Latest news with #greenspace
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Housing plans lodged for safeguarded land in Wombwell
An outline planning application has been submitted for a housing development on safeguarded land in previously criticised the scheme proposed for land south of Pit Lane, saying it would mean losing valued green space and negatively affect wildlife and Crest Nicholson said the project would deliver "much-needed" family homes and high-quality accommodation for a range of councillors Brenda Eastwood, Robert Frost and James Higginbottom said in a joint statement that they felt safeguarded sites should not be brought forward during the current Local Plan period. The Local Plan examines how a town or city will develop over the next 15 years, with land allocated for housing, industry or green to Barnsley Metropolitan Council's Local Plan, 21,546 new homes need to be built by 2033, of which 1,370 are to be developed within the Wombwell the application, developers said: "The scheme would provide a number of economic, social and environmental benefits which all contribute towards achieving sustainable development, in accordance with local and national planning policies."The majority of the site off Pit Lane is designated to be protected from development until 2033, the Wombwell councillors a joint statement issued to the BBC, they said: "Developing safeguarded sites during the lifetime of the current Local Plan risks undermining the Local Plan as a whole."Residents in the consultation area will now have their opportunity to take part in the consultation exercise and we would strongly encourage everyone to have their say." The land, which is currently used for farming and is located opposite ancient woodland, frequently attracts living in nearby Windmill Road and Windmill Court previously told the BBC that they feared the scheme would devalue their homes, worsen traffic conditions and negatively affect local many acknowledged the need for more houses, they felt more suitable options were available in the documents submitted with the application, developers evidenced that the council was unable to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply. 'Thorough assessment' Councils are required to plan for enough new homes to meet housing needs over the Local Plan having a five-year housing land supply tilts the planning decision-making process in favour of approving developments, even if a proposal is in conflict with Local Plan local authority did not comment on this when it issued the following statement on behalf of Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and said: "We acknowledge receipt of the planning application for land off Pit Lane, which is currently undergoing public consultation."The council will undertake a thorough assessment of the material planning considerations, taking into account all consultation responses and representations submitted during the consultation period."A spokesperson for Crest Nicholson said: "The development aims to deliver much-needed family homes to the area, along with new public open space and sustainable pedestrian and cycle connections."Improvements to local infrastructure are being considered as part of the planning process."Feedback from local stakeholders and residents has also been sought prior to the application's submission." Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Forbes
4 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Domestic, Foreign Projects Display Smart Cities' Potential
The Ellinikon is a smart city being created in Greece on the former site of Athens Internation ... More Airport. Over the years, developers have displayed innovation when turning decommissioned airports and airfields into new mixed-use developments. Consider Stapleton International Airport's reincarnation as Denver's Central Park neighborhood, or suburban Chicago's Glenview Naval Air Station's rebirth as The Glen, a live-dine-play-shop community featuring 2,000 homes in eight distinct enclaves. But what's being built on land of a former commercial airport in Greece is nothing short of revolutionary. This and other developments both abroad and in the U.S. provide a preview of the potential of smart cities, which leverage information and communication technology and the Internet of Things to link and enhance urban systems. The goal of any smart city: Improving residents' quality of life and making the city more efficient and livable. Quarter hours Europe's biggest urban regeneration development, The Ellinikon will be developed on the site of the former Athens International Airport. The development spans a total area of 6.2 square miles, of which only 2.7 square miles is to be built. More than 70% of the total area will be devoted to common areas of green space. Given Athens' concrete-to-green ratio was 70:30 until recently, this represents a doubling of green areas. The Ellinikon is the first area of Greece to be developed as a smart city. Residents will be able to access their everyday needs in just a quarter hour within The Ellinikon's 15-minute neighborhoods, which should reduce need for motor vehicles. Neighborhoods will be made up of residences, as well as readily accessible offices, health care centers, hotels, shops, schools, amusement parks and playgrounds. Technology and innovative applications will guide day-to-day life. For instance, traffic-regulating traffic lights will illuminate only on the basis of the volume of cars waiting. Garbage trucks will arrive to pick up trash when bins reach fully loaded. The Ellinikon Park, the first 'smart park' in Greece, will feature systems that adjust lighting intensity based on the season of the year and time of day, systems for continuous monitoring of environmental and weather conditions, and efficiently optimized energy and water use. Interested buyers A total of 6,000 residences will be constructed in the Ellinikon, with phase one providing approximately one-quarter or about 1,500 homes. Little Athens, the neighborhood most recently announced for The Ellinikon, will feature 850 to 900 apartments within 200 to 250 residential buildings, with retail space. Another residential development, Riviera Tower, will soar 200 meters or about 60 stories, offering a bioclimatic design that should enable the high-rise to blend seamlessly with the Athens Riviera's natural environment. Benefitting from a truly international range of prospective buyers, The Ellinikon has seen approximately 12,000 interested purchasers from more than 110 countries. About 52% are from Greece and 48% foreign, with the U.S. the top international source market at 20%. 