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Proposed Reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the Planning System The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system. The consultation on changes to the NPPF, covers the following: 👉 Making the standard method for assessing housing needs mandatory; 👉 Reversing other changes made to the NPPF in December 2023; 👉 Implementing a new standard method and calculation; 👉 Broadening the existing definition of brownfield land; 👉 Identifying grey belt land within the Green Belt; 👉 Improving the operation of ‘the presumption’ in favour of sustainable development; 👉 Delivering affordable, well-designed homes, with new “golden rules” for land released in the Green Belt; 👉 Making wider changes to ensure that local planning authorities are able to prioritise the types of affordable homes their communities need on all housing development; 👉 Supporting economic growth in key sectors, aligned with the Government’s industrial strategy and future local growth plans, including laboratories, gigafactories, datacentres, digital economies and freight and logistics; 👉 Delivering community needs to support society and the creation of healthy places; and 👉 Supporting clean energy and the environment, including through support for onshore wind and renewables. 📅 This consultation will close at 11:45 pm on the 24th of September 2024. Find out more and respond now 👇 https://lnkd.in/ermnm3Bi #homeimprovement #planningpolicy #nationalplanningpolicyframework #housingdevelopment #housing #homes #planning

Climate-Resilient Water Projects Thrive with WIFIA Support Communities are #increasingly turning to #strategic #investments supported by the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act #WIFIA program Read More On: https://lnkd.in/dN6MwPCp

Proposed Reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the Planning System The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and other changes to the planning system. The consultation on changes to the NPPF, covers the following: 👉 Making the standard method for assessing housing needs mandatory; 👉 Reversing other changes made to the NPPF in December 2023; 👉 Implementing a new standard method and calculation; 👉 Broadening the existing definition of brownfield land; 👉 Identifying grey belt land within the Green Belt; 👉 Improving the operation of ‘the presumption’ in favour of sustainable development; 👉 Delivering affordable, well-designed homes, with new “golden rules” for land released in the Green Belt; 👉 Making wider changes to ensure that local planning authorities are able to prioritise the types of affordable homes their communities need on all housing development; 👉 Supporting economic growth in key sectors, aligned with the Government’s industrial strategy and future local growth plans, including laboratories, gigafactories, datacentres, digital economies and freight and logistics; 👉 Delivering community needs to support society and the creation of healthy places; and 👉 Supporting clean energy and the environment, including through support for onshore wind and renewables. 📅 This consultation will close at 11:45 pm on the 24th of September 2024. Find out more and respond now 👇 https://lnkd.in/ermnm3Bi #homeimprovement #planningpolicy #nationalplanningpolicyframework #housingdevelopment #housing #homes #planning

The urgent need for investment in water infrastructure has become a political issue in the UK, driven by frustration at the poor water quality in lakes, rivers, and beaches. As the UK is not alone in facing these challenges, Joe Mares and Tom Ayres outline where investment opportunities might arise to best support global water infrastructure https://lnkd.in/eR7_qmNs #TriumTalks #MarketingCommunication #ForProfessionalInvestorsOnly

How McConnell Dowell is tackling regional water challenges with creative solutions With regional water distribution systems under pressure from ageing infrastructure, McConnell Dowell is applying cutting-edge solutions to support Australia’s booming regional communities. With regional populations booming, the pressure to modernise water and energy infrastructure has never been greater. Regional areas in Australia saw a net gain of over 160,000 individuals during the 2016-21 period – nearly triple the net gain of the previous five-year period. While this wave of urban migration is a promising step towards addressing acute skills shortages in regional areas, it also means high-growth regions are facing significant strains on their energy and water infrastructure. “With the escalation in the cost of living, you’ve got this challenge where water authorities are trying really hard to contain their water rates, but they also need to build new assets and renew or maintain ageing assets,” said Mario Russo, Managing Director for Australia at McConnell Dowell. “There’s nothing shiny about cutting the ribbon on an underground pipe, so they also get limited funding. It’s a real tug-of-war.” Follow the link to read more......

The Canadian government has announced a $4.3 million investment to support five energy retrofitting projects aimed at reducing emissions and improving energy efficiency in buildings 🌱🏢. Funded through the Greener Neighbourhoods Pilot Program (GNPP) and the Energy Innovation Program (EIP), these projects will accelerate energy upgrades across the country 🔋. One project in Gloucester’s Carver Place will receive over $2 million to improve social housing by upgrading insulation, installing electric heat pumps, and adding heat recovery ventilation systems 🏠⚡. Other funded projects include retrofits in Atlantic Canada, Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan, and social housing across Ontario 🌍. The Retrofit Canada Society also received funding to create a national repository of case studies on energy retrofits 📊. Retrofitting is key as the building sector is the third-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Canada 🌿. Deep energy retrofits can reduce energy use by 50%, lower emissions by 80%, and cut utility costs 💡💰. The government has committed over $10 billion since 2016 to support these efforts. #EnergyEfficiency #SustainableLiving #ClimateAction #GreenBuildings #CanadaRetrofitting #CleanEnergy

