External review of government planning practice guidance: Report submitted by Lord Taylor of Goss Moor

Posted on: 2 January 2013
By: mackene
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The review group’s report makes recommendations as to the scope and form of practice guidance that should be provided in future by government to support effective planning; what new or updated practice guidance should be published, with clear priorities; and what guidance should be cancelled.

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Evaluating access statement requirements in Part M of the building regulations and minor technical amendments to Part M of the building regulations: Impact assessment

Posted on: 2 January 2013
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This final impact assessment sets out proposed changes to the way in which applicants demonstrate compliance with Part M (Access to and use of buildings) of the Building Regulations and provides an analysis of associated costs and benefits.

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Heritage in local plans: how to create a sound plan under the NPPF

Posted on: 2 January 2013
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This guide for local authorities explains how to achieve the objectives of the National Planning Policy Framework for the historic environment and pass the test for what constitutes a sound local plan.

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Cultural Olympiads and the creative industries: local engagement in Torino and London

Posted on: 2 January 2013
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This paper focuses on the creative industries, clustering of creative firms and their role in local development around Olympic Games planning and delivery focusing on Torino 2006 and London 2012. The authors argue that the role of such organizations has increasing value and importance for an Olympic programme, which reflect their growing importance in society more generally.

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CIL Statutory Guidance: Setting and examination checklist

Posted on: 2 January 2013
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The Planning Advisory Service has drawn up a checklist of questions to help those that are setting their Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) or going forward to examination, to make sure that they approach setting their CIL in accordance with the new statutory guidance issued on the 14 December 2012.

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Briefing note on neighbourhood area and neighbourhood forum designations

Posted on: 2 January 2013
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This note provides guidance to local planning authorities on current practice in Neighbourhood Area and Neighbourhood Forum designation. The note includes advice based on interviews with local authority planning policy officers who have been involved in the Neighbourhood Area and/or Neighbourhood Forum designation process.

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Adapting to climate change: assessing the World Bank Group Experience –Phase III

Posted on: 2 January 2013
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Commissioned with the task of evaluating the activities of the World Bank Group, the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) has recently published their latest report. This evaluation draws lessons from World Bank Group experience with adaptation to both current levels of climate variability and ongoing climate change. It reviews the impact of longer-standing efforts to deal with climate variability, for instance via drought relief, sustainable land management, and flood control. The evaluation also looks at how, and how well, the World Bank Group has incorporated climate change risks into the design and appraisal of long-lived infrastructure. It assesses early lessons from a new crop of activities that explicitly grapple with climate adaptation at the national level.

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Build to Rent Fund Prospectus

Posted on: 2 January 2013
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In response to the recommendations of the Montague report, Review of the barriers to institutional investment in private rented homes, the Build to Rent Fund has been launched to stimulate new private rented housing supply and to provide opportunities for new institutional investment in the sector. The £200m Fund is a fully recoverable, commercial investment where the public sector will share risk or bridge finance to allow schemes to be built out, managed and let. The investment could be used to cover development costs such as land, construction or management costs. Once the scheme is fully let the developer will sell on its interest or re-finance and repay the loan/equity.

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The Committee’s response to Government’s consultation on permitted development rights for homeowners

Posted on: 2 January 2013
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The House of Commons Communities and Local Government Select Committee has published a response to the government’s plan to relax rules around extensions of properties for a period of three years. Under the proposed changes, fewer homeowners and businesses would need to apply for planning permission to extend houses or offices. In its response the Select Committee argues that the plans are based on an inadequate impact assessment that does not take into account social and environmental effects.

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The Building Act 1984, Building Amendment (Amendment) Regulations 2012

Posted on: 2 January 2013
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The purpose of this Circular (02/12) is to: draw attention to these amendments and explain the changes they make to the Building Regulations 2010, the Building (Approved Inspectors etc.) Regulations 2010, the Building (Local Authority Charges) Regulations 2010 and various Local Acts listed in Annex D to this Circular; explain the transitional provisions announce the approval and publication of new Approved Documents K, P and Regulation 7; announce the amendments to other Approved Documents; and announce the authorisation of new and extended competent person schemes.

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