News From Around The FGW Area

[whole diary]

[Lee]

I'm going to make a change to the way I post "The West but not the West's trains" items. They tend to generate a lot of posts, so I will be providing a daily round-up of items that may be of interest instead.

01/05/2008 :

Long-awaited plans for Hayle's regeneration - billed as the largest single private sector investment project in Cornwall - have finally been submitted for approval (link below.)
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=20516613&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

Tourism is paying the price as fuel hits the ^5 a gallon mark. The shocking revelation came as the Westcountry saw a litre of unleaded top 110p (links below.)
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=20519292&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=20515247&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

Fears have been raised that the number of jobs that could be axed with the creation of a new unitary council for Cornwall could increase before the changeover happens next April (link below.)
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=20515236&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

A Warehouse in Nailsea is to be the unlikely setting for a ^2 million research project using some of the most advanced undersea technology in the world (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20518739&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Thousands of people in Nailsea could be left without a dentist as a popular practice struggles to find a new base (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20519299&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

The final stumbling block in the way of the ^330m redevelopment of Oxford's Westgate Centre was lifted last night (link below.)
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2238205.0.westgates_in_store_for_city.php

Cotswold Mp Geoffrey Clifton-Brown says a proposed new eco-town will be anything but green (link below.)
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231774&contentPK=20518248&folderPk=108867&pNodeId=231888

Competitors in the Tour Of Britain cycle race will swoop through Bridgwater and Burnham for the first time in September (link below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=242195&contentPK=20514259&folderPk=113662&pNodeId=251478

Work is now progressing well on the ^1.5m revamp of Oxford's Bonn Square - after a tricky start to the project when a protester occupied a tree (link below.)
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2241259.0.bonn_square_ready_in_the_summer.php

A taskforce is being launched to help the 287 Butler & Tanner workers who are without work after the weekend's bombshell announcement. Overseen by Mendip District Council, the taskforce will consist of a range of organisations and will aim to support and advise the redundant workers (link below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=242195&contentPK=20516815&folderPk=113662&pNodeId=251478

Somerton and Frome MP^▸ (Member of Parliament) David Heath has called for an emergency Commons debate on the issue, but the Speaker, Michael Martin, said it was not appropriate for discussion by the House (link below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=242195&contentPK=20516862&folderPk=113662&pNodeId=251478

[Lee]

02/05/2008 :

Plymouth has again been shortlisted in the South West final of a competition to find the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s most enterprising place (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20527414&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

A proposed rock festival on Dartmoor has prompted a flood of protests from neighbours who fear excessive noise, drunkenness, drug taking and vandalism (link below.)
http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=141507&command=displayContent&sourceNode=257390&home=yes&more_nodeId1=257393&contentPK=20527243

More than ^700,000 was paid to former directors of Bristol Rovers to smooth the way for the new-look Memorial Stadium (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=20528224

Dozens of window panes have been removed from Cabot Circus' landmark tower as work continues to replace hundreds of panels of metal cladding on the building (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=20527721

[Lee]

03/05/2008 :

Millions of pounds of European money is to be made available to help the troubled fishing industry in Cornwall (link below.)
http://thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232510&home=yes&more_nodeId1=232470&contentPK=20536732

Architects behind plans for a ^5million waterfront apartment block have insisted they will not build on West Hoe Park - but say they do want to move the children's mini-railway (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=181429&command=displayContent&sourceNode=229968&home=yes&more_nodeId1=133174&contentPK=20536773

The unitary bid in Exeter looked uncertain after election night turned the city council on its head, leaving the Liberal Democrats, who did not support the original bid, on top (link below.)
http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=141507&command=displayContent&sourceNode=257390&home=yes&more_nodeId1=257393&contentPK=20537078

Strife-torn Frome printer Butler and Tanner is said by a former manager to have recently had a full order book.
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=243687&home=yes&more_nodeId1=242222&contentPK=20538414

Council officials are being called to give evidence over a decision to grant Bristol Rovers permission to rebuild the Memorial Stadium.
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=20537116

[Lee]

05/05/2008 :

New allotments are to be set up in Calstock following the efforts of a co-operative community interest company (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20546071&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

[Lee]

06/05/2008 :

A tourism boss has said the bank holiday weekend has brought in an estimated ^70 million to the region (link below.)
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=20553095&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

