1 November 2026
Lawful development certificate explained: what it proves, the two types, and the 10-year rule in England
A lawful development certificate is a formal decision from the local planning authority that a use or building work is lawful for planning purposes. It does not grant planning permission, but it gives certainty, which matters when you are buying, selling, financing or extending a property and someone asks for proof that what is there, or what you plan to do, is allowed.
The two types. Under section 191 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, a council can certify that an existing use, existing building work, or an activity carried on in breach of a planning condition is lawful. Under section 192, it can certify that a proposed use or proposed work would be lawful, for example an extension you believe falls within permitted development rights. Anyone can apply, and there is a separate application form for each type.
What "lawful" means. Government planning guidance explains that development is lawful if planning permission was not needed for it, or if it is too late for the council to take enforcement action and no enforcement notice is in force. The decision turns on facts and law only. Planning merits are not relevant, and there is no statutory requirement to consult neighbours or parish councils, although councils may seek evidence from them.
The 10-year rule in England. Since 25 April 2024, the time limit for enforcement in England is 10 years for all breaches of planning control, under changes made by the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023. Before that date, unauthorised building work and changes of use to a single dwellinghouse became immune after four years. The old four-year period still applies where the building work was substantially completed, or the change of use to a dwelling took place, before 25 April 2024. Wales keeps the four-year period for those breaches.
Evidence wins or loses an existing use application. For a section 191 certificate the burden is on the applicant, and the test is the balance of probability. The guidance says that if the council has no evidence of its own, or from others, to contradict the applicant's account, there is no good reason to refuse, provided the applicant's evidence is precise and unambiguous. Dated photographs, council tax and utility records, tenancy agreements and sworn statements are the kind of material that helps. For a section 192 certificate, the proposal must be described clearly and precisely enough for the council to understand exactly what is involved.
Limits worth knowing. A proposed use certificate can be overtaken by a material change before work starts, such as an Article 4 direction removing the relevant permitted development right. A certificate covers planning only, so Building Regulations, listed building consent and any licensing still apply. A refusal is not always final: it can mean the evidence was not enough yet, a fresh application can be made, and there is a right of appeal in certain circumstances. A council can also revoke a certificate obtained with false information or where information was withheld.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Need help with a licence, site or planning application? Get in touch.
Sources: Lawful development certificates, planning practice guidance, GOV.UK; Town and Country Planning Act 1990, section 171B, legislation.gov.uk; SI 2024/452 (commencement and transitional provisions), legislation.gov.uk
31 October 2026
National scheme of delegation now in force: what changes for planning applications in England from 31 October
The national scheme of delegation for planning applications in England comes into force today, 31 October 2026. Under the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026, every council in England now has to follow one national rulebook on which applications are decided by planning officers and which can go to a planning committee. Government guidance says that where a committee decides an application that should have been delegated to officers, the decision may be open to judicial review and could be quashed.
Call-ins and objection triggers end. According to the government's guidance, local practices such as ward councillors calling an application in to committee, or an application going to committee automatically once it reaches a set number of objections, are no longer possible. The Local Government Association's Planning Advisory Service adds that rules letting parish and town councils trigger a committee referral must also go. People can still comment on applications, and officers must still weigh each one against the development plan and other material considerations.
What officers must decide. Schedule 1 applications must be decided by an officer, apart from own-interest cases such as the council's own applications. As well as householder, minor commercial and minor residential schemes (one to nine homes on a site under half a hectare), the list includes discharge of conditions, prior approvals for permitted development, permission in principle, non-material amendments, lawful development certificates and most reserved matters applications. Reserved matters linked to a large outline permission, meaning at least 500 homes or 50,000 square metres of floorspace, sit in Schedule 2 instead.
The route to committee. Schedule 2 covers larger applications, listed building consent, advertisement consent and tree preservation order consent. These are presumed to be decided by officers. One can only go to committee if the council's nominated officer and nominated member, usually the chief planning officer and the committee chair, both agree, and it raises either a significant planning matter or an economic, social or environmental issue of significance to the local area. If the two cannot agree, officers decide. The guidance says an application that broadly complies with a detailed site allocation in the local plan is unlikely to raise a significant planning matter. Councils should keep and publish a record of the cases considered for referral and the reasons, and a planning committee can have no more than 13 members.
What it means for applicants. With most applications now settled at officer level, the quality of the submission matters more than ever: a clear planning statement, a scheme that fits the local plan and early answers to any statutory consultee concerns. If your application is in Schedule 2 and you think it could be referred, check your council's updated constitution and its published referral records.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Need help with a licence, site or planning application? Get in touch.
Sources: Planning Committees and the National Scheme of Delegation: guidance for local planning authorities, GOV.UK; SI 2026/854, legislation.gov.uk; Planning Advisory Service, Local Government Association
30 October 2026
How long does planning permission last? Time limits, outline permission and what counts as starting work
How long does planning permission last? In England, a full planning permission normally has to be started within three years of the date it is granted, unless the council sets a different period in the decision notice. If work has not lawfully begun by then, the permission expires and a fresh application is needed. The rule comes from section 91 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, and it is one of the most common things landowners and buyers get caught out by.
Outline planning permission. Outline permission works differently. Under section 92 of the Act, applications for approval of the reserved matters (details such as layout, scale, appearance and landscaping) must normally be made within three years of the outline grant, and the development must then be begun within two years of the final reserved matters approval. Councils can set longer or shorter periods, and can set separate periods for different phases, so always check the conditions on the decision notice itself.
What counts as starting. Section 56 of the Act says development is begun on the earliest date a "material operation" starts. That includes construction work on a building, demolition of a building, digging a trench for foundations, laying an underground main or pipe to the foundations, and work on laying out or building a road. A token start can be enough in law, as long as it is part of the approved development. Generally, any pre-commencement conditions need to be dealt with first, and starting without discharging them can mean the permission has not been lawfully implemented.
Can the time limit be extended? Not by asking the council to vary it: section 73 of the Act does not allow a permission to be granted that extends the time for starting development or for applying for reserved matters. The main exception is a legal challenge. Since 18 February 2026, changes made by the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 mean that if a court gives permission for a legal challenge to a permission in England, the time limit is extended by one year, with further extensions if the case goes to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court.
