Latest news with #StJamesPrimarySchool
The Herald Scotland
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Herald Scotland
Demolish vacant retail units. And reimagine them as open public areas
Upon exiting Marks & Spencer on Argyle Street, shoppers are immediately confronted with a depressing view: derelict, vandalised buildings that speak volumes about neglect. This isn't an isolated issue—it's symptomatic of a wider problem affecting the entire city centre. While every part of the city deserves care and attention, the area outside one of Glasgow's most prominent and long-established retailers should offer a far better impression. Instead, it leaves visitors with a sense of decay and missed opportunity. These vacant units have remained empty for far too long, and it's increasingly clear that many will never see meaningful investment. At best, they may be temporarily occupied without any long-term benefit to the community or the economy. It may sound drastic, but perhaps it's time to consider more radical solutions—such as demolition and reimagining these spaces as open public areas. Bold thinking is required to revive the heart of Glasgow and restore civic pride. Stuart Hindmarsh, Cambuslang, Glasgow. Read more: A weighty issue for electric cars As we begin to embrace the age of electric cars, perhaps we should consider the increased weight of these vehicles and the subsequent damage they are doing to our crumbling roads. For example, a petrol-powered Golf weighs in at 1250kg, whereas its electric equivalent comes in at 1585kg. In addition, most cars, regardless of their powertrain, seem to be getting larger and heavier. Perhaps the DVLA should consider an additional tax on the weight of vehicles which would be directed to the repair and maintenance of our roads. Alan R Melville, Newlands, Glasgow. Benefits of Gaelic schooling I refer to recent publicity and a letter on June 10 ('Why spending £2m on a Gaelic primary is a dubious allocation of public funds') about the renovation of St James Primary School in Glasgow and its planned reopening as a Gaelic medium primary. There are many reasons in favour of this. There is no other primary school for a considerable distance; many new houses and flats are being, and have been built, in the area; people with young children have moved out of the area because of the lack of schools. The other primary school nearby has been allowed to decay, so that only the front facade will be retained when flats are built behind it. And if we want people to live in the city then presumably some of these people will have children, who will need schools. Why is it to be a Gaelic medium school? One reason given to me, by someone who has lived here all his life is, that it avoids the debate as to whether it should be a Catholic or a Protestant, a debate that casts a cloud over the west of Scotland. A big reason in favour, though, is that Gaelic schools are popular and the education is seen as good. Research shows that children who are bi-lingual have an educational advantage and more easily learn other languages, being open to the quirks that every language seems to have. My granddaughter is now in P5 in Gaelic medium education and is doing fine; not only can she speak English and Gaelic but she is also learning some Spanish in school and is a very rounded individual. Patricia Fort, Glasgow. Sweating the small stuff One of the subtler joys of the Letters page is the thought given to the headings that marking out our missives. Were darker arts afoot, though, in the subliminal off-setting of Eric Macdonald's important concerns ('Below the belt', June 9), regarding the disturbing new front opened by the oppressive forces of the personal hygiene industry in its forever war agitating shame over our natural body smells? A column to the left, David Bradshaw's ostensible plea for sympathy with predatory wildlife was introduced with the heading: 'Lynx are not a danger to people.' James Macleod, Cardonald, Glasgow. Economic lunacy and visual blight SSEN'S recently-announced £20 billion 'Pathway to 2030' programme appears hell-bent on carpeting northern Scotland with unsightly industrial infrastructure – the Netherton Hub in Longside, 400 kV lines, and substations at New Deer, Kintore, Tealing, and Stornoway's HVDC hubs. This industrial sprawl, justified despite Scotland and the UK's negligible contribution to global emissions, also burdens consumers with crippling costs. Exporting intermittent wind power over vast distances via costly pylons and cables is not just inefficient – it's economic lunacy. Ed Miliband's nuclear expansion highlights the unreliability of wind, requiring costly nuclear and gas backups alongside this massive grid investment. Why pursue this insanity when the UK's total direct emissions are a global rounding error? Labour and the SNP's obsession with exporting erratic energy drives up bills through subsidies, transmission costs, and risky storage schemes. Consumers and businesses now face soaring electricity prices without transparency on who pays. In my view, intermittent power should stay local, powering high-value industries like AI data centres and green hydrogen – sectors that create real jobs and long-term economic growth. Instead, communities like Longside are left with visual blight and little local benefit. Energy providers must answer: Why do UK consumers pay the highest energy bills in Europe? Why fund distant energy 'exports' with taxes instead of growing local industries? Why avoid regional pricing that would reveal true costs. In summary, Labour and SNP policies risks fuelling voter anger, rightly handing Reform UK a sweeping electoral win if polices continue to damage industrial users and consumers alike. We must demand transparency and a shift toward local energy use that supports job creation – not the reckless export of unreliable power through unnecessary infrastructure. Ian Lakin, Milltimber, Aberdeen.
The Herald Scotland
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
This isn't just a scene of city dereliction. This is an M&S scene of dereliction ...
