Deputy prime minister John Prescott unveiled plans for a new academy to develop the skills needed for sustainable communities at the sustainable communities summit in Manchester on Tuesday.
The Leeds-based body will pool public, private and voluntary sector knowledge to drive up planning and maintenance standards.
The academy has funding for three years and will be led by Chris Murray, director of learning and development for the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.
It will work with the Housing Corporation, the training community, the property and finance sector, major employers and the voluntary sector to achieve its aims.
At the conference, Prescott added the UK presidency of the European Union would be an opportunity to discuss a “European approach to creating sustainable communities”.
He also unveiled two new urban regeneration companies formed by the North-west development agency and based at Salford and Blackpool.
Meanwhile, Gordon Brown reiterated his commitment to giving full tax relief for the “creation of flats for letting over shops and other commercial premises”.
Source
Housing Today
Postscript
London mayor Ken Livingstone revealed he plans to develop affordable homes above car parks and at Tube stations.
