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ABC News
5 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Concerns missing middle housing proposal could see 'hodgepodge of unsatisfactory development'
Some Canberra residents have expressed concern about proposed changes to planning rules that would allow denser development in Canberra's suburbs, released by the ACT government last month to address the "missing middle" in housing supply. But ACT government architect Catherine Townsend insists the current proposal is "democratic" and focus on helping "mums and dads" as investors as much as big property developers. The draft Missing Middle Housing Design Guide — which is currently open for public feedback — is aimed at encouraging the construction of more "missing middle" type properties in areas currently zoned for standalone houses. Missing middle housing refers to terraces, townhouses, duplexes and low-rise apartment buildings. The proposed changes have been welcomed by housing affordability advocates and building and property industries, though they argue further reductions in building approval red-tape and financial incentives will be needed to see an increase in missing middle homes. North Canberra Community Council member Simon Clarke said while he was supportive of the underlying concept of addressing the missing middle, he was concerned the proposed changes could result in a "hodgepodge of unsatisfactory development". "Housing is a human right, but my concern is that 'missing middle' has to be more than just a slogan. "It has to be supported by rigorous structure and guidelines so that it doesn't end up being a mishmash that we look back on in 20 years' time and think, 'Why on Earth did we let that happen?' "I think the [building and property development] industry sees the missing middle as a chance for deregulation and almost unfettered access." Mr Clarke said the densification in some areas of Canberra's inner north has been appropriate, but it has also put strain on street infrastructure, like parking. "In north Watson, which is a much denser area than old Watson, there is already parking stress and people are finding it very difficult to park anywhere near where they live," he said. "You look at the developments along Northbourne Avenue that have to exit all their traffic onto the suburban streets behind, because they're not allowed to open onto Northbourne Avenue — that has placed huge stress on those smaller streets. "It's all very well to say, 'Oh we've got the light rail and bus service etcetera, so people won't need cars'. "It would be lovely if it actually happened, but the reality is it won't — we are still a car-based society whether we like it or not." The ACT government said there would still be adequate restrictions to ensure suburbs retain their character and aren't overdeveloped. Concerns have also been raised about over-shadowing caused by increasing height limits in RZ2 or 'suburban core' streets. "Once you leave it to the profit motive to become almost the only arbiter, you understandably end up with less than satisfactory outcomes," Mr Clarke said. But ACT government architect Ms Townsend insists setbacks, building envelopes, and over-shadowing restrictions will reduce the impact on neighbours to developed or consolidated blocks. "I'm happy to say that there's no change to … the rights of a neighbour on the solar access to their property," Ms Townsend said. "So, the existing conditions around solar access to your indoor private living spaces and to your outdoor private living spaces: they remain as they are now. "The same controls over our privacy interfacing and overlooking characteristics, they stay the same as they are — and I think that's important." Ms Townsend said minimum parking requirements are also a "point that needs attention". "The government is very interested in being realistic about how many cars we have on site," Ms Townsend said. "In the past, there was a mandated minimum level for owners' cars, for visitors' cars, for a lot of car parking on site. Ms Townsend said broadly speaking, the proposed new minimum is less than it is at the moment but will need to be taken on a case-by-case basis. "We're really aware that some areas of the territory are already at capacity with on-street parking," she said. "So, in those areas a development will need to be fairly self-supporting in the car parking. "What we've got to do now is anticipate a very slow transfer to fewer vehicles, so we don't build in structures at the moment that we can't manipulate or change down the track." As to the reality of whether it would be owner-occupiers of suburban blocks or property developers who would lead processes leading to the consolidation or merging of multiple blocks for bigger developers, Ms Townsend said it could be both. "One of the nice things about this planning reform is that it's quite democratic in that it's equally focused towards the mums and dads as well as the professional developers," she said. "Who has the conversations about consolidation? Certainly, start with homeowners talking to your neighbours if this is something you're interested in. "You could choose to do a joint development, or you could sell at the same time — there are many opportunities here." But Property Council ACT Executive Director Ashlee Berry argued those opportunities won't be fully realised without financial incentives, like a moratorium on charges for changing a crown lease which can cost tens of thousands of dollars. "Ultimately, it means that [if] projects don't stack up — they're not feasible, you can't get finance, and you need to recover your costs somehow — you won't be able to sell it for a price that actually makes you any money. "And so people simply won't do it because it just doesn't make good economic sense." The ACT government has said there are no proposed changes to the lease variation charge through the missing middle reforms Under the missing middle proposal, a crown lease that is limited to one dwelling will need to be varied to permit two or more homes. The Lease Variation Charge (LVC) — calculated based on suburb, total approved number of dwellings and their zone — is only payable once the lease variation development application has been approved, and goes toward funding infrastructure and services. An applicant can pay up-front or may be eligible to enter the deferred payment scheme to pay the tax later when the development is built, which supports cash flow. "The principle of Lease Variation Charge is not the issue here, it's that it has grown exponentially over the last sort of 10 years, and we've also had other issues at play," Ms Berry said. "Land has gone up, construction costs have gone up, and so now it's the thing that's just tipping projects from being feasible to simply not stacking up. "I'm hoping that that government will listen, government will understand that the LVC in its current form will be a handbrake on this type of development, and that we can get some really considered change to bring about this missing middle reform that Canberra needs." The draft Missing Middle Housing Design Guide is open for public feedback online until 22 July, and written submissions can be sent by email until 5 August.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Thousands party at Shindig festival's new venue
