Where the UK's third tallest building could be built
The proposed tower is part of a £1 billion project at Salford's Regent Retail Park, encompassing 10 buildings and up to 3,300 new homes, alongside commercial and community spaces.
Despite over 450 objections, including from Salford MP Rebecca Long-Bailey, planning officials have recommended the development for approval.
Objectors have raised concerns about the level of affordable and social housing, potential parking issues, and the tower's impact on the local area's character and skyline.
Developers, Henley Investment Management, have stated that a significant proportion of the scheme will be affordable housing, with planning officers supporting the proposal as an efficient use of an underused site.
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BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
Computer science graduates struggle to secure their first jobs
Eddie Hart studied computer science and cybersecurity at Newcastle University, graduating in says he knew getting into the tech workforce would be a challenge, but "I thought it would be a little easier".Even when "junior" roles were advertised, they often demanded two or more years professional experience, Mr Hart says."It's not realistic, and it's just discouraging the good candidates from even trying."To him it seems clear that potential employers are using AI tools to automate the simpler parts of coder's work, tasks which would traditionally allow newcomers to build up experience. While companies undoubtedly benefit from using AI in some parts of their operations, says Mr Hart, "I don't think replacing developers entirely with AI is sustainable." ChatGPT, and other coding tools, are being blamed for a collapse in tech job openings, particularly for younger software developers and engineers.A report by the UK's National Foundation for Education Research showed a 50% decline in tech job adverts between 2019/20 and 2024/25, with entry level roles particularly report cited the "anticipated impact of artificial intelligence" as one of the factors behind the same time, software developers have widely adopted AI code tools, while simultaneously expressing distrust in their by Stack Overflow, a software knowledge platform, shows almost half use AI tools daily, despite just one third actually trusting the output of such Chandrasekar, CEO of Stack Overflow, says it's "a tricky time to graduate".More broadly, he says, its research shows developers are choosing to stay put, despite many expressing dissatisfaction with their work. "People are probably running for safety a little bit."All of this means young technologists are finding it harder to get that critical first job. The stress of finding a job is also being raised by the use of AI in the job application Hart came across one highly automated application process which had eight stages, the first of which was to answer 20 exam-style questions about exercises can take up hours of had been asked to record and upload answers to interview style questions."And then that's just reviewed by AI and a computer makes the decision. It just feels like you don't get that respect of at least being rejected by a human," he says. Colin, who didn't want his full name to be used, studied computer science at university, graduating in spent almost a year working through the recruitment process for one large company – only to be ultimately smaller firms often use AI to screen applications, he says, meaning CVs have to structured to be "AI friendly".Colin would then find he was being interviewed by people "who have clearly not read my CV".Both Mr Hart and Colin said they knew the senior roles were still out there. But, they wondered, who will fill them if younger developers like them were unable to secure jobs. Paul Dix, CTO and co-founder at California-based database firm, InfluxData says in any economic downturn or disruption, junior software developers were the ones who got hit he says, "If nobody's hiring younger developers, then you're going to arrive at this point where you don't have senior developers either, because you've completely killed your pipeline."More positively says Rajiv Ramaswami, CEO of US enterprise cloud firm Nutanix, "Some of these younger folks coming out of college actually have more experience using AI tooling compared to traditional ways of programming."Ramaswami adds: "I find the market for talent to be the best we've seen in several years."Mr Chandrasekar says the industry had always had an "apprenticeship" type model, with a pipeline of young people coming in and working with senior he suggests, executives and companies that had invested heavily in AI tech are under pressure to show some return on that investment. Even if that was by simply cutting back on hiring. Stack Overflow's research also found that while 64% of developers perceived AI as a threat to their jobs, this was four percentage points down on the previous year."They've now seen some of the limitations, where you need humans in the loop," Mr Chandrasekar tech disruptions had sparked fears that both senior or junior jobs would disappear, says Mr Chandrasekar. But invariably they result in more jobs as people uncover new problems and challenges."There's going to be an insatiable appetite for technologists and developers to go and build those things to help solve those problems."But that spike in demand might not come in time for some of today's Hart has secured a role as a security engineer at UK-based cybersecurity firm Threatspike, which he gained through a very human centred job Colin has turned his back on tech altogether and is considering a career in the police.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
4chan will refuse to pay daily UK fines, its lawyer tells BBC
