The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response Blaby is a village in central Leicestershire some five miles south of Leicester city centre and its proximity to the city causes it to form part of the Leicester Urban Area Don't miss your chance to get flood ready Residents and businesses are being encouraged to attend a series of flooding drop-in events that will take place across the county starting on 27 March Those that attend will have the opportunity to talk to key agencies including the Environment Agency and Leicestershire County Council in its capacity of Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) and Highway Authority about their experiences and get the latest updates on flood related work Attendees will also be able to get advice on how to be prepared against further flooding as well as having the opportunity to visit the FloodPod – a trailer packed with real life property flood resilience (PFR) measures At the FloodPod visitors can see and learn about solutions available that are designed specifically to protect homes and businesses from flooding The first drop-in event – in a series of five events organised by the County Council as Lead Local Flood Authority – will take place at Blaby District Council offices on Thursday 27 March from 2pm – 6pm There will be further events in Great Glen county council cabinet member for flooding, said: “Residents and businesses across the county have been hit incredibly hard again following the floods in January and off the back of devastating flooding last year from Storm Henk All the responsible agencies are working closely together on the response to flooding and looking for ways to reduce the future impact but we need residents and businesses to play their part in being prepared too “These sessions are a key part of our continued efforts to be even more flood resilient and we want residents and businesses to come along and visit the FloodPod to see some of the preventative solutions first hand so we can work together to be prepared “Communities have continued to pull together and we’d like to thank local people for their ongoing co-operation and resilience during such challenging circumstances I’d encourage anyone who has been impacted by flooding to come along speak to agencies and get to see some flood resilience measures in action.” The council is also asking people to spread the message about the events so that those that have been affected or those that live in flood risk areas can come along The sessions will also be of interest to representatives of communities who may be keen to play a role in supporting the work of agencies While these events have been organised with the worst-hit communities in mind they are open to all members of the public Around 900 properties were flooded across Leicester Leicestershire and Rutland when record-breaking river levels were hit this January The Environment Agency issued a highly unusual severe flood warning 87 people were rescued from properties and cars more than 160 roads were closed and Leicestershire Police fielded more than 2,100 calls on 6 January when heavy rainfall and snow melt caused major flooding  Anyone with questions ahead of the drop-in events may contact the Lead Local Flood Authority by emailing: flooding@leics.gov.uk Several events are taking place to mark the historic event Around 7,100 pupils - 99.4% - secure a top three primary school preference Customers bought cars which were found to be faulty Assessments being made after issues with chimney spotted New video released gives snapshot of services provided by council With the May bank holiday (Monday, May 5), we have pulled together a round up of when each area can expect to see their bins collected. Leicester City Council does not currently collect general waste or recycling on a Monday so the Bank Holiday has no effect on people's waste collections READ MORE: Bank holiday hack to get 61 days off work in 2025 Oadby and Wigston Borough Council told LeicestershireLive: "No changes in Oadby & Wigston on Monday residents should put their bins out as normal." A spokesperson for Rutland County Council said: "We can confirm that there are no changes to our regular bin collection schedule over the May bank holiday weekend." Blaby District Council and Charnwood Borough Council said their bin collections will continue as normal while North West Leicestershire District Council does not operate collections on Mondays We are now bringing you the latest updates on WhatsApp first Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right Blaby District Council has launched a new tourism strategy to boost the local economy The Tourism Growth Plan has been developed with input from partners and local businesses Building on the success of the previous plan it sets out ambitions for an increase in visitor numbers and the local economy by 10% up to 2030 Figures from 2023 show tourism added £216.84m to the District’s economy and supported more than 2,000 local jobs A key strength has been cooperation with local outlets through the Blaby District Tourism Partnership Working with Visit Leicester has also provided wider opportunities These alliances remain a priority in the Plan Other priorities include: supporting firms facing skills or recruitment issues green spaces and cycling and walking routes to draw in visitors and promoting and boosting