News analysis

Ronal Capital says site sales to developers must be monitored to ensure the disbursement of the publicly funded cost of connections to utilities follows the principle of "fairness and proportionality".

Wavensmere Homes to invest £50m in Midlands brownfields, Generate Capital invests in GrowUp, as Vistry reports positive half year results, and Hargreaves Services launches Net Zero Transition Strategy

The draft strategy says analysis of samples (soil, water and gas), risk assessment and remediation are beyond the technical capability of SKDC but adds Defra has removed grant funding for new cases, though the statutory duty for local authorities to inspect land for land contamination remains.

In a briefing note accompanying the King's Speech, Labour said it wants to use development to fund nature recovery where currently both are stalled, unlocking a win-win outcome for the economy and for nature

The Pendle consultation will show ways to transform mill sites to create new homes and business spaces with high-quality design and good conservation practice and involving communities using design codes

The Planning and Infrastructure and English Devolution bills aim to accelerate housing and infrastructure delivery and devolve powers to local councils, but there are warnings of plenty of resistance ahead.

Contamination fears over Swindon development, as Bradford-on-Avon petitions against golf course plans, and East Suffolk consults on contaminated site and Environment Agency prosecution results in 32 month prison sentence

Reaction to Labour’s plans on housing and infrastructure delivery in the King’s speech have been generally positive, but there are warnings that housing must keep pace with infrastructure and employment needs with challenges such as skills shortages, out of date local plans and potential legal disputes ahead.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority releases 15-year strategy for 38,000 homes, as derelict site in Sheffield centre gets recommendation, Peel Waters to develop employment zone in Salford, StudioHive to develop 12-acre Bristol site, Bath University and the council link up on riverside site and East Hampshire District Council residents suggest 111 brownfield sites.

A report looking at brownfield development in Wales recommends a national framework for monitoring and assessing brownfield site development and and setting clearer and more ambitious regeneration policies and targets

Harworth sells 48 acres to Microsoft, while Hull City Council seeks a lead development partner for an urban village, Keepmoat invests £91m into regeneration scheme, Galliard Apsley acquires site from Get Living, Mabbett Associates acquires Crestwood Environmental, as Antea Group joins the Inogen Alliance

GLA opposes Richmond scheme on affordable housing numbers, while all homes will be affordable at a site in Plymouth, a nutrient neutrality hold-up is unblocked by credits from Herefordshire Council, Watkin Jones sees two-year negotiations for a PBSA scheme pay off and Goram Homes starts work on the biggest Bristol development site this decade

All three current main parties stress development on brownfield land and aim to build more affordable and social housing, but there is significant divergence on targets and land use

Plans for the 42ha Smithfield site includes 3500 new homes, along with commercial space – but a new park is only 0.8ha falling short of the council's green space guidelines

A look at what eight property, construction organisations and companies are saying about the election manifestos

Local authorities accepted 67,380 applications in the first three months of this year, compared to 75,173 last year, with the number of planning requests lodged down by a third over the past three years

Ealing Council rejected JLP's application on the grounds of height and affordable home numbers, but the partnership wants to start on site next year and complete in 2029, in line with its revenue targets.

Both the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and the National Federation of Builders (NFB) put forward changes to the planning system to release more housing but have different approaches

The decision by Amber Valley officers to back a development skirting a well known contaminated special site instead of fully remediating it, raises the question: what has actually happened to Part 2a sites?

Godwin acquires Bristol residential scheme, Heim invests in Leeds, Be First seeks funding and development partners for 1300 home scheme, GMI and Miller create joint venture, and ex Monagu Evans partners form new consultancy, Hill Dryburgh

Funding ranges from improving access to community sports facilities, including affordable homes, regeneration of historic areas and buildings to purchase of business units and developing brownfield funding pots.

In a spate of announcements over the last three weeks, Labour policy on housing, planning reform and brownfield development has become much clearer

Devon CPRE said the Best and Most Versatile (BMV) definition excludes farmland and wants to see prime pasture given the same protection

Growth has been driven by activities from the Earthmoving and Environmental operations within the Services business

Network Rail Property releases masterplan for 30 acres at Bow Goods Yard, Henry Boots gets outline planning for big industrial and logistics space, St William gets knocked back on former Brighton gasworks site, while Keepmoat keeps progressing important Leeds brownfield.

It says there is a doubt whether local authorities, which manage many aspects of Statutory BNG including compliance and enforcement will be able to discharge these duties

Estimates are that approximately 200,000 people live in a square kilometre of floodplain that is contaminated by historical mining - around 7% of Wales, and 1,600 kilometres of Welsh rivers are contaminated by historical metal mining.

Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said that with growing geopolitical tension, the best agricultural land must be protected for food security.

East Hampshire District Council puts out brownfield call to residents, Dandara gets mixed-use permission in Digbeth, a 37-acre brownfield has come on to the market in Hounslow, Goold Estates gets clearance for 15 warehouse units in Digbeth and 3.3ha site in Halifax up for sale

All the eight central and inner London sites will be above or adjacent to rail infrastructure encompassing a mix of housing – with up to 1600 new homes