City of Leicester & Leicestershire - The Good and Historical Stuff

[Wymsey]

Are too many houses being built in Leicestershire?..

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/new-leicestershire-mp-calls-out-9431064

 

[davieG]

3 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

Are too many houses being built in Leicestershire?..

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/new-leicestershire-mp-calls-out-9431064

 

AS I understand it the County are having to build not only their allocation but a lot of LCC's allocation as they don't have the space to do theirs.

 

As for the local communities deciding isn't it a part of the Labour manifesto for the Government to get more involved with planning Apps to speed them up (decide in the developers favour). Granted there are a fair number of NIMBYS.

 

It seems to me they're already quite capable of overriding local decisions.

[Free Falling Foxes]

22 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

Are too many houses being built in Leicestershire?..

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-news/new-leicestershire-mp-calls-out-9431064

 

Good on him, highlighting this.

 

New developments in that area, domestic, commercial and industrial are way too excessive already. Virtually every green space has been built upon or development is proposed/planned.

 

And this isn't 'Nimbyism' either. We have had more than our fair share of development in our 'back yard', not to mention front yard as well as to the left and right of us.

 

Enough is enough.

Edited 23 July by Free Falling Foxes

[davieG]

 

Leicester Memories

Graham Hulme  · 2 h  · 

 

 

Old postcard of Narborough Road in Leicester. The card was posted to an address at West Bridge in Leicester in March 1910. The tower just seen in the far distance may be that of the Robert Hall Memorial Baptist Church which stands at the corner of Upperton Road. The church was built in 1900 to 1901.

[davieG]

Not good news but likely to become historical.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/leicester-hospitals-transformation-thrown-doubt-9436944

 

Leicester hospitals transformation thrown into doubt as new Government presses pause
Labour has accused the Conservatives of creating an "entirely fictional timetable" for the delivery of the new hospitals and of setting out "an unfunded programme"

ByHannah RichardsonLocal Democracy Reporter
14:00, 26 JUL 2024

Wes Streeting has paused the New Hospitals Programme through which Leicester hospitals were set to receive huge investment

Leicester's once-in-a-generation hospital transformation plans have been thrown into doubt. The city's three hospitals were selected in 2020 to form part of the previous Conservative's 40 new hospitals pledge.

The Government-led "New Hospitals Programme" was intended to modernise hospitals and create buildings and services that were fit for the future, with a target completion date of 2030. While the precise figures were still to be announced, the scheme was set to see hundreds of millions of pounds of investment given to the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, which runs the hospitals.

However, new health secretary Wes Streeting announced on Tuesday (July 23) that he had asked Government officials to "urgently" review the pledge, to determine whether there is the money for it and whethr the 2030 target was realistic. Speaking in the House of Commons, he told MPs Labour would not "play fast and loose with public finances".

 

He said: "It's painfully clear that the previous Government's new hospital programme, that said they would deliver 40 new hospitals by 2030, is not deliverable in that time frame. I want to see the new hospitals programme completed, but I am not prepared to offer people false hope about how soon they will benefit from the facilities that they deserve.

"That's why I've asked officials as a matter of urgency to report to me on the degree to which the programme is funded, along with a realistic timetable for delivery. We will not play fast and loose with public finances." He accused the previous Conservative administration of creating an "entirely fictional timetable" for the delivery of the new hospitals, and of setting out "an unfunded programme".

UHL was intending to use the money to fund a series of much-needed improvements to its estate. These included a new women’s and family health hospital at Leicester Royal Infirmary (LRI), with a new, state-of-the-art building to be built on the site to house it, the trust previously told LeicestershireLive.

Also on the cards was a dedicated children’s hospital created in a newly refurbished and expanded Kensington Building. The Windsor Building at LRI had also been earmarked for an extension which would create a new space for the pharmacy, clinical genetics and immunology.

The midwifery-led maternity unit which is currently based at St Mary's, in Melton, was expected to move to Leicester General. Its home would be in the Coleman Centre, which would undergo a renovation.

Critical care services – medical care for people who have life-threatening injuries and illnesses – were also expected to be expanded at both the LRI and Glenfield Hospital. A new community diagnostics facility was also on the cards for Leicester General Hospital.

 

Responding to Mr Streeting's announcement, UHL deputy chief executive Simon Barton told LeicestershireLive he was hopeful the money would still be forthcoming, and encouraged the Government to pick up the pace with the programme.

He said: "We have a clear plan for the development of our future hospitals funded by the New Hospitals Programme which was consulted on in 2021, and are excited and hopeful that a new government will support increasing pace on this programme to deliver this key element in our plans to transform healthcare delivery for the people of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland in line with our strategy.

