Hydie treats a little houseguest (you) to a special show^^ What a nice raccoon!

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This is a Flat Color commission for digitalfluffy!

#furry #furryart #macro #commission #flats #socks #giant #paws #feet #teeth #commission #paws #smirk #smug #bullying #feet #holes #socks #POV #bedroom #toes #eyesclosed #soles #dirty #ripping #abs #chest #bed #tiny #micro #looming #raccoon #displaying #teeth #grinning #domination #submission #claws

New blog post: How to calculate the correct ADU target for flat frames

Flat frames correct vignetting, dust shadows and uneven illumination. But what ADU level should you actually aim for?

The answer depends on your camera's bit depth and offset value. The formula: ADU Target = Offset + (Max ADU - Offset) x 0.50

Examples for 12-bit, 14-bit and 16-bit cameras included.

https://astrocamp.eu/en/how-to-calculate-the-correct-adu-target-for-flats/

#Astrophotography #Flats #Calibration #ADU #DeepSky

CWMBWRLA: Plans in for 12 flats above the CK Foodstores supermarket near Cwmbwrla Roundabout

Thirty-two new flats could be built above the CK Foodstores supermarket on Pentregethin Road in Cwmbwrla — on a street that has become one of Swansea’s most troubled corners in recent years, as repeated flooding from a nearby sinkhole brought the roundabout to a standstill time and again.

Plans filed with Swansea Council under application reference 2026/0523/PRE propose converting the currently empty upper floors of the store — a prominent building near Cwmbwrla Roundabout, opposite Swansea Ambulance Station — into a mix of one and two-bedroom self-contained apartments. The ground floor shop, Post Office and car park would all stay as they are.

The store’s upper floors have sat largely unused for years, their original purpose as warehouse space long since redundant. The plans, drawn up by Prime Architecture on behalf of CK Stores Ltd, say the building is well placed for housing given its location right in the heart of Cwmbwrla, with bus stops within 50 yards and a rail link nearby.

Each of the 32 flats would have its own front door and staircase from street level. The architects say a lift could also be included, and that every flat would meet disabled access standards. The building’s exterior would be updated with new facing brickwork, zinc cladding and aluminium windows and doors.

The area badly needs the housing. Census figures show 34% of households in the immediate area are in social housing — nearly double the national average of 17.5%.

Parking for the new residents is planned to be shared with the supermarket, using the existing car park on the opposite side of Pentregethin Road.

Behind the planning application is CK Stores Ltd, whose managing director is Christopher Kiley — one of Swansea’s most colourful business figures. Kiley founded the chain in 1988 after acquiring a small store in Llandeilo, and has since built it into a network of more than 30 supermarkets across South and West Wales, turning over around £68m a year.

But Kiley is rarely far from controversy. CK Foodstores was fined £36,000 last year for serious allergen labelling breaches at its Narberth store. Before that, an ITV Wales and S4C investigation found nearly half of the chain’s stores were selling meat and fresh produce past their use-by date — in one case by 13 days. Kiley’s company agreed to be interviewed three times, then pulled out each time. Beyond the supermarkets, he made national headlines in 2015 after flying his helicopter into Heathrow’s airspace and bringing the airport to a halt, and has clashed with Swansea Council over works at his Caswell Bay estate on the Gower, including the felling of protected trees without permission.

The Pentregethin Road store sits right at the heart of what has been a deeply troubled patch. Just a street away, the old Cwmfelin Social Club — demolished after spending two years perched on the edge of a giant sinkhole — repeatedly caused Cwmbwrla Roundabout to flood and close, submerging cars, with engineers uncovering a hidden Victorian tramway channel beneath the site. The saga is not over yet — one lane on the roundabout and the busy Carmarthen Road remain closed to accommodate pumping equipment to prevent the flooding from returning.

The Post Office relocated to the CK Foodstores site in 2021 following the closure of nearby Manselton Post Office and would continue operating from the ground floor under the proposals.

The plans also include bird and bat boxes on the building and secure cycle storage for residents.

The application is now being considered by Swansea Council. Anyone wishing to view the documents or comment can search for reference 2026/0523/PRE on the council’s planning portal at swansea.gov.uk/planningsearch.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Supermarket chain fined £36,000 for unsafe food labelling breaches
CK Foodstores convicted after allergen labelling failures found at its Narberth store.

Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins after two years on edge of giant sinkhole
The end of a long saga for a building that brought Cwmbwrla to a standstill.

Cwmbwrla roundabout closed again as floodwaters rise under amber weather warning
One of many closures that plagued the area as the sinkhole saga dragged on.

TOWNHILL: Social housing developer plans 27 affordable homes on derelict nursery site
Plans for new affordable housing on a derelict site just over a mile away in Townhill.

Editors Note
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that 32 flats were being proposed. The figure is in fact 12 flats. The article has been updated to reflect this.

Public housing in Singapore getting higher.

"Pinnacle@Duxton […] completed in 2009, is at present the tallest HDB development in Singapore, soaring 50 storeys high.

But this record will be surpassed by a project at the foot of Pearl’s Hill by the Housing Board that is set to rise above 60 storeys."

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/building-taller-the-rise-of-hdb-flats-above-40-storeys-in-land-scarce-singapore

#Singapore #Housing #Public #Flats

MS warns against ‘fear and lies’ over Stebonheath housing plan

The Labour MS said the claim, being shared by the “far‑right group” Voice of Wales, is “not true” and is not supported by any of the documents submitted to Carmarthenshire County Council.

In a Facebook post, Mr Waters said a respected housing association is working with a local developer “to turn the empty old Stebonheath School in Llanelli into small flats for local people to have a home – especially single parents currently living in B&Bs”.

He accused Voice of Wales of “trying to stir up trouble” and “spreading lies that the plan is for asylum seekers”, adding in capital letters: “THIS IS NOT TRUE.”

He said he understood that some residents would prefer the old school not to be developed, but insisted the application “should be decided by facts and by planning law, not by fear, division and lies”.

What the plans actually say

The application, reference PL/10217, seeks permission to convert the former Stebonheath Primary School building into 21 affordable homes. Planning documents state that 20 flats would be created in the main building and one in an attached cottage.

The Design and Access Statement, submitted by Caredig housing association and Swansea‑based Castell Group, says the scheme would provide 11 one‑bedroom flats and 10 two‑bedroom flats. It describes the development as “100% affordable housing” to be managed by a Registered Social Landlord and notes that the building has been vacant since mid‑2024 after efforts to find new commercial tenants failed.

The document sets the proposal firmly in the context of local housing need and Welsh Government policy for the Swansea Bay and Llanelli growth area. It refers to national planning guidance that encourages new homes in accessible locations close to jobs, schools and services. Nowhere in the application or supporting papers is there any reference to asylum accommodation.

Mr Waters said that across Wales “3,000 children [are] living in bed and breakfasts today… because they are on the waiting list for a home”, and highlighted a particular shortage of one‑ and two‑bedroom flats for councils to use. He argued that converting the long‑empty building into small flats for local people is one way of easing that pressure.

Voice of Wales’ record in the area

Voice of Wales has been active around contentious issues in south‑west Wales for several years. Swansea Bay News has previously reported that group co‑founder Dan Morgan received a suspended jail sentence for an insurance scam, and that the group urged parents to boycott a Llanelli school’s mosque visit in Swansea, prompting widespread criticism.

We have also covered disputes where the group was involved in claims about religion lessons at a Swansea primary school which the council later moved to correct, and a racism row linked to Cinema & Co in which the group denied allegations made against it. During the 2023 row over Home Office plans to use Llanelli’s Stradey Park Hotel for asylum seekers, Voice of Wales appeared at protests and Mr Waters has previously said members used aggressive language towards politicians and campaigners.

The group has consistently rejected accusations of racism and has defended its activities in past controversies.

Residents urged to check the portal

The Stebonheath application sits within a wider Welsh Government strategy that identifies Swansea Bay and Llanelli as a national growth area where new homes and investment are encouraged. The planning statement argues the site is well placed for walking, cycling and public transport, with schools, shops and employment within easy reach.

Mr Waters has encouraged residents to look at the plans themselves on Carmarthenshire County Council’s online planning portal by searching for application PL/10217, rather than relying on social media claims.

He said the future of the former school should be decided “by facts and by planning law”, not by those seeking to “stir up trouble” over what the development is for.