Nailed it for me:
"In the last 60 years, however, the cult of individualism has turned the ethic of “we” into an ethic of “me” across politics, sports clubs, and family habits."

Did we learn nothing from the coalition's FAILED Development Benefits proposals circa 2013-14?!!
No one even went for pilot funding.
See also Community Right to Build.

This would not sifnificantly increase permissions/delivery. What would is more PD-style / zoning style default yes to development.

Isn't that the lady from The Diplomat? The Ambassador/veep whatever?

Did we learn nothing from the coalition's FAILED Development Benefits proposals circa 2013-14?!!
No one even went for pilot funding.
See also Community Right to Build.

This would not sifnificantly increase permissions/delivery. What would is more PD-style / zoning style default yes to development.

Thank you. Just started reading this and already in tears for someone close to me.

How the Iran War, Then the U.S. Blockade, Has Changed the Strait of Hormuz: Maps (Gift Article) Iran’s stranglehold over the waterway completely reshaped shipping during the war. The U.S. naval blockade is an attempt to stop that.

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

New Data Set in Town (and country) Like many, I hadn’t spotted a new Agricultural Land Classification data until I saw the new Defra Land Use Framework published in March. I’d long ago written off the 1988 Agricultural Land Classificat...

Join me for a Planners-eye view of the new Agricultural Land Classification map of England.
Colourful maps, but as we all know, planning is 50 shades of grey and this data set colours the whole of England!
www.linkedin.com/pulse/new-da...

An image of mapped Predictive Agricultural Land Classification data. Big disconnect along line of latitude.

An image of mapped Predictive Agricultural Land Classification data. Big disconnect along line of latitude. And the non-agricultural layer is missing

have read the methodology papers and can't find a contact for 'crowd sourced QC' of issues. I've seen some oddities like the attached (at least 4 locations with similar probs). Issues illustrated below from shapefile (L) and gpkg (r)

Why the construction sector needs social housing - Red Brick The UK’s stop-start housing model is holding back construction. Here’s how large-scale social housing can fix it.

Why the construction sector needs social housing

good new red brick blog via @rosegrayston.bsky.social

redbrickblog.co.uk/2026/04/why-...

Yeah but... Compare that to the horror of (checks notes) five years of noise and traffic on the Fulham Road?

TBF it's really hard to have a balanced discussion - there will always be loud, engaged voices that are not representative of either the majority or the public's best interest

Not sure how you could have that discussion - it ain't coming from the Telegraph etc

It went ahead for Cumbria, Cornwall, Somerset, Wiltshire, Northumberland, Shropshire & more. Next month it's new Surrey (e/w) elections and about a dozen more in this parliament.
New Forest Nat'l Park is independent Planning Authority and remains as such regardless of LGR.

Interesting from the recently published Land Use Framework for England:

85% of the UK’s Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) in 2023, across both arable and grassland, was used for ANIMAL feed or animal production.

Seven years today since @hammersmithbridge.bsky.social closed to motor traffic. Many happy returns to all who celebrate

Screenshot from YouGov daily poll asking "how much of a success do you think the outcome of the conflict represents for the United States?" Broken down by politics. 7% of reform voters say "a geat success" and 18% say "a moderate success" (3% and 12% for tory voters). FYI obvs it was no success at all - it was unnecessary, they made a global mess, killed many and spent a fortune.

Even Reform doesn't think the Iran excursion has been a success for America 🤣🤣

As an indy consult I'm glad I've gone for both. Cheap (ink) scanner/copier/printer that does A3 prints AND workhorse laser for documents. Laser brother that has lasted 10 years & lets you reset toner cartridges so you don't have to buy new when half full.

Appears to be mostly time wasting queries about diversity and imigration plus chasing social media conspiracy and fear mongering shit esp net zero.
No way he has time for a job or constiuent business given the numbers of equiries he submitted: www.whatdotheyknow.com/user/rupert_...
Good Call by WDTK

Screenshot from grid.iamkate.com showing at present UK is generating 109% of electric demand (ie export via interconnector) and just 3% is from fossil fuels...

This is how we do it

Reminds me of the planning letters of objection we would get in the council office - pictures of bunnies, and one with cute thought bubble: you may not see me but I live in that field

'course take home message was always : my dog likes to crap in that field and I don't want neighbours

Best thing about interrail is it covers your outbound/inbound from home - for me the £0 cost of Devon to paddington RT alone makes the "savings"
This year's hols trip was to Seville.
Last year's to Bari (w 2x night trains).
It's best way to go. Get on board.

Article from economist march 21st-27th noting: Despite war in middle east running a car and driving historically cheap. Cost of fuel is 40% of pump price; fuel efficiency of UK cars has improved two thirds over past 3 decades. Cost of buying/maintaining lower than ever. Of course, EV little impact AND BIKE/PUBLIC TRANSPORT STILL BEATS EVERYTHING (<-my opinion)

Reminder: motoring had rarely been so cheap
Via @theeconomist

UK to receive last tanker of jet fuel from Middle East this week Industry warnings of disruption contrast with government calls for calm

UK to receive last tanker of jet fuel from Middle East this week share.google/aSjx2REzKvRG...

A Homeless Library: The Library of the Housing Crisis? David Mountain, 27 March 2026.[1] In the storerooms of a little-known fenland museum is a treasure trove of rare books on town planning and housing policy, comprising an entire specialist library. …

One of the country's finest libraries of books on town planning and housing policy - the Harry Simpson Memorial Library, currently located in Wisbech - is at risk of being pulped. Please publicise and support the campaign to save it.
davemnt.wordpress.com/2026/03/26/a...

Yup - one thing you can say about data centres, they have tiny car parks (because so few on site jobs)

Good to see - the recent NPPF revisions certainly felt (to me) that it had rural decline baked in!

What is 'productivity' there? Presumably GVA where eg someone who makes a big 'salary' pushing a button in a single trade is more productive than 10 people building a tractor.

Chasing highest value is not necessarily the best long term strategy for resillient economy. #Mittelstand for my money

Poly crises / rebuilding ties with rest of world following years of Tory neglect and in response to the changing world order as America becomes unreliable?

the left-right split in paris isn't new. but this map of the mayoral election is one of the cleanest illustrations of it you'll ever see.

'A declaration of war': How councils are resisting one of Labour's core objectives A developer has written to the housing minister after a local council rejected a planning application just 24 hours after being told to approve it.

Three Rivers has long been problematic in planning.
LGR and getting some grown up leadership is needed.

news.sky.com/story/a-decl...