It's been a busy couple of days covering a lot of ground between city and country and covering some of the current affairs and emerging #advocacy issues building in Victoria's #civilconstruction industry. Not only have we had the Oxford Economics Australia team led by Adrian Hart, ping Kristian Kolding Nicholas Fearnley PhD, scope out the latest #constructioneconomics picture for Melbourne and Victoria👇. We've also been hearing from some of our regional contractors at the coalface of construction infrastructure delivery for local communities, rightly frustrated with the challenges of an irregular pipeline of projects, particularly a perceived imbalance of works investment between city and country areas: 👉 https://lnkd.in/gjc2pkt8 It makes for a busy issues agenda to push, plus identifying the key agencies and decision-makers to connect with and unite on a common goal to deliver for all Victorian families, workers and communities. (And I haven't even referenced the continuing construction union scandal that also weighs heavily on our contractors!) #busytimes for Civil Contractors Federation Victoria - CCF Vic as much as our interstate comrades Civil Contractors Federation National Civil Contractors Federation SA - CCF SA CCF NSW | Civil Contractors Federation NSW Civil Contractors Federation WA Civil Contractors Federation Queensland Ltd #keepingitcivil

📃💦 Ensuring a Viable and Deliverable Plan for the Future: Anglian Water Urges Ofwat to Revise Draft Determination 📃💦 Anglian Water Services is urging Ofwat to make crucial revisions to its Draft Determination to ensure the water sector's 2025-2030 plan is both investable and deliverable. Regulation Director Darren Rice highlights the need for balanced risk and return to attract essential investment for infrastructure projects. 🏗️ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 💷 £250 million in critical resilience projects were rejected, creating funding gaps. ⚡ Incorrect energy adjustment has led to a £175 million shortfall in base costs. 🛠️ Urges reinstatement of funding for asset health and climate adaptation projects. 𝗔𝗱𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸𝘀 🚫 Current allowed returns are insufficient to attract necessary investment for major projects, including new reservoirs. 📊 Calls for a cost of capital that aligns with real-world market data. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 🎯 AMP8 targets are based on outdated data, with many companies unlikely to meet them. 🔧 Requests recalibration of performance commitments to reflect current capabilities. 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 ⏱ Current five-year review model is inadequate for large-scale projects. 🚧 Advocates for a regulatory model similar to the Thames Tideway Tunnel to better manage risk. 𝗥𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 📝 The Draft Determination needs revisions to ensure financial resilience and the ability to recover costs. ⚖️ A balanced approach is crucial for attracting long-term investment and supporting regional growth. ------------------------------------------------ Anglian Water's request for revisions to the Draft Determination is essential for securing investment in critical infrastructure. By addressing these concerns, Ofwat can help ensure a robust and sustainable future for the water industry. #waterindustry #watertreatment #amp8 #investment #construction #meicahub #grs

🎉 Big milestone alert! Starting January 7, 2025, Alberta has officially implemented the world’s first compliance-grade carbon removal credits under the TIER program. 🌍 Carbon removal credits support innovation while driving measurable environmental impact. By incentivizing the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere and its safe storage, they pave the way for a more sustainable future. Why does this matter? Unlike voluntary markets, these TIER removal credits include both a price floor and government-backed quality assurance, ensuring stability and integrity. That’s a win for Alberta’s economy, businesses like Varme Energy, and our collective path toward net zero. Alberta has a track record of setting bold precedents in environmental policy. Swipe to see just a few of the groundbreaking achievements that have cemented Alberta’s leadership in this space ➡️ Policies like TIER demonstrate how Alberta continues to lead with impactful, market-backed systems—enabling innovation and investment using private dollars, not taxpayer money. It’s a proud moment to celebrate the province’s proactive approach to driving meaningful change for both the economy and the environment. 👏 Cheers to Alberta for raising the bar—again! #CarbonRemoval #AlbertaLeadership #Sustainability #TIERProgram #CarbonMarkets #VarmeEnergy

🔋🌊 As tensions rise over the Hydro-Québec draft agreement, the energy landscape of Newfoundland and Labrador hangs in the balance! With potential impacts on pricing and provincial revenue, the future of our communities relies on thoughtful conversations about short-term wins vs. sustainable growth. Are we making choices that truly benefit everyone? Join the dialogue and explore the implications of this pivotal issue! #EnergyPolicy #NewfoundlandAndLabrador #HydroQuebec #SustainableGrowth #PublicInterest #EconomicFuture #EnergyTransition #CommunityImpact #CleanEnergy #ResourceManagement #InfrastructureInvestments #FuturePlanning #Canada