Tag Archives: development
RICS sets out bold new vision for UK property market
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has proposed a new solution to solve the UK's chronic housing shortage including the introduction of a new land classification. There are a raft of recommendations in the Property in Politics report with the new classification called Amberfield which would create a pipeline of 'ready to go' land, increase housing supply and promote development opportunities. Under RICS proposals, Local Authorities and communities will have to work together to label sites favourable for development as Amberfield and each Local Plan will have to include a set quota of Amberfield, ready to be developed for housing. The quota is expected to be set between 30 and 50% but the framework and guidelines for each quota would be open to consultation in order to match the specific needs of each Local Authority and community. Amberfield sites would have to be developed within five years and therefore Local Authorities will be required to approve planning consent for Amberfield within a set time frame, otherwise the Authority would risk being classed as 'failing' under the RICS proposed OfPlan assessment. The new classification will enable local housing needs to be met and would create a five year land supply that works for communities and builders. The community will have better understanding of the planning process, more control over what is built where, and be able to see the long term development plan. While both brownfield and greenfield play an important role in the current planning system, both classifications block or slow development and local growth is being impeded by extensive battles to bring forward land. RICS says that Amberfield will speed up the process and take out cost for both developers and local authorities, enabling homes to be built faster on the agreed sites. It will provide certainty to investors, unlocking development opportunities, and will also encourage local infrastructure investment. The review of land classification, coupled with the other RICS recommendations, including Development Delivery Units (DDUs) and a nationwide housing zones programme, will cut through the bureaucracy barriers, speeding up housing delivery and encouraging cooperation across local authority boundaries, stitching together the regions. The RICS Property in Politics report is the result of the largest consultation ever undertaken by RICS, with property professionals from across England sharing insight into the biggest challenges currently facing housing, planning and development, construction and infrastructure and what actions a future Government should take to remedy them. ‘A new classification labelled Amberfield would speed up the delivery of appropriate housing stock. The housing market plays a fundamental part in the UK economy and adequate, affordable housing supply is vital to the UK's economic growth. The planning system needs to be responsive to the needs of customers and increased confidence is needed in which sites can be taken forward,’ said Jeremy Blackburn, RICS Head of Policy. ‘We would suggest a quota of 50% Amberfield for most Local Authorities as it would enable them to deliver the appropriate housing stock required, but it… Continue reading
Enjoy boating, kart racing at Al Montazah Park
Enjoy boating, kart racing at Al Montazah Park Afkar Abdullah (afkarali@khaleejtimes.com) / 2 March 2014 Spreading over 126,000 square metres, Al Montazah Park boasts three main sections comprising a first-of-its-kind water park in Sharjah that will cover 26,000 square metres, a 50,000 square metre green park and a 50,000 square metre leisure park. An overview of the Al Montazah Park.- Supplied photo The trial opening of Al Montazah Park, previously known as Al Jazeera Park, took place on Sunday in the run up to its grand opening on March 13. Spreading over 126,000 square metres, Al Montazah Park boasts three main sections comprising a first-of-its-kind water park in Sharjah that will cover 26,000 square metres, a 50,000 square metre green park and a 50,000 square metre leisure park. The water park offers world-class facilities and water rides for all ages along with green areas for picnics. In addition to its modern design, the water park offers safety and protection services, along with lifeguards. The green park section will include green picnic areas and a venue dedicated to host events as well as a number of world-class restaurants, cafes, a lake for boating, and a mosque. The third part of the park called leisure park will entertain video game lovers with a variety of electronic games for all ages, along with a kart racing track for adults and children, and two mini football pitches. The trial opening of Al Montazah Park aims at ensuring that safety and security standards are in place, so visitors can enjoy quality services safely throughout the week. Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), developers of the project, said: “The opening of Al Montazah is a new addition to tourism in Sharjah and the UAE, a move that will contribute to increasing the flow of tourists into the emirate, particularly family tourism. “Sharjah has firmly established itself as family tourism region, due to its excellent attractions and tourist landmarks offering diverse options for visitors, to share and enjoy precious time with family, friends, and loved ones in a safe and beautiful atmosphere. He added: “The management has begun the trial operation of the project which will be open to the public within two weeks.” He pointed out that Al Montazah will receive a limited number of visitors during the trial operation so as to allow the project’s management to monitor the efficiency and quality of facilities and services, as well as to listen to visitors’ comments, before the official opening. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director-General, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), has welcomed the initiation of several new tourism projects in Sharjah including the Al Montazah Park developed by Shurooq at a cost of Dh100 million. The strategic location of Al Montazah Park (in the heart of Sharjah) on the edge of the Khalid Lagoon and with its capacity to receive around three million visitors a year, the latest addition to Sharjah’s skyline will help attract more visitors to the emirate from across the UAE and the region, Al Midfa said. Shurooq is currently undertaking the development and management of other tourist, leisure and family entertaining facilities in Sharjah, most notably Al Qasba, Al Majaz Waterfront and the Flag Island. It is currently embarking on a range of new projects, including the Heart of Sharjah, Al Jabal Resort, The Chedi Khorfakkan and the Kalba Ecotourism project. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Al Jadaf, Creek Metro stations to open on March 1
Al Jadaf, Creek Metro stations to open on March 1 Lily B. Libo-on / 27 February 2014 The Al Jadaf and Creek stations of Dubai Metro’s Green Line will open on Saturday, March 1. The Al Jadaf Metro station ready for operation. — Supplied photo The opening of these two final stations, which are located at the end of the Green Line track, will complete the operation of all the Dubai Metro stations and serve existing and under-construction projects, including the Culture Village and Sama Al Jadaf. Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the RTA, said these two stations will also serve the Dubai Festival City through a marine transit service linking with the Creek station. “Al Wasl Club will also be linked with Al Jadaf Station through a bus route to be operated when matches are held. The RTA has provided 100 parking slots at Al Jadaf stations and a bus route for passengers of the two new stations.” Al Jadaf and Creek stations are elevated metro stations where the concourse and platform are on the upper level of the elevated metro track. Each station extends 132 metres in length and 29 metres in width, and has a capacity to handle 11,000 passengers per hour per direction. The two stations are equipped with escalators and lifts. Al Tayer said that these two stations will contribute significantly to expediting the development tempo in the neighbourhood, and accordingly the ridership will pick up gradually as per the foreseeable inputs. Some 2,100 riders at Al Jadaf Station and another 1,400 more passengers at Creek station are expected to use the Metro initially, and these numbers are poised to double with the opening of property development projects in the area, many of which are nearing completion. “Through the Dubai Metro operator Serco Co., the RTA has completed all arrangements related to the operation of the two stations by carrying out technical test runs of the Dubai Metro, including testing the communication systems, automatic operation systems, power feed system and the air-conditioning system. It has also finalised the appointment of 16 employees, who have been deployed at the site to man the two metro stations after undergoing intense training exposures on delivering customers service, implementing regulations drawn up by the RTA to protect the facilities, and enforcing the rules against offenders,” said Al Tayer. RTA has also coordinated with the Transport Security Department to deploy security personnel at the two stations to ensure the security and safety of the metro riders. Teams of emergency services — Civil Defence, Ambulance and Rescue — made field visits to the two stations to ensure safety. lily@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
