Politicians have responded to riots in English cities with calls for tougher policing, greater opportunity and an end to gang culture, but regeneration has scarcely been mentioned and the Government is still pushing planning reforms that leave cities to their fate.
Greenfield sprawl regains strength
The proportion of English house building on greenfield sites rose sharply in 2010, accordiing to new Government statistics, and there has been a sharp rise in the proportion built on farmland for two years running.
Brownfield Forum opens up to greenfield
The new Brownfield Forum, set up to replace the old National Brownfield Forum, decided at its first meeting to rename itself The Land Forum and to change its terms of reference to include work on greenfield sites.
Agency reveals capital grant figures
The Environment Agency has revealed details of projects approved under the 2011-12 contaminated land capital grants programme for England, showing that local authories and the Agency put bids in for more than twice the £4.35m available and that inspection projects fared worse.
No Scots landfill for Olympic waste
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has firmly squashed rumours thaat hazardous waste residue from remediation of London's Olympic Park site were landfilled at the Avondale Environmental landfill site at Polmont.
Minister lashes out at Middle England backlash
The Government's assault on brownfield policy and the planning system is showing signs of strain, prompting planning minister Bob Neill to lash out and describe the National Trust and Campaign to Protect Rural England as left-wingers.
When brownfield action was planned...
Axing of brownfield land action plans undermined the strategic approach to land reclamation, says Jon Reeds.
Dose-Response Roadmaps to SPOSH
Paul Nathanail of Land Quality Management discusses the Does-Response Roadmap and its applications in risk assessment.
Reasons for regions
The Government continues to abhor anything to do with regions and its city policies are weak, reports Jon Reeds.
