Hills review

The Audit Commission has published local authority comprehensive performance assessments: 71% of councils with responsibility for housing are performing in the top two categories, an increase of 8% from 2005.

Among its housing inspections, Golden Gates Housing – the ALMO in Warrrington – got a top ranking.

Will the buy-to-let boom last? asks The Guardian in a business feature. The answer: it may but then again it may not.

Housebuilder Wimpey is planning to sell 400 £60,000 flats this year to first-time buyers, says the Times. Yesterday’s results show it’s enjoying fat margins in the UK market but took a £60m hit in the USA.

The Commission on Integration & Cohesion issues an interim statement yesterday with housing allocation a key theme.

The DCLG has published research on monitoring the sustainability of buildings including homes. Carbon emissions from buildings went up by 1.1% between 2004 and 2006 although energy use fell.

Lib Dem leader Ming Campbell clashed with Tony Blair over housing at prime minister’s questions yesterday. Campbell condemned a 600,000 rise in the number of families waiting for social housing under Labour while Blair said there had been a ‘vast’ increase in investment.

Brighton will not get a stock transfer [see story below] but it will get what it claims is the world’s first One Planet Living carbon neutral community.

And finally…More than half the ASBOs issued in Eastbourne in the last two years went to people over 50, reports the Telegraph. Noisy DIY was a big problem.