Cornish Social & Economic Research Group
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_______________________________________________PUBLIC CONSULTATION - Camborne, Pool, Illogan and Redruth Area Action Plan
17 July 2008
Kerrier have just released their new plan for Camborne, Pool, Illogan, and Redruth. This sets out the developing options for the area. Exhibitions will be held as set out below. There are a number taking place during the next couple of weeks - all exhibitions are open from noon to 8.30pm:
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• Camborne - Tuesday 22nd July at Camborne Centenary Centre |
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• Redruth - Thursday 24 July at Memorial Hall (next to Wesley Chapel) |
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• Illogan - Tuesday 29th July at Penwartha Hall |
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• Pool - Thursday 31st July at Trevenson Community Hall |
There will also be displays at Camborne and Redruth libraries and Tesco Extra, Pool throughout August. You can also feed back your comments by:
| • E-mail (follow link to Planning Policy Team below) |
| • Writing to the Planning Policy Team (Details here) |
| • Public Access - Local Development Framework |
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Regions 'need own MP committees'
BBC, Thursday, 10 July 2008
Select committees should be created for England's regions so MPs can check the work of Regional Development Agencies, a Parliamentary committee has said.
"Regular, robust" scrutiny was needed of RDAs around England, the Commons Modernisation Committee added. Up to 10 MPs would sit on each regional select committee, most of them local.
England's nine regions are the East and West Midlands, North East, North West, East, South East, South West, Yorkshire and the Humber, and London. Regional Development Agencies had "significant budgets" and a "central role" in co-ordinating the economy and budgets of an area, the Modernisation Committee said. It was for these reasons that they should be "the chief focus" of the new select committees, it added. In addition there would be a number of "grand committees", made up of a greater number of MPs, which would have the power to question England's regional ministers. It recommends that these changes be introduced before the end of the current Parliamentary year, in early December, and then reviewed.
Source page....news.bbc.co.uk
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Minister warns on housing market,
BBC, Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Commons leader Harriet Harman has told MPs there is "grave cause for concern" about the housing market but said the government was "taking action".
Lib Dem Vincent Cable had urged the government to "get its priorities right" and recognise the "deep crisis". Ms Harman, filling in for Gordon Brown at prime minister's questions, said she agreed it was "serious" but said it was not as bad as during the 1990s. She highlighted ministers' action such as £200m given to buy up unsold homes. Mr Cable said the Housing Corporation proposal was a good one, but a "drop in the ocean". He said: "Can't the government get its priorities right...? "Could the government acknowledge we've now got a very deep crisis in the housing market - probably the worst in our lifetime, leading into a serious recession? "It's time the government accepted responsibility for dealing with that."
For more... news.bbc.co.uk
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Regional Spatial Strategy and Local Development Framework: Core output indicators - Update 2/2008
Departments: Communities and Local Government, Document type: Guidance,
Date of publication: 10 July 2008
Summary: This document contains revised core output indicators for regional planning bodies and local planning authorities to report on as part of the approach to regional and local monitoring set out in Planning Policy Statement 11: Regional spatial strategies and Planning Policy Statement 12: Local spatial planning and accompanying monitoring guidance.
Regional Spatial Strategy and Local Development Framework: Core Output Indicators - Update 2/2008
Published: 10 July 2008, Type(s): Good practice and guidance, Site: Planning, building and the environment.
Summary: This document contains revised core output indicators for regional planning bodies and local planning authorities to report on in their Annual Monitoring Reports as part of the approach to regional and local monitoring set out in Planning Policy Statement 11: Regional Spatial Strategies (PPS11) and Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Spatial Planning (PPS12) and accompanying monitoring guidance.
This replaces Core Output Indicators for Regional Planning (published in March 2005); Local Development Framework Core Output Indicators Update 1/2005 (published in October 2005) and Table 4.4 and Annex B of the Local Development Framework Monitoring: A Good Practice Guide (published in March 2005).
For documnet...Regional Spatial Strategy and Local Development Framework: Core Output Indicators - Update 2/2008 PDF, 159 kb , 32 pages
Source page...www.communities.gov.uk
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Local Development Frameworks: Examining development plan documents - Soundness guidance
Departments: Planning Inspectorate, Document type: Guidance,
Date of publication: 11 July 2008
Summary: This document provides guidance to local planning authorities and all those involved in the development plan document examination process. It sets out the approach that will be taken to assess whether a plan has been prepared in accordance with the legislative requirements and to establish whether it is sound.
