Tenants and homeowners in Worcester are urged to keep an eye out for damp and mould in their houses; to know how to make simple changes which can reduce the issue - and when to call in the experts. Most homes suffer from damp to some degree, usually caused by condensation in the home. However, if the problem is excessive, it could be caused by issu...
Worcester residents are invited to have their say on the expansion of additional licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) in the city. A House in Multiple Occupancy is defined as a property where three or more people in two or more households share a basic amenity such as a toilet, a bathroom or kitchen facilities. HMOs with occupancy of f...
Extra financial support is to be provided to Ukrainian guests and the families who are hosting them in Worcester. The City Council has agreed to use its share of a Government funding pot to help with rising energy bills and the additional costs that Christmas will bring for Ukrainian guests living in the city, among other support. For host fa...
A six-week public consultation has started on a key planning document that will shape the future development of south Worcestershire. The revised South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) allocates land for 13,240 additional new homes and 290.7 hectares of employment land to be delivered by 2041. This will help meet the Government requirement to...
A key planning document that will shape the way South Worcestershire develops over the next 20 years is set to be considered by councillors. The review of the existing South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) sets out Worcester City, Malvern Hills District and Wychavon District Councils' vision for the area up to 2041. It includes a Government ...
A consultation on a draft of the review of the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) will take place later this year, subject to approval by councillors. The Regulation 19 Publication – effectively a draft of the plan before it is submitted to the Planning Inspectorate – will be published in October when it will be considered by councillors ...
The updated South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) will not be published for consultation in July as scheduled, because work on the key documents relating to development sites and the infrastructure needed to support them is yet to be completed. More time is required to finalise the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) which is a crucial eviden...
Worcester City Council has taken action to tidy up four empty and neglected properties in the city over the past 12 months. The work has included the removal of household waste the and the clearance of very overgrown gardens, in an effort to prevent the houses becoming a blight on their neighbourhoods. Using its planning powers, the Council has the...
Worcester City Council has successfully applied for £1,525,900 of Government funding to improve the energy efficiency of local properties – cutting CO2 emissions and helping to reduce fuel poverty. The funding, which has been received from Government's Green Homes Grant scheme, is being used to improve the energy efficiency of Worcester homes where...
For this year's Landlords' Forum we have gone bigger and better by working with all Worcestershire district councils and the National Residential Landlords Association! We are bringing you a joint Worcestershire forum for all landlords and letting agents across Worcestershire. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, the forum will be streame...
Worcester-based armed forces veterans' charity Stepway has presented a Recognition Award to the City Council to acknowledge the support provided since it was founded in 2019. Stepway supports veterans in civilian life by providing drop-in centres, a skills programme, community projects and a range of other initiatives. The charity's founders visite...
Worcester City Council is offering homeowners the opportunity to apply for free external wall insulation, if their combined household income is £30,000 or less. Funding is available following a successful countywide application to government's Green Homes Grant local delivery scheme. This aims to help reduce fuel poverty, phase out high carbon foss...
With Christmas nearly here, Worcester City Council is asking city residents to let them know if they spot anyone sleeping rough on the city's streets. Anyone who does spot a rough sleeper is urged to tell the Streetlink service at www.streetlink.org.uk or by calling 0300 500 0914. Streetlink help by passing through the details to the Council or to ...
Malvern Hills, Worcester and Wychavon District Councils have joined forces to launch a new scheme to allocate social housing across the three districts. 'Housing for You' (www.housingforyou.co.uk) replaces Home Choice Plus, the current allocation system. The move will affect over 9,000 people in South Worcestershire who are currently on the H...
More than £440,000 has been given to councils across Worcestershire to continue supporting rough sleepers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The money comes from the Government's Next Steps Accommodation Programme, which is part of the national strategy to end rough sleeping for good. Funding will be used to continue providing B&B and hotel ac...
The completion of the review of the South Worcestershire Development Plan has been delayed due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was hoped the document would be ready for public examination in early 2021. But lockdown restrictions have made it impossible to complete a number of technical assessments and evidence gathering need...
Malvern Hills, Worcester and Wychavon District Councils are joining forces to launch a new scheme to allocate social housing across the three districts. The South Worcestershire Partnership will move away from Home Choice Plus, the current allocation system, and is seeking views from local people on its proposed new allocations policy. The policy h...
Housing First, a new approach to helping rough sleepers back into permanent accommodation, is being launched in Worcestershire this month. Worcester City Council, working with each of the five district councils across Worcestershire, led a successful bid for funding from the Government to trial the service for one year. Additional money from the Ci...