Latest news with #Lyall
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Council Purchases Strategic CBD Site
Press Release – Marlborough District Council This purchase is about future proofing a vital part of Blenheims town centre for future development opportunities. The site is next to an iconic Council asset Te Kahu o Waipuna a special building which has quickly established itself as … A site on High Street next to the Marlborough Library and Art Gallery at Te Kahu o Waipuna has been purchased by Marlborough District Council. The property, zoned Business One in the Marlborough Environment Plan, is made up of five freehold titles with frontages to both High Street and Wynen Street and is 1147sqm in area. Mayor Nadine Taylor said the chance to purchase a strategic site such as this did not happen often and was an opportunity Council could not afford to miss. 'This purchase is about future proofing a vital part of Blenheim's town centre for future development opportunities. The site is next to an iconic Council asset – Te Kahu o Waipuna – a special building which has quickly established itself as a hub for our community. Council has decided to secure the site to ensure what is developed is complementary to our library and art gallery, adds value to our CBD and to our community at large. 'It also gives us a chance to talk more broadly about the future of Blenheim's CBD as we explore options for the best long-term use of this site. We are keen to get the community's input and this will happen as part of Council's planning processes,' Mayor Taylor said. Group Manager Property and Community Facilities Jamie Lyall said a valution was obtained for the property and the agreed purchase price was within 10 per cent of that valution. The purchase will be loan funded from existing budgets for the first year. 'This purchase shows Council is prepared to invest in the future of the Blenheim CBD. We know there are challenges out there for our retail sector and that the town centre has been changing over time. 'Over the past three or four years we have had numerous approaches to Council with ideas for developments in the centre of town including parking, apartments and pocket parks. With this acquisition, we are demonstrating Council is committed to the future development of Blenheim's central business district. 'Step one is to secure the site so we can then consider all future options for it and engage with the public to have their say about its longer term use. We are also keen in the more immediate term to improve the site and Council will confirm the plan for this once finalised,' Mr Lyall said. With its current zoning, 100 per cent site coverage could be allowed with any development with a permitted building height up to 20m. 'It is advantageous for Council to be able to control future development of the site so that whatever is done is complementary to the library and art gallery and The Quays public space,' Mr Lyall said.
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Council Purchases Strategic CBD Site
Press Release – Marlborough District Council This purchase is about future proofing a vital part of Blenheims town centre for future development opportunities. The site is next to an iconic Council asset Te Kahu o Waipuna a special building which has quickly established itself as … A site on High Street next to the Marlborough Library and Art Gallery at Te Kahu o Waipuna has been purchased by Marlborough District Council. The property, zoned Business One in the Marlborough Environment Plan, is made up of five freehold titles with frontages to both High Street and Wynen Street and is 1147sqm in area. Mayor Nadine Taylor said the chance to purchase a strategic site such as this did not happen often and was an opportunity Council could not afford to miss. 'This purchase is about future proofing a vital part of Blenheim's town centre for future development opportunities. The site is next to an iconic Council asset – Te Kahu o Waipuna – a special building which has quickly established itself as a hub for our community. Council has decided to secure the site to ensure what is developed is complementary to our library and art gallery, adds value to our CBD and to our community at large. 'It also gives us a chance to talk more broadly about the future of Blenheim's CBD as we explore options for the best long-term use of this site. We are keen to get the community's input and this will happen as part of Council's planning processes,' Mayor Taylor said. Group Manager Property and Community Facilities Jamie Lyall said a valution was obtained for the property and the agreed purchase price was within 10 per cent of that valution. The purchase will be loan funded from existing budgets for the first year. 'This purchase shows Council is prepared to invest in the future of the Blenheim CBD. We know there are challenges out there for our retail sector and that the town centre has been changing over time. 'Over the past three or four years we have had numerous approaches to Council with ideas for developments in the centre of town including parking, apartments and pocket parks. With this acquisition, we are demonstrating Council is committed to the future development of Blenheim's central business district. 'Step one is to secure the site so we can then consider all future options for it and engage with the public to have their say about its longer term use. We are also keen in the more immediate term to improve the site and Council will confirm the plan for this once finalised,' Mr Lyall said. With its current zoning, 100 per cent site coverage could be allowed with any development with a permitted building height up to 20m. 'It is advantageous for Council to be able to control future development of the site so that whatever is done is complementary to the library and art gallery and The Quays public space,' Mr Lyall said.
