Latest news with #Slade
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
More homes planned for former CI Tyres site
A planning application has been submitted for more homes on a site in St Peter Port. Guernsey Housing Association (GHA) had already secured planning permission to build 57 homes on the former CI Tyres site at La Charroterie but it has now applied for 69. GHA chief executive Vic Slade said the revised plans were in response to increasing housing pressures across the island. The housing association bought the site in 2022 for £1.7m with a grant from the States of Guernsey and had initially planned 25 new homes. The GHA said the proposed development of 60 one-bedroom and nine two-bedroom homes matched the island's need for smaller homes as had been identified by the States' Strategic Housing Indicator. The proposed design comprises two six-storey apartment buildings and a handful of courtyard houses arranged around a central shared space. Ms Slade said: "The former CI Tyres site design balances density with quality, and we've taken the time to make sure the scheme reflects best use of the space while creating a place people will be proud to call home." She said cliff stabilisation would be necessary before the build could begin. If planning is granted, she said the development was expected to start in early 2026 with completion in the third quarter of 2027. More news stories for Guernsey Listen to the latest news for Guernsey Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to New homes on former CI Tyres site approved Extra key worker housing proposed at CI Tyres site CI tyres site bought for key worker accommodation Guernsey Housing Association States of Guernsey
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Tornadoes leveled their Dodge County homes and businesses. Now, they have to pick up the pieces
On May 16, Dodge County residents woke up to fallen trees, collapsed roofs and other significant property damage left by several tornadoes that touched down the previous evening. Just hours later, neighbors, families and friends were working to clean up each other's homes, chipping away at everything from uprooted pine trees to stray construction debris. Their resilience drew praise from Gov. Tony Evers who visited the area May 16. "While there is a lot of work and cleanup ahead, it is always extraordinary to see how Wisconsinites come together to support and help each other, especially in times of great need," Evers said in a post on X. The tornadoes were spotted shortly before 6 p.m. on May 15 in Juneau, Horicon and Mayville and have left some people without homes, officials said May 16. Police in Mayville blocked off the area around Gleason Reel Corporation and Mayville Engineering company, both of which incurred significant damage. In Horicon, Steve Kaiser said he was watching from a restaurant across the street as the tornado blew the roof off his mechanic shop, crushing his nearby dump truck, trailer and shed. "It was something to see," he said. "The whole roof came up and over." Like several other residents, Kaiser was waiting on the morning of May 16 for a claims adjuster from his insurance company to come and evaluate the property. In the meantime, he said the insurance company advised him to keep his shop's regular hours, and several of his friends and neighbors were helping clear felled trees. Kaiser, who is otherwise retired, has worked on the property since 2000. In the immediate future, he said the damage shouldn't significantly affect his ability to run the shop. "I call it my toybox," Kaiser said of the shop. "Just hope it'll be alright." Mike Slade, another Horicon resident, was working with neighbors to clear a massive, fallen pine tree on his property Friday morning. During the storm, Slade was sheltering in his basement, while his wife remained upstairs with his son, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly referred to as ALS. Though he was working to clean up stray branches, Slade said the family hasn't created a plan to address the larger-scale damage in his yard. "We really don't know what we're going to do yet," he said. The tree also hit a power line and cut off power in his home from about 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on May 16, Slade said. As of 12 p.m. May 16, nearly 600 Alliant Energy customers remained without power in Dodge County. Next door, Slade's neighbor Billy Brandenburg was working to patch up a 4 foot by 8 foot hole in his roof. Brandenburg was out of town during the storm but drove back late on May 15 after his neighbor called to inform him of the damage, he said. Friends and family were helping him clean up the property on Friday morning, including clearing the blown-away roof of another shed on his property. He said he's working with a contractor to patch up the roof hole but hopes insurance will eventually cover the cost. "Nobody got hurt, so that's the good part," Brandenburg added. "All this is just material. It's fixable." As of 9:30 a.m. May 16, Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said one person in Juneau was transported to a hospital after a roof caved in, and two people have reported minor injuries. Otherwise, Schmidt said "we've had very little in the way of injury." American Red Cross volunteers were also stationed at Dodgeland Schools and Mayville High School to aid displaced residents. The Mayville outpost was open overnight and about nine people came in immediately after the storm for food and shelter, said Red Cross volunteer Tania Behselich. The organization is sending out an emergency vehicle on May 