For more....www.planning-inspectorate.gov.uk (PDF format, 1.8 Mb)
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Housing Market Renewal: Action plan for delivering successful places
Departments: Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment; English Heritage; Sustainable Development Commission, Document type: Policy document,
Date of publication: 11 July 2008
Summary: This action plan, put forward jointly by CABE, English Heritage and the Sustainable Development Commission, proposes a shift in the planning agenda away from housing and towards a broad-based, design-led regeneration programme, with placemaking at its centre. It pays particular attention to the government’s programme for delivering housing-led regeneration across 12 areas in the north of England and the West Midlands.
For more....www.cabe.org.uk (PDF format, 930 Kb)
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Proposed Changes to Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres - Consultation
Departments: Communities and Local Government, Document type: Consultation paper,
Date of publication: 10 July 2008, Deadline date: 3 October 2008
Summary: This consultation seeks views on revisions to Planning Policy Statement 6 following the commitment to review the current approach to assessing the impact of proposals outside town centres. The proposals emphasise the importance of maintaining a strong focus on town centre policy, promoting competition and improving consumer choice.
For more...www.info4local.gov.uk
Summary: This consultation on revisions to Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 6 follows the commitment in the Planning White Paper 'Planning for a Sustainable Future' to review the current approach in PPS6 to assessing the impact of proposals outside town centres, in a way which maintains a strong focus on our town centre first policy, and which promotes competition and improves consumer choice.
For more...Proposed Changes to Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for Town Centres - Consultation PDF, 594 kb , 88 pages
Further information...www.communities.gov.uk
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Hedges fund wealth of wildlife and landscapes
Healthy hedgerows are the backbone of many of our most loved landscapes and critical to the survival of much our rarest wildlife. Now an alliance of organisations have got together to promote essential hedgerow management with a new film to be launched at the Royal Show today (Friday 4th July).
* A Cut Above The Rest is available as a DVD free from Natural England’s Enquiry Service
Email:naturalengland
For more....www.naturalengland.org.uk
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Think-tank urges regional plans to consider housing increases
Departments:
Document type:
Date of publication:
Regional planners have been advised to consider increasing housing provision across England by up to a further half a million homes by 2020 in a bid to improve affordability. That's the upper level of new housing supply additions outlined by a Government think-tank, the National Housing and Planning Advice Unit (NHPAU), in a paper just published which takes into account demographic, economic and housing affordability trends. Ministers will now consider how the unit's advice will be translated into guidance for regional planning bodies as they review their regional spatial strategies (RSSs). The unit has stressed that the figures in its long-run housing supply ranges are not targets.
Download the NHPAU document....www.communities.gov.uk
Further information.....www.planningportal.gov.uk
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Public Space Lessons: Adapting public space to climate change
Departments: Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, Document type: Guidance,
Date of publication: 3 July 2008
Summary: This briefing sets out the lessons learned in the UK and around the world from using public spaces to adapt to climate change. It offers guidance on how to adapt towns and cities through thoughtfully designed public spaces offering water storage, cooling and carbon absorption.
For more....www.info4local.gov.uk
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Household Debt Monitoring Paper
Departments: Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, Document type: Research,
Date of publication: 2 July 2008
Summary: This paper covers research on consumer lending and household debt.
To see document...www.info4local.gov.uk
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Rapid Evidence Review of the Research Literature on the Impact of Worsening Affordability
Departments: Guest contributor, Document type: Research,
Date of publication: 2 July 2008
Summary: This paper presents an evidence review of research literature on the impact of the worsening affordability of the housing market.
Further information....Rapid evidence review of the research literature on the impact of worsening affordability
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Affordability Still Matters
Departments: Guest contributor, Document type: Research,
Date of publication: 2 July 2008
Summary: This report covers research showing that, despite current market conditions, housing affordability does still matter.