Thousands of music fans have been partying at a festival in its new country estate has moved from Somerset's Dillington Estate to Wiltshire's Charlton Park, where it will be held for three the music stages – which are hosting guests including Gilles Peterson, and Sean Kuti & Egypt 80 – there has been a huge procession of samba drummers, a graffiti battle and various art director Simon Clarke said the festival's new contract with Charlton Park, in Malmesbury, "allows us to do a lot more creative things". Mr Clarke said organisers had moulded the ten-year-old festival around its visitors."They bring kids, they like to dance and have a good time," he said, adding the staff aim to create "a bit of magical feel about the whole thing"."I love seeing people coming back," Mr Clarke said. "Some of the people we know really well now, they've come for ten years."Charlton Park has been the home of Womad festival for 17 years. But Woman is now moving to an as yet unannounced new home next year following a year off in 2025.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Taps in homes 'across the country' could be riddled with dangerous bacteria, expert warns - as 'do not drink' alert is issued for Yorkshire water
Bacteria plaguing North Yorkshire's water supply could infect taps all over the country at any time, experts have warned. Residents in High Bentham, Low Bentham and Burton in Lonsdale areas, were issued with an urgent 'do not drink' warning after tests revealed supplies contained high levels of bacteria found in faeces. The affected customers were told by Yorkshire Water to boil their tap water before drinking it, using it to brush their teeth or for washing salad. Yorkshire water issued the notice after routine testing detected the presence of high levels of coliform bacteria during routine testing. Coliform bacteria is most commonly found in the digestive systems of animals and people and include organisms like E. coli, which means human or animal faeces has contaminated the water. But experts have warned the issues that likely led to the contamination of the water supplies in the region are present in every part of the nation. Dr Simon Clarke, an infectious disease expert from the University of Reading, said Britain's ageing water infrastructure meant the risk of such incidents is on the rise. 'The water and sewage infrastructure in this country is leading to regular sewage discharges into rivers, therefore there is a greater environmental spread of these bacteria,' he said. He added that coliform bacteria can also wash out from cattle and sheep fields into reservoirs that are used for drinking water supplies. But he said that in a developed country, like the UK, systems should be in place to stop this from happening. Dr Clarke said while such incidents could happen in any part of the country, there was currently no need for people not in the affected areas of North Yorkshire to boil their tap water. 'It's not something I'll be doing tonight.' However, he added that as a nation w need to do more to prevent such contamination happening in the first place. Other experts said the UK's recent warm weather could also be a factor increasing the risk of such incidents. As the UK's mini heatwave has seen temperatures up to 29 degrees (84 F), 'the unseasonably dry weather', could be the cause of the high levels of bacteria, says Dr Jonathan Paul, from the Department of Earth Sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London. 'Potentially, this could lead water companies to divert supply or use supplies, reservoirs or groundwater sources they don't normally use.' He added: 'There could also be potential engineering problems at the water plants where reservoir water is made safe to drink - for instance, they forgot to add a weak bleach solution, or one of the filters broke or was damaged. 'It depends on what was wrong - if there was an issue with a specific supply reservoir, they could just switch back. Likewise, too-low disinfection could be remedied instantly. Professor Paul Hunter, an expert in infectious diseases from the University of East Anglia, told Mail Online: 'I can't tell you how many detections of coliform happen across the country throughout the year. 'I would be very surprised if Yorkshire Water issued a warning like that without detecting high levels of E. coli.' While most coliform bacteria won't make people severely ill, their presence in water supplies is considered a warning that other, more dangerous pathogens may also be present. 'If you get lots of coliform then that means something in the water isn't right and indicates there's a problem that needs to be addressed,' adding it is likely there was a process failure in the water system which has caused the overgrowth of the bacteria. What consumers should be most wary of is E. Coli and Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC)—a strain of the disease. 'The main concern is diarrhoeal disease or norovirus, which could cause severe or nasty infections. While catching STEC could be fatal in vulnerable people.' Yorkshire Water said: 'We regularly check our drinking water to make sure it meets our high standards and during routine tests we've found the water supply in High Bentham, Low Bentham and Burton in Lonsdale didn't meet our usual standards. 'While we investigate this, we're asking all customers to boil their water as a precautionary measure to keep everyone safe.' The company also advised people who feel unwell in the coming days to inform their doctor about the boil notice. It added that boiling water should be sufficient to eliminate any of potentially harmful organisms present and that purchasing bottled water is not necessary. However, supplies of bottled water are being handed out in certain locations if residents are unable to boil supplies at home for any reason. Anyone affected by the boil water notice will have been hand delivered a form, the company added.
