Latest news with #MinistryOfHousing
Zawya
21-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman expected to award Al Jabal Al Aali consultancy contract in Q3
Oman's Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning is expected to award the master plan and detailed design contract for its Al Jabal Al Aali mountain destination project in Al Jabal Al Akhdar in the third quarter of 2025, a source aware of the details said. The tender for consultancy services was issued on 12 June 2025, with a submission deadline of 10 July 2025, 'The contract award is expected in August 2025,' the source told Zawya Projects. The scope of services includes detailed masterplan and infrastructure design for Al Jabal Al Aali, encompassing planning, architecture, engineering and infrastructure design, tender preparation, tender launch, and award for both infrastructure and building elements. The high-altitude destination, spread over an area of 11.8 square kilometres, integrates residential, hospitality and multi-functional elements across three villages - Eastern Souq Village, Western Cliff Village, and Wadi Al Harbi Village. It will offer 2,500 residential units and accommodate more than 10,000 residents. The project is slated for completion by the fourth quarter of 2029. Canada-based AtkinsRéalis won a preliminary master plan ideas competition and was commissioned by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning for the preparation of the vision and concept masterplan, according to the firm's website. (Reporting by Deva Palanisamy; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
Zawya
14-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt establishes Real Estate Market Regulation Unit to oversee sector transparency
Egypt - In a move to restructure and modernize the country's rapidly expanding real estate sector, Egypt has launched the Real Estate Market Regulation Unit, a new entity tasked with overseeing the operations of developers, brokers, and marketing companies to improve transparency and accountability. The announcement was made by Sherif El-Sherbiny, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development, who outlined the unit's core responsibilities. These include regulating relationships among sector stakeholders, streamlining property registration procedures, supervising ongoing property maintenance, and establishing systems for market evaluation. Established in mid-2025, the new unit responds to mounting concerns over the fragmented nature of Egypt's real estate marketing landscape. Recent years have seen a sharp rise in the number of brokers and marketing agencies—many operating without licenses or adequate oversight—which has prompted growing calls for stricter regulation and greater market transparency. As part of the same initiative, the government has launched the Egypt Real Estate Platform, a centralized digital portal designed to standardize and verify property transactions. The platform provides a comprehensive database of legally registered property listings, certified developers and brokers, a system for submitting complaints, and standardized marketing guidelines to protect consumers. At the meeting announcing the initiative, Minister El-Sherbiny emphasized the importance of developing a fully integrated database covering every aspect of the real estate sector. He also called for the creation of a comprehensive strategic vision in partnership with real estate developers and relevant stakeholders to achieve the objectives of the new unit and digital platform. The minister added that these measures aim to bring Egypt's real estate sector closer to international standards. The initiative is expected to strengthen investor confidence, improve market practices, and offer greater protection to homebuyers from misleading or unregulated transactions. © 2024 Daily News Egypt. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The Independent
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Government launches crackdown on ‘misleading' private parking firms
Long-awaited plans to crack down on the 'misleading tactics and confusing processes' used by private parking companies have been launched. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said its consultation on a legislation-backed code of practice for the sector is aimed at creating a 'fairer, more transparent private parking system'. Analysis earlier this week by the PA news agency found Britain's drivers were handed a record 14.4 million parking tickets by private companies in the year to the end of March. That was a 13% increase from the 12.8 million during the previous 12 months, and more than double the 6.8 million in 2018/2019. Each ticket can be up to £100, meaning the total daily cost to drivers may be near £3.9 million at the current rate. Local growth minister Alex Norris said: 'From shopping on your local high street to visiting a loved one in hospital, parking is part of everyday life. 'But too many people are being unfairly penalised. 'That's why our code will tackle misleading tactics and confusing processes, bringing vital oversight and transparency to raise standards across the board. 'This is another example of how we are fixing the things that really impact people's day-to-day lives.' Companies chase vehicle owners for alleged infringements in private car parks, such as at shopping centres, leisure facilities and motorway service areas. Some parking businesses have been accused of using misleading and confusing signs, aggressive debt collection and unreasonable fees. It emerged in April that many drivers are being sent tickets they claim are unfair because of how some payment machines operate, with one campaigner claiming the devices are 'set up to trap people'. Some machines which require users to input their vehicle registration accept payment after only one letter is entered. This has led to multiple cases of drivers paying the required parking fee but still being sent a parking charge notice when their vehicle was detected by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. The Government's consultation will run for eight weeks. A Bill to enable the introduction of a legislation-backed code of conduct received royal assent in March 2019. This code – scheduled to come into force across Britain by the end of 2023 – included halving the cap on tickets for most parking offences to £50, creating a fairer appeals system, and banning the use of aggressive language on tickets. But it was withdrawn by the Conservative government in June 2022 after a legal challenge by parking companies.
