England round-up: More than 150,000 social rent homes lost in six years; Government urged to act over community-led homes

More than 150,000 social rent homes lost in six years

Over the past six years more than 165,000 homes for social rent have been lost in England. This breaks down to 140,828 council homes and 57,869 housing association homes.

The Planner

Government urged to act over community-led homes

The National Community Land Trust Network has called on the government to extend the Community Housing Fund outside London in the Spending Review.

The Planner

Designs released for HS2 Old Oak station

HS2 has released the latest designs for a new station at Old Oak Common.

The Planner

Former Telford garage reborn as church

A former car dealership in Telford will be reborn as an All Nations Church, after councillors approved a change-of-use proposal.

Shropshire Star

Staff morale has ‘gone off the cliff’, says Crossrail boss

Crossrail boss Mark Wild admits one of key tasks is to ‘corral’ staff to finish late-running scheme.

Building

Network Rail submits plans for improved sea wall at Dawlish

Network Rail has submitted a planning application to Teignbridge District Council to improve the long-term resilience of the railway linking Devon and Cornwall to the rest of the UK.

Network Rail

517 planning enforcement actions taken by Bradford Council in 5 years 

Bradford Council has taken enforcement action 517 times in the past five years over planning breaches. A total of 71 cases relate to the installation of roller shutters which have been a source of dispute in the district’s conservation areas.

The Telegraph and Argus

Application submitted in Nuneaton 

Housebuilder Bellway has applied for planning permission to build 75 homes on the Royal Park development off The Long Shoot in Nuneaton.

Coventry Telegraph

Eden District Council adopts local enforcement plan

Eden District Council has published its local enforcement plan, which sets out its commitment to the delivery of an efficient and effective planning enforcement service.

Cumbria Crack

150 new homes approved for former Buxton college site

Developers have been granted permission to build 153 new homes at the now-derelict Harpur Hill university site, Buxton.

Buxton Advertiser

Stafford restaurant boss may have to tear down refurbishments

Cladding on the outside of Chicos in Foregate Street, Stafford, may have to be ripped out after it was installed without planning permission. 

Express & Star

‘Inadequate’ plans for mental health hospital near school to be reconsidered

Exeter City Council has apologised for an ‘inadequate’ consultation into plans to build a new independent mental health hospital next to a primary school which failed to properly consider the safety of children.

National Health Executive

Government announces plans to tackle illegal traveller sites 

Home secretary Sajid Javid set out draft measures aimed at making it easier for officers to intervene and remove travellers from land they should not be on.

UK Government

Views on estate agents boards in Camden

Camden Council intends to apply to the government for the power to ensure estate agents boards cannot be displayed without its permission, and is asking residents and businesses for their views.

Camden Council