 

"We are working closely with the national New Hospitals Programme on key details around funding and design requirements. The advice which Secretary of State Wes Streeting has requested about the national programme will be provided by the Department of Health and Social Care with input from NHS England."

However, Leicester Liberal Democrat councillor Zuffar Haq, who is a prominent campaigner around healthcare locally and sits on the joint Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Health Scrutiny Committee, was less convinced the programme would be seen through to the end. He told LeicestershireLive: "I don't think it will happen now. [Or at least], it will be another few years.

"That has implications for Leicester, particularly for the maternity unit which is really overstretched. The new maternity unit has been on the card for around 20 years and we've just never had it."

[davieG]

 

 

 

Leicester Memories

Graham Hulme  · 8 h  · 

 

 

An old postcard view of Belgrave Gate, showing the Red Cow pub on the corner of Orchard Street, 1920s. An inscription on the back of the card bears the name of the landlord George Battle whose name appears as the licensed victualler for the Red Cow in Kelly’s Directory for Leicestershire of 1925. By the time of the 1928 directory Mr Battle appears to have become landlord of the Robin Hood in Gallowtree Gate (not to be confused with the Old Robin Hood which used to exist in Woodgate) and James Millis Clarke is listed as licensee at the Red Cow. An earlier Red Cow Inn used to stand on the Orchard Street corner from at least the early 1800s but was completely rebuilt and replaced by the building shown in the picture during the late Victorian era. Possibly the new pub was erected around 1882 to 1883 when references to the Red Cow in contemporary newspapers changed to the name “Red Cow Hotel” instead of calling it the “Red Cow Inn”. The licensee at that time was William Atkins who is shown, aged 44, as resident at the old inn at the time of the 1881 census. His wife was Selina (nee Healey) who died in 1882 and the following year he married a widow named Sarah Jane Merry (nee Turner) who had previously been married (since 1869) to a shoe mechanic named Joseph Merry. William Atkins died in 1887 and Sarah took over the licence of the Red Cow but married again in 1888. Her third husband was Edward Horace Driver who then became the licensee of the Red Cow and is listed as such in Wright’s Directory of Leicester for 1889-90. Mr Driver was originally from Great Yarmouth but he had married Sarah at Walworth in what is now part of South London where he was apparently living and working as an actor. Unfortunately, the couple’s marriage was not to last as Sarah died on 1st June 1891, aged 46. They had retired from the Red Cow and Sarah’s Will gives their address as 57 1/2 Cobden Street, Leicester, where Sarah had previously lived with her first husband, Joseph Merry. At the time of the 1891 census, taken on 5th April, two months before Sarah’s death, the couple are shown residing at 11 Millstone Lane. Mr Driver still had the occupation of publican and the household included Sarah’s sister, Annie Turner. By the time of the 1901 census Edward Driver seems to have remarried and was living in Lambeth where he again had the occupation of actor. He appears to have died in Lambeth in 1926, aged 74.

Partly seen on the extreme right-hand edge of the picture is the old Primitive Methodist chapel which later became a co-operative hall and subsequently has been used as an entertainment venue. The chapel was built in 1882 to 1883 to replace an early Primitive Methodist chapel which had stood in George Street since 1819. The Belgrave Gate chapel was sold to the Co-operative Society in 1937. The Co-op drastically altered the frontage and removed the tops of the towers. The foundation stone for the new chapel and its school were ceremonially laid on Tuesday 30th May 1882 by the Mayor of Leicester, Alderman Henry Thomas Chambers, and a memorial stone was laid by the local MP Alexander McArthur (Leicester Chronicle 3rd June 1882). A large gathering of people assembled to witness the ceremony. Members of the congregation had met at the old chapel on George Street and then walked in procession to the new site. The new chapel was designed by Edward Burgess of Leicester and the main contractors for the work were Messrs. Rudkin. A bottle was laid in the stone by the Mayor, containing a parchment with information about the building and a special edition of the Leicester Chronicle of that morning which reported on the visit to Leicester the previous day, Whit Monday, of the Prince and Princess of Wales (the future King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra) who came to formally open the new Abbey Park. The whole of the work on the new chapel and school was to cost about £8,300. The Rev. Joseph Wood presented the Mayor with a commemorative silver trowel and another was presented to the MP Mr McArthur. After the ceremony tea was provided for 600 people in the recently opened Annie Cook Memorial Hall in Archdeacon Lane (now demolished). The Leicester Chronicle of October 20th 1883 reported on the formal opening of the new Belgrave Gate Primitive Methodist chapel and school, which was dedicated to public worship in the presence of a large congregation on 16th October 1883. The twin towers above the frontage rose to a height of 80 feet. The new chapel could seat 1,000 people. The school, vestries and meeting rooms were to the rear of the chapel. The schoolrooms could accommodate many hundreds of children. The opening service included an address by the Mayor of Leicester, Francis Hewitt, successor to Alderman Chambers.

