Wedding venue to be built on site of former farm
Harborough District Council has approved plans to turn Scraptoft Lodge Farm into a luxury event space.
Local entrepreneur Mehul Somani was supported by Marrons Planning. The farm is located on Keyham Lane, Scraptoft.
A full renovation of the derelict farm will now take place; the farmhouse will be converted, outbuildings rebuilt and an extension to facilitate an events space, restaurant and bar, alongside 109 car parking spaces – eight of which will include electric vehicle charge points – will be built.
The 350-capacity venue has been designed, inside and outside, by Leicester-based architecture firm DSA.
Government plans to ban solar projects from farms in England
Ministers are planning to ban solar farms from the majority of England’s agricultural land, according to The Guardian.
It is thought that environment secretary Ranil Jayawardena is opposed to solar panels on farmland because he believes it impedes his program of growth.
Government sources say he has asked his officials to redefine “best and most versatile” land (BMV), which is earmarked for farming, to include the middling-to-low category 3b, which is the type of land most farms are built on and planned for.
Graded from 1 to 5, at the moment BMV land includes grades 1 to 3a, with planning guidance stating this land should be avoided.
If BMV land is extended to grade 3b, solar projects would not be allowed to be built on about 41 per cent of the land area of England – 58 per cent of agricultural land.
A lot of grade 4 and 5 land is in upland areas, which are unsuitable for solar developments.
Hertsmere consulting on SPDs to reduce carbon
Hertsmere Borough Council has published three draft supplementary planning documents (SPD) for consultation.
These include details on:
- how the council intends to promote sustainable transport and parking through changes to off-street parking requirements for new developments, including electric car charging points, and the provision of electric car clubs and bike hire schemes;
- how it intends to collect payments for carbon emissions and use the money for carbon reduction projects; other
- how it intends to guarantee that developments over a certain size result in an increase in biodiversity.
The consultation closes on 15 November.
More information can be found here on the Hertsmere Borough Council website.
Protections sought for the Irish Sea
Conservationist groups are seeking to ensure that the Irish Sea and all its inhabitants are protected.
The conservationists note that although 36 per cent of the Irish Sea is designated as a Marine Protected Area, only around 5 per cent has any management in place and less than 0.01 per cent is fully protected.
The Irish Sea, already considered to be in a “degraded” state, is under “significant and increasing pressure”, particularly from the changing climate and activities such as fishing and aquaculture.
Manx Wildlife Trust, North Wales Wildlife Trust, the North West Wildlife Trusts, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Sustainable Water Network (Ireland), The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales and Ulster Wildlife have come together to press for action.
Georgia de Jong Cleyndert, head of marine at the North West Wildlife Trusts, commented: “Working together is essential. Wildlife does not adhere to lines drawn on maps, so we need to think at an Irish Sea scale. Whilst there are some protective measures in place for the Irish Sea, management is weak.
“We must ensure that damaging activities like dredging, development and damaging fishing practices are managed to ensure that vitally important areas for the environment are protected and we give space for nature’s recovery.
“We are also calling on politicians and business leaders to work with us to make sure this is a sea where wildlife can flourish.”
More from the Irish Sea Network can be found on the North West Wildlife Trusts website.
North Wales housing development given approval
Wrexham Council has approved plans for a residential development in a North Wales village.
Bellway Homes Limited (North West Division), supported by planning and development consultancy Lichfields, has secured planning approval for a mix of 112 one, two, three and four-bedroomed homes, including affordable properties, on a site to the north of Gatewen Road in New Broughton, near Wrexham.
The scheme will provide suitable and sustainable residential housing development that will also contribute to meeting the need for good-quality local housing stock.
The approved plans, which will see properties designed with spacious rear gardens and parking, also include landscaping and the planting of large trees within or close to the residential boundary, with improved main access to the development from Gatewen Road.
Westminster to hold a resident ballot on housing estate
Westminster City Council has announced plans to hold a resident ballot to decide the future of the Church Street regeneration site.
Regeneration plans include more community centres, sports facilities and pedestrianized green spaces, as well as “high quality” new homes.
The ballot will ask qualifying residents in sites A, B and C if they are in favor of the proposals for the regeneration of the Church Street area.
More information can be found here.
Hackney approves De Beauvoir Estate housing plans
Hackney Council has approved plans for a new infill development creating 189 new homes in the De Beauvoir Estate in Hackney, London.
The scheme will provide nearly 19,000 square meters (204,514 square feet) of new residential space including a total of 189 mixed-tenure homes, non-residential floor space, plus green spaces and new play areas.
The development will deliver six new buildings making use of five undeveloped and unused plots without demolishing any existing homes. Half of the new homes will be affordable, with 59 being social-rented homes and the remaining 36 residences shared ownership.
The scheme will help to improve the urban environment around the blocks, creating more active street-level frontages and providing a public realm that integrates the current estate buildings with the new developments and the surrounding streets.
Edinburgh launches planning consultation
The City of Edinburgh Council has announced that it is consulting on new planning laws as it became the first short-term let control area in Scotland last month.
The laws will now mean if you offer a flat or a house for a short-term let that is not the home you live in, you will need planning permission for it.
The council has updated its proposed guidance now that it is a control area. It intends to garner views on it from anyone with an interest including residents, those operating short-term lets and those involved in the tourism industry by Thursday, 22 December.
Emmanuel House submits plans to Nottingham Council
Emmanuel House has submitted plans to Nottingham City Council to create 20 bedrooms for its support center to provide short-term emergency accommodation for people who find themselves homeless in Nottingham.
Its £2 million ‘New Vision’ scheme will provide two floors of bedrooms along with en suite facilities, food and 24-hour support provided by the charity’s team of trained specialists.
The scheme is for a change of use for the first and second floors of its existing Goose Gate premises, which currently house office and storage space.
Plans also include one-to-one meeting spaces, 24-hour security, common rooms, computer suites, consultation spaces and rooms with disabled access.
The charity’s vision will see its day and night support services come together on a single site, with the second phase of work assigned to upgrading the current ground-floor support centre.
C20 Society launches leisure center protection campaign
C20 Society has launched a campaign to protect 10 historic leisure centers in the UK.
From Cornwall to the Shetland Islands, C20 has identified examples of leisure centers to be considered for listing to Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland and Cadw (Wales).
In England, these include Center Parcs Dome, Sherwood, Coventry Sports Centre, Concordia Leisure Centre, Cramlington, The Dome, Doncaster, Ships and Castles Leisure Center in Falmouth and Walker Activity Dome, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
In Scotland, it includes Bell’s Sports Centre, Perth, Clickimin Leisure Complex and Perth Leisure Centre. In Wales, it includes the Wrexham Waterworld.