Latest news with #WychavonDistrictCouncil
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Droitwich Spa leisure centre revamp set to begin
A £15m project to extend and revamp Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre is set to start this week. Plans to rebuild the existing centre were scrapped by the local authority last year, after estimated costs rose to £ District Council's plans for the site include a new learner pool, car park, cafe and reception area. There will also be a full refurbishment of the swimming pool and gym changing rooms. Work is due to be completed by November 2026. Plans for a new £300,000 skatepark near the leisure centre were also being finalised, said the council, with work expected to start by May 2026. A pump track is also planned for the site, with work starting once the skate park is built. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Man on housing wait list in Worcestershire sleeping in car
A man says he has had to sleep in a car for five months after being repeatedly turned down for a council Piggott, 58, said he contacted Wychavon District Council, Worcestershire, in December to inform them that he was expecting to be made homeless on 12 January this he said the local authority failed to offer him immediate support and had turned down his weekly bids for an affordable one-bedroom council said it had entered into negotiations with Mr Piggott for private rented housing, including an offer of support with rent and deposit. "I feel lower than ever and it feels like no-one is helping," Mr Piggott said. "I feel like I've done everything yet get no help back."My three kids used to stay with me when I had a caravan, now they can't and I miss them deeply." The 58-year-old said he had to leave his last private rental due to falling into arrears when he lost his marriage had also broken down, he said, and he had been unable to secure work due to stress and other mental health resulted in him spending days and nights in his car, parked in laybys across the county."I'm on Universal Credit now which is about £300 a month," he said."I can't afford regular take-out food. I did get a food voucher but I have no means to cook… so I'm eating things like crisps. I've lost two stone since January." According to Government Housing statistics, Wychavon District Council had 2,992 households on its property waiting list in number has increased by about 140 % since council said the latest figure was 2, to data, Mr Piggott is one of 1,375 people waiting for a one-bedroom said three social housing properties had been offered but in each case, they had been unaffordable considering his lack of income."The system is horrible. How should a 58-year-old have to live like this?" he asked."Recently, with the heat, living in a car has been tough.. I am not intentionally homeless, I do want somewhere to live." Rough sleepers have been supported locally by the Caring for Communities and People (CCP) has been focusing support on helping people apply for social housing, ensuring they are on the correct band and presenting officials with up-to-date personal Green, project manager for homelessness prevention, said there were few one-bedroom properties available."It can be that something has been missed in the housing application or overlooked and that the banding is not correct and also circumstances can change significantly," she explained."One-bed properties are quite few and far between and shared occupation is the way councils prefer single homeless people to go."Wychavon District Council would not comment further on Mr Piggott's case, but stressed it was supporting him to apply for private Taylor, director of communities and housing, said: "Rising rents and the cost of living are driving exceptional demand for housing support, but our new early intervention approach is reducing rough sleeping. There's more to do, and we're committed to helping every customer."After speaking to the BBC, Mr Piggott, who is also a former caretaker with Worcestershire County Council, has also been signposted to a number of homelessness organisations around Evesham for advice and support. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
03-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Pershore's former police station may undergo £1m transformation
A former Worcestershire police station could be turned into offices in a refurbishment project costing more than £1m. Wychavon District Council has submitted planning permission to transform the building at Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, which it has estimated will cost £ building was built in 1990 but has been empty for about 10 years and is now managed as a vacant property incurring running costs of about £27,000 per year, the council said in a report. The council also said numerous attempts had been made since its closure to let the building to third parties, but efforts had failed because of the costs of conversion. They also said the current layout, being specifically for a police station and offices, made it redundant to today's business and public service space demands. The council's report states funding will be generated by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (£145,000), the enhanced building capital budget (£160,000) and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (£250,000). The council has recommended the approval of the funding gap of £565,000 to be met from reserves. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Droitwich Spa street murals 'bring our town to life'
