England round-up: Court sides with campaigners over ‘unlawful’ Heathrow expansion; 2,000-home developments take over eight years to deliver

Court sides with campaigners over ‘unlawful’ Heathrow expansion

The Court of Appeal has ruled that the Airports National Policy Statement was unlawful because it failed to take into account the government’s commitment to provisions in the Paris agreement on climate change – ratified by the UK in November 2016.

The Planner

2,000-home developments take over eight years to deliver

Research has suggested that housing sites comprising 2,000 or more homes take longer than eight years on average from application to completion.

The Planner

Council acts over illegal waste at brickworks site

The High Court has granted Calderdale Council’s application for an injunction against people operating an illegal waste site at the former Calder Brickworks in Elland.

The Planner

Scheme to protect great crested newts extended

Natural England has rolled out a ‘strategic approach’ to great crested newt licensing across 37 local authorities to better protect the amphibian.

The Planner

Southend town planners share best practice with planners of tomorrow

Southend Council has welcomed a young town planner to the Civic Centre for the day as part of the RTPI's Chief Planners of Tomorrow initiative.

Leigh Times

Wyre Forest Local Plan given go-ahead despite objections

Plans outlining where new homes will be built in Wyre Forest have been given the green light by councillors. 

Hereford Times

Opposition councillors call for Orbit cash to be ring-fenced

Liberal Democrat councillors are calling for a cash windfall of almost £1 million to be ring-fenced for affordable housing and community support initiatives.

Stratford-upon-Avon Herald

Community events to be held for Cornwall garden village

Cornwall Council is holding a series of community engagement events in and around the site of the new Langarth Garden Village during the first week of March to gain views on the latest draft of the masterplan.

Cornwall Council

1,400-home development on former airport site to go ahead

A controversial housing development in south Bristol will go ahead after housing secretary Robert Jenrick decided not to call in the application despite Sport Englands's concerns.

Bristol Post

Government confirms spending increase for councils

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has announced a £49.2 billion investment into local council funding – the largest increase in councils’ spending power for a decade.

Public Sector Executive

HS2 and Crossrail Old Oak Common station design is confirmed

Proposals for a superhub station that combines HS2, Crossrail and National Rail services at the heart of the country's largest redevelopment have been finalised.

My London

London’s first recycled rubber road is laid

Tower Hamlets has become the first London borough to rubber-stamp a road made partly from old recycled tyres that would once have been destined for a landfill site.

Infrastructure Intelligence

Report dubs HS2 college ‘financially unsustainable’

A college for HS2 engineers that failed to attract enough students has been branded “financially unsustainable”.

BBC News

Green light given for new schools in Norfolk

Planning permission has been granted for the construction of a new specialist school on the former Alderman Swindell site in Great Yarmouth and a new primary and nursery in Gayton.

Norfolk County Council

Cherwell Local Plan requires change of housing sites to go ahead

A debate over where 410 new homes should be built in north Oxfordshire led to accusations that a council is not listening to residents.

Bicester Advertiser 

90 homes in Stilton approved on appeal

A new 90-home development in Stilton has been given the go-ahead on appeal – to the dismay of parish councillors.

Peterborough Telegraph

Flooding concerns over housing plan 

An action group opposed to the building of new homes near Hammerton has said recent flooding shows the site isn’t suitable.

Stray FM