Latest news with #Capel
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Conservation site approved for former quarry in Surrey
A former quarry in Surrey is to be converted into a nature conservation site, a council has said. Plans for Clockhouse Quarry in Capel, near Dorking, could take at least 14 years to from Surrey Council Council have granted planning permission to utility company firm will now begin importing around 740,000 cubic metres of inert material, such as soil, from nearby construction projects to create the site. It will bring an end to the industrialisation of the land that has stretched back to 1947, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Gerry Cavanagh, regional manager at Suez, said: "We look forward to delivering all the excellent enhancements for local wildlife and keeping the community updated on our activity as we look to the months ahead."The company said it wanted to "reduce the size and depth" of man-made reservoirs to "minimise both health and safety risks associated with unauthorised access, as well as bird strikes for aeroplanes approaching or taking off from Gatwick Airport".It said the plans should help native great-crested newts and other flora and first decade of the project will see large swathes of the site refilled before a potential two-year pause to allow habitats to establish. This would be followed by another two years of work, ensuring water can drain freely from the restored is expected to start in 2026.
ABC News
07-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Cost of long-awaited Bussell Highway duplication in WA's South West doubles to $170m
The cost of a long-awaited road upgrade pitched as a congestion-buster for tourists heading to Western Australia's South West has blown out to $170 million as the project finally nears completion. The single-lane stretch of Bussell Highway between Capel and Busselton has long been a traffic bottleneck, particularly during holidays and long weekends when tens of thousands of tourists make the 200-kilometre drive south from Perth. Sold as a solution to those frustrations, duplicating the highway has also come at double the initial projected cost, according to figures revealed during budget estimates hearings last week. The major road project has dragged on despite the Cook government promising its completion by the end of 2024. A Main Roads spokesperson said some short-term traffic management may remain in place, but the majority of work was now complete. However, months of delays and many millions in additional spending have left some locals pondering whether it was worth the cash and time. Capel resident Corrie Young said she was unimpressed with the final product. She regularly uses the road to drive in and out of Busselton. "I'm not very happy with it at all," she said. Ms Young said the last few years had been "terrible" as construction on the road had dragged on, leaving many drivers frustrated over lane closures and speed reductions. Others were more positive. "It's fantastic, I can just zip down from the farm to Busselton. It's flat, it's smooth, it's quick," commuter Steve Jones said. In WA's Legislative Council estimates last week, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti blamed the price escalation on rising construction costs around the world. "I am very proud that we have delivered the Bussell Highway duplication," she said. "It was not an election commitment, but I was very determined to get it done, and we did it through negotiations with the Commonwealth." The Bussell Highway duplication is not the only road project that has blown out in WA's south. The cost of the Bunbury Outer Ring Road that opened late last year — now the Wilman Wadandi Highway — swelled to $1.46 billion, more than $600 million over what was initially estimated. Questions also remain around the overall benefit delivered by both projects. Curtin University researcher and former Infrastructure Australia board member Peter Newman said the development, while popular, came at the cost of alternatives. "Both of them are extraordinarily over-designed … in my view, they take up a massive amount of space," Professor Newman said. He believed the money would be better spent on electric public transport links to the South West region. "These [ideas] are not ever getting onto the agenda because of the massive amount of money that is being spent on these kinds of [road] projects."
BBC News
29-06-2025
- BBC News
Motorcyclist dies after crash on Surrey road
A motorcyclist has died after being found unresponsive on a road in Surrey, police were called to the A24 Horsham Road in Capel at 19:00 BST on rider, a man aged in his 20s, was pronounced dead at the scene, said Surrey Police. The force appealed for witnesses to the single vehicle crash or anyone with relevant dashcam footage to come forward.