Practical checks. If you are buying land with planning, note the decision date and the expiry date, check which conditions must be met before work starts, and keep dated evidence of the works that count as a start. If there is any doubt about whether a permission was lawfully begun, you can apply to the council for a lawful development certificate to confirm it. With a permission close to expiry, it is often better to plan a properly discharged start early than to rely on a last-minute dig.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Need help with a licence, site or planning application? Get in touch.
Sources: Town and Country Planning Act 1990, section 91; section 92; section 56; section 73 (legislation.gov.uk)
29 October 2026
Machine games duty rises to 25% in Budget 2026: what it means for adult gaming centres and operators
The Chancellor confirmed in the Autumn Budget on 28 October 2026 that the higher rate of machine games duty (MGD) will rise from 20% to 25% from 1 April 2027. Under revised thresholds in the Budget's overview of tax legislation and rates, the 25% rate will apply to any machine with a maximum charge to play of more than £1 or a maximum prize of more than £100. Rates for lower stake machines are unchanged.
Less than campaigners wanted. Before the Budget, the Social Market Foundation had called for a 40% rate on Category B machines, and The Amusement Network reported a group of around 90 Labour MPs backing a higher rate. Trade body Bacta said it had resisted both 40% and a reported 35% compromise, but called the 25% outcome "deeply disappointing". The Betting and Gaming Council described the rise as "deeply damaging", and the Bingo Association called it a serious blow to clubs.
Business rates for AGCs. The government's Budget business rates letter confirms that adult gaming centres in England will lose eligibility for the lower retail, hospitality and leisure business rates multipliers from 1 April 2027. Bacta says it is seeking clarification from HM Treasury and DCMS on how affected premises will be defined, particularly mixed AGC and family entertainment centre sites.
Who pays MGD is changing too. From 1 April 2028, machine suppliers will become liable for MGD on supplier-owned machines run under profit-share arrangements. Premises licence holders, permit holders and pub tenants stay liable where they own a machine outright or use it under a fixed rental or lease and control the takings. HMRC is consulting on how this will work until 20 January 2027.
Gaming duty and remote gaming duty. For casinos, the gross gaming yield bands used to set gaming duty will be frozen from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2028. For online operators, remote gaming duty legislation will be amended from 1 April 2027 to clarify the treatment of freeplays (to be called restricted plays), prizes and tournaments.
What it means in practice. AGC and casino operators may want to review their machine mix against the new £1 stake and £100 prize thresholds, model the combined effect of higher duty and business rates on each venue, check supplier contracts ahead of the 2028 liability change, and consider responding to the HMRC consultation. For new sites, these costs now belong in any feasibility work from the outset.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Need help with a licence, site or planning application? Get in touch.
18+. For free, confidential support with gambling: BeGambleAware.org or the National Gambling Helpline, 0808 8020 133.
Sources: GOV.UK, Budget 2026: Overview of tax legislation and rates (28 October 2026); HMRC consultation, Machine Games Duty: changing who is liable for the duty; The Amusement Network, Bacta reaction; GOV.UK, Business rates information letter 8/2026: Details of the Budget package and the multipliers for 2027/2028; Intergame, BGC reaction; Bingo Association reaction
28 October 2026
Permission in principle granted on appeal for up to 9 homes in Howden, East Yorkshire
Permission in principle for up to 9 homes has been granted on appeal for a paddock at Willow Garth, Station Road, Howden, after East Riding of Yorkshire Council refused the application. In a decision dated 27 October 2026, a planning inspector allowed the appeal (council reference 26/00473/PIP), finding the site suitable for housing in terms of its location, land use and amount of development.
Why the council said no. Both sides agreed the site lies outside Howden's development limits, so it counts as countryside under Policy S4 of the East Riding Local Plan, which supports new homes there only in limited cases such as affordable or rural workers' housing. The council also argued the paddock acted as a buffer between a large housing allocation and open countryside.
Why the inspector disagreed. Land to the east is allocated in the local plan for around 1,865 new homes, and the inspector noted that work on the Howden relief road linked to that allocation has started. Once the allocation is built, the inspector found, the site would be surrounded by development on three sides and more closely tied to the town than to the countryside, with a planned neighbourhood centre within reach without a car. The inspector also found the site amounted to limited infilling within a group of houses, and concluded these material considerations outweighed the conflict with the development plan, even though the council can show a five-year housing land supply.
How permission in principle works. Government planning guidance describes permission in principle as a two-stage route for housing-led schemes. The first stage settles only location, land use and the amount of development. Everything else, such as layout, design and access, is assessed at the second stage, called technical details consent. No planning conditions can be attached to a permission in principle. Where it is granted by application, it lasts 3 years by default, and councils have a statutory 5 weeks to decide a valid application.
What it means for landowners. Permission in principle can be a lower-cost way to test whether a small site is acceptable before paying for full drawings and surveys. The Howden decision is also a reminder that a site outside settlement limits is not automatically a refusal: what is planned next door, and how the site will relate to it, carried real weight in this case. It is still only the first step, and the homes cannot be built until technical details consent is granted.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Need help with a licence, site or planning application? Get in touch.
Sources: Appeal decision 6013753, Land at Willow Garth, Howden (27 October 2026), via AppealBase; GOV.UK, Permission in principle (planning practice guidance)
27 October 2026
What is a Grampian condition? How "no occupation until" planning conditions work
A Grampian condition is a planning condition that stops a development, or part of it such as people moving in, until something specific has happened, usually the delivery of supporting infrastructure like drainage, a road junction or sewerage capacity. They are back in the Yorkshire headlines: the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports that North Yorkshire councillors who backed outline planning permission for up to 150 homes in Pickering expect to use conditions preventing the homes being occupied until there is enough sewerage capacity, after Yorkshire Water objected that the town's network was at capacity.
Why they exist. Government planning guidance explains that conditions requiring works on land the applicant does not control, or needing another body's consent, often fail the tests of reasonableness and enforceability. A condition worded in a negative form, prohibiting development or occupation until a specified action has been taken, can achieve a similar result. That negative form is what planners call a Grampian condition, named after a 1980s House of Lords case involving Grampian Regional Council.