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The festival dubbed ‘pint-sized Glastonbury' that's great for first-timers and people who hate big crowds
A FESTIVAL that has been dubbed the "pint-sized Glastonbury" is ideal for first-timers and people who hate queues and crowds. Shindig Festival located at Charlton Park Estate in Malmsbury, Whiltshire, will take place over the bank holiday weekend - May 22 to May 25. 10 10 10 Instead of just a music festival, Shindig is home to a whole host of events and attractions including a healing area, craft area, kid's zone and funfair. The event has even been recommended by Emily Eavis, daughter of the founder of Glastonbury, as a good alternative to those who didn't get tickets to the summer extravaganza. Co-founder of the festival, Simon Clarke said: "I think for a lot of people, it's a bit of a trend now not to go to big festivals because of the size, the crowds, the queuing - all the hassle of having lots of people at one event. "So, I think it's easy and convenient to go to smaller events, especially ours, which is under 10,000 people. So, there's less walking involved, you've got more energy for dancing and having fun. "We don't get queues for anything really - we don't get queues for the toilets or the bars." Unlike Glastonbury, the acts have "nice crowds" that "aren't jam-packed in" so visitors can enjoy the events and be able to watch them with less stress. Simon commented: "You get to see all the music up close, which at Glastonbury you're probably back of 30,000 people; in this you're in a crowd of maybe 2,000 at max. "You can actually see the bands and really get into the music and hear it." Another great perk of the festival is that you don't lose your friends, as the event doesn't sprawl across a huge area. Simon added: "You can leave your friends and meet up with them later quite easily - you don't have to use your phone or text or anything to find them." The 52-year-old explained that there is more of community feel at Shindig, due to its smaller size. He said: "People get to know each other over the weekend, which they don't get at big events." "People make friends for life, where they'll come back every year to see the people they go to Shindig with." "It's sort of like an ever-growing family type vibe where they say, 'oh, we'll all be at Shindig' or 'we'll all travel to Shindig together'." And for those who have never been to a festival before but want to attend one, Shindig is also great for first-timers. "This is the perfect environment for that because you don't lose your kids. 10 10 "It feels really safe and they won't get lost in a big crowd or all the hassle of a big event," explained Simon. Simon also shared that the added benefit of a smaller event, means there is no pre-planning, as everything on the line-up is in close proximity to each other. "Small events can [also] be in more beautiful places - we've got an arboretum." The festival has also been created by festival lovers, who have worked with other festivals in the past. And all of the current directors have got children of their own and therefore are always thinking of ways to make the event family-friendly. "We basically make it for our kids," Simon said. 10 "So it's safe for our kids and they've got enough entertainment. When other parents bring theirs, they sort of get the benefit of that because we're putting things in that we know our kids will enjoy [and so other kids will too]. "We've got a kids area, we've got a fun fair, we've got lots of crafts workshops going on, graffiti battles and DJ workshops." There is entertainment for different age groups across the festival, including teenagers as the organisers did not want them to be "left in a gap, like at a lot of other festivals". There are also yoga sessions, massages, saunas and gong therapy - some of which even take place in the trees. "It's all about relaxation, thought and meditation and just getting out of the festival vibe for a little bit. It's quite nice to have the contrast at the festival," shared Simon. "You can be in the action or you can just go relax somewhere and just have a nice time." It doesn't stop there - the festival also hosts cabaret walkabouts, including brass bands and aerial performers. Simon said: "It just adds to the element of there's lots of interesting things going on all the time and you don't really know what's going to happen next. 10 "Families do really love Shindig for that fact - that it's safe and people look after each other." Many of the suppliers at the festival are local and due to the festival's location in Wiltshire, lots of fresh produce is used at the event. A local brewery called Ramsbury will be serving the beer and in total there are about 30 different food traders. Each year the festival also has a theme and this year's is 'Love is the Answer' - this hearts and florals, with a 'peace' vibe. There is currently a flash offer for The Sun readers, with an adult weekend ticket priced at £175 (usually £225). The offer is only available for one week and to get the discount use the code 'SHINDIGSUN' at the checkout. The offer ends May 13. Plus, The Sun's guide to festivals in 2025. Also, what else there is to do if you didn't get Glasto tickets. 10
The Irish Sun
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
The festival dubbed ‘pint-sized Glastonbury' that's great for first-timers and people who hate big crowds
