The team overseeing the establishment of Communities England has been holding talks with financial institutions about setting up funds to pump prime infrastructure investment.

Baroness Ford, chairman of English Partnerships, who is also heading the transition team, said this week that it had received approaches from institutions about setting up public–private infrastructure partnerships.

The team is exploring the establishment of infrastructure funds in its investment plan for the agency, which is due to be published in the autumn.

To help draw up the investment plan, the team has set up 10 working parties to examine aspects of development and regeneration funding.

Ford added that the agency could play a role in administering 30% of the money brought in by the proposed planning gain supplement. The Treasury has said that this proportion would be earmarked for regional infrastructure projects.

This week, the south-east and south-west assemblies submitted proposals to the Treasury for their own regional infrastructure funds. s week, the South-east and South-west assemblies both submitted proposals to the Treasury for their