England round-up: Illegal HGV business owner pleads guilty to planning breaches; Council challenges inspectorate’s decision for 350 homes

Illegal HGV business owner pleads guilty to planning breaches

A landowner and a business owner have pleaded guilty to breaching planning regulations for running a vehicle sales business from a Leicestershire farm without permission.

The Planner

Council challenges inspectorate’s decision for 350 homes

South Gloucestershire Council has announced that it will challenge a planning inspector’s decision to approve 350 homes in Thornbury.

The Planner

Rise in students on RTPI-accredited planning courses

The number of students across the world studying an RTPI-accredited course grew by 8 per cent in 2017/18 to 4,138.

The Planner

RTPI elects new Fellow

Susan Bridge is the newest Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute following her election in June.

RTPI

Plans to convert Boscombe hotel into holiday flats submitted  

Plans to convert the Saxonhurst Hotel in Sea Road, Boscombe, into six holiday flats have been submitted to Bournemouth Council.

Bournemouth Echo

Government steps up the fight against waste criminals 

Environment secretary Michael Gove has announced that his department is to carry out a comprehensive review into how the government tackles waste crime.

UK Government

Continued fall in number of empty properties in Dover

There were 101 fewer empty homes in the Dover district in 2017, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Dover District Council

£19 million funding for councils to boost integration 

Councils across England will receive a share of a further £19 million to help ease pressures on local services resulting from recent migration, communities minister Lord Bourne has announced.

UK Government

Chelmsford Local Plan to build 14,000 homes approved

The leader of Chelmsford City Council has told residents that if ‘you fail to plan, you plan to fail’ as the council approved its local plan.

Essex Live

Mystery of Sadiq Khan's ‘invisible’ affordable homes

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been accused of claiming affordable homes are springing up on a string of sites – where nothing appears to be happening.

Evening Standard

Ed Sheeran’s extension plans on hold

Ed Sheeran has put plans to build a private chapel on his estate on hold so a search for great crested newts can be held.

NME

Chris Packham warns of ‘ecological apocalypse’

Chris Packham has warned that the country is presiding over ‘an ecological apocalypse’ and Britain is increasingly ‘a green and unpleasant land’.

The Guardian

Developer fined £34,000 after hedge removed in Harrogate 

A housing developer has been fined £34,000 after a hedgerow next to a new housing development in Harrogate was unlawfully removed.

Harrogate Advertiser

Plans submitted for 3,000-home development

Plans for 3,000 new homes, employment space and infrastructure on a site near the A59/A1 and Harrogate railway line have been lodged.

Insider Media

Approval for ultra-fast electric car-charging innovation 

The government has announced that a new pioneering technology to ensure a next generation of safer, high-powered electric car batteries can be charged is just one of 12 innovation projects it has given the go-ahead.

UK Government

Tree Champion to expand England’s woodland 

A new Tree Champion to drive forward planting rates and prevent the unnecessary felling of street trees has been appointed by environment secretary Michael Gove.

UK Government

New offshore wind farm launched

A new offshore wind farm located off the North Norfolk coast and operated from Grimsby has been opened. It will be capable of powering over half a million UK homes.

Insider Media

Southend council sets out NO2 plan

Southend-on-Sea Borough council has published its proposals to reduce air pollution in the borough over the next three years.

Air Quality News

Initial costs for HS2 civil works costs are £1bn over budget

Costs for main civil works on the government's controversial High Speed 2 project are coming in £1 billion over budget, according to the New Civil Engineer.

City AM

Local plan focuses too heavily on development over the environment

Landscape charity Friends of the Lake District has expressed concern over elements of the Lake District National Park Authority’s Local Plan Review document, published last month and currently open for public consultation.

Cumbria Crack

Mayor: Ultra-Low Emission Zone to expand

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has confirmed that the capital’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone will be expanded up to the North and South Circular boundary in 2021.

Greater London Authority

Millions still stuck on housing waiting lists

One year on from the tragic Grenfell fire, and many survivors are still waiting for a new home – but new analysis from Shelter suggests the situation is similarly stark right across the country. 

Shelter

Concerns about housebuilding in Hinckley and beyond

Six Leicestershire MPs have written to Leicestershire County Council outlining their fears about the Strategic Growth Plan for 96,000 homes by 2031 and another 90,000 by 2051.

Hinckley Times