An application for the erection of 53 residential units, including 43 houses and 10 apartments was to be heard this month

A decision on a major residential development at the former site of a prep school in the Upper Newtownards Road area of East Belfast has been delayed after a fire on the site.

An application for the erection of 53 residential units, including 43 houses and 10 apartments, at Cabin Hill, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 was supposed to be heard this month, but has been pushed back after a fire at a building on the site.

The site is the grounds of the former prep school Cabin Hill, and is partly occupied by several derelict school buildings, including a listed building. The application also involves plans for the creation of access, internal roads, landscaping and associated works. The applicant is Fermac Properties and Tealstone Developments Limited.

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At the February meeting of the Belfast City Council Planning Committee at City Hall, DUP Alderman James Lawlor successfully proposed deferring the application for a month. He said: “I understand there was a fire at the site on (February 15). There has since been information provided to officers, but I don’t think members have been given time to appropriately consider that, including an asbestos report.”

A Planning official said: “Officers became aware there had been a fire at the site, and we have been contacting the applicant, who confirmed the building in question was one of the outbuildings at the back of the site, which is proposed to be demolished anyway.

“They submitted an asbestos report, (ie) an environment report, which confirms there was no evidence or sign of asbestos. This site has planning permission to demolish the building in question anyway.”

The application has been recommended by planning officials at City Hall for approval. The planning report on the application states: “The proposal is within the development limits of the city and is a sustainable location for new housing. (It) would result in a loss of a small area of open space, but additional open space is to be provided as part of the scheme.

“As such, the principle of housing at this location is acceptable. The density of the proposal is less than the guidance band but taking account the low density of the surrounding area and the previous permission for conversion of the listed building to apartments, this is on balance acceptable.

“The overall design, height, scale, massing, layout, and road configuration is considered to be acceptable and compliant with planning policy. There is a Tree Preservation Order on the site, but adequate mitigation measures would be in place to ensure no trees are lost or damaged during the construction phase if planning permission is granted.”

It adds: “No affordable housing is proposed on the grounds of viability. The applicant’s viability assessment has been appraised by an independent quantity surveyor who concurs with the assessment.”

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Flament grew up in Belgium, but, finding no way into the French club system, moved to Loughborough University for its rugby programme, arriving as a lanky fly-half and initially playing for the university’s fifth team.

His decision to chase balls in Argentina, rather than CV padding in the UK, helped his frame bulk out and convert into a second row.

After Covid lockdown hit, shortly after making his Wasps debut in September 2019, Flament made another big call. He opted to head back to Belgium to train, rather than remain in the club accommodation he shared with, among others, now Bath number eight Alfie Barbeary.

“We could see borders locking down and the academy manager at Wasps said travel was only allowed for emergency reasons,” Flament remembers with a smile.

“I said, for me, this is an emergency – I don’t want to get stuck in the academy house in Coventry, I’m leaving tomorrow. I told Alfie, ‘Sorry, it’s really not negotiable!’”

There have been many stops in his career, but his focus has been singular.

“Professional rugby has always been my aim – all my choices in life were dictated by that goal,” he says.

“I was quite driven – I knew where I wanted to be and what I had to do to get there.”

One of the things he has left behind on the way is ‘Bob’ – a doubt-filled alter-ego who Flament feared could kill his dream.

“I realised in Argentina I had some potential in rugby, but that my personality was preventing me from reaching it,” says Flament.

“I guess I was a bit shy, a bit insecure and it was stopping me expressing myself in the real world, but also on the pitch.

“So I started writing things down and analysing myself.

“I tried to dissociate – the big, shy me would be called Bob, and the idea was that when I freed myself from Bob, Thibaud could be whatever he wanted to be, the best player he could be.”

There is a clip of Flament playing for Newman in Argentina., external Wearing four on his back, he hits a line, bursts into the opposition 22m, swerves left and drops the ball on to his instep, grubbering crossfield for his wing to score.

It is a passage of play devoid of Bob.

After breaking through into the Wasps team, French selectors applied another three-letter moniker to Flament, describing him as a UFO, such was his sudden, unexpected appearance on their radar.

They were quick to intercept him.

Flament was lying on a physio bed in Wasps’ treatment room, only a handful of first-team appearances under his belt, when his phone buzzed.

William Servat’s face appeared on the screen.

France’s forwards coach was calling to let Flament know he was in their thinking.

A little over 18 months later, having moved to Top 14 giants Toulouse, Flament made his France debut in November 2021.