Upon exiting Marks & Spencer on Argyle Street, shoppers are immediately confronted with a depressing view: derelict, vandalised buildings that speak volumes about neglect. This isn't an isolated issue—it's symptomatic of a wider problem affecting the entire city centre. While every part of the city deserves care and attention, the area outside one of Glasgow's most prominent and long-established retailers should offer a far better impression. Instead, it leaves visitors with a sense of decay and missed opportunity. These vacant units have remained empty for far too long, and it's increasingly clear that many will never see meaningful investment. At best, they may be temporarily occupied without any long-term benefit to the community or the economy. It may sound drastic, but perhaps it's time to consider more radical solutions—such as demolition and reimagining these spaces as open public areas. Bold thinking is required to revive the heart of Glasgow and restore civic pride. Stuart Hindmarsh, Cambuslang, Glasgow. A weighty issue for electric cars AS we begin to embrace the age of electric cars, perhaps we should consider the increased weight of these vehicles and the subsequent damage they are doing to our crumbling roads. For example, a petrol-powered Golf weighs in at 1250kg, whereas its electric equivalent comes in at 1585kg. In addition, most cars, regardless of their powertrain, seem to be getting larger and heavier. Perhaps the DVLA should consider an additional tax on the weight of vehicles which would be directed to the repair and maintenance of our roads. Alan R Melville, Newlands, Glasgow. Benefits of Gaelic schooling I REFER to recent publicity and a letter on June 10 ('Why spending £2m on a Gaelic primary is a dubious allocation of public funds') about the renovation of St James Primary School in Glasgow and its planned reopening as a Gaelic medium primary. There are many reasons in favour of this. There is no other primary school for a considerable distance; many new houses and flats are being, and have been built, in the area; people with young children have moved out of the area because of the lack of schools. The other primary school nearby has been allowed to decay, so that only the front facade will be retained when flats are built behind it. And if we want people to live in the city then presumably some of these people will have children, who will need schools. Why is it to be a Gaelic medium school? One reason given to me, by someone who has lived here all his life is, that it avoids the debate as to whether it should be a Catholic or a Protestant, a debate that casts a cloud over the west of Scotland. A big reason in favour, though, is that Gaelic schools are popular and the education is seen as good. Research shows that children who are bi-lingual have an educational advantage and more easily learn other languages, being open to the quirks that every language seems to have. My granddaughter is now in P5 in Gaelic medium education and is doing fine; not only can she speak English and Gaelic but she is also learning some Spanish in school and is a very rounded individual. Patricia Fort, Glasgow. Sweating the small stuff ONE of the subtler joys of the Letters page is the thought given to the headings that marking out our missives. Were darker arts afoot, though, in the subliminal off-setting of Eric Macdonald's important concerns ('Below the belt', June 9), regarding the disturbing new front opened by the oppressive forces of the personal hygiene industry in its forever war agitating shame over our natural body smells? A column to the left, David Bradshaw's ostensible plea for sympathy with predatory wildlife was introduced with the heading: 'Lynx are not a danger to people.' James Macleod, Cardonald, Glasgow. Economic lunacy and visual blight SSEN'S recently-announced £20 billion 'Pathway to 2030' programme appears hell-bent on carpeting northern Scotland with unsightly industrial infrastructure – the Netherton Hub in Longside, 400 kV lines, and substations at New Deer, Kintore, Tealing, and Stornoway's HVDC hubs. This industrial sprawl, justified despite Scotland and the UK's negligible contribution to global emissions, also burdens consumers with crippling costs. Exporting intermittent wind power over vast distances via costly pylons and cables is not just inefficient – it's economic lunacy. Ed Miliband's nuclear expansion highlights the unreliability of wind, requiring costly nuclear and gas backups alongside this massive grid investment. Why pursue this insanity when the UK's total direct emissions are a global rounding error? Labour and the SNP's obsession with exporting erratic energy drives up bills through subsidies, transmission costs, and risky storage schemes. Consumers and businesses now face soaring electricity prices without transparency on who pays. In my view, intermittent power should stay local, powering high-value industries like AI data centres and green hydrogen – sectors that create real jobs and long-term economic growth. Instead, communities like Longside are left with visual blight and little local benefit. Energy providers must answer: Why do UK consumers pay the highest energy bills in Europe? Why fund distant energy 'exports' with taxes instead of growing local industries? Why avoid regional pricing that would reveal true costs. In summary, Labour and SNP policies risks fuelling voter anger, rightly handing Reform UK a sweeping electoral win if polices continue to damage industrial users and consumers alike. We must demand transparency and a shift toward local energy use that supports job creation – not the reckless export of unreliable power through unnecessary infrastructure. Ian Lakin, Milltimber, Aberdeen.
