Latest news with #JohnLewisPartnership
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
John Lewis gets green light to build hundreds of flats after appeal
John Lewis has won permission to build hundreds of new flats in west London after a successful appeal to the government inspector. The retail giant has been given the green light to build 423 new rental homes on top of its existing Waitrose store in West Ealing after officials approved the project despite opposition from locals. It comes almost two years after John Lewis Partnership (JLP) submitted a planning application for the development. The retailer launched an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate last summer after West Ealing council failed to make a decision on whether to approve the flats. Locals had been pushing for the scheme to be rejected, with campaign group Stop The Towers criticising John Lewis for ignoring concerns over the height of the tower blocks. It branded the 'arrogance of JLPs development team [as] breath-taking'. Stop The Towers also opposed John Lewis at the planning inquiry. The decision by a government inspector to side with John Lewis over the development comes as Labour races to get more new homes built. The party pledged in its manifesto to deliver 1.5m more houses in the next five years. In February, Angela Rayner, the Housing Secretary who is overseeing the development drive, said there were 'no excuses to not build those homes that people desperately need'. She has pledged to speed up the planning process and said Nimbys 'no longer have the upper hand', promising to end their 'chokehold' on housebuilding. John Lewis said its rental home development would be in line with Labour's plans to get more houses built near commuter train stations to kickstart economic growth. Its scheme will be built 350 metres from the West Ealing Crossrail station. Katherine Russell, director of build-to-rent at the John Lewis Partnership, said: 'This decision underpins a clear policy commitment to supporting brownfield development close to key transport hubs. 'We will continue to work closely with local people to bring forward the development responsibly and ensure it delivers long-term benefits, both to residents and the wider community as a whole.' The West Ealing scheme is one of three flagship rental home developments being overseen by John Lewis. The partnership until recently saw housing as a way to diversify from the high street at a time when retail was under intense pressure. However, the company has since sought to refocus its efforts back on retail after an improvement in performance. Last year, it ditched a target to make 40pc of its profits from areas outside of retail by 2030, saying the economic environment had changed 'so dramatically'. It is still pushing ahead with its initial rental home projects, however. The company received approval for its first scheme, in Bromley, last July. That scheme had also faced a backlash from locals and councillors, who had pushed the partnership to add more affordable homes. John Lewis is also planning new rental homes in Reading. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Waitrose owner wins go ahead for new west London store despite local opposition
Waitrose's owner has been given the go ahead for a huge redevelopment of its West Ealing site despite bitter opposition from many local residents. The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) won approval for the scheme when a government planning inspector upheld the company's appeal over a delayed planning decision. The current Waitrose supermarket, one of the biggest in London, will be demolished and replaced by a mixed use development including 428 rental homes – including 83 designated for affordable rent – a new public square, commercial space, a community facility and a modernised store. The development includes four towers, of 19, 17, 15 and 10 storeys, which have enraged some local campaigners. They said they were too tall for the area and would overshadow local homes. The site is just 350 metres from West Ealing's Elizabeth Line station. The planning appeal was lodged last summer on grounds of 'non-determination.' The inspector concluded that JLP's proposal aligned with the government's housing goals. In December last year, ministers updated the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to give 'substantial weight' to using brownfield land within urban areas. Labour has also backed new housing near commuter hubs to drive economic growth. But a public consultation in 2023 revealed that 96% of local residents opposed the scheme. The consultation had 653 responses to it of which 630 objected and only 16 were in favour. Opposition has been led by the Stop the Towers group, which argued that the development was 'outrageously oversized' and 'will destroy West Ealing.' But Katherine Russell, director of build-to-rent at JLP, welcomed the decision. She said: 'We're pleased that the Inspector has found in favour of the multi-million-pound investment that will create vital new housing and a modernised Waitrose store to serve a community we have been part of for decades.' She added: 'The decision underpins a clear policy commitment to supporting brownfield development close to key transport hubs. 'We will continue to work closely with local people to bring forward the development responsibly and ensure it delivers long-term benefits, both to residents and the wider community as a whole.' The project is funded by a £500m joint venture between JLP and the Aberdeen Group. Svitlana Gubriy, head of indirect real assets at Aberdeen, said: 'We are incredibly excited about the future of the build-to-rent sector, which is undergoing a transformative shift. 'With the fundamentals of demand and supply supporting steady cash flows and sustaining long-term value of the sector, the focus is increasingly shifting on fostering community engagement and addressing local needs.' She added: 'What's becoming increasingly important is social value with investors dedicating their efforts to develop residential projects that are not only financially successful but also cater to the needs of future generations. The recent developments in Ealing serve as a testament to this pivotal trend.'
