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Funding Guide For Regeneration
A new guide was published this week to enable developers to get hold of public funding for regeneration projects.
Millions of pounds of public funding for new homes and regeneration projects currently goes unused due to bureaucracy and because developers are unaware it exists.
Published by the British Property Federation (BPF) and Davis Langdon, the guide, called 'Funding regeneration: a guide to maximising public sector grants', simplifies the funding maze that deters many developers taking advantage of the wide variety of grants that are available.
Property companies of all sizes often find regeneration funding too complex to deal with, which means that many well-intentioned projects can't get off the ground.
Numerous financial incentives exist that could suit a wide range of regeneration projects. There are loans, awards, tax incentives, capital allowances, private finance initiatives, grant and gap funding, and many more.
The abundance of opportunities and funders can be confusing, hence the need for an easy-to-follow guide that allows developers and consultants to see the scope of available funds.
Andrew Moran, policy manager for the Housing Corporation, said: “Regeneration is about more than just homes, we have to look at regeneration in terms of the whole aspect of communities; what they need through transport, the green agenda, schools and the economy.
“Housing is an essential part of regeneration, but not the only part of it, it has to tie into all the other aspects which make up successful communities.
“It should help developers work their way around the existing systems for obtaining regeneration funding. It should help them be more creative in making new linkages and help them to work towards the new financial circumstances as they will involve in the next three or four years,” Mr Moran went on to say.
Ken Dytor, chairman of the BPF's regeneration and development committee, said: “It is hard to know what funding is relevant for a proposed development and where to begin looking for this money.
“This guide takes you through the basic steps of how to apply successfully for the right public sector funding, it lists the main bodies that offer this financial support and provides an extensive list of funding opportunities that exist currently
“Public sector funding is rather fragmented, with different initiatives coming from a range of public bodies that have insufficient funding allocations to meet all the competing needs.
“This means that under-funded, poorly co-ordinated schemes are often oversubscribed, with good quality schemes having to compete for the cash,” Mr Dytor added.
Makeover price guide
The rising costs of transport and raw materials and a shortage of tradesmen is pushing up the costs of home improvements, according to new figures by RICS’ Building Cost Information Service (BCIS).
BCIS’ updated Property Makeover Price Guide, launched this week, gives homeowners an accurate guide to what they should expect to pay for home improvements. It has found the average cost of improvement work has risen by 20 per cent over the past two years for a number of reasons.
The guide also allows readers to adjust the figures for their particular location. For example, a 3x3 single storey extension will cost approximately £23,940 in Greater London; in comparison it would cost £19,320 in the North West.
BCIS Executive Director, Joe Martin, said: “The book is an essential guide to help homeowners and is packed with useful costs and advice about how to budget for repair, improvement; alterations and extension work; clearly setting out what they should expect to pay for over 1,300 different types of work to their home.
“It covers everything from inspecting blocked drains to fixing window panes, from replacing chimney pots to doing a loft conversion,” Mr Martin went on to say.
Green fingers
As homeowners look to maximise their property’s sale appeal, B&Q’s Green with Envy? study of almost 1,300 Brits has identified an increasing trend towards ‘gre-envy’, with homeowners competing with their neighbours to add vegetable patches, chicken coops and water butts to their gardens.
Top five most-envied status symbols spied over the garden fence:
1. Vegetable patch
2. Chicken coop
3. Wild area to encourage wildlife
4. New car
5. Water-efficient plant watering system
The study found that many ‘gre-envious’ Brits plan to boost their own green credentials over the next twelve months with the purchase of green garden products and will invest more than £3.8 billion in doing so.
Almost one in five people say they’ll be buying a water butt, 22 per cent plan to purchase solar-powered garden lighting, 16 per cent declare they’ll invest in either a pond or a wild area to encourage wildlife to their gardens and 12 per cent reveal a compost bin is on their shopping list. Furthermore, a massive 67 per cent of people say they’ll grow their own fruit, vegetables or herbs this year.
For further information and tips on how to achieve one planet living visit www.diy.com/oneplanethome.
More power for park home residents
Park home residents and site owners in England and Wales will have more say on how disputes between them are resolved under a new consultation published by communities minister Iain Wright today.
The majority of disputes will now be heard by Residential Property Tribunals rather than county courts giving greater opportunity for both sides to put their case forward and reducing time and legal costs.
Many residents and site owners involved in disputes have raised concerns over the time and the cost of taking even the most minor cases to the county court.
Under the Housing Act 2004 the Residential Property Tribunal Service already deals with cases similar to pitch fee reviews, recognition of residents associations and the sale of park homes, which are proposed to be transferred to it.
Communities minister Iain Wright said: “A long wait for justice and a high cost can put people off seeking a resolution to what may be a fair and justifiable issue.
“We believe that transferring the jurisdiction of disputes to the Residential Property Service will result in significant benefits to both residents and site owners in terms of the time it takes cases to be heard, and in terms of swifter access to justice.
“These proposals are another significant step in the reform of park home legislation and I encourage all with a view to come forward,” Mr Wright added.
It is hoped that the low cost and the quicker access to justice of the tribunal service will encourage many more residents and site owners to come forward to resolve any differences amicably.
Landfill sites have a green future
Restoring landfill sites by turning them into green space, such as woodland, parkland or farmland is now possible, according to new research.
Many local people find landfill sites detrimental to their local area and a common solution is for councils to close them over with a compacted clay cap to seal up the waste. There are 2,500 closed and operational landfill sites in England and Wales.
The results of a ten-year research project into the establishment of woodland on landfill show that it is possible to restore these areas safely by planting certain trees as long as strict safeguards are adhered to.
The government is committed to reducing the UK's reliance on landfill to reduce their environmental impact. The Landfill Directive has promoted more sustainable solutions and brought in important regulations that include abolishing the disposal of liquid, clinical and other hazardous waste.
The Forest Research report, funded by Communities and Local Government (CLG), has found that good tree growth on these landfill sites has been achieved and that the establishment of vegetation is a vital part of their restoration.
Woodland planting can now be recommended as long as specific site safeguards including that the underlying mineral cap is constructed to standards required by government guidance. Poplar, alder, cherry, whitebeam, oak, ash and Corsican pine have been identified as well suited to the landfill environment.
Planning minister, Iain Wright said: “Many people find landfill sites a local eyesore and the government is committed to reducing landfill use.
“This new research shows that with the proper safeguards in place we can reduce the impact of old sites by planting them and environmentally reviving them as attractive woodland or parkland.
“Restoring landfill sites in this way can provide local communities with more attractive green spaces, help tackle climate change, regenerate important brownfield land and provide new places for wildlife to live,” added Mr Wright.
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