The Communities Plan for England and Wales will be unveiled by deputy prime minister John Prescott before the end of January. This will outline prioritiesfor his department’s strategic spending, allocating the billions of pounds of extra housing and planning money that was announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review in July 2002. Details will be given of housing market renewal schemes in the North and Midlands, and there will be announcements on funding for extra housing in growth areas in the south-east of England. In addition, details of targets for planning departments, linked to extra spending, will be revealed. It is hoped that the announcement will link physical development into new infrastructure plans, such as railways and hospitals. (Thanks to New Start)