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Edinburgh Live
2 days ago
- General
- Edinburgh Live
Angry Edinburgh New Town residents fume 'we don't want yoga studio in our area'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Edinburgh residents have objected to plans for a new yoga studio they warn could 'increase noise and disturbance'. The planning application for 15 Northumberland Street North East Lane would see the currently vacant unit become a yoga and pilates studio, and will be discussed by councillors on June 25. Ahead of the meeting, locals have objected to the plans - citing the 'poor condition' of the entrance lane and the 'negative impact on safety in the area'. However, an Edinburgh Council planning officer's report has recommended the application be granted as it will 'preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area'. The report also says the proposal is 'appropriate within the location'. The unit, which was most recently used as an office, is surrounding by tenement buildings. Plans also include a new cycle parking area. The yoga studio would have opening hours of 8am until 8pm throughout the week. The report argues it would 'not have an unacceptable impact on the neighbouring properties'. The report continues: "While the immediate surrounding area is largely residential in nature, the proposed yoga studio will make a beneficial contribution to the viability and vitality of the area, through the provision of a new use that would have the potential to have positive effects on health, as it supports the opportunity for exercise within the area. The application site will be accessible via public transport and active travel routes due to its close proximity to the city centre." Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox However, residents have submitted 11 objections. The report summarised the objections, with locals arguing: "The entrance lane to the site is in poor condition and would not handle additional vehicle traffic; the application does not propose to increase parking on the site. "The proposal will result in an increase in users and on-street parking. Impact residential amenity. The proposed opening hours are not appropriate. Negatively impact the Conservation Area, negatively impact on the World Heritage Site. "Negatively impact on safety in the area. The proposed use is not appropriate for the area. An increase in noise and disturbance within the local area." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Developers argued the plans would 'not generate significant noise levels'. They added: "The proposed use as a yoga studio may generate some noise from people arriving and leaving the premises. However, the floor area to be used is relatively small, whilst yoga is not an activity that would generate significant levels of noise and disturbance." Concluding, the report stated: "The proposal would be acceptable with regard to Section 64 of the Town and Country Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997, as it will preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area. "The proposed change of use would have due regard for the global climate and nature crisis, and is acceptable in principle. The proposal is acceptable in terms scale, form and design and is compatible with the building and area as a whole. The proposed use is appropriate within this location." The plans will be discussed at a meeting on June 25.
The Hindu
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
₹11 crore sanctioned for works of two NHs between Annamayya and Kadapa districts: Minister
The State government has sanctioned ₹11.07 crore for the development of two-lane link roads connecting Rayachoti-Vempalli (NH 440) and Kadapa-Rayachoti (NH 40) across Annamayya and Kadapa districts, said Minister for Transport, Youth Affairs and Sports Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy. The Minister was inaugurating the works at the Kadapa Ring Road, in Rayachoti, on Sunday. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Ramprasad Reddy said that the coalition government was committed to both development and welfare in State. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has an advanced vision plan for the integrated development of the State by the next five years, he said. He added that the Minister for Roads and Buildings, B.C. Janardhan Reddy, meanwhile, played a crucial role in securing key road projects for the Rayachoti Assembly constituency. The Minister announced that the ongoing road works, including the Rayachoti-Vempalli road, would be completed promptly. Mr. Ramprasad Reddy further reiterated that measures to tackle the recent drinking water crisis would be taken up on a war-footing by digging new borewells in many villages across the district. The Minister said that the construction of cement roads and drainage canals would also be undertaken on top priority. He hailed the efforts of Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in expediting National Highways' development across the country. 'The tunnel construction at Guvvala Cheruvu Ghat will commence soon, and this will end the frequent road accidents on the section,' Mr. Ramprasad Reddy said. 'Strengthening of the road network will significantly improve economic activity in the Rayalaseema region, particularly Annamayya district,' the Minister said.
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Survey completed for 4,000 km of rural roads under HAM infrastructure initiative in Telangana
The survey has been completed for approximately 4,000 kilometres of rural roads across nine erstwhile combined districts in Telangana as part of the government's ambitious plan to upgrade and expand road connectivity under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). It marks a key preparatory step in the HAM programme aimed at improving road links from village panchayats to mandal headquarters, district centres, and ultimately to the State capital. With the Panchayat Raj Engineering Department appointed as the nodal agency for executing the project, Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Dhanasari Anasuya (Seethakka) has been regularly conducting review meetings with officials to initiate the works at the earliest under this new model. The Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department's Engineer-in-Chief (ENC) will serve as the programme convenor, tasked with overseeing implementation and coordination across the three planned phases of work. Under the HAM project, the State government aims to develop 18,484 kilometres of Panchayat Raj (PR) roads and 12,000 kilometres of Roads and Buildings (R&B) roads. The works will be carried out in three phases — Phase I covering 7,393 km, Phase II covering 5,545.20 km, and Phase III covering 5,545.80 km. To support the project's technical, financial, and legal evaluation, the government has appointed a consortium of AARVEE Associates and LEA Associates to conduct detailed feasibility studies. These consultants will commence district-wide assessments within two days by deploying teams across all districts. Road proposals have been finalised by department officials after obtaining consent from the MLAs in their respective constituencies. According to the implementation schedule, Phase I works are set to begin in January 2026, followed by Phase II in March 2026, and Phase III in June 2026. The HAM model, already in use in several States, involves shared financing, with private contractors required to bear a portion of the project cost and undertake maintenance responsibilities for 15 years, without any government guarantee. Minister Seethakka said she has instructed officials to expedite tendering, finalise agreements, and ensure all preparatory measures are completed in a timely manner. A special officer has been appointed at the Panchayat Raj Engineering Department's headquarters to monitor progress and ensure adherence to deadlines. The funding for the road projects will be finalised once the State Cabinet approves the DPRs being prepared by the consultancies.
