Latest news with #GreaterLondon
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Smithfield and Billingsgate market redevelopment plans begin – but traders' future in doubt
Smithfield and Billingsgate food markets in London will be turned into new homes and a cultural destination under plans by their owner – but the future of the meat and fish traders housed on each site remains in doubt. A council within the City of London Corporation, which is responsible for running the capital's Square Mile, has voted to task a team to oversee the regeneration of 28 hectares (70 acres) of land across Greater London. However, it has not allocated any new money for the project. The corporation decided in a separate vote last November to permanently close Smithfield and Billingsgate when it pulled the plug on a planned £740m relocation to a new site in the east of the capital at Dagenham, blaming rising costs. The markets will continue trading in their current locations until 2028, but the closure will mark an end to centuries of meat and fish trading in the city. The corporation, which is exceptionally wealthy compared with typical UK local authorities, has faced a backlash over the decision and objections to the plans to permanently close London's ancient food markets and build on the sites. The corporation has previously offered compensation to Smithfield and Billingsgate traders and said it would help individual businesses to find new locations, but the newly created team will also be tasked with helping to find a new site for the meat and fish markets. Chris Hayward, the corporation's policy chair, said: 'A bright future lies ahead for these markets, and their redevelopment will contribute billions of pounds in economic growth, thousands of new jobs and thousands of new homes.' The redevelopment of the Smithfield and Billingsgate sites will add £9.1bn in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy in the coming years, according to the corporation's calculations. The history of a food market around Smithfield – close to Farringdon train station – goes back more than 800 years. The London Museum is in the process of moving to part of the site. The corporation wants the new team, which will mostly include current corporation staff, to oversee a masterplan for the remainder of the site and its Victorian listed buildings, which will aim to turn it into a cultural hub, potentially housing bars, restaurants and venues. Greg Lawrence, the chair of traders at Smithfield market, who has worked on the site since he joined at the age of 16 in 1966, said: 'Smithfield market is a very special place. It will be emotional to leave the site, it has been people's lives.' Despite this, he is in favour of the markets moving to a new, modern location. 'We have outgrown it now, there is no room for anyone to expand or grow,' he said. The 5.6-hectare Billingsgate site close to the Canary Wharf financial district has been earmarked for housing, and the corporation believes 4,000 new homes could be built there. The corporation's new team, which will comprise 11 members, will also be responsible for working with local representatives to work out how to redevelop the 17-hectare site at Dagenham Dock, in one of London's most deprived boroughs, where it had intended to build a new market complex. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion The corporation spent just under £230m of the project's £741m cost before it cancelled the Dagenham move late last year, including buying and cleaning up the site. It blamed inflation and rising construction costs for the decision. It will use the remaining £511m to fund other major projects including a law court complex it is building for the Ministry of Justice at Salisbury Square, which the Guardian understands is over budget. The corporation manages assets worth billions of pounds, and collects £1.3bn in business rates annually, most of which it passes to central government. While the corporation is the owner and operator of the Smithfield and Billingsgate sites, it does not have the power to autonomously close them down and use the land for other purposes. The capital's ancient markets were established by acts of parliament and can only be shut when parliament passes a private bill. This process has been complicated by the objection of three fishmongers from Ridley Road market in east London, who say they depend on Billingsgate for their business and will go bust if it closes down. They say they have the support of a small group of MPs who are opposed to the closure. Alicia Weston, the founder of the food poverty charity Bags of Taste and a spokesperson for the fishmongers, said the new plans appeared to be 'a positive move towards what the fishmongers have always wanted. They have asked for a suitable replacement for Billingsgate to be up and running before the closure, so they can go and buy their fish every day.'
CTV News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Time to change how London chooses its deputy mayor?
London's Governance Working Group discussed potential changes and inequities in the way London's deputy mayor position is selected.
