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BBC News
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Sheffield green parking permit scheme to be scrapped
Permits that allow drivers of low-emission vehicles to park for free in Sheffield city centre are to be City Council's transport, regeneration and climate policy committee agreed on Wednesday to end green parking permits on 31 July, with existing permits not being renewed beyond that committee heard electric and ultra low-emission vehicles had increased significantly on roads since the permits were introduced nearly 20 years agreed the volume of permits had become "completely unsustainable" and noted that many drivers were using the permits for all-day commuter parking, restricting the availability for others. The scheme was introduced in 2005 to encourage drivers to switch to cleaner vehicles, supporting the city's efforts to improve air quality. Under the scheme, eligible ultra low-emission vehicles (ULEVs) were granted free parking in council-run on and off-street pay-and-display bays in the city centre.A council report noted that since 2018, applications for permits had surged, according to the Local Democracy Reporting the last financial year (2024/25), 5,802 unique permits were issued—up from 1,904 in 2023/24 and 1,644 in 2022/ committee was recommended to contribute to the development of an investment plan to ensure that any surplus income generated from parking was reinvested was requested that as part of this plan £125,000 should be set aside to support the transition to zero-emission vehicles, with funding directed towards investment in public charging February 2019, Sheffield City Council declared a climate emergency and is currently working towards Sheffield becoming a zero-carbon city by the start of the next decade. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
14-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Council in Cornwall to debate 'ill-conceived' waste site plan
A planning application for a new recycling facility near a village in Cornwall has received more than 120 Parish Council will meet to discuss the plans for the wood and green waste centre at Roseworthy Hill near Connor Downs later."Loss of countryside, smell, contamination of nearby waterways and noise" were among the reasons cited by local residents as to why they felt it should be refused, according to the Local Democracy Reporting a planning statement, The Green Waste Company said the new site would "greatly improve the current services". 'Immediate and safe' The company currently has two recycling sites at Higher Brynn, near Victoria, and Splattenridden Farm, near St firm said: "Currently, Splattenridden receives green waste from five council-run Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC) sites."For reasons of logistics and capacity, it is proposed that, apart from the St Erth HRWC and Penzance Town Council sources, all other waste would be sent to the proposal site at Roseworthy."This would greatly improve the current services provided by the Green Waste Company and, importantly, will greatly reduce miles travelled every year transporting the waste."The proposed site is conveniently located on low-grade agricultural land owned by the applicant."It has immediate and safe highway access." 'Totally irresponsible' More than 120 people had raised concerns on Cornwall Council's online planning portal, the Local Democracy Reporting Service objection stated the installation of a waste recycling plant was "totally irresponsible and ill-conceived."It added: "Chemicals which develop through the waste recycling will leach through the soil spreading toxic chemicals, once this occurs the land will be destroyed for decades."Councillor Lionel Pascoe, who represents Gwinear Gwithian and Hayle East, said the plan was "causing quite a stir in the area" but the matter had to go to a parish council decision.
BBC News
08-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
University of Sussex set to replace crumbling concrete at Falmer
The University of Sussex has been given permission to replace crumbling concrete in a Grade II listed building on its Falmer & Hove City Council has granted listed building consent to replace the Raac (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) in Arts Building A, which also suffers from other problems including university commissioned a survey of 27 buildings three years ago and found Raac in seven of university intends to remove the concrete panels from the first-floor office, corridors and balcony and replace them with a new timber floor, glazed panel and zinc roof to the balcony. The Falmer campus includes several Brutalist concrete buildings designed by the architect Sir Basil Spence and constructed in the 1960s and use of Raac was widespread at the time because it made concrete panels lighter, but it only has a 30-year lifespan, according to the Local Democracy Reporting a report to the council, the university said the concrete had deteriorated due to "continuous exposure to moisture"."This results in leaching of its structure, cracking and loss of structural integrity," it added."The Raac planks are past the end of their viable life and pose a risk of brittle failure when traversed." The university is replacing Raac across the campus, with the first phase having started in April 2024 at Bramber House.
BBC News
04-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Rotherham Council to sell deputy mayor's car
A car used by a deputy mayor for civic engagements is to be Council said the 2004 Volvo S80, which has been used 21 times since 2019, is no longer considered necessary due to its low usage and comes after a review of civic protocol by council officers, which found the mayor and deputy mayor no longer attend civic engagements on the same day, reducing the need for two vehicle is due to be auctioned on 6 March with any funds raised going towards the council's capital funding pot. The council said although the vehicle no longer incurred direct costs for its purchase, ongoing costs for repairs, maintenance, and fuel, could now be saved - according to the Local Democracy Reporting the event both the mayor and deputy mayor are required to attend engagements on the same day, a hire vehicle will be arranged - but this would be on a rare occasion and no budget allocation had been civic figures will be able to continue using the main mayoral car, an Audi disposal of the vehicle is part of an ongoing effort to ensure the effective use of resources within the council's operations, the authority added. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds or catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
10-02-2025
- General
- BBC News
East Durham College housing plans expected to be refused
Plans by a college to build 54 homes on a disused playing field are expected to be Durham College wants to build the homes on an old running track at Willerby Drive in Peterlee, but a planning officer from Durham County Council has recommended the projected be refused Spurgeon pointed out a number of problems with the scheme and said it would result in a loss of playing fields in the Easington MP Grahame Morris has supported the application because it would bring the land back into use. He said the plans would "repurpose a neglected area and generate revenues to enable the college to continue to deliver high-quality academic and sports provision, as well as much-needed housing". 'Poor design' The site was last used as a playing field in 2019, according to the Local Democracy Reporting its planning statement the college said the field was overgrown and it had no "surplus funds or intention" to reuse it as a playing his recommendation to the council, Mr Spurgeon said the proposed development would lead to the loss of about two hectares (7.4 acres) of playing fields and the application did not show a surplus of such facilities in the England objected to the plans for the same Spurgeon said the development was of a "poor design" when assessed against the council's County Durham Plan Building for Life Supplementary Planning said it "would not be possible for an appropriate layout for something numerically close to 54 dwellings" to be built while adhering to the plans would also require prominent trees to be cut down and the development would cause significant harm to biodiversity in the area, Mr Spurgeon said.
