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Deputy PM will ‘unblock’ south east housing sites

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Deputy PM Angela Rayner says potential housing sites across the South East will be freed up © BBC
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The deputy prime minister has pledged to “unblock” sites not being developed for housing in the South East.

In an interview with BBC South East, Angela Rayner said there were lots of areas in Kent, Surrey and Sussex that needed to be “unlocked” for development, because developers are “frustrated that they are constantly in this process of being blocked”.

It comes after she approved a housing development previously refused by Conservative councillors in an area of outstanding natural beauty in Cranbrook, Kent.

In a major speech on Thursday Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reiterated the government’s pledge to build 1.5m homes in England over the next Parliament, saying there would be “no solution to the housing crisis without approving controversial development”.

The Kent Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) described the 165-home development at Cranbrook as “a political signal that the countryside is fair game for developers”.

Ms Rayner, who is also the Secretary of State for Housing, would not talk about individual planning scenarios but said the government had pledged to “build on brownfield sites first”.

Councils in Sussex have said they have major concerns about reaching the government’s new housebuilding targets because they are restricted by the sea to the south, as well as the South Downs National Park and High Weald National Landscape.

Local authorities in Sussex have expressed doubts about hitting the government’s housing targets
© Getty Images

 

“I don’t believe for one minute across the whole of the South East – which I know very well – that there is only the rolling hills of Sussex,” Ms Rayner said.

“There is lots of brownfield, lots of areas that need to be unlocked for development.

“And developers who have got land there are frustrated that they are constantly in this process of being blocked so what we want to do is unlock those sites and get those houses built.”

Angela Rayner says the government’s priority is to build on brownfield sites first
© Getty Images

 

Under new proposed house-building targets, authorities in Kent, Sussex and Surrey will have to build an additional 7,116 homes a year on top of existing targets.

The Surrey CPRE says it will mean a “tsunami” of development on the county’s green belt.

Ms Raynor said the environment and nature would be taken into account.

She said: “National parks and heritage sites, they’re all excluded and within the National Planning Policy Framework it clearly sets out what our rules are and it also talks about brownfield first.

“With local plans and mandatory targets it means local areas will identify the areas of land that they believe is where the houses should go and the infrastructure and we will help deliver it.”

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Putin Hails Trump On Inauguration As US President For Second Time, Says Russia Willing To End War

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Russia President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump as he is being inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States.

Putin on Monday, 20th of January 2025 revealed he was open to dialogue with the new U.S. administration on Ukraine and nuclear arms. He also indicated that Moscow was ready to discuss nuclear arms control and wider security issues.

In a video broadcast, Putin noted that he was interested in a long-lasting peace in Ukraine rather than a short-term ceasefire with the country.

He made the comments during the Russia’s Security Council meeting that was shown on state TV. According to him, “We see the statements by the newly elected president of the United States and members of his team about the desire to restore direct contacts with Russia,” said Putin.

“We also hear his statement about the need to do everything possible to prevent World War Three. We of course welcome this attitude and congratulate the elected president of the United States of America on taking office. “As for the resolution of the situation (in Ukraine) itself, I would like to emphasise that the goal should not be a brief ceasefire, not some kind of period of respite that would allow a regrouping and rearmament of forces, but a long-term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of all people and all peoples who live in the region.”

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Court remands suspect over alleged assassination attempt on Lokpobiri

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Yenagoa—A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ordered the remand of a 35-year-old man, Susaine Morgan, over an alleged assassination attempt on the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri on new year day.

The suspect is also facing charges of unlawful possession of two assault rifles (AK-47).
He was reportedly apprehended at the minister’s residence in Ekeremor town, Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The remand warrant, issued by the state Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, and filed by Police Prosecutor, Stella Jerry-Friday, was approved to allow the suspect’s detention for 30 days at Okaka prison.

This is to enable the investigating team of the police to track and arrest six others now at large.
The charge sheet read: “The defendant was arrested on January 1, 2025, at Senator Lokpobiri’s residence for conspiring with others to commit armed robbery, attempted kidnapping, and for being in possession of two AK-47 rifles.”

The police prosecutor explained that the request for suspect remand was necessary due to the limited power of the police to detain the suspect without a court order.

“The suspect’s detention will prevent interference with the ongoing investigation, especially as six other suspects remain at large,” a police source said.

According to security report, seven of the suspects gained access into the residence of the minister by mingling with the crowd of visitors who came to pay homage.

But information got to the military personnel stationed at the residence of the presence of armed persons among the visitors.

“Due to the large crowd, the soldiers could not open fire but ordered everyone to lie down. It was only the arrested suspect, who was with the bag conveying the weapon, that got arrested. Others mingled with the crowd and escaped,” the source stated.

The other suspects reportedly fired shots as they fled the community, attacked a filling station and carted away N400,000.

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42 Executive Orders By Trump On the First Day

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Here is the list of all 42 Executive Orders, Memoranda, and Proclamations Signed by President Donald Trump

1.Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border

2.Designating Mexican Drug Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

3.Reinstating the ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy
4.Ending Birthright Citizenship for Children of Illegal Immigrants

5.Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism

6.Eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programs in Federal Agencies

7.Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement

8.Declaring a National Energy Emergency

9.Reversing Electric Vehicle Mandates

10.Implementing ‘Schedule F’ for Federal Employees

11.Relocating U.S. Space Command Headquarters to Alabama

12.Pardoning Individuals Convicted in Relation to January 6 Events

13.Halting Federal Funding for Abortion Services

14.Suspending Security Clearances for Officials Linked to Hunter Biden Scandal

15.Establishing a Federal Bitcoin Reserve

16.Releasing Classified Documents on JFK, RFK, and MLK Assassinations

17.Reversing AI Regulation Policies

18.Imposing Tariffs on Imports from China, Mexico, and Canada

19.Reinstating the Ban on Transgender Military Service

20.Prohibiting Transgender Women from Participating in Women’s Sports

21.Halting Government Offshore Wind Leases

22.Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America

23.Reverting Mount Denali to Mount McKinley

24.Freezing Federal Workforce Hiring

25.Easing Regulations on Oil and Gas Production

26.Pausing Congress’ TikTok Ban to Seek a U.S. Buyer

27.Reversing Biden-Era Immigration Policies

28.Pulling Out of the World Health
organisations

29.Eliminating Federal Funding for DEI Programs

30.Establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

31.Reinstating the ‘Muslim Ban

32.Ending Birthright Citizenship

33.Reforming the Criminal Justice System

34.Banning Critical Race Theory in Federal Agencies

35.Demanding Increased NATO Contributions

36.Confronting China on Trade Practices

37.Ending the War in Ukraine

38.Supporting Law Enforcement

39.Promoting School Choice

40.Restricting Refugee Admissions

41.Increasing Federal Focus on Fentanyl Trafficking

42.Launching a National Infrastructure Plan.

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