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
London Population Set to Jump 600,000 Putting Strain on Housing
London's population is expected to jump by a further 600,000 by 2032, according to official projections that suggest a ratcheting up of pressure on the capital's constrained housing market. The city's population is expected to rise by 6.7% to over 9 million between 2022 and 2032, the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'London is finished - it's bleeding us dry !' Locals in Havering reveal why they want their borough to be kicked out of the 'disgusting' capital
Havering is the easternmost point of London and has been considered a part of the capital for more than 60 years. But after decades of declining growth and accumulated debt, Romford MP Andrew Rosindell is campaigning for the borough to become a part of Essex instead. 'I've been an MP 24 years I barely see any benefits to being under Greater London, all it is, is taking money out of boroughs and funneling money into the inner London areas,' Mr Rosindell told MailOnline. 'Greater London was established in the 60s and prior to that Havering was under the Essex County Council. 'This is an ongoing campaign across the country, lots of areas want to be aligned with their historic counties rather than their metropolitan artificial regions that were created in the 60s and 70s. 'It means we take control of our own budget, we don't pay the Mayor of London, literally hundreds of millions of pounds. 'We get complete control of our local policies again, so things like ULEZ wouldn't be imposed on us.' At the moment, planning permission and public spending in the area falls under the jurisdiction of the Mayor of London. And residents of Havering have had enough of 'London tax'. Bradley Smith, 45, a high vantage cable joiner thinks London is 'a joke' and is more than happy for Havering to become a part of Essex instead. He told MailOnline: 'I think London is finished I work there every day and everything they're trying to do is disgusting. 'It's mental it's like they're trying to bleed us dry. 'The ULEZ is a joke and now we have the Silvertown tunnel. My company has 6000 vans and London's our main area, they had to spend £17milliom to pay for new vans. 'It's done it's not London I grew up there and I moved to Upminster for better schools and a better quality of life for my kids. 'A lot of people will say we're Essex anyway.' Mr Rosindell's campaign follows on from Angela Rayner's plans to increase devolution across local authorities and streamline local services. The government are currenting seeking to create a Mayoral Combined County Authority for Greater Essex by May 2026. It would enable the county councils under its jurisdiction to make their own policies and it would have its own elected Mayor. Mr Rosindell said: 'Havering, we're Essex, we're not London, because we're under Greater London we're not being considered for this new Essex devolution. 'It means when they do London we will probably be merged, which means the end of Havering as an independent borough. 'We'd be swallowed up by Labour boroughs to the east so our character and identity will likely be swallowed up by east London. 'This is a serious debate. It's the very survival of our borough whether the character of our borough stays or whether it goes. 'Boroughs that orbit London, I accept we orbit but we're not in London, we need a different type of governance than those in the actual capital. It needs complete reform and I'm arguing for this.' Havering is considered an East London borough but includes areas that consider themselves to be geographically Essex, such as, Romford, Upminster and Hornchurch. Catherine Terry, 57, who grew up in Upminster, thinks becoming part of London has destroyed the area. She told MailOnline: 'We're being dragged into the East End and I don't think it's for the best. 'It used to be regarded as a posh area we used to have some lovely shops, local shops to get your shopping, and now we're being swallowed up by charity shops. 'I was horrified to see the litter it was horrendous. 'All these things coming in from London it's changed it massively since I was a child. Every time I come back it gets worse it hasn't improved. 'I still think of Upminster as Essex and a lot of people will still term it as Essex. Margaret Townley, 70, who has lived in the borough for 33 years agreed that becoming part of Greater London tainted the borough. She told MailOnline: 'All the money seems to go to London and we have to pay all the extra and get nothing out of it. 'I don't go to London there's not a lot up there even the shopping isn't good. 'Nothing is getting done here and we don't get funding where we're paying extra money we could spend it.' But others disagree saying being part of London has its perks. Michelle Taplin, who has owned Optimum Fine Art on Hornchurch High Street for 31 years, worries leaving London will destroy her business. She told MailOnline: 'I don't know why he wants to do that; we are London. 'There are parts of Essex that have a bad reputation, it's worlds apart. 'I don't think my customers would be the same. 'House prices would go down and businesses may suffer.' However, most residents believe it would be better to officially rejoin Essex now to curb anti-social behavior that has been pouring in from the capital. Claire Moran, 50, said: 'I've always lived round here, and my address has always been Essex. 'Traditionally I always thought I was Essex. 'I would like to leave London because I don't like paying council tax to the mayor and I don't agree with his policies like ULEZ. 'It's sprawling out more the inner city stuff is spreading here and we're getting consumed into London. 'We always had green areas and my nervousness is that London will take over and develop it.' Cliff Barker, retired, 69, who has lived in Havering 30 years agreed. He said: 'I would rather this be Essex I don't consider this to be London. 'I think London is overpopulated it's too busy most of the place is dirty.
