News
Planning, development and environmental consultancy updates.
Read practical EnviroSolution articles covering planning conditions, contaminated land, coal mining risk, drainage, asbestos, ecology, energy assessment and other technical topics affecting UK development projects.
From Closure to Construction: Brownfield Redevelopment After Decommissioning
Redevelopment starts before the last skip leaves Decommissioning is only the first act. If the goal is redevelopment, the groundwork for planning should begin while demolition is still […]
Read articleWAC Testing: The Key to Cost-Controlled Demolition and Disposal
Why classification comes before excavation Every waste movement during decommissioning must be underpinned by a defensible classification. Without it, lorries are turned away, storage yards overflow and programmes […]
Read articleAsbestos Risks When Shutting Down Older Industrial and Commercial Buildings
Closure doesn’t cancel duty of care When a facility closes, the duty to manage asbestos does not disappear—if anything, risk increases as services are isolated and invasive works […]
Read articleIndustrial Site Decommissioning: Getting the Environmental Sequence Right
Decommissioning needs an evidence-first plan Industrial closures can look straightforward on paper: switch off, strip out, demolish. In reality, they succeed only when the environmental sequence is nailed […]
Read articleClimate Adaptation Is Lagging: Build Resilience Into Your Planning Pack
Adaptation is now a planning test As national assessments warn that the UK’s adaptation progress is too slow, planning officers are increasingly asking developers to evidence resilience: flood […]
Read article£500m Nature Restoration Fund: Position Your Scheme to Benefit
What the fund changes Government support to restore nature and boost planning capacity creates an opportunity for projects that can demonstrate credible environmental uplift. Bids and planning submissions […]
Read articleWater (Special Measures) Act: Raising the Bar for Water‑Adjacent Sites
Higher bar for water‑adjacent development New enforcement powers over water utilities are rippling into planning. Schemes near treatment assets, reservoirs, and sensitive catchments are facing more questions about […]
Read articleFuture Homes Standard 2025: Why Early SAP Modelling Pays
What the Future Homes Standard requires From 2025, new homes must be ‘net‑zero‑ready’ with significantly lower operational emissions. That means higher fabric performance, efficient services, and low‑carbon heat. […]
Read articleUK vs EU Environment Standards: How Developers Can Stay Ahead
Divergence creates uncertainty Comparisons with EU environmental rules show the UK moving on a different trajectory in areas like biodiversity, air quality, and chemicals. Whatever your view, the […]
Read articleGreen Space Offsets: What the Planning Bill Could Mean for Your Scheme
Central offsets vs local delivery Reforms under discussion may let developers contribute to a central biodiversity fund rather than delivering all habitat compensation locally. That could streamline approvals—but […]
Read articleSwift Bricks in New Homes: Planning for Biodiversity
From nice‑to‑have to planning condition Swift and cavity‑nesting bird features are fast becoming standard asks in new housing. Rather than treating them as last‑minute extras, it pays to […]
Read articleSpecies Protection Rollbacks: Staying Compliant Amid Planning Reform
Policy shifts, real‑world risk Talk of loosening certain species protections to speed up delivery does not remove developer risk—it changes the nature of it. Communities will still challenge […]
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