Latest news with #urbanlandscape
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Campaigners fear 'Diseworth village will be absorbed into urban landscape'
A group of residents have raised fears their village will be "absorbed into an industrial and urban landscape", after plans for 4,250 new homes were submitted.A new town called Isley Woodhouse would be built on farmland to the south-west of East Midlands Airport (EMA) as part of the plans, between Isley Walton, Diseworth and Tonge in Snee, from the campaign group Protect Diseworth, said the development would "ruin" local Neville, national director of planning at Harworth Group, which is behind the plans with Caesarea Development Holdings, said the developers' "engagement with local stakeholders ensures that the development reflects community priorities". The proposals for Isley Woodhouse also include a secondary school, two primary schools, shops, hotels, leisure centre and sports outline application submitted to North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC) states the development could bring about 10,000 new residents to the area, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. NWLDC has earmarked the 781-acre (316-hectare) site for development as part of its local plan, which sets out where the authority can build new homes to meet predicted population Snee, 77, told the BBC he thinks the new town will be "a blot on the landscape" and bring thousands of additional vehicle movements a day "on roads that can't possibly accommodate it".He said the village also faced a "second threat" to the east - a reference to a planned new logistics and manufacturing park which is part of the East Midlands Freeport."We are going to become totally absorbed into an industrial and urban landscape," Mr Snee submitted plans to develop land to the east of Diseworth last year as part of the director Steve Griffiths said the land was "a prime location for the sort of development we are proposing, which meets a need identified by the local planning authority"."We have met and will continue to meet members of Diseworth Parish Council and community groups and have aimed to address their concerns in our proposals," he added. Another Diseworth resident, Janet Moorhouse said she understood why the area had been chosen due to its proximity to the motorways, but questioned the development's size."I can understand all the road infrastructure that there is with motorways etc but to have it all just dumped in one area, it's not fair," the 72-year-old Stokes, 67, added: "People have got to go somewhere, I know that, but 4,000 is a hell of a lot, on farming land as well."Ms Neville said: "We have been working with the council to comprehensively masterplan the proposals to provide supporting infrastructure including schools, medical centres and recreational facilities to meet local authority needs and take pressure off other areas."Our engagement with local stakeholders ensures that the development reflects community priorities – from preserving natural landscapes and heritage of North West Leicestershire to supporting local services and schools."An East Midlands Freeport spokesperson said: "The proposed housing development at Isley Walton is not a Freeport project."However, we take local views seriously and remain committed to working with communities and developers on proposals close to our Freeport sites."
Zawya
21-07-2025
- Zawya
Riyadh Municipality cracks down on illegal housing unit divisions in villas, buildings
RIYADH — The Riyadh Municipality has intensified its wide-scale campaign targeting violations involving the illegal division of residential units in apartment buildings and villas, exceeding the number of units approved in building permits. The move is part of broader efforts to enhance the urban landscape of the capital and enforce regulations tied to city planning and infrastructure sustainability. The campaign follows a sharp rise in violations, including the conversion of upper-level annexes and villas into multiple rental units without proper licensing or adherence to safety and planning requirements. Officials say these illegal practices have resulted in visible urban disorder and have placed added pressure on public services and infrastructure. Municipal field teams carried out 134 inspection rounds across 15 sub-municipalities, issuing violation notices at every location visited. Authorities confirmed that the campaign will continue as part of a comprehensive strategy involving monitoring, enforcement, and the imposition of fines on violators. The municipality emphasized that the goal is not merely to enforce regulations but to ensure a higher quality of life for Riyadh residents. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
CBC
09-07-2025
- Science
- CBC
Hydro-Québec using AI to reduce power outages caused by trees
