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The Healthy New Towns programme considers how health and well-being could be designed into the heart of urban design and planning.

It was launched in March 2016, with the NHS saying it wanted to bring together clinicians, designers and technology experts to reimagine how healthcare can be delivered by joining up the design of the built environment with modern health and care services.

Ten sites were announced as part of the programme, including Halton in Cheshire. This was selected as the focus site for the competition.

London-based Citiesmode created Halton Connected. It includes plans for an urban obstacle course connecting public gym equipment and sprinting tracks marked out on safe pavements; developers providing housebuyers and tenants with free bikes to cut car use and promote cycling; and designs for multigenerational living bringing care for the elderly and children under one roof.

Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said: “If there’s to be a much-needed wave of new housebuilding across England, let’s ‘design-in’ health from the start. These practical designs for Halton point the way, uniting young and old in in thinking through the sort of communities we want for the future.”

Sara Dilmamode, director of Citiesmode, said the company wants “to work with NHS England and its delivery partners to ensure that health-related practices are placed at the heart of planning”.

Philip Liu, project lead at Citiesmode, added: “Using our winning entry as a springboard, we are now keen to explore how the ideas contained within this could be implemented in different communities across the UK and internationally.”

The judges came from NHS England, the local clinical commissioning group, Halton Borough Council, and Warrington and Halton Hospitals Trust, and selected Citiesmode’s bid out of 34 shortlisted entries across the world, including from the United States, Spain, India and Japan.

NHS chief commits to supporting ‘healthy new towns’

News analysis: Grant positions healthy new towns as remedy to NHS funding crisis

Image credit | iStock

The meeting follows the announcement in July by transport secretary Chris Grayling that new bi-mode trains will be used on some lines instead of electrifying them.

These technologies will be deployed on the Great Western Main Line in South Wales, the Midland Main Line, and on the Lakes Line between Windermere and Oxenholme, “instead of carrying out disruptive electrification works along the whole of these routes”.

Grayling’s announcement came at the same time that he declared his support for Crossrail 2, causing confusion and concern about the government’s commitment to the Northern Powerhouse.

Since Grayling made the announcement, about 70,000 people have signed an Institute For Public Policy Research petition calling on the government to immediately commit to HS3 and other Northern Powerhouse rail projects as well as billions of “catch-up cash” for transport infrastructure in the north of England.

Earlier this week, former chancellor George Osborne urged Prime Minister Theresa May to commit to building high-speed rail lines across the north of Liverpool. He said HS3, which was approved when Osborne was in government, would help May to “relaunch her premiership”.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester; Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council; Steve Rotheram, Mayor of Liverpool City Region; Nick Forbes, leader of Newcastle City Council; Julie Dore, leader of Sheffield City Council and Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, all attended the meeting.

Burnham said the event showed that “the patience of people in the north of England has run out”.

“We are getting organised and demanding the government keeps all of its promises to people here and delivers a fair funding deal for the North of England.

“We are not against our capital city developing world-class infrastructure, but it cannot be at the expense of the North. People here have put up with clapped-out trains and congested roads for long enough.

“The fact we have such strong private sector support at this event shows that this not about party politics but civic and business leaders uniting to get a fair deal for the North.”

“The government needs to show it is serious about rebalancing and revitalising our economy. We need to see clear prioritisation and a timetable for Crossrail for the North from the government as well as other vital transport improvements going ahead as soon as possible.”

Blake said: “Transforming rail connections across the North was part of the original plan to create a Northern Powerhouse and was estimated to bring £100 billion in economic growth as well as 850,000 new jobs. The people of the North are demanding a direct commitment from the government to increase investment in transport and to settle for any less would hold back the potential of the North for decades to come.”

Read more:

Analysis: Government urged to reaffirm commitment to Northern Powerhouse

Chris Grayling ministerial statement

TransPennine and Midland Mainline electrification works to resume

Northern Powerhouse hit by rail modernisation delays

£38 billion of rail network improvements announced

Electrification for Lake District route

Clegg unveils infrastructure package for the North

Grayling backs Crossrail 2

Image credit | iStock

Help to Buy: ISAs opened reached one million

More than one million Help to Buy ISAs have been opened, helping first-time buyers across the UK save for a home.

The government said first-time buyers have saved over £1.8 billion in their ISAs.

Economic secretary to the Treasury, Stephen Barclay, said: “Our Help to Buy schemes continue to prove hugely popular across the country, as we support people to get on in life and achieve their dream of climbing the housing ladder.”