IOL News
24-04-2025
- IOL News
City of Tshwane's ongoing struggle with Melgisedek buildings: A decade of neglect
Residents of dilapidated Melgisedek buildings in Riviera are still waiting for the City of Tshwane to relocate them. Image: Oupa Mokoena/Independent Newspapers Nearly a decade after the City of Tshwane deemed the Melgisedek buildings in Riviera unfit for habitation and had planned to relocate occupants, people still live there illegally. The buildings continue to deteriorate, with locals complaining they are a haven for crime and drug infestation, making them uninhabitable. In 2015, when the city condemned the buildings, concerns arose about rescuing the thousands of residents. The city announced plans to audit the residents and develop a relocation strategy. A crèche was closed and informal traders were ordered to leave, but the traders have since returned. A year after the buildings were deemed unsafe, the Pretoria News reported that the city formed a task team to assess the buildings' condition, structural integrity, and residents' social circumstances. The team's mandate was later expanded to investigate other potentially dilapidated or illegally occupied city properties. However, it transpired this week that the city is still exploring options to rehabilitate Melgisedek and convert it into student accommodation, a proposal that originated from the previous DA-led administration. Meanwhile, the buildings continue to deteriorate, being surrounded by a foul odor, mosquitoes, and flies. A nauseating mixture of water and human waste flows through the area. Toilets have been converted into makeshift homes, leaving residents without proper ablution facilities. Some relieve themselves behind the buildings, while others use toilets at nearby shopping centers or petrol stations. Former DA MMC Kingsley Wakelin, now an MPL, had pledged to address hijacked and illegally occupied buildings in Pretoria's CBD, with Melgisedek prioritised under the Tshwane Sustainable and Better Buildings programme, aimed at regenerating the inner-city. This week, MMC for Shared and Corporate Services, Kholofelo Morodi, said the city is still moving forward with plans to develop Melgisedek into student accommodation. 'As part of the Bad Buildings programme, the city has met with the University of Pretoria to explore collaboration and partnerships and the Melgiesedek is part of this process,' she said. She cited illegal occupation by vulnerable groups, including women, children, and the elderly, as a major reason for the delay in developing Melgisedek. She said the exact number of occupants wasn't known, but estimates suggested between 400 to 500 people were living on the property. She also cited the property's current zoning as educational as a development constraint, limiting potential opportunities for the building. 'During the State of the Capital Address, the Executive Mayor announced that the City is undertaking several land preparation measures on earmarked strategic properties,' she said. Despite previous commitments to relocate the inhabitants, Morodi said measures are underway to clear the property, including identifying suitable alternative accommodation for the occupants. She said rezoning the property is necessary to secure a broader range of development rights before putting it on the market.
South China Morning Post
01-03-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
When will Hong Kong stop building skyscraping boxes with bay windows?
Undersecretary for Development David Lam Chi-man recently called for a fresh 'facilitator' mindset to streamline the project vetting and approval process, while the Buildings, Fire Services, Highways and Water Supplies Departments all committed to cutting excessive red tape. Such initiatives are a small step in saving resources and time, and a giant leap in inspiring new development interests. Advertisement The message shines a welcome light, showing that even bureaucracy can change and adapt to the current market conditions. To reinvent ourselves, we should not stop at streamlining the process, but should also question the quality of our built environments. In his architectural manifesto Humanise, British designer Thomas Heatherwick condemns modernism as spearheaded by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier and popularised in the 20th century. He argues that as modernism took over the world, built environments were stripped of beauty, interesting elements and emotional connections with people. His words remind me of Hong Kong buildings, and I don't mean particular starchitects' masterpieces, skyscrapers or cultural facilities. I mean the everyday architecture where most people live and work. Surprisingly, Heatherwick gives a shout-out to Hong Kong as a positive example of visual interest. 'A lot of buildings in Hong Kong have visual complexity, as a direct result of a government initiative from a number of years ago that encouraged bay windows,' he writes. 'The towers that got built as a result were no longer flat and smooth but much more three-dimensional – and therefore more interesting for everyone passing by.' Residential buildings in Hong Kong's Tseung Kwan O district, seen in November 2023. Photo: Sun Yeung
