Latest news with #WestNorfolk
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Council faces £100,000 tax bill as its ban on second home owners makes its new flats in multi-million-pound seafront development unsellable
A council faces a £100k tax bill after its ban on second home owners left it unable to find a single buyer for a new multi-million-pound seafront development. Bosses have been forced to lift the restriction on the flats in Hunstanton which were intended to go on the market - for local people only - in December 2023. But the 'embarrassing' failure to shift a single one of the 32 apartments has forced West Norfolk Council to lift its restriction on selling accommodation to people whose principal homes are elsewhere. The block of flats - called Styleman Court - were built by the council and part-funded by Homes England. But as the coalition-led authority has failed to secure a single buyer it risks blowing a further hole in its finances if the disused accommodation triggers its own empty homes premium. It is understood the council would be liable to pay a double tax bill close to £100,000 for the empty properties. If buyers are not found by February 2026, the empty homes premium will come into full force. Fearful officials subsequently lifted the ban on second home owners in a behind-closed-doors meeting last month. The Local Democracy Service reported Simon Ring, deputy leader of the council, said: 'If the properties are still empty in a year's time, we will suffer the empty homes tax, which will be like being hoisted by our own petard.' Leaders have been said to show reluctance towards offering mortgages on the seaside flats as they fear it would make them unsellable in the future due to buying restrictions. Confidential papers seen by the Local Democracy Service state removing the conditions would boost the value of each by an average of £39,500. A spokesman for the council said: 'The restriction was introduced to ensure that people who bought the homes lived in them. However, this had the unintended consequence of making it harder for local people to buy the flats because it affected mortgage availability. 'While accepting that it also means people can buy the flats as holiday homes, the removal of the restriction is primarily intended to make it easier for local people to purchase them.' Independent councillor, Paul Beal, told The Telegraph: 'It's a lesson that's been learnt and a mistake can't happen again. The flats are built on a car park ... No one wants to live there full time. 'But as a holiday home destination, I think it would be fantastic. It's half a minute from the beach and you're two minutes from the town. 'Hunstanton was built for tourism, it is purely a tourist town and that's the way it has to be. It's our biggest industry so we should embrace it.' Another councillor said the failure to secure a single buyer after 19 months was 'embarrassing'. It comes as construction costs for the project have gone almost £2m over budget - believed to be the result of delays and the rising cost of materials. The council did not comment further on the figure on account of it being published in a private report. Six of the apartments are due to be kept by the council to be used as social housing. The rest are scheduled to go back on the market without the ban on second home ownership.
Telegraph
04-07-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Council faces £100k tax bill after ban on second home owners backfires
A council has been forced to reverse its ban on second home owners after failing to find a single buyer for a multi-million seafront development. Red-faced bosses at West Norfolk Council have lifted the restriction on a £7m block of flats in a desperate bid to prevent the council becoming liable for its own empty homes premium. The flats in Hunstanton – built by the council in a project part-funded by Homes England – were intended to only be sold to locals after being put on the market in December 2023. But the coalition-led authority has failed to secure a single buyer for the 32 homes in an 'embarrassing' failure, which risks blowing a further hole in its finances. The block of flats – called Styleman Court – is in danger of triggering the council's own empty homes premium. It is thought the double tax bill the council will have to pay itself for the empty properties would be close to £100k. Fearful of becoming a victim of its own penalty, councillors agreed to lift the ban on selling the flats to people whose principal homes are elsewhere in a behind-closed-doors meeting last month. If buyers are not found, the empty homes premium will kick in from February 2026. The Local Democracy Service reported that Simon Ring, deputy leader of the council, said: 'If the properties are still empty in a year's time, we will suffer the empty homes tax, which will be like being hoisted by our own petard.' Lenders have reportedly been reluctant to offer mortgages on the seaside flats amid fears they would be unsellable in the future as a result of the buying restrictions. Confidential papers seen by the Local Democracy Service state that removing the conditions will boost the value of each flat by an average of £39,500. A spokesman for the council said: 'The restriction was introduced to ensure that people who bought the homes lived in them. However, this had the unintended consequence of making it harder for local people to buy the flats because it affected mortgage availability. 'While accepting that it also means people can buy the flats as holiday homes, the removal of the restriction is primarily intended to make it easier for local people to purchase them.' 'No one wants to permanently live there' Independent councillor, Paul Beal, told The Telegraph: 'It's a lesson that's been learnt and a mistake can't happen again. The flats are built on a car park ... No one wants to live there full time. 'But as a holiday home destination, I think it would be fantastic. It's half a minute from the beach and you're two minutes from the town. 'Hunstanton was built for tourism, it is purely a tourist town and that's the way it has to be. It's our biggest industry so we should embrace it.' Another councillor said the failure to secure a single buyer after 19 months was 'embarrassing'. It is thought that construction costs for the project have gone almost £2m over budget due to delays and rising prices of materials. The council refused to comment further on this figure due to it being published in a private report. The flats are due to go back on the market without the ban on second home ownership. Six of the apartments are due to be kept by the council to be used as social housing.