BBC News
11-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Protected trees felled to save money, group says
Protected trees are being felled as a "cheap and easy option" in subsidence claims, an arboricultural group has London Tree Officers Association (LTOA) said trees were being felled across the country because councils were afraid of being liable for expensive property in England have given permission to fell more than 1,000 trees which previously had Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs).A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Spokesperson said applications to address tree-related subsidence damage must be supported by appropriate information, with other factors eliminated as far as possible. The BBC analysed 143 Freedom of Information request responses from councils in England. Of those, 10 directly provided figures for the financial years between 2019 and 2024, showing permission was granted to fell 1,403 previously protected presenter and naturalist Chris Packham said he was "horrified" by the idea that TPOs could be "rendered useless... on account of someone's crumbling conservatory".He said: 'What we're losing is big, established mature trees. We've got to hang on to those at all cost.'Ultimately this is about money. And there is no reason why, in one of the most deforested selection of countries anywhere in Europe, our government didn't ought to be subsidising those councils to protect them against any economic losses that they suffer on account of needing to manage trees." Local authorities could be liable for compensation if they refuse permission to fell a tree that is later blamed for causing problems such as Sarah Dodd, from Barry-based firm Tree Law, said councils sometimes "panicked" when faced with an application to fell a protected said: "They'll be told the worst case scenario - 'It's going to cost us a hundred thousand'."So then they're thinking: 'We haven't got a budget, we're cash-strapped. Where do we get a hundred thousand pounds from?'" Jeremy Barrell, a registered tree consultant based in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, said some home insurance companies were "holding a gun to councils' heads".He explained: "They say: 'We think the tree is causing damage to the building. If you don't let us cut the tree down or deal with it, then you will be responsible for any damage.'"And that's quite frightening for local authorities." Two councils told the BBC they had no money to cover large subsidence Gloucestershire Council said: "Due to budget constraints it is unlikely we would have the necessary funds to cover compensation."Therefore consent to fell the tree would be issued as a last resort.'Fareham Borough Council in Hampshire said it had allowed 135 out of 144 felling applications in the past two years and had no budget for compensation leader Simon Martin wrote to the government in 2024, urging new laws to allow councils to defend and Waterlooville MP and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman also previously called for change, saying: "Insurance companies have pressured local authorities into felling perfectly healthy trees with Tree Preservation Orders at the first point of contact." LTOA executive member Andy Tipping said councils were "100%" influenced by money when making decisions on applications to fell protected said the case of the Peterborough oak, which was felled in 2022, was an example where "the council was terrified of the cost of underpinning and allowed it to be removed".He added: "Most of the time, it's a cheap and easy option and seen as removing risk."In another case in February 2025, Enfield Council successfully defended itself from a £144,000 claim for damage to a Lands Tribunal found there was insufficient evidence to link subsidence to a nearby oak surveyor Ian Brett-Pitt said the case showed that unreasonable felling applications could be Tipping, Mr Brett-Pitt and Ms Dodd are part of a team which is about to publish a revised agreement with insurance companies - the Joint Mitigation Protocol - on best practice in subsidence cases. The Association of British Insurers previously said felling was not its default solution to protect a statement, it said: "Insurers understand concerns with tree felling, and they will assess each claim on a case-by-case basis, striking a balance between preserving greenery while ensuring that property owners are protected."Sometimes there are alternative solutions, such as introducing tree-root barriers, or tree reductions, but these are not always possible due to space and the proximity of a tree to a property." The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: "There are existing procedures designed to support options other than felling."We have published guidance that makes it clear that applications to address tree-related subsidence damage must be supported by appropriate information, and that other factors have been eliminated as far as possible."The BBC received direct figures in FOI responses from councils in Amber Valley, Basildon, Breckland, Colchester, Dartford, Dorset, Epping Forest, New Forest, Oadby and Wigston and West Berkshire. Additional reporting by Alix Hattenstone
Malay Mail
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
The way forward for housing — Nur Fareza Mustapha