The limits. The same guidance says a Grampian condition should not be used where there are no prospects at all of the action being carried out within the time limit of the permission. Like every planning condition, it must also meet the six tests: necessary, relevant to planning, relevant to the development, enforceable, precise and reasonable in all other respects.
Pre-commencement conditions. Where a condition must be met before any work starts, the council normally needs the applicant's written agreement to its terms under section 100ZA of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. That requirement does not apply to conditions imposed on an outline planning permission, which is one more reason to read the conditions on an outline decision carefully.
What it means in practice. A permission with a Grampian condition is a real permission, but the timing of the scheme may depend on a third party such as a water company, highways authority or landowner. For landowners and smaller developers, it is worth checking infrastructure capacity early, asking the provider what upgrades are planned and when, and reading any proposed conditions before the decision is made, because they can matter as much as the permission itself.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Need help with a licence, site or planning application? Get in touch.
Sources: GOV.UK, Use of planning conditions (planning practice guidance); The Northern Echo (Local Democracy Reporting Service), Pickering plans for 150 homes approved despite sewer warning; Yorkshire Post (Local Democracy Reporting Service), 27 October 2026
26 October 2026
Outline planning permission backed for up to 202 homes in Pickering and Sherburn
North Yorkshire Council's Thirsk and Malton area planning committee has backed outline planning permission for up to 202 homes on two greenfield sites in the former Ryedale district: up to 150 homes on land south of Firthland Road in Pickering, put forward by Persimmon Homes, and up to 52 homes on land next to The Pastures in Sherburn, near Malton. Both applications were on the committee's agenda for its meeting on 22 October 2026.
Both sites sit outside the development limits in the Ryedale local plan, where new housing would not normally be supported. The council's planning officer report for Pickering says the council cannot show a five-year housing land supply for the Ryedale plan area (1.39 years), which brings national policy on unmet housing need into play. Officers concluded that the benefits of each scheme were not outweighed by the harm and recommended approval subject to conditions and a Section 106 legal agreement. Both schemes include 35 per cent affordable housing, with public open space and a children's play area.
Neither decision was straightforward. In Pickering, Yorkshire Water and the town council objected because the sewer network and treatment works do not have capacity, so officers proposed a condition preventing any home being occupied until sufficient sewerage capacity has been confirmed. In Sherburn, the local NHS integrated care board warned that the nearby GP practice does not have capacity and asked for a developer contribution of £61,368, and of 53 representations, 40 objected. The Local Democracy Reporting Service reports that the committee chair, Councillor Caroline Goodrick, said it was difficult to refuse applications like this without a five-year land supply.
What outline planning permission means. Government planning guidance describes an outline application as a decision on the general principles of how a site can be developed. Details of access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale can be "reserved" for later approval. In both of these cases only the point of access into the site was decided now, so the house types, layout and design will come back to the council as reserved matters applications. Under section 92 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, reserved matters must normally be applied for within three years of the outline permission, and conditions or a Section 106 agreement can still shape what is finally built and when homes can be occupied.
For landowners and smaller developers, the practical lesson is that the local housing land supply position, infrastructure capacity such as drainage and GP places, and the detail of the conditions can matter as much as the site itself, so they are worth checking before any application is prepared.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Need help with a licence, site or planning application? Get in touch.
Sources: North Yorkshire Council, officer report ZE25/00612/MOUT, 22 October 2026; TheBusinessDesk.com, 23 October 2026; Yorkshire Post (Local Democracy Reporting Service), 25 October 2026; GOV.UK, Making an application (planning practice guidance)
25 October 2026
AGC licence application: the approvals an adult gaming centre needs before it opens
An AGC licence application is really three separate approvals: a Gambling Commission operating licence for the business, a premises licence from the local council for the building, and, in most cases, planning permission for the use. Missing any one of them can stall an opening, so it pays to plan them together from the start.
1. The operating licence. The business itself needs an operating licence from the Gambling Commission that covers running an adult gaming centre, and people in key management roles usually need personal management licences too, although some small operators are exempt. The Commission says you must have applied for an operating licence before you apply for a premises licence, and the council cannot decide the premises licence until the operating licence has been issued.
2. The premises licence. The premises licence comes from the local licensing authority, which is usually the council. The applicant must be 18 or over, have the right to occupy the premises and hold, or have applied for, the right operating licence. The application goes in on the prescribed form with the fee and a scale plan showing the boundary, walls, entrances and exits, and where gambling will take place. Where the building still needs to be built, needs major alterations or is not yet yours to occupy, the route is a provisional statement instead.
3. Notices and consultation. Within 7 days of applying, the Gambling Commission says you must notify the responsible authorities, including the Commission, HM Revenue & Customs, the police, the fire and rescue service, environmental health, the planning authority and the child protection body. The application must also be advertised publicly, in a local newspaper at least once in the 10 working days after it is submitted and by a notice at the premises. Councils also expect operators to have assessed the local risks to the licensing objectives, so a clear local area risk assessment helps the application.
4. Planning. Licensing and planning are separate regimes. In England an amusement arcade or centre sits outside the standard use classes, so moving into a former shop or office normally needs planning permission for a change of use, and opening hours can be controlled by planning conditions as well as by the licence. Getting the planning position checked before signing a lease saves time and money.
The Gambling Commission's guidance to licensing authorities, including its section on adult gaming centres, sets out what councils look at in more detail and is worth reading before any application goes in.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Need help with a licence, site or planning application? Get in touch.
Sources: Gambling Commission, Premises licence; Gambling Commission, Guidance to licensing authorities: Applications; Gambling Commission, Guidance to licensing authorities: Adult gaming centres
24 October 2026
Online operator L & L Europe to pay £900,000 over withdrawal delays and AML failings
The Gambling Commission announced on 21 October 2026 that L & L Europe Limited, which runs seven gambling websites including allbritishcasino.com, casinocasino.com and hypercasino.com, will pay £900,000 as part of a regulatory settlement.
