It’s always a challenge to be mindful of the environmental impact of how you work- At ethical partnership we are always looking to minimise the amount of car journeys we make – particularly solo journeys ! […]
Government proposals for planning reforms – our response
The pace of change in planning policy seems relentless, its great that our professional institute is on the ball and responding to the tide of proposals for reform. We are pleased to support the latest […]
The next privatisation – flood defences!
Hard on the heels of opening up the processing of planning applications to the private sector comes the ‘opportunity’ for private water companies to now deliver and be responsible for flood defences. Water minister Rory […]
‘Enabling development’ – How much is too much?
The English Heritage (now Historic England) criteria used to assess the acceptability of enabling development require that only the minimum necessary (development) is consented to secure the future of the asset. An economic assessment is […]
Heritage assets – the art of ‘enabling development’
The term ‘enabling development’ is not a statutory one. It generally refers to a state of affairs in which development that would otherwise be considered harmful is considered acceptable because it would facilitate (or ‘enable’) […]
Privatising planning by the back door
The Government has fired the starting gun on the privatisation of the planning system. Thinly veiled to speed up the planning process, developers in a few pilot areas will be able to choose who processes […]
Listed Buildings – refurbish or demolish?
ethical partnership is involved in a series of negotiations with local planning authorities on the merits of retaining and converting listed buildings (LB’s) as part of development schemes. For some developers it’s just about cost […]
Who supports building on the green belt?
The debate about the green belt is hotting up – often described as the green noose around our cities, building in the green belt is being seen by some as the panacea to all our […]
To Frack or not to Frack
Ethical partnership is concerned about how the unconventional gas industry seems to be securing permission for exploratory drilling in advance of the long term environmental and health consequences being fully understood and without a comprehensive regulatory and […]
Biomass power stations – New RO funding
The Government’s response to consultation on projects to be supported under Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme has been published the Department for Climate Change (DECC). It was widely expected that DECC would decide to ‘cap’ the […]
“Development opportunities”
Landowners and developers with vacant buildings and brownfield land should be encouraged by the changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) made this year. The Coalition Government is pressing local planning authorities to be […]
“Getting our share of EU funds”
The European Commission has adopted a draft legislative package which will frame cohesion policy for 2014-2020. The new proposals are designed to reinforce the strategic dimension of the policy and to ensure that EU investment […]