The government’s Help to Buy ISA scheme was launched on 1 December 2015 to provide first-time buyers with the opportunity to save up to £200 a month with the government topping up their contributions by 25 per cent, up to a maximum of £3,000.

Housebuilder buys Congleton site with permission for 170 homes

David Wilson Homes has bought a 25-acre development site in Cheshire from strategic land company Richborough Estates.

The site, known as Black Firs Park, is on the western edge of market town Congleton. It has been bought for more than £10 million.

Before selling, Richborough Estates secured planning permission for 170 homes, comprising one to five-bedroom homes.

Green space also features in the plans, as well as a commitment to retain existing boundary tress and hedgerows around the site.

Acorn buys Bristol site

Developer Acorn Bristol has purchased Brandon Yard, a 58-unit harbourside scheme in the centre of Bristol.

The development, which already has planning permission, will be led by Acorn, in partnership with Galliard Homes.

It comprises a mix of new-build homes and the conversion of two grade II listed buildings. The apartments will have one, two or three bedrooms.

The development is expected to be completed in spring 2019.

The developer's, Acorn South division has purchased a 16-bedroom scheme in central Salisbury. The site has full planning permission and work will begin in October 2017.

SNH launches coastal guidance

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has published guidance aimed at helping professionals assess the potential impacts of future development on Scotland’s coastal landscapes.

The guidance sets out how to undertake a coastal character assessment, which SNH said is central to the planning and development process as it provides the baseline information against which landscape and visual impacts are assessed.

Roseanna Cunningham, environment secretary for the Scottish Government, said: “The coastal characterisation assessment guidance will help us ensure that our coasts are taken into account when considering specific changes or looking at the broader scale of new spatial plans and development.”

Mike Cantlay, chair at SNH, said: “Coastal character assessment is the cousin of terrestrial landscape assessment in Scotland. It additionally considers the specific characteristics associated with the coast, such as maritime influences and the nature of the coastal edge.

“We’ve produced the guidance published today to help Marine Planning Partnerships, Marine Scotland, local authorities and landscape practitioners, as well as our own staff here at SNH. It will be referred to in our future advice on renewables projects and will be helpful for new aquaculture projects, as well as used to support marine planning.”

Lake Lothing Third Crossing designs on show

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The Department for transport granted funding for the bridge in March 2016.

The bridge will be required to open to maintain the Port of Lowestoft’s operations, the proposed crossing will be 12 metres above the high tide levels, significantly higher than the A47 Bascule Bridge, enabling a larger number of vessels to pass under the new crossing without a need for it to open.

To open the bridge, hydraulic pistons lift the bridge deck, which rolls back on the vertical part of the structure that contains a counterweight, holding the bridge at a specific angle to allow vessels to pass through safely. A control tower would operate the bridge – although no decision has been made on its location yet.

A consultation on the designs begins on 4 September, 2017.

Phase one of Thetford scheme to be delivered by Hopkins Homes

The Crown Estate and the Kilverstone Estate have announced that the first phase of the Greater Thetford Strategic Urban Extension scheme has been sold to Hopkins Homes.

The property developer will deliver around 350 for the phase, 15 per cent of which are designated as affordable, as part of an extension to the Norfolk market town.

Planning permission for the site was granted in 2014 for up to 5,000 homes, three primary schools, public open space, community and healthcare facilities, as well as a place of worship.

Pigeon Investment Management promoted the site, while Savills advised the Crown Estate and the Kilverstone Estate on the exchange.

Image credit / Shutterstock

The chairman of the County Councils Network (CCN) describes his 37 member organisations as “sleeping giants”. Devolving public spending and tax-raising powers to them would unleash their economic potential and could spur jobs and growth in rural areas, he says.

If Carter is right, the next phase of devolution could create a million jobs in the next decade. Devolving fiscal powers to counties could also add £26 billion to the economy. “With intelligent devolution deals and empowerment across county areas, so much more could be achieved to support economic growth and prosperity in England,” he says.

Fiscal devolution powers

It was supposed to be a “devolution revolution”, but it largely passed England’s county councils by. Under former chancellor George Osborne, cities and metropolitan areas mostly benefited from the drive to shift powers and spending away from Whitehall. 

Most county areas submitted bids to the government, but only two, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and Cornwall, succeeded. Bids in Essex, Gloucestershire and Leicestershire were rejected. Others – in Lincolnshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and the North-East – fell at the final hurdle because of the mayoral requirement.

“With intelligent devolution deals and empowerment across county areas, so much more could be achieved to support economic growth and prosperity in England”

Now the counties are running again. The CCN commissioned Oxford Economics to look at the figures and the consultancy found they tally with Carter’s assertion that counties are “sleeping giants”.

