Latest news with #demolition
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Britain's busiest railway is shutting for 3 WEEKS next month for £20million demolition – check dates to avoid
A BUSY UK railway will close for three weeks as a major demolition gets underway. Passengers are advised to check the dates affecting the route, which is the most used in the country. 3 3 This August, engineers will set out to improve future journeys across three counties during a rare three-week railway closure. Network Rail teams will oversee multiple large-scale projects carried out through Stockport. The West Coast Main Line in Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Greater Manchester will be closed between Saturday, August 2 and Saturday, August 23. During this time the highly anticipated £20m demolition and replacement of Greek Street roundabout will take place. The roundabout is located over the railway south of Stockport station, meaning train service through the area will be brought to a halt during these dates. Tracks will be clear of most train traffic along approximately 50 miles of the line, between Staffordshire and Stockport. This is a major disruption considering the West Coast Main Line is Europe's busiest mixed-traffic railway. Rail works However, the roundabout construction provides the perfect opportunity for Network Rail to access the railway for dozens of additional railway upgrades. The largest of these schemes involves an additional £23 million investment. Planned works include the strengthening and waterproofing of the River Trent Viaduct in Stone. Scotland hit by flooding chaos as thunderstorms leave roads & rail lines completely under water Work will also be carried out to upgrade the power supply to overhead lines in Stockport. Meanwhile, track renewals will take place in Stone, Hixon, and Congleton. Railway point replacement will be carried out in Macclesfield while there will be platform work at Poynton station. The railway drainage system at Trentham is also due to be upgraded during this period. And a new footbridge will be constructed at Longport station. Smaller maintenance activities will also be taking place, including upgrades to signal boxes and level crossings. Condensing all this work into those three weeks is more efficient, helping to save money for the taxpayer while minimising disruption to commuters. Minimal disruption The alternative would involves years of disruptive weekend or overnight work. It has also been carefully planned during the school summer holidays, when less commuters are on the roads and railway lines. And those who are disrupted during this time can use replacement bus services or take trains using diversionary routes. As these will vary from day to day, anyone planning travel between theses dates is urged to use to carefully plan their journey. In particular, there will be no services north of Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester for the duration of the closure. Christian Irwin OBE, Network Rail's North West and Central region Capital Delivery director, spoke about the works. 'We know that any railway closure means changes to people's travel plans, so we've worked hard to make sure we carry out as many improvement projects as efficiently and effectively as possible during this rare three-week window when routes in and around Stockport are closed," he said. 'When combined all of these upgrades will greatly improve the future reliability for passenger and freight trains on the West Coast Main Line for years to come. "During the significant improvements, we're advising people to plan ahead and remember to check before they travel by using National Rail Enquiries.' More on rail An English train station is due to shut for two years ahead of major £11.5 million revamp. Another major station is scheduled to close for a month while upgrades take place. Plus, London commuters were issued a travel warning follow significant delays this week. And a unique UK train station dating back 90 years will also shut for the entire summer during a major revamp. A huge new £166 million railway station is set to transform a market town with first mainline trains in 50 years. 3
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Province accepting proposals to save former Royal Alberta Museum building
A new request for proposals to preserve the old Royal Alberta Museum building is reviving hopes that the well-known structure can be saved from demolition. In a news release on Friday, the provincial government announced it is offering a final opportunity for proposals to either maintain or repurpose the vacant building in the Glenora neighbourhood in Edmonton. The province estimates that the overall cost to repurpose the former museum site would be at least $150 million. "If a community group can raise $150 million, and put together a great proposal, then we should be open to that," Premier Danielle Smith said at an unrelated news conference on Friday. In a news release, Martin Long, Alberta's minister of infrastructure, said in response to public feedback, the province has created this last chance to "explore all avenues for repurposing the site." This request marks a significant shift from the province's previous decision last August to tear down the former museum and replace it with a green space. Since the old RAM building closed its doors to the public in December 2015, it has remained vacant. The province reports that the empty building continues to cost taxpayers more than $700,000 annually in operating and maintenance fees. Last year, the province estimated