Latest news with #development
Bloomberg
4 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
South Africa's Ramaphosa Cancels Trip as DA Mulls GNU Role
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa canceled an international trip at the last minute ahead of an announcement by the second-biggest party in his coalition government after it gave him a 48-hour ultimatum, according to people familiar with the matter. Ramaphosa was due to attend a conference on financing for development in Seville, Spain, on June 30 but decided against undertaking the journey, said the people who declined to be identified because the details aren't public.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Popular UK theme park site could be transformed under new plans 15 years after it closed and was left to rot
A former theme park could be transformed into hundreds of homes 15 years after the site was closed and left to rot. A planning application has been submitted to turn the former Camelot Theme Park in Charnock Richard, Lancashire into 350 homes. The park closed in 2012 after nearly 30 years and has been empty ever since, aside from occasional use for immersive Halloween events and laser tag. Story Homes has submitted the application to turn the site into housing, with 50 per cent proposed to be affordable housing for local people, The Bolton News reported. The homes would include a range of sizes for first-time buyers, families and older couples looking to downsize. The plans also include a community hub office and meeting spaces for community groups. The plans say the development would also be a boost for local wildlife with a ten per cent biodiversity net gain, due to restoring the natural water flow of the nearby Syd Brook. Siobhan Sweeney, North West land manager for Story Homes, said: 'We are excited to bring forward plans for this significant development on a well-known local site. 'Our proposal not only addresses the strong demand for high-quality, affordable homes in Chorley, but also places emphasis on sustainability and community investment. 'Through the delivery of affordable homes, investment in green infrastructure, and the creation of new community spaces, we're committed to ensuring that this scheme supports local people and enhances the wider area.' During the height of its popularity, Camelot was one of the north west's most prominent tourist attractions, featuring a range of offerings like the amusement ride Excalibur 2, and hosting live jousting in an arena. Inspired by the legend of King Arthur, the ill-fated park was boarded up after being open to the public for nearly 30 years. Owners Knights Leisure said bad weather contributed to low visitor numbers - and so the decision was made to shut the park down, with over 150 staff losing their jobs. The amusement park was home to the legendary Knightmare roller coaster - the structure of which remained standing tall even after it was shut down and was only dismantled in 2020. Other famous rides at the medieval-themed park included the Dragon Flyer, Caterpillar Capers, The Galleon and Pendragon's Plunge. Organisers would also perform jousting events in the theme park's arena and do magic shows. It has remained empty for 15 years since closing in 2012 Mannequins at the theme park have been left to decay The park began to look like the set of a horror movie four years after its closure This image shows an area of the park that has had its walls smashed down, with tiles lying on the dirty ground and wires dangling from holes Unnerving: A green ride carriage with peeling paint and a headless mannequin on its seat is pictured left A Wimpy eatery was left in a ruined state, with smashed tiles covering the floor, broken walls and graffiti marring the sign. A horse statue left to rot looks menacing in amongst the foliage And an episode of the famous children's TV show Sooty & Co was even filmed at the theme park in 1994. When the owners closed the theme park after 29 years they also blamed large public events such as the Olympics and the Queen's Jubilee for a decline in visitors. The theme park changed ownership to Granada Group in 1986 but it was sold again in 1998 after a management buyout. By 2005 only 336,204 visitors came to Camelot every year when it once attracted more than 500,000. Last year Thorpe Park boasted 1.7million visitors. In February 2009 owners Prime Resorts announced the park was in receivership - meaning it was placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others. Companies are usually only placed in receivership if they can't meet financial obligations. A Carlisle-based construction company, Story Group, then bought the theme park and leased it to Knight's Leisure. Story Homes were refused planning permission ten years ago by Chorley Borough Council to build 420 new homes on the site.
Bloomberg
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Congo, Rwanda Sign US-Backed Peace Deal to End Years of War
By Updated on Save The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda agreed to a US-backed peace deal meant to end years of deadly conflict and promote development in Congo's volatile eastern region. Foreign ministers from the two countries signed the accord Friday in the presence of Secretary of State Marco Rubio and met with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office later in the day.
Malay Mail
11 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
World Bank: 421 million living in extreme poverty globally as conflicts more than tripled since 2000
WASHINGTON, June 28 — Conflicts and related fatalities have more than tripled since the early 2000s, fuelling extreme poverty, the World Bank said yesterday. Economies in fragile and conflict-affected regions have become 'the epicentre of global poverty and food insecurity, a situation increasingly shaped by the frequency and intensity of conflict,' the bank added in a new study. This year, 421 million people get by on less than US$3 (RM12.70) a day in places hit by conflict or instability — a situation of extreme poverty — and the number is poised to hit 435 million by 2030. Global attention has been focused on conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East for the past three years, said World Bank Group chief economist Indermit Gill. But 'half of the countries facing conflict or instability today have been in such conditions for 15 years or more,' he added. Currently, 39 economies are classified as facing such conditions, and 21 of them are in active conflict, the Washington-based development lender said. The list includes Ukraine, Somalia, South Sudan and the West Bank and Gaza. It also includes Iraq although not Iran. The report flagged that moves to prevent conflict can bring high returns, with timely interventions being 'far more cost-effective than responding after violence erupts.' It also said that some of these economies have advantages that could be used to reignite growth, noting that places like Zimbabwe, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo are rich in minerals key to clean tech like electric vehicles and solar panels. 'Economic stagnation — rather than growth — has been the norm in economies hit by conflict and instability over the past decade and a half,' said Ayhan Kose, World Bank Group deputy chief economist. The bank's report noted that high-intensity conflicts, which kill more than 150 per million people, are typically followed by a cumulative fall of around 20 percent in GDP per capita after five years. — AFP
South China Morning Post
15 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Every effort must be made by Hong Kong authorities to deliver flats on time
The urgent need to provide more public housing, to free tens of thousands of people from long waits in substandard accommodation, has long been recognised in Hong Kong and remains a priority. So the sudden suspension of a development intended to provide 8,300 flats is always going to raise eyebrows. Advertisement The Housing Bureau has confirmed that plans to build eight residential towers in Fanling have temporarily been put on hold. This follows an investigation revealing the 'complex geology' of the site, which would cause construction costs to soar by 60 to 90 per cent and take 10 months longer than expected. The bedrock drops more than 80 metres below ground, 120 metres at its deepest. This would make the foundation work much more expensive. It has, therefore, been decided to prioritise other 'more cost-effective' housing projects in the area. The decision is a pragmatic one given the circumstances. There must be no let-up in efforts to provide public housing, but the costs need to be kept under control. Crucially, the suspension will not stop the government meeting the target of 308,000 public housing units in the next 10 years. Other projects in the area are to be expedited to make up for the loss of the 8,300 flats and the bureau says it has not abandoned the project. Advertisement But legitimate questions are being asked about the suspension. The draft outline zoning plan was approved in December 2022. At the time, no insurmountable technical problems were found.
