Preston City Council has approved a permanent car park use for the former Odeon Cinema site on Church Street, while also supporting future redevelopment hopes for the wider Stoneygate area. The committee also approved a 60-home scheme east of Tabley Lane, subject to a Section 106 agreement, and a storage unit conversion at School Lane.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has approved a city-wide Article 4 Direction that will remove permitted development rights for converting family homes into small HMOs without planning permission. The measure is intended to give the council greater control over HMO growth and to assess impacts on neighbourhoods, housing quality, parking, community cohesion and public amenity.
The Environment Agency has updated its catchment statistics report on nutrient pollution in protected areas, replacing the previous version with 'Catchment statistics for nutrient pollution in protected areas 2026'. The update includes new nutrient modelling summaries, a corrected table, and revised notes on where Natural England nutrient neutrality advice applies, including Hornsea Mere, Chesil and The Fleet, and part of Waveney.
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has paused the Rockingham Wing extension after updated costs and programme delays made the scheme less affordable than expected. The trust is now weighing a new-build option against a revised extension-and-rebuild approach, while services continue and the existing wing remains in use with RAAC-related monitoring in place.
The Environment Agency has published guidance on compliance requirements for intensive pig and poultry farming permits, setting out appropriate measures to control pollution risks to air, land and water. The guidance explains how these standards relate to permit conditions, best available techniques, and other regulatory obligations, and applies to both new and existing farms.
Burnley Council has opened a six-week consultation on proposals to remove permitted development rights for converting single dwellings into small HMOs in six wards. If approved, the change would give the council greater control over HMO numbers and distribution, with implementation currently expected from September 2027.
Hallam Land, part of Henry Boot, is preparing outline planning applications for two large housing schemes in Cheshire East, one in Crewe and one in Alsager, totalling 2,800 homes. The proposals include a mix of open market and affordable housing, with public consultation now underway until 20 October.
FI Property Group has appealed Chorley Council’s refusal of a proposed 1.3m sq ft industrial and employment scheme on Green Belt land near Junction 3 of the M65. The Planning Inspectorate will now determine the outcome, with the developer arguing the site should be treated as Grey Belt and that there is strong regional demand for large industrial units.
Anwyl has started construction on a 152-home scheme in Penrhyn Bay, North Wales, following planning approval and completion of a Section 106 agreement that includes local investment, education funding and a new public car park. The company has also secured reserved matters approval for a 139-home phase at Carrington Village in Trafford, where work is due to begin shortly as part of a much larger regeneration masterplan.
Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee approved two residential schemes: 240 homes at Backford Cross near Ellesmere Port and 86 homes at Green Lane Farm in Kelsall. The committee also approved an extension to the Northwich Biogas anaerobic digestion plant at Lostock Gralam, following discussion of highway safety, settlement boundaries, countryside impact and local housing land supply.
