Latest news with #LocalDemocracyReportingService
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Plans to turn former police station into flats
A former police station that has stood empty for years could be turned into flats. The building on Sunderland Road in Felling, Gateshead, stopped being used as a police station in 1999. Planning documents showed it was later used as a youth probation centre and a school, but had been empty for more than five years. Max Leo Investments has applied to Gateshead Council to turn it into an apartment complex with 15 flats. Planning documents said the project would give "a diverse group of people" the chance to rent an affordable property in the area and bring the building back into use. A previous application was submitted and approved in 2018 to turn the former station into an aparthotel, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Child safety fears over derelict police station 'Dystopian' former police homes to go on sale Gateshead Council
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New clean-up crew set to bin Rotherham's litter
Rotherham Council is doubling its clean-up team, with new jobs created to tackle fly-tipping and littering. It follows a £307,000 investment in its 2025-26 budget aimed at making the South Yorkshire borough greener. The number of staff dedicated to maintaining rural verges and main roads will rise from four to eight. A report set to go before the council's cabinet on 9 June says the additional staff will allow for more regular litter-removal, better identification of fly-tipping hotspots, and increased intelligence-sharing with enforcement officers. There will also be two new performance management officers, to track the service and develop long-term litter-busting strategies. The roles are expected to begin in July or August, with the cost of new vehicles, uniforms and equipment all factored into the budget, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Rotherham had 5,689 fly-tipping incidents in 2022, with 2,070 classed as large or multiple items. There are 326 roadside verges in the borough which are currently cleared of litter and cut once a year, between May and October. However "as a result of the investment, the capacity in this area will be doubled," the report concludes. A progress update will be presented to the council's cabinet in April 2026. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council Council set to spend £4m on replacing bin lorries Fines plan for putting waste into wrong bins
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Concern over winter ice rink damaging park grass
Concerns have been raised over the environmental impact that a temporary ice rink could be having on a popular park. The winter attraction at Imperial Gardens in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, provides a huge boost to the local economy throughout the Christmas period. Speaking at a planning committee meeting, Cheltenham borough councillor Glenn Andrews raised fears that with each passing year that the rink is installed, soil compaction and sunlight deprivation are slowly killing the grass underneath. However, the committee voted to allow the installation and operation of the rink for up to 75 days a year, from November to January, for the next three years. During the meeting on 22 May, Andrews said he was worried that after another three winters, the council may have to completely redo the gardens. "Every time I go into Imperial Gardens... the re-turfing isn't taking as well. That is fairly obvious," he said. "I do worry about soil compaction. We've got three whole years, and winter is the time when traditionally those gardens would regenerate. "I think on ecological grounds I'm against this." According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, head of planning Chris Gomm said he was not aware that soil compaction was an issue assessed by the case officer. "The condition that requires the land to be reinstated to its former condition would also apply to the flowerbeds and the grass, to make sure they are healthy post deconstruction," he said. Councillor Frank Allen added the economic benefit it brings to the town outweighed any potential ecological issues. "The ice rink is one of our best features in the winter. We would do well to keep on preserving that," he said. Follow BBC Gloucestershire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Town ice rink set to return for festive season Christmas ice rink leads to £74k council shortfall Cheltenham Borough Council Local Democracy Reporting Service
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Fears over bar in mill village opening later
A mill village on an "ale trail" could experience more anti-social behaviour if a bar is allowed to open later, an objector has said. Empire House in Slaithwaite, near Huddersfield, has applied to Kirklees Council to extend the hours it sells alcohol by an hour and trade until 23:00 BST seven days a week. The business is a workspace during the day and operates as a bar in the evenings, but an objection to the proposal has now been submitted on public safety grounds. The member of the public said the village was facing "considerable difficulties" caused by late-night drinking already. The current licence was first granted by the council in 2021, with representations expressing concern for public nuisance heard at the time, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The applicant said the later trading option would only be invoked from Thursday to Sunday and "very rarely" during the rest of the week. The proposal has to be determined by Kirklees Council's licensing committee because of the objection being submitted. The opponent claimed that the community was facing problems particularly relating to the "ale trail" and large groups of "boisterous drinkers" congregating on Station Road. "We are deeply concerned that extended drinking hours could correlate with a discernible rise in alcohol-related anti-social behaviour such as audible profanities which we have previously experienced," the comment stated. "Such a development would directly undermine public safety within our community, creating an environment of increased fear and insecurity for residents." They added it would also place an "unwelcome burden" on law enforcement agencies. The village is on the Transpennine Real Ale Trail route between the railway stations of Stalybridge and Batley. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. 'Sober-curious' scene has drinkers in high spirits Ale trail 'hijacked' by stag parties Alcohol restrictions on ale trail Ale trail revellers' rail warning Kirklees Council
BBC News
7 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Concern over Cheltenham ice rink damaging Imperial Gardens grass
Concerns have been raised over the environmental impact that a temporary ice rink could be having on a popular winter attraction at Imperial Gardens in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, provides a huge boost to the local economy throughout the Christmas period. Speaking at a planning committee meeting, Cheltenham borough councillor Glenn Andrews raised fears that with each passing year that the rink is installed, soil compaction and sunlight deprivation are slowly killing the grass the committee voted to allow the installation and operation of the rink for up to 75 days a year, from November to January, for the next three years. During the meeting on 22 May, Andrews said he was worried that after another three winters, the council may have to completely redo the gardens."Every time I go into Imperial Gardens... the re-turfing isn't taking as well. That is fairly obvious," he said."I do worry about soil compaction. We've got three whole years, and winter is the time when traditionally those gardens would regenerate."I think on ecological grounds I'm against this." According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, head of planning Chris Gomm said he was not aware that soil compaction was an issue assessed by the case officer."The condition that requires the land to be reinstated to its former condition would also apply to the flowerbeds and the grass, to make sure they are healthy post deconstruction," he Frank Allen added the economic benefit it brings to the town outweighed any potential ecological issues."The ice rink is one of our best features in the winter. We would do well to keep on preserving that," he said.