The Sun
18-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Four items drivers should NEVER leave inside their car in blazing sunshine as heatwave ‘likely' this weekend
MOTORISTS are being urged to think twice about what they leave behind in their vehicles, as forecasters warn that a heatwave is 'likely' to hit parts of the UK later this week. With temperatures expected to climb to a scorching 34C in some areas, certain everyday items could pose serious risks if left in the car. 3 In counties such as Surrey, where high temperatures are expected, drivers are being encouraged to clear their vehicles of particular items that may react dangerously to heat. The Met Office defines a UK heatwave as a period of at least three consecutive days in which temperatures reach or exceed a specified threshold. In the South East, including Surrey, Greater London, Buckinghamshire, and neighbouring counties, that threshold is 28C – the highest classification in the country. While many motorists may already be planning ahead for warm weather, experts say that failing to remove common items from inside a parked car could result in damage, safety hazards, or even health risks. The inside of a car can quickly become much hotter than the outside air, especially when parked in direct sunlight. One item to be particularly wary of is bottled water. Although staying hydrated is essential during hot weather, leaving plastic bottles in the car can be dangerous. When plastic is exposed to intense heat, it can release harmful chemicals into the water, making it unsafe to drink. What's more, if the bottle is left on a seat or dashboard, sunlight magnified through the bottle could potentially start a fire by focusing rays on flammable materials. Another unexpected hazard is sun cream. 'Take a stuffed animal on every trip this summer,' drivers told as it can secretly save kids from backseat heatstroke While it's a must-have during sunny spells, the packaging of sun cream isn't designed to withstand extreme heat for prolonged periods. Heat can cause the contents to expand, potentially bursting open and leaking onto seats or other surfaces, leaving difficult stains. Beyond the mess, high temperatures can also degrade the ingredients in the cream, making it less effective at protecting your skin from UV rays. Medicines are also at risk in sweltering conditions. Many over-the-counter treatments, including common painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen, can lose their effectiveness if exposed to heat. Although the tablets might look unchanged, their chemical structure could be compromised. Medical professionals recommend that drivers always read the storage instructions included with any medication and avoid leaving them in a hot vehicle unless clearly stated otherwise. Battery-powered electronics such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and even portable chargers should also be removed from the car during sunny weather. These devices contain lithium-ion batteries which are sensitive to heat. When exposed to temperatures above 40C – which can easily be reached inside a closed vehicle – batteries can malfunction, drain faster, or in rare cases, overheat to the point of catching fire. Even if they don't ignite, long-term exposure to high temperatures can shorten a device's lifespan significantly. There are other heat-sensitive items that drivers should avoid leaving behind. Aerosol cans, for example, are extremely sensitive to heat and can explode when internal pressure builds up in high temperatures. Items like make-up, particularly lipsticks and foundations, can melt and seep into seats or fabrics, leaving behind stubborn stains and strong smells. Food should also be cleared from the car – not only because it can spoil quickly in the heat, but also because it can attract pests or leave unpleasant odours. Plastic toys, particularly those left by children on back seats or dashboards, can also warp or emit fumes if left in the sun for too long. These toys may not pose an immediate safety threat, but they can easily become deformed, sticky, or unusable after just a few hours in the heat. 3
