Political Bulletin

Week commencing 2nd November 2009

Energy groups compete for Ł100bn wind farms prize The right to build wind farms off the coast of Britain up to 50 times the size of the biggest current plants are expected to be handed to consortiums of major utilities, with the prize Norfolk field likely to go to Scottish Power and Vattenfall.

The awards are likely to be made official by the Crown Estate, the body responsible for licensing offshore wind farms by the end of next month, with the first turbines entering the water by 2014; this is the third and most ambitious round of licensing.

Government awards cash for Tewkesbury homes The Government has ear marked Ł2.5 million to re-start a stalled housing project in Tewkesbury, part of an overall Ł10 million to get house builders moving again in Gloucestershire.

Housing Minister John Healey said the money was to go towards helping to build 222 homes in the County. Bovis Homes will receive Ł2.5 million for 102 properties and Barratt Developments Ł7.5 million for 120 homes.

Mr Healey insisted that the money came with tough terms, with more than two thirds of the funding expected to be repaid,and was part of the on going policy of providing kick start cash as a rapid response to the recession, using the power of Government investment to support the country through the downturn.

A week in the Commons Today sees Defence questions and a short debate on supermarkets and regional farming, Treasury questions follows on Tuesday, plus a debate on affordable housing in rural areas. We have Prime Minister’s questions on Wednesday and Energy and Climate Change on Thursday.

A week in the Lords Their Lordships discuss the Olympic Route Newtwork Designation Order today and water management and river conservation on Tuesday.

Nine Elms regeneration will strengthen capital’s role as greatest world city says Boris

The last remaining major development area in central London is to be transformed into a brand new district for the capital with 16,000 new homes and up to 25,000 new jobs.

There are also major new transport links under a new planning framework for Nine Elms which over the next two decades will see nearly 200 hectares of derelict and under used land in the area regenerated into new communities.

The framework acknowledges that both the proposal to relocate the US Embassy to Nine Elms, the redevelopment of Battersea power station and plans for New Covent Garden market are key to the successful renaissance of the area.

Feel good factor to boost Government as house prices edge up for third month in a row ? House prices edged ahead for the third month in a row during October, according to Hometrack. The market is continuing to be supported by a shortage of properties for sale with the average cost of a home rising by 0.2% during october to Ł156,000; only 4.2% below its level of 12 months ago.

Whilst the Government are providing extensive support to the market for new homes the Government is increasingly likely to benefit from the feel good factor as homeowners across the country see house prices rise, a trend that may well continue ahead of a possible May 2010 general election, particularly in light of quarterly figures for new housing starts being revised down from more than 30,000 to just 22,000; a far cry from the Government target of building 240,000 new homes a year.

Beauty spots may get new homes Some of the country’s most picturesque villages will be ear marked for housing under Conservative plans to tackle the shortage of affordable homes.

In plans to be announced by Grant Shapps MP, shadow housing minister, people will be given the power to hold parish level referendums to decide whether to increase the size of their village. If there is 90% support they will be able to go ahead without permission from the local council.

Areas with a high proportion of second home owners, where such initiatives are likely to be popular include the Lake District, North Norfolk, Berwickshire and Northumberland.

In Rock, Cornwall, the St Minver Land Trust built two six bedroom bungalows and six three bedroom bungalows for local people struggling to borrow Ł84,000 who had been priced out by city folks paying stratospheric house prices of Ł400,0000 to Ł4m for holiday homes.

Shadow Spokesperson treads delicate line between being pro housing and being out – nimbied. In an exchange in the House of Commons last week Julia Goldsworthy,MP the LibDem spokesperson said the regional spatial strategy process ‘had undermined confidence in the political system and made many people angry’.

Goldsworthy appeared to be siding with the Conservatives who aim to abolish regional spatial strategies if they gain power next May, although the LibDem policy on new housing has yet to become clear.