Three Manchester ‘superhomes’ are having open days soon as part of the Sustainable Energy Academy spring openings programme. All the homes demonstrate how traditional Victorian and Edwardian houses can be retrofitted to a high standard reducing CO2 emissions by between 60-80%. Two of the homes are in Chorlton and the other is the Council’s Eco-House in Miles Platting.
Details of times and dates here (you may need to book):
Filed under buildings, climate change, energy, environment, events, housing, manchester
Manchester City Council’s budget proposals were announced today and included proposals to close five smaller libraries, two swimming pools, the loss of 340 places in supported homes for vulnerable homeless people, and the reduction of general household waste collections to fortnightly (recycling collections remain the same) amongst many other things. You can download all the paperwork from the Council website: www.manchester.gov.uk/budgetproposals
Inside the M60 have also written a breakdown of the cuts.
Timetable:
From the Planning Portal website:
Housing minister Grant Shapps has signalled measures to make it easier for individuals and communities to improve their local area by using disused publicly owned land for new development.
By the summer the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) will establish a new one-stop shop with information about empty land and buildings.
Filed under buildings, empty shops, urban environment
The Localism Bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday. The Bill passed with a vote and will now be considered by a Public Bill Committee. You can watch and read the views expressed by MPs who took part in the debate on the Parliament website.
The Bill has now been sent to a Public Bill Committee for scrutiny and there is a call for written evidence.
Do you have relevant expertise and experience or a special interest in the Government’s Localism Bill? If so, you can submit your views in writing to the House of Commons Public Bill Committee which is going to consider this Bill. Download the guide to submitting evidence from the Parliament website.
From the Manchester City Council website:
On 22 December, Manchester City Council endorsed in principle a new Regeneration Framework for the Co-operative Estate, The Executive Committee requested the Chief Executive to undertake a Public Consultation, and report the outcome to the Executive Committee.
You are invited to take part in the Public Consultation on the draft Co-op Regeneration Framework document. Please send in your comments, thoughts and reactions to the document to the City Centre Regeneration team, either email us at city.centre@manchester.gov.uk or post, to:
Filed under civic space, consultation, manchester, regeneration, urban environment
The Communities Minister, Andrew Stunnell, has today announced new plans to encourage councils to get empty properties lived in again. The Government will match the council tax raised for every empty property brought back into use, and the council can then spend this money as they wish. Mr. Stunnell urged local communities and councils to work together to identify the locations of the approximately 300,000 homes that are currently empty in England.
For more info see the CLG website.
Filed under buildings, civic space, housing
Loft and cavity wall insulation can make your home as warm as toast. It’s just like wrapping up your home in a big woolly blanket. And because of the extra warmth you’re keeping in the house, you can turn your heating down and save money on your bills.
The ten local authorities across Greater Manchester have come together to make your home warm and toasty this winter. Working with the Energy Saving Trust, they are offering their residents access to discounted insulation through accredited installers.
It’s cheaper than you think – from as little as £50 and some people are even eligible for free insulation.
To find out more visit the website: http://www.getmetoasty.com/
Filed under buildings, climate change, energy
Original story from Planning Daily:
Manchester City Council is set to call time on the growth of bars in one of its most bohemian regeneration areas. An application for a new bar on Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter area is set to be refused by councillors this afternoon.
A report by a council planning officer recommends refusal due to the growing concentration of bars in the area. The officer said: “The growth of the night time economy in this area is an important component of its overall success. But, in a similar way…the growth of this sector can and has caused issues elsewhere in the city centre, and there are indications from that the growth of the sector in the Northern Quarter is beginning to cause problems relating to crime and disorder which could undermine the regeneration of the area.”
Filed under civic space, economy, manchester, planning, urban environment
Following Manchester ‘s acceptance into the World Health Organisation’s Global Network of Age Friendly Cities, the Valuing Older People partnership held a working policy conference in partnership with the Beth Johnson Foundation and the Centre for Social Gerontology at Keele University in the Town Hall on Monday 1 November 2010. The full conference report is now available.
Filed under buildings, civic space, housing, manchester, older people, street space, urban environment
Care & Repair, a charity set up to improve the housing and living conditions of older people and disabled people, has just published a report entitled A Perfect Storm: an ageing population, low income home ownership, and decay of older housing. The report looks at the problems older people on a low income are facing as repair and maintenance of their home becomes increasingly unaffordable. This problem is becoming more and more acute as the demographic profile of the country shifts with more people living longer, and as a result of a radical shift from renting towards home ownership in lower income groups.
