Archive

DIARY: Freebies flop, ministry of insight and paradise for paper pushers

5 December 2003

As the world of regeneration journalism is not one known for its abundance of freebies, Diary was excited to receive a large and, for once, interesting-looking consignment through the post last week.

SKILLS: Skills tsar takes a broad brief

5 December 2003

Sir John Egan has been tasked with tackling the regeneration 'skills gap'. But is his wide interpretation of his brief leading to a loss of focus, asks Ben Willis.

OPINION: Power politics require diversity

5 December 2003

The Government's plans to continue building large numbers of wind farms across Britain to meet a commitment that ten per cent of UK power will come from renewable sources by the year 2010 has been welcomed by Friends Of The Earth among others. However, they have provoked hostility among many rural communities and countryside protection groups. Chief among their concerns is that what has become known as "turbinisation" - the building of giant wind turbines the size of Big Ben in upland regions - will have a damaging effect on tourism and blight the landscape.

OPINION: Unwrapping a package set to woo the voters

By Sir Peter Hall, professor of planning at the Bartlett School of Planning, University College London. Email: sir.peter.hall@haynet.com

5 December 2003

The Queen's Speech last week will surely be presented as a big bold legislative package - in the last full year of his second term, the intrepid Reverend Blair confronts every vested interest on his own back benches (Regeneration & Renewal, 28 November, p1). As he did over Iraq, he's doing what he thinks is right, and damn the consequences. But viewed more closely, Blair is doing the cleverest thing that a politician can do: walking the moral high ground while quietly pleasing big sections of the electorate.

ANALYSIS: Economic Development - Clearing up the brownfield issue

5 December 2003

Reports of a shortage of brownfield land for redevelopment are wide of the mark, says Chris Brown. He argues that what are really needed are joined-up public sector policies.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS: Edinburgh tourism soars

5 December 2003

Annual spending by tourists visiting Edinburgh exceeded £1 billion for the first time last year. The figures, released last week by the Edinburgh and Lothians Tourist Board, show that the Scottish capital enjoyed a superb year in 2002, thanks to a huge increase in the amount of UK visitors to the city. Some 3.53 million trips were made by British tourists in 2002 - around 400,000 more than the previous year.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS: Trust moots miner skills transfer

5 December 2003

The transfer of skilled miners to the construction sector this week emerged as a possible tool in preventing an economic disaster in the Yorkshire coalfields.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS BRIEF: Business confidence returns across Yorkshire and Humbeside

5 December 2003

Business confidence has returned to its highest level across Yorkshire and Humberside for three years, according to a survey by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward and the Confederation of British Industry. However, the report says that low levels of unemployment mean companies must invest in skills training. RDA Economic Trends October 2003 can be viewed at www.cbi.org.uk/home.html.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS BRIEF: Liverpool CC chiefs approve plans

5 December 2003

Liverpool City Council chiefs have approved plans to establish a one-stop shop for the city's 2008 Capital of Culture year. The building, in the city's Whitechapel area, would host exhibitions and presentations and act as a focal point for cultural activity throughout 2008. The building is scheduled to open for business in spring next year.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS BRIEF: Project to create large arts facility in Essex

5 December 2003

A project to create a large arts facility in Essex has won £6 million from the East of England Development Agency. The £16 million scheme, called firstsite:newsite, is designed to act as a "magnet" for arts and culture and be a catalyst for regeneration in the town. Bosses at the project aim to create a centre celebrating the best creative work within the region.