that the cost to demolish the building would be between $22 and $48 million. WATCH | One last opportunity to save the old RAM: Stuart Adams, the chair of the Save the Old RAM task force, a community group that has been advocating for the preservation of the building, said the new opportunity for proposals is a major goal his organization has been working toward. "Our intent was to get the government to stand back, take a sober look, and go to the market to find out how this building can be repurposed rather than razed," said Adams. Adams said the building's location, materials, and design provide the space with major potential as a future resource, and that his group is open to any practical proposals that would save the historic structure. "We feel that the market is better suited to [do] that and to consult the community, look at their resources, and identify the best use for this building because it is a special building," said Adams. The vice-chair of the Save the Old RAM task force, Lewis Cardinal, said residents living around the building have been very receptive to the idea of preserving the structure. "In Glenora …there is a tremendous amount of support from the local community to do something that's going to be unique, [and] that supports them," Cardinal said. "They don't want to see this space lost. They want to make sure that it serves not only them but also everyone else." LISTEN | Local advocacy organization works to preserve the former RAM building
CBC
11 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Province accepting proposals to save former Royal Alberta Museum building
A new request for proposals to preserve the old Royal Alberta Museum building is reviving hopes that the well-known structure can be saved from demolition. In a news release on Friday, the provincial government announced it is offering a final opportunity for proposals to either maintain or repurpose the vacant building in the Glenora neighbourhood in Edmonton. The province estimates that the overall cost to repurpose the former museum site would be at least $150 million. "If a community group can raise $150 million, and put together a great proposal, then we should be open to that," Premier Danielle Smith said at an unrelated news conference on Friday. In a news release, Martin Long, Alberta's minister of infrastructure, said in response to public feedback, the province has created this last chance to "explore all avenues for repurposing the site." This request marks a significant shift from the province's previous decision last August to tear down the former museum and replace it with a green space. Since the old RAM building closed its doors to the public in December 2015, it has remained vacant. The province reports that the empty building continues to cost taxpayers more than $700,000 annually in operating and maintenance fees. Last year, the province estimated that the cost to demolish the building would be between $22 and $48 million. Former Royal Alberta Museum given another chance 2 days ago Stuart Adams, the chair of the Save the Old RAM task force, a community group that has been advocating for the preservation of the building, said the new opportunity for proposals is a major goal his organization has been working toward. "Our intent was to get the government to stand back, take a sober look, and go to the market to find out how this building can be repurposed rather than razed," said Adams. Adams said the building's location, materials, and design provide the space with major potential as a future resource, and that his group is open to any practical proposals that would save the historic structure. "We feel that the market is better suited to [do] that and to consult the community, look at their resources, and identify the best use for this building because it is a special building," said Adams. The vice-chair of the Save the Old RAM task force, Lewis Cardinal, said residents living around the building have been very receptive to the idea of preserving the structure. "In Glenora …there is a tremendous amount of support from the local community to do something that's going to be unique, [and] that supports them," Cardinal said. "They don't want to see this space lost. They want to make sure that it serves not only them but also everyone else."
BBC News
15 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Leicester flats demolition plan reveals asbestos concerns
A disused block of flats in Leicester earmarked for demolition would have to be torn down by hand due to asbestos, planning documents Leys building off Upper Temple Walk in Beaumont Leys has been empty for seven years and fallen into a "state of disrepair", the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) City Council wants to demolish it to make way for 52 new homes on the site and on vacant land approved, the authority said it hoped the demolition could be completed in December. The building was bought by the city council in 2019, but two previous attempts to redevelop it came to nothing after building defects resulted in increased project application seeking demolition approval reveal concerns over asbestos in the building, which would need to be "handled carefully" and removed by a licensed company, said the building would need to be torn down by hand, while no crushing or burning of materials would be allowed on the site and no explosives can be used, the authority screening would also be installed to reduce dust impacting on the nearby school and council said it hoped a decision on whether to approve the demolition would be made by 5 September.