A FESTIVAL that has been dubbed the "pint-sized Glastonbury" is ideal for first-timers and people who hate queues and crowds. Shindig Festival located at Charlton Park Estate in Malmsbury, Advertisement 10 Shindig Festival is a great alternative to those who missed out on Glastonbury tickets Credit: Shindig Festival 10 The festival is home to a kid's zone, wellbeing area and craft workshops Credit: Shindig Festival 10 Due to the smaller size, it is easier to get around the festival than it is at Glastonbury Credit: Shindig Festival Instead of just a music festival, Shindig is home to a whole host of events and attractions including a healing area, craft area, The event has even been recommended by Co-founder of the festival, Simon Clarke said: "I think for a lot of people, it's a bit of a trend now not to go to big festivals because of the size, the crowds, the queuing - all the hassle of having lots of people at one event. "So, I think it's easy and convenient to go to smaller events, especially ours, which is under 10,000 people. So, there's less walking involved, you've got more energy for Advertisement Read more on festivals "We don't get queues for anything really - we don't get queues for the toilets or the bars." Unlike Glastonbury, the acts have " nice crowds" that "aren't jam-packed in" so visitors can enjoy the events and be able to watch them with less stress. Simon commented: "You get to see all the music up close, which at Glastonbury you're probably back of 30,000 people; in this you're in a crowd of maybe 2,000 at max. "You can actually see the bands and really get into the music and hear it." Advertisement Most read in News Travel Exclusive Exclusive Another great perk of the festival is that you don't lose your friends, as the event doesn't sprawl across a huge area. Simon added: "You can leave your friends and meet up with them later quite easily - you don't have to use your phone or text or anything to find them." Skepta reveals HUGE line up as he launches his first ever festival in London - named after himself The 52-year-old explained that there is more of community feel at Shindig, due to its smaller size. He said: "People get to know each other over the weekend, which they don't get at big events." Advertisement "People make friends for life, where they'll come back every year to see the people they go to Shindig with." "It's sort of like an ever-growing family type vibe where they say, 'oh, we'll all be at Shindig' or 'we'll all travel to Shindig together'." And for those who have never been to a festival before but want to attend one, Shindig is also great for first-timers. "This is the perfect environment for that because you don't lose your kids. Advertisement 10 There are also activities for children including DJ battles Credit: Shindig Festival 10 The event will have around 30 local food vendors Credit: Shindig Festival "It feels really safe and they won't get lost in a big crowd or all the hassle of a big event," explained Simon. Simon also shared that the added benefit of a smaller event, means there is no pre-planning, as everything on the line-up is in close proximity to each other. Advertisement "Small events can [also] be in more beautiful places - we've got an arboretum." The festival has also been created by festival lovers, who have worked with other And all of the current directors have got children of their own and therefore are always thinking of ways to make the event "We basically make it for our kids," Simon said. Advertisement 10 Cabaret and circus acts will also be present - walking around the site Credit: Shindig Festival 10 The festival takes place from May 22 to 25 Credit: Shindig Festival "So it's safe for our kids and they've got enough entertainment. When other parents bring theirs, they sort of get the benefit of that because we're putting things in that we know our kids will enjoy [and so other kids will too]. "We've got a kids area, we've got a Advertisement There is entertainment for different age groups across the festival, including teenagers as the organisers did not want them to be "left in a gap, like at a lot of other festivals". There are also "It's all about relaxation, thought and meditation and just getting out of the "You can be in the action or you can just go relax somewhere and just have a nice time." Advertisement It doesn't stop there - the festival also hosts cabaret walkabouts, including brass bands and aerial performers. Simon said: "It just adds to the element of there's lots of interesting things going on all the time and you don't really know what's going to happen next . 10 This year's theme will be 'Love is the Answer' Credit: Shindig Festival 10 People dress up for the event each year in accordance with the theme Credit: Shindig Festival Advertisement "Families do really love Shindig for that fact - that it's safe and people look after each other." Many of the suppliers at the festival are local and due to the festival's location in Wiltshire, lots of fresh produce is used at the event. A local brewery called Ramsbury will be serving the beer and in total there are about 30 different Each year the festival also has a theme and this year's is 'Love is the Answer' - this hearts and florals, with a 'peace' vibe. Advertisement There is currently a flash offer for The Sun readers, with an adult weekend ticket priced at £175 (usually £225). The offer is only available for one week and to get the discount use the code 'SHINDIGSUN' The offer ends May 13. Plus, Advertisement Also, 10 The Sun has a special discount for tickets for the next week only Credit: Shindig Festival