16 to distribute emergency kits with cleaning supplies, food and water for residents working to clear their property. "We're going to be open until the last person needs us here," she said. Scott Sabol, superintendent of the Mayville School District, said the district cancelled classes on May 15 in anticipation of the storm. "That was a good decision," he said. "Little did we know what was actually about to happen." Sabol said the residents trickling into the school have been "just a little rattled in the beginning," but otherwise alright — and the district plans to move forward with its planned high school graduation on May 18. "It's going to be status quo for us," he added. "We're going to celebrate our students Sunday." This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mayville, Horicon residents clean up Dodge County tornado damage
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside the new UK theme park hotel room where it's Christmas all year
Ever wish, like the perennial Wizzard song, that it could be Christmas every day? Well, dig out the matching Rudolph pyjamas, because Chessington World of Adventures ' newest hotel room delivers exactly that. This weekend, the Surrey theme park's four-star Safari Hotel adds to its raft of bespoke rooms, which already includes Oreo, Jumanji and Gruffalo suites, with a 'Christmas-All-Year' stay, designed to offer a festive fix even when December 25th is still miles off. On a warm, blue-sky day in May - we're wearing shorts and t-shirts - I take the kids, roller coaster aficionados Belle and Cleo, 13 and 11, to see if stepping into Christmas just as summer's kicking in is as fun as it sounds or, well, a bit of a theme park turkey. The first sign of our imminent yuletide adventure? An over-sized wreath marked 'Tweedy family' sitting above a designated car parking space outside the hotel. Minutes later, after being handed a large envelope with 'Parents only' written on it at reception, we have the keys to room 321, the door of which is giving full Christmas movie vibes, with its shiny brass knocker, traditional wreath and Hollywood-esque layer of snow. Then comes the spectacular seasonal sucker-punch that would have Scrooge bah-humbugging out of the door. As the key card lights green, Slade's Merry Xmas Everybody blasts out at full volume and we wheel our cases into a room that's bedecked as if the man in red could descend at any moment. It's Christmas and then some in here. The entire room is festooned in twinkling garlands, giant shiny red baubles, big red bows and sprigs of holly. Chessington World of Adventures From £32pp The walls are Chrimbo green, adorned with hand-painted gold stars; there's a sizeable tree, which is dressed to the festive nines and has faux pressies beneath it, while a cosy gingerbread man rug is draped on the floor. Alongside a comfy-looking king-size, there's two bunk beds with tartan bedding, a Santa mural and a cosy fireplace scene - and a stuffed reindeer on each pillow, which make the cynical tween and teen in my life suddenly glow with seasonal cheer. The bathroom? Yep, it's December in there too, with another wreath above the loo, a Merry Christmas decal emblazoned on the shower screen and the same green-and-gold starry walls. Bar the eggnog, the Chessington elves have thought of everything. We get a cracker each and hot chocolate sticks for the kids, and a list next to the room's Alexa has suggestions such as 'phone Santa' or 'ask for a Christmas joke'. When we think things can't get any more surreal, they promptly do. I pull back the plush red curtains and glance out of the window at two zebras frolicking, a giraffe tucking into some lofty greenery and a couple of antelopes basking in the late afternoon sun. The room overlooks the theme park's Wanyama Reserve, where its popular safari animals roam - it's like looking at the Maasai Mara from the North Pole. Chessington, famous for its zoo, aquarium and thrill rides, including Vampire, Dragon's Fury and Mandrill Mayhem, has steadily served up more and more themed hotel rooms in recent years. Why? Who wants the fun to stop when the rides shut down for the day? In the Oreo room, a circular double bed is styled like the famous cookie; a cinematic green glow welcomes guests to the Jumanji rooms, based on the hit movie franchise, and Julia Donaldson fans will find themselves in seventh heaven in the Room on the Broom and Gruffalo suites. The most obscure is a very sunny-looking Capri-Sun room, where a neon sign beams out the logo for the retro orange pouch drink and the interiors major on tropical scenes. So, what was in that envelope marked 'Parents only'? I won't ruin Christmas except to say that it was an opportunity to let Old St Nick know exactly what the kids might fancy should he manage a visit and, sure enough, the next morning they awoke to stockings stuffed full of goodies. Just before breakfast, there's a tap on the door, with a Chessington elf bringing yet more treats and plenty of Christmassy chat (that's almost drowned out by the 30-second Slade salutation), much to the bewilderment of families on their way for a fry-up. There's one final present too - the room rate includes tickets to the park and early entry to beat the queues. Even the kettle says Christmas, and guests will find crackers and hot chocolate amongst the tea and coffee At check-out, we're sad to leave our yuletide hideaway with a safari view. And hours later, there's a proper sigh of disappointment when our own front door clicks open quietly, with no rockers from Wolverhampton and their Christmas earworm to welcome us home.