County areas make up 41 per cent of the English economy, deliver £600 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the economy, and account for 44 per cent of the nation’s jobs – significantly more than the country’s biggest cities. Collectively, they generate a net surplus for the Treasury.

The CCN says this showcases counties’ potential under a radical programme of fiscal devolution to include powers to create infrastructure and retain a proportion of income tax, property tax, and council tax with around half sent back to the Treasury.

This, said Oxford Economics, coupled with subsequent tax-raising abilities, could boost England’s annual growth to 2.7 per cent a year over five years – significantly more than current forecasts of under 2 per cent and falling. This would not only allow England to return to pre-Brexit growth forecasts thereby helping it to adapt to leaving the EU, but also to rebalance the economy. It would also help tackle the perceived remoteness of Westminster from rural communities.

Context is crucial. The government’s Industrial Strategy, its tool for rebalancing the economy, is widely criticised as overly focused on urban areas. Moreover, the government is committed to dropping the requirement for metro mayors for significant devolution – this was hitherto a deal-breaker for many counties.

Looking beyond large cities

“Brexit means that to improve exports and manufacturing performance, the Industrial Strategy must look beyond the largest cities,” says Oxford Economics’ head of global cities research Richard Holt. 

“Local economies covered by the CCN account for over half of England’s manufacturing output and almost 40 per cent of exports. That makes the CCN economy an important constituent of the whole – big enough not just to be influenced by, but to heavily influence overall economic activity in the UK. To be effective, the Industrial Strategy and the next phase of devolution should seek to build on that.”

For Carter, the issue is clear. “It’s about ensuring we truly have an economy that works for everyone, and more importantly, an economy that is resilient and able to successfully adjust to life outside the EU.”

Photo | Alamy

The approval will also see business and community facilities built, as well necessary infrastructure established at the site at An Camas Mòr.

It follows a Section 42 application to vary a condition of the previously granted consent in March 2014.

Applicants An Camas Mòr LLP applied to vary the wording of condition one. This restricts development to 630 new homes until a review of the impact the development is having on the land and ecology is completed.

The new application sought to create a more clearly phased development with extended time scales for the submission of future detailed information.

Planning officers for the park recommended the application for approval, noting that there had been no significant changes to policy or circumstances since the original approval.

Gavin Miles, head of planning and communities said: “Having appraised the application, the proposed development is acceptable and complies with local development plan policies. We are, however, recommending a suite of conditions and other measures that will manage the development. There is a requirement for the applicant to demonstrate that there is not a significant impact on landscape and ecology and to prove there will be no significant adverse effects to capercaillie in Badenoch and Strathspey as a result of the proposals before any development can start.”

A change to a different condition instructs that a new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists should be delivered before 200 homes are occupied.

Documents from the meeting can be found on the Cairngorms National Park Authority website.

Image credit | iStock

The analysis suggests there has been a 1.6 million rise to 5.2 million in adults who own multiple properties, which equates to one in 10 people.

This, combined with a fall in home ownership since the early 2000s, has underpinned the “increasing concentration in property wealth within a declining proportion of families”, said the think tank.

The research says that 40 per cent of adults have no property wealth, up from 25 per cent in 2000 to 2002.

The value of assets held by multiple homeowners has increased by 20 per cent in real terms between 2000 and 2002 and 2012 and 2014, from £125,000 to £150,000.

Those who own multiple homes are likely to have been born between 1946 and 1965, aged 52 to 71, and account for 52 per cent of all the wealth held in additional properties. Those born between 1966 and 1980, aged 37 to 51, account for 25 per cent of additional property wealth.

People born since 1981 own just 3 per cent of additional property assets, accounting for less of it that their predecessors did at the same age.

Other statistics from the research include:

• 88 per cent of additional property owners are in the top half of the wealth distribution.
• 79 per cent of adults who earn income from additional properties are in the top half of income distribution.
• 59 per cent of such landlords are found in the South-West, the South-East, East of England and London.

Laura Gardiner, senior policy analyst at the Resolution Foundation, said: “Multiple property ownership is still a minority sport, but a growing one that represents a significant boost to the wealth pots of those lucky enough to own second homes. People with second homes not only have an investment that they can turn to in times of need, for instance, in later life when care is required, but if the property is rented out they also see a boost to their incomes here and now.”

She said that, contrary to popular narrative, these second homeowners are “rarely your typical middle-income worker shoring up savings or ordinary retiree boosting pension income”.

