Egan skills review recommends training centre to teach officials to work in partnership with private sector
The government is to set up a training centre, primarily for planners, to drive through deputy prime minister John Prescott's housebuilding programme.

Sir John Egan said that the establishment, which may be web-based, would be set up by next year. It will be called the National Centre for Sustainable Communities Skills.

The centre will focus on developing skills among planning departments across the UK. It will aim to teach staff leadership and project management skills, and will give them experience of working in partnership with the private sector.

Egan made the announcement on Monday at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as he unveiled the findings of the Egan Skills Review, which was commissioned by Prescott last year.

The ODPM said in a statement that the training body would be a forum for research into sustainable communities as well as a place to train in "core occupations".

These include staff from councils, regional assemblies, regional development agencies, and quangos such as English Partnerships and English Heritage.

Egan said that it had not yet been decided whether the centre would be web-based or an institution.

He said: "We do not know yet whether it will be real or virtual. My personal choice would be to put it next to a large university, maybe with a business school.

"Success will depend on changing the attitude of everyone involved. We want to see planners interacting with highways engineers, environmental officers teaming up with urban designers, and developers engaging with community groups."

The centre could act as a hub for the regional skills centres that are being set up in development areas.

Egan called on local authorities to take the lead in the regeneration of their areas. He praised Prince Charles' Poundbury development in Dorset for creating a "friendly" environment and speeding up planning.

He also said that the average density of housing developments would need to rise to fit in with plans for the Thames Gateway.

n John Prescott has also launched a report this week describing the progress that has been made in the revitalisation of cities outside London. They are Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.

   Prescott said the eight cities were being monitored for local leadership, economic performance, city centre renaissance and quality of life. The report is called A Tale of Eight Cities. A full report is due next year.