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The Great Wall of Devon! Inside landowner's battle with neighbours and council after building six foot concrete barrier to block locals
Frustrated parents and locals living next to an eyesore 2-meter concrete barrier have likened it to 'The Berlin Wall' and expressed delight that it was knocked down by a mysterious have-a-go hero in a rented JCB. The structure, which was hastily and mysteriously erected over the Easter holidays, completely cut off a walking route used by residents to get their children to St James Primary School in Oklehampton, Devon. West Devon Borough Council have now issued an enforcement notice ordering Leander Developments to remove the unauthorised structure dubbed by locals as the 'Berlin Wall' between the two housing estates in Kellands Lane. However, residents fear that should the decision be appealed, the wall could be built again prompting mad speculation as to the intentions of the landowners. When MailOnline visited the estate this week half of the wall had been demolished, with blocks lying scattered on the ground. Councillor George Dexter revealed that the problem with the thin stretch of land is that it is located on a ransom strip from a nearby stretch of privately owned land. Therefore any use of the road as a thoroughfare is technically trespassing. He explained: 'There used to be a hedge here, but families would just walk around it and in the intervening years the estates have sprung up around it. 'A few weeks ago this wall suddenly appeared and everyone was confused. It cuts off everybody here. 'Last week a resident took things into his own hands and soon after the council issued an enforcement notice.' An enforcement notice is used when development is carried out without the necessary planning permission. The notice tells the person receiving it what they have done wrong, what must be done to put it right and the timescale within which that must be done. There is a right of appeal against enforcement notices and locals fear this could be enacted. George continued: 'It's a big deal for these people. Why have they done it? Locals think its down to proposed developments in the field next door to it. 'They think the developers are using their ownership of the ransom strip to get a better deal with their application.' Naturally, the community has been staunchly against the new wall. 'Nobody knew why it was put up', says Dana Green, 40, 'I moved here seven years ago and there was a hedge which died. 'Then they put up this huge wall and the kids have been crawling underneath the gaps. 'It's really dangerous.' Roy Hopkinson lives right next to the hated wall. 'It's been mental', he concedes, 'I don't know why they've put it there. 'It does look like the Berlin Wall, It made the neighbourhood a lot quieter, people were joking that there would soon be watchtowers installed. 'Everyone was grateful to the person that knocked it down.' 'My husband can't get through it as she uses a mobility scooter' said Verity Warren, 'I can't believe they just whacked it up. It used to be a load of dirt but then they made a new path when the school was opened. 'Nothing happens for ages and then there's a bloody great wall built. 'Why didn't they just put some bollards down!' Keith Monnax told MailOnline he had originally made the path through the mud. He said: 'I saw them putting the wall up and thought it was a bit harsh. But then they came and knocked it down anyway. 'What happens now? It's petty and all about land, but nobody knows where it will go from here.' A spokesman for Leander Developments said: 'The land in question is under private ownership, and there is no public right of way across this land - this isn't a question of inconvenience to the public, as anyone who crosses this land is committing trespass. 'To date, we have received a stop notice, but not an enforcement notice. 'The recently erected temporary structure, on our land, was done for public safety and insurance purposes as Google Maps has started to show a right of way across this private land. 'Our insurance requires us to take reasonable steps to prevent trespass, and Google now showing this as a right of way could invalidate our insurance, unless we can demonstrate that we have taken positive steps to prevent illegal entry onto our land. 'On Thursday 17th April, a member of the public, with a digger, caused criminal damage by driving through this temporary structure. This has been filed with the police who have raised a crime number. 'We would recommend members of the public stay away from this structure as we cannot guarantee its integrity following this attack, and the stop notice served by the Council prevents us from undertaking any remedial work. 'To safeguard our insurance, we considered it our right under permitted developments to erect a temporary structure, and it is disappointing that Council is taking measures which allow trespassing to continue, despite making them aware that this was for insurance purposes. 'On 6th January 2023 (nearly two and a half years ago) we had a meeting, on site, with two Directors of the Council, the local member, and the then Leader of the Council to discuss a long-term solution to complete the Kellands Lane connection. 'After the meeting, no further action was taken by West Devon Borough Council. We remain willing to work towards a long-term solution to complete the road connection, but West Devon Borough Council do need to engage with us to enable this to happen.'
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
'Berlin Wall 2' must be demolished after being built in middle of housing estate
An eyesore concrete wall, labelled ' The Berlin Wall ' by disgruntled locals, has landed the landowner in hot water after it blocked a popular walking path used by parents on the school run. West Devon Borough Council has clamped down with an Enforcement Notice demanding the removal of the intrusive 'Berlin Wall' that's sprung up between two housing estates on Kellands Lane in Okehampton, Devon. It blocked the path parents use to drop and collect their children at St James Primary School in the town. The council slapped a 'Temporary Stop Notice' on April 17 to halt further construction and followed through with an Enforcement Notice on April 25, which will come into force on May 27. Enforcement notices are issued when someone carries out work without the required planning permission. They explain the violation, state how to fix it and give a deadline for the job. An enforcement notice is used when development is carried out without the necessary planning permission, reports Devon Live. The notice tells the person receiving it what they have done wrong, what must be done to put it right and the timescale within which that must be done. There is a right of appeal against enforcement notices. Councillor Caroline Mott, lead member for planning and the built environment at West Devon Borough Council, said: "The Council has taken action to have the structure removed and hope the inconvenience to the community will be resolved as a matter of urgency."