“With young people much less likely to own a home at all than their predecessors at the same age, the growing concentration of property wealth among fewer families raises concerns not just for their living standards but for wealth inequality of our country as a whole. Recent steps to increase stamp duty on second homes and reduce tax relief on buy-to-let mortgage are attempts to address this challenge, but policymakers should consider what more can be done to ensure that home ownership doesn’t become the preserve of the wealthy for generations to come.”

More information can be found on the Resolution Foundation website.

St Ives and second homes

In May 2016, The Planner reported that residents in St Ives voted to ban the building of second homes as part of its neighbourhood plan referendum.

The plan, voted in by 83 per cent of voters in St Ives, Carbis Bay, Lelant and Halsetown, features a proposal that new housing projects will only get planning permission if homes are reserved for full-time residents.

The aim of the proposal is to “safeguard the sustainability of the settlements in the St Ives Neighbourhood Development Plan area, whose communities are being eroded through the amount of properties that are not occupied on a permanent basis”.

The number of second homes in St Ives totalled 25 per cent in 2011, an increase of 67 per cent since 2001, according to the plan, while over this same period, housing stock in the plan area “grew by 962 or 16 per cent, but the resident population grew by only 270 or 2.4 per cent and the number of resident households grew by less than 6 per cent”.

In November 2016, the policy was subject to a legal challenge in the High Court.

Mr Justice Hickinbottom heard that the claimant, private developer RLT Built Environment Ltd, sought to challenge the making of the neighbourhood plan on the basis that there had been inadequate consideration of reasonable alternatives to the plan’s policies, contrary to the Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) Directive.

The developer argued that increasing the amount of available market housing for local people to buy was a “reasonable alternative” to the proposal in the plan.

The High Court found the policy to be lawful, with Cornerstone Barristers arguing that that it seeks “not merely to make more housing available to local people but rather to reduce the proportion of second homes” in the town.

Image credit | iStock

The plan is the first one to be set out by an estate in the national park. It considers planning, farming, woodland management conservation and access.

It doesn’t guarantee planning permission, but will be a material consideration in determining planning applications.

The Whole Estate Plan states that the estate will work alongside local neighbourhood planning groups to enable future housing to sustain a diverse community.

It also looks at climate change, pressure of development, changes to subsidies following Brexit, and rural business adaptation.

Wiston Estate worked with Rural Solutions, which provides planning and development support to landowners on developing their estates on the Whole Estate Plan.

Tim Slaney, director of planning for the South Downs National Park Authority, said the authority is impressed by how the Wiston Estate and their consultants Rural Solutions worked with it on this “progressive approach”.

“Wiston’s Whole Estate Plan sets a high bar which we will encourage other estates, farms and landowners across the national park to meet.”

Rob Hindle, director at Rural Solutions, said: “The plan is grounded in sustainability and stewardship and will play a key part in enabling the estate’s plans for projects to enhance environmental quality, improve access and deliver significant social and economic benefits. It really is a notable example and I hope that other authorities will take notice of this approach.”

Richard Goring, manager of Wiston Estate, said: “When the national park invited landowners to produce a Whole Estate Plan we could see the value that it would bring to the Wiston Estate, particularly given that we are in a period of succession between generations.”

He said the process of producing the plans has helped it address issues across the estate.

The Whole Estate Plan can be found on the South Downs National Park website.

The representative body for councils in England said the country is spending nearly as much on the repair and maintenance of the existing housing stock as it does building new ones.

Analysis by the LGA suggests that one in 10 buyers are not satisfied with the quality of the home they buy. One in six would not recommend their housebuilder to a friend.

Most areas have more homes built before 1930 than from any other period, according to the report, The Quality of Housing, which was compiled by Residential Analysts for the LGA.

The LGA has called on the government to assist councils in building “a new generation of high-quality, genuinely affordable and additional homes” that are supported by adequate infrastructure and services. For this to be achieved, housebuilders would need to work with councils to ensure that the new homes are built to a good quality and would stand the test of time, it added.

Council leaders are also concerned about the quality of private rented homes, with 28 per cent not considered decent. On the other hand, 85 per cent of council homes meet the decent homes standard, an increase from 70 per cent in 2008.

They think a “national renaissance” in council housebuilding is central to solving the country’s housing shortage and to improve the quality of homes. To do this, the LGA said councils needed to be able to borrow to build – and keep 100 per cent of the receipts of homes they sell.

Judith Blake, housing spokesperson at the LGA, said: “Families are having to spend more on rent or mortgages every month and deserve a decent home that is affordable. But as costs are rising, so is dissatisfaction with the standards of new homes.