ABC News
17 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Bali officials begin demolishing Bingin Beach tourist spots, declaring 'none of them have permits'
Officials have begun destroying beachside villas and restaurants in a Bali tourist hotspot after more than 40 businesses and buildings were assessed to be "illegal". The proposed crackdown on "illegally built" buildings at the world famous Bingin Beach in Uluwatu — an incredibly popular destination for Australians and global surfers in southern Bali — finally came to fruition on Monday. Unable to bring in heavy machinery due to the buildings' steep cliff-side construction, local workers — aided by police — began smashing tables and doors to smithereens during the government-enforced demolitions. Piercing through the usual sounds of surf and busy bars, were the screams of Balinese men and women desperately trying to protect their businesses. Surrounded by officials and local media, Bali's governor, I Wayan Koster, said almost 50 businesses and buildings would be demolished under the crackdown. "The buildings for tourism businesses here are illegal — that's it," he said. "We should not let this practice continue. If we let this go on, Bali will be damaged." Employees, business owners, locals and tourists watched on in horror, many of them shouting and wailing. Amid this chaos, a Balinese woman screamed out. "This is how the bureaucrats work. They've demolished our livelihoods." These demolitions are a dramatic flashpoint as Bali grapples with extraordinary demand from tourists, a construction gold rush on the island, and calls to better preserve its natural beauty. It comes as visitor numbers to Bali recover to pre-pandemic levels, with 2025 on track to set an annual record of international tourists of more than 6.3 million. Uluwatu has been a popular destination for decades, known for its amazing surf breaks, white beaches and clifftop views. In the last few years, Uluwatu, like much of Bali, has seen a rapid transformation, with villas, restaurants and cafes springing up on its cliffs to cater to the booming tourism industry. A mixture of Indonesian-owned and foreign-backed businesses have been cashing in. In the last few months, media reported Bali's local government ruled that a swathe of villas and businesses in Bingin Beach were constructed illegally. One local government chair said the buildings "hurt the Balinese architectural philosophy that prioritises harmony with nature, culture, and spirituality". That kicked off a dispute over their legality, with local officials issuing "self-demolition" orders in recent weeks. Business owners have told the ABC that six Australians are business partners of some of the villas, bars and restaurants under the demolition orders in Uluwatu. When the businesses didn't demolish their own buildings, Balinese officials moved in on Monday with sledgehammers. "There's been a violation of the rural planning master plan, this area is meant to be part of the green-belt," Governor Koster said. "These buildings here, none of them have permits." As the restaurant of the Morabito Art Cliff Villa was being levelled, its manager, Komang Agus, said the demolitions showed no empathy. "One thousand people at Bingin Beach are losing their jobs right now," he said. "There's no justice for us. Development projects continue out there … why are we being targeted?" Some locals say they feel the land is being cleared for developers. On the morning of the demolitions, protesters waved signs that read: "Save Bingin, stop the demolition. Bingin is our home — not for sale!" Another manager of the restaurant being destroyed on Monday, Komang Ayu, said she was now uncertain how she would look after her family. "I have two small children and a husband. I'm also taking care of both parents, they are old," she said. "I heard rumours that Bingin will be demolished and rebuilt bigger … but I am not sure whether they will recruit us." Business owners told the ABC they felt there should have been a longer period of consultation, given some of the businesses have been around for decades. I Wayan Salam Oka Suadnyana, the owner of one of the businesses being demolished, said his mother started the business as a kiosk in the 80s. "I have an old picture of her and the kiosk, she started it when I was five years old," he said. "We knew that this land belonged to the local government, we don't hold a land ownership certificate … but we have contributed in developing the tourism industry here. "After all that has been established, now the government wants to take the rights back? "We just want a win-win solution from the government, we want fairness for us all. We pay taxes monthly." The manager of the villas and restaurant, Aldo Rama, said about three dozen of his colleagues would lose their jobs. "We have contributed a lot to develop this beach and contribute incomes for the local government through tax," he said. "I feel so sad, not just me, but all the workers in Bingin Beach feel so sad. "This will affect Bali's image, especially people who want to stay in Bingin Beach." One Australian surfer said it was sad to see the demolitions unfold. "As a surfer travelling to Bali and experiencing this place, its people and culture, it's a little bit sad this morning to see all these people upset," he told the ABC. "Bali is developing at a really rapid rate, so how that happens, who is in charge and what decisions get made can be a very complex process, and I think we're seeing that unfold here today." Another Australian said she felt the day would go down in the history of Bali. The 48 business owners have launched legal action in a bid to protect their properties. But Bali's governor said a reckoning was coming for everyone. "[Our] office is preparing an audit team to investigate all tourism licenses across Bali," Governor Koster told media and the crowd. "If any violation is found, we will correct them, firm and hard. "Of course, through the legal process first."