Montreal's tree-lined streets are one of the city's greatest assets — they clean the air, add bursts of green to the scenery and help push the concrete background. But when storms hit, those trees clash with the urban landscape and are a major cause of power outages. That's why Hydro-Québec is now using new technologies to find a way for trees to coexist with its power lines. Through a partnership with the Chaire ArbrenVil at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Hydro-Québec is mapping out its network using light detection and ranging laser technology, otherwise known as LiDAR, to scan an area and create three dimensional information about it. "We're trying to make a digital twin of the network to see if there are interactions between the tree and the network," said Étienne Langdeau, director of vegetation management for Hydro-Québec. Artificial intelligence then measures the trees before and after a weather event, like a windstorm, to see which branches broke. The algorithm uses this information to get better at predicting which branches are most likely to snap. In turn, technicians can preemptively cut these branches before they become a problem. While the project is still in the research and development phase because the tools are novel, the results are promising, researchers say. According to Christian Messier, the lead researcher on this project and a biology professor at UQAM, the project is about helping to strike a balance between protecting the power grid while not getting in the way of more trees being planted. "They [Hydro-Québec] were interested in having someone who will investigate how we could better reconcile the need to have more trees, more canopy in the city and reduce the problem associated with these trees," said Messier. "So instead of doing what we do now, what I call a kind of a shotgun approach where we eliminate as many branches as possible, we can now intervene, we hope, in a more precise way." Tree growth manipulation In St-Bruno-de-Montarville, on Montreal's South Shore, Hydro-Québec hosts an experimental plantation with hundreds of trees. "My work is really trying to get big data on these trees," said Loïc Charlebois-Vachon, a Hydro-Québec intern who's been working on the grove. "We run ground LiDAR at different places in the plantation to get these large point clouds and be able to analyze the different particularities of the trees, for example, the tree diameter, the tree biomass and the tree height." They also test out different growth manipulation techniques to see what sticks. One of them uses stakes to get the tree to grow in a "y" shape instead of straight up. This way, the tree can have a large mass of leaves while naturally avoiding the power lines. Researchers working on the grove share what they learn with Hydro-Québec technicians to implement in the field. "The goal is really to see which species respond the best to which treatments, see which treatment is the most effective," said Charlebois-Vachon. 'We need trees' With climate change, extreme weather events will likely become more frequent, so the public utility is trying to get ahead of the issue with this project. "We have more and more big storms… that can create lots of problems, so much so that some people even advocate that we should reduce the amount of trees that we establish in the cities," said Messier. "But I believe this is wrong. We need trees." Trees bring lots of benefits to cities, says Derek Robinson, professor at the University of Waterloo's department of geography and environmental management. They filter the air, reduce flooding risks, act as noise filters and much more. "The project is exciting," said Robinson, who uses LiDAR technology for his own tree data gathering research. He notes that although some gaps in accuracy can arise with the censors, this is a "great application" of the technology. "That relationship between the power line, the power poles holding up those power lines and the trees is something that LiDAR data is really good at." When Messier was first approached by Hydro-Québec 15 years ago, there wasn't much research on how to reduce the problems caused by trees in urban settings. But now, there are more researchers looking at these issues and new technologies to help them, he says.
Times of Oman
24-05-2025
- General
- Times of Oman
Khuwair Square Project inaugurated in Muscat's Ministries District
MUSCAT: The Khuwair Square project was officially inaugurated in the Ministries District of Muscat, spanning an area of over 21,000 square meters. The ceremony was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sayyid Saud bin Hilal Al Busaidi, Governor of Muscat. The project features more than 9,000 square meters of lush green spaces, dedicated walking and cycling paths extending 435 meters, multiple seating areas, and a café with an open-air rooftop operated by Omani entrepreneurs. Additionally, the square includes public facilities and parking, making it an ideal destination for leisure, relaxation, and outdoor activities. Architectural elements reflecting Omani identity have been incorporated into the design, including traditional _Mashrabiya_ patterns, locally sourced _Desert Rose_ marble, and Nizwa stone. A striking feature of the square is a towering flagpole standing 126 meters high, constructed using 141 tons of steel, with the Omani flag measuring 25 meters in length and 44 meters in width waving above. Speaking at the inauguration, His Excellency Sayyid Saud bin Hilal Al Busaidi described the project as a significant addition to Muscat's public spaces, symbolizing both tradition and modernity. 'We hope this square will serve as a vibrant recreational space and a key attraction that enriches Muscat's urban landscape, enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike," he stated. "It aligns with the governorate's vision to foster social connections and human-centered urban planning.' Meanwhile, Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Hamidi, Chairman of Muscat Municipality, highlighted the project's role in shaping sustainable and dynamic public spaces that meet the aspirations of the community while integrating natural elements and Omani heritage.
