Housing Legislation
Laws governing housing development, tenant rights, property standards, social housing, and urban planning.
The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2025
The 2025 order amended the 2015 Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order, modifying permitted development rights related to electric vehicle charging and air source heat pumps.
This order amends the 2015 Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order for England.
Key changes include relaxing restrictions on installing electric vehicle charging points and air source heat pumps, streamlining planning processes for these developments.
Specific alterations involve removing certain limitations on the size, location, and number of permitted installations.
A transitional provision allows continued development under previous regulations for a limited time.
The 2025 Regulations amended the 1988 Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations by clarifying the definition of furniture, removing certain labeling requirements, and extending the timeframe for legal proceedings regarding fire safety offences.
The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 amend the 1988 Regulations.
Key changes include removing certain baby and child products from the definition of "furniture," eliminating specific labeling requirements, and extending the time limit for legal proceedings related to fire safety offenses to twelve months.
The amendments aim to clarify the regulatory framework and reduce burdens on businesses, although concerns remain about potential impacts on fire safety and enforcement.
The Environment Act 2021 (Commencement No. 10) Regulations 2025
Specific sections of the Environment Act 2021 relating to biodiversity net gain, along with relevant sections of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, were brought into force on May 1st, 2025.
The Environment Act 2021 (Commencement No. 10) Regulations 2025, effective May 1, 2025, implement several sections of the Environment Act 2021 concerning biodiversity net gain.
These sections, primarily impacting planning permissions in England, introduce a condition within the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to ensure that all new developments contribute towards increasing biodiversity.
The regulations clarify specific parts of the relevant legislation that come into effect and explain the integration of these additions into existing planning processes.
While no independent cost impact assessment was deemed necessary for these regulations, reference is made to a broader impact assessment on the Environment Act 2021.
The Student Accommodation (Codes of Management Practice and Specified Educational Establishments) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The 2025 regulations amended the 2024 Student Accommodation Regulations, updated codes of practice for student housing, specified relevant educational establishments, and revoked superseded regulations.
These regulations amend the 2024 Student Accommodation Regulations to update codes of management practice for student housing in England.
Key changes include the approval of a new Universities UK/GuildHE Accommodation Code of Practice, the specification of educational establishments under the Housing Act 2004, and the revocation of several superseded regulations.
The amendments aim to improve standards, clarify application, and streamline the regulatory framework for student housing.
The Town and Country Planning (Fees and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025
The regulations amended primary legislation to reflect the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023, updated fees for planning applications, and established new procedures for Crown land development in England.
The Town and Country Planning (Fees and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2025 amend existing legislation to reflect changes introduced by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023.
The regulations update fees for certain planning applications and adjust several Acts to incorporate new provisions for planning permission on Crown land in England.
These new provisions establish two application routes: one for urgent, nationally important developments and another for nationally important developments without urgency.
The Community Infrastructure Levy (Amendment etc.) (England) Regulations 2025
The regulations amended the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010 and the Town and Country Planning (Section 62A Applications) (Procedure and Consequential Amendments) Order 2013 to clarify CIL application and improve information gathering relating to planning applications in England.
The Community Infrastructure Levy (Amendment etc.) (England) Regulations 2025 amend the 2010 Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations and the 2013 Town and Country Planning Order.
These amendments clarify the application of the Community Infrastructure Levy to certain planning determinations made by the Secretary of State or appointed persons, and enhance the information gathered on CIL liabilities within planning applications.
The changes primarily aim to improve clarity, consistency and the efficiency of the planning process concerning the levy in England.
The Flood Reinsurance (Amendment) Regulations 2025
The Flood Reinsurance (Amendment) Regulations 2025 increased the levy to £160 million and amended the 2015 regulations.
These regulations amend the 2015 Flood Reinsurance regulations, raising the total levy from £135 million to £160 million.
This increase aims to improve the affordability and availability of flood insurance in high-risk areas.
The amendment applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and took effect on April 1st, 2025, without affecting existing liabilities.
The 2025 Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings Order indexed annual chargeable amounts based on the September 2024 Consumer Price Index increase.
This order, made by the UK Treasury, sets the annual chargeable amounts for the annual tax on enveloped dwellings, effective from April 1st, 2025.
The amounts are determined according to a table referencing the taxable value of the interest, and these amounts are indexed to reflect a 1.7% increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) since September 2024.
This indexation is mandated by Section 101(5) of the Finance Act 2013.