[davieG]

Born and Raised in Leicester  · 

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21 h  · 

 

 

The Crescent, King Street, City Of Leicester.

[davieG]

Born and Raised in Leicester  · 

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The old City/Gaumont Cinema in 1992

[Wolfox]

6 hours ago, davieG said:

Born and Raised in Leicester  · 

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21 h  · 

 

 

The Crescent, King Street, City Of Leicester.

Lovely bit of town that…. But, nobody ever walk past it!

[davieG]

Story of Leicester  · 

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15 h  · 

 

 

Here's a brilliant shot of Saffron Lane Velodrome back in August 1970 for the 1970, World Cycling Championships. The track was white/concrete back then, probably to make it better for TV viewing. The timber boarding was laid in the 1980s.

#StoryofLeicester

[Wymsey]

Did anyone know this guy?..

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp38glkrnzeo

Edited 1 August by Wymsey

[Parafox]

59 minutes ago, Wymsey said:

Did anyone know this guy?..

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp38glkrnzeo

No. But I wish I had.

[Parafox]

18 hours ago, davieG said:

Story of Leicester  · 

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Here's a brilliant shot of Saffron Lane Velodrome back in August 1970 for the 1970, World Cycling Championships. The track was white/concrete back then, probably to make it better for TV viewing. The timber boarding was laid in the 1980s.

#StoryofLeicester

My dad took me to those championships. Spectacular to watch and I felt really proud that it was in Leicester.

[Parafox]

On 30/07/2024 at 18:31, Wolfox said:

Lovely bit of town that…. But, nobody ever walk past it!

It's now mainly a bunch of nondescript solicitors offices instead of residential houses. 

 

Character... lost. 

 

Not enough is made of it in terms of drawing peoples attention.

Edited 1 August by Parafox

[davieG]

New housing targets for Leicestershire as Government orders county to build more homes
Most areas of the county have seen their targets increase

ByHannah RichardsonLocal Democracy Reporter
04:00, 2 AUG 2024

In all, Leicester and Leicestershire are set to see targets rise by 500 new home annually (Image: Getty Images)

The number of homes which must be built each year in Leicester and the county is set to increase in most areas. The fresh targets come as the Government plans to radically overhaul planning rules to “get Britain building”, and create 1.5 million additional new homes across the country over the next five years.

The number of homes Britain will have to construct each year looks set to be increased from 305,223 under the previous Conservative Government to 371,541 under Labour. Labour's housing secretary and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner told Parliament on Tuesday (July 30) that the country had “a housing crisis” and new homes were “desperately” needed.

In almost every area of Leicester and Leicestershire, quotas for the number of new homes are to be increased. This comes despite some areas currently failing to meet their existing targets. The housing secretary said the new targets would be mandatory “for the first time”. At the moment, they are “advisable”, she added. The Government is consulting on the proposed changes, which are expected to come into effect by the end of the year.

 

The biggest change is expected to occur in Leicester. However, the new target is likely to be seen as good news for the city - which has previously said it does not have enough room within its borders to meet its current quota – as it will need to build 745 fewer homes a year than previously.

The city’s requirement looks set to drop from 2,435 homes annually to 1,690. The city built an average of 1,014 homes a year between the 2020/21 financial year and 2022/23, however, so it will still need to ramp up construction to meet the threshold.

 

Charnwood borough, in the county, is expected to see a reduction of 103 properties, taking its annual target from 1,115 to 1,012. But again, the area fell well short of requirements in recent years, with an average of 763 homes built each year.

 

North West Leicestershire (NWL) is set to see the biggest increase in its quota, up 264 homes annually, from 357 to 621. The district is already building more than that a year, however, with an average of 789 new properties built each year between the 2020/21 financial year and 2022/23.

Hinckley and Bosworth comes in close behind NWL, with its targets set to jump from 432 to 689 new homes each year, a rise of 257. The borough will need to increase housebuilding as, while it is meeting its current target, its annual average of 535 new properties falls short of the proposed new requirement.

 

Blaby will likely see a quota hike of more than 200 new homes a year, with the Government calling on it to build an additional 230 properties annually. This takes its requirement from 329 to 559 annually. The district also has struggled to build enough new housing each year, with an average of 290.

 

Harborough comes in just shy of the 200 mark, with a proposed increase of 196 new properties annually. The district currently builds substantially more than needed, however, with an average construction total of 981 homes – more than both its current target of 510 and new target of 706.

