The British Property Federation (BPF) has responded to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)’s consultation on the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The BPF welcomed the framework as a move toward a more consistent planning system but expressed concerns over proposals that would require local authorities to specify developer contributions at the Local Plan stage. The BPF also cautioned that such requirements could impact development viability and delay plan preparation.

The British Property Federation (BPF) has published its response to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) consultation on reforms to the role of statutory consultees in the planning system, calling for a more proportionate and constructive approach. It says statutory consultee involvement should be proportionate and focused on cases where input is genuinely necessary, to avoid unnecessary burdens on applicants and limited to planning matters where it adds value, with local authority planning officers better supported to weigh consultee advice as part of the overall decision-making process. The BPF adds that while reducing unnecessary referrals could help improve timescales, the quality and usefulness of consultee responses is more important than meeting set deadlines and that applicants value clear, and practical advice on how schemes can be progressed.

The British Property Federation (BPF) has responded to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)’s consultation on improving proportionality and safety outcomes in building control work, supporting greater proportionality but raising concerns that the telecommunications-focused proposals are too narrow. The BPF warns that limiting changes to telecoms could create inconsistency across similar types of work, reduce oversight and fail to address cumulative risk from repeated penetrations in higher-risk buildings. It calls for a broader, risk-based approach aligned with building safety management systems, with continued emphasis on competence, quality and record keeping, to ensure accountable persons retain visibility and oversight.

The British Property Federation (BPF) has published policy recommendations to address what it describes as a development viability crisis, citing Savills analysis showing build-to-rent construction starts dropped 77% from 26,559 units in 2022 to 6,114 in 2025. The BPF attributes the crisis to Building Safety Regulator delays, market conditions and tax changes including last year's abolition of Stamp Duty Land Tax Multiple Dwellings Relief. Recommendations include regulatory stability, removing council tax and business rates on empty newly developed units and reintroducing SDLT support for high-density housing.

The British Property Federation (BPF) has set out its pre-Autmn Budget representations, calling on the Chancellor to outline a plan for growth in the upcoming Autumn Budget, focusing on unlocking private capital to invest in UK housing and infrastructure.

The British Property Federation (BPF) has submitted its representation for the 2025 Spending Review, calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, to remove regulatory barriers and address under-resourced government departments to promote economic growth in the property sector.

The British Property Federation (BPF) has called on Government to address the viability crisis facing development across the UK. In its Autumn Budget representation 2025, the BPF has warned that continued instability in the tax and regulatory environment is undermining investor confidence and jeopardising housing and growth ambitions.

Members of the British Property Federation (BPF), the Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF) and the Investment Property Forum (IPF) have voted in favour of establishing Real Estate:UK (RE:UK). The merger received support from 100% of AREF members, 99.5% of BPF members and 92% of IPF members who participated in the vote. RE:UK will launch on 1 January 2026, with the year serving as a transitional period during which members will maintain dual membership as the organisations integrate. The new body will bring together institutional and private investors, property companies, developers, asset owners, managers and advisers, and will focus on six key areas: advocacy, research and data, thought leadership and innovation, networking and events, upskilling and training and standards and guidance.

The British Property Federation has published a blog post with views on the key figures in the new government, how much built environment experience there is, and what the immediate priorities are likely to be.

Best Practical Means: this term has now been replaced by BAT for environmental optimisation. Permitted nuclear sites may still be using this terminology based on historical practices.

CASE HUB See further, timeline. Case facts Outline European Commission investigation into whether Italy’s decision to issue a Decree by the Italian Prime Minister imposing certain obligations in relation to the acquisition by BPM by UniCredit (M.12052) constitutes a breach of Article 21 EUMR (M.10494). Latest developments On 14 July 2025, the Commission issued its preliminary decision in which it concluded that Italy’s decision to issue a Decree by the Italian Prime Minister imposing certain obligations in relation to the acquisition by BPM by UniCredit constituted a breach of Article 21 EUMR. Parties • UniCredit S.p.A. (Unicredit)UniCredit is headquartered in Milan. It provides retail, commercial and private banking, as well as insurance and asset management services. It is mainly active in Italy, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe. It also has a small presence in the UK and in the US. In Italy, UniCredit is the second largest banking group by assets and is a public company with shares listed on the Milan, Frankfurt and Warsaw stock exchanges.• Banco BPM S.p.A (BPM)BMP is

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