Housing and Regeneration News May 2008

• The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment has published a report entitled Civilised Streets. The report says that most streets in this country are failing pedestrians and need to become destinations again rather than simply being ways of getting traffic from A to B. One issue explored is the idea that road signs and traffic guards should be removed, obliging drivers and pedestrians to become more aware of each other, and changing spaces into shared spaces. For more information see Civilised Streets on our publications section
  
• The Dept for Culture, Media and Sport has published draft legislation proposing that English Heritage takes on responsibility for listing historic buildings and sites. The bill sets out a legislative framework for a more unified and simpler heritage protection system. For more details see Draft Heritage Protection Bill on our website.
  
• The shortlist for 15 contenders for Eco-Town status has been announced by the Dept for Communities and Local Government. Eco-Towns will be zero carbon and sustainable and will improve the design and delivery of affordable housing. The 15 locations are listed in Eco Towns: Living in a Greener Future, which can be found on our website.
  
• A new company called Social Finance has been set up to lay foundations for a social investment bank as recommended by the Commission on Unclaimed Assets. The company hopes to maximise the social impact of the release of dormant account funds. The company is the government’s third priority for the money after youth services and financial inclusion projects. For more details visit www.socialfinance.org.uk
  
• The institute for public policy research has published a report into social housing. The report argues that high levels of social housing in deprived areas leads to a “reinforcing of persistent and entrenched patterns of residential segregation”. New social housing should be targeted at the least deprived areas. This will cost more because of land prices but should provide better outcomes for residents by avoiding concentrating them in areas that are already more deprived. To see the report See A Tale of Two Cities on our publications section.