The Commission says the withdrawal failings included a term allowing customers only one withdrawal request at a time, which it describes as unfair under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and routine manual reviews of every fifth or tenth withdrawal for some customers that led to requests for extra information the business could reasonably have asked for earlier. The investigation also found anti-money laundering controls that relied largely on financial thresholds and sampling rather than customer risk profiles, customer due diligence procedures that were not followed, and safer gambling alerts that were switched on for some of its websites but not all of them.
Much of the Commission's enforcement action centres on anti-money laundering and social responsibility. This one also puts fair and open treatment of customers, including how and when checks are made before a withdrawal is paid, firmly on the list of things licensees are expected to get right. The Commission's executive director of operations, Sue Young, said it would "not hesitate to act" where gambling is not fair and open.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Source: Gambling Commission, 21 October 2026
23 October 2026
York signs ten-year housing partnership with Cityheart and Willmott Dixon
City of York Council has signed a ten-year strategic delivery partnership with developer Cityheart and its partner Willmott Dixon to bring forward new council housing and wider regeneration across the city, the council announced on 20 October 2026.
The council says the first phase is expected to deliver around 300 new homes for social rent and shared ownership. Subject to further approvals, they would be built on council-owned land at Ordnance Lane (Fulford Road), Willow House (Walmgate), Lowfield Green (Acomb), Castle Mills (Piccadilly) and the former Manor School site on Boroughbridge Road. Preparatory work has already started at the former Willow House site. The partnership is also intended to help bring larger, more complex brownfield and public sector sites with several owners towards redevelopment, and it includes a long-term social value plan covering apprenticeships and jobs.
Each site will still need its own business case, which the council says will go to its Executive, and individual schemes will need planning permission in the usual way. Long-term partnerships of this kind are one of the ways councils are trying to speed up delivery on land they already own, but site constraints, planning history and viability are still assessed scheme by scheme.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Source: City of York Council, 20 October 2026
22 October 2026
Honey brings forward plans for 539 homes across three Barnsley sites
Sheffield-based housebuilder Honey has submitted plans for 539 homes across three sites in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, and has exchanged contracts on the land, according to Property Week and BE News on 21 October 2026. The schemes are in Royston, Hemingfield and Darton, and Honey puts their combined gross development value at £161 million.
The largest is Willow, 247 two- to five-bedroom homes on a 21.6-acre site off Lee Lane in Royston. The planning statement for that full application (Barnsley ref. 2026/0231) says the site forms part of a mixed-use allocation in the Barnsley Local Plan. Juniper, at Hemingfield, would provide 173 homes on a 16.8-acre site off Hemingfield Road; Barnsley's planning records show the site already has outline consent, granted on appeal in August 2025 (ref. 2024/0122), with the detailed layout now coming forward through a reserved matters application (ref. 2026/0606). Bloom, on a 10.2-acre site off Bloomhouse Lane in Darton, is a full application (ref. 2026/0232) for 119 two- to four-bedroom homes.
The three schemes show how much of the planning groundwork for volume housing sits in site allocations, outline consents and appeals well before the final layouts reach committee. For landowners and smaller developers in Yorkshire, checking a site's Local Plan status and planning history is usually the first step in any feasibility study. Barnsley Council will now consider the applications.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Property Week, 21 October 2026; BE News, 21 October 2026; Barnsley Council planning records (2026/0231, 2026/0606, 2026/0232); Planning Inspectorate appeal decision APP/R4408/W/25/3359917
20 October 2026
90 Labour MPs call for higher Machine Games Duty on Category B machines
A letter led by Alex Ballinger, Labour MP for Halesowen, and signed by 90 Labour MPs asks the Chancellor, John Healey, to introduce a higher rate of Machine Games Duty (MGD) for Category B gaming machines in the Autumn Budget on 28 October 2026. The letter was sent on 16 October. Category B machines are the higher-stakes machines found in casinos, betting shops, bingo halls and adult gaming centres (AGCs), and they currently pay the 20% standard rate of MGD. The letter singles out B3 machines, which allow stakes of up to £2 and prizes of up to £500.
The letter does not name a rate, but it cites Social Market Foundation estimates that a 40% Category B rate could raise between £275 million and £458 million a year. The MPs say pubs, which cannot offer Category B machines, would be unaffected, lower-category machines would stay at their current rates and bingo would remain free of duty. They present the proposal as following last year's Budget, which raised Remote Gaming Duty on online gambling to 40% from April 2026. According to European Gaming, the letter also says 47% of AGCs are in the most deprived fifth of areas.
The Betting and Gaming Council, the industry's trade body, disagrees. Its chief executive, Grainne Hurst, said EY modelling shows a rise to 40% could cost up to 15,900 jobs, close up to 1,470 betting shops and 34 casinos, and leave the Treasury up to £124 million worse off.
For operators, landlords and anyone planning a new or refitted AGC, casino or betting venue, the Budget on 28 October is the date to watch, as any change to the Category B rate would feed directly into venue costs and site appraisals.
Affected by gambling harm? National Gambling Support Network 0808 8020 133. Samaritans 116 123.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Gaming Intelligence, 19 October 2026; European Gaming, 19 October 2026; iGaming Business, 19 October 2026
19 October 2026
Most planning applications in England move to officer decisions from 31 October
New national rules on who decides planning applications in England come into force on 31 October 2026. The Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/854) were made on 15 July and set out a national scheme of delegation that every local planning authority in England must follow.
The regulations split applications into two groups. Schedule 1 lists applications that must be decided by a council officer, apart from narrow exceptions such as the council's own applications, including householder applications, minor commercial applications, permission in principle and minor residential applications, which include housing schemes of one to nine homes on sites smaller than half a hectare. Schedule 2 covers other applications, including larger schemes, which are decided by officers unless a nominated officer and a nominated councillor both agree to send one to committee because it raises a significant planning matter or an issue of economic, social or environmental significance to the local area. A committee deciding an application can have no more than 13 members.
Councils are already adjusting. West Berkshire Council agreed on 15 October to replace its three area planning panels with a single 11-member district-wide committee from 31 October. According to Planning Geek, applications already in the system but undecided on that date will follow the new framework, and a large number of objections will not on its own secure a committee hearing. Residents can still comment on applications, and officers must still assess each scheme against the development plan and other material considerations.