The Independent
27-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
John Lewis rental home plan gets go-ahead after planning appeal
The John Lewis Partnership (JLP) has won an appeal to push through controversial plans to redevelop a Waitrose store and build hundreds of new homes in west London. The employee-owned business, which has been seeking to diversify its operations, had faced local opposition over plans to build 428 rental homes in West Ealing. JLP first submitted its build-to-rent redevelopment plan almost two years ago and launched an appeal in June last year after the local council failed to decide on its proposals. On Tuesday, the retail group, which also runs the Waitrose supermarket chain, said a Government planning inspector confirmed the plans were given the go-ahead. It is the latest planning decision where Government planning officials have stepped in to approve applications in order to help speed up developments. The proposed homes are near to West Ealing Crossrail station and include 83 affordable rental homes. The project is one of developments being pursued by a £500 million joint venture between JLP and investment firm Aberdeen Group. Katherine Russell, director of build-to-rent at JLP, said: 'We're pleased that the Inspector has found in favour of the multimillion-pound investment that will create vital new housing and a modernised Waitrose store to serve a community we have been part of for decades. 'The decision underpins a clear policy commitment to supporting brownfield development close to key transport hubs. 'We will continue to work closely with local people to bring forward the development responsibly and ensure it delivers long-term benefits, both to residents and the wider community as a whole.' Svitlana Gubriy, head of indirect real assets at the Aberdeen Group, said: 'We are incredibly excited about the future of the build-to-rent sector, which is undergoing a transformative shift. 'With the fundamentals of demand and supply supporting steady cash flows and sustaining long-term value of the sector, the focus is increasingly shifting on fostering community engagement and addressing local needs.'
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Brendan Rodgers: Driving a forklift truck and getting the ferry to play games on the Isle of Wight helped make me the manager I am today
Even though he's closing in on 800 games as a manager, Brendan Rodgers isn't eyeing the end of his career. The start of it remains a touchstone each day. A promising midfielder with Ballymena United, he arrived at Reading as a teenager with hopes of making it in English football. A knee injury sustained at the age of 20 proved an unwelcome wake-up call in sleepy Berkshire. Unwilling to give up on his dream, the Northern Irishman still strapped on the boots for non-league Newport as he started coaching. The fact the semi-pro club were based on the Isle of Wight was no impediment. 'We trained in Basingstoke and then on Saturday I would meet up with the guys get on the ferry and go over and play over there,' he recalled. 'Some of the guys there .. some could have been brilliant players. But the application was not quite what you want so that is why they were there. 'It was a brilliant spell. But it was just through the love of playing, I knew I wasn't going to be the professional I wanted to be, but I wanted to stay in the game.' His work ethic was always herculean, though. While he continued turning out for non-league sides Witney Town and Newbury Town at the weekends, he'd responsibilities to meet. 'I was fully qualified on the old forklift, he revealed. 'I worked in the John Lewis Partnership. Their main office is in Bracknell. 'I would be in at half five in the morning. I would do that three or four times a week to get extra money. 'I would do six in the morning til six at night. Then I would go coaching at night and do the courses and try and play. 'You know what? That made me what I became. 'I loved football and that made me realise even more so how much I loved it. 'It paid for me to get my qualifications and then eventually I was offered a full-time job at Reading.' It put him on Jose Mourinho's radar. Rodgers was asked by the Portuguese to move to Chelsea initially as a youth coach then as reserve manager. 'I never set out to be a manager,' said Rodgers. 'I set out to be the best youth coach I could be. 'Before you know it, I was working with some of the best players in the world at Chelsea and those guys really dropped the seed in to manage.' He remembers his first experience like it was yesterday. He moved to Watford, taking charge of a first-team for the first time against Doncaster in November 2008. 'One each,' he recalled. 'I went home that night and slept like a log into the next day. 'It was a change because I was going in to bring in my philosophy and it was not what the team had been used to. So, it took a bit of time. 'From there we slowly got better and better.' Rodgers, though, was a young man in a hurry. He abruptly left Watford for a return to Reading. Although that didn't work out, he'd made a big enough impression for Swansea to come calling. He created history by taking them into the topflight via the playoffs in his first season, the first Welsh side to do so, and kept them up. He was close but not close enough to ending Liverpool's generational wait for the title. The only foot he put wrong in his first spell at Celtic was the abrupt manner of his departure. An FA Cup win at Leicester underscored his talent. Notwithstanding the controversy surrounding his exit from Parkhead, he was the obvious choice to replace Ange Postecoglou. On the brink of another Treble, the next time he leaves Celtic will not come a minute too soon for the chasing pack. You don't detect, however, that he is yet longing for that day. 