Planning changes and a focus on sustainability on public projects announced in Pre-Budget speech

Changes to the planning system on making decisions on major infrastructure projects and a focus on sustainable procurement in the public sector were announced in chancellor Gordon Brown’s 10th Pre-Budget report today (Wednesday).

Outlining his 35-minute speech on spending plans before the main Budget in April, Brown said that planning decisions on major infrastructure projects are to be made by an independent planning body and that there will now be a focus on sustainable procurement in the public sector.

“For greater energy efficiency in public procurement, we are publishing new guidelines to ensure that the £125bn we invest each year is spent both well and in a sustainable way,” he said.

The chancellor said the government has also now designated new brownfield sites that will raise the number of new homes on surplus land to 130,000.

On spending Brown added that capital investment in education next year will be £8.3bn, on transport £9.6bn and on housing nearly £8bn.

The “new priority”, said Brown, was "world-leading" investments in areas such as transport and education.

As part of this the government has plans for the construction or refurbishment of 12,000 schools, as well as the building of 100 new colleges.

The chancellor also confirmed that the go-live date for New CIS will be 6 April.

He added that deduction rates for new CIS will be fixed at 20% as the standard rate for those registered with HM Revenue & Customs and 30% for those who are not registered.