Well... A new NPPF by the end of the month, mandatory housing targets, Ministers ready to intervene, more planning officers, energy and infrastructure projects, and more planning reform in the last 72 hours than in the previous 14 years! Chancellor Rachel Reeves has called for urgent reform of our ‘antiquated’ planning system. Committing to “facing down vested interests” and accepting “short-term political pain,” she emphasized that planning system reform is critical. Our thoughts are below, but we hope that the changes will result in many more families and younger people finding opportunities and new homes over the next 5 years… 1. Commit to building 1.5 million new homes over 5 years. 2. Reform the NPPF with growth-focused mandatory housing targets by month’s end. 3. Reverse the ban on onshore wind farms. 4. Create a task force to unlock 14,000 stalled housing sites. 5. Fund 300 additional planning officers. 6. Use ministerial powers to prioritize projects with regional and national benefits. 7. Direct all LPAs to ensure universal Local Plan coverage and review Green Belt areas for development. 8. Focus on unblocking energy and infrastructure projects. Importantly, the Chancellor noted that there will be criticism and that balances need to be struck between growth and the environment – but that the Government will not pander to those who always say no. As always, the devil will be in the detail. What will the new NPPF say, and will it sweep away the changes from December which are a drag on housebuilding? What is meant by mandatory housing targets and how will they be calculated and enforced? How will the benefits of development be weighed when the DPM intervenes? And will the new Local Plan processes set out by the previous Government be retained? But sometimes it is best to listen to the tone of these announcements and not the detail. The Chancellor set out some clear messages: - Planning reform is urgently needed and central to the Government’s growth agenda, - Housebuilding must increase massively to meet the 1.5m target, - The Government will take on those who say no, and - Local Authorities are expected to embrace and deliver these priorities or interventions will be made. This is one of the first major policy announcements of the new Government, and it feels as if the spotlight has turned firmly on those local authorities who have been dragging heels on Local Plan work and not facing up to building the homes that are needed - housebuilding is a National Mission, of National Significance, and the Government intends that everyone active in the sector understands that importance. The next few weeks will be huge in seeing how these messages translate to real reform of the system.
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Yesterday our Federation of Canadian Municipalities's Big City Mayors' Caucus met in Ottawa to sound the alarm on infrastructure. Current federal infrastructure programs are closing or are vastly oversubscribed, while others like a new permanent transit fund don't start until 2026. With a rapidly growing population to support and an urgent need to mobilize to get more homes built, Mayors were clear that basic infrastructure needs to be prioritized and funded now as part of a growth plan. People living in new and growing communities need more than just a physical home - they need to be able to get around efficiently through functioning roads and transit, need to have access to clean water in their homes, and need accessible public spaces to exercise, play, and get together. Municipalities own, build and maintain 60% of public infrastructure in Canada but simply don't have the revenue tools to fund it all themselves. All orders of government need to be involved - and we urgently need the federal government to follow through on their 2023 commitment to table a new federal infrastructure plan to set our communities up for success. https://lnkd.in/gwtqt4AF
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The new P3 funding program is indicative of the Biden Administration's strong policy preference of direct funding State and local government infrastructure. Although P3 projects can often be supplemented with tax-exempt bonds, the Biden Administration has yet to introduce a new tax-advantaged municipal bond program in a budget proposal or strongly advocate for the reinstatement of State and local governments to issue advance refunding bonds.