sustainable tourism Executive Director for Place at Blaby District Council said: “Boosting tourism enhances the reputation of Blaby District as an attractive place to live “By raising our profile as an inspiring destination we can support businesses A healthy tourism sector helps our District thrive It creates rich memories for visitors and improves local prosperity Chair of Blaby District Tourism Partnership and Director of Sales and Marketing at Leicester Marriott Hotel said: “Over the last five years the Tourism Partnership has grown from strength to strength “It has supported the Growth Plan and contributed to its significant achievements We will build on this foundation for the new Growth Plan By continuing to work together we can increase visitor numbers creating a vibrant visitor economy.” We offer an exciting opportunity in the East Midlands for companies to plan innovative advertising campaigns alongside consistently excellent reporting Our newsletters are sent directly chief executives managing directors and senior managers across the East Midlands with numerous companies from all sectors – from manufacturing to technology – benefiting from our mix of news and features Contact us: sales@blmgroup.co.uk offers his reflections on the journey Get Living has shared with Muse Get Living and Muse have been on a journey to deliver against the ambitions and promise of Lewisham Gateway now is the moment to reflect on how Muse and Get Living forged a unique partnership to see this new destination become a reality we are committed to creating neighbourhoods that bring people together inspire connections and help people to live well This commitment begins before there’s a spade in the ground and is a core part of how we work with our development partners Muse’s approach of delivering transformational urban regeneration developments across the country has helped us bring that vision to life Since the initial conversations back in 2016 Muse and Get Living have been connected by a belief in the potential of Lewisham Gateway and the promise it offered to create a thriving new community in the heart of the Borough with fantastic transport links into the city Lewisham has undergone a huge transformation in the time that Muse has been involved with this major regeneration project and the area today is characterised by its diverse culture unique culinary offer and rich creative heritage We were compelled by the opportunity presented by Phase 2 of the Lewisham Gateway project – an opportunity to become custodians of a new neighbourhood Establishing and maintaining a partnership built on this shared vision and common values has been crucial to the success of the project including when navigating both the expected and unexpected challenges derived from a development of this scale and complexity during which time we formally made our commitment to becoming the stewards of Phase 2 This was swiftly followed by build-cost inflation and significant economic turbulence The realisation of the scheme has been no easy feat but seeing it come to life is testament to a strong working relationship and shared commitment to our vision Muse’s 20-year commitment to the Lewisham Gateway project has transformed what was a busy roundabout into an attractive new destination in Lewisham’s town centre the local community and partners such as Get Living throughout The completion of Phase 2 marks the end of constructing this exceptional regeneration project which has changed the face of Lewisham and marked the beginning of a new community At Get Living we are very proud to be part of this story and to become long-term stakeholders in Lewisham as we look to establish this community as an integral piece of Lewisham’s cultural and social fabric high quality rental homes – 106 of which are  affordable –  kitted out with furniture from David Phillips But we know that a home is more than just bricks and mortar is to set the stage for communities and connections to thrive The Filigree offers new public spaces and public realm Lining those streets will soon be a variety of new retail and leisure brands bringing both convenience and a night time economy to Lewisham in a safe This injection of activity into Lewisham’s economy will not only provide a new offer for the existing community but will also encourage and attract more people to visit and stay in the area We will build on Muse’s momentum by continuing to engage with the community and support local businesses to deliver the destination Lewisham deserves Our Inspiring Lewisham community fund has already launched aiming to support local charitable groups and organisations doing vital work in the community to seeing the neighbourhood welcome its first residents a collaborative approach has enabled this project to overcome a number of challenges to bring us to where we are today With our first residents now in their homes our journey in Lewisham is just beginning and we are excited to see The Filigree become a living complementing Lewisham’s authentic character Muse becomes newest member of the Association for Rental Living Planning permission granted for world-leading Acoustics building Planning applications submitted for new neighbourhood in Oldham Our Sustainable Future: Accelerating the delivery of Passivhaus-certified homes Our Sustainable Future: Working in partnership is the way we deliver meaningful change