News round-up

Our planning news is published in association with The Planner, the official magazine of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

A round-up of planning news.

Affordable housing plans approved in Wigan 

Wigan Council has approved plans for 106 affordable homes in Wigan on a brownfield site, the former Enterprise House in Ince. 

Grant funding to support the redevelopment of the brownfield site has been secured from Homes England and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. 

Half of the new homes will be available for affordable rent, with the remaining 50 per cent offered as shared ownership. They will include two, three and four-bedroom homes which will be built in a mix of detached, semi-detached, and mews-style properties. 

The development will achieve a minimum 10 per cent biodiversity net gain, with new areas of open green space and a trim trail. 

A new footpath connecting nearby Laburnum Avenue will be created, providing easy access to the nearby Ince train station. 

Loan secures 4,000 jobs for Liverpool region 

A loan fund run by igloo Investment Management on behalf of Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has secured nearly 4,000 jobs. 

The money is being reinvested to help build the economy and create more jobs. 

Created in 2011, the Chrysalis Fund has invested around £53 million across 13 projects to create or safeguard nearly 4,000 jobs, develop 1 million square feet of employment floor space and remediate 19 hectares of previously developed land. 

Twelve of the 13 loans have been repaid in full. The final loan is on track to be repaid by 2026. 

Projects benefiting from the Chrysalis Fund included Venus 217, a new-build distribution facility comprising 217,000 square feet and Duke and Parr, the redevelopment of one of the city’s most historic buildings, home to the city’s first public library on Duke Street, and now let to a multinational entertainment company. 

The combined authority has recently allocated an additional £17.5 million to the fund to create a £53 million revolving investment fund, to bolster its ability to grow the city-region economy. 

Housing at Newcraighall East approved 

The City of Edinburgh Council’s development management sub-committee has granted, subject to conditions, approval for 220 mixed-residential units located east of Glennie Road, Newcraighall East. 

The site will be developed by housing specialists Cullross Ltd. 

Flats, colony flats, and townhouses are included in the plans, with 163 (74 per cent) of the homes being for affordable housing, which will be delivered by Cullross on behalf of Hillcrest Homes. The remainder of the homes will be for private housing. 

Plans also include open park space. 

The development is allocated as housing site HSG27 in the council’s local development plan, where residential development is acceptable in principle. 

Mark Beaton, director of Cullross Ltd, said: “Extensive community consultation was undertaken on our ambitious proposals which will bring much-needed housing, the majority of which will be affordable housing, to Edinburgh. 

“We were particularly keen to ensure that there is extensive green space available to the local community, including delivering a substantial landscaped open park. 

“As the project progresses to site, we look forward to continuing to engage with the local community on this.” 

Angela Linton, chief executive at Hillcrest, added: “The 163 Hillcrest properties, which will form a significant portion of this development in Newcraighall, will offer a welcome boost of high-quality affordable housing to the city of Edinburgh.” 

Public consultation opens for revised Block C plans 

Property developer Downing Students has released revised plans for Block C, Plot 11, First Street in Manchester, which is now open for public consultation.   

The updated proposal for Block C seeks to diversify the residential offer within First Street through the delivery of purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA), in place of the currently proposed co-living accommodation. 

The new plan includes a larger public park which has allowed for an increased number of trees to be planted, improved pedestrian and cycle routes, and a net increase in biodiversity. 

Construction works on the first two phases of development at Plot 11 (comprising Blocks A, B and D as co-living) began in March 2022 and are expected to be complete by late 2024/early 2025. Subject to planning approval works on the third phase of development (comprising Block C) will start following the completion of the first two phases.   

Information on the updated proposal for Plot 11, First Street can be viewed here where feedback on the plans can be submitted until Sunday 12 November 2023. 

Facility plans approved by council 

The City of Wolverhampton Council has granted outline planning approval for the development of a multimillion-pound Bilston health and wellbeing facility. 

The facility will be located on the council-owned site adjacent to the WV Active Bilston-Bert Williams leisure centre and Bilston Urban Village medical centre. 

It will be mostly funded from the £20 million government grant the council secured for its Bilston Health and Regeneration Programme in March. 

The community asset will bring together partners and providers from the health, social care and wellbeing and leisure sectors to support around 18,000 residents and will be connected to Bilston’s public transport hub. 