For applicants and landowners, the change shifts the emphasis onto getting the planning case right at submission, since fewer schemes will have a committee stage. The Secretary of State must review the regulations by 31 October 2028.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: The Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026, legislation.gov.uk; Planning Geek, 17 October 2026
18 October 2026
Leeds grants planning for 24-hour adult gaming centre on Vicar Lane
Leeds City Council has granted planning permission to change the use of a vacant former café on Vicar Lane, near Kirkgate Market and the Corn Exchange, into an adult gaming centre (AGC) that would open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The applicant, Noble Corp Ltd, is reported to run venues in Bolton, Durham, South Shields, Wigan and Stockton-on-Tees. The council's planning reference is 26/03453/FU.
According to local reporting of the planning officer's report, planning consultants acting for two nearby businesses objected on the grounds that the area already has a concentration of gambling uses. The council noted that bringing a vacant unit back into use was welcome because it can increase legitimate activity and natural surveillance, and said crime prevention measures such as CCTV, alarms and anti-social behaviour controls should be put in place. According to the reports, the applicant has taken a 10-year lease and plans to spend around £150,000 on the fit-out, with six full-time jobs expected.
Planning is only one of the approvals an AGC needs. In England, amusement centres sit outside the standard use classes, so each change of use is decided on its own merits. Before the Leeds venue can open it will also need a premises licence from the council as licensing authority under the Gambling Act 2005, and the licensing authority can attach conditions, including on hours, and the operator must hold a Gambling Commission operating licence.
For operators and landlords looking at high street units, the Leeds decision is a useful example of how planning officers weigh over-concentration objections against bringing empty shops back into use.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Leeds Live (Local Democracy Reporting Service), 15 October 2026; Casinos.com, 16 October 2026
17 October 2026
Consultation opens on 3,339-home Langwith garden village near York
A public consultation on Langwith Village, a proposed garden village of 3,339 homes on land west of Elvington Lane, partly on the former Elvington Airfield near York, runs from Monday 19 October to Monday 30 November 2026. An in-person event is planned at the Yorkshire Air Museum's Halifax Suite from 2.30pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday 20 October.
The scheme is being brought forward by the Langwith Development Partnership, which brings together Yorkshire-based promoters and the site's landowners and is working with City of York Council and Homes England. The site was first identified as a strategic housing opportunity in 2016, and its allocation as a new standalone settlement was confirmed when the council adopted its Local Plan in 2025. Alongside the homes, the emerging masterplan includes schools, shops, community facilities, employment space and walking and cycling links.
Feedback from the consultation, together with the findings of "Enquiry by Design" workshops held in September, will feed into the masterplan and a design code for the site. The partnership expects to submit an outline planning application in December 2026. City of York Council is also updating its Local Plan following changes to national planning policy, with a call for sites open until 18 December 2026.
For landowners and developers in the York area, the Langwith timetable and the council's call for sites are two planning milestones worth tracking over the coming months.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Building, 14 October 2026; BBC News, 13 October 2026; Langwith Village; City of York Council, Call for Sites consultation
16 October 2026
New report on UK casinos as nightlife venues lands ahead of the Budget
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has published Beyond Gaming: The Evolution of Britain's Land-Based Casinos as Nightlife Destinations. The report was produced by the industry with the Betting and Gaming Council, the industry's trade body. It was launched at an event at London's Hippodrome Casino on 14 October 2026. The report looks at the whole casino venue, including bars, restaurants, live entertainment, staff and suppliers, and the part casinos play in town and city centres after dark.
According to the NTIA and the Betting and Gaming Council, Britain's 108 licensed casinos support around 14,000 direct and indirect jobs and attract nearly 14 million visits a year. In the NTIA's survey behind the report, which drew 1,442 UK responses between 22 September and 6 October 2026, 41.1% of casino customers said they would otherwise have stayed at home and 72.1% said they used at least one other local business on their visit. The report says operators have identified around £200 million of planned capital spending on venues over the next five years.
The report arrives as the sector waits for the Autumn Budget. The NTIA cites EY modelling suggesting that a 40% rate of Machine Games Duty could put 34 casinos and 3,800 jobs at risk, while stating that the modelling is not a prediction. Its six-point call to action asks the Government to give what it calls the July 2025 casino reforms time to deliver and to assess taxation and regulation together rather than measure by measure.
For anyone planning a new or refitted land-based casino or gaming venue, the Budget decision on Machine Games Duty is the main near-term policy question to watch alongside licensing and planning.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Betting and Gaming Council, 15 October 2026; iGaming Expert, 15 October 2026
15 October 2026
Bradford publishes draft Local Plan for almost 34,000 homes
Bradford Council has published a Regulation 19 Publication Draft Local Plan that identifies sites for up to 33,670 homes and more than 110 hectares of employment land across the district through to 2043. The 1,290-page document goes before the council's Executive today, 15 October 2026. If approved, a six-week period for formal representations is planned from 19 October to 30 November 2026.
The council says around 70% of the proposed housing sites are in urban areas, including locations in Manningham, Shipley and near Forster Square Retail Park, with limited green belt release to meet housing and employment needs. An earlier Preferred Options draft was consulted on in 2021 but did not progress to submission. Councillors say an up-to-date plan would give the authority a clearer basis to shape development and resist inappropriate schemes.
After the representation period, the plan and the comments received would go to Full Council, which alone can decide whether to submit it to government for independent examination. The Executive report also notes that the representation window cannot start until the full Sustainability Appraisal Report is published with the draft, and that a later start date can be set if that document is not ready by 19 October, provided the period remains at least six weeks.
For landowners, developers and local planning applicants in West Yorkshire, the Publication Draft and the forthcoming representation window are the point at which site allocations and policies can still be tested for legal compliance and soundness before submission.
This note is general information only, not legal or compliance advice. Jonathan offers consultancy on gaming and casino licensing, site finding, site planning, planning applications and property feasibility. For introductions, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: BBC News / Local Democracy Reporting Service, 9 October 2026; Bradford Council Executive agenda item: Bradford District Local Plan Publication Draft (Regulation 19); Bradford Council Document R: Local Plan Executive report, 15 October 2026
14 October 2026
National Housing Bank backs Guildford town-centre scheme alongside NatWest
Developer Native Land announced on 12 October 2026 that it has closed £132 million of development finance for St Mary's Wharf, a riverside regeneration scheme on a prominent brownfield site on the River Wey in Guildford town centre. The package combines a £100 million senior debt facility from NatWest with £32 million of mezzanine finance from the National Housing Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Homes England.
