38 councils to double council tax on second homes
Up to 12,300 second-home owners face a 100% council tax surcharge as 38 more English councils activate new powers from April. See the full list of affected areas.
Up to 12,300 second-home owners face a 100% council tax surcharge as 38 more English councils activate new powers from April. See the full list of affected areas.
A Sandwell Council committee is set to decide on a new plan for eight flats in Great Barr after the developer demolished the former GP surgery without permission. Read the latest.
Sandwell Council's licensing committee had a tumultuous year, revoking licences for pubs and shops over stabbings, illegal workers, fake vapes, and knives sold to children. Discover the full story.
A new planning application seeks to build eight affordable flats on the site of a former day centre and library in Rowley Regis, addressing a critical shortage of family-sized homes in Sandwell.
West Midlands Police are appealing for information after a man posing as a gardener stole a handbag from a Coventry home on December 13. Can you help identify the suspect?
Up to 400,000 UK homes may be in the wrong council tax band due to flawed 1991 valuations. Check your band now and challenge it to potentially claim thousands in backdated refunds.
Sandwell Council reveals plans for 12 affordable flats opposite the new Horseley Road metro stop, aiming to ease a severe shortage of family homes where waits can stretch to nine years.
A look back at the key planning appeals in Solihull for 2025, where residents challenged council refusals. Discover which decisions were overturned by the government inspector.
New enforcement cameras at a busy M5 junction will issue fines to drivers who stop in a yellow box. Many motorists are unaware of the rule, risking penalties.
A woman suffered serious head and neck injuries in a late-night assault on Merridale Road, Wolverhampton. Police are appealing for witnesses and reviewing CCTV footage. Call 101 with information.
Rochdale Borough Council has validated a new batch of planning applications, including home extensions, heritage works, and a new bungalow. Discover the latest local development news.
Rochdale Borough Council has issued a wave of planning decisions, approving extensions, new homes, and commercial changes across the borough. Discover the latest developments.
Most of Perryfields Academy's ageing buildings will be demolished, replaced by a new three-storey block and sports facilities by 2029, improving safety and learning.
Future Birmingham council leaders elected in 2026 will lack full autonomy, bound by a government-imposed action plan to ensure financial stability. Discover the binding roadmap for recovery.
Government commissioners will oversee Birmingham City Council after the 2026 elections, restricting new leaders' autonomy with a strict action plan. Discover the roadmap for recovery.
A man has died after being struck by two vehicles on the A19 in Sunderland. Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage following the tragic incident.
Morethan Property Ltd submits fourth planning application for 205 High Street, Brownhills, seeking to demolish a bungalow and build six one-bed apartments. Read the full story.
A developer has resubmitted plans for an 8-bed HMO in Smethwick, ignoring nearly 100 objections and a council rejection over parking and overcrowding fears. Read the full story.
Solihull councillors will visit the 300-year-old Brickmakers Arms in Balsall Common before deciding the fate of its controversial fence and outdoor bar. Read the latest in the planning saga.
A planning inspector has upheld Dudley Council's refusal of an MOT centre in Brierley Hill, citing significant highway safety risks from potential pavement parking. Read the full verdict.
A developer has submitted fresh plans for 14 homes on Malvern farmland, months after a scheme for nine properties was rejected by the council and dismissed on appeal. Read the latest details.
A 1,000-page last-minute report has delayed a decision on a 750-flat Manchester skyscraper for a second time. Meanwhile, a controversial Chorlton redevelopment gets the green light.
Fresh plans submitted to convert a Smethwick shop into a five-bed HMO after Sandwell Council slammed previous 'inadequate' proposals for 14 people. Read the latest.
Birmingham councillors have refused plans for a 263-bed student block near New Street station, citing 'less than substantial' harm to historic buildings like the Town Hall.
A Birmingham Labour councillor has publicly criticised his own government's proposed planning reforms, calling them a 'disaster about to happen' that will trash vital protections.
West Midlands Police are seeking two individuals after a shop worker was struck with a spanner during a theft in Darlaston, Walsall. Anyone with information is urged to contact officers.
Birmingham's planning committee has refused a 263-bed student accommodation tower, fearing harm to historic buildings like the Town Hall. Read the full debate.
Planning Inspectorate dismisses appeal for eight apartments in Blackheath, upholding Dudley Council's refusal. The scheme was deemed too dense and a risk to pedestrian safety.
New government planning proposals could see residential gardens used for new homes. Read the full details of the consultation and the political row it has sparked.
A Bilston children's home must close after a planning inspector rejected an appeal against a Dudley Council enforcement notice. The home was operating without permission, causing noise and police call-outs.