A lawyer representing the online message board 4chan says it won't pay a proposed fine by the UK's media regulator as it enforces the Online Safety to Preston Byrne, managing partner of law firm Byrne & Storm, Ofcom has provisionally decided to impose a £20,000 fine "with daily penalties thereafter" for as long as the site fails to comply with its request."Ofcom's notices create no legal obligations in the United States," he told the BBC, adding he believed the regulator's investigation was part of an "illegal campaign of harassment" against US tech has declined to comment while its investigation continues. "4chan has broken no laws in the United States - my client will not pay any penalty," Mr Byrne began investigating 4chan over whether it was complying with its obligations under the UK's Online Safety in August, it said it had issued 4chan with "a provisional notice of contravention" for failing to comply with two requests for said its investigation would examine whether the message board was complying with the act, including requirements to protect its users from illegal content.4chan has often been at the heart of online controversies in its 22 years, including misogynistic campaigns and conspiracy are anonymous, which can often lead to extreme content being posted. 'First Amendment rights' In a statement posted on X, law firms Byrne & Storm and Coleman Law said 4chan was a US company incorporated in the US, and therefore protected against the UK law."American businesses do not surrender their First Amendment rights because a foreign bureaucrat sends them an email," they wrote."Under settled principles of US law, American courts will not enforce foreign penal fines or censorship codes. "If necessary, we will seek appropriate relief in US federal court to confirm these principles."They said authorities in the US had been "briefed" on their response to Ofcom's statement concludes by calling on the Trump administration to invoke all diplomatic and legal levers to protect American businesses from "extraterritorial censorship mandates".Ofcom has previously said the Online Safety Act only requires services to take action to protect users based in the UK. UK backs down Some American politicians - particularly the Trump administration, its allies and officials - have pushed back against what they regard as overreach in the regulation of US tech firms by the UK and EU. A perceived impact of the Online Safety Act on free speech has been a particular concern, but other laws have also been the source of 19 August, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the UK had withdrawn its controversial demand for a "backdoor" in an Apple data protection system - saying she worked with the President and Vice President to get the UK to abandon its days later, US Federal Trade Commission chairman Andrew Ferguson warned big tech firms they could be violating US law if they weakened privacy and data security requirements by complying with international laws such as the Online Safety Act."Foreign governments seeking to limit free expression or weaken data security in the United States might count on the fact that companies have an incentive to simplify their operations and legal compliance measures by applying uniform policies across jurisdictions," he 4chan does successfully fight the fine in the US courts, Ofcom may have other options."Enforcing against an offshore provider is tricky," Emma Drake, partner of online safety and privacy at law firm Bird and Bird, told the BBC. "Ofcom can instead ask a court to order other services to disrupt a provider's UK business, such as requiring a service's removal from search results or blocking of UK payments."If Ofcom doesn't think this will be enough to prevent significant harm, it can even ask that ISPs be ordered to block UK access." Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world's top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Consumer confidence reaches highest point of year despite ‘clouds on horizon'
Consumer confidence has reached its highest point this year amid 'clouds on the horizon' in the form of inflation and rising unemployment, according to a long-running survey. GfK's Consumer Confidence Index increased by two points to minus 17 in August, driven by improved personal finances likely thanks to the latest cut to interest rates. Earlier this month, the Bank of England voted to cut its base interest rate from 4.25% to 4%. Confidence in personal finances over both the last year and the coming 12 months rose three points, to minus four and positive five respectively. The measure for the general economic situation of the country during the last 12 months is up two points to minus 42 – seven points worse than a year ago – while the expectations for the next 12 months fell one point to minus 30 – 15 points worse than last August. The major purchase index – a measure of confidence in buying big ticket items – is up two points to minus 13. Neil Bellamy, consumer insights director at GfK, said: 'The biggest changes in August are in confidence in personal finances, with the scores looking back and ahead a year each up by three points. 'This is likely due to the Bank of England's August 7 cut in interest rates, delivering the lowest cost of borrowing for more than two years. 'The improved sentiment on personal finances is welcome, but there are many clouds on the horizon in the form of inflation – the highest since January 2024 – and rising unemployment. 'There's no shortage of speculation, too, about what the autumn budget will bring in terms of tax rises.' He added: 'While August's overall index score of minus 17 is the best this year, consumer confidence continues to move in a very narrow band, and there's no sense that it is about to break out into fresher, more optimistic territory. 'The UK's consumers are still in wait-and-see mode, and any surprises could result in sudden and sharp changes in sentiment.'
