If you have land or property, read Mike’s latest comment on the the Heseltine Review, click here.
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Twitter: @Connectivity_UK
Teach First workshops
I run workshops for Teach First on Stakeholder Engagement. Teach First trains and supports people with leadership potential to become teachers in schools in low income communities across the UK. They are an excellent charity and their teachers help young people believe in themselves, and empower them to build a future they may not have believed possible.
I work with Mind the Gap Research and Training to provide workshops as part of the Teach First Leadership strand. This year I have run sessions in Manchester and Liverpool and will be doing one in the West Midlands. I was very pleased with the feedback,
“Chrissie was fab, great, enjoyable and very helpful, excellent engagement and good examples, not patronising at all, really interesting dicussion – thank you, very approachable and informative.”
Offices to housing
The Government today announced new measures which allow offices to be converted into houses and flats without the need for planning permission. However, this is to last only for a limited period of three years.
See Mike’s article in the Greater Manchester Chamber News.
If you need advice on your property contact us.
Posted in *Top Tips*, Planning Leave a comment
Increased investment in training
The service sector reports a three-point increase in training investment to +16%, the highest recorded since the first quarter of 2008.
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Economic Survey Quarter 4 – 2012
Service sector companies are seeing the value of training and are investing in training their staff.
Make sure that your company is up to speed on Time Management, Presentation Skills and Business Networking.
Contact Connectivity Training click here
New rules to streamline planning applications
Following consultation in the autumn, new rules will come into effect at the end of this month which will remove the national requirement to submit, with outline applications, details relating to layout and scale of development, where these matters are reserved for subsequent approval.
Also under the new rules, a Council must review its local list of validation requirements on at least a two-year basis, otherwise the requirements will not have a bearing on the application’s validity.
These changes are very much welcomed.
The current requirement to submit details of the layout, including location of buildings, routes and open spaces, and the upper and lower limit for the height, width and length of each building, puts an onerous burden on an applicant who seeks only to establish the principle of a proposed development. Removing the need to submit such details when they are reserved for subsequent approval will help to return outline applications to their original purpose.
Reviewing local lists frequently, ought to ensure that local requirements are robust and justified, whilst encouraging a more proportionate approach to information requests. Let’s all hope that Councils are up for meeting this challenge.
Mike Gibson, Connectivity Associates Ltd.
Posted in *Top Tips*, Planning Leave a comment
Keep Calm and Prepare for Change
I was at the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) conference in Manchester.
It was an excellent event which showcased the many good projects in the North West and Yorkshire.
Two minute video – click here
Posted in Networking Leave a comment
Mike becomes Chair of the Property & Construction Committee of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
Mike has been a member of the Property and Construction Sector’s Committee since 2005 and has been its Vice Chair for the past two years. He takes over as Chair from Phil Cusack of Aecom (pictured here) who has become the Chamber’s President.
Mike says: ‘I’m really looking forward to the work the P&C Committee will be doing over the next 12 months to assist our sector members’ businesses, to promote sustainable construction and to help in bringing about improved conditions for the growth of our construction industry’.
Property and Construction Committee website
Posted in Networking, Planning 1 Comment
How to make a good first impression
I ran a workshop at Manchester Metropolitan University for graduates entitled “Making a good impression at interview”. It was funded through the Centre for Enterprise.
It was a lively group of about 20 students and I received good feedback.
`Chrissie was great on how to behave in an interview.’
`The session was extremely informative and motivating.’
Mike represents Robinson’s Brewery
Mike is acting as Planning Consultant for the Robinson’s proposed development at Ulverston on the Old Brewery site.
The proposal is for 20,000 sq ft of retail space, 90 parking spaces and improvements to two car parks. The plans provide an underground walkway to the store and the widening of some pavements. Additionally, the Union Inn would re-open as a pub and the Bird in Hand would be refurbished for retail use.
The photo shows Mike at the recent public exhibition of the plans.
Posted in Planning Leave a comment
Supermarket scheme approved in Ulverston town centre
South Lakeland District Council decide to approve our applications for planning permission and conservation area consent which will mean a new supermarket for Ulverston town centre. The proposals involve the redevelopment of Robinson’s former Brewery and distribution depot next to the shopping centre and in a conservation area.