Spotlight: Steve Reed unveils 15 new Unitary Authorities as part of Local Government Reorganisation, plug-in solar to be made available nationwide and Government announces funding for England's road infrastructure

ENERGY

✒️ Government to make “plug-in solar” available within months | Press release from Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

🗣️ UK renewables hit record level: Comment | Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit

🗣️ Solar Power: Fire Prevention | Michael Shanks MP, Minister of State for Energy

📰 ScottishPower gets GBP 600m financing for UK subsea power link | Renewables Now

📰 Updated geological assessment of the Southern North Sea set to underpin future offshore infrastructure development - British Geological Survey | British Geological Survey

📰 Ministers rebuff trade body’s call to boost North Sea oil and gas production | The Guardian

📰 Defra confirms ‘enough land’ in England for solar, housing and farming to coexist | Solar Power Portal

📰 UK government to trial discounted energy bills during windy days | Wind Power Monthly

INFRASTRUCTURE

✒️ Major renewal of ageing English roads delivered with £27 billion investment | Press release from Department for Transport, National Highways, The Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP and Simon Lightwood MP

✒️ Better journeys ahead: governments agree framework for Scotland’s rail network ahead of the creation of Great British Railways | Department for transport, The Scottish Government and The Rt Hon Heidi Alexander MP

✒️ British shipbuilding, steel, AI and energy infrastructure to be prioritised for government contracts for national security | Press release from Cabinet Office and Chris Ward MP

📰 New models to unlock finance for public infrastructure and accelerate data centre development to be discussed at UKREiiF | Insider Media

📰 UK’s first automated low-carbon infrastructure factory to be launched | New Civil Engineer (paywall)

📰The £718bn Infrastructure Pipeline: Navigating cost pressures in a growing market | New Civil Engineer (paywall)

DEVELOPMENT

✒️ New council boundaries confirmed for Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk as part of LGR | Written statement from The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP

✒️The Future Homes and Buildings Standards: impact assessments | Impact assessment by Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

✒️ Seven new towns proposed to kickstart housebuilding push | Press release from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Homes England, The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP and Matthew Pennycook MP

✒️ Emergency action to kickstart London housebuilding | Press release from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Homes England and The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE

📰Temasek’s CapitaLand agrees £1bn deal for Access Self Storage in UK expansion | BM Magazine

📰 Pennycook directs Three Rivers to revise draft local plan | The Planner

📰 Hyde and L&G team up on affordable housing drive | Estates Gazette | Estates Gazette

📰 RIBA, LGA and others set out responses to draft NPPF consultation | PBC Today

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