Bob Dale
BBC Live reporter

A huge fire at a builders merchants in Portslade has brought the surrounding area to a standstill.

Dean Kilpatrick
Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to build 121 homes on a greenfield site have been supported by councillors, despite more than 200 letters of objection from residents.

Members of Medway Council's planning committee last night granted outline planning permission for the development at Berengrave Nursery in Rainham, voting 11-3 in favour of the plan.

Concerns have been raised over the impact of the scheme, which would provide 121 homes, including 30 affordable properties.

These include changes to traffic, provision of local services and the loss of green space in the area.

The application by Gleeson Strategic Land had previously gone before the committee in February, although the matter was deferred for further conversations about increasing road capacity in the area.

The developer has now agreed to pay £15,000 to design possible improvements to the junctions of Birling Avenue and Bloors Lane with the A2, although fears still remain about the development having only one access point.

To partially address traffic concerns, two pedestrian crossings would be installed across Berengrave Lane to encourage "less reliance" on cars, although 262 parking spaces will be provided as part of the scheme.

University of Sussex students have been gathering to protest in support of staff in their dispute over pensions.

Image source, Eddie Mitchell

Image source, Eddie Mitchell

Image source, Eddie Mitchell

University staff across the country have turned down an agreement reached by university union leaders and employers to end the pensions dispute.

Their strike is set to continue - with threats to disrupt final exams and assessments in the summer term.

The University and College Union said the planned changes could mean a £10,000 per year reduction in retirement income.

There's a copy of the Bayeux Tapestry in England. But a few changes were made.

Image source, Jane Galvin

Ten fire appliances are now at the scene of a large blaze in Portslade.

It started at Chandler Building Supplies in Basin Road at 8.44 GMT.

Police, ambulance and port authorities are also at the scene and firefighters are continuing to tackle the blaze.

Due to large volumes of smoke in the Portslade area, people are being advised to keep windows closed and to avoid travelling into the area if possible.

Traffic around the area is busy and Sussex Police have closed some roads.

Residents were evacuated from their homes because of a suspected gas leak.

Police were on patrol in the area around the A28 Military Road in Canterbury when they discovered the suspected leak in a disused building at about 11.00 GMT today.

Kent Fire and Rescue is at the scene and engineers from the gas and electricity utility companies have been notified, say Kent Police.

Some of the neighbouring properties in Notley Terrace were evacuated as a precaution.

The road was closed between St George’s roundabout and Broad Street but has since reopened. Drivers are advised there may still be delays in the area.

Dean Kilpatrick
Local Democracy Reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Uncertainty over the future of a Toys R Us store in Chatham has delayed a decision over whether a supermarket and fast-food outlet can be built next door.

Medway Council's planning committee met after the toy company confirmed it is almost certainly closing all of its stores, including its premises at Horsted Retail Park, following the chain's collapse into administration.

Members were due to discuss plans for a new Aldi and KFC, which would sit either side of the Toys R Us unit, but concluded it would be inappropriate to make any decision until the future of the building was known.

Dave Harris, the authority's head of planning, suggested the existing premises could be used as two separate units in the future.

Submitted by Royal London UK Real Estate Fund, the application included a 1,430 sq m Aldi supermarket and a two-floor 447.5 sq m KFC restaurant, as well as plans to refurbish the existing Toys R Us unit.

Members were told the Toys R Us lease would now be under the control of the administrators, meaning it was impossible to tell if another business would be interested to move into the unit.

The applicant says the £6m project will create 100 jobs, if approved.

A minute's applause will be held prior to kick-off in Gillingham's match against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday as a tribute to BBC South East's Neil Bell, who died on Sunday.

The married father of two young sons died in the early hours of Sunday after a battle with cancer.

Affectionately known as Belly, he had been covering sport across the South East for more than 30 years.

Tracey Crouch, who is also the MP for Chatham and Aylesford, tweeted, external: "He was a brilliant regional sports journalist and his expertise will be much missed."

Quentin Smith, editor of BBC South East Today, added that he was "a class act who won the praise and respect from all who met him".

Today is the BBC's annual School Report Day when local pupils do our job of reporting the news.

Alex, 16, from Redhill, has produced this report on the lack of black and ethnic minority football managers in the top-flight game.

Firefighters are tackling a large blaze at Chandler Building Supplies in Basin Road, Portslade.

They were called at 08.44 GMT. Eight appliances are at the scene.

The fire is in a store room of the builders merchants. People are being urged to avoid the area due to the large amount of smoke in the area. Road closures are in place.

Chandlers Building Supplies says no-one has been hurt in the fire.

Fire appliances from Hove, Shoreham, Roedean, Newhaven and two from Preston Circus were sent to the scene. Another two from Preston Circus and Worthing have now joined them.

DJ Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, who lives nearby, tweeted, external that there was a "fire right outside my window..."

Chandlers Building Supplies says it will be closed until further notice.

The company is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Image source, David McGrath

Dover Athletic sign Forest Green Rovers winger Keanu Marsh-Brown on loan until the end of the National League season.

Image source, Przemek Wilinski

Firefighters are tackling a large blaze in Basin Road, Portslade.

They were called at 08.44 GMT. Six appliances are at the scene.

People are being urged to avoid the area.

This picture was sent to us by Przemek Wilinski.

Image source, University of Sussex protesters

Forty students at the University of Sussex are staging a sit-in protest in a new accommodation building in support of lecturers on strike over proposed changes to their pensions.

Last month hundreds of students marched in solidarity with their lecturers.

Staff and students at the Falmer campus have been told to "stay at home" today, with most of the university buildings closed and teaching cancelled.

Staff who are not striking have been asked to work from home.

Image source, Getty Images

The Argus, external: Residents: Parking is a complete mess here

Kent Online, external: Dad's jaw broken as children watched in horror

Get Surrey, external: New Grange Centre CEO vows to prepare disability charity for tough times ahead

Worthing Herald, external: Work to fix misconnected Worthing pipes ‘will help improve beaches’

Kent News, external: The search for missing Faversham dad Ben Moss has been relaunched with specialist police divers in Dover

Eastbourne Herald, external: New addition to Eastbourne Pier

Chichester Observer, external: Give your view on the possible options to improve the A27

Hastings Observer, external: Video: Unique mechanical exhibition sets up on Hastings Pier

Mid Sussex Times, external: Man who bit off piece of victim’s ear has sentence increased

Crawley Observer, external: Residents ask about street sleepers, potholes and health

Brighton and Hove Independent, external: University of Brighton withdraws bid to sponsor new secondary school

All the latest headlines, travel and weather from across Sussex, Kent and Surrey.

Stuart Maisner
BBC Live reporter

Jessica gave up opera for astrophysics and is now helping Nasa with a new space telescope.

The Saga Sky was blown sideways in severe gale force winds before hitting a barge, report says.

Some parents say they budget for the cost of term-time fines when planning their family holidays.