The government has accepted most of former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine’s plan to create a single funding pot for local economic growth, including housing.

Treasury officials announced today that the majority of Lord Heseltine’s report, which was published in October, will be carried out. This will include a new single local growth fund from 2015 that will include skills, housing and transport funding.

Lord Heseltine made 89 recommendations, including simplifying the planning system by allowing developers to take their case to the Planning Inspectorate if councils do not come to a decision within six months.

This was accepted in part, with more power being given to developers to challenge local councils which have a ‘track record’ of slow planning decisions.

The government also said it will negotiate a local growth deal with every local enterprise partnership, which will have to be match funded by the private sector.

Overall, the government has accepted 81 of the recommendations either in full or in part.