Latest news with #RuthBrown
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Plans for 900 homes in countryside move forward
Plans to build 900 homes on the outskirts of a town have been given outline permission. North Herts Council agreed on Thursday the development could go ahead, though full details would need to be ironed out in future planning applications. The site to the south of Graveley, near to the Lister Hospital, will also include a primary school, community centre and possible medical facility. An initial masterplan - described as an "extension to Stevenage" - was rejected by the council last July but the revised proposal was unanimously approved. North Herts councillor Ruth Brown said: "It's an allocated site in the Local Plan and so I think the principle of development should be approved. "The public are very worried about the health provision, I think, and the highways issues. "We've probed those and I feel quite satisfied that there is a preference for an on-site health facility and everything will be done to deliver that if at all possible." A new 92 bus route will be created between Stevenage and Baldock, calling at the development as well as Graveley and Letchworth, but the applicant warned it may not be ready for "day one" of people moving into the development. The applicant said that the 55 bus route between Stevenage and Letchworth, which goes past the proposed site, would likely be "within comfortable walking distance" for the first residents. Concerns had been raised at an earlier stage about the development's impact on traffic, and councillor Martin Prescott suggested it was a "monumental elephant in the room". But Hertfordshire Highways raised no objections to the plans, which include a new junction on North Road, south of the existing junction from North Road and Graveley Road. The development is also set to include multiple children's play areas as well as other open spaces such as allotments, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. About 40% of the housing on site will be deemed affordable, according to the government definition of the term. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Town gets green light for 1,500 new homes New £900m life science campus approved Unique 1960s house is saved from development plan North Herts Council
BBC News
22-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'Stevenage extension' of 900 homes given outline permission
Plans to build 900 homes on the outskirts of a town have been given outline Herts Council agreed on Thursday the development could go ahead, though full details would need to be ironed out in future planning site to the south of Graveley, near to the Lister Hospital, will also include a primary school, community centre and possible medical initial masterplan - described as an "extension to Stevenage" - was rejected by the council last July but the revised proposal was unanimously approved. North Herts councillor Ruth Brown said: "It's an allocated site in the Local Plan and so I think the principle of development should be approved. "The public are very worried about the health provision, I think, and the highways issues."We've probed those and I feel quite satisfied that there is a preference for an on-site health facility and everything will be done to deliver that if at all possible."A new 92 bus route will be created between Stevenage and Baldock, calling at the development as well as Graveley and Letchworth, but the applicant warned it may not be ready for "day one" of people moving into the applicant said that the 55 bus route between Stevenage and Letchworth, which goes past the proposed site, would likely be "within comfortable walking distance" for the first residents. Concerns had been raised at an earlier stage about the development's impact on traffic, and councillor Martin Prescott suggested it was a "monumental elephant in the room".But Hertfordshire Highways raised no objections to the plans, which include a new junction on North Road, south of the existing junction from North Road and Graveley development is also set to include multiple children's play areas as well as other open spaces such as allotments, according to the Local Democracy Reporting 40% of the housing on site will be deemed affordable, according to the government definition of the term. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ABLE savings accounts bill for people with disabilities moves to Idaho Senate
The Idaho House of Representatives debate from the House floor on Feb. 10, 2025,, at the Statehouse in Boise. (Ruth Brown/Idaho Reports) On Monday the Idaho House of Representatives moved forward a bill that allows Idahoans with disabilities to set up an account to save money additional money for their care. ABLE accounts — an acronym for Achieving a Better Life Experience – allow people with disabilities who collect Social Security Income to save money for future qualifying needs, such as transportation, housing or medical expenses. Under current law, Idahoans are in jeopardy of no longer qualifying for Social Security Income if they have more than $2,000 in their accounts, which discourages them from saving for expenses like car repair, or medical care that isn't covered by insurance. The money in ABLE accounts doesn't count against the $2,000. Only people whose disability began before the age of 26 are eligible for ABLE accounts. Idaho is one of only three states in the country that does not yet have ABLE accounts. There is no cost to the state for setting up the accounts through the national consortium. 'It helps us all, if somebody that has a disabled person in their house, if they have savings to take care of those emergency bills or take care of things, rather than going to the state or different resources that come out of our tax dollars,' said bill sponsor Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa. Should it pass the Senate, the bill would establish an Idaho ABLE Account Advisory Council to advise the Idaho state treasurer and the executive director of the Idaho State Independent Living Council regarding policies and action that enhance the outreach, marketing and education of the Idaho ABLE Account Program. Rep. Kent Marmon, R-Caldwell, voted against the bill. 'I'm not in favor of creating an advisory board that's gonna cost the taxpayers money,' Marmon said. Rep. James Petzke, R-Meridian, noted in his debate that members of that advisory council are unpaid, so that's not an expense to the state. 'I think it's a fantastic thing we should have done it a long time ago,' Petzke said. The bill passed 56-13 and now heads to the Senate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
