Paper round: Blair's legacy of big policy announcements

Tony’s last hurrah: a blizzard of policies to firm up his legacy

The Sunday Times said that Tony Blair was planning a raft of big policy announcements before he steps down as prime minister on 27 June. According to the paper these include the energy white paper, which will set out plans for 12 new nuclear power stations. He is expected to say that he will try again to push through legislation to open more and bigger casinos across Britain. Today he is expected to announce the opening of 400 new city academies in September. In health, he is expected to pledge £2.5bnto expand the network of private treatment centres contracted to operate on NHS patients. The planning white paper is due to be published on Wednesday.

Higher interest rates expected to widen house price divide

The Times on Saturday said that the latest rise in interest rates is likely to accentuate the divide between house prices outside London and those in the most sought-after areas of the capital. As a result house prices in central London are expected to grow by as much as 20% for the rest of the year. The paper said that according to property services company Savills, only properties at the very top of the market will retain their value.

Brown to build five eco towns

The Sunday Times said that Gordon Brown will create five new environmentally friendly towns when he becomes prime minister. The new towns would have around 20,000 homes each and are modelled on the green developments pioneered by Prince Charles. The new towns will be located on brownfield sites and the first will be at the abandoned Oakington Barracks in Cambridgeshire. According to the paper about 40 councils have expressed an interest in bidding for the four other new towns. The Observer also reported on the move (New eco-towns to ease house crisis) saying that homes in the five “eco-towns” will be built to zero carbon standards and will be exempt from stamp duty.

Foster to build sun city in desert

The paper also reported that Lord Foster is planning an eco city in Abu Dhabi, which the architect announced last week. The plan is to use the sun to power a city entirely by renewable energy. Its 50,000 residents will live on streets modelled on traditional souks and medinas but draped with fabrics that can convert sunlight into electricity. Last week he sold a minority stake in his practice Foster and Partners to 3i, which values the company at about £300m.

After 707 bids, an obscure buyer pays $4bn for Yukos’s $300m Moscow HQ

The weekend FT reports that obscure buyer Prana has bought an auctioned lot in the last bankruptcy sale of Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s Yukos, including Yukos’ headquarters. The paper says that at first glance the deal looks to be the most expensive property deal in recent history, and has baffled observers as the building is estimated to be worth no more than $300m.

Lord Foster builds a new future

The weekend FT reports on the sale of part of Lord Foster’s sale in his practice to 3i, a deal announced on Friday. According to the paper, 3i’s stake is about 40%, and the deal values the practice at about £300m.

The Guardian on Saturday also reported on the story (Lord Foster sells to spend more time at the drawing board). The paper said that 3i had invested around £100m for a third-stake.

Planning white paper awaited

The planning system will be in the spotlight next week when the government is expected to publish its white paper. The FT reported at the weekend that employers’ body the CBI has called for the process to be streamlined.

London escapes house price slowdown

The latest FT house price index shows that the pace of house price growth has fallen in most areas of the country, but London property prices are still soaring, the paper reported at the weekend.

The generation gap widens as new reactors are put on hold

The new generation of nuclear power stations will be delayed yet again by a new government consultation, reports the Independent on Sunday. Nuclear companies are concerned government is in effect “starting from scratch” on its plans for nuclear new build. The government’s Energy Review, originally due this week, is now expected in June.

Pentonville and the Scrubs could soon send inmates to village jails

Saturday’s Telegraph said that Britain’s largest prisons could be sold off and replaced with a number of smaller specialist units to be built in towns and villages all over the country. The local secure units would house around 15 inmates each under plans being drawn up by the government. The plan is expected to be highly controversial.

Sainsbury to increase dividend

The Sunday Telegraph said that the supermarket will announce a rise in its full year dividend this week in a bid to appease shareholders who were upset when the group spurned a takeover bid earlier in the year.

We are what we build

The paper also printed the first of three extracts from David Dimbleby’s new book investigating what today’s buildings say about us from the Gherkin to the Lloyds building.

Brown lays ground for homes bonanza

Gordon Brown is considering plans to relax planning rules on areas designated for major housing developments, The Observer reported on Sunday. The paper said that legislation was being drafted by Whitehall officials, overseen by the Treasury, which will allow for the creation of new-style development corporations, which will fall under the new super-department, Communities England. The news that is looking to establish a new breed of development corporation with the power and money to force the pace of housing provision, was reported in Building on Friday.

London told: ‘Don’t expect a boom form the Olympics’

The London Olympics in 2012 will not create a boom in jobs, tourism and sports participation, The Observer reported on Sunday. The paper said a report commissioned by the London Assembly, due out this week, revealed that promises that the event will bring 50,000 jobs, affordable new housing on a large scale and contracts for small businesses in east London will prove very difficult to honour.