The 1.7-acre brownfield site received planning consent in 2022. Demolition, basement and ground-floor works and flood protection have already been completed, partly supported by an earlier funding arrangement with Grosvenor announced in 2024. Native Land says the scheme will deliver 180 apartments across tenures, including affordable housing, in two buildings, with shops, restaurants, public gardens and a continuous riverside walk. Bennett Construction has been appointed for the main construction phase, with a sales launch planned for spring 2027 and completion anticipated before the end of 2028.
Native Land describes the package as combining government-backed capital with committed private finance. Steven Whyte, head of structured real estate finance at the National Housing Bank, told Development Finance Today that part of the bank's role is to help unlock delivery of new homes and regeneration across the country at pace.
For developers and lenders, the practical point is that the National Housing Bank has taken a mezzanine position alongside a commercial senior lender on a consented, mixed-tenure town-centre scheme, working with private finance rather than replacing it.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Native Land, 12 October 2026; Construction Enquirer, 12 October 2026; Development Finance Today, 12 October 2026
13 October 2026
Coroner flags GamStop gap for National Lottery draw games
Coverage published on 12 October 2026 reports that Emma Whitting, senior coroner for Bedfordshire and Luton, has sent a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the Gambling Commission and to GamStop. The report followed an inquest into a gambling-related death and raises a specific gap in the national online self-exclusion scheme.
GamStop already covers National Lottery online instant-win games. Online National Lottery draw products are not in the scheme. Players who want to self-exclude from those draws must complete a separate self-exclusion process required under the National Lottery licence.
The Gambling Commission says it is working with Allwyn, the National Lottery operator, and with GamStop. In its response to the coroner, the Commission said it has begun a discovery phase expected to conclude within twelve months, before deciding what, if any, action to take. It also notes that consumers can already self-exclude from all online National Lottery games directly with the operator, and said National Lottery draw-based games are generally lower-risk products relative to other gambling activities.
For operators and compliance teams, the practical point is the split between GamStop coverage and operator-level self-exclusion on National Lottery draws, and the prospect of a Commission decision once the discovery work finishes.
If you are affected by gambling harm, the National Gambling Support Network is on 0808 8020 133 and Samaritans on 116 123.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Leigh Day, 12 October 2026; SBC News, 12 October 2026; CARE, 12 October 2026
12 October 2026
Awaab's Law consultation opens for private rented homes
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government opened a consultation on 9 October 2026 on how Awaab's Law should apply to private rented tenancies in England. Awaab's Law already requires social landlords to investigate dangerous hazards and make homes safe within legally set timeframes. Extending it to the private rented sector is part of the Renters' Rights Act 2025.
The consultation has three parts. The first covers private rented tenancies. The second covers accommodation occupied under licence, such as supported housing, temporary accommodation for homeless households and care leaver accommodation. The third asks about impacts and costs, with most questions seeking evidence from landlords, licensors and agents. It closes at 11:59pm on 18 December 2026.
No start date has been set for private renters. The government says it will use the responses to decide how the protections should work and when they should begin. Separately, if approved by Parliament, further Awaab's Law protections for social housing tenants are due from 30 November 2026, covering more hazards beyond severe damp and mould.
For private landlords, the proposals and the published impact assessment are worth reading now, with time to respond before the December deadline.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: MHCLG consultation, GOV.UK, 9 October 2026; MHCLG in the Media, 9 October 2026
11 October 2026
Hull and East Yorkshire sign housing partnership with Homes England
Homes England announced on 9 October 2026 a Strategic Place Partnership with Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority, Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council. The agreement was signed at Hull Guildhall by Mayor Luke Campbell and Homes England chair Pat Ritchie.
The partnership sets a shared approach to housing and regeneration across the region. Reported schemes it will build on include East Bank Urban Village in Hull (up to 850 homes), plans for around 1,800 homes at Howden, and work with East Riding of Yorkshire Council at Easton Road in Bridlington and Alamein Barracks in Driffield.
Homes England says the ambition is that every area with a Strategic Place Partnership will ultimately be well placed to progress to a Place Delivery Agreement, which brings in the powers and finance of the agency and the National Housing Bank.
For the East Riding coast, including Bridlington, it is a sign that public bodies are lining up a joined-up plan for new homes and regeneration.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Source: Homes England, GOV.UK, 9 October 2026
10 October 2026
New home starts down a third on last year
Residential construction starts fell 33% year on year in the third quarter of 2026, according to the October edition of Glenigan's Construction Index. They were also 8% lower than the previous quarter.
Private housebuilding showed some signs of steadying, with starts up 4% on the quarter, though still 32% below a year earlier. Social housing starts fell more sharply, down 33% on the quarter and 35% on the year.
The figures come as wider market conditions tighten. Lloyds reported that UK house prices were flat in September, and Moneyfacts said the average five-year fixed homeowner mortgage rate reached 6% in early October for the first time in three years. Glenigan's economic director said the new first-time buyer scheme and greater certainty from the upcoming Budget could help restore confidence among developers.
For smaller developers and landlords, fewer new starts may mean tighter supply of new homes later, while higher borrowing costs are weighing on buyers.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Glenigan Construction Index, October 2026, via Property Accelerator, 9 Oct 2026; Lloyds HPI and Moneyfacts, via Hargreaves Lansdown, 7 Oct 2026
9 October 2026
Rank casino operators agree £5m settlement over AML and safer gambling failures
The Gambling Commission said on 7 October 2026 that three Rank Group operators, Grosvenor Casinos Limited, Grosvenor Casinos (GC) Limited and Gaming Group Limited, which run 51 casinos across Great Britain, will pay £5,012,261 in lieu of a financial penalty after a licence review found failings in anti-money laundering and social responsibility controls.