Further information....Affordability Still Matters
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National Housing and Planning Advice Unit Research Findings
Number Three: Public attitudes towards the affordability of market
housing
Departments: Guest contributor, Document type: Research,
Date of publication: 2 July 2008
Summary: This paper presents the findings of a 2008 survey on public attitudes towards the affordability of market housing.
Further information....NHPAU Research Findings No. 3: Public attitudes towards the affordability of market housing
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The Growth Fund 2008-2011: Consultation
Departments: Communities and Local Government, Document type: Consultation paper,
Deadline date: 7 July 2008
Summary:This consultation seeks views on proposals for the Growth Fund, which is the new mechanism by which funding for places pursuing growth will be provided for the period 2008-11.
Further information.....Consultation paper
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Carbon Pathways Analysis: Informing development of a carbon reduction strategy for the transport sector
Departments: Department for Transport, Document type: Research,
Date of publication: 1 July 2008
Summary: This report considers the transport sector's role as a significant contributor to the UK’s atmospheric emissions and how the sector can reduce its environmental impact in future.
further information....Carbon Pathways Analysis
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First study of its kind into greenhouse gas emissions from farms,the CLA website and the findings are regarded as a first step towards a benchmarking approach to improving awareness and management of the greenhouse gas impact of UK farms. The full report can be found at....www.naturalengland.org.uk [ PDF 960 kB]
Further information...www.naturalengland.org.uk
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Consultation: Prosperous places - Taking forward the review of sub-national economic development and regeneration (HTML format)
Document type: Research
Departments: Communities and Local Government; Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. Consultation paper.
Date of publication: 31 March 2008,
Deadline date: 20 June 2008
Summary
This consultation seeks views on proposals to support regional economic growth in England.
For more.....
Consultation: Prosperous places - Taking forward the review of sub-national economic development and regeneration (PDF format, 490 Kb)_______________________________________________
Why Place Matters and Implications for the Role of Central, Regional and Local Government (HTML format)
Document type: Research
Departments: Communities and Local Government
Date of publication: 31 March 2008,
Summary
This is the second in a series of papers highlighting key pieces of economic and analytical work undertaken within or on behalf of Communities and Local Government. It highlights some of the analysis that fed into and supported a number of recommendations in the review of sub-national economic development and regeneration, including empowering local authorities to promote economic development and neighbourhood renewal, while recognising the benefits of supporting local authorities to work together at the sub-regional level.
For more.....
www.info4local.gov.uk_______________________________________________
Planning and Optimal Geographical Levels for Economic Decision-making: The sub-regional role (HTML format)
Document type: Research
Departments: Communities and Local Government
Date of publication: 31 March 2008,
Summary
This document applies the levels of intervention approach to economic policy areas, with a particular focus on planning, to support understanding of the appropriate role of different government levels. Conclusions, further outlined in the Review of Sub-National Economic Development and Regeneration, include the need for further sub-regional involvement in planning policy, with a necessary provision of incentives to encourage sub-regional cooperation on planning issues.
For more.....
www.info4local.gov.uk_______________________________________________
Communities and Local Government, Consultation paper
Date of publication: 17 December 2007, Deadline date: 17 March 2008.
Summary:
This consultation paper seeks comments on a draft planning policy statement on sustainable economic development. The purpose of the statement will be to put in place a national planning policy framework for economic development at regional, sub-regional and local levels for both urban and rural areas.
Update:
This was published on Monday 17 December 2007. We are circulating it again in our email because we originally put it under the wrong department by mistake.
For more...
www.info4local.gov.uk_______________________________________________
Statistical Release: Net supply of housing for England and the
regions up 2006-07,
DCLG, 20 March 2008
This statistical release presents national housing supply trends since the late 1960s and regional supply since 2000-01. Supply is measured in net additional dwellings, which measures the absolute change in the stock between 1 April and 31 March in the following year, taking into account new build dwellings and gains and losses through change of use, conversions and demolitions. Net additional dwellings provide a standard way of measuring housing supply for central government, regional assemblies and local authorities.
Trends in Housing Supply
(Table A and Chart B)
Over the short term, housing supply in England reached 199,200 net additional dwellings in 2006-07, an 8 per cent increase on the 2005-06 level. Housing supply has increased steadily from around 130,500 net additions in 2001-02, a rise of 53 per cent over the period. The net supply in 2006-07 was the highest level since 1988.
