Walsall and Southwark Councils approve new planning proposals

Walsall Council's planning committee recommended approval for a children's home on Beacon Road opposite Barr Beacon School, despite resident concerns over emergency‑vehicle access, potential anti‑social behaviour and claims that the site would serve as a house‑in‑multiple‑occupation or accommodate asylum seekers. The council dismissed those objections as factually incorrect and said the facility would be staffed by trained professionals.

Southwark Council's planning committee unanimously approved the demolition of the former Hollington Youth Club on Comber Grove in Camberwell and the construction of a six‑storey residential building containing 39 flats. About 40 % of the units are designated as affordable, split between social‑rent, shared‑ownership and private homes, with accompanying communal amenities such as a roof terrace and cycle storage.