Latest news with #TomButler
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
Travellers using e-bike chargers to charm planners into approving new site, claim neighbours
A group of travellers is attempting to persuade councillors to approve a new settlement by including 'performative' e-bike chargers in their plans, villagers have claimed. Michael Chalk and Tom Butler have made a retrospective application for the development in the New Forest village of Burley, Hants, where they have put up static caravans on former pony paddocks, and have included the chargers and cycle sheds in their plans. But residents say the inclusion of the 'token sustainability features' does not offset the environmental impact of the application, which also includes two static caravans, two touring caravans, parking, bin stores, and boundary fencing. One villager, Philip Mosley, said: 'Token sustainability features, such as electric vehicle and e-bike charging points, do not genuinely offset the environmental impacts of permanent housing, increased traffic, waste production and extensive hard surfaces. 'True sustainability should align naturally with the environmental context, rather than as serving as superficial additions.' Mr Mosley warned that approval would set a 'concerning precedent' and encourage similar applications. He added: ' Protecting the unique character of the New Forest National Park should be a top priority.' Burley has a population of just over 1,300 and is surrounded by the open heathland of the New Forest. The traveller site is located just off Ringwood Road, which runs through the historic village. Andrew and Rachel Holloway live next to the paddocks, and said before the site was developed in March, they overlooked fields and hedgerows. But they said the land has 'completely changed' since the travellers built on the site, adding: 'The pony paddocks have been urbanised, and the natural beauty of the fields and surrounding area in this conservation area damaged.' 'Superficial nods to sustainability' Mr and Mrs Holloway also claimed the addition of the caravans and grey plastic bike sheds does not enhance the landscape and 'scenic beauty' of the New Forest They said: 'It certainly harms the character and appearance of the area, and would never be considered as high‐quality design.' Another neighbour argued: 'The application appears to exploit features – such as electric vehicle and e-bike charging points – as superficial nods to sustainability objectives. Sustainability, in planning terms, is holistic and must be contextually appropriate, not performative.' More than 70 neighbours have objected to the plans. Mr Chalk and Mr Butler have also been criticised for putting up 'threatening signage' outside the site when they moved in. One sign reads: 'Strictly no entry without permission. Please beware. Reactive guard dogs roaming loose which will bite you.' In their application, the two men say their families intend to integrate into village life, using local shops and other amenities. In response to concerns raised by locals, Mr Chalk said he was 'surprised' to learn of the comments as he has 'only encountered positive and welcoming people in and around the village'. He added that he wished to 'reassure those residents who have formed a negative opinion' that it is only Mr Butler's young family and his own family, who will be occupying the site. He also claimed that in the event they were unable to remain, the land would be fully restored to its former equestrian stables and yard use. The New Forest Park Authority will make a decision on the plans later this week.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
Travellers woo council in bid to get new settlement approved by promising to install e-bike chargers to prove their eco credentials
