News
Ministers take back planning powers
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Ministers are to be given new powers to grant
planning permission for major new infrastructure projects. The move was announced
by decentralisation minister Greg Clark, who also confirmed that the Infrastructure Planning Commission will be abolished. The IPC was set up eight
months ago by the previous Labour government. Clark said it will be replaced
by a new ‘rapid and accountable’ system whereby ministers, and not unelected commissioners, will take the final decisions on new infrastructure projects, such as offshore wind farms and nuclear power stations. An infrastructure planning unit
will be established in the Planning Inspectorate to fast-track major projects, and ministers will take decisions on applications. Clark said: ‘The previous system
lacked any democratic legitimacy by giving decision-making power away to a distant quango on issues crucial to every community in the country.’ In addition, all National Policy Statements (NPS), described as future infrastructure blueprints, will have to be ratified by parliament. The proposals received a
cautious welcome from the Renewable Energy Association (REA), but it questioned why the system only applied to projects above 50MW, when the vast majority of projects are smaller. Gaynor Hartnell, REA’s chief executive, said: ‘We need rapid
News in Brief
Body to cut waste A body is being set up by government to help oversee the original £6.2bn of cuts it announced, including construction spending. The Efficiency and Reform Group, a Joint Treasury-Cabinet Office body, will have the power to make sure departments work together to tackle waste and improve accountability.
Ministers will take final decisions on developments such as offshore wind farms
and consistent decision-making for projects approved by local authorities under the Town & Country Planning regime, that strikes the balance between local
accountability and strategic national priorities.’ Until the IPC can formally be
closed, it will continue to consider and determine applications.
Councils to be ‘free’ to prepare local plans
The government has also announced that it is abolishing Regional Strategies with immediate effect. The strategies would have seen 3m homes built nationally by 2020
through centrally imposed building targets. The strategies were put in place by the previous Labour government, despite fears that it would force councils to cut into the greenbelt. According to ministers, councils will now have the freedom to prepare their local plans without having to follow top-down targets from regional quangos and bureaucrats that prescribe exactly what, where and when to build. In other planning changes, housing minister Grant Shapps confirmed
the creation of Local Housing Trusts (LHT) to build new community developments. LHTs would have to show they have the support of the local community for planned housing developments, but Shapps said any developments put forward should meet basic planning criteria without the need to lodge specific planning applications. The trusts will be set up under the Decentralisation and Localism Bill, due to be introduced this autumn.
Consultation on microgeneration launched
The coalition government has launched a consultation on its proposed microgeneration strategy. The consultation is part of the
government’s ambition to help develop the industry, create more job opportunities, and make sure customers can trust the green technology they buy. Climate change minister
Greg Barker said: ‘I want to see more homes, communities and businesses generating their own
www.cibsejournal.com
energy. By becoming more self- sufficient we can create sustainable local energy economies. I want to work with industry to overcome the challenges it is facing. Together we will create a marketplace for jobs and prosperity.’ The consultation will look at four
key areas: • Quality – to ensure that consumers have confidence that equipment and installation is reliable;
• Technology – to examine how to improve products through more trials;
• Skills – to develop the microgeneration supply chain; and
• Advice – to provide more accessible advice and information about microgeneration to homeowners, communities and small businesses. Send comments on the consultation by 22 December to
microgenconsult@decc.gsi.gov.uk
Costs soar under PFI The use of the Private Finance Initiative to fund social housing is not value for money, according to a report by the National Audit Office. It found 21 of the 25 projects signed to date experienced cost increases, with 12 of these spiralling by more than 100%. It also found that all signed projects researched were delayed on average by two and a half years.
www.nao.org.uk
First new prison in six years Work on the new £100m, 900 prisoner-place Belmarsh (West) Prison started last month – the first new Private Finance Initiative-funded prison to reach financial close in England and Wales for six years. The new facility in Greenwich, London, will be operational in early 2012, and the custodial service contract will run for about 25 years.
Aiming to ‘thrive’ A new report claims it can help architects and engineers ‘thrive’ in today’s gloomy economic climate. Deltek, a software provider, produced Thriving in 2010 and Beyond: A Practical Guide for Architects and Engineers. Deltek says it is based on responses from 326 senior people.
www.thrivingreports.com
Ashden winners announced The 10th annual international Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy – which reward businesses, schools, local authorities and charities making significant carbon savings through the use of renewable energy or energy efficiency measures – have been announced. Six UK organisations were among the winners this year.
www.ashdenawards.org
August 2010 CIBSE Journal
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