Latest news with #Blyth
The Irish Sun
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Council slammed for £50million ‘bridge to nowhere' as officials admit they ‘can't afford to finish half-built road'
A COUNCIL has been slammed for building a "bridge to nowhere" that may never be finished. The £50 million bridge was part of a project started by Lincolnshire County Council in 2022 to ease traffic on the A16. Advertisement 3 Construction has been delayed by monetary issues Credit: Bav Media 3 The "bridge to nowhere" has left locals angry about wasted taxpayer money Credit: Bav Media 3 An estimated £50 to £60 million is needed to finish the project Credit: Bav Media On Monday, May 2, officials admitted the project - known as the Spalding western relief road - might not be completed. It comes as the council are seeking up to £33 million in "external funding" in the hopes of finishing the development. They cited This led the council to scrap nearly £28 million in funding in 2023 for their road projects. Advertisement Read more Motors As a result, the relief road has been left with a "road to nowhere bridge." Residents and campaigners have been They have criticised it as a waste of taxpayer money, as aerial photos showed that the ongoing work had suddenly stopped. In a Advertisement Most read in Motors Exclusive Commenters on the video shared their own frustrations with similarly unfinished projects across the UK. One wrote: "We have an unfinished roundabout with NO finish date for when it will ever open. Total p*** take of the tax-payers." Blyth's Crisis: Locals Voice Anger Over Crime, Job Losses, and Political Betrayal Another sarcastically commented: "Awesome. A road with no traffic and rail lines with no trains." Others expressed their disappointment at the state of British infrastructure, writing: "It's got to the point I'll be dizzy with astonishment and suspicion when a road project success story comes along." Advertisement Construction of the north section of the four-mile-long, five-section road was completed in October 2024 - including the bridge. This 0.6 mile stretch of road, was complete with a T-junction for later extension, and a bridge over a railway between Doncaster and Peterborough. The council's highways department told According to the department, £27.7 million has been set aside for the southern section of the road in the upcoming 2025-26 budget. Advertisement This is still much lower than the They said: "The current estimated cost of building this section is between £50 and £60 million, which means external funding will be needed." The council said they are working closely with South Holland district council to "identify funding opportunities, including remaining in touch with Homes England." They added: "In addition, no funding has yet been allocated or secured for the middle sections of the relief road as these are intended to be built in the long term." Advertisement According to the project description, "the primary source of funding for both [southern and middle roads]" is likely to come in the form of contributions from developers. Their ongoing plans are outlined in the Project bosses have estimated that the project will now take until 2030, with the financial issues causing significant setbacks. The completed northern section of the road has freed up land that could be used for 1,100 properties. Advertisement Parts of the project remain fenced off. We have reached out to Lincolnshire County Council for comment.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Dan Burn receives Freedom of Northumberland honour
Newcastle United's Dan Burn was hailed a "Northumberland legend" as he collected his home county's highest Blyth-born defender, whose towering header helped the Magpies to a historic Carabao Cup win in March, has been presented with the Freedom of said he was "quite emotional" after receiving an ornate scroll, medal and tie decorated with the Northumberland flag, in a special ceremony at County Hall."It's a real honour, especially for just playing football," he said. The award caps a remarkable few months for the 33-year-old, who also made his first England appearance in March and has recently signed a new contract to keep him at Newcastle until 2027."It is always nice to get footballing achievements, but to be given this away from football as well is a real privilege and quite emotional," Burn told the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The Freedom of Northumberland is a symbolic status bestowed upon individuals to recognise their services to the Lioness Lucy Bronze is a former leader Glen Sanderson, who nominated Burn for the honour, said the defender was "someone with a proud Blyth history"."He is a very good man and also a hero to many for what he has achieved on and off the pitch- a real Northumberland legend," he Howe has also been awarded the Freedom of Newcastle this week, an honour held by club legends such as Alan Shearer, Jackie Milburn and Sir Bobby Robson. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
How can Starmer square Labour's absurd Net Zero drive with his plans for this £10BILLION AI data centre that could emit as much CO2 as an airport? ROSS CLARK
For a Prime Minister who has laid out his priorities as 'growth, growth, growth', the prospect of ten gleaming 'data centres' rising on the Northumberland coast is manna from heaven. The contrast between the architect's drawing of these huge factory-like centres – built to house millions of computer servers – and the coal-fired power station that used to stand here, north of the town of Blyth, could not be greater.
