Spotlight: Government announces landmark agreement with California Governor Gavin Newsom, local elections to proceed where previously delayed, major funding plan for Welsh rail and MCLHG responds to findings of flooding risk for new homes in England

ENERGY

✒️ UK and California deepen ties on clean energy to boost investment | Press release from Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP

📰 Trump lashes out at California governor’s green energy deal with UK | The Guardian

📰 UK-California energy deal builds on decades of clean power cooperation | Environmental Journal

📰 NESO issues new Gate 2 grid offers timetable | renews

📰 Ofgem probes Gate 2 connection delays | renews

🗣️ Tony Blair’s oil lobbying is a misleading rehash of fossil fuel industry spin | Fiona Harvey, Environment Editor at The Guardian

📰 Planning barriers ‘threaten to stall momentum’ in UK battery storage market | Energy Storage

📰 India recruits UK to help kick-start faltering offshore wind drive | Recharge (paywall)

📰 Plaid promises Welsh communities share of renewable energy profits | BBC News

📰 Scotland proposes new community benefit figures | reNews

📰 NESO issues first Gate 2 grid connection offer | reNews

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INFRASTRUCTURE

✒️ Prime Minister announces seven new stations and major rail funding commitment | Press release from Wales Office, Department for Transport, The Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP, The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP and The Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP

📰 Wales trains: New stations in £14bn UK government rail funding promise | BBC News

🗣️ Water resilience is Britain's next infrastructure test | Steve Race MP (paywall)

📰 UK's Home Office seeks data center managing partner for £102m contract | Data Centre Dynamics

📰 UK Heat Pump sales reach record high in 2025, but more must be done to meet Government targets | Renewable Energy Magazine

📰 Planning Inspectorate outlines its new methods for accelerating consenting of NSIPs | New Civil Engineer (paywall)

📰 Piling for electrification of Borders Railway to start this week | New Civil Engineer (paywall)

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DEVELOPMENT

✒️ Update on May 2026 local authority elections | Press release from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

✒️ Response to claims on housebuilding and flooding | Press release from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

✒️ Areas for producing spatial development strategies | Consultation launched by Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government

📰 One in nine new homes in England built in areas of flood risk, study shows | The Guardian

📰 Buckinghamshire Council directed to submit local plan by end of the year | The Planner (paywall)

📰 Senior politician warns Buckinghamshire is at risk of 'piecemeal' developments after council misses deadline | The Bucks Herald

📰 New towns funding could be prioritised across two waves, top official says | Inside Housing (paywall)

📰 Planning reform alone will not fix housing crisis, warns Propertymark | Today’s Conveyancer

📰 Buyers cautious and affordability remains stretched in London housing market | The Standard

📰 MPs warn against watering down UK nature protection laws | Financial Times (paywall)

📰 Planning act provisions come into force | Planning Resource (paywall)

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