Ever since, through the 2022 Grand Slam, the 2023 Rugby World Cup and 2025 Six Nations title win, he has been a regular for France’s biggest days.

The notorious Mexican drug lord “El Mencho” spent his final hours in a luxury villa with spacious rooms and manicured gardens – before being killed in an operation to capture him.

The feared drug trafficker, whose real name is Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, was injured in a military operation carried out by Mexican special forces on Sunday.

The 59-year-old leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, which is one of the nation’s most powerful criminal organisations, later died while being flown to Mexico City.

Pictures have emerged showing inside the villa located at the exclusive Tapalpa Country Club of weekend holiday homes, in the hills of Mexico’s western state of Jalisco.

‘El Mencho’ killing – as it happened

The exclusive gated area was where Oseguera Cervantes was spending time at the moment he was ambushed.

The two-floor home at number 39 has stone walls and a red-tiled roof, which provided a discreet hideout.

The images give a hint of the lifestyle of Oseguera Cervantes, showing rooms with sleek modern finishes and large windows – but also a messy kitchen, medicines and religious items.

In the kitchen, there are takeaway containers, mugs and other food items abandoned across the surface.

There are bottles and cartons of sriracha hot sauce, milk and water.

A wardrobe in a large bedroom has some neatly folded clothes and there are skincare products and perfume on a shelf.

Several containers of baby wipes were in a lower drawer.

Cabinets in one room were packed with treatments for a number of health conditions.

They included medicines for migraines, insomnia, acid reflux and fungal infections.

Vials of Tationil Plus, an antioxidant marketed for cellular protection, were found next to a dosage schedule in a freezer.

There was a cloth with a logo of Mayorquin, a high-end jewellery boutique based in Jalisco’s capital, Guadalajara.

Religious items were pictured on a makeshift altar.

Figurines of Catholic saints included Mexico’s patroness, the Virgin of Guadalupe, and the patron of lost causes, Saint Jude Thaddeus.

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A Bible passage asserting trust in God was handwritten on a white sheet of paper.

Oseguera Cervantes had tried to escape through the back garden of his home to a wooded hillside.

He was hit by gunfire during the pursuit and died of his injuries while being airlifted away, Mexican authorities said.

Former Chelsea star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is backing his old club to dent Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes this weekend.

A dominant north London derby victory over Tottenham saw the Gunners open a five-point lead at the top once again last Sunday with 10 games left to play.

Manchester City do have a game in hand, however, with the two sides also set to meet in the Carabao Cup final in March.

Arsenal also head to the Etihad for what could be a season-defining match in April but there could be plenty more twists and turns before that date.

Mikel Arteta’s side have one of their toughest games of the run-in looming this weekend against Chelsea, who they dumped out of the Carabao Cup across two legs.

The Blues did hold Arsenal to a draw in the first Premier League meeting between the two at Stamford Bridge back in August, also holding City to a draw at the Etihad in January.

Arsenal have lost at home just once this season to Manchester United with City and Liverpool leaving with a point.

While Chelsea laboured to a draw at home to Burnley, last week, their former striker Hasselbaink is confident they will leave north London with at least a point.

The next game for Arsenal against Chelsea is the one, I don’t see them winning against Chelsea,’ Hasselbaink told Sky Sports.

‘Chelsea are a strange kind of team, they will go out to a big team and get a result, get a draw or get a win. They can do that. That’s just how they are. We have seen it.

‘I think that game for Arsenal will be so much harder than the Spurs game. Then maybe they [Arsenal and City] are both on the same points. Then we see who is up for it.’

Arsenal threw away a two-goal led against Wolves last week, leaving Molineux with a point three days before their derby showdown with Tottenham.

While Spurs are now being sucked into a relegation scrap, Hasselbaink did not give them any chance of landing a blow on their rivals.

And while sensing there could be a slip-up this weekend, he is still backing Arsenal to get over the line.

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‘I do think they are the favourites and I do think they are going to win it, they have the strongest squad,’ he said.

But I always saw them winning at Spurs. even with the pressure. I never thought Spurs would even get a draw, especially after the Wolves game because when Arsenal have a point to prove, the majority of the time they deliver.’

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The 30-year-old threw the woman a life ring before jumping into the river.

An inquest into the death of a man who lost his life after saving a woman from the River Lagan is set to take place this summer.

On the morning of May 5, 2023, Patrick “Paddy” Fearon spotted someone struggling in the River Lagan. Without hesitation, he threw a life ring and jumped in to try and save them.

