The LGA says councils should be allowed to vary tariffs to reflect the costs of brownfield development, or pool tariff contributions to focus them on areas of major need. The government should also introduce targeted fiscal measures in areas where private investment is lacking, allow stamp duty relief for brownfield sites, and re-introduce a land reclamation grant programme. English Partnerships could‘act as a central focus for new fiscal or funding mechanisms,’ it states,‘and could be responsible for deciding funding priorities based on a national strategy for tackling brownfield sites. Officials in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister have notified Brussels to check whether the UK’s proposed schemes for preparing derelict land and renovating historic buildings meet the commission’s stringent anti-competition test.

The first scheme will allow the use of gap funding grants to bring derelict sites up to scratch, including the cost of cleaning up contaminated land. Under the latter, developers will be able to apply for grants to ensure that schemes to renovate listed buildings or projects in conservation areas are viable. Whitehall officials are confident that proposals for a new scheme to enable gap funding of residential developments will win commission approval. The scheme will allow developers to claim up to 60% of costs from the public purse depending on where they are building. Pressure is mounting for a new government inquiry into‘environmental exclusion’ after the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit agreed to re-examine its policies. click here: Act Conveyancing Sydney
The NRU may press the Social Exclusion Unit to produce an additional policy action team report – an expert inquiry into the role of the environment in neighbourhood renewal. Some 18 policy action team reports were produced in the run-up to the launch of the government’s neighbourhood renewal strategy. Moves to bolster the NRU’s environmental role started earlier this year when a consortium – including representatives from Groundwork, Forum for the Future, Westminster University and the Local Futures Group – presented a proposal for an‘E-Quality’ initiative.
Groundwork corporate strategy director Phil Barton, who has been seconded to the unit, has produced a detailed report and been asked to undertake further work But an NRU spokesperson stressed it was‘too early’ to say whether it would fully back a proposal to the Social Exclusion Unit, which is coming to the end of its current cycle and will start new projects this autumn. Mr Barton will also work up three new‘more relevant’ targets for the NRU to add to existing ones on air quality and waste management. These will cover access to quality places and public spaces; environmental protection; and access to environmental goods such as fuel and healthy food.




