The housing and planning minister Yvette Cooper has announced that design standards for ten proposed new eco-towns will be determined by an ideas competition.

Leading creative thinkers in architecture, urban and landscape design will be encouraged to take part in the competition which will be organised by the government and its network partners: Royal Institute of British Architects, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment and The Prince’s Foundation. (more…)

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to offer its employees the chance to study for nationally-recognised management qualifications.

Under the move, the ministry has signed a two-year partnership with the Chartered Management Institute, where students will be able to go on an Executive Diploma in Management course allowing them to develop skills relating to managing performance, resources and operations. (more…)

A number of far-reaching changes to the UK planning system have been suggested by a Conservative party working group led by John Gummer, former environment secretary..

The reforms to the current system, which may be of interest to those in talent pools of planning jobs candidates, include the dissolution of the current regional planning scheme and the ending of Building Regulations, the Planning Portal reports. (more…)

An ambitious new regeneration project in the West Midlands is "about building and nurturing communities" in the region and is expected to provide a range of social and environmental benefits for local residents.

Those seeking planning jobs may be interested to read that phase three of the Pride in Camp Hill regeneration scheme is being carried out by Barratt and its network partners. It involves the construction of 844 new homes on a sloping site using the highest standards of environmental sustainability, design and architecture. (more…)

The current consultation on waste charging has been described as a "red herring" by one body, which suggests that responsibility for running waste management schemes should be transferred to local government level.

Making its comments this week, the New Local Government Network (NLGN) has stated that councils and their network partners should take the opportunity presented by the current debate to "meet waste management concerns over the long-term". (more…)