Over the longer term, at the end of the 1960s housing supply peaked at around 260,000 net additional dwellings. Over the 1970s supply declined but maintained levels above 170,000 net additions. In the early 1980s supply fell back to 150,000 but then recovered to reach a peak of 206,000 net additions in 1988. Supply then dropped sharply between 1988 and 1990 to a levels of 166,000 (a decline of 19 per cent). Following this down turn, housing supply remained broadly stable during the 1990s, but fell back to around 130,500 net additions in 2001-02.
Table A: Net Additional Dwellings since 2000-01 Table A (MS Excel, 16 kb)
Chart B: Net Additions since 1967, England Chart
Source: Returns from local authorities and Regional Assemblies
For more..
_______________________________________________Department for Transport, Rosie Winterton calls for Technology & Innovation to help cut transport emissions.
Monday 10 March 2008,
'Transport Minister Rosie Winterton told a conference of national transport operators in Sheffield (10th March) that the UK's transport system can make a major contribution to cutting CO2 emissions, with the help of innovative lower carbon technologies. In keynote speech at the Yorkshire Green Fleet event, the Minister, who is also Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber, said the government wants to encourage the development of cutting edge technology and be seen as a world leader in reducing carbon emissions.
She said, "Tackling carbon emissions from transport remains a challenging issue. For the sake of generations to come we need to research, develop and rapidly adopt low carbon transport technologies. The Government has an important role to play by supporting the development of new, cleaner technologies - and we are already making progress in a number of ways."
She said private sector fleets such as supermarkets, hauliers and delivery services also have an important role to play. Improved environmental performance could result in reduced fuel costs. Efforts are also underway to improve the carbon performance of new passenger cars - the UK is supporting mandatory EU targets for vehicle fuel efficiency and Vehicle Excise Duty and company car tax regimes have been strengthened to encourage the purchase of cleaner vehicles.'
For more... www.communities.gov.uk
_______________________________________________Government adopts new policies on redevelopment of brownfield land,
English Partnerships News release, 04 March 2008
The Government has today published its response to English Partnerships' recommendations on policies to coordinate the redevelopment of brownfield land across England.
Formal adoption of the recommendations, announced by Under Secretary of State Iain Wright MP, paves the way for implementation of the first ever National Brownfield Strategy for England, designed to re-use over 52,000 hectares of previously developed, vacant or derelict land in support of Government ambitions to build 3 million new homes by 2020. At least 60% of the homes will be on brownfield sites, protecting greenfield land and contributing to general wellbeing by tackling derelict, blighted land within existing communities.
Mr Wright MP said, "Since 1997, the amount of new development on brownfield land has risen significantly from 60 per cent to 75 per cent - a real achievement. But we want to go further and regenerate the most challenging sites.
"Brownfield land development is not just about building much needed homes, it is also about decontaminating blighted areas, recycling derelict sites and creating open green spaces in urban centres.
"It is important that everyone works together to make the best use of brownfield land. It is the best way to protect the countryside and improve the quality of urban land without encroaching on the greenbelt.
Full document www.englishpartnerships.co.uk
_______________________________________________Better managed motorways and more funding to tackle urban congestion,
Department for Transport, 04 March 2008
Ruth Kelly, Transport Secretary, published new plans to tackle congestion on the busiest motorways and give drivers greater choice over their journeys. According to the Government “The feasibility study into extending the successful pilot of hard shoulder running on the M42 near Birmingham has identified around 800 lane kilometres of England's motorways which could soon benefit from using the hard shoulder as an extra lane.“
Full document www.gnn.gov.uk
_______________________________________________Kelly announces review of indirect impacts of biofuel production,
to consultation replies,
Department for Transport, 21 February 2008
Ruth Kelly has today invited the UK's newly established Renewable Fuels Agency to lead a study of the wider economic and environmental impacts - particularly the indirect impacts - of different forms of biofuel production.
The results of the study will help inform the development of both the UK and EU's policies in this area, and will underpin the consideration of EU biofuel targets after 2010.