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Council Purchases Strategic CBD Site
A site on High Street next to the Marlborough Library and Art Gallery at Te Kahu o Waipuna has been purchased by Marlborough District Council. The property, zoned Business One in the Marlborough Environment Plan, is made up of five freehold titles with frontages to both High Street and Wynen Street and is 1147sqm in area. Mayor Nadine Taylor said the chance to purchase a strategic site such as this did not happen often and was an opportunity Council could not afford to miss. 'This purchase is about future proofing a vital part of Blenheim's town centre for future development opportunities. The site is next to an iconic Council asset – Te Kahu o Waipuna – a special building which has quickly established itself as a hub for our community. Council has decided to secure the site to ensure what is developed is complementary to our library and art gallery, adds value to our CBD and to our community at large. 'It also gives us a chance to talk more broadly about the future of Blenheim's CBD as we explore options for the best long-term use of this site. We are keen to get the community's input and this will happen as part of Council's planning processes,' Mayor Taylor said. Group Manager Property and Community Facilities Jamie Lyall said a valution was obtained for the property and the agreed purchase price was within 10 per cent of that valution. The purchase will be loan funded from existing budgets for the first year. 'This purchase shows Council is prepared to invest in the future of the Blenheim CBD. We know there are challenges out there for our retail sector and that the town centre has been changing over time. 'Over the past three or four years we have had numerous approaches to Council with ideas for developments in the centre of town including parking, apartments and pocket parks. With this acquisition, we are demonstrating Council is committed to the future development of Blenheim's central business district. 'Step one is to secure the site so we can then consider all future options for it and engage with the public to have their say about its longer term use. We are also keen in the more immediate term to improve the site and Council will confirm the plan for this once finalised,' Mr Lyall said. With its current zoning, 100 per cent site coverage could be allowed with any development with a permitted building height up to 20m. 'It is advantageous for Council to be able to control future development of the site so that whatever is done is complementary to the library and art gallery and The Quays public space,' Mr Lyall said.
Al Etihad
18-05-2025
- Al Etihad
Discover Sir Bani Yas Island: A living legacy of conservation, culture and wilderness
18 May 2025 22:14 RAJEEV CHERIAN (SIR BANI YAS ISLAND)Frolicking gazelles, parading peacocks, and over 17,000 animals roaming freely amid an avian symphony offer an unfiltered glimpse of wilderness on Sir Bani Yas Island. The thriving biodiversity hotspot stands as testimony to the vision of the Founding Father of the UAE to protect the planet and the nation's commitment to safeguarding his legacy. Spanning more than 87 square kilometres, Sir Bani Yas is one of the eight islands in Al Dhafra Region - and the largest natural island in the UAE. It was in 1971 when the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, declared the destination a nature it is home to one of the largest wildlife reserves in the region, the 1,400-hectare Arabian Wildlife Park, located approximately 250km west of Abu island has also become a safe haven for indigenous animals and a stopover for migratory birds. Thriving Flora and FaunaExploring the island is best done in a 4WD especially made for the adventure. As the nature wild drive gently cruises across the sand, visitors catch a glimpse of the sanctuary's residents - from the UAE's national animal, the Arabian oryx, to herds of gazelles, giraffes, and even hyenas and cheetahs, to name a few. From time to time, gazelles crowd around feeding stations, with peacocks and ostriches standing tall in their watchful gaze. Some winged visitors are also spotted, waiting patiently for their turn."Gazelles are social animals, they can adapt to the presence of other animals," said Lyall, a guide at the presence of the large number of animals plays a key role in the fertilisation of the land, he are common elands walking around and giraffes browsing on trees. Some zebras are occasionally sighted and an array of rodents make their presence felt. The Arabian oryx, once facing near-extinction, thrives on the island, thanks to the UAE conservation prefer to feed on acacia or miswak trees as they are low-growing, Lyall the desert terrain, large patches of grassland reminiscent of golf courses can be seen, revealing the island's greening can such lush greenery flourish in the desert? The trees and plants on the reserve are nourished with desalinated water through drip irrigation, the guide the early 1980s, much of the island has been planted with trees, and on the northern and western coasts, more than one square kilometre of the land has been reclaimed from the from holiday-makers who love to spend time in nature, the island is also a top destination for bird-watchers, the guide its historical and cultural significance, the island is well known for its geological features; it is one of a series of salt domes that includes Jebel Dhanna and Delma Island, reads an inscription on the Bani Yas rose from the sea as the peak of a salt dome created millions of