'The large-scale, ground-up nature of The Ellinikon presented a unique opportunity to deliver a true, smart city environment centrally located in a historic global capital, the Athens Riviera,' says Odisseas Athanasious, CEO of Lamda Development. 'Our goal is nothing less than to set a new standard for city life: A connected, people-centric place [adapting] to evolving needs of residents, visitors and the environment.' Purple pipe Greece doesn't have the market cornered on smart cities. Bridgeland, a Howard Hughes master-planned community in Houston, also offers a number of smart city features. In this case, the smart city is not being built on a former airport site, but on a one-time ranch devoted to raising cattle and rice. The 11,500-acre community when built out will offer approximately 23,000 homes, with 28% of the master plan preserved as parks, trail and open green space. Being among Houston's first communities to implement a purple pipe water reuse system will enable Bridgeland to use recycled water from its lakes to irrigate all common areas, conserving immense amounts of potable water and adding to the cost efficiency of the community over time. Purple pipe systems move reclaimed or recycled water toward non-potable applications like irrigation or industrial processes. In its growing commercial district of Bridgeland Central, the 49,000-square-foot Class A office building uses sustainable features like a 10,000-gallon rainwater and condensate cistern, native landscaping and high-efficiency water features to slash energy use by 25% and municipal water consumption by up to 80%. 'Bridgeland represents the future of thoughtful, sustainable development, where innovation, ecology and quality of life intersect,' Jim Carman, president of the Houston Region at Howard Hughes. 'As the fastest-growing master-planned community in Houston, we've proven large-scale growth can happen responsibly, with infrastructure that protects the environment and enhances everyday living.'
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The huge new London park that is the biggest to open in 13 years with playgrounds, ponds and amphitheater
FOR the first time in 13 years, a new park has opened in London. Springfield Park in Tooting has been opening in phases since 2023, but it officially opened fully to the public earlier this week. 5 5 Inside, locals can now enjoy a stroll through the green space, or check out what else there is to offer. The park has a brand-new pavilion café, an amphitheatre, youth shelter, play areas, trim trail, ponds and sensory gardens. 700 new trees have been planted, and there are open areas for people to play sport during the summer. Springfield Park has been built on the site of a former Victorian mental health hospital as part of a wider expansion. The park has been created around Springfield University Hospital in south west London along with new healthcare facilities and housing. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan opened the park and said: "It is a wonderful example of partners working together as we continue to build a fairer, greener and healthier London for everyone." The closest tube stations to Springfield Park are Tooting Broadway and Tooting Bec, or Earlsfield Overground. The last purpose built park in London was the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford which was created as part of the 2012 Olympic Games. The park has a blossom garden, and the 2012 garden with over 70,000 plants from 250 different species across the world. There's the tumbling playground for children, and all the sporting facilities around the park too. The unique dinosaur attraction in a famous London park that is free to visit 5 5 Another London park has one of the best play areas in the UK and welcomes more than 1 million people every year. The completely free play area is in Kensington Gardens, it's called the Princess Diana Memorial Playground and was designed to create an area where less able and able-bodied children can play together". The park has a giant wooden pirate ship with its very own sandy beach, as well as a sensory trail and teepees to play in. There are play sculptures set among the trees, including a tree-house with walkways, ladders and slides. And for the grownups there's plenty of seating so parents can relax while their kids explore. Here's another huge new public park and play area to open in London will be the 'biggest in the city'. Plus, the other London park with one of the UK's best playgrounds that welcomed its first herd of deer in years. 5
The Guardian
06-07-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Long summer days on Hampstead Heath in London
The photographer Sarah Lee captures London's ancient green space during the recent sun-drenched days, the light evenings, and at times the ominous heat
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Podsmead regeneration rejected by council over green concerns
Plans for the £45m regeneration of a deprived area, including 172 new social homes, have been rejected by a city council over concerns of a loss of green plans for the Podsmead area of the Gloucester were rejected by the council's planning committee at a meeting on Tuesday with more social housing, the Gloucester City Homes' plans included a children's play park, Podsmead's first pharmacy, commercial buildings, and a multi-use sports Stenson, Gloucester City Homes, said the housing association was "massively disappointed" by the outcome of the meeting. The development report noted 1.91 hectares (225 acres) of open space would be lost if the plans were Field, city councillor for Podsmead, said he could see the benefits of the scheme - noted in the report as retail and economic opportunities, among others - but kept "coming back to the loss of green space over the whole site"."As the report mentions, the proposed development would result in the loss of approximately 60% of the existing informal amenity green space," he said."That is quite a lot, 34 trees are going to be lost and yes, they are to be replaced and added to, but we all know that young trees do not capture carbon nearly as well as mature trees."Other disadvantages listed included a lack of education and library spaces and limited benefits to the wider estate. At the meeting on Tuesday, six voted against the plans, two voted for, and there was one Stenson said the Podsmead scheme had been "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity"."We had an opportunity to access the Homes England Funding, and that went away last night," he added he believed the proposals "truly responded" to Podsmead residents' wants and needs."Personally, I can't understand why a £45m investment in one of the communities of Gloucestershire that really, really does need it was turned down."
