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Natural flood management
The Government reviewed the latest research on natural flood management and updated the ‘Working with Natural Processes’ evidence directory. The measures protect, restore or emulate the natural functions of rivers, floodplains, catchments and the coast to reduce flooding and coastal erosion. The report and findings are here.
BPF calls for more planners
British Property Federation (BPF) has called on Government for 3000 more planners (only 300 had been pledged) and more resources for the Building Safety Regulator, to unlock delivery of thousands of new homes across the country, as here.
They propose the Government could unlock an additional £20bn private capital to deliver 240,000 units of social housing over the next five years.
Old Kent Road Area Action Plan Consultation
The Walworth Society are reporting a consultation on the Old Kent Road Area Action Plan.
The plan will incorporate around 20,000 new homes, including affordable, 10,000 new jobs, community facilities new parks and public transport improvements, including the proposed extension to the Bakerloo Line and new underground stations.
More details are on Southwark’s website. You can provide your comments on their consultation page until Friday 11th April.
Friary Park update
Both GLA and independent analysis of viability for the Friary Park scheme in LB Ealing indicate a profit of up to £18m compared with Mount Anvil’s claims of their £30m loss, as explained in the video, which could affect the amount of affordable housing in the development.
The Assembly will be asked to consider the situation and DHCLG will be informed.
The Government is considering bringing into force an unimplemented part of the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Act 2023 on how a developer’s past behaviour could be taken into account by [more…]
Culture funding
The DCMS £270m ‘Arts Everywhere Fund’ includes £15m for repairing Heritage at Risk and a new £4.85m Heritage Revival Fund. There is also an £85m ‘Creative Foundations Fund’ for capital works to venues, £25m for capital works to museums via the ‘Museum Estate and Development Fund’, £120m for capital works to DCMS-sponsored bodies via the ‘Public Bodies Infrastructure Fund’, and £3.2m for cultural education including the ‘Heritage Schools Programme’.
Infrastructure Strategy
The Government has set out its working paper for developing a 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy which seeks to bring together a plan for the country’s social, economic and housing infrastructure. The Strategy will also describe an institutional framework to support its implementation, including setting out the role of public financial institutions and how the Strategy will support other strategies, such as the industrial strategy.
Environment improvement
There is a statement from DEFRA’s Secretary of State, Steve Reed, providing an update on the rapid review of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) launched on 30 July 2024. It sets out key strategic findings from the rapid review and plans for revising the EIP.
Consultation Responses
We’ve responded to a couple of recent MHCLG and GLA papers, the responses are posted in the ‘what we’ve said‘ archive, and linked below for your convenience:
Green Belt
Guidance on reviewing Green Belt and identifying grey belt sites has been published. It will inform determination of applications for proposals utilising grey belt land and whether development of the site would be sustainable and the effect on the remaining Green Belt. There are ‘golden rules’ both within that guidance and in other guidance here for consideration of viability.
Slow build-out rates
According to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) here, the government should explore measures to tackle “unproductive land speculation” and slow build-out rates by developers of permitted residential sites, rather than blaming the planning system and ‘red tape’ for the housing crisis.
Local Plan changes
Decisions by councils on new development will be clearer, simpler, and prepared up to four years faster, according to a planning overhaul announced by DHCLG. New changes include introducing regular assessments to help councils stay on track towards meeting their targets, greater clarity about how Local Plans should be prepared and updated, and using digital tools to increase transparency on available land for new development.
Drop in school places demand
A new report by London Councils has revealed London boroughs are supporting local schools as demand for school places continues to drop across the capital. It suggests a predicted decrease of 3.6% in reception pupil numbers in London over the next four years.