A new 33,500-seat venue currently under construction at the University of Manitoba (UM) in Winnipeg, Canada, remains on course to be completed next year. Designed by Raymond SC Wan, the stadium is to be able to increase its capacity to 40,000 for major occasions such as the Grey Cup and other international events and concerts. The multi-million dollar venue will provide a new home for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of

London's 'newest West End theatre' in more than 10 years is to be created as part of plans for the redevelopment of the Tottenham Court Road area unveiled by Crossrail. Three planning applications have now been lodged with Westminster City Council, covering four sites on the corner of Oxford Street and Charing Cross Road. AHMM are behind designs for the first two sites, which features a new theatre on the

London mayor Boris Johnson has confirmed a new ten-year sponsorship deal worth £36m for a new cable car link across the River Thames between Greenwich and the Royal Docks. Due to open ahead of the 2012 Games, the Emirates Air Line will accommodate up to 2,500 passengers per hour each way and is expected to carry 2 million visitors in its first year. The sponsorship deal enables the mayor and

Branding and design agency M Worldwide and fit out contractor Datum Contracts have been appointed to work on retail and visitor centre concepts at historic attractions across Wales. The two companies have been selected by Cadw, the Welsh Assembly Government's historic environment agency with responsibility for managing the country's heritage properties. New-look retail and visitor facilities at Conwy Castle, which are due to be launched by Easter 2012, will benefit

A new 100,000sq ft (9,290sq m) arts complex is to be developed in Southampton as part of a mixed-use scheme led by Grosvenor, which has been given the green light by councillors. The London-based property group is behind plans for the development, which has involved CZWG Architects and will also include new restaurant and retail space. Plans for the arts complex, which will be a "major addition" to the city's

Cheshire-based Mather and Co has announced that it has been awarded the design contract for the new National Football Museum, which is relocating from Preston to Manchester. The group has been appointed to work on all aspects of museum content following a tender process, which will include external signage, lighting, graphics and 3D structures. In addition to the National Football Museum's permanent gallery and audio-visual theatre, Mather and Co has

Work has begun on a new chocolate-themed visitor attraction in York. The attraction – which has the working title The Sweet History of York - is being developed by Continuum and will celebrate the city's chocolate and confectionery heritage. Work has started on transforming a three-storey building at the end of the city's famous Shambles street and an opening date is planned for spring 2012. The 6,400sq ft of available

Manchester-based Building Design Partnership (BDP) has revealed that it has secured two new projects in Suzhou, China - including a major new sport-themed park at Yinshan Lake. Suzhou Yinshan Lake Sports Centre will provide a 4,600sq m (49,514sq ft) leisure complex based around an indoor sports hall on a site that has already undergone landscaping work. Meanwhile, Suzhou Dushu Lake Masterplan will lead to a mixed-use development on a key

Proposals for a new multi-million pound cultural visitor destination - Visions of China - in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, have been unveiled by the partnership leading the scheme. It follows a decision by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council (RMBC) to name China Vision Ltd and MCD Developments as its preferred developer for the Pithouse West site. The £100m+ project is being headed by China Vision chair Dr Lee Kaihung and joint CEOs

Royal Mail has submitted plans for a major mixed-use redevelopment of its South London centre in Nine Elms, which is scheduled to close in 2012 following an operational review. The outline planning application lodged with Wandsworth Council features leisure facilities, cafés and restaurants, alongside 1,870 new homes, retail units and postal services. Designed by Allies and Morrison Architects, the scheme is to also include a "significant" part of a proposed

Newham Council has backed Castlelands Construction Company's plans for the mixed-use redevelopment of vacant land at Tidal Basin Road in Silvertown, East London. The project, which has now been referred to the mayor of London, will comprise a 17-storey hotel building offering 250 rooms and serviced apartments, as well as a health club. Residential units and retail space are also earmarked as part of the redevelopment, which has been designed

California, US-based Moschanko Investment Group (MIG 2000) is behind plans for a new destination resort theme park to be developed in Russia - Magic World Russia. MIG 2000 revealed that Gary Goddard Entertainment Design; ProFun Management Group; and (it) Brand Studios are among some of the groups that will be working on the project. Covering more than 600 acres (243 hectares), the development is to incorporate a number of theme

A new EUR198m (£174m) scheme to revamp the disused Cais Mauá dock area of Porto Alegre, Brazil, is to be designed by b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos alongside Jaime Lerner Arquitetos Associades. Plans for the creation of the major new 2.5km (1.6-mile) stretch of waterfront will include a business and leisure zone for one of the 2014 FIFA World Cup venues. A hotel; a conference centre; and office space will be

Hammerson has been given the green light by councillors to proceed with its proposals for the mixed-use regeneration of Eastgate Quarters in Leeds. The 92,900sq m (1 million sq ft) development is set to provide 4,000 retail and leisure jobs to the north east of the city centre, with most of the site laying vacant for a number of years. ACME are behind the design of the scheme, which will

Cork City Council (CCC) has called on Heineken Ireland and BAM Contractors to provide additional details relating to plans for a new EUR150m (£133.4m) Brewery Quarter. Proposals for the project was submitted by the joint venture partners in December, which is designed to transform the former site of the Beamish and Crawford Brewery. However, the Irish Times has reported that councillors have requested further details and have given the applicants

York-based cultural visitor attraction group, Continuum, is in discussions with the landlords of York House, Kings Square, York, as part of plans to create a new confectionary-themed visitor attraction in the city. Oakgate Group is currently applying to York City Council for 'change of use' planning permission for the premises for use as a visitor attraction and associated uses including retail and café. The 6,400sq ft space is spread across

Qatari Diar's masterplan for the multi-million pound transformation of London's Chelsea Barracks site has been given the green light by Westminster City Council (WCC). The local authority's planning and city development committee has backed outline plans for a 12.8-acre (5.2-hectare) mixed-use scheme, which will feature a sports centre and housing. Public art; retail space; and a medical centre are also earmarked as part of the plans drawn up by Dixon

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction work on a new home for the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, US. The attraction has confirmed that it has already raised US$508m (£308m) towards the total US$720m (£436.5m) cost of the Renzo Piano-designed scheme. Forming part of a public-private regeneration of Manhattan, the new 200,000sq ft (18,581sq m) museum building is to be constructed

Rubicon Group Holding (RGH), a Jordan-based diversified entertainment organization, has announced that it has been appointed to design and produce The Red Sea Astrarium (TRSA), a 184-acre themed entertainment resort located in Aqaba, Jordan. The US$1bn (714m euro, £640m) resort will be anchored by a Star Trek theme park, which will be developed by Paramount Recreation. According to a statement from RGH, the Star Trek attraction will deliver a variety

A new multi-million euro cultural attraction - Museum Aan de Stroom (MAS) - has opened its doors to the public in Antwerp, Belgium, following a four-year construction process. Netherlands-based Neutelings Riedijk Architects was appointed by Antwerp City Council to design the new museum in 2000, with B-architecten chosen to lead the interior design. Covering a total surface area of 6,600sq m (71,042sq ft), the museum also features pavilions and a

Ireland-based operator Maldron Hotels has expanded into the UK with the launch of a 216-bedroom property in Cardiff - part of a wider scheme led by Rush Developments. The new 12-storey hotel has been built on the site of the former Central Hotel, near Cardiff Central railway station, and has been designed by Belfast-based White Ink Architects. Delivered by McAleer and Rushe, the £25m project was funded by Cardiff's Julian

Construction work on the Bayscape development in Cardiff Bay - including