THING OF THE WEEK

Rowdy objectors, ineffectual chairing, and member intransigence over Grey Belt changes are just some of the frustrations applications can face once they reach the debating chamber. Place North West asked the market: what’s wrong with planning committees and how do we fix them?

With more than 100 seats in the North West won, and no doubt more to follow, the industry can no longer ignore the Nigel Farage-led party. We spoke with strategic communications professionals about what Reform’s rise means for the industry.

After plans to transform the site into a hospitality scheme fell through, the county council is looking to dispose of the asset, which sits within the town’s UNESCO World Heritage zone.

The former Sofidel site off Caton Road in Lancaster has been reworked to provide a 74,000 sq ft manufacturing facility for GVS Filter Technology.

The developer has requested a 12-month extension on planning permission for the second phase of Radway Green, the redevelopment of the former BAE site close to Alsager.

Plans have been lodged for 11,000 sq ft off Haslingden Road in the firm’s Blackburn heartland.

Less than 10 minutes were needed for Cheshire West and Chester’s planning committee to nod through the industrial specialist’s 225,000 sq ft proposal for land east of Road One.

Rothstone Estates has submitted plans for an 18,000 sq ft food store on Leicester Street, which is to be constructed for the retailer’s return to the town six years after closing its previous store at Barons Quay

Agent Knight Frank is seeking offers in excess of £3.5m for Pets at Homes’ 100 Regent Road store in Salford, immediately adjacent to Henley Investment Management’s proposed 3,300-home neighbourhood.

Weis Group is preparing to launch a judicial review in a bid to block the construction of Renaker’s next five towers at Great Jackson Street in Manchester, including the developer’s tallest yet at 71 storeys, which have been stuck in planning limbo for 20 months.

Jack Stephenson has been appointed studio lead for the masterplanner and architect’s Northern base, taking over the role from Charlotte Hodges after her departure from the company.

Hillcrest PERE is due to welcome the software developer to the building this summer.

BDP’s science and engineering campus received the top prize at last night’s award ceremony, with the transformation of the grade one-listed Rochdale Town Hall among another five schemes to receive gongs.

Volume housebuilder Bellway has begun remediation work at the former University of Liverpool student halls of residence site, a 143-home project.

The developer wants to deliver 400 flats in the second phase of the Northgate masterplan and another 200 at Weaver Square in Northwich.

As voters head to the polls today, planners will be breathing a sigh of relief that, at the very least, the turbulent pre-election period – with its volatile committee meetings – is over.

An eight-acre site west of Wilmslow Road is to be redeveloped into a mix of two- to five-bedroom houses.

Investors still see the Northern residential market as a viable landing spot for capital but regulatory red tape and viability challenges are constricting the flow of funds into the sector, attendees at Place North’s most recent half-day conference heard.

Zeroing in on the Sydney Road area north-east of Crewe town centre, the firm has lodged plans for 92 homes, following a 320-home submission in 2025.