he Government announced new measures to stop the practice of garden grabbing, which has seen swathes of urban green space swallowed up by new housing developments.
Decentralisation Minister Greg Clark is giving local councils immediate powers to prevent the building of new homes in back gardens - a practice that has been on the rise in recent years.
According to the Communities and Local Government Department, the number of houses being built on gardens rose from one in 10 to a quarter of new properties between 1997 and 2008.
The problem is particularly acute in many towns, including Guildford, Croydon, Southampton, Poole, Sheffield, Solihull and Leeds.
Town halls have struggled to stop the trend as gardens have been classified as previously 'residential land', making them brownfield sites in the same category as derelict factories and old railway sidings.
Mr Clark said he would be changing the designation of gardens from brownfield land to make it easier for local authorities to stop unwanted development, allowing them to reject planning applications for new houses and blocks of flats that local people oppose and which would ruin the character of the area.
The move to stop garden grabbing, promised in both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat manifestos ahead of the general election, is the latest by the Government to implement coalition pledges to hand more power to local communities.
The British Property Federation were openly dismayed at the decision by Housing Minister Grant Shapps to rule out overturning a law requiring planning permission for landlords renting a home to three or more unrelated people.
Rules around houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) were widened under Labour in a move heavily criticised by landlords, the National Union of Students and the Conservatives themselves.
Previously, in a written statement while in opposition, Grant Shapps said:
"While councils need powers to tackle the excesses of slum landlords, this is a state sledgehammer to crack a nut.
"Labour have already kicked the housing market by imposing the red tape of Home Information Packs. Now they want to cripple the fragile market with even more regulation. Tenants will lose out, as these new costs will reduce the supply of housing and drive up rents.
"There is already public alarm at Labour plans for an intrusive council tax revaluation and inspections of family homes. Now Labour are giving even more powers for town hall snoopers to barge into people's bedrooms and rifle through their underwear drawers."
However, speaking in Parliament since coming to power, Mr Shapps has said he was keen to have HMO controls in areas with studentification problems. He confirmed that he still wanted to review the current legislation to ensure it is not too overarching and leading to problems in areas that don’t have those issues.
The law - which was passed through Parliament as a statutory instrument and thus without a debate - was a massive blow to students and low-paid workers who enjoy the benefits of HMOs. Council officers are to be allowed to enter homes with just 24 hours notice and without needing a Warrant if they suspect people are living in breach of planning laws.
Ian Fletcher, Director of Policy at the British Property Federation, said:
"Revoking the HMO planning legislation that slipped in at the death by the previous Government was a pre-election pledge of the Conservatives.
"We hope this will be pursued swiftly as it is leading to confusion, unnecessary bureaucracy and expense at local level.
"If the Minister wants to replace it with something better targeted then that is his prerogative, but the clear message from landlords is the current system is a dog's dinner and time is therefore of the essence."
More than 20% of rented homes are shared according to government figures, although this figure is much higher in towns Major city economies rely heavily on HMOs to meet housing need due to house prices remaining largely unaffordable. HMOs are often the most affordable source of accommodation, housing students, key workers and other groups.
The change in the law will let local authorities limit the concentrations of HMOs. An HMO for planning purposes will be defined as a house occupied by three or more unrelated sharers.
Planning permission might be required where a house previously occupied by a family is rented out to three or more unrelated sharers.