Miami Herald
27-05-2025
- Miami Herald
From wild kittens in Thailand to camera traps in India: See latest from Asia
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. In the forests, on top of mountains and along the beaches of Asia, colorful and rare creatures are discovered in their natural habitat. It's one of the most diverse regions of the world. Take a look at some recent stories from the continent: Predator's adorable kittens found abandoned in Thailand — then came rescue In southwestern Thailand, three leopard cat kittens were found abandoned and weak, prompting a rescue by wildlife officials. The kittens were taken to the Kathu Wildlife Sanctuary for rehabilitation, with the goal of eventually returning them to the wild. Leopard cats, resembling housecats but with longer legs and spotted coats, are protected in Thailand and face threats from habitat loss and poaching. | Published May 2 | Read More | Camera traps spot rare vibrant creature in India forest. 'Promising haven' In the forests of eastern India, camera traps set by the NGO ENFOGAL captured images of the rare Blyth's tragopan, a vulnerable bird species. This discovery highlights Shirui as a promising haven for bird enthusiasts, showcasing the area's rich biodiversity. The Blyth's tragopan, with its vibrant colors, faces threats from hunting and habitat destruction. | Published May 7 | Read More | Rare creature named after 'hundred-eyed giant' spotted showing off at Thai park In Thailand's Kathun Wildlife Sanctuary, a trail camera captured a male great argus pheasant performing a remarkable courtship display. This at-risk species, named after a 'hundred-eyed giant' due to its eye-spotted feathers, is a positive sign for the sanctuary's conservation efforts. The great argus' population is declining, making such sightings significant for wildlife officials. | Published May 14 | Read More | Tick-infested creature bites researcher in Papua New Guinea. It's a new species On Sudest Island, Papua New Guinea, a new species of snake named Aspidomorphus dimorphus was discovered after biting a researcher. This snake, with its unique bimodal color pattern, was identified as distinct from other species in the region. | Published May 2 | Read More | 'Fighting' fish that survives drought by hiding in the mud is new rare species In Sumatra, researchers identified a new species of betta fish called Betta iaspis, found in a forest peat swamp. This fish, with its reddish-brown head and iridescent blue patches, survives droughts by hiding in moist mud. Researchers recommend the species be listed as critically endangered due to its limited habitat threatened by human activities. | Published May 16 | Read More |
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Data centre blitz threatens Labour's net zero hopes
Sir Keir Starmer's bid to boost the economy with a slew of new data centres threatens to undermine Labour's net zero goals, campaigners have warned. Just one £10bn data centre project in the North East will emit as much carbon dioxide as one of Britain's busiest airports, highlighting the difficult trade-offs facing the Prime Minister as he seeks to both improve growth and reduce emissions. A complex of 10 facilities near Blyth, Northumberland, will generate more greenhouse gas emissions than Birmingham Airport, which carries 12m passengers per year, planning documents show. The project, which will cover 133 acres, is being helmed by Blackstone-backed QTS and was touted by the Prime Minister last September as a 'huge vote of confidence in the UK'. Work is expected to start on the site later this year. Martha Dark, of the non-profit group Foxglove, said: 'It is difficult to see how the Government plans to reach its manifesto commitment of hitting net zero by 2050 when it is approving construction projects that add the impact of a major regional airport to our annual emissions.' Data centres are crucial to artificial intelligence (AI) and Sir Keir has made establishing them a key priority as he seeks to harness the new technology. Data centres were designated as critical national infrastructure last September and the Prime Minister has identified certain areas as 'AI growth zones', making it is easier to build there. The projects require huge amounts of power. In a report this week, Alex de Vries-Gao, founder of the Digiconomist website, calculated AI data centres would need 23GW of power worldwide by the end of 2025. The UK's average national power demand is around 30GW. Tech companies have turned to nuclear to try and meet the surging demand for power in an environmentally friendly way, including restarting ageing plants. However, the industry has struggled to bring nuclear power online fast enough to meet rising demand. Both Microsoft and Google reported increases in their carbon emissions in their latest annual reports. In a paper published in the journal Joule, Mr de Vries-Gao said: 'There are early indications that these data centres could exacerbate dependence on fossil fuels.' The 'hyperscale' data centre in Blyth, which received the green light earlier this month, will emit 184,160 tonnes of CO2 per year once operational. Northumberland County Council, which approved the scheme, said the facility would double its overall industrial emissions and represent 12pc of the county's overall emissions by 2030. Council documents show officials asked QTS to consider adding more renewable power or battery storage facilities to its plans, however the developer had 'discounted' these as impractical. The data facility's expected emissions assume the UK remains on track with its plans to decarbonise the grid. In an environmental report submitted by QTS, the operator said it had received feedback that the council was concerned the project could 'throw off' the local authority's own green target of carbon neutrality by 2030. Councillors agreed to proceed with the scheme regardless. Ms Dark said: 'The most optimistic forecasts for this new hyperscale data centre in Northumberland say it would create close to 200,000 tonnes of new carbon emissions each year – somewhere between the annual emissions of Birmingham and Edinburgh airports.' A Government spokesman said: 'Our Clean Power Action Plan will enable the development of new energy intensive industries such as data centres, helping to grow the economy. 'Advanced modular reactors will play a particularly important role in growing energy-hungry sectors like AI and we're shaking up the planning rules to make it easier to build nuclear power stations across the country.' A Northumberland County Council spokesman said: 'The council's strategic planning committee carefully considered a wide range of issues contained within the environmental statement submitted as part of the application under the EIA regulations. 'In making their decision members noted that the applicant will be utilising a high number of sustainable practices which will help to mitigate its carbon footprint. The applicant will also continue to look at innovative technology throughout the life of the development, which could in the future help to mitigate against this further.' A QTS spokesman said: 'The right energy mix is crucial for building this vital infrastructure. From day one, our industry-leading design and advanced water-cooling systems will drive maximum energy efficiency. We are further committed to finding new ways to reducing future emissions by integrating renewables into our energy supply and repurposing residual heat to benefit the local community.' Blackstone bought the site in Blyth, Northumberland, that QTS now plans to develop last year after the failure of Britishvolt, an electric vehicle battery business, which had originally intended to develop the land. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