South Wales Argus
15-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Ospreys return to Gilestone Farm mired in £4.25m controversy
Welsh ministers swooped to buy the farm in March 2022 as another home for the Green Man music festival, with the aim of supporting growth of the creative sector in Wales. But the plans were scrapped in early 2024 after a pair of ospreys were discovered, with ministers advised to establish a 750-metre restriction zone around their nest. Now, the Welsh Government has confirmed the ospreys – which are a protected species – have returned this spring, firmly placing an asterisk next to the farm's valuation. Andrew Slade, the Welsh Government's economy director general, provided an update in a letter published ahead of a Senedd public accounts committee meeting on May 14. Mr Slade said the farm was valued at £3.75m in March, with a comment on the valuation 'noting the presence of the ospreys on the site inevitably brings some uncertainty'. He told the committee the property continues to be leased on commercial terms via a farm business tenancy until November, with officials considering options beyond that. Mr Slade wrote: 'Members of the committee will appreciate the significance of the nesting ospreys at the site and I can confirm the ospreys have recently returned and within days of their arrival have laid an egg. 'The birds' welfare, and the protection of the nest, continue to be critical factors when considering future options for the site.' Mr Slade promised to write to the committee again when he can provide an update on firm proposals for the site, which is thought to generate about £32,000 a year in tenancy income. A 2023 Audit Wales review found ministers acted with 'avoidable haste' as an underspend fuelled a rush to make a decision on the £4.25m purchase before the financial year's end. The public accounts committee is finalising its report on the saga following a nearly three-year inquiry into the decision made by then-economy minister Vaughan Gething. In a statement on the future of Gilestone Farm in January 2024, Mr Gething was confident a way forward for the site would be agreed by that spring. Two other ministers, Jeremy Miles and Julie James, had to take no part in decision making after attending a social event at a lobbyist's home alongside the Green Man festival's boss. Mark Drakeford, then-first minister, found no breach of the rules following an investigation into the informal gathering but accepted the 'risk of perceived conflict'.
Wales Online
13-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Value of £4.25m farm bought by Welsh Government 'uncertain' as ospreys return
Value of £4.25m farm bought by Welsh Government 'uncertain' as ospreys return An egg has been laid after the pair of birds returned for their second spell at the Powys farm A three-year-old osprey at Gilestone Farm in Powys (Image: Welsh Government ) The value of a farm bought by the Welsh Government for £4.25m is now "uncertain" after a pair of ospreys returned for their second spell there - and laid an egg. The Welsh Government bought Gilestone Farm in Powys in 2022 as part of a deal with the Green Man Festival for it to be a base for its operations but not move the main festival. But in 2023 a pair of ospreys - a protected species - were seen there - the first time they have been observed so far south in Wales in around 200 years. A 750-metre restriction zone around their nest was set up to protect the birds. It has now been confirmed the birds have returned and laid an egg. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here The Welsh Government bought Gilestone Farm for £4.25m saying it wanted to "support the growth of the creative sector in a stronger Mid Wales economy". In March 2025, it was valued at £3.75m. In terms of its future value, it was reported that "the presence of ospreys on the site inevitably brings some uncertainty to the process". In January 2024, the Welsh Government said it would not go ahead with plans to allow Green Man to use the the farm. Then economy minister Vaughan Gething said that the plans were incompatible with the needs of a pair of protected Ospreys which nested at the site for the first time last year. You can read that here. Article continues below The Welsh Government's economy director general, Andrew Slade has now given an update in a letter published ahead of a meeting of the Senedd's public accounts committee. Mr Slade said the farm was valued at £3.75m in March, adding "the presence of the ospreys on the site inevitably brings some uncertainty". Mr Slade said the property continues to be leased on commercial terms via a farm business tenancy until November, with officials considering options beyond that. Mr Slade wrote: "Members of the committee will appreciate the significance of the nesting ospreys at the site and I can confirm the ospreys have recently returned and within days of their arrival have laid an egg. The birds' welfare, and the protection of the nest, continue to be critical factors when considering future options for the site.' Mr Slade promised to write to the committee again when he can provide an update on firm proposals for the site, which is thought to generate about £32,000 a year in tenancy income. A 2023 Audit Wales review found ministers acted with "avoidable haste" as an underspend fuelled a rush to make a decision on the £4.25m purchase before the financial year's end. The public accounts committee is finalising its report on the saga following a nearly three-year inquiry into the decision made by then-economy minister Vaughan Gething. In a statement on the future of Gilestone Farm in January 2024, Mr Gething was confident a way forward for the site would be agreed by that spring. Article continues below Mr Gething had denied that money had been "wasted", you can read that here.
