http://www.lgcplus.com/RSS/Development_RSS.xml en-uk The scrapping of tax relief on empty commercial property is undermining renewal efforts, the leader of the umbrella groups for England’s urban regeneration companies warned today. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/tax_relief_scrapping_leaves.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/tax_relief_scrapping_leaves.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 David Blackman 26 August 2008 17:18 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/Feature%202_iStock_resized_70_tcm16-1055694.jpg House building levels have fallen by nearly a fifth over the past year, new government figures show. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/house_starts_nearly_20_down.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/house_starts_nearly_20_down.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 David Blackman 21 August 2008 16:01 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/construction_workers_resized_70_tcm16-1221687.jpg Alex Salmond has announced £100m plans to accelerate affordable housing delivery as part of a wide-ranging package to help Scotland’s economy. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/scots_accelerate_affordable_housing.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/scots_accelerate_affordable_housing.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 David Blackman 20 August 2008 09:03 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/alex_salmond_resized_70_tcm16-1531977.jpg The government has been forced to delay the publication of its eco-town shortlist, it has emerged. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/Communities/news/2008/08/ecotowns_shortlist_delayed.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/Communities/news/2008/08/ecotowns_shortlist_delayed.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 James Illman 19 August 2008 12:54 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/eco_towns_resized_70_tcm16-1676017.jpeg The umbrella body for England’s passenger transport executives has appointed a new director. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/new_director_for_transport_executive.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/new_director_for_transport_executive.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 David Blackman 19 August 2008 11:17 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/cropped_Jonathan_Bray_resized_70_tcm16-1802355.jpg Residents will lose legal rights to complain about noise or pollution caused by major infrastructure construction projects under proposals to revamp the planning system, council leaders have warned. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/construction_protection_fears.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/construction_protection_fears.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 David Blackman 13 August 2008 17:13 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/cropped-building-site-2_resized_70_tcm16-1797544.jpg The credit crunch has hit regeneration projects harder than other types of property investment, according to an authoritative new survey. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/credit_crunch_hits_regeneration.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/credit_crunch_hits_regeneration.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 12 August 2008 14:11 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/Feature%202_iStock_resized_70_tcm16-1055694.jpg A bitter dispute over council-backed plans for a Dyson academy in Bath has thrown the project into doubt. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/dyson_bath_academy_doubt.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/dyson_bath_academy_doubt.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Simon Ellery 08 August 2008 13:31 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/dyson_academy_resized_70_tcm16-1794131.JPG Mayor of London Boris Johnson has confirmed that advisers under the former mayor will get pay-offs at a cost to City Hall of £1.6m http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/livingstones_aids_cost_boris_16m.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/livingstones_aids_cost_boris_16m.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Simon Ellery 05 August 2008 12:21 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/johnson_resized_70_tcm16-1145233.jpg A levy to be imposed by planning authorities, replacing the current section 106 deals, has been unveiled by the planning minister Caroline Flint. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/flint_unveils_new_section_106.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/flint_unveils_new_section_106.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Simon Ellery 05 August 2008 14:52 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/caroline-flint_resized_70_tcm16-538770.jpg Edinburgh City Council has unveiled plans for 1,100 homes - the first time the council has built any housing in 20 years. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/edinburgh_to_build_1100_homes.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/edinburgh_to_build_1100_homes.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Simon Ellery 04 August 2008 12:57 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/Construction%20crane_resized_70_tcm16-159259.jpg The first three coastal councils to gain money from the government's Sea Change programme will share £10m support for regeneration projects. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/first_wave_of_sea_change_cash.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/first_wave_of_sea_change_cash.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Mark Smulian 01 August 2008 08:21 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/blackpool_resized_70_tcm16-1778009.jpg The proportion of homes built in high flood risk zones has risen, according to the latest government statistics. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/more_homes_in_flood_risk_areas.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/08/more_homes_in_flood_risk_areas.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 David Blackman 01 August 2008 15:51 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/flooded-road_resized_70_tcm16-1636016.jpg Hazel Blears has snubbed Croydon LBC’s long-standing bid to make the borough the venue for a 12,000 seat arena. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/blears_blocks_gateway_plan.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/blears_blocks_gateway_plan.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 David Blackman 31 July 2008 15:32 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/Croydon%20regen_resized_70_tcm16-1777952.JPG Council leaders in Greater Manchester have unanimously voted for a referendum on plans to impose a congestion charge. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/manchester_leaders_vote_for_ccharge_referendum.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/manchester_leaders_vote_for_ccharge_referendum.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Simon Ellery 25 July 2008 16:16 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/congestion%20charge_resized_70_tcm16-486789.jpg The government has unveiled the green standards that eco-towns will be expected to comply with. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/ecotown_green_standards_toughest_ever.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/ecotown_green_standards_toughest_ever.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 James Illman 24 July 2008 16:05 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/caroline-flint_resized_70_tcm16-538770.jpg London mayor Boris Johnson is poised to honour his pledge to build closer relationships with the councils surrounding the capital by inviting a county councillor onto the Transport for London (TfL) board. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/InthisweeksLGC/2008/07/boris_builds_closer_ties_with_southeast.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/InthisweeksLGC/2008/07/boris_builds_closer_ties_with_southeast.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 James Illman 23 July 2008 14:40 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/boris_johnson_resized_70_tcm16-1222016.jpg The embattled eco-town programme faces a legal challenge from the Local Government Association, unless ministers back down over bypassing the planning process. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/InthisweeksLGC/2008/07/lga_fights_ecotown_process.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/InthisweeksLGC/2008/07/lga_fights_ecotown_process.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 James Illman 23 July 2008 09:41 The government has rejected calls to restrict second home owners in national parks. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/call_to_curb_second_homes_rejected.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/call_to_curb_second_homes_rejected.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Simon Ellery 23 July 2008 15:07 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/caroline-flint_resized_70_tcm16-538770.jpg The embattled eco-town programme faces a legal challenge from the Local Government Association , unless ministers back down over bypassing the planning process. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/ecotown_drive_faces_legal_challenge.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/ecotown_drive_faces_legal_challenge.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 James Illman 23 July 2008 13:07 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/eco_towns_resized_70_tcm16-1676017.jpeg The south-east must overcome  the economic slowdown to increase house building by 4%, the Department for Communities & Local Government has said. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/InthisweeksLGC/2008/07/housebuilding_target_increased.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/InthisweeksLGC/2008/07/housebuilding_target_increased.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 23 July 2008 15:24 Europe's largest onshore windfarm has been given the green light by the Scottish government. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/plans_for_europes_largest_windfarm_cleared.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/plans_for_europes_largest_windfarm_cleared.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Simon Ellery 22 July 2008 12:24 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/wind%20turbine_resized_70_tcm16-151050.jpg Ministers have scrapped controversial plans to axe much of the green belt around Nottingham. http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/ministers_protect_nottingham_green_belt.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/ministers_protect_nottingham_green_belt.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Simon Ellery 22 July 2008 15:11 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/construction_workers_resized_70_tcm16-1221687.jpg Housing minister Iain Wright has introduced an amendment to new housing rules to allow Community Land Trusts (CLT). http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/last_minute_push_for_housing_trusts.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/News/2008/07/last_minute_push_for_housing_trusts.html;jsessionid=5687553DAAFEA7C4551925AC29630B84 Simon Ellery 21 July 2008 15:01 http://www.lgcplus.com:80/images/Construction%20crane_resized_70_tcm16-159259.jpg