黑洞社区

黑洞社区鈥檚 book club recommends 鈥�

Wading through the average planning application can be a time-consuming task, but I was alarmed to learn this week that reading the full application for the Thames super sewer from cover to cover would take you around two-and-a-half years, according to the project鈥檚 boss. Phil Stride, head of London Tideway Tunnels at Thames Water, informed attendees at an event on the project hosted by New London Architecture last week that you would also have to read six pages a minute to achieve that time. It鈥檚 no wonder the Planning Inspectorate has five inspectors and nine other staff members sifting through the application鈥檚 55,000 pages.

Bonkers

Prime minister David Cameron got into a spot of bother last week after shooting his mouth off about solar power. The row broke out after Cameron told workers at energy company E.ON in Coventry that the solar panel industry 鈥渨ent completely mental鈥� when the government cut its subsidies. Cue campaigners and MPs complaining that the phrase could be seen as 鈥減ejorative鈥� to people with mental health issues. But the solar industry seems happy enough that its loud protestations have been heard. Howard Johns, MD of installer Southern Solar and co-ordinator of the industry campaign, told me: 鈥淲e鈥檝e obviously had an impact on the guy. But I do think higher up politicians tend to see us as a bunch of crazies!鈥�

Downton goes digital

A study has revealed just how tech-savvy construction workers have become. The analysis of the technology habits of employees in 1,300 construction firms, undertaken by Egnyte, has shown that around half of files received by workers are on their mobile devices - rather than desktop computers. The average size of file shared is roughly equal to a full album of music, while the largest file shared was a mammoth 32 Gigabytes - not some complex BIM model, but in fact seasons 1 and 2 of Downton Abbey. Who would have thought it?

Sugar sweet on Choat

CMS Cameron McKenna lawyer Rupert Choat has enjoyed media exposure as a long-standing columnist in this magazine. But his name reached a larger audience thanks to a tweet by business guru and BBC Apprentice star Lord Sugar last week to his 2.8 million followers. Sugar praised Choat鈥檚 鈥�10 years of hard work鈥� battling to win legal compensation for the Hackney Empire, of which Sugar is a patron. Hackney Empire won damages from insurer Aviva last month for non-payment of a bond when redevelopment of the theatre hit problems after the contractor went bust. But surely Choat鈥檚 greatest achievement has been surviving a decade in Sugar鈥檚 employ without hearing: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e fired鈥�.

Scotland the brave

A group of 15 Scottish housing and community professionals are heading to Malawi to build homes for the country鈥檚 most disadvantaged people later this month. They hail from Campbell Thomson Associates, BTO, ANCHO, Atrium Group and the Port of Leith Housing Association and are supporting international housing charity Habitat for Humanity. They aim to raise 拢37,500 for their venture and have so far raised an impressive 拢28,000. To donate, visit: www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/MalawiGordonCampbell