It will also act as an anchor within the community, investing in early intervention and prevention, giving access to a campus that builds resilience, integrates and transforms primary and community services and brings care closer to people’s homes – connecting people, communities, and places. 

Views sought on BNG SPD 

Calderdale Council has invited residents to have their say on how future developments will meet requirements to deliver improvements to the natural environment. 

A four-week public consultation is being held on the council’s Biodiversity Net Gain Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). 

Delivering 10 per cent biodiversity net gain (BNG) on most new developments will become mandatory in January 2024. 

Calderdale Council’s planning department, in partnership with officers in the countryside service, has prepared the SPD to provide guidance to developers for each stage of the planning application. 

The SPD includes details about how developers can avoid or offset any negative impacts on the natural environment related to the proposed development and how they can deliver benefits to residents through improvements to soil, water and air quality, flood risk management and opportunities for recreation. 

The documents can be viewed on the council website.   

Leader of Calderdale Council, Jane Scullion, said: “The SPD has been prepared in consultation with other neighbouring boroughs and local partners to ensure it supports regional ambitions and also our council priorities of taking climate action and reducing inequalities. We now want to hear from local people, to help us shape the final documents.” 

Cabinet approves HDHN plans 

Hull City Council’s cabinet has approved plans for the Hull District Heat Network (HDHN), the council’s long-term, cost-saving energy supply project. 

The decision means the council will form a Limited Liability Company (LLC) to manage HDHN. 

Alongside this, the company will also create local jobs by employing specialist, skilled workers to ensure that HDHN operates efficiently, protecting both the council and customers in the long term by guaranteeing a reliable and resilient long-term supply of locally sourced low-carbon heat and reducing dependence on fossil fuel. 

The LLC will be regulated by Ofgem to ensure that it is fully compliant with the latest guidelines. 

The next phase of HDHN will feature stakeholder engagement through the winter, which will begin shortly. 

Stonebridge Place plans green-lit in Brent 

The London Borough of Brent has approved plans for Stonebridge Place, a new residential development in Stonebridge Park, Brent. 

London developer Avanton acted as a development partner with international real estate investment group Canada Israel. 

This £300 million project is set to deliver 515 homes alongside commercial space on a regeneration site formerly known as Wembley Point, located nearby to Stonebridge Park train station. 

The development consists of three buildings with the centrepiece being a 32-storey tower. Upon its completion in 2027, the tower will stand as the tallest building in Brent. 

Gilden Park developers commit to delivery of community facilities 

A consortium of housebuilders has committed to new timescales for the delivery of outstanding community facilities at Gilden Park after legal action was initiated by Harlow Council.   

Discussions with Barrett Homes (BDW Trading Limited), Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey over the delivery of a sports pavilion and pitches, allotments, community centre and retail units in accordance with the section 106 agreement for the Gilden Park development have been ongoing. 

The council’s injunction sought to stop the developers from selling more houses until the s106 conditions were met or a suitable undertaking to provide the outstanding obligations were given to the court and the council. 

New timescales for the delivery of the facilities have now been submitted by the consortium of housebuilders. If the timescales are not adhered to, the housebuilders will be in breach of the injunction. 

The timescales include: 

• Provide sports pitches by 31 December 2024 – pitches formed and seeding were to take place during October 2023 and will take 12 months to establish. 
• Provide allotments by today (31 October) and provide storage facilities by 31 March 2024. The consortium reports that these works are essentially completed, with surrounding planting being implemented at present. 
• Transfer allotment management to Harlow Allotment Association or Residents Association by 31 March 2024 – this is expected to be completed in advance of the stated deadline. 

Harlow Council said it took this action after two years of discussions with the consortium over the non-delivery of the community facilities. 

Michael Hardware, portfolio holder for economic development at the council, commented: “The Gilden Park residents have been challenging the consortium for many years to address the lack of progress on community infrastructure. Our action has always been about standing up for Gilden Park residents who have been let down and failed with no local facilities to enjoy. Thanks to the persistence of residents and our legal action, we now have clarity on when these much-needed community facilities will be provided. But we will be keeping a close eye on every single part of the implementation, and we will not hesitate to take further action if there are any breaches.” 

31 October 2023 
Laura Edgar and Prithvi Pandya, The Planner