The 30-year-old had recently moved to Belfast from Armagh for a data analyst job in the health service, having spent a number of years studying and working in Scotland.

A woman was rescued from the river and taken to hospital for treatment. Tragically, Paddy lost his life while ensuring another would survive. He had previously rescued his sister, Eisha, and their pets from a house fire when he was just 14.

Mourners at his funeral heard Mr Fearon had “died a hero saving a life”.

The passing of the popular young man, who endeared himself to all he met, tore a hole among his friends and family – and none more so than his mother, Linda, who at the time described Patrick as “a joy to have as a son”.

At a brief preliminary hearing at the Coroners Court in Belfast on Wednesday, a barrister said two items remained outstanding from the PSNI in relation to photographs of the scene and CCTV footage.

He added that from the coroner’s service perspective, disclosure “is almost very much complete”.

The court heard that a provisional witness list for the two-day inquest, scheduled for June 1st and 2nd, has also been provided.

Coroner Fiona Fee suggested a review of proceedings in late April, adding that it would be “very unorthodox” to change the hearing dates at this stage.

“I would be loath to move the hearing date for any outstanding lines of inquiry that could have been flagged up in advance,” she added.

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The former pub closed in 2014 and has been left derelict since

Residents say a former pub has been left to decay, leaving it as a “complete eyesore” in the area. The former Golden Lion Pub in Church Street, Stanground, was popular with locals due to its large bar, pool table, and separate lounge.

The pub closed in 2014 and since, it has been left abandoned and derelict. People in Stanground are concerned over the state it has been left in, with some branding it as an “eyesore” in the Peterborough suburb.

Mark Courten said the building is a “complete mess”. He added: “It’s near one of the main entrances into Stanground and all you can see is this mess. It’s been like this for many years and it needs sorting. God knows what it’s like inside!”

A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, also said the site is “very messy”. She said: “It’s a complete eyesore. It’s a shame it has been left this way.

“Whenever you drive or walk past it, it’s just not nice to look at. I wish something could be done about it, cause it just gets worse every time you go past it.”

Helen Fox used to work at the Golden Lion and said it was a “great place to drink”. She added: “It’s such a shame how it’s been left for so long.”

Some people, such as Allan Burns, believe the site could be put to better use. He said: “It seems to be a waste to not use the space. Parking is an issue, but I don’t see how it could be turned into parking spaces. It should be another business as they seem to have a positive impact most of the time and there are quite a few businesses there already.”

Last year, plans were submitted to Peterborough City Council to demolish the pub, due to its “poor condition” and remove it from the “street scene in a prominent location”. The council refused these plans on the grounds it would interrupt the area, as well as diminish the character of the area.

Despite refusal for demolition, the council confirmed that planning permission is in place to convert the site into a shop. A council spokesperson said: “There is an existing planning permission in place to convert and extend it to form a shop.

“The deadline for implementation is February 2027, so for that permission to remain in place, developers must have started that development by then.”

The owner of the building has been approached for further comment.

Switzerland said it would make a one-off payment of 50,000 Swiss francs (£47,755) to severely injured survivors and bereaved families of the New Year bar fire in Crans-Montana.

The blaze killed 41 people and injured 115 more, according to Swiss authorities.

The fire appeared to have been started by the use of sparkling candles that ignited foam soundproofing on the bar’s basement ceiling, witnesses and prosecutors said.

Most of those who died were teenagers, and many were foreigners, including several from France and Italy.

The so-called solidarity contribution aims to provide swift financial support to victims and serve as a gesture of compassion, Switzerland’s governing Federal Council said.

In principle, the payment should apply to each individual who lost their life, as well as every person who was taken to hospital, the Federal Council said in a statement.

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“The Federal Council shares with the victims and their families the desire for truth and justice,” Swiss President Guy Parmelin said at a news conference.

“We too want to know what happened, why, and how it could have been prevented.”

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The Federal Council said it will also convene a roundtable to help victims, insurers and authorities reach out-of-court settlements, potentially avoiding lengthy legal battles.

It aims to contribute up to 20m francs to such settlements.

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The Federal Council said it hoped parliament would swiftly expedite the legislation it had drafted to help victims.

The government also aims to set aside 8.5 million francs to help affected cantons cover the huge costs.

The government said it had taken the steps following Federal Office of Justice analysis that found gaps in existing support systems, which are mostly designed for individual cases and struggle with large-scale disasters.