For more click here
_______________________________________________Transfer of Planning Appeals to Inspectors:Government response
to consultation replies,
DCLG, 20 February 2008
A summary of responses to the consultation, published 13 August 2007. This contained proposals to enable most types of planning and enforcement appeals to be determined by Inspectors except where the circumstances of any individual case justify its recovery for the Secretary of State's own determination.
The full report here
For more www.communities.gov.uk
_______________________________________________Trees in towns,
DCLG, 18 February 2008
The Trees in Towns II report assesses the effectiveness of tree management in urban areas in England. It identifies changes since earlier surveys, including Trees in Towns published in 1993. The executive summary of the report includes information on the quality and quantity of trees; local authority resources and practices in managing urban trees; and the recruitment and skills of local authority tree managers.
For more www.communities.gov.uk/publications
Government plants seeds for greener, leafier communities,Ministers will today urge all councils to match the standards of the best to protect their local tree populations.
See also www.communities.gov.uk/news
_______________________________________________New packaging waste recycling targets will deliver greater carbon benefits,
Defra NEWS RELEASE 11 February 2008
Defra has today confirmed its intention that packaging waste recovery and recycling targets for Great Britain will increase from 2008 onwards. In this year alone the new, higher targets will save over 8m tonnes of CO2 from being emitted into the Earth’s atmosphere, helping in the fight against dangerous climate change. The targets will increase again over the following two years to realise a further saving of 258,097 tonnes of CO2 in 2009 and then an additional 285,436 tonnes in 2010.
For more click here
_______________________________________________Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport: Public consultation,
Department for Transport , Consultation paper -22 November 2007.
Deadline date: 27 February 2008
This is a consultation that looks at ways in which Heathrow airport could be developed over the next 20 years or more.
For more click here
_______________________________________________Sustainable Communities Act 2007: A guide, Communities and Local Government, Policy document,
Publication date: 1 February 2008
Summary:
The Sustainable Communities Act received Royal Assent on 23 October 2007. It aims to promote the sustainability of local communities. This guide describes the Act and what will happen next.
For more click here
_______________________________________________Housing Statistics 2007,
Communities and Local Government, Research,
7 February 2008
This annual compendium of statistics covers a wide range of housing topics, including new house building completions, total housing stock, number of households and house prices.
For more click here
_______________________________________________UK climate change sustainable development indicator: 2006 greenhouse gas emissions, final figures,
Defra, 31 January 2008
In 2006, UK emissions of the basket of six greenhouse gases(1) covered by the Kyoto Protocol were estimated to be 652.3 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent(2). This was 0.5 per cent lower than the 2005 figure of 655.5 million tonnes.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main greenhouse gas, accounting for about 85 per cent of total UK greenhouse gas emissions in 2006. In 2006, UK net emissions of carbon dioxide(3) were estimated to be 554.5 million tonnes. This was similar to the 2005 figure of 555.2 million tonnes. There was a decrease in emissions of 4.0 per cent from the residential sector, and a decrease of 1.6 per cent from the business sector. There were, however, increases in emissions from the other main sectors including the energy supply sector (1.5 percent) and the transport sector (1.3 per cent) over the same period.
For more click here
_______________________________________________Participation Inquiry: Strengthening the role of local councillors,
Commission for Rural Communities, 31 January 2008
This report highlights findings that nearly half of rural residents feel unable to influence local decisions directly affecting their lives. The Government is committed to devolving powers and resources down to local level in order to give communities greater control over the decisions that affect their lives. This is all the more important in rural areas where communities are typically smaller and more dispersed.
More from the Participation Inquiry: Strengthening the role of local councillors (PDF format, 1.5 Kb)here
_______________________________________________Convergence Programmes launch marks start of £445 million investment in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly,
SWRDA, News Release, 30 January 2008
Today (January 30th) marks the start of the two Convergence programmes totalling almost £445 million of European investment for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The ambitions for these economic investment programmes (European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund) are to build on the Objective One programme success in regenerating the economy of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The event was also attended by Brussels-based Jonathan Denness, Deputy Head of Unit for the UK at the European Commission's DG Regional Policy. Of the two programmes the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Convergence Programme will be worth about £311 million - before any of the required match funding (which can come from a mix of local, regional and national public organisations). The managing agent for this programme will be the South West Regional Development Agency (RDA).