The review followed information given to the Commission and key event notices, and included a targeted compliance assessment of one venue on 13 June 2025. Findings included AML policies not updated to take account of changes to the Money Laundering Regulations in 2020, enhanced customer due diligence checks not carried out where the operator's own policies required them, and gaps in safer gambling interactions and records.
The settlement also includes publication of a statement of facts, a payment towards the Commission's investigation costs, and a third-party external audit within six months of the conclusion of the licence review. The money goes to the Government's Consolidated Fund.
The Commission's Sue Young said the risks of anti-money laundering and social responsibility failures are "equally alive in the land-based sector", and advised all premises-based operators to take a careful look at the case and check their own controls. For anyone running venues, that means reviewing customer risk ratings, due diligence triggers and how customer interactions are recorded.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Gambling Commission news, 7 October 2026; Grosvenor Casinos Limited public statement
8 October 2026
Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill due before Christmas
The Prime Minister has said the government intends to introduce the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill to Parliament before Christmas 2026. The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) reported the commitment on 7 October 2026, and the Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee has responded to it.
A draft of the Bill was published in January 2026 for pre-legislative scrutiny. According to the government's draft Bill page, it would make commonhold the default for most new flats, cap existing ground rents at £250 a year (moving to a peppercorn after 40 years), and replace forfeiture with a new lease enforcement scheme in England and Wales. The Bill still needs to be introduced and pass through Parliament before any of this becomes law.
Separately, on 29 September 2026 the government announced plans to cap certain permission and administration fees charged to leaseholders and homeowners on privately managed estates, and will consult on which fees should be capped and at what level. It also announced plans for independent regulation of property agents, who would need a licence and appropriate qualifications. Further details are still to come.
LEASE also notes that the valuation changes in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, including the removal of marriage value, are not yet in force. The government's consultation on the valuation rates closes on 21 October 2026, and until the new rules are in place the current law continues to apply.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: LEASE: Leasehold reform Bill expected before Christmas; GOV.UK: Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill; UK Parliament: Housing Chair responds to PM's commitments on leasehold reform
7 October 2026
ENABLE Build guarantee with Shawbrook raised to £350m
On 6 October 2026, the British Business Bank said it has agreed a £200m increase to its existing £150m ENABLE Build guarantee facility with the specialist bank Shawbrook. The Bank is acting on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the facility now totals £350m.
ENABLE Build is a government programme designed to encourage additional lending to smaller housebuilders across the UK. It is open to finance providers that provide, or intend to provide, development finance to viable smaller housebuilders. The Shawbrook facility covers development finance and bridging lending, including in Scotland.
According to the Bank, around £240m of Shawbrook's lending between December 2024 and June 2026, supporting around 1,200 homes, has been included in the existing arrangement. Around £700m of lending is expected to be included over the lifetime of the enlarged facility. Across the whole programme, ENABLE Build had supported over £2bn of finance to smaller housebuilders and over 10,000 homes as at March 2026.
Michael Strevens, Managing Director, Structured Financial Institution Solutions at the British Business Bank, described the increase as "a deliberate step to support the funding smaller housebuilders need to help address housing shortages".
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Source: British Business Bank: ENABLE Build guarantee facility with Shawbrook increased to £350m
6 October 2026
Suspended sentences in Cardiff illegal poker case
On 5 October 2026, the Gambling Commission reported that two men have been given suspended prison sentences for possessing and transferring criminal property linked to illegal poker games run in Cardiff.
According to the Commission, the games ran between August 2022 and February 2024 from an upstairs room in a unit on an industrial estate in Splott. The room had been fitted out with six poker tables, a spinning prize wheel, seating areas and fridges of drinks and snacks. In February 2024, officers from Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit, executed warrants at the unit and at linked addresses, working alongside the Gambling Commission, HMRC and Cardiff Council's licensing department.
Both men admitted offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and were sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for three years. A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing has been set for 9 April 2027.
The Commission said the case began with information it received about an illegal gambling den, and that it will continue to work with partners to take action against illegal gambling operations in Great Britain. Tarian said that, unlike legitimate gambling operators, the games had no safeguards in place to identify or support vulnerable people.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Source: Gambling Commission: Two men sentenced after operating an illegal gambling den
5 October 2026
Landlord registration service to open in England from 15 December 2026
The government has set out how the national landlord register created by the Renters' Rights Act 2025 will be introduced in England. The private rented sector database will launch as the "Register your rental property" service, opening on 15 December 2026.
Landlords will need to register themselves and each property they let. Registration will be a legal requirement, and the government says landlords who do not register risk a fine. At first the requirement applies only to properties that are under let, or become let, during the rollout. The government says future legislation will also require landlords to register unoccupied properties before marketing them, and landlords and letting agents will need to include registration numbers on adverts.
The requirement is being brought in region by region over 12 months, starting with the West Midlands. Once a region is called forward, landlords with properties there have three months to register, and the deadline depends on where the property is rather than where the landlord lives. Under the published draft regulations, the requirement starts in Yorkshire and the Humber on 15 April 2027. All landlords actively letting property will need to have registered by 14 November 2027. The draft regulations leave the fee amount to the database operator. Current government guidance gives an annual fee of £65 per property, with registration renewed each year.
Separately, the government says HMRC's Valuation Office will take over decisions on challenges to rent increases in England. Until that change is made, tenants who want to challenge a rent increase still apply to the First-tier Tribunal.
The Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 are published in draft and still need Parliamentary approval, so dates and details could change.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: GOV.UK (MHCLG): Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters; Legislation.gov.uk: The Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026 (draft); NRLA: Register your rental property service
4 October 2026
Gambling Commission finalises new gaming machine standards
On 30 September 2026, the Gambling Commission published its response to the January 2025 consultation on changes to the Gaming Machine Technical Standards (GMTS), the Gaming Machine Testing Strategy and related Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice.
The package follows the Commission's commitment in the 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper to review gaming machine technical standards, including session limits and safer gambling tools on category B and C machines.
For new category B gaming machines, the confirmed measures include improved access to gambling management tools and sessional information on how long a customer has been playing and how much they have won or lost. That sessional information will also be available to licensees to help them meet regulatory obligations, including interaction where customers show signs of gambling harm. Responsible game design changes will stop awards below the stake size being celebrated, and will prohibit features that let a customer shorten the time until a result is known.