 

Meanwhile, there is set to be a rise of 191 homes a year for Oadby and Wigston borough, taking it from 198 to 389. The area has a current average of 232 new homes each year.

 

Melton borough is expected to see the smallest rise, with an increase of 178 homes yearly. This takes its new target to 370, up from 192. Its current average is not too far off the new quota, at 340.

 

Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Rayner told MPs: “I’ve come to the House to make a statement about this Government’s plan to get Britain building. Delivering economic growth is our number one mission. It’s how we’ll raise living standards for everyone, everywhere. The only way we can fix our public services.

“So today I am setting out a radical plan to not only get the homes we desperately need, but also drive the growth, create jobs and breathe life back into towns and cities. We are ambitious, and what I say won’t be without controversy, but this is urgent because this Labour Government is not afraid to take on the tough choices needed to deliver for our country.”

In addition to the new targets, the deputy PM is proposing to allow building to take place on parts of the country’s green belts – undeveloped areas which serve as buffers between built-up towns, villages and cities. She said local councils would “have to review their green belt, if needed, to meet housing targets”.

However, she said councils would be encouraged to “prioritise low-quality grey belt land”. Grey belt is a new term the Government is looking to introduce into the planning system. It is expected to refer to areas of the green belt that have already been developed or make a limited contribution to "green belt purposes". Those could be sites on the edges of communities or next to roads, and former petrol stations or car parks.

Ms Rayner added: “And where land in the green belt is developed, new golden rules will require provision of 50 per cent affordable housing with a focus on social rent, as well as schools, GP surgeries and transport links that the community needs, and improvements to accessible green space.”

However, the housing secretary insisted the Government’s new targets were not intended to “ride roughshod” over the wishes of local communities. She said: “Decisions about what to build should reflect local views… well, that should be about how to deliver new homes, not whether to.”

[Stadt]

The city council think something like anything taller than 9 stories is 'super tall' so no wonder they think there isn't enough space in the city.

[westernpark]

5 minutes ago, Stadt said:

The city council think something like anything taller than 9 stories is 'super tall' so no wonder they think there isn't enough space in the city.

I think ‘super tall’ may be 45 metres now for Leicester. Or at least trying to establish this, circa 2022. 

[Stadt]

1 hour ago, westernpark said:

I think ‘super tall’ may be 45 metres now for Leicester. Or at least trying to establish this, circa 2022. 

I went to an event the planning dept put on last year and they consider anything above 9 storeys or 24m tall  

[davieG]

 

British Railways Midland Main Line  · 

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Richard Gennis  

 

 

Hitachi 810 for EMR

East Midlands Railways new Hitachi 810 are now on test on the Midland Main line, 33 or these five car units have been ordered for the MML, These units are all Bi-mode operating with four diesel engines and the ability to pick up power from the overhead electric. Due in service in early 2025

 

 

 

Better than nothing, but when are we going to get proper investment in the Leicester/Leicestershire, and the East Midlands.

[Wolfox]

37 minutes ago, davieG said:

 

British Railways Midland Main Line  · 

Join

 

Richard Gennis  

 

 

Hitachi 810 for EMR

East Midlands Railways new Hitachi 810 are now on test on the Midland Main line, 33 or these five car units have been ordered for the MML, These units are all Bi-mode operating with four diesel engines and the ability to pick up power from the overhead electric. Due in service in early 2025

 

 

 

Better than nothing, but when are we going to get proper investment in the Leicester/Leicestershire, and the East Midlands.

They run these on the east coast line I think…. King’s Cross to Edinburgh…. Really nice trains 

 

The train service to London for us is pretty good…. But, at £200+ for an open return, we are getting gouged

[davieG]

40 minutes ago, Wolfox said:

They run these on the east coast line I think…. King’s Cross to Edinburgh…. Really nice trains 

 

The train service to London for us is pretty good…. But, at £200+ for an open return, we are getting gouged

A lot of negative comments re only 5 carriages as opposed to 7, where they're in use people complaining about be rammed full.

[Wolfox]

4 hours ago, davieG said:

A lot of negative comments re only 5 carriages as opposed to 7, where they're in use people complaining about be rammed full.

Just run more of them!!!

[davieG]

40 minutes ago, Wolfox said:

Just run more of them!!!

That’s not going to happen 

[Wolfox]

31 minutes ago, davieG said:

That’s not going to happen 

Very true

[Paninistickers]

11 hours ago, davieG said:

A lot of negative comments re only 5 carriages as opposed to 7, where they're in use people complaining about be rammed full.

Peak times need 10 carriages. Anything less are carnage. 

 

 

Off peak generally run as 5 or 7, which run at close to max