March 2010 - Issue 108
Soil directive deadlock continues...
EU environment ministers failed to overcome the deadlock over the proposed soil framework directive, with five member states including the UK sustaining opposition
... but pressure will remain strong
Britain and other member states opposing the soil directive have been lobbying for the EU to look at other ways of meeting soil protection concerns
MPs rap DCLG over coalfield remediation
MPs have fiercely criticised DCLG over value for money in regenerating former coalfields, and say new benchmarks are needed to assess remediation costs
Government study urges more building...
A major two-year government study of land use challenges in the UK has defended greenfield sprawl and low-density development in south and east England
Dounreay shaft retrieval faces delays
Dounreay Site Restoration has proposed delaying the new facilities for retrieval of waste from the shaft and silo in response to a funding freeze
New allotment advice does not include contamination
New official advice on creating allotments covers land currently awaiting development or otherwise vacant, but includes virtually nothing on potential contamination challenges
Conservatives plan radical fix for "broken planning system"
The Conservatives have promised major changes to what leader David Cameron called "England's broken planning system" with a raft of proposals
Barker body's new brownfield attack
New medium-density homes are generally more affordable than low-density, according to new research, yet it attacks an emphasis on higher-density brownfield development
A real lack of foresight
New government research on housing and planning suggests the penny has yet to drop on an urbanist future, argues Jon Reeds