Existing gaming machines are exempt from the new requirements. The Commission says that reflects the technical complexity and business cost of retrofit, which would not necessarily deliver proportionate consumer benefits.
Implementation is staged. A new definition of a gaming machine "session" takes effect on 30 March 2027. Most of the remaining changes take effect on 30 June 2027. Staff alert requirements take effect on 3 October 2028.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Sources: Gambling Commission: New machine rules to support consumers and operators to reduce harm; Gambling Commission: January 2025 consultation response, executive summary
3 October 2026
Homes England signs first Place Delivery Agreement with Liverpool City Region
On 2 October 2026, Homes England announced that Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Homes England and its subsidiary, the National Housing Bank, have signed England's first Place Delivery Agreement (PDA).
PDAs are a new co-delivery model. Homes England says they move the relationship with mayoral strategic authorities from collaboration to joint delivery, with national housing and regeneration support aligned behind mayoral priorities. The Liverpool agreement creates a dedicated Joint Delivery Unit bringing the three organisations together.
The agreement focuses on three pillars set by Liverpool City Region: transformative growth projects (including the Liverpool North Docks Mayoral Development Corporation and Central Station Gateway), maintaining and enhancing the housing pipeline to increase delivery of social, affordable and council homes, and tackling barriers by working together to create the conditions to speed up housing delivery, including social, affordable and council homes, skills, capacity and industrialised construction. Homes England says it looks forward to expanding this approach with mayors across England in the months ahead.
This note is general information only. For introductions on UK gaming or residential property, contact Jules at pa@jonathantruelove.com.
Source: GOV.UK (Homes England): Liverpool City Region and Homes England sign first Place Delivery Agreement
2 October 2026
Building Safety Levy now applies to new residential building control applications in England
From 1 October 2026, the Building Safety Levy applies in England to certain applications for building control approval that provide new dwellings or purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) bedspaces.
The levy is a charge collected by local authorities. Income raised is intended to contribute to remedying building safety defects. For levy purposes, a major residential development is 10 or more new dwellings, or 30 or more new PBSA bedspaces. Whether a development counts as major is judged by its planning permission, so splitting a scheme into smaller building control applications does not avoid the levy. Rates are set in legislation per square metre and vary by local authority area, with a discounted rate for developments that meet the statutory definition of previously developed land. Applications submitted before 1 October 2026 are not subject to the levy, including later variations of those applications.
Exemptions include social housing and supported housing that meet the statutory definitions, developments below the major residential threshold, and certain other residential uses listed in the regulations. Non-profit registered providers of social housing (and their wholly owned subsidiaries) are treated as exempt persons for their works.
Developers and applicants should check the published guidance and The Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations 2025 for their own position.
Amendment regulations laid in July 2026, which make minor changes reflected in the guidance, are still subject to Parliamentary approval. This note is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Sources: GOV.UK: Building Safety Levy guidance; GOV.UK: Building Safety Levy guidance, Section 1: introduction; Legislation.gov.uk: The Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations 2025
1 October 2026
Updated GB Gambling Commission licence fees take effect
From 1 October 2026, revised Gambling Commission application and annual licence fees apply in Great Britain under The Gambling (Fees) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026.
The government's consultation response sets out a headline 25% increase in operating licence fees overall. The increase is not spread evenly across licence types, and the government says more than 1,000 licensed operators will pay less as a result. Society lottery licence fees are frozen. For non-remote general betting (limited) licences, fees move from a days-of-operation basis to bands based on annual gross gambling yield.
Personal licence fees, fees for supplementary operating licences and single-machine permits, and fees for licence variations and changes of corporate control also rise by 25%. First annual fees continue to be charged at 75% of the relevant annual fee. Exact amounts vary by licence type and fee category, so operators should check the published schedules for their own position.
Sources: GOV.UK: Government response on Gambling Commission fees from 1 October 2026; Legislation.gov.uk: The Gambling (Fees) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2026
30 September 2026
England housing permissions fall in year to June 2026
Provisional figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (based on Glenigan data, and not designated as accredited official statistics) show that permission was granted for 212,000 homes in England in the year to 30 June 2026. That is a 12% decrease from the 242,000 homes granted permission in the year to 30 June 2025.
The same release reports that new-build dwelling starts in England were estimated at 35,910 (seasonally adjusted) in the April to June 2026 quarter, up 6% on the previous quarter and up 20% on the same quarter a year earlier. MHCLG says the rise in starts is partly due to higher numbers reported by the Building Safety Regulator. Completions for the quarter were estimated at 35,800 (seasonally adjusted), down 3% on the previous quarter and up 1% on a year earlier.
The permission figures do not show how many of those homes will be built. MHCLG notes that many permissions never result in a home being delivered.
Sources: MHCLG: Housing supply indicators, April to June 2026
29 September 2026
New deposit-limit rules for GB remote gambling from 30 September
From 30 September 2026, remote gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission must meet updated requirements on customer financial limits.
Under the revised Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards, operators must offer gross deposit limits as a minimum. A gross deposit limit caps the total amount a customer can deposit over a set period. Only limits that meet that definition may be called "deposit limits", and they must be shown with at least equal prominence to any other financial limits the operator offers. Once a customer reaches their limit, further deposits are blocked until the period restarts or the customer increases it, subject to the standard 24-hour cooling-off period.
The Commission extended the implementation date from 30 June to 30 September 2026 to give operators more time for technical work. Separately, Ruth Evans takes up the role of Chair of the Gambling Commission on the same day for a five-year term.
Sources: Gambling Commission: deposit limit extension; Gambling Commission: upcoming RTS changes; GOV.UK: Ruth Evans appointed Chair
24 September 2026
Site updates
jonathantruelove.com now has a dedicated News section. I will use it for short updates on the site itself and, from time to time, notes from gaming and property work.
The site is published from GitHub to Netlify, so changes appear live soon after they are pushed. If you have landed here from an older bookmark, the homepage and contact details are unchanged.
March 2026
Yorkshire residential portfolio
Continuing to manage and develop a small residential portfolio on the Yorkshire coast and inland. Focus remains on planning-led improvements, careful refurbishment and long-term letting rather than speculative volume.