Construction industry gossip: Tales from the riverbank

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’s 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’s been a lot of chat about chancellor Rachel Reeves backing proposals to build a third runway at Heathrow airport. There’s been optimistic talk about how it might even get planning by the end of the decade. I’m afraid, I’m not convinced. The Davies Commission – remember that? – made exactly the same recommendation after being asked to look into the issue by the Cameron government – 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’m sure rumours that its change of heart has something to do with the chancellor’s 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’s capital was a very pleasant 26⁰C. My maths tells me that’s a swing of more than 40C…

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’d 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…

Diplomatic solution 

Readers may have seen that the Metropolitan Police are now supporting China’s plans for a new “super-embassy” after stridently opposing the scheme only in December due to fears over the safety of protestors. What’s changed? “Additional information” has emerged, they say – a report written in 2022 for the Chinese government which says everything will be tickety-boo. That’s good enough for me – the force has only had three years to read the 10-page document, and I’m sure rumours that its change of heart has something to do with the chancellor’s recent trip to Beijing are balderdash. Meanwhile, my hack has heard the council has moved this month’s 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’m sure there’s a report somewhere…

Straight and narrow

I doubt many of the people attending UKREiiF this May have prepared quite as meticulously as Build UK’s 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’s Royal Armouries. The Build UK crew even have a flag for their vessel. I have to say I like their style.