Economy and Infrastructure

Leeds’ Clean Air Zone Plans Suspended for the foreseeable future

19.08.20: Leeds City Council have today (August 19) announced that their plans for a Clean Air Zone within the city may not have to go ahead due to lower emissions during the lockdown period. The council puts the lower emissions down to fewer heavy g...

Colleges set to receive £200m in Funding

19.08.20: Over 180 colleges are set to receive a share of £200m, in order to repair and refurbish buildings and campuses. The funding makes up part of a larger £1.5bn package, to be given to further education institutes over the next five...

Welsh Government announces a further £260m of Coronavirus support

18.08.20: Welsh Ministers have announced a further £260m of funding to help local councils cope with the extra pressures brought on by Covid-19. This takes the overall figure to over £1bn of extra funding being invested into local council...

£10m investment for UK’s distilleries to go green

17.08.20: The Government has announced £10m worth of funding for the distillery industry. The funding is aimed to help distilleries cut down on their emissions by focusing on low-carbon fuels such as hydrogen, biofuel and repurposed waste to po...

£150m of contracts announced for Redcar Steelworks demolition

13.08.20: Today (13 Aug) Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor, has revealed a £150m programme of demolition work across the vast site, including the Redcar Blast Furnace and Coke Ovens, which could create up to 300 jobs. The programme is set to last...

Highways England inviting feedback on £771m project tender

10.08.20: Highways England is undertaking market engagement on the A66 Northern TransPennine road project, valued at £771m according to a prior information notice released last week. Initially assigned last year by the Government at a value of...

Communities to receive planning funding boost

10.08.20: Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has today (10 Aug) announced funding will be doubled to help communities in urban and disadvantaged areas plan their local neighbourhoods. Back in May funding was increased from £9,000 to £10,000...

Blackpool Council bids for £50m from the Towns Fund

07.08.20: Blackpool Council submitted a £50m bid to Government yesterday (Aug 6) following public consultation to help shape the town’s future. If successful, the Town Deal bid will through from the £3.6bn Towns Fund, and is one of...

LGA calls for urgent investment into mental health for councils

07.08.20: The Local Government Association (LGA) has published a joint report today with the Centre for Mental Health, calling for urgent investment into mental health recovery in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. This should come in the form of fundin...

TfL gets underway with major Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion

07.08.20: Transport for London (TfL) has progressed with the expansion of the worlds-first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) as new infrastructure installation gets underway (Aug 6). The first new cameras are currently being installed, transforming the...

D2N2 LEP calls for 'pipeline' of new projects for future investment

06.08.20: Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (D2N2) Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has made a call for capital projects in the areas to create a ‘pipeline’ of future investments. D2N2 is responsible for delivering the L...

Housing Secretary launches ‘once in a generation’ planning reforms

06.08.20: Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has launched a set of ‘landmark reforms’ today (Aug 6) aiming to speed up and modernise the planning system and boost economic recovery. Planning for the future outlines plans to streamline the &...

Bristol City Council launches £12m contract for green energy partnership

05.08.20:  Bristol City Council has relaunched its search for a partner to deliver the UK’s first carbon neutral, smart energy city by 2030, set to deliver up to £1bn of investment. The £12m contract, published Monday (Aug 3)...

Leeds Council unveils major flood alleviation scheme

05.08.20: A key flood alleviation scheme was officially unveiled in east Leeds yesterday (Aug 5) as part of a £4.75m programme to benefit local economy and environment. The scheme, in the Wyke Beck valley, will work to protect homes in the area...

Chesterfield Borough Council invests £7.1m into modernisation programme

04.08.20: Chesterfield Borough Council is investing £7.1m into delivering new and modernised council homes in Staveley to meet the needs of local people. Homes in the area will undergo extensive internal and external improvements as part of the...