Cheaper Energy Bills and Green Growth

Millions of people could have their energy bills cut thanks to a landmark agreed between the Coalition and all major energy suppliers.

Nick Clegg has announced that the big six energy companies – EDF, E.On, British Gas, Southern, Scottish Power and NPower, who supply 99 per cent of British homes with energy – will now write to customers every year to specifically tell them what the best tariff is for them and how to get it.

‘Going Green has never made so much sense’
The Deputy Prime Minister made the announcement in a speech where he also hit out at people who believe you must dismiss the green agenda in order to deliver growth.
In his speech Nick Clegg said (more…)

Planning hitch for Westfield site?

Development site at The Green Acomb

The planning application to build 12 new homes on a vacant site on The Green, Acomb looks to have hit a barrier with officials blocking the issue of planning permission (see http://tinyurl.com/Green-Planning for previous story).

Although the details of the holdup haven’t been publicised, the planning application has been outstanding for over 3 months since formalities were concluded last autumn.

With only 2 objections registered during the consultation period, the granting of permission had been thought to be likely. Now it seems that talks are still continuing over the design issues.

Elsewhere, York’s longest running sub-urban planning saga is entering a second year of wrangling. The proposal to put car parking spaces on a site at the junction of St Stephen’s Road and St Stephen’s Square was first raised in 2010.

The most recent planning application has been with officials since early last year.

We understand that the delay is over the provision of acceptable drainage works for the site. Elsewhere, where drainage is an issue, matrix type surfaces have been installed allowing rainwater to soak away.

Given that the site is owned by the Council’s Housing Department, it seems surprising that two sets of Council officials have taken so long to sort out the issue.