ANGELA RAYNER, housing secretary, will announce changes to the national planning policy framework on Monday to protect English pubs from conversion. Developers will need 12 months of evidence marketing a pub for sale before considering a change of use. This follows criticism from CAMRA, which pushed for broader protection beyond just last-in-area pubs. Some councils, like Lambeth, already require three years on the market.

The reforms also address housing shortages by easing rules for building near transport hubs. A default "yes" will apply for homes within walking distance of well-connected stations, with higher density requirements where trains run more frequently. This aims to meet the 1.5mn new homes target. Home Builders Federation data shows only 1,220 sites secured planning approval in Q1 2025, a 17% drop from last year.

ANDY BURNHAM pledged a 20% business rate cut for pubs from April 2025. However, shadow secretary Sir James Cleverly criticized Labour for failing to meet housing targets, blaming tax hikes and bureaucracy. The government claims reforms will streamline planning by reducing unnecessary consultations, focusing expert input on critical cases.