'My initial target was 1000 games, the inspiration was to get to that,' he said. 'Naturally as you get closer, you want to continue the journey. I think I am still relatively young as a manager, 52, so as long as the passion is there and I can work the way I want to with professionalism and commitment I will carry on. 'But I also know life is short. There are things I would like to be able to do more of, with regards to family and spending time with them. 'That is why I was going to have to break before coming back to Celtic. Now I am in, I am loving being here. 'I know I would miss it after a number of weeks. When I left Leicester it was in my mind to have that period out. 'But I knew six weeks later – my wife even said to me – I was not ready to have a year out. 'I have loved every moment of being back, not just on a professional level but on an emotional level too. 'Since leaving Northern Ireland at 16, I have lived all over the UK, the south of England, south of Wales, Cheshire, the Midlands, Merseyside. 'And can say that up here feels like home. The journey on and off the pitch has been enjoyable. Hopefully, that may continue.' From that first taste of the management game at Vicarage Road 18 years ago, he has changed and so has the job. 'The media part of it has grown,' he reflected. 'There is a lot more information out there which brings more issues to deal with. 'Players are different, especially the new generation coming through. It does not affect me too much because I have always been an empathetic coach. Rodgers will aim to win his 12th trophy with Celtic when he faces Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final next week 'If you want to have longevity in the game you have to adapt and change as the generations change.' Rodgers has done that as well as any of his peers. A day after lifting another league trophy with Celtic, a further recognition of his achievement will come when he's presented with the William Hill SFWA manager of the year award tonight. 'My journey is different to most managers, but I have loved every second of it,' he reflected. 'I have a lot of reason to thank the size 5 football because it has taken me round the world, that ball of air.'
Glasgow Times
15-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Scotland recruitment campaign aims to recruit foster carers
The Scottish Government campaign, announced by First Minister John Swinney at a John Lewis store, aims to recruit more local authority foster carers. The Fostering Network estimates that Scotland needs at least 400 additional foster carers. Read more: Parents worried about their child's mental health urged to seek support This new campaign seeks to raise awareness of the benefits of fostering and encourage people across the country to consider if they could support a child or young person in the care system. It will be running in May and June, with a new website and an advice line for anyone interested in finding out more. Anne Currie, assistant director for Scotland at The Fostering Network, said: "We welcome the launch of the Scottish Government's national campaign to recruit foster carers, and we're proud to back this initiative by providing additional support to our Fosterline service to specifically manage enquiries. "We hope this leads to more people stepping forward to become foster carers in Scotland, and raises awareness of the vital role fostering plays. "The need has never been more urgent – as over 350 foster carers leave each year, it's critical that we take action now." John Lewis, a campaign partner, is a foster-friendly employer that strives to provide extra support to employees who are foster carers. This is something the Scottish Government has recently introduced to its own staff. John Lewis also runs a care-experienced internship designed to support hundreds of young people with care experience to get work experience. Read more: Deaf football manager shares heartfelt message to younger self Meeting foster carers at the new campaign launch, the First Minister said: "Foster carers play a vital role supporting and providing safe and loving foster homes to children and young people. "They are key to our ambition of delivering The Promise by 2030. "Across Scotland, foster carers provide stability, care and connection to support children and young people to thrive. "Our campaign importantly focuses on how the everyday 'ordinary' can be extraordinary for a child in foster care. "Fostering can be transformational for a child or young person and by stepping forward, foster carers offer not just a home, but the relationships and support that help shape brighter futures." Ceira Thom, head of learning, inclusion and belonging at the John Lewis Partnership, said: "At the John Lewis Partnership, we believe that every child deserves a safe, loving home where they can grow and flourish. "As the UK's largest Fostering Friendly employer, we're proud to support this vital campaign and to help raise awareness of the life-changing role foster carers play in young people's lives."