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Anger after King's Lynn road improvement plan stalls
A "once-in-a-generation" scheme to revitalise the entrance to a historic town has stalled after funding for road improvements was Ring, deputy leader of West Norfolk Council, said he was "deeply disappointed" that improvements to King's Lynn's Southgates junction had been said it risked hampering efforts to enhance the area, known for its medieval gateway and which has severe traffic County Council said the project had been scrapped after the price tag rose to £32m. The decision means £10m in funding intended for west Norfolk will be returned to the Department for a revised £19.6m scheme will go ahead to improve the one-way system around Austin Street, Blackfriars Road and Railway an Independent, said: "This decision risks stalling progress on a transformational project that is vital to the future of our town and wider community."This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revitalise the area, enhance infrastructure and deliver long-term economic and social benefits for both residents and businesses."We will explore every available route to deliver the Southgate Master Plan and ensure that this iconic gateway to King's Lynn receives the attention and regeneration it so clearly deserves." This article was written by a trusted journalist and then edited for length and style with the help of AI, before being checked again by a BBC Journalist. It's part of a pilot. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Sun
01-07-2025
- The Sun
The English beach that may ‘never be safe to swim in again'
A BEACH in the UK which has some of the dirtiest water in the country could never be safe to swim in again, experts have warned. Heacham Beach won a "Brown Flag" award earlier this year, which is given to the dirtiest beaches in the UK. 3 3 The unofficial award is a version of the Blue Flag, an official ranking of the cleanest beaches. Not only that, but the beach has been classified as poor quality since 2021 by the Environment Agency, with high levels of pollution in the water. The dirty waters have been credited to animal waste coming from seabirds - as much as 60 per cent - rather than sewage waste. The bacteria levels are highest in July and August - the peak tourist season - although the reasons are still being discussed. Suggestions include a lack of rainfall and an increase in tourism. West Norfolk Council cabinet member for environment, Sandra Squire, said: "Sooner or later we may have to admit, if 60 per cent of pollution is coming from the bird population, it may be that this area should not be for bathing." She added: "If Anglian Water said they cannot cope, then nothing else should be connected to that sewage works. "We all know what happens when they can't cope - we end up with sewage in our streets, our rivers and seas." Year-round testing is being suggested to work out the reason for the pollution, as most if done during the summer period. Not only that, but it could soon get even worse. Everyone can see the beach but only those with a high IQ can spot five differences in 32 seconds in this brainteaser Anglian Water's (AW) sewage works recently said they were nearing capacity - meaning potentially more pollution. Ms Squire added: "If Anglian Water said they cannot cope, then nothing else should be connected to that sewage works. "We all know what happens when they can't cope, we end up with sewage in our streets, our rivers and seas". It also means tourists are unlikely to visit the beaches if it continues, with on local saying he was met with an "appalling stench of sewage" while there. Following it's Brown Flag Award - with Heacham being one of 13 in the UK to get one - other visitors have also said they worry about being able to swim in it. One mum, who visits every day with her daughter, said it was "not very pleasant" to look out. She told the BBC: "We check the signs and it always says poor quality don't swim. "Some days there's foam on the water which is a brown colour." Anglian Water is now investing more than £31million into improving the waters in the region, up to 2027. In the mean time, we've rounded up some of the And here is a pretty Victorian seaside town with no arcades or rides. 3
Telegraph
11-06-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Green politician expelled over ‘harmful' gender critical views
The Green Party has expelled its former health spokesman for raising concerns about transgender ideology. Dr Pallavi Devulapalli had been suspended since September, after the party received a complaint about comments she made at a hustings in June last year. The GP of 20 years spoke in favour of the Cass Review investigating gender services for children, in her role representing the party on health. The independent report, led by Baroness Cass, recommended halting the prescription of sex hormones to young patients with gender dysphoria. Dr Devulapalli expressed support for sex-based rights and questioned whether the debate over trans issues was being promoted 'mischievously' through the guise of claims about rising anti-LGBT hate crimes. Last week, Dr Devulapalli was told that she had been expelled from the party after attending a Christmas gathering with members of her local Green Party, despite being under investigation for her comments in June. Dr Devulapalli insisted that she had been invited as a 'private guest', but the Green Party's disciplinary body designated the gathering an official party event – and ruled that her attendance breached the terms of her suspension. In its ruling expelling her, the party said she was being removed to 'avoid or reduce the likelihood of further harm to the party'. Dr Devulapalli, who now sits as an independent on West Norfolk council, said she was 'disappointed and infuriated' by the decision. She added: 'It seems like they are picking and choosing science that fits with their ideology. When it comes to climate change and pollution, all the policies are based on scientific reasoning. 'But when it comes to human biology, they have this enormous blind spot where they cannot see that sex is real, men cannot become women. 'We cannot pump people full of hormones to change their biological sex. It is not possible and is actually dangerous.' 'Trans men are men' Dr Devulapalli's views oppose the party's position on the issue. On the party's website, it states: 'Trans men are men, trans women are women, and [...] non-binary identities exist and are valid.' The use of puberty blockers for children with gender dysphoria has been banned indefinitely following the Cass Review. Trans activists called the move 'draconian' and claimed it risks the safety and well-being of young trans people. Dr Devulapalli has said she will continue to stand as an independent and has not ruled out pursuing legal action.
