All News

Freeports – a brave new world? Locked

Freeports offer a brave new world and tick a lot of boxes in theory – driving the levelling up agenda, attracting inward investment, enhancing skills and job prospects of local communities, fostering economic growth, developing green economy, and helping companies drive to net zero. In practice we have only just begun, and challenges must be overcome.

UK

Brownfield fund rule favours more affluent areas Locked

Bradford, for example which has several empty sites and derelict buildings has only received four grants to date with far more funding going to Leeds

UK

Berkeley stops land buying and wants policy changes Locked

Perrins said that annual housing targets should be restored, the planning appeals process accelerated and policies to make brownfield development a priority (including brownfield first) needed to be clearer

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Planners struggling over Biodiversity Net Gain Locked

Sixty one per cent of public sector planners cannot confirm they’ll have dedicated BNG resource and ecological expertise in-house in place by November

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Create Streets pushes for building on the ‘Road Belt’ Locked

The paper says by building on Road Belts across Britain’s towns and cities, in one act, we could create thousands of beautiful, sustainably located, homes, protect our countryside from suburban sprawl and boost skills, jobs and economic growth

UK

Energy Bill promotes solar on brownfield – but with a cost Locked

The amendment would see solar development banned on England’s ‘Best and Most Versatile’ (BMV) agricultural land, with the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit saying it will cost households between £3bn-5bn/yr

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National Brownfield Forum Sector Review deadline Locked

The results of the survey will be used as an evidence base and help direct future discussions with policy makers

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Government defeated on nutrient neutrality amendments Locked

Labour says there are far better ways to build the new homes we desperately need than green-lighting water pollution

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Solid progress on soil improvement Locked

Ian Grant summarises the recent Brownfield Regeneration Network webinar exploring the technique of soil stabilisation and solidification.

UK

Geosmart reports record revenues and lands space contract Locked

The company posted record revenues and says local authorities are insisting on more detailed information from residential developers.

UK

Solar farms causing increasing planning issues Locked

A key argument: does the provision of renewables, with their associated environmental benefits make cases "very special circumstances" which can outweigh harm to openness and landscape?

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Homes England launches £4bn brownfield land fund Locked

The aim of the fund is to bring forward strategic sites and housing-led opportunities which support economic growth and long-term housing supply.

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60% support retaining current green belt Locked

In a complex survey by Ipsos, the majority of respondents said the current green belt should be retained, with only 21% saying more focus should be on the country's housing needs.

UK

Government changes nutrient neutrality laws Locked

It argues that over 100,000 homes are being held up due to defective EU laws which will be unblocked between now and 2030, delivering an estimated £18bn boost to the economy.

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Releasing 1.4% of green belt could yield 1m homes Locked

Research by consultants Wood Hardwick says England's green belt covers 12.5% of total land area, with 8.7% of England’s land area of 'developed use', with just 10.5% being defined as ‘built-up’.

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Nutrient neutrality changes to have far-reaching consequences Locked

The move puts a question mark against the government's promise to uphold current environmental standards, post-Brexit and is an acid test of the powers of the Office of Environmental Protection.

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Gas protection: raising the standards Locked

The Brownfield and Regeneration Network online event on ground gas, held with Premium Partner NHBC, examined the shortcomings of current practice in ground gas monitoring, risk assessment, verification, and protection, looked at remedies and delved into new guidance documents. Ian Grant reports.

UK

Infrastructure levy ‘risks billions’ for social development, says Khan Locked

Under changes, the amount developers will pay will be calculated once a project is complete, instead at planning permission stage

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Call for evidence on freight and logistics and planning Locked

Government believes that the freight sector is well placed to support growing and levelling up the economy.

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Unfinished business leaves planning in limbo Locked

As we enter the summer recess, key planning legislation has not been passed and a new national planning policy framework remains delivered

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Special planning and tax categories for mega-sites? Locked

British Land and Landsec want a special planning category for large regeneration sites and crack planning teams which can be brought in to speed up permissions

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300,000 homes target is unattainable Locked

The committee says the government’s reform proposals including making local housing targets advisory will render the national housing target impossible to achieve

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More powers to devolved authorities in Regeneration Bill Locked

The regulations have to specify environmental protection outcomes and the requirement to assess the impact of regulations on the overall level of environmental protection

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Planning system must change to meet net zero Locked

The Climate Change Committee wants consistent alignment of planning policy with mitigation and adaptation actions in the Climate Change Act and Improved guidance on local carbon budgets and resilience frameworks

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DNV acquires Enviroguide Locked

Enviroguide has doubled in turnover over the last two years and DNV forecasts it will grow its environmental services further, given Ireland’s rapidly growing economy

UK

Wales’ green roads policy divides opinion Locked

Environmentalists have welcomed a Welsh embargo on major new road developments. Critics say that it could prevent much needed economic development.

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Government up against it on targets Locked

Dame Glenys Stacey, chair of the Office of Environmental Protection (OEP), and chief executive Natalie Prosser gave evidence to the House of Lords Built Environment Committee on the impact of environmental regulation on development, and said achieving the statutory environmental targets is going to be very hard.

UK

Shortlist announced for the 2023 Brownfield Awards

This year saw the introduction of the new Technical Lead of the Year Award, plus updates to other categories and criteria

UK

Companies: Keepmoat | Urban&Civic | Aviva CP and Moda | Inland | Esh Locked

WMCA and Keepmoat commit to 4000 homes, as Aviva Capital Partners venture into Buy-to-Rent, Urban&Civic get go-ahead for 6500 homes and much more in Cambridgeshire, as Inland refinances development, while Esh Construction gets record contract

UK

Ukraine aims for 80% contaminated land used within decade Locked

It is proposed to identify low or no contamination among potentially contaminated areas and to bring them back into use quickly

UK