Interesting news that affects the
built environment, heritage, environment and more. Local,
county and regional news. Interesting subjects and Civic
Society news. Just click the story that you wish to view.
(Please note
that some stories that link to other websites may no longer be
unavailable).
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GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES CONCERTED ACTION TO
DRIVE UP STANDARDS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Deputy Prime Minister John
Prescott today called on industry leaders to put high quality
design and environmental efficiency at the heart of the built
environment. The Better Buildings Summit, organised by ODPM,
DTI and Defra, brought together key...
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REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS & STATE OF THE
REGIONS
The Department of Trade &
Industry today published Regional Competitiveness & State
of the Regions containing a range of statistical indicators to
illustrate the factors that affect the competitiveness of the
UK's countries and regions...
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Good Design is Essential to Taunton's
Regeneration
Geraint Hughes from planning,
urban design and environmental consultants Terence O’Rourke,
said: "Taunton has huge potential in its built
heritage and natural physical environment. Our strategy will
reinforce this potential by creating a network of streets,
spaces and development opportunities which enable the town to
grow whilst respecting the inherent character of the town.”
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An Ancient World Unfolds
'new
fossils are discovered daily as the loose scree is washed away
by wave action and rain. In fact, the whole stretch of coast
from Blue Anchor to Lilstock is officially known as one of the
best sites for landforms, rock stratification and fossils in
the World...'.
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Trees in towns bring cash benefits for urban
economy
The UK’s National Urban
Forestry Unit (NUFU) today publishes its latest Case Study
which shows that urban greenspace – and in particular trees
and woods in towns – not only has an environmental impact
but also brings measurable cash benefits. In other words,
money can grow on trees.
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Summary of English Nature’s
response to Department for Transport’s consultation on
Natural green space and the walking environment (‘On the
Move by Foot’ discussion paper).
English Nature recognises
walking as an essential element of a healthy lifestyle, and as
the basic mode people use to enjoy access to and contact with
nature and green space. This applies both within local
neighbourhoods and for longer-distance...
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Property developers building for the 1960s,
not the 21st Century, experts tell conference on climate
change risk
A major conference will hear
today how the development industries of planning, design and
construction are risking billions of pounds of potential and
avoidable damage if they ignore the extreme weather events,
higher temperatures and more extreme rainfall to be expected
in the next 50 years...
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WORKING TOGETHER CAN BOOST QUALITY OF LIFE,
SAYS HILL
Closer collaboration between
planners and those who produce Community Strategies can help
improve the quality of life in communities across the country,
Planning Minister Keith Hill said today.
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Conservation Is Not Enough
The social and economic goals
of the National Parks of England and Wales were highlighted
today by Alun Michael, Minister of State for Rural Affairs,
when he addressed the Association of National Park
Authorities' annual conference in Brecon.
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BIDs FOR BETTER COMMUNITIES
Towns and cities across England
could get a new lease of life by setting up Business
Improvement Districts (BIDs), the legal framework for which is
provided for in the Local Government Act. 18th Sept 2003
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Jessee and Vincent Mulcock
outside the hemp house |
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The Green Green Grass That's Home
It's barely legal, but hemp is
here to stay - as a low-cost, environmentally friendly
building material.
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Jeff Rooker |
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More Affordable Housing, Less Urban
Sprawl..
Jeff Rooker, Minister of State
For Housing, Planning and Regeneration talks more about well
designed, affordable housing.
Read
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Adopt a Drawing
Over 200 images from the RIBA's
remarkable collection 600,000 drawings are available for
adoption, to help raise funds for the Architecture for All
project. Donors can select from works by some of the greatest
names in architecture
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A new town for
Bedfordshire
The
new town which will serve the future housing needs of
Bedfordshire is on the site of a former munitions factory. The
scheme spans 1,000 acres. The project is located within a
corridor for future strategic housing and economic growth as
published in a recent Government Report. The new settlement
will comprise a new town centre and four new neighbourhoods,
accommodating initially 4,500 new homes, expanding up to 7,000
new homes. This fully integrated new community will benefit
from 7 new schools, 300 acres of public open space and 15
miles of principal roads. A new Healthy Living Centre will
provide a centre of excellence for primary care in the new
community.
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Business plea - help us crack crime
Businesses
want help in using design to tackle crime, according to a new
Home Office survey, and now the Government is being urged to
give it to them as part of a string of measures proposed in
the wake of the research. The Home Office asked
businesses and related organisations for views on reducing
business-related crime including vandalism and shoplifting,
and a significant proportion (16%) showed
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Fascinating Project
from Architecture &Arts Member
Over
a May weekend in North Shields, a temporary public art project
appeared in three different locations by the marina. The
physical object of Show Home was a white walled, 3-sided slate
tile roofed house, an idealised country cottage, constructed
by professional stage builders, but the work was marketed as
if it was a developer's commercial campaign to persuade the
visitor that their dream home was actually available.
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Environment Agency Property Search Before
You Buy
For
anyone involved in house purchase, the Environment Agency’s
new on-line Property Search service will be of great interest.
Buying a house is a major decision and knowing as much as
possible about the property and the immediate area around is
vital. The Environment Agency Property Search service provides
answers to critical questions relating to flood risk, landfill
sites and industrial discharges.
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