JULY 9 — Malaysia, through the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, has recently won its bid for the presidency of the UN Habitat General Assembly. As Malaysia sits as co-chair for the UN Habitat presidency for the next 2 years (2025-2027), the national housing agenda must take centre stage in our wider discourse on advancing efforts to promote sustainable urbanisation and human settlements. To do this, we must reflect on the current practices of our own housing sector to forge the way forward for ourselves and the world. A house is, first and foremost, a home. Houses are owned or occupied by people, are located within a neighbourhood, and form part of a wider kampung, town or city. Houses fulfil the basic human right for shelter and is 'the basis of stability and security for an individual or family'. Thus, when we talk about housing, it is pertinent that these discussions fundamentally revolve around the needs, values, and priorities of the people and households that live in them. As such, housebuilding practices in our country and the regulatory framework that governs it should be anchored in principles that encourage the pursuit of this goal. This means prioritizing the individual's right to adequate housing, first through the provision of secure tenure, regardless of your status as a renter or homeowner. As our country designs its first Rental Tenancy Act, the provisions under this act must provide the grounds to present renting as a viable option to meet one's housing needs, not as an inferior alternative to homeownership. Renters must be given adequate protection under the law against forced evictions, discriminatory rental practices, and substandard housing quality. More importantly, the narrow interpretation of what 'adequate housing' means for our country has relegated many of our policy interventions thus far to simply prioritize putting a roof over someone's head without accounting for the suitability or liveability of the housing unit. While issues on housing quality are more pervasive within the social housing sector, the current policy focus on improving housing affordability has been pursued at the expense of maintaining liveable standards for households and communities. This strategy overlooks the fundamental need of individuals and families to access decent housing. Similarly, debates surrounding the recent announcement over the proposed Urban Renewal Act highlight the need to centre the discourse on when and why redevelopment is needed and how to do so equitably. Urban renewal initiatives under the act (if adopted) must be anchored and driven by the need to improve the quality of life for households and neighbourhoods. To do this, the proposed URA and its underlying legal provisions must be designed to safeguard the needs and rights of affected households; the Act must place affected families and communities as its main and biggest beneficiaries. This means prioritizing renewal and rejuvenation initiatives over outright redevelopment in the first instance to ensure that existing communities are not displaced. This means ensuring that the financial and societal benefits from renewal, rejuvenation, and/or redevelopment initiatives are primarily held by and/or returned to the families and communities of the designated areas of renewal/redevelopment. Additionally, we must consider the way our housing ecosystem has been built and designed. We must ask, who benefits the most from the way houses are built in this country? Under the current Sell-then-build (STB) system, housing developers and banks benefit by shifting the costs and risks of housing development to the house buyer. Individuals or families who want to own new homes under the STB system are forced to buy these houses before they are built, often through mortgages provided by the banking system. By linking consumer mortgages to the production of housing, our housing delivery system allows housing developers to gain access to essentially free financing to build houses as the financial costs and risks are primarily borne by the buyers. Under the STB system, when you sign an SPA to acquire a house, you essentially act as an investor in the housing development project – you provide funding to the housing developers, and you bear the risk of project failure. The banking system is complicit in this practice. Housing loans are attractive for banks because they are low risk: interest payments on housing loans are front-loaded (i.e. banks secure their profits from the loan early in the tenure), the tenure on housing loans are long (i.e. most housing loans have a lifespan of 30-40 years), and most importantly, housing loans are backed by an actual asset (i.e. the house is the collateral on your loan). Instead of lending money to developers and taking on the higher risk of funding the development of a housing project, banks choose to profit from this system by shifting the risk to house buyers. When you sign a loan agreement with the bank to buy a new house under the STB system, you are essentially borrowing money on behalf of the housing developer. A general view of PPR Kampung Bri Hicom Shah Alam on April 8, 2023. — Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri A system that allows these practices to perpetuate is neither efficient nor just – it is predatory. Thus, the demand to shift to the Build-then-sell system is not only necessary, but also way overdue. The housing industry has had 60+ years to build and hone its capabilities, both financial and operational. It must now be able thrive through innovative building practices and the production of competitive housing products, not through the direct financial support of its housebuilding practices by Malaysian households. As we forge our way forward, we must change the way we look at housing. Houses in the country must not only be affordable, but they must also effectively serve the needs and aspirations of diverse Malaysian households. To do this, housing policy and proposed housing interventions in the country must be guided by the true purpose of housing, that is, to accord households with a 'secure base from which to carry out all of life's functions' and allow them 'full citizen participation in society and the economy'. The centrality of housing to an individual and/or family's pathway to a dignified life must be accounted for in our national discourse on housing and in determining what needs to be done to improve the state of the housing sector in the country. * Dr Nur Fareza Mustapha is a Research Associate at the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI). The views expressed here are solely the writer's own and do not represent the official views of KRI. All errors remain the authors' own. ** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
