West Midlands Railway gears up for public ownership

Government housing and regeneration agency Homes England has submitted the first formal applications for a planned new Midlands town.

Plans for how an ‘exemplary’ new town in Worcestershire could look and feel will come under public scrutiny this month, with hopes that Britain’s latest wave of new towns can meet government housing targets without repeating the planning missteps of the past.

A year of restructuring and tighter cost controls has put Britain’s flagship high-speed rail project back on a steadier path, but passengers will still have to wait years before trains reach Birmingham.

A derelict riverside factory site could become almost 500 new homes after being earmarked for residential development in an updated local framework.

Construction employers across the region should rethink the narrative around a ‘skills shortage’ and instead focus on stronger collaboration with training providers if they’re to realise the opportunities that lie ahead, writes Rebecca Waterfield, head of employer engagement at South and City College, Birmingham.

Bosses at Malvern Theatre say the stage is now set for a landmark project to turn the venue into a creative powerhouse.

The leader of Birmingham City Council has described a funding settlement from central government as good news for the city – but leaders of rural councils have been left less impressed.

New cycle routes and footpaths will be built across the Midlands, after the region’s eco-friendly transport schemes were backed by £106m of government funding.