Phil McVey, Director of European Programmes for the South West RDA, said: "The South West RDA is proud to be working with Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly on this ambitious new European programme of investment.
"We are looking forward to building on the legacy of Objective One and making a further step-change in the economic prospects of the area over the next seven years"
Andrew Mitchell, Cornwall County Council Economy Portfolio Holder, said: "The challenge is clear - Convergence is likely to be the last substantive European investment in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and therefore it must be targeted and focussed to make sure we make those investments that will make the long term, transformational difference to our economy."
Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Objective One Partnership, added: "Convergence will be one of the most ambitious and challenging investment opportunities for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We must work together to keep our eyes on the long term ambitions of a stronger, more diverse economy with nationally and internationally successful businesses."
Following the beginning of the ERDF and ESF Convergence programmes the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and South West Competitiveness programmes are due to be launched in Exeter on February 4th. The RDPE contains £55 million ring fenced for the Convergence area of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. ENDS
Editors' notes: For further information contact:
- James Harper, Head of Communications, South West RDA,
- Clare Morgan, Media Relations Manager, Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Tel:
- Jason Clark, Deborah Clark and Associates,
Or see:
http:/ /www.southwestrda.org.uk...convergence.shtm
AND
http://www.objectiv eone.com...convergence.shtm>
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Price falls provide evidence of downward trend in housing market,
Land Registry, 29 January 2008
House prices in England and Wales dropped by 0.4 per cent in December, taking the average price to £184,469, according to the latest figures from Land Registry. It is the first fall for England and Wales since August 2005, although three regions bucked the downward trend. The largest monthly growth was seen in the North East, at 2.2 per cent.
The volume of transactions was also down on the same period last year, with an average of 103,374 per month in the months July to October 2007, compared with 117,086 per month from July to October 2006.
Further information(PDF format, 1.5 Kb) here
_______________________________________________The Community Infrastructure Levy,
Communities and Local Government, 24 January 2008
The Government has introduced provisions in the Planning Bill for the new community infrastructure levy, which will establish a better way to increase investment in the vital infrastructure that growing communities need. The Bill allows for regulations to empower local councils to apply a community infrastructure levy on new developments in their areas to support infrastructure delivery.
For more click here
_______________________________________________Exploring Public Attitudes to Personal Carbon Dioxide Emission Information,
Department for Transport, 23 January 2008
This report summarises research on how the public engages with environmental terminology and personal carbon emissions information.
For more clickhere
_______________________________________________UK welcomes EU climate change proposals,
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, 23 January 2008
The UK today welcomed the European Commission's ambitious proposals for tackling climate change and delivering a low carbon economy in Europe. The package contains proposals to implement the decisions agreed by EU Heads of State and Government at the 2007Spring European Council, including a 20 per cent reduction in EU greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, increasing to 30 per cent when there is an international climate agreement; 20 per cent of total EU energy consumption to come from renewables by 2020; and measures to support the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) including up to twelve CCS demonstration projects.
For more click hereSevern tidal power study could unlock massive renewable potential,
_______________________________________________Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, 22 January 2008
The Government introduced the terms of reference for the Severn Barrage feasibility study. Government sources indicate it could provide up to 5% of the electricity required by the UK.
For more click hereEU reveals energy plan of action,
_______________________________________________23 January 2008
Announcing plans to make Europe "the first economy for the low-carbon age" the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso stated the aim was to cut EU greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020.
Green groups argued for a larger cut on the grounds that to deal with climate change stronger measures were necessary.
For more click here
_______________________________________________A new approach to transport in Wales,
Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru / Welsh Assembly Government, 18 January 2008
Ieuan Wyn Jones, the Welsh Assembly Government's Minister for the Economy and Transport and Plaid Cymru leader, in a recent speech said, "Devolution means that, for the first time, Wales has a government explicitly committed to getting the best deal for the whole of the country. For the first time, we can produce our own vision of the transport system we need to speed development of a strong and confident nation.
"Despite tough spending limits, we aim to ensure a more effective road and rail network, one that supports our wider ambitions for economic and social development of the whole country."
For more click here
_______________________________________________English Partnerships strengthens its brownfield expertise, 18th January 2008
The national regeneration agency, English Partnerships, has expanded its specialist brownfield team, b