A group of travellers are hoping to obtain council planning permission for a new settlement by installing e-bike chargers to prove their eco credentials. In a bid to woo the local council, Michael Chalk and Tom Butler have been accused of including 'token sustainability features' in their planning application in order to have their plans approved for a rural site in Burley, New Forest. Their controversial application has caused a row amongst locals in the ancient village located in the heart of Hampshire's idyllic New Forest, after the pair and their families set up static caravans on the former horse paddocks before then lodging plans to install e-bike chargers and cycle sheds. In a move dubbed by locals as 'performative', the travellers have proposed to build grey, plastic e-bike sheds and charging ports on the field. Submitting a retrospective planning application to install two static caravans, two touring caravans, parking, bin and cycle stores, e-bike charging points and boundary fencing on the former pony paddocks earlier this year, their plans have now sparked outrage amongst local villagers. Opposing the 'urbanising nature' of the development and its 'superficial additions', more than 70 local residents have since objected to the application. Philip Mosley, a local resident, expressed his particular distaste for the e-bike chargers, stating: 'Token sustainability features, such as electric vehicle and e-bike charging points, do not genuinely offset the environmental impacts of permanent housing, increased traffic, waste production, and extensive hard surfaces. 'True sustainability should align naturally with the environmental context, rather than serving as superficial additions.' Mr Mosley also raised concerns that such approval could set a 'concerning precedent' and encourage similar applications. He added: 'Protecting the unique character of the New Forest National Park should be a top priority. 'While acknowledging the need for suitable accommodation options for all communities, including Gypsy and Traveller groups, this particular proposal significantly fails to meet essential planning criteria. 'The negative consequences clearly outweigh any perceived benefits.' The traveller site runs through the historic village of Burley. With a population of just over 1,300 and popular with tourists, it is surrounded by the open heathland of the New Forest. Andrew and Rachel Holloway live next to the paddocks and said that prior to the site's development in March, they overlooked fields and hedgerows. But now, since the travellers have built on the site, they reported that the land has 'completely changed' as the pony paddocks have become 'urbanised', while the 'natural beauty of the fields and surrounding area' has been left 'damaged'. The couple also remarked that the addition of the caravans and grey plastic bike sheds does not help to enhance the landscape and 'scenic beauty' of the New Forest. They added: 'It certainly harms the character and appearance of the area, and would never be considered as high-quality design.' Another neighbour, Mr Briggs, said while the application is framed as a 'multi-functional rural enterprise', the true proposal is 'unambiguously residential'. He wrote: 'The application appears to exploit features-such as electric vehicle and e-bike charging points-as superficial nods to sustainability objectives. 'These token elements cannot reasonably be construed as mitigating factors for the intrusive environmental and visual impacts of permanent dwellings, waste generation, hard infrastructure, and increased vehicular activity. 'Sustainability, in planning terms, is holistic and must be contextually appropriate-not performative.' Mr Chalk and Mr Butler have also received criticism for putting up 'threatening signage' outside of the site when they moved in. One of the signs placed outside of the site reads: 'Strictly no entry without permission. Please beware. Reactive guard dogs roaming loose which will bite you.' Within their application, the two men said that their families intend to integrate into village life, using local shops and other amenities. However, one objector disagreed with such claim, arguing: 'The tall fencing and aggressive signage displayed at the entrance do not suggest a willingness to integrate with the community.' Dr A Lawrence Dr C Walter even described such application as 'mischievous', suggesting that it 'seeks to legalise an encroachment of a built residential environment onto rural land, and that in a National Park'. They added: 'The proposal is for static homes with attendant infrastructure - charging points, bin stores, cycle stores. 'It urbanises and its fences suburbanise what was a pony paddock in a rural setting. 'There is nothing temporary in this proposal just as there is nothing rural or agricultural. Already mostly built, it sets a damaging precedent for incremental (sub)urbanisation of the village.' The New Forest Park Authority are set to make a decision on the plans later this week.
