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Residents living in a former office block which has now been converted to hold 200 apartments have talked about their fear living in the development after experiencing crime, drug use and a lack of space.
The BBC runs a feature focusing on Terminus House in Harlow, one of the hundreds of office blocks across the country that have been converted into flats following a change to planning laws.
The piece interviews a number of residents that live in the block who complain of “soaring crime” and fears over their children’s safety living in the block.
The change to permitted development rights, which means non-residential buildings can be converted into residential buildings without planning permissions, was brought in in 2013 but has been shrouded in controversy.
A number of nationals picked up on the major acquisition of Trafford Housing Trust by L&Q yesterday, with The Times and the Financial Times running pieces.
Inside Housing’s follow-up today sees L&Q boss David Montague tell the magazine that the expanded association would now seek partnerships with housing associations, local authorities and house builders across the region.
There was also a lively debate about the deal, and whether the new partnership was a merger or an acquisition (see below).
A number of websites and papers run pieces reflecting on the Homelessness Reduction Act, one year on. The law, which gives local authorities new duties to help those threatened with losing their homes, has been in legislation for a year.
Polly Neate, chief executive of homelessness charity Shelter writes in The Times saying that building more houses is the only way out of the homelessness crisis the UK is currently facing.
PoliticsHome runs a comment from MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark Neil Coyle, who claims that MPs have been moving rough sleepers from outside Westminster Tube Station after a fellow MP complained.
The piece also argues that the government has put rough sleepers “out of mind” and needs to do more to tackle the issue.
The Brexit impact seems to be having an adverse effect on construction, with the sector suffering another slow month in March.
Construction News is among a number of trade magazines that have reported on the latest figures which shows activity in the sector is on the decline, with Brexit uncertainty being blamed.
The BBC runs a piece on the financial state of Birmingham City Council, which it describes as “serious”.
The website is following up on a report by an independent government panel which has been scrutinising the council.
New research from the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has revealed that children in low-income families suffer social exclusion and shame because they do not have enough food to eat.
The Guardian runs a piece on the CPAG’s research, which finds that many children do not qualify for free school meals and others cannot qualify for public funds due to their immigration status, and often go without eating all day.
On social
Is the deal between L&Q and Trafford an acquisition or merger? Twitter has a few views:
Why are we seeing the use of word “acquisition” in HA mergers? It is clearly not an acquisition, nothing is being bought or sold, so why say it is? 🤔 t.co/LSVnJ25obF
— Ken Perry (@KenPerry47)>Why are we seeing the use of word “acquisition” in HA mergers? It is clearly not an acquisition, nothing is being bought or sold, so why say it is? \uD83E\uDD14 https://t.co/LSVnJ25obF
— Ken Perry (@KenPerry47) April 2, 2019
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There was a lively debate about this as you might imagine. In accounting terms it is an acquisition. In practical terms, THT is a subsidiary with consent to operate provided by Group Board. In scale terms there is a factor of 10. If it walks and quacks like a duck....
— Matthew Gardiner (@LQIdeas)>There was a lively debate about this as you might imagine. In accounting terms it is an acquisition. In practical terms, THT is a subsidiary with consent to operate provided by Group Board. In scale terms there is a factor of 10. If it walks and quacks like a duck....
— Matthew Gardiner (@LQIdeas) April 2, 2019
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