Sarah Booker-Lewis
Local Democracy Reporter

Two developers will be allowed to sell "affordable homes" for shared ownership after Brighton and Hove councillors relaxed the conditions in their planning permissions.

Both developers had struggled to find a registered social landlord - or housing association - to oversee affordable homes for rent in their schemes.

One of the developers, Crest Nicholson, will now pay £670,000 rather than the previously agreed £1.2 million and will be allowed to sell 15 "affordable" homes for shared ownership at its Artisan flats in Davigdor Road, Hove.

The other, Preston Road Apartments, will be allowed to sell 10 "affordable" homes for shared ownership at the old City College building in Preston Road, Brighton. Originally five of them were to be "affordable" rented homes.

Labour councillor Mo Marsh told the council's planning committee meeting earlier: "It seems housing strategy and planning don't agree."

Planning officer Jonathan Puplett said that there would be no affordable housing in the block if councillors rejected the Crest Nicholson proposal.

Sarah Booker-Lewis
Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for an extra floor on top of a modern block of flats in Stoneham Road, Hove, have been rejected by Brighton and Hove City Council.

The modern block is next to the former Maynards Sweet Factory, now converted into flats.

Conservative councillor Robert Nemeth told the Planning Committee: "What we are looking at is a poorly designed building that already shows complete disrespect toward everything around it with a proposal to make it even worse by showing absolute contempt towards one of the finest buildings in the area."

The application was deferred from last year after the committee asked for further detailed drawings.

Councillors voted nine to one to reject the application.

Image source, Google

Caitlin Webb
Local Democracy Reporter

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has applied for a grant up to £7m from the Arts Council. It wants to use the money to show off the area and promote the local communities.

The funding comes from a mixture of central government and National Lottery funds.

It is part of the borough council's cultural strategy for Tunbridge Wells to be "nationally recognised for its cultural provision" by 2024.

Image source, Nigel Chadwick

Hamish Mureddu-Reid
BBC News Online, South East

A teenager is still be treated for his injuries more than two weeks after being attacked in a park in Polegate Sussex Police said.

The 17-year-old from Eastbourne was assaulted in the park on Black Path between 17:30 and 19:00 BST on 31 July.

He is being treated at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead after his jaw was fractured in the attack, with metal plates and screws being used to repair the injury.

Det Con Helen Kelly said: "The victim suffered a sustained attack by four boys, believed also to be teenagers, repeatedly being punched to his head. He ran away from the scene back to his home address and was very distressed. "It appears that this was a pre-planned attack and the victim was deliberately lured to the park for the assault to take place."

No arrests have been made, police said.

Image source, Google

Dean Kilpatrick
Local Democracy Reporter

Medway Council has not commissioned its own Brexit impact assessment, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

Dozens of local authorities across the country have carried out work assessing the potential consequences leaving the European Union could have on delivering public services, but responding to an FoI request from the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Medway Council says it is content teaming up with other organisations.

Image source, Dean Kilpatrick

Last month, Sky News uncovered a Dover District Council document which looked at the effects Brexit could have on the area, claiming traffic problems could exist on the county's roads for "many years", with central government not able to implement a permanent solution until "2023 at the earliest".

Ihsan Haq was the first passenger to escape an overturned coach on the M25

Services on the Cross City route via Birmingham are cancelled at least until end of service.

Caitlin Webb
Local Democracy Reporter

Tunbridge Wells borough council has applied for a grant up to £7m to promote culture in the town.

The council has put in a bid for a portion of a £20m cultural development fund from the Arts Council.

Image source, Nigel Chadwick

The funding comes from a mixture of central government and National Lottery funds, with grants starting from £3m for organisations outside of London.

All applicants must secure a minimum of 20% match funding.

This is part of the borough council's cultural strategy for Tunbridge Wells to be "nationally recognised for its cultural provision" by 2024.

Image source, Kirsty Dixon

Police firearms officers have been called to the Newington area after reports that someone was seen with a weapon and was making verbal threats.

Kent Police was called at 11:53 BST. No injuries have been reported.

Officers, including firearms officers, are currently in the Newington area carrying out enquiries, Kent Police said.

An amateur golfer hits three holes-in-one - to take her career total to six - as she defends her club championship title.

It's hoped a new cycle and pedestrian bridge will be built by the side of Bromham Road Bridge in Bedford, as part of the continued electrification of the Midland Mainline.

The Mayor of Bedford, Dave Hodgson, said the council had reached an agreement with Network Rail to build the separate bridge and the company will contribute financially.

He said "Network Rail’s replacement of the road bridge will sadly cause major disruption. This deal we’ve struck means that we will at least be able to deliver a permanent, major improvement for pedestrians and cyclists."

He said there is a still "a long way to go" as the council now needs to work on the design, planning and funding.

Image source, Bedford Borough Council

The rise, determined by inflation, could add more than £100 to the annual cost of getting to work.

Stuart Maisner
BBC Live reporter

A primary school in Margate is staying open during the summer holidays to feed hungry children and their parents.

Five-year-old Otto Barwell, from Hove, has had surgery to reduce the stiffness in his legs.

A Kent landlord has had his fill of phones ringing and people texting and has banned them.

Sarah Booker-Lewis
Local Democracy Reporter

A doctor's surgery in Rottingdean is to close for safety reasons.

Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group backed the closure of the Meadow Parade branch surgery after receiving a 90-page report and hearing patients' concerns.

Doctors at the Saltdean and Rottingdean Medical Practice, in Longridge Avenue, Saltdean, asked to close the Meadow Parade site. They said that they could offer a safer and better service if they were based just at the Saltdean surgery.

Image source, Google Maps

Passenger Ihsan Haq says it was "a miracle" none of the 49 people on board the coach were killed.

Karen Dunn
Local Democracy Reporter

A Chichester gym's plans to relocate within the city have been refused by the narrowest of margins by Chichester District Council.

Jason Mines, who runs Grit Gym next to the railway station, is looking to move his business to an office unit in Terminus Road as he is unable to renew his lease due to financial reasons.

He said if his planning application for a change of use was turned down the gym would close, adding: "It will be heartbreaking for me and my family and devastating for my members."

Council officers had recommended refusing the plans due to the loss of office space in Terminus Road.

The building is currently let to West Sussex County Council which uses it for archiving records and library services.

If the gym was to move into the building the county council would condense its operations into the unit immediately to the south.

The council's planning committee was split at six votes both for and against, before the plans were then turned down on the chairman's casting vote.

Dean Kilpatrick
Local Democracy Reporter

The opening of Medway Maritime Hospital's new emergency department has been delayed for a third time.

Medway NHS Foundation Trust said "last-minute additional minor works" still need to be completed, further pushing back when staff and patients can start using the facilities.

The project was originally due to be completed in May - in time for a June opening - however the contractor struggled to find "specialist skilled labourers" to carry out the work.

An £18m contract - which also included building a new children's department, minors area, and majors waiting area at the hospital in Gillingham - was awarded to Integrated Health Projects in 2016.

Luis Walker, 8, wrote to Vertex Pharmaceuticals saying Orkambi would make him "feel much better".