Techday NZ
23-04-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Lenovo unveils new ThinkPads for AI-powered hybrid working
Lenovo has announced a refreshed lineup of ThinkPad devices aimed at meeting the needs of professionals working in AI-powered and hybrid environments. The new portfolio includes the ThinkPad P14s Gen 6 AMD and ThinkPad P16s Gen 4 AMD mobile workstations, as well as updated ThinkPad L Series business laptops and expanded ThinkPad X1 Aura Editions. Lenovo has focused on integrating features to support advanced workloads, sustainability targets, and flexible work models across the range. "Lenovo is defining the new era of AI computing for professionals with advanced workstation solutions that empower the workflows for people that design and build amazing things. With exceptional performance in a mobile form factor for compute-heavy, AI-driven applications, the newest ThinkPad P series workstations accelerate innovation and productivity," Rob Herman, Vice President, Worldwide Workstation and Client AI Business at Lenovo, said. "The latest ThinkPad L series portfolio reflects how we design for the real needs of business users — from creative professionals and knowledge workers to remote teams and large enterprises. Whether you need mobile workstation power or scalable productivity, Lenovo is delivering the flexibility and intelligence required to thrive in the AI era," Tom Butler, Vice President, Commercial Portfolio and Product Management, Lenovo Intelligent Devices Group, added. The ThinkPad P14s Gen 6 AMD is described as the thinnest and lightest mobile workstation in Lenovo's portfolio, weighing 1.39kg with a thickness of 16.13mm. Meanwhile, the ThinkPad P16s Gen 4 AMD offers increased portability and performance, targeting professionals dealing with complex workloads while on the move. Both are powered by AMD Ryzen AI PRO 300 Series processors—up to the Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370, which can reach 5.1GHz and has 12 cores—delivering up to 50 NPU TOPS to accelerate AI-optimised workflows and multitasking. The AMD RDNATM 3.5 graphics architecture supports these devices, offers up to 96GB of memory, and is designed for high-performance tasks, such as CAD and BIM workloads. Furthermore, battery life and flexibility are emphasised, with a unified memory architecture enabling up to 75% of memory to be allocated to the GPU when needed. Both workstations are certified by ISVs for key industry applications. Lenovo cites up to 82 TOPS of heterogeneous AI processing power, enabling features such as AI assistants to streamline everyday professional tasks. Lenovo has also refreshed its ThinkPad L Series, including the ThinkPad L14 Gen 6 and ThinkPad L16 Gen 2. These business laptops continue to deliver configurability, reliability, and scalability, now offering options with the latest Intel Core Ultra 200U and 200H processors and AMD Ryzen AI PRO 300 Series mobile processors, depending on configuration. The ThinkPad L14 Gen 6 and L16 Gen 2 can be configured with up to 64GB of memory and up to 2TB of SSD storage. Smaller models, including the ThinkPad L13 Gen 6 and L13 2-in-1 Gen 6, support up to 32GB of memory and up to 1TB of SSD storage. The L Series now offers improved display options, with brighter panels for enhanced visibility. The updated ThinkPad L13 Gen 6 and L13 2-in-1 Gen 6 feature a redesigned chassis, offering a smaller footprint and a higher screen-to-body ratio, as well as new collaboration features, including a 5mp+ir camera and an optional world-facing camera on the 2-in-1 variant. Both models use 50% recycled aluminium in the top cover and are packaged in materials with 90% recycled and/or FSC-certified content. Across the latest portfolio, Lenovo has introduced enhancements to support user accessibility and ease of management. Features include enhanced collaboration, such as Dolby Atmos audio with Elevoc noise suppression. There are also expanded connectivity options, including Wi-Fi 7 and dual Thunderbolt 4 ports. Additionally, more customer-replaceable units are available for components like batteries and keyboards. Improved security is provided via ThinkShield, featuring BIOS-level protections, secure wipe, and integrated privacy controls. Built-in software tools, such as Lenovo Commercial Vantage and Lenovo View, also assist with device management and offer AI-powered video features. Lenovo is also adding more configuration choices to its premium ThinkPad X1 range. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition and ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition will now be available with the latest Intel Core Ultra 200U and 200H processors and Intel vPro, offering performance, manageability, and collaboration tools focused on business professionals. These devices continue the "Aura Edition" experience, providing enhancements in design and user experience for professionals seeking premium mobility. The new ThinkPad devices will be available in EMEA with the following expected starting prices (excluding VAT): ThinkPad P14s AMD Gen 6 at EUR €1379, ThinkPad P16s AMD Gen 4 at EUR €1419, Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 6 at EUR €1069, Lenovo ThinkPad L13 2-in-1 Gen 6 at EUR €1199, Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 6 and L16 Gen 2 at EUR €1099, ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition at EUR €1679, and ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 10 Aura Edition at EUR €1879.
