黑洞社区

Tales from the riverbank

The government has been blathering on for months now about streamlining the planning system, speeding things up, getting things done and all that. Ministers might want to pop across the Thames and have a chat with the people behind the redevelopment of the former ITV Studios tower on London鈥檚 South Bank for their views on it all. Work finally started at 72 Upper Ground at the end of last month after all sorts of legal hold-ups. I had to look this bit up but it was given planning in March 2022.

Pigs might fly

There鈥檚 been a lot of chat about chancellor Rachel Reeves backing proposals to build a third runway at Heathrow airport. There鈥檚 been optimistic talk about how it might even get planning by the end of the decade. I鈥檓 afraid, I鈥檓 not convinced. The Davies Commission 鈥� remember that? 鈥� made exactly the same recommendation after being asked to look into the issue by the Cameron government 鈥� remember them? Anyway, the commission reported in July 2015. Good luck Mrs Reeves. 

The Met has only had three years to read the 10-page document, and I鈥檓 sure rumours that its change of heart has something to do with the chancellor鈥檚 recent trip to Beijing are balderdash

Put in the shade

Procurement guru David Mosey, the architect behind the Gold Standard system that has revolutionised public sector frameworks, headed out to Oman last month for a winter break. He used to live in the capital Muscat where he headed the office for law firm Trowers & Hamlins. He went out at a time when some in the UK were waking up to temperatures of -15C while Oman鈥檚 capital was a very pleasant 26鈦癈. My maths tells me that鈥檚 a swing of more than 40C鈥�

Wake up and smell the coffee

My hack nipped into his local coffee shop in the City the other week only to wince when he saw the dreaded multiple coffee order being worked on by stressed baristas. A bit more digging and it turns out the order was for top brass at Brookfield who鈥檇 come over from Canada for a few days to visit subsidiary Multiplex at nearby 99 Bishopsgate. I guess the office coffee machine must have been on the blink judging by the size of the order鈥�

Diplomatic solution 

Readers may have seen that the Metropolitan Police are now supporting China鈥檚 plans for a new 鈥渟uper-embassy鈥� after stridently opposing the scheme only in December due to fears over the safety of protestors. What鈥檚 changed? 鈥淎dditional information鈥� has emerged, they say 鈥� a report written in 2022 for the Chinese government which says everything will be tickety-boo. That鈥檚 good enough for me 鈥� the force has only had three years to read the 10-page document, and I鈥檓 sure rumours that its change of heart has something to do with the chancellor鈥檚 recent trip to Beijing are balderdash. Meanwhile, my hack has heard the council has moved this month鈥檚 public inquiry into the scheme to a bigger venue to accommodate the larger than usual number of attendees expected. But will it be safe? I鈥檓 sure there鈥檚 a report somewhere鈥�

Straight and narrow

I doubt many of the people attending UKREiiF this May have prepared quite as meticulously as Build UK鈥檚 Suzannah Nichol. Knowing the event claims to attract 13,000 to Leeds, she bagged a bargain Airbnb flat quick-smart last year only for the host to cancel suddenly. Not to be deterred, she and Build UK chair Julie White have hired a narrow boat instead. Starting near Shipley they will navigate along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, mooring near the city鈥檚 Royal Armouries. The Build UK crew even have a flag for their vessel. I have to say I like their style.