News round-up - 13 September 2007

Black Country strategy moves

Communities secretary Hazel Blears has announced that the Government has supported most of the changes to the West Midlands Regional Spatial Strategy in respect of the Black Country submitted by the Regional Assembly and largely backed by a panel of planning inspectors.

The changes endorsed include:

• new policies to define broad areas for regeneration and growth
• a new policy which replaces Dudley with Brierley/Merry Hill as a strategic centre
• a new policy to emphasize the importance of transforming the environment
• revision to the transport priorities to reflect the current state of transport proposals for the sub-region

The proposed changes are now open for consultation until 9 November.

Call for suburban policy-making

A report stressing the important role of suburbs in the economic prosperity of cities and city regions and urging greater priority for suburban issues in urban policy-making has been published by the Local Futures Group.

The report 'State of the suburbs' has highlighted infrastructure funding, public transport provision and the availability of affordable housing as key issues.

The 40-page document argued that a "better understanding of the suburbs, and their position within the urban system" was vital in "delivering successful city-regions".

Download 'State of the suburbs' here (PDF 1.7MB)

Reporters urge changes to Aberdeen local plan

Scottish Government inquiry reporters have recommended major changes to the Finalised Aberdeen Local Plan which will mean a reduction of more than 5,000 proposed new homes which the city council had proposed for Green Belt sites.

Their report has also recommended that the council drops the idea of "future new communities" and replaces this with "strategic housing land reserve".

The reporters also want provision of affordable housing reduced from the council's 25 per cent yardstick to a figure of just 10 per cent.

In addition the reporters have recommended that the council drops proposals for a "Third Don Crossing".

Read the Aberdeen City Council press release here.

'Build it or lose it'

The authoritative property magazine Estates Gazette has claimed that the forthcoming report from John Calcutt on ways to speed up house building will include a proposal that developers given permission for a certain-sized housing development will have to complete all the homes within the original five-year consent timescale or the permission will lapse.

Calcutt's report is due to be submitted to Communities and Local Government shortly.

Eco town planned for Norfolk airbase

A developer has unveiled plans to transform a disused Norfolk airbase into a £9bn eco-community with up to 10,000 new homes. But that prospect is currently on hold while the Home Office decides whether or not to use the base - RAF Coltishall - as an immigration centre.

The developer, Richard Davies, has established a company called Coltishall Group to mastermind the scheme and plans to submit it to the Government for consideration under its eco-towns programme.

Dragons push for new stadium

Newport Gwent Dragons rugby club have unveiled ambitious plans for a new 15,000-capacity stadium on the site of their existing ground. The scheme would also include new homes, student accommodation, hotels and retail development.

Read the Newport Gwent Dragons news story here.

Green light for Scottish wind farm

The Scottish Government has approved plans for the country's second largest wind farm at a site near Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway. The 71-turbine scheme will be built and operated by a subsidiary of Scottish Power.

Read the Scottish Government news release here.

Southwark regeneration project approved

Southwark Council's planning committee has given the go-ahead to a housing-led, mixed-use scheme on the site of the former London Park Hotel at the Elephant & Castle. The scheme will include a 44-storey residential tower as well as a new theatre complex.

Bradford development wins consent

Developer Asquith has obtained planning approval from Bradford City Council for its £150m Citygate scheme on Manchester Road. The project comprises a 116-bedroom hotel, luxury flats, townhouse, retail floor space and two private landscaped courtyards.

Read the Asquith press release here.

Hackney masterplan gets the go-ahead

Hackney Council's planning sub-committee has approved the masterplan for a major regeneration scheme involving the east London borough's Woodberry Down estate. The proposals will include the building of more than 4,500 mixed tenure homes as well as a range of community facilities.

New proposals for Cramlington

Planning consultants Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners have submitted proposals for a new residential and mixed-use development at Cramlington, the Northumberland new town. The proposals, on behalf of Bellway Homes and Persimmon Homes, involve 700 new homes, community buildings as well as nearly 170,000sq ft of office and retail development. The £85m scheme is known as Centre Point.

Tolkien home to be bulldozed

Poole planners have given the go-ahead for the demolition of a seaside bungalow which was once the home of author JRR Tolkien. The building will be replaced by two four-bedroom family homes.

Roger Milne

13 September 2007