Filed under buildings, housing, older people
In response to the proposals announced in the Decentralisation and Localism Bill NAVCA have launched a campaign to ensure that the Bill means real power is devolved to communities. The campaign aims to make sure politicians are held to account and that power is really devolved to communities and does not stop at local government, and emphasises the vital role charities, voluntary organisations, social enterprises and community groups have in helping communities to exercise their power.
Visit the website for more info and details on how to lobby your local MP.
Filed under civic space, housing, planning, voluntary and community sector
Planning Portal have collected reactions from several organisations to the bill:
Planners, lawyers, consultants and pressure groups have given a cautious welcome to the Localism Bill but highlighted considerable uncertainty over the detail of key measures.
Shaun Andrews, director of planning, development and regeneration at GL Hearn, said: “Yes local people will be given some power through the new neighbourhood plans, and increased power to Parish Councils, but will local communities grab the opportunity in the numbers envisaged by the coalition government? Or, as we have seen with the local development framework process, will some local authorities have a threadbare, patchwork quilt of half-plans for many years to come?
Filed under civic space, housing, planning, voluntary and community sector
On Monday the much awaited Localism Bill received its first reading in Parliament. The Bill includes new measures to allow communities to run local services, buy local assets, to demand referendums, as well as giving councils a ‘power of competence,’ more freedom for councillors to campaign on local issues, the introduction of ‘pay as you throw’ charges for household waste, and the removal of regional house-building targets. It also includes changes to the Community Infrastructure Levy, the introduction of ‘neighbourhood plans’ bringing planning down to a much more local level, and the possibility for communities to put forward development that can go ahead without planning permission if it gets more than 50% of support in a local referendum.
There’s a handy ‘At a Glance’ guide on the BBC website here, and you can download the government’s guide to the bill here. For more info on the timetable for the Bill see www.parliament.co.uk. CLES have also just published a critique of the Bill and Urban Forum have produced a briefing.
Filed under civic space, housing, planning, reports & briefings
The Urbis Research Forum and audio collective Kinokophone present an interactive walk along Oxford Road. Over the years there have been many masterplans and visions for Oxford Road, some left half-realised and some forgotten. Join us on a walk as we explore the architectural, audio and literary imaginary of one of Manchester’s busiest roads. The walk is running as part of the Whitworth Art Gallery‘s Adult Learning Programme during the Land Between Us exhibition.
Sunday, 12 December, 2010
2 pm
Whitworth Art Gallery
www.urbisresearchforum.org.uk
www.imaginingoxfordroad.wordpress.com
Filed under buildings, civic space, manchester, planning, urban environment
The next SNP Board meeting will take place on the 21st December and papers and agenda are now available to download on the SNP Page. This is not an open meeting, but I will be attending so if you would like me to raise anything on your behalf, or if you have any queries about anything on the agenda, please get in touch.
On the agenda for the 21st December:
The Energy Saving Trust have published some helpful advice to help you persuade your landlord to install energy saving measures in your home. Have a look at the website for more info – it also gives you the option of downloading a template letter that you can send to your landlord explaining why it’s a good idea to invest in insulating their rental properties.
The next Sustainable Neighbourhoods Partnership Forum will take place on Wednesday 24th November 2010. It will be held at The Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5NS, and will start at 6pm and finish at 8pm.
It will focus on: Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Neighbourhoods – The Coalition Government Spending Review 2010.
The purpose of this Forum is to enable a partnership discussion of key policies and outcomes. There will be a short presentation followed by facilitated workshops in which you will be encouraged to contribute constructive suggestions for priorities and actions. This is a great opportunity to have your say on how what work we should prioritise going forward and how we can deliver the aims and objectives of sustainable neighbourhoods in this new context. I strongly encourage you to come along and contribute to the discussion.
This forum is open to all. If you would like to attend please RSVP to Susan Radcliffe: s.radcliffe2@manchester.gov.uk or 0161 234 3663
Minutes from the last Environmental Strategy Programme Board, held on the 18th October, are now available on the ESPB page.
Filed under climate change, environment, manchester, sustainability, waste
In the Queen’s speech earlier this year the government announced plans for the Green Deal, which will help support the implementation of energy efficiency measures to households and businesses by enabling you to pay for insulation gradually through energy bills, rather than up front.
You can find out more about the Green Deal in this leaflet.
Here are some key dates outlining when these measures are likely to come into place:
The legislative timetable:
The Queen’s Speech on 25 May 2010 set out a provisional timetable to put in place the legal framework needed Continue reading
Filed under buildings, climate change, economy, energy, environment
The latest e-bulletin is now available to download from the Bulletins page.
Localism Bill RSS Feed Energy Bill RSS Feed
Sustainable Neighbourhoods Action Group 