Daily Mirror
26-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
PIP cuts mean people with 'invisible conditions' could lose out
The DWP benefit is designed to help cover the extra costs of living with a health condition Benefits experts fear changes to PIP eligibility could mean people with health conditions that do not always have obvious outward symptoms could lose out on payments under new rules. The eligibility for PIP (Personal Independence Payment) is becoming stricter from next year. An additional rule will mean you have to score at least one 4 on one of the daily living activities in the PIP scoring system to qualify for the daily living rate, which is currently paid at £73.90 or £110.40 a week, depending on your level of need. This means someone on the higher rate who no longer qualified could lose out on over £5,700 a year in payments while if you lost out on the lower rate, you would lose out on over £3,800 a year. PIP, overseen by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), is intended to help cover the extra costs of a person who lives with a long-term disability or health condition, and includes a daily living part and a mobility part. Health experts at Medico Digital have warned the changes could have severe consequences for some people. Oliver Capel, healthcare marketing expert with the group, said: "The potential tightening of PIP eligibility risks disproportionately impacting people with 'invisible' conditions, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and mental health disorders. These individuals often rely on PIP not just for mobility aids or home adjustments, but to fund essential support like therapy, transportation to medical appointments, and help with daily tasks that can otherwise be overwhelming." PIP applicants often undergo a medical assessment to determine how their condition affects them and so how much they should get in payments. But Ms Capel warned there are risks here that the reality of living with the three health issues she mentioned is not fully understood. She explained: "Many of these conditions fluctuate and are not easily understood in traditional medical assessments. For example, someone with severe anxiety may be physically able to walk but still unable to navigate a supermarket or attend a job interview. "Removing PIP in these cases doesn't just cut off financial aid. It strips away a sense of autonomy and stability." She warned that PIP is a lifeline for many people, helping them maintain dignity and quality of life. She warned of major problems that could result from tightening the eligibility rules: "If changes are made without accounting for the lived realities of these conditions, we risk pushing vulnerable people further into poverty, isolation, and worsening health outcomes. "A more nuanced, case-by-case approach is essential to ensure that we support those who genuinely need it, even if their struggles are not immediately visible." Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said in the Commons on June 23 that reforms were needed to preserve the system in the long term. She said: 'This is a vital benefit that makes a crucial contribution towards the extra costs of living with a disability. That is why we want to reform it, to protect it for generations to come because we do not think it's sustainable to have a doubling of the number of people on Pip over this decade from two to more than 4.3 million.'
West Australian
05-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Two promising WA ag students announced as 2025 AgriFutures Australia scholarship recipients
Two promising WA agriculture students have been announced as part of AgriFutures Australia latest scholarship round. Capel's Chris Partridge and Gidgegannup's Jasmin Hanlon were among the 21 recipients of the 2025 AgriFutures Australia's Horizon Scholarship, designed to support Australia's most promising university students. Each scholar receives a $10,000 bursary over two years to support their studies and living expenses, along with access to a unique program of professional development, industry networking and work placements with an industry sponsor. The 2025 cohort will get together in July for a five-day workshop in Canberra, held in conjunction with the AgriFutures Stakeholder Summit. Mr Partridge grew up working on his family's grapevine nursery. 'I am very incredibly thankful to be provided with this opportunity and to have Hort Innovation as my sponsor, especially as I have seen the difference that they make in the industry,' he said. 'I am excited to build new skills, make industry connections and network with students from all over Australia. 'The opportunities provided by this programme will be life changing for me.' Mr Patridge said he didn't realise that agriculture was his passion until he completed work experience at school with an agricultural research company in York, despite his agricultural upbringing. He is currently in his second year studying agricultural science at The University of Adelaide. Prior to this, Mr Partridge embarked on a gap year to gain experience outside of horticulture, working on an irrigated cropping and cotton farm in Wee Waa, New South Wales. He also worked as a field technician for an agricultural research company conducting trials in both broadacre and horticultural environments. 'When I have completed my degree, I would love to work in the horticulture industry as an agronomist, assisting growers in improving the production potential of their farm or as a researcher contributing to the future of horticulture in Australia,' he said. Ms Hanlon said she was looking forward to what the next two years of the scholarship would bring. 'I am extremely grateful to AgriFutures and Grains Research and Development Corporation for providing me this amazing opportunity to collaborate with industry professionals, gain valuable knowledge and hands on experience through placements,' she said. Ms Hanlon grew up on a small hobby farm but it wasn't until she attended the Western Australian College of Agriculture Cunderdin that her passion for the industry 'flourished'. After completing year 12, Ms Hanlon began a bachelor of agricultural science, majoring in crop and casture and animal science at Murdoch University. 'I am particularly interested in integrated crop management and the relationship between cropping and livestock sectors in building a sustainable production system,' she said. 'In the future, I hope to be working as an agronomist where I can encourage and assist WA producers to adopt sustainable practises to optimise their grain and pasture production.' Since its inception in 2010, the program has more than 240 students, strengthening the future of regional and rural Australia and driving innovation and change across the sector.