years ago. "Deep layers of salt, deposited between 541 and 635 million years ago, were overlain by heavier volcanic rock, limestone and sandstone. Between 5.3 and 16 million years ago, the salt was forced upwards under the pressure of heavier rock. It broke through the surface in a dome shape, bringing deeply buried minerals with it," according to an inscription on the island. "A rise in sea levels around 9,000 and 8,000 years ago led to the flooding of low-lying areas around the salt dome and the formation of the island," it added. History and Culture Sir Bani Yas Island was first mentioned in European literature around 1590 by Gasparo Balbi, an Italian jeweller and merchant, who referred to it as being located in a region where pearls were found, according to an inscription on the also played a crucial role in the history and culture of the Bani Yas tribe, especially in agriculture and pearling. Khor Da'sa on the southeast coast provided a natural harbour for the boats that sailed to the pearl banks between May and October, when the warmer water was preferable for pearl in Al Zahr in the north revealed a well and a walled date palm garden, pointing to the agrarian past of the island dwellers. A Guide for VisitorsThose who wish to have a preview of what the island offers could stop by the visitor centre, which provides a rich selection of curated artefacts, along with information panels. The island also offers kayaking, mountain biking, archery, hiking, equestrian and snorkelling activities. Day tours to the park, however, can only be booked through the Anantara activities visitor Rachel, who explored the island with her children, was in awe of the many fascinating insights that can be learnt from the destination. Aboard the 4WD on the nature wild drive, she told her kids the story of the UAE's Ghaf tree and other fascinating information about the island's inhabitants. "It's an amazing and informative experience. It also reinstils in us the importance of nature preservation," she said.
Hamilton Spectator
12-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Builders say Ontario government legislation will spur new home building
Vaughan, Ont., May 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) commends the Ford government for introducing legislation that will cut red tape, streamline approvals and tackle other issues that add to the cost of a new home, as it will spur more building. 'In light of the dire housing supply and affordability crisis that we are facing, the proposed legislative changes are critical to eliminating hurdles and reducing costs so that the residential construction industry can get back on track and build the housing that Ontario needs,' says RESCON president Richard Lyall. 'Today's announcement aligns with many of the priorities identified by RESCON over the past two years to support residential housing construction and new home building. The actions undertaken by the government are vital to this effort.' Specifically, RESCON is pleased that the legislation aims to standardize development charges (DCs) levied by municipalities to pay for infrastructure that supports new developments. For years, RESCON has been calling on municipalities to work to reduce the impact of these charges, as they raise the price tag of a home and are ultimately paid by consumers. The bill would also allow developers to remit DC payments at the point of occupancy instead of much earlier in the planning approvals process. The legislation would also give the provincial government a direct say in the development approvals process and place limits on how many studies a municipality could request from a home builder. Meanwhile, the bill would allow the minister of infrastructure to issue MZOs and exempt transit-oriented communities from zoning and planning rules governed by local towns and cities. The provincial government also announced other significant changes such as increasing its investment in housing-enabling infrastructure by adding $400 million in immediate funding to the Housing-Enabling Water Systems Fund and the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Fund. Ontario is struggling to meet its goal of building 1.5 million homes by 2031. The glacial planning approvals process and exorbitant tax burdens are major causes. A report done by the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis revealed that the tax and fee burden in Ontario averages almost 36 per cent of the purchase price of a new home – up from 31 per cent three years earlier. Hikes in development charges accounted for a big chunk of that increase. Young adults are leaving Ontario because they can't find affordable homes. According to latest statistics, 8,094 young people left Ontario in 2024 while Alberta gained 18,413. Ontario, which used to lead net gains for workers, has held the title of biggest loser for four consecutive years. 'At a time when there are so many challenges facing the residential construction industry, these changes are necessary and essential as they will simplify the approvals process and make the homebuilding process more efficient,' says Lyall. 'The housing affordability and supply crisis is the most intense challenge facing the homebuilding sector in decades and nothing short of significant and collaborative effort can assist in turning this situation around. Today's announcement was a major step towards implementing the required solutions.' RESCON is the province's leading association of residential builders committed to providing leadership and fostering innovation in the industry.
