Monthly Archives: September 2015

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Scotland has expressed its disappointment that the independent panel launched by the Scottish Government to review the planning system does not have a chartered planner on it. RTPI Scotland writes: Pam Ewen, RTPI Scotland … Continue reading →

A ‘Shed of the Year’ finalist from Cornwall – and 80 square foot shed made out of recycled wood by Jonathan Melville Smith, 62, in his back garden which he currently rents out as a holiday home – may be … Continue reading →

The Scottish Government has reported on the development of affordable housing on sites which were owned by the public sector, including re-use of buildings and new construction.  The Scottish Government writes: Former publicly-owned land and buildings across Scotland, including hospitals, … Continue reading →

The independent Westminster based think tank ResPublica have launched a report this week, in partnership with Age UK, The Mineral Wool Insulation Manufacturers Association and the Energy Bill Revolution, setting out new recommendations for energy efficiency policy ResPublica writes: Homeowners … Continue reading →

Three blister-type’ hangars at the City of Derry airport which are now relatively rare in the North of Ireland) are proposed for listing by The Department of the Environment Northern Ireland (DoENI).  DoENI writes: Environment Minister Mark H Durkan is … Continue reading →

The National Heritage Training Group (NHTG) has reported on a new scheme which helps with banker masonry skills; Adult Upskilling Support. NHTG writes: Stone Train have recently received great news from the CITB who have set up an initiative called … Continue reading →

The BBC reports that police are reviewing allegations the leader of a Staffordshire council’s planning group abused his position as Michael Worthington, chairman of Staffordshire Moorlands District Council’s planning committee, was caught on camera saying he was ‘under instructions. to … Continue reading →

A new think tank dealing with planning has been launched by a former Conservative party candidate Hannah David.  The Facebook page for Planning Futures describes the organisation as follows: ‘The conversation about planning has become as stagnant as the planning … Continue reading →

A campaign partnership, that includes the RIBA, which encouraged greater industry representation on the Construction Leadership Council (CLC), has had its case accepted by the government.  RIBA writes: The government has accepted the case for wider industry representation on its … Continue reading →

The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts… (RSA) has created a ‘heritage index’, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), that reveals trends in the care of heritage assets as well as looking at the numbers of assets in … Continue reading →

Northern Ireland (NI) Environment Minister has announced that a national debate will be launched on the need for an independent environment protection agency, ahead of changes and restructuring planned for next May. The Department of the Environment Northern Ireland (DoENI) … Continue reading →

The Scottish Government has announced that a three person expert panel will oversee an independent review of the Scottish Planning System The Scottish Government writes: An independent panel has been set up to carry out a game-changing review of Scotland’s … Continue reading →

A leading planning barrister, Jenny Wigley of No 5 Chambers, has warned that the government’s latest consultation on cost protection rules in environmental challenges could ‘drastically reduce the costs certainty currently afforded to judicial review claimants’, as a consultation is … Continue reading →

A bill to help local planning authorities restrict the size and depth of basement development has had its first reading in the House of Commons, with the proposed legislation being drawn up by Westminster North Labour MP Karen Buck. UK … Continue reading →

An industrial chimney – just short of the height of the spire at Salisbury Cathedral – that has loomed over part of Wiltshire’s countryside for decades is to be demolished. The Westbury cement works were constructed in the early 1960s … Continue reading →

Headline figures from a new report issued by the Design Council reveals that design contributes £72bn to the UK economy, equating to 7.7% of GVA. The Design Council writes: This year is Design Council’s 70th anniversary, and fittingly, yesterday the government’s Global … Continue reading →

‘We should be looking at using the built environment to prevent people from getting ill’ states a report on the BRE Cities Convention in the current The Planner online. View the full article on the Planner website IHBC NewsBlogs on … Continue reading →

English Heritage is marking the 100 year anniversary of the purchase of Stonehenge for £6,600, with special commemorations to recognise this important step in its care and protection.  English Heritage writes: One hundred years ago today (21 September 2015), Stonehenge … Continue reading →

The bidding process for stage 1 of the HS2 rail project was launched by the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne in Chengdu, China this week.  HM Treasury writes: Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne yesterday (24 September) announced a … Continue reading →

The worlds largest Meccano structure has been created at the historic Clarendon dock by students and staff from Queen’s University Belfast, with local schoolchildren as part of a science, technology engineering and maths (STEM) educational project.  Queen’s University Belfast writes: … Continue reading →