Croydon Council has agreed the funding for a 250,000 sq ft public service delivery hub, which is the first phase of its regeneration joint venture with John Laing.
The building, which is due to complete in spring 2013, will be the first tangible result of a joint venture between John Laing and the council, called Croydon Council Urban Regeneration Vehicle. The deal, which was agreed in 2008 and is set to end in 2033, aims to implement the Croydon town masterplan.
The new hub will provide space for the council and other …

Phone company Siemens is to invest £30m in a conference and exhibition centre to be at the heart of a new “green district” of East London.
London mayor Boris Johnson, Siemens chief executive Andreas J. Goss and Newham Borough Council mayor Sir Robin Wales announced the plan for Siemens to invest £30m in the Siemens Pavilion building, which is set to be built and operational by early 2012.
The building is due to include a conference and exhibition centre, as well as a 300-seat auditorium and facilities for educational tour groups. It …

Prime minister David Cameron has said that central government buildings will publish more energy data as they attempt to cut their emissions 10% over the next year.
Today, Cameron announced that cutting the emissions would make properties owned by central government departments cheaper to run. He also said that government department headquarters would publish their energy use online so the public can hold ministers and civil servants responsible for their emissions.
He also said a government steering group would be set up to ensure departments meet the target. The group is to …

Anthony Coumidis, sustainability and energy director at property and construction consultancy McBains Cooper says local authorities should interpret their “10% renewables” planning rules differently to drive down the cost of green energy:
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Current planning permission regulations say new builds must generate at least 10% of their energy needs from on-site renewable energy equipment.
But in most cases moving the renewable energy generating equipment away from the building to which it is contributing power will generate even greater efficiencies.
Some new buildings simply do not offer the highest possible return on investment in energy …

As the three-way battle between the major parties reaches its climax, we give you a run down of policies that would affect public property after the election.
Labour: Keep steady
Efficiency savings
Labour wants to push ahead with cuts to property running costs, axe unneeded quangos and “sharply” reduce spending on consultants. It says this would save £20bn a year by 2012-13 and have reiterated plans to sell public property. In March, it announced a £35bn sell-off of local government assets.
Housing and regeneration
Vaguely pledges to give councils more power to finance and develop …

Simon Pugh-Jones, director, planning consultancy Barton Willmore explains how to implement the new Planning Policy Statement 5 on protecting the historic environment

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Heritage reforms are like buses. You wait and wait, then three new documents turn up at once.
They are, firstly, the government’s Statement on the Historic Environment for England. Second, Planning Policy Statement 5: Planning for the Historic Environment, and finally, PPS5: Historic Environment Planning Practice Guide.
The new PPS 5 replaces PPG 15 and PPG 16 and sets out policies on conservation areas, listed buildings, listed gardens, registered battlefields, World …

Plans for Malvern’s £17.7m Community Hospital have been unveiled today.
The new-build Malvern Community Hospital (new plans pictured), which is scheduled to open in autumn 2010, will provide 24 beds. It uses Combined Heat and Power as well as geothermal energy in a bid to deliver on low carbon targets.
The NHS is currently responsible for 3% of England’s total carbon dioxide emissions and has an annual energy bill of over £500 million.
The building will include in-patient and out-patient facilities, x-ray and ultrasound, day rehabilitation and therapies, palliative care and visiting mammography …

The government needs to change the planning system and get council support to adapt UK buildings for climate change, a committee of MPs reported today.
The House of Commons environmental audit committee today published its report Adapting to Climate Change. It said the planning system must play a key role in changing buildings to lower their carbon dioxide emissions, particularly existing homes. It said councils needed to address climate change in transport and planning policies.
The report said buildings should also be adapted to increase their resilience to floods, such as those …

The government plans to overhaul three planning policies to help councils deal better with planning applications for sustainable developments.
Government department Communities and Local Government has today published three draft Planning Policy Statements on climate change, coastal change, and the natural environment. CLG wants the three to act as a “green planning rulebook”.
It also announced £10m so councils can develop their skills as “green champions” so they can develop sustainable housing and energy sources.
Housing and planning minister John Healey said: “The tougher, better guidelines for planning give councils a new blueprint, …

Government is to start consultation on revising its planning policies to help tackle climate change later this month, the EcoBuild conference in London has heard.
Government department Communities and Local Government launched its Planning Policy Statement on Climate Change in December 2007, which sets national planning policies on dealing with climate change. Bob Ledsome, deputy director of climate change and sustainable development at CLG, said the government aimed to start consultation on a new Climate Change PPS “within days”.
The EcoBuild conference started at Earl’s Court in London yesterday and finishes …