One Public Estate supports councils, central government and wider public sector asset holders to develop and deliver a range of projects which improve local services and economies.
In developing project proposals, partners will look at both the local and national context. Below are some of the national initiatives central government is progressing which are relevant for OPE partnerships.
Government Estate Strategy
The Government Estate Strategy sets out how the government plans to make the most efficient and cost-effective use of its property. The Government have since reported on the progress of the strategy.
- Government Estate Strategy (2018)
- Disposal of public land for new homes: progress review (2016)
- Governments Estate Strategy (2014)
The NHS is in the process of transforming its services. A critical part of this is the drive for a more efficient estate to improve local health and care systems as set out in Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP’s). The recent Naylor Review sets out a vision for a new NHS strategy to enable the department to achieve the best outcomes for its property and estate.
Ministry of Defence
The MOD is one of the largest land owners in the UK and remains committed to making the defence estate more efficient and better suited to modern needs. Throughout 2016 the MoD announced a total of 91 sites to be released across the estate by 2040 and published the MoD footprint strategy.
Department for Work and Pensions
In 1998, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) transferred ownership and management of its estate to Telereal Trillium under a 20 year contract known as PRIME. With the end of this arrangement due in 2018, and in the context of benefits reform, DWP has been looking at opportunities to improve delivery of its services.
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC)
In November 2015 HMRC announced the steps to its modernisation programme to create tax authority fit for the future, creating 13 new regional centres over the next five years.
Ministry of Justice
The Autumn Statement announced major investment to fully digitise the courts and prisons systems creating a more modern estate enabling the MoJ to release land.
The MoJ have unveiled a major new prison reform programme including plans to build 9 new prisons allowing 3000 new homes to be built and saving £80 million a year on running costs.
The DfT is committed to releasing public sector land creating space to build more homes. Network Rail (part of DfT) have created a new property company to help Network Rail release surplus land for new homes and raise capital to fund rail investment. More information can be found on Network Rail's website.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)
- Local Authority Assets Disposal Guidance (2016)
- Local Government Financial Statistics (2015)
- Independent review of build out: final report (Oct 2018)
Metropolitan Police Service
Over the past five years the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has released a number of their most expensive sites for property development. In 2017 The Metropolitan Police service set out their plans to deliver approximately 1,900 new homes on its surplus land.
- Met Police property sales raise £1bn since 2012 (Jul 2017)
- Met plans 1,900 homes on surplus land (Mar 2017) [£]
Homes England
Homes England is the MHCLG’s non-departmental public body. Their Land Development and Disposal Plan (LDDP) provides an overview of the landholdings that Homes England expects to bring forward for development and/or disposal over the next year, including bringing to market more than 1,250ha of development opportunities across 221 sites.