PROPERTY NEWS

Green Light to Green Belt Destruction !!
Hazel Blears said we are going to have a tussle, because some people are concerned about environmental issues. But I think the priority has to be to build these homes." !!

Major Housing Plans Unveiled !!
The Green Belt around Oxford needs to be reviewed.A proposal from Oxford University to build thousands of homes on a 368-acre greenfield site between Kidlington and Yarnton has been laid bare in a new planning document. !!

House Allowed on "Green Belt" Garden !!
A row over plans for a detached home on the side garden of a Westhoughton home on "green belt" land ended with councillors narrowly approving the scheme. !!

Town Backs Plan For 6,000 Homes !!
More than 3,700 of the homes be built on the western outskirts of Harrogate and east of Knaresborough and others would be spread around outlying villages. !!

UK Real Estate Investment Volume Exceeds 27 billion pounds in First Half 2007 !!
With the inflows into the UK retail funds slowing and swap rates over 6%, there is definitely a change occurring in many of the markets in the UK !!

MORTGAGE NEWS

House prices grind to near standstill !!
House prices grew by just 0.1% in July; the lowest rate of monthly growth since January 2006, according to the latest national housing market survey from Hometrack, the housing intelligence business. !!

Skipton gives help with HIPs !!
With three working days to go until the August 1st deadline, sellers of four or more bedroomed properties requiring a Home Information Pack (HIP), are being offered a helping hand by Skipton Building Society. !!

Watchdog confirms Nationwide-Portman merger !!
City watchdog, the Financial Services Authority (FSA), has officially confirmed that the merger between the Nationwide and Portman building societies can proceed. !!

Buy-to-let fills housing gap? !!
The buy-to-let sector has continued to enjoy steady growth in the first half of 2007, providing affordable accommodation for increasing numbers of households. So says specialist buy-to-let mortgage lender, Paragon. !!

Mortgage approvals weaker !!
Just released figures from the BBA - the banking and financial services trade association - point to weaker mortgage approvals and subdued consumer credit. !!