The legislation paves the way for the commission's functions to be carried out by a new unit in the Planning Inspectorate. Royal Assent for the Bill is expected to be given by the end of 2011.
Future decisions on nationally significant infrastructure projects which are currently the responsibility of the IPC and new reservoirs will be considered by a new Major Infrastructure Planning Unit in the Inspectorate. The Commission is due to be abolished in April 2012.
The Localism Bill provides for a series of major reforms to the planning system in England, including a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which has caused considerable criticism and controversy among a wide range of stakeholders.
The Bill will devolve greater powers to councils and neighbourhoods and give local communities more control over housing and planning decisions.
The planning and regeneration provisions in the Bill include:
- abolish Regional Spatial Strategies
- abolish the Infrastructure Planning Commission and return to a position where the Secretary of State takes the final decision on major infrastructure proposals of national importance
- amend the Community Infrastructure Levy, which allows councils to charge developers to pay for infrastructure. Some of the revenue will be available for the local community
- provide for neighbourhood plans, which would be approved if they received 50% of the votes cast in a referendum
- provide for neighbourhood development orders to allow communities to approve development without requiring normal planning consent
- give new housing and regeneration powers to the Greater London Authority, while abolishing the London Development Agency.
Albion Water, the first NAV (New Appointment & Variation) to have been established in1999 and now under the ownership of SDS Water Group, has appointed Andy Holland as its new Director of Business Development.
UK water companies are invited to join an upcoming webinar which will explore how the sector can take indirect potable reuse (IPR) from concept to full-scale operational reality.
James Sumsion, CEO of predictive water intelligence specialists Kohtari, says the water sector needs to take a giant leap forward, so that it can anticipate and act upon water quality issues - rather than merely react.
Ray Moulds, Sales Director at Flood Control International, takes a look at how automated sliding floodgates are supporting secondary containment at water and sewerage company sites.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video.