England round-up: English cities regeneration fund doubles in size; Khan announces £24m funding for community regeneration

English cities regeneration fund doubles in size

The English Cities Fund has announced that it will double its investment in English towns and cities to £200 million as it looks to deliver five schemes with a total value of £1.6 billion.

The Planner

Khan announces £24m funding for community regeneration

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has awarded £24 million from his Good Growth Fund to help projects across the capital to help local people take an active role in the regeneration of their communities.

The Planner

Search for England’s forgotten memorials

Historic England has launched ‘Immortalised’ – a project asking the public to share its knowledge of local monuments, street shrines and community tributes in public places.

The Planner

Increasing council tax on second homes in Yorkshire voted down

A proposal to increase council tax on second homes in the Yorkshire Dales National Park (YDNP) ‘has in effect been killed off’, said its chairman.

The Planner

International Women’s Day 2018

Each year The Planner marks International Women’s Day with an update to our (increasingly popular) Women of Influence list and a variety of articles that discuss gender in planning and highlight the achievements of women in planning. 2018 is no different.

The Planner

Report: Safety fears tend to forestall women’s journeys in cities

Walking and cycling charity Sustrans has called for equal representation in transport planning and delivery to help address the low number of women who travel actively in the UK.

The Planner

RenewableUK vows to have 30% women speakers at events

On International Women’s Day, the trade body for wind, wave and tidal energy industries RenewableUK has pledged to ensure that at least 30 per cent of the speakers, panellists and chairs at its events are women.

The Planner

Grayling launches Crossrail 2 review in ‘lockstep’ with £3bn TransPennine spend

Transport secretary Chris Grayling has launched an independent review to ‘ensure the affordability of Crossrail 2’, while pledging that a £3 billion upgrade programme on TransPennine rail routes would start next spring.

Transport Network

Work to start on Midlands smart motorway schemes

The government has announced that work is to start on two smart motorway upgrades — the M6 at junctions 2 near Coventry to junctions 4 near Coleshill, and the M6 between junctions 13 at Stafford to 15 near Stoke on Trent.

UK Government

New homes must be ‘age-friendly’ to support elderly population

With over-60s set to outnumber those aged under 20 by 2045, the redevelopment of towns and cities needs to cater for the older generation, says a report commissioned by property specialists Grosvenor Group.

The Express

Cheshire Wildlife Trust calls for changes to HS2 proposal 

Cheshire Wildlife Trust has put forward proposals to amend the HS2 Phase 2a Hybrid Bill and submitted a petition to the House of Commons Select Committee voicing their objections to the bill.

Whitchurch Herald

High-speed rail route could link Gatwick and Heathrow

A fresh proposal for a high-speed railway passing both Gatwick and Heathrow has been developed to enhance other major infrastructure projects for the South East.

City AM

Industry-led Retail Sector Council launched

The first industry-led Retail Sector Council has been launched by retail minister Andrew Griffiths and Richard Pennycook, chairman of Fenwick, The Hut Group and Howden Joinery Group.

UK Government

Dulwich Hamlet landlords backtrack on bid to seize club ground

Dulwich Hamlet’s landlords have done a U-turn on a threat to force the side to stop using its ground, name, nickname and badge.

London News Online

Plans submitted for two new wards at Hereford hospital

A planning application to build two new wards at Hereford County Hospital has been described as a ‘landmark moment’.

Hereford Times

Great Yarmouth’s third crossing plan is granted nationally important planning status

Norfolk County Council’s £120 million scheme to build a third river crossing in Great Yarmouth has been designated a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project by transport secretary Chris Grayling.

Great Yarmouth Mercury

£450,000 of HS2 government funding to deliver woodland hub

HS2 minister Nusrat Ghani has announced a £450,000 government grant for plans to deliver a new woodland hub with an adventure trail, café and parking at Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire.

UK Government

Decision due at last over Sunderland's planned new courts

Ministers have announced that a decision on the future of the Sunderland Court Estate will be made by June 2018.

Chronicle Live

Plans for a supported housing ‘village’ for older people in Ryde

A supported housing development for older people – the first in a multimillion-pound project to reduce the number of residential care admissions – looks set to be built in Ryde.

Isle of Wight County Press

Crossrail CEO to step down after seven years

As London’s Crossrail project fast approaches its scheduled completion date, it has been announced that its chief executive Andrew Wolstenholme will step down after seven years leading the major infrastructure project.

Infrastructure Intelligence