... more V Intermediate Housing and the downturn ... more V Levvel wins Wokingham affordable housing viability study ... more V Levvel opens new London Office ... more     David Cameron announces plan to end lifetime council tenancies 3 August 2010 Patrick Wintour, Guardian.co.uk An end to lifetime council tenancies was signalled today by David Cameron as he warned the coming public spending cuts will not be restored when the economy recovers. Cameron said he wanted to see fixed terms for all new council and housing association tenancies lasting as little as five years to help increase social mobility. The prime minister admitted that "not everyone will support this and there will be quite a big argument". Speaking in Birmingham, he said: "There is a question mark about whether, in future, we should be asking when you are given a council home, is it for a fixed period? Because maybe in five or 10 years you will be doing a different job and be better paid and you won't need that home, you will be able to go into the private sector." A consultation paper, due to be published as early astomorrow, will say the new short-term tenure would be for local councils to implement, but would involve regular reviews of tenancies to see if the council tenant still needed such a large property or had sufficient income to shift to the private sector. At present council tenants have secure tenancy for life. Housing association tenants have secure tenancy for life after a probationary year. Council tenants have the right to hand the property over to their children, whereas housing association tenants do not. The communities department estimates that it costs each taxpayer £35 a week to keep people in affordable homes, and it is argued the tenancy for life is an inefficient use of scarce resources. Under the government's proposals council tenants could be forced to downsize. A total of 234,000 households in the social tenant sector are overcrowded while 456,000 are under-occupied, meaning people have more than one extra spare room, according to official figures. The government has already announced separate plans to cut housing benefit. Defending the reforms that have proved too politically explosive for Labour housing ministers to implement, the coalition's housing minister, Grant Shapps, said last night: "It is quite clear that the real losers from the current system are the 1.8m people on council house waiting lists who the current arrangements do not help. "It is time to consider whether our affordable housing system can be better used and whether one of the benefits would be greater social mobility. Any benefits from these changes might take many years, but it does not mean we should shy away from doing something. This will have no impact on existing council or housing association tenants." Shapps has been holding private talks with key housing groups to persuade them to back the reforms. Critics of the proposed reforms say it could disincentivise the unemployed to seek well-paid work as they might lose their tenancy as result. There are also fears that it would increase the chances of council estates becoming ghettos of the workless poor. The homeless charity Shelter said tonight: "We do not believe the big question in housing policy is security of tenure for new tenants. The prime minister has sidestepped the fundamental cause of our housing crisis – the desperate lack of affordable housing supply." Helen Williams, assistant director at the National Housing Federation, said: "There is a case for looking at what is offered to new tenants, as a way to seeing if over time social housing could help more people." Cameron today urged the public to recognise that the deficit was a moral issue and suggested public spending would not be restored to its current levels when the economy improves. "Should we cut things now and then go back later and try and restore them?" Cameron asked. "I think we should try to avoid that approach … people should open their minds and find new ways of doing more for less. We're going to have to change the way we work. How can we do things differently and better to give the value for money?" With the Spending review due to be published in October, he urged people to recognise there would be light at the end of the tunnel, and that "it is not all doom and gloom". Cuts of 25% – the equivalent of a 5% cut every year – was what many businesses and families were facing with their own budgets. He said his aim was to tackle the big ticket items like pensions public sector pay, and welfare before tackling smaller budgets. Visit the The Guardian website.

CONTACT HEAD OFFICE Tel:+44 (0)1202 639444 Email: click here NEWS & VIEWS V Positive Budget for Housing ... more >> V Affordable rent decision expected within months, housing sector learns ... more >> NATIONAL PLANNING POLICY FRAMEWORK Last year, the Government announced the National Planning Policy Framework. Levvel welcome informal queries from previous, current or potential new clients on the impact that the new framework will have on their project, be they a local authority, developer or landowner. Please contact us on 01202 639444 to see how we can assist. LEVVEL JOB VACANCIES HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT VACANCIES Bournemouth / London based Levvel are expanding their team and looking to recruit development consultants in the Bournemouth and London office. We are looking for self-motivated, confident, independent and innovative thinkers who can relate and communicate well to a broad range of people from different professions. more >>

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