The sale of the five-acre Bath Press site in Lower Bristol Road could lead to the demolition of the main building after conservationists lost a battle to get it listed last year (link below.)
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=20556102

South Gloucestershire residents are being urged to have their say on proposals by the South West Regional Assembly for an extra 31,000 homes in the district by 2026 (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20551747&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Traders directly affected by plans to remodel Cheltenham's town centre say they want more time to talk to the council (link below.)
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231774&contentPK=20551965&folderPk=108867&pNodeId=231888

[Lee]

14/05/2008 :

Gordon Brown said he wanted to see the creation of more affordable homes and jobs for local people in Cornwall. And with the Government only a few months away from deciding which 10 plans for an eco-town are to get the go-ahead, the promise of these homes and jobs for Cornwall could have been a hint that the Imerys plans are to be given the green light (link below.)
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=20615581&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

The owners of Weston's Grand Pier have moved to allay fears that tourists could be at risk during construction work on sea defences (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20616982&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Feedback so far is "very positive" about new ideas for how Stroud can improve its historic centre and its traffic problems. Public comments were "quite pragmatic" at an exhibition of the Stroud Town Centre Public Realm Strategy proposals, said event spokeswoman Caroline White (link below.)
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231774&contentPK=20613363&folderPk=108867&pNodeId=231888

[Lee]

16/05/2008 :

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham has been urged to put pressure on social network website Facebook to create a group especially for people from Cornwall (link below.)
http://thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232510&home=yes&more_nodeId1=232470&contentPK=20639850

Plymouth is in danger of becoming little more than a graveyard for old nuclear submarines, says council leader Vivien Pengelly (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20638945&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

Nearly all new homes built by private developers in Plymouth fail to meet even the most basic eco-friendly standards, the National Housing Federation has revealed (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20638940&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

Local residents could be given thousands of pounds-a-year to spend on their communities, under radical new plans being considered by Plymouth City Council (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20639410&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

Conservation campaigners are mounting a last-ditch drive to cut the number of new homes planned for the Bath area (link below.)
http://thisisbath.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=180730&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232315&home=yes&more_nodeId1=163047&contentPK=20643002

A popular park in Nailsea, which was plagued by travellers last summer, has been fenced off to stop further illegal encampments (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20638856&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

The former Gala bingo hall site in Bedminster could be turned into flats and shops (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20638623&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

[Lee]

19/05/2008 :

An exodus of young families abandoning cities is putting intolerable pressure on rural areas like the South West, according to a new report. The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE^▸ (Campaign to Protect Rural England)) says villages are struggling to cope with the extra pressure for housing (link below.)
http://thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232510&home=yes&more_nodeId1=232470&contentPK=20657849

The proposed eco-town near Weston-on-the-Green has been welcomed as "a massive opportunity" for Oxford by the city council's new Labour administration (link below.)
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2281888.0.ecotown_offers_opportunity.php

[Lee]

22/05/2008 :

Proposals to transform the heart of Frome with a massive residential and business development have been unveiled (link below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=242195&contentPK=20684022&folderPk=113662&pNodeId=251478

An ambitious ^100m scheme to redevelop Frideswide Square outside Oxford's railway station is being unveiled tomorrow (link below.)
http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.2291568.0.100m_gateway_scheme_for_city.php

[Lee]

29/05/2008 :

The creation of new ^2.5 million oil stores inside Falmouth Docks is to be funded by a housing development (link below.)
http://thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232510&home=yes&more_nodeId1=232470&contentPK=20734076

Plans that will transform the Garsdale area of Frome will be outlined at the next meeting of the East Mendip Community Partnership scheduled to take place on Tuesday at the Key Centre, Christchurch School, in Frome. Developers Bloor Homes Ltd will outline their draft proposals which include housing, employment uses, public open space with play facilities and a new access street on 12 hectares of largely vacant land to the north of Garston Road, Frome (link below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=242195&contentPK=20735403&folderPk=113662&pNodeId=251478
 
Cherwell District Council has been forced to bail out ^70m plans to revamp Bicester town centre following a slump in the global economy (link below.)
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2305507.0.council_forced_to_bail_out_town_revamp.php

[Lee]

30/05/2008 :

