News analysis

Four teams selected for iconic Wolverhampton brownfield, while Wirral Council given nature grant to stop flooding, Future High Street Living buys ex-industrial site, Caddick gets approval for mixed use on Leeds South Bank and Homes England unlocks regeneration potential in Worthing

Several applications and studies for renewable energy systems and storage on brownfields and landfills reveal an increasing underlying trend

Campbell Reith (CR) was faced with investigating a potential Part 2a site involving vapours from a chlorinated solvent plume which had migrated off site beneath existing residential buildings in complex geology. In this webinar, CR partner Simon Burr explains the techniques used from multi-level boreholes to in-house vapour monitoring and how the communication strategy was vital in gaining access to the homes.

The property and developer event MIPIM (le marché international des professionnels de l'immobilier) concentrated on quality above quantity this year and there were important regional regeneration launches. Ian Grant reports

The government says the rate of housing delivery in London needs to increase from an average of 37,200 homes/yr to 62,300/yr to meet the targets set out in the London Plan

Critics of the tax rise say by failing to take the uses of inactive soils into account, the government has overlooked something which may support its environmental objectives, while supporters say it will encourage individuals and organisations to consider more sustainable ways of disposing of their waste

The report says that an unintended consequence of setting the landfill tax at a prohibitive level, with a large differential between the higher and lower rate, is the escalation of waste crime, particularly in the form of illegal dumping or fly-tipping

The main reason for people wanting to leave the city was lack of access to green space

The Lincolnshire deal brings in £24m/yr  but there has been some controversy on the numbers

Twenty towns get £20m and plans for Investment Zones for Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Northeast of England, South Yorkshire, and West Midlands laid out

West Midlands Combined Authority earmarks £200m for 12,000 homes , as Ferrybridge C set to become industrial zone, Southwark agrees 1624 Bermondsey homes, VIVIV acquires gateway site in Portsmouth, Wirral told to alter local plan and Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen asked for progress report

A long running odour problem at a site in Bury has come to ahead - being raised in Parliament with weekly site visits from the Environment Agency installation of new gas wells, and an expansion of capping to contain the gas and odours

The government is creating a water credit system to help unblock restrictions on building in the Greater Cambridge area due to water stress and limited supplies

Blackpool gets £90m, Liverpool £31m, Sheffield £67m and Blackburn and Darwen £20m

Gresham House agrees loan for Leeds BTR site, United Living awarded £75m contract for two Manchester blocks, Watkin Jones forward sells a 260 PBSA in Bristol, while ABP announces ports appointment

For major applications – 50% or more of applications must be determined within the statutory time limit and for non-major applications – 60% or more of applications have to be determined within the statutory time limit.

It is proposed for major commercial applications with a guarantee that the fee would be refunded if the application is not determined within the ten week timescale.

The Commission will look at how to free up more land for development and the role of specialist housing, which will look into accommodation for students and older people and approaches to sustainability and ensuring affordability

Earthworks, or the use of engineered fill, is now a frequent activity as sites need to be prepared before house building can take place. In this Network event, speakers from NHBC’s Land Quality Service team explain the newly published addition to the NHBC’s Standards, Chapter 4.6 - Engineered Fill.

The Competition and Markets Authority finds land banking is primarily a symptom of wider problems in the market, mainly driven by the time and uncertainty associated with obtaining planning permission and it puts forward recommendations for reform

Homes England gives £125m loan to Berkeley for infrastructure at three schemes, as Vistry enters into a partnership with Countryside Partnerships Group, Re:Shape acquires three sites for PBSA, as Summix buys a 15.5 acre site in Edinburgh

A key change from the November draft is in paragraph 006: “Plan-makers should not seek a higher percentage than the statutory objective of 10% biodiversity net gain, either on an area-wide basis or for specific allocations for development unless justified."

Contaminated land and election issue in Crewe, Powys County Council escapes enforcement, RSK launches UXO company, Geosmart Information grows, York University wins research contract on metal contamination, SoBRA updates asbestos tool, CL:AIRE publishes C4SL reports, and new ISO standard on XRF is published

The site was a nature corridor in Oldbury which residents think protects them from noise and air pollution from the nearby M5.

The site will use a 'co-mobility hub' including an electric car share, electric bike service and a shuttle bus ; a rain garden will reduce flood risk and the scheme has an urban farming and community garden strategy

The investment will be made available to existing estate regeneration schemes that carry the support of local communities

The challenge to incorporate an existing Grade II listed church and create a neighbourhood which will act as a catalyst in the transformation of the city

The Knight Frank survey found that 70% of housebuilders thought Labour would enhance the market the most, with 30% supporting a Conservative agenda for the industry

Two themes stood out at the Brownfield and Regeneration Network Conference, Brownfield Land Scotland: collaborative working to compensate for less funding for investigation and remediation, and the improvement in data quality and management.

Roundtables discussions at the Brownfield and Regeneration Network Conference, Brownfield Land Scotland, covered collaborative working, managing data, sustainability goals, site characterisation, risk communication, improving biodiversity and using derelict land.