“Everyone deserves an affordable and decent place to live. It’s crucial that all new and existing homes are up to a decent standard.

“Councils need to be able to ensure quality through the planning system, and to encourage high standards in rented and owned properties across the board.

“To spark a desperately needed renaissance in council housebuilding, councils also need to able to borrow to build new homes and keep all receipts from any homes they sell to reinvest in building new homes that are of a good quality and affordable.”

Brian Berry, chief executive at the Federation Master Builders (FMB), said in order to address the problem of undersupply of housing, it is “vital” that the government acts on proposals laid out in the housing white paper, published in February, including diversifying the housebuilding sector.

“The concern is that almost six months after the white paper was published, we’ve seen limited movement on a range of policies that if implemented, could start making a difference today,” Berry said.

“The LGA report also raises concerns regarding the quality of new homes and points to one in ten home buyers being dissatisfied with the end result. To put this another way, that means 90 per cent of consumers are satisfied with the quality of their new home, which is a high customer satisfaction rate. Furthermore, this satisfaction rate is likely to be higher still among customers of SME house builders like the ones represented by the FMB. Our members market themselves on building high quality bespoke homes for their clients and this is their unique selling point.”

Image credit | iStock

Inspector blocks 18-home scheme despite housing shortfall

An inspector has blocked plans for 18 homes near Saffron Walden, Essex, despite the area’s housing supply shortfall, upholding all four of the local council's reasons for refusal at appeal.

The Planner

70-room hotel will not replace traditional villas in conservation area

Plans to demolish two ‘good-quality Edwardian villas’ and build a five-storey hotel have been blocked after an inspector ruled that its modern design would be out of context with the conservation area in an East Sussex seaside town.

The Planner

Inspector overrules local plan to allow sleeping area in converted tabernacle

An old religious meeting hall near Exeter that was recently converted into a design studio can be further altered to add a sleeping area in its roof space. An inspector ruled that the plan was sustainable development despite some conflict with local policy.

The Planner

Children's care home no more disruptive than family home

An inspector has approved a change of use from a class C3 house to a care home for up to three teenagers, ruling that disruption to neighbours would be no worse than if a family was occupying the house.

The Planner

Burnt-out building less harmful to conservation area than new homes

A plan to replace a derelict building in Ramsey conservation area with four new homes has been blocked after an inspector ruled that the new homes would cause greater harm to the character of the area than the existing burnt-out home.

The Planner

Council must pay costs for overestimating housing supply by three years

Fareham Borough Council has been penalised for acting unreasonably by basing its estimate of five years of housing land supply on an out-of-date core strategy when refusing a 120-home scheme.

The Planner

‘Isolated’ lion enclosure and dwelling refused near Chipping Norton

Plans for a lion enclosure and associated dwelling in west Oxfordshire have been refused after an inspector found no evidence for the special circumstances required to permit new isolated development in the countryside.

The Planner

Inspector overrules local plan to allow 50% affordable scheme

Permission has been granted for 92 homes near Gloucester, half of which would be designated affordable, after an inspector overruled local housing policy and dismissed concerns about flooding and landscape harm.

The Planner

10MW solar farm refused after changes to proposal rejected

An inspector has refused permission for a solar farm in Oxfordshire as it would harm the character of the area. He refused to take the appellant’s late alterations to the proposal into account because they had not been consulted on.

The Planner

Sheffield City council wins injunction against one of its own councillors

Sheffield City Council has secured High Court injunctions against one of its own councillors and others trespassing within safety barriers surrounding the local authority’s controversial tree replacement works.

Local Government Lawyer

Heritage campaigners granted judicial review of government decision on Paddington Cube

The High Court has allowed conservation group SAVE Britain’s Heritage to challenge communities secretary Sajid Javid over his refusal to call in the Paddington Cube proposals for a public inquiry.

Save Britain's Heritage

Wicklow wind farm developer seeks injunction against protesters

Protesters against a County Wicklow wind farm were putting themselves in danger in a bid to prevent the laying of cables connected to the development, the High Court was told last week.

Irish Times

Environmental survey on A6 £160m expansion not fit for purpose, court hears

Analysis considering the ecological impact of building part of the proposed A6 road improvement scheme near landscape made famous by poet Seamus Heaney was not fit for purpose, the Court of Appeal was told last week.

Belfast Telegraph

Companies urge RSPB to drop fight against Scottish offshore wind farm

RSPB Scotland has mounted a last-ditch legal challenge at the UK Supreme Court over permission for the 450MW Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm in the Moray Firth.

Business Green