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This article explores the foundational aspects of CIP, how the bond will affect municipal infrastructure development, and the long-term implications of the proposed projects in the Hays County’s $440 Million Road Bond Proposal. https://lnkd.in/gGxQM7ss
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A nice summary of Federal Budget and its impact on the housing sector. The 2024 Federal Budget dedicates substantial funding to infrastructure projects, aiming to reduce bottlenecks and expedite housing developments. With a significant $1 billion investment specifically for trunk infrastructure, developers can look forward to streamlined project timelines and enhanced efficiency. While this boost in funding is promising, there are concerns about whether it will be sufficient to address the diverse infrastructure needs across all states and territories. 🔍 Learn more about the budget's impact on property development and how it can benefit your next project. https://lnkd.in/gAbMEFAb Want to chat to a property development expert to learn what the new budget might mean for your project or idea? Get in touch with us today: https://lnkd.in/gqHkiYPS
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This is a great article from the CLOSUP team on the UP's infrastructure disparities- in 2023 a little over half of UP local officials noted an increase in infrastructure demands and plan to increase spending, but funding can't always keep up with the demand. ARPA has provided some funding but Michigan as a whole has only spent $133.9 million of the $546.7 million allocated for infrastructure, and most of that spending was on structural improvements. The deadline to commit remaining ARPA funds is this December! What do you think should be prioritized? I would like to see more attention given to water and sewer projects https://lnkd.in/gRYRy8w3
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The Queensland Government has committed a record $89 Billion over 4 years to infrastructure projects and with the 2032 Olympics on the horizon, the expenditure doesn’t look like stopping. Do you know what to do when you receive a Notice for resumption of your land? 🚧🚜🏗 Find out your options in my latest article - https://lnkd.in/gRFA_ZF4 #queensland #land #propertylaw
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RI Infrastructure Bank is now accepting applications for our Municipal Infrastructure Grant Program for projects that invest in site-related infrastructure (roads, stormwater improvements, environmental remediation) to support affordable housing development. We will be prioritizing applications for site-related infrastructure projects that maximize the number of housing units affordable to Rhode Islanders earning 80% AMI or below and that maximize the density of units to be built using the infrastructure investment. To be eligible for funding from this RFP, projects must be for infrastructure to support rental or homeownership developments that are affordable or mixed-income with at least 10% of units reserved for those earning up to 120% of AMI. $4.3 million was included for this program in the FY 2024 State Budget. #infrastructure #affordablehousing #housingdevelopment
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PLANNING REFORM: Some early encouraging signs but as ever the key will be the devil in the detail itself. Phase 2 summarise our initial thoughts on what we have heard from the new Labour Government so far: - A consultation on a new draft of the NPPF to take place before the end of July 2024. This will be growth focused, strengthening the presumption in favour of sustainable development and likely to include key changes in respect of LPA housing requirements and Green Belt policy. How these matters will be defined will be essential to the early success of any change/updated policy stance to enable real growth objectives to be realised and we await such consultation with eagle eyes. The new draft NPPF is likely to make clear that universal coverage of Local Plans and reviews of Green Belt boundaries ‘will be expected’ of LPAs. This does not appear to be the strongest requirement and how this is enforced will likely be key to the success of any such new policy stance. The effectiveness of updated PPG should also not be underestimated here; - A new task force to accelerate stalled housing projects. It will be interesting to see the approach any task force takes here and what contribution these ‘stalled’ housing projects may make to housing land supply in the short-term; - Pledge to fund 300 extra planning officers. Spread between all LPAs this does not even equate to 1 new officer per LPA and far greater funding/support is likely to be needed to deliver on the 1.5 million new homes objective during this Government; and - The ban on new onshore wind schemes in England would be ended. The government have also stated that they will “go further and consult on bringing onshore wind back into the nationally significant infrastructure projects regime”. Other areas of note include expanding the spatial plan for energy by extending this to other infrastructure sectors and new policy intentions for critical infrastructure in the coming months ahead of updated relevant national policy statements within the year. The initial signs are encouraging but are really only a start to delivering on the number of new homes and critical infrastructure that England needs. How this will be properly resourced, implemented and enforced at the local level will be key to getting anywhere near the 1.5 million new homes to be delivered during this Government. Phase 2 will keep on top of latest developments so that we can continue to advise our diverse range of clients on what this will mean in practice and shaping planning strategy accordingly.
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The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a win for American households. According to ASCE's new economic report, this law saves the average household nearly $700 a year. But don't get too comfortable with these savings yet. Without continued action, they won't last forever. Stay informed by getting the full breakdown of the Bridging the Gap report's key findings. #ASCE #infrastructure
‘Snapback’ to pre-IIJA infrastructure investment levels could cost US $637 billion, new ASCE economic study finds
asce.org
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