Communities across Somerset are picking up the pieces after torrential rain swamped houses, roads and fields as fire fighters struggled to cope with flash flooding in what was their "busiest night in living history." (links below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=242195&contentPK=20747749&folderPk=113662&pNodeId=251478

http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20748613&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Bristol Rovers' new ^35 million stadium has been thrown into doubt after the club announced its main developer had pulled out. A big question mark now hangs over whether the club will play next season's home games at Cheltenham Town's Whaddon Road ground, or remain at the Memorial Stadium (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=20754435

Mayor Tony Harbour is urging Didcot residents to pick their favourite town square name from a shortlist of 11 (link below.)
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2309630.0.help_name_town_square.php

Business leaders in Bicester hope to triple the number of people who shop in the town. More than 150 interested parties discussed how to promote the town at the inaugural meeting of Bicester Vision at the Cooper School on Thursday (link below.)
http://www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.2309530.0.new_group_promotes_town.php

Plans to change Tewkesbury Borough Council's name are back on the agenda. A proposal to call the authority North Gloucestershire Borough Council has been on hold since being put forward by Winchcombe councillors Jim Mason and Janet Day in January (link below.)
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231774&contentPK=20746650&folderPk=108867&pNodeId=231888

[Lee]

03/06/2008 :

Nearly 500 homes could be built on land at Plymouth's airport as part of a multi-million pound investment plan (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20782527&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

Scores of lorries, vans, cars and taxis are to drive from Lee Mill into the centre of Plymouth in a protest against rising fuel prices (link below.)
http://thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=20770115&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

Bristol Rovers will be playing football at The Memorial Stadium next season after building work on their new ^35 million stadium was delayed by a year (link below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=243687&home=yes&more_nodeId1=242222&contentPK=20779358

A deal to save book publishers Butler and Tanner may be signed by the end of the week, it emerged yesterday. The Frome company, which has printed Jamie Oliver and Delia Smith's latest books, was closed by former boss Mike Dolan with the loss of more than 250 jobs (link below.)
http://thisissomerset.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=147472&command=displayContent&sourceNode=243687&home=yes&more_nodeId1=242222&contentPK=20774264

A sculpture of the Clifton Suspension Bridge has been built entirely out of old drinks cans to encourage people to recycle more (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=145365&command=displayContent&sourceNode=145191&contentPK=20774333&folderPk=83726&pNodeId=144922

Stroud District Council has won the right to allow up to 1,750 homes to be built on the edge of Gloucester (link below.)
http://thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231754&home=yes&more_nodeId1=231776&contentPK=20776913

[Andy]

Re the Hayle harbour (2 May) development:

How about a levy on those 1100 homes to finance redoubling of the line between Long Rock & Penzance and thus provide a more reliable service between Hayle and main line destinations.

[Lee]

06/06/2008 :

The Boundary Committee for England has begun a fresh round of consultation to decide how many councillors should sit on the new Cornwall unitary authority (link below.)
http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144125&command=displayContent&sourceNode=232450&contentPK=20805680&folderPk=108202&pNodeId=251466

Residents in Newton Abbot are divided over a new town centre traffic management blueprint for one of the town centre's busiest streets. Devon County Council has unveiled a new traffic management plan to stop motorists using parts of Queen Street and Union Street (link below.)
http://www.thisisdevon.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=141507&command=displayContent&sourceNode=257390&home=yes&more_nodeId1=257393&contentPK=20804517

Bristol Rovers directors say they are fully committed to the club's new ^35 million stadium (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=20806515

[Lee]

07/06/2008 :

An online group has been set up backing multi-million pound proposals to redevelop the Tropicana site in Weston-super-Mare.The group has been established on the popular networking site Facebook and has already attracted 557 members (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=20811963

Tewkesbury Borough Council seems unlikely to change its name, for now. Members of the executive committee decided not to back a proposal to call the authority North Gloucestershire Borough Council (link below.)
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=231771&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231774&contentPK=20813005&folderPk=108867&pNodeId=231888

Beaches along the Bristol Channel coast have been accredited for high standards. The Quality Coast Award has been presented to Weston-super-Mare beach and Burnham-on-Sea beach (link below.)
http://thisisbristol.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=144913&command=displayContent&sourceNode=231190&home=yes&more_nodeId1=144922&contentPK=20811870