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The Guardian
13 minutes ago
- The Guardian
It's not just about building houses – communities need infrastructure to grow
There is a very real danger that, in its bid to reform the planning system and build 1.5m homes across England at pace, the government will neglect the basic requirements of livable communities ('No shops, no schools': homes in England built without basic amenities, 27 July). As your article makes clear, already 'thousands of homes across England are being built without urgently needed community infrastructure'. The planning system cannot allow such fundamental aspects of quality, sustainable placemaking to be neglected. It would do well to recognise the solution offered by a landscape-led approach to development. Landscape is everywhere – not just in protected countryside, but in every high street and cul-de-sac. It is the setting in which we all live, study, work and play. By thinking landscape first and engaging landscape architects early, planners and developers can design-in essential community infrastructure from the outset, creating resilient places that deliver what people need. So, let's build quality as well as quantity by prioritising GöhlerPresident, Landscape Institute One of the problems with the way we build homes in England is that local people have no role beyond complaining and objecting. In one case in your article, the community offered to finish off and run a community centre if the developer would just build the shell. But the idea that communities could roll up their sleeves and build, own, run these things just isn't considered by our housing and planning systems. The developer considered and rejected the idea; the community had no say. In a small but growing number of places this opposite is happening. Communities are gaining a seat at the table in the design and build-out of new homes, and taking ownership of shops, playgrounds, open space, community centres and affordable homes. Developers have to work with, and negotiate with, local people over what is built. This little bit of leverage and agency, achieved through a community land trust, builds better places with a stronger sense of community. The Labour government has talked a lot about supporting communities. The prime minister recently spoke of people tired of being excluded from decisions about their own lives. Here's your chance, Sir Keir, to include them in decisions about housing by wiring community agency and ownership into the planning ChanceChief executive, Community Land Trust Network
Reuters
15 minutes ago
- Reuters
Switzerland could revise offer on Trump tariffs, business minister says
ZURICH, Aug 3 (Reuters) - The Swiss government is open to revising its offer to the United States in response to planned heavy tariffs, Business Minister Guy Parmelin said, as experts warned the 39% import duties announced by President Donald Trump could trigger a recession in Switzerland. Switzerland was left stunned on Friday after Trump hit the country with one of the highest tariffs in his global trade reset, with industry associations warning of tens of thousands of jobs being put at risk. The country's cabinet will hold a special meeting on Monday to discuss its next steps, with Parmelin telling broadcaster RTS that the government would move quickly before the U.S. tariffs are imposed on August 7. "We need to fully understand what happened, why the U.S. president made this decision. Once we have that on the table, we can decide how to proceed," Parmelin said. "The timeline is tight, it may be hard to achieve something by the 7th, but we'll do everything we can to show goodwill and revise our offer," he added. Parmelin said Trump was focused on the U.S. trade deficit with Switzerland, which stood at 38.5 billion Swiss francs ($48 billion) last year, with Switzerland buying U.S liquefied natural gas (LNG) among the options under consideration. Another option could be further investments by Swiss companies in the United States, Switzerland's biggest export market for its pharmaceuticals, watches and machinery. "Look at the European Union, they promised to buy LNG. Switzerland imports LNG too — maybe that's one path," Parmelin said. "Maybe more investments. But to be sure it's a strong enough basis for continuing talks, we have to fully understand what the U.S. expects." Both Parmelin and Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter were also ready to travel to Washington to pursue talks if necessary, he added. Swiss officials rejected reports that the higher than expected tariffs were imposed after a bad-tempered telephone call between Keller-Sutter and Trump late on Thursday. "The call was not a success, there was not a good outcome for Switzerland," a government source told Reuters. "But there was not a quarrel. Trump made it clear from the very beginning that he had a completely different point of view, that 10% tariffs were not enough. "We are working hard to find a solution and are in contact with the American side," the source added. "We hope we can find a solution before August 7." Tariffs would have a huge impact on Switzerland's export-orientated economy and raised the risk of a recession, said Hans Gersbach, an economist at ETH, a university in Zurich. Swiss economic output would be reduced by 0.3% to 0.6% if the 39% tariff was imposed, a figure which could rise to above 0.7% if pharmaceuticals - which are currently not covered by the U.S. import duties - were included. Prolonged disruptions could shrink Swiss GDP by more 1%, Gersbach said. "There would be a risk of a recession," Gersbach said. Swiss shares are expected to be hit by the tariffs news when the stock market reopens on Monday after being closed during the Swiss National Day holiday on Friday. The tariffs could also see the Swiss National Bank cut interest rates in September, said Nomura. "We expect one more 25bp policy rate cut from the SNB in September, which would take the rate to -0.25%," the bank said. "A hit to growth from U.S. tariffs on exports would likely weaken economic growth and cause further deflation pressures, adding to the likelihood of easing to a negative policy rate."
BBC News
15 minutes ago
- BBC News
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Getty Images Luggage seen in a file photo A woman in New Zealand has been arrested after a two-year-old girl was found in her luggage while she was travelling on a bus. Police said officers were called to a bus stop in Kaiwaka, a small town in the north of the country, on Sunday after a passenger asked for access to the luggage compartment. "The driver became concerned when he noticed the bag moving. When the driver opened the suitcase, they discovered the two-year-old girl," New Zealand Police said a statement. The woman, 27, has been arrested and charged with ill-treatment/neglect of a child. "The little girl was reported to be very hot, but otherwise appeared physically unharmed," police said. She has been taken to hospital, where she is undergoing medical assessment, they added. The relationship between the woman and the child has not been disclosed. The woman is due to appear in the North Shore District Court on Monday. "We would like to acknowledge and commend the bus driver, who noticed something wasn't right and took immediate action, preventing what could have been a far worse outcome," police said.
