England Eases Planning Rules for Homes Near Transport Hubs, Protects Pubs

England is set to loosen planning rules to encourage more housing developments near train and tram stations, adopting a "default yes" approach for projects within a 10-minute walk of transport hubs. This initiative aims to accelerate the construction of new homes, with a target of 1.5 million by the end of the parliamentary term. The changes will also extend to potentially allowing development on some green belt sites under specific circumstances.

In parallel, the government is introducing stronger protections for pubs, making it harder for them to be converted into housing or offices. Developers will need to demonstrate that a pub cannot be viably maintained as a going concern, including evidence of at least a year of marketing efforts. These measures are part of a broader shake-up of national planning policy, alongside provisions for accessible homes and community facilities, and support for growth in areas like AI and data centers.