Cashes Green consultation puts localism into action

I returned from the Easter break today to the good news that a planning application to transform the derelict Cashes Green Hospital in Stroud into new homes and community facilities has been submitted to the local planning authority to consider. I blogged in January about the impressive level of consultation that had gone into shaping the proposals that [...]

House prices hit home for Cornish MP

Cornwall’s house price problem hit the headlines again today, with news that local MP Stephen Gilbert can’t afford to buy a house in his constituency. Mr Gilbert, MP for St Austell and Newquay, put his PR skills to good use by using his own circumstances to highlight the problems faced by locals who have no hope of saving for a [...]

Pickles’ vision: how localism can make cities stronger

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has spoken today about how the principles underpinning his Localism Bill can help transform our cities. Speaking at The Economist’s Liveable Cities Conference, he outlined his belief that the bill’s key principle – handing power to local people - can be used to fuel economic growth in our metropolitan areas. Until now, most things I have [...]

Community comments key to Cashes Green consultation

After a huge amount of work, the final consultation event to discuss the future of the derelict hospital in Cashes Green, Stroud, was held yesterday. Proposals to deliver 78 homes on the site, which is owned by the HCA, has generated more than its fair share of interest, for a number of reasons. Firstly, the site has been disused [...]