Bridging the Gap: meeting the viability challenge across the country Planning submitted for new St Helens transport Interchange and Civic Square Wythenshawe town centre community conversation launched as plans for Culture Hub revealed Our Sustainable Future: Creating long-lasting social impact Newsletter Signup Form Accessible from any page on website via the pop-up For more information, including how we use your personal details, please see our Privacy Policy. By NOTICEBOARD · 8 August 2024 A community-based wellbeing and holistic hub has opened up in Leicester – but it needs your support are a heavenly oasis for the senses that provide an retreat from the stresses of modern life EkoJoe offers classes from breathwork and Qi Gong to Vinyasa Yoga with each one creating a feeling of wellbeing they also held a men’s day retreat to encourage and support male mental health awareness become a part of your local community and join with like-minded people the EkoJoe Yoga Gardens will soon have to close Many would love to see it stay in its original location and a GoFundMe page has been set up to help support the gardens More than £1,500 of their £8,000 goal has already been donated to go towards further planning permission and to provide an indoor structure for the winter a petition is running to keep the gardens running and the outdoor space open all year round To find out more about the EkoJoe Goodness Movement, visit Facebook or Instagram and to make a donation, visit here LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} Homes England and Lovell recently met to celebrate the opening of The Villers in Whetstone The Villers is an affordable housing development and supported living for people with a variety of complex needs The homes are built on a former industrial brownfield site and the development contains 77 homes with a range of types and sizes with a split of social rent and shared ownership tenures as part of its Strategic Partnership agreement with Homes England and in partnership with Blaby District Council and development partners Lovell Emh worked closely with Blaby District Council to ensure the development met critical local housing needs and helped to ease pressure on the local need for temporary housing said: “I’m delighted that we were able to come together with our partners to celebrate the completion of this fantastic scheme “Through our strong partnership with Blaby District Council we have delivered homes that meet the needs of local people helping them to meet their housing aspirations I’m proud that we have been able to work with our partners to achieve emh’s ambition of building high-quality homes for thriving communities.” Housing Services Manager for Blaby District Council said: “It is so satisfying to see this development completed Thanks to our partnership with emh Group and Homes England we now have a range of modern and much-needed affordable new homes in Blaby District This will enable more people to get on the property ladder as well as access homes at an affordable rent.” The Villers has seen a high level of demand particularly for the shared ownership homes which had over 500 people interested in the 39 available homes All new residents come from the local area The Villers is built on land which until recently consisted of derelict industrial buildings and overgrown vegetation being the former home of the Whittle Estate developed by Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle and later an important centre for the nuclear industry and computer research The site also incorporates part of the embankment of the disused Great Central Railway with homes addressing a soft landscaped area centred around a pond creating a ‘village green’ feel The connection to open green space is further enhanced through the integration of the wildlife corridor along the former railway line By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information Accept The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this Close Rick de Blaby is at the forefront of the UK’s nascent build-to-rent sector But can he calm nerves over the transformation of bustling Elephant & Castle to replace the demolished 1960s shopping centre Residents and local traders have expressed fears it will turn into “another Westfield with all sorts of chain shops” as local Liberal Democrat councillor Maria Linforth-Hall put it the company behind the project – which has built and manages 4,000 rental homes including the former Olympic Village in Stratford – is adamant this won’t happen “I can see why people are concerned about that but I don’t think that’s where we want it to end up,” he tells the Observer from the “trunk room” in the temporary site office overlooking a cluster of red cranes and a vast building site (there is also a “tusk room” – in keeping with the elephant theme) “You need a few recognisable names that anchor your scheme But we have a vision for bringing in far more independent local traders that really bring a character and a definition to the place it becomes another slightly formulaic shopping centre.” He points to Get Living’s nearby Castle Square centre, which has 27 small traders, including 19 who had been based in the previous Elephant and Castle complex it was one of Europe’s first large indoor shopping centres when it opened in 1965 Its distinctive statue of a pachy­derm carrying a tower – constructed in the image of an older sculpture at a coaching inn after which the whole area is named – will go on display at the new site as well as a new campus for the London College of Communication The planned Elephant & Castle town centre.After local opposition and Southwark council’s rejection of its initial plans Get Living revised its proposals to include more affordable housing and affordable shop rents for at least 10% of the units The company was set up in 2013 by a client fund of the UK property group Delancey and Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund Qatari Diar’s 22% stake was bought out by Aware Super The Dutch asset manager APG and an investment vehicle led by Oxford Properties and Delancey own 39% each The firm offers three-year tenancies with a resident-only break clause and with rent reviews based on consumer price inflation says: “The vision was: can we create a business that seeks to disrupt a slightly dysfunctional private rental market?” Get Living charges an average monthly rent of £2,700 in London This compares with £1,195 for a one-bedroom flat and £1,995 for a three-bed at its Salford site in Manchester while its homes in Maidenhead have just launched starting at £1,550 for a one-bed It’s not cheap but in return tenants get a concierge an on-site maintenance team and amenities such as a gym and free wifi Scotland temporarily capped rent increases at 3% between September 2022 and last month but De Blaby believes rent caps do not work He argues that the underlying supply issue needs to be addressed: “The big story is: how can we get on and build more homes?” He is calling for a comprehensive plan to fix the UK’s housing crisis start by really being able to articulate what our grand vision is for housing in the UK because if we can create something that is inspiring and positive … we’ve got a chance of changing the mindset of a lot of people to be pro-development It now manages 2,445 rental homes at East Village while 1,379 affordable flats are managed by the housing association group Triathlon Homes Leaseholders in shared ownership properties managed by Triathlon have been unable to sell their flats since the defects were discovered in 2020 Get Living says it was not involved in the design “The first-tier tribunal recognised that liability was not synonymous with fault but we were still liable under the terms of the Building Safety Act,” says De Blaby “And there was also a comment that those with the broadest shoulders should pay and they deemed that we had the broadest shoulders But Get Living are the custodians of millions of key worker pensions [as it is backed by pension funds].” De Blaby says a further 33 blocks need fire safety repairs and “there’s more exposure to go for all of the other buildings” that still need to be assessed “We in turn are going to be forced to litigate all of the contractors that built those buildings below the government’s own regulations at the time We have been pretty shocked at some of the standards to which those contractors have built in terms of missing fire-stopping and insulation and so on.” He stresses that “no one lives in an unsafe home in East Village” and that he is “empathetic to the people who are impacted” promising to fix all the fire defects “within the next couple of years” De Blaby grew up in the Midlands and went to one of Britain’s oldest public schools as a day boy “because my parents couldn’t afford the boarding fee” His mother took a job as a receptionist for an estate agent to pay the fees (his parents divorced during his teens) De Blaby did holiday jobs with estate agents and architects “I was often messing about drawing buildings or making buildings out of Lego,” he recalls His first proper job was at the developer Trafalgar House where he “learned to be a developer for 10 years” He ran the commercial development and mixed-use regeneration activities of Countryside Group before landing his first CEO role at MEPC a former FTSE 100 property developer that is now owned by the manager of the British Telecommunications and the Post Office pension funds He then worked with private equity when he turned around United House Group and sold most of the business Get Living is part of the UK’s nascent build-to-rent sector which accounts for less than 2% of housebuilding but will grow to 15%-20% in the coming years “It’s got a really important role to play in the UK housing market It has the ability to deliver affordable as well as market rented housing and innovative things like co-living It’s about attracting global capital to really try and address the housing market that we’ve got.” he warns: “It will take two decades to fix the housing crisis and I fear it’s going to get worse before it gets better.” three adult sons.Pay Not disclosed.Education Bromsgrove School BSc in estate management at Oxford Brookes University.Last holiday Family skiing trip in Tignes Best advice he’s been given “In any confrontation or disagreement give people an honourable off-ramp.”Biggest career mistake “Working with people who have little accountability.”Phrase he overuses “What’s the proposition?”How he relaxes Surfing windfoiling and swimming – “I love my time on the water.” This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media A band of ten Build to Rent professionals will be performing in London to help raise money for The Listening Place