Streets, buildings and underpasses in a Worcestershire town have been turned into vibrant works of art local children have been involved five murals are at Chawson Pleck Underpass, Camp Furlong Underpass, the Rik Mayall's Comedy Emporium, The Talbot pub, and Union initiative has been funded by Wychavon District Council and the Droitwich Spa Place Board - using money from the district council's share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.A new piece will also be revealed at Emms Haberdashery this summer. The children contributed to both of the underpass Loves Books, the art at Chawson Pleck, features characters from children's literature enjoying landmarks of Droitwich Spa - inspired by ideas from students at Chawson First Camp Furlong mural, called Positive-Safe-Future, depicts uplifting images and messages with students' designs incorporated into the final artwork. The piece at The Talbot completely covers the side of the building, depicting the town's iconic landmarks and heritage."We take pride in collaborating with the residents of Droitwich Spa, and Droitwich Spa Place Board on this transformative project," said council leader, Richard Morris. "We gained insights and feedback from the local community, and the designs have been crafted which embody our shared vision."Matt Nicol, Chairman of Droitwich Spa Place Board, added: "We can't wait for everyone to experience the stunning art that brings our town to life!""People, memories and stories of our amazing town have inspired each illustration." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
One of the UK's oldest lidos that is like ‘being by the seaside' to reopen tomorrow
Plus, the UK lido that's open all year round has heated swimming pool and outdoor river rapids SPA-RADISE One of the UK's oldest lidos that is like 'being by the seaside' to reopen tomorrow ONE of the UK's oldest lidos is set to reopen tomorrow and you can get seaside vibes without being by the beach. Droitwich Spa Lido will reopen on May 24 having undergone a major refurbishment. Advertisement 5 The lido is celebrating its 90th birthday Credit: Alamy 5 There will be a number of events taking place at the lido over the summer The destination includes a heated saltwater pool, children's wet play area, sun terrace and on-site cafe. The lido originally opened on June 10, 1935 and to celebrate its 90th anniversary there will be a wide range of events taking place over the summer. On June 11, for example, there will be a live music evening at Little Al's cafe, featuring acoustic music from a former Spa Lido lifeguard. On June 14, there will also be a special birthday party with a barbeque, pizza ovens and family-friendly entertainment. Advertisement On July 19, there will be a synchronised swimming display too. In the summer, a memory book will also be launched, featuring historic photos and written memories from local residents. The redevelopment of the lido was announced last year and at the time, was revealed to cost around £8million. In addition, the redevelopment aimed to kickstart regeneration of the area and make the lido less financially reliant on Wychavon District Council. Advertisement According to the BBC, Matt Nicol, chair of Droitwich Spa Place Board, which has been involved in the plans at the time: "We're committed to supporting Wychavon's vision for enhancing our town for both residents and visitors. "The lido project has been a central focus for over a year and we're thrilled to invite residents to join us as we take this exciting next step. New £4million lido to open in UK next year "The project is a result of significant effort and collaboration from many groups, including Save Our Brine Baths and Friends of Droitwich Spa Lido, to create something we can all truly take pride in." The area the lido is located in sits on vast deposits of salt, which have been extracted there for centuries. Advertisement The town's natural brine contains two-and-a-half pounds of salt per gallon - which is 10 times stronger than sea water and only rivalled by the Dead Sea. When the lido first opened, diluted brine was pumped from local streams and was used to keep the pool aseptic - without the need for additional chemicals. 5 General swims cost from £7.20 It was heated to the exact temperature of the Mediterranean Sea and was marketed as the 'seaside of Droitwich Spa', with the press speaking about it's Mediterranean feel. Advertisement A general swim for one hour costs £7.20 per adult or £9.40 for two hours. Children cost £7.20 each, for both one hour or two hour sessions. The temperature of the water sits at 21C and measures 40 metres by 18 metres. There is also a UK lido that has been compared to Australia with amazing sea views and it is free to visit. Advertisement Plus, the UK lido that's open all year round has heated swimming pool and outdoor river rapids. 5 There is also a cafe on site
