The member of parliament for Truro and St Austell has been selected to assist in developing policy on the application for land use planning, Communities and Local Government reports.

The prime minister has stated that Matthew Taylor will advise the minister of state for housing and the secretary of state for the environment on planning within the context of rural environmental protection. (more…)

Local planning laws should be relaxed to allow households to install greener energy sources more easily and generate their own power.

A new study by the New Local Government Network (NLGN) claims that UK households should receive grants and tax rebates to install renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines, with planning legislation relaxed to boost uptake of microgeneration. (more…)

Local planning laws should be relaxed to allow households to install greener energy sources more easily and generate their own power.

A new study by the New Local Government Network (NLGN) claims that UK households should receive grants and tax rebates to install renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines, with planning legislation relaxed to boost uptake of microgeneration. (more…)

Ministers have insisted that environmental obligations will remain when a revised planning policy on climate change for English councils is published towards the end of the year.

Responding to reports about plans to drop the "Merton Rule", the government has insisted that the policy will remain in place and planning authorities and their network partners will be required to ensure that environmental measures are in place before approving applications, potentially increasing the number of planning jobs available. (more…)

The UK insurance industry is calling on the government to review its planning policies and to reconsider its decision to allow the development of new homes on flood plains.

The Association of British Insurers has written to environment secretary Hilary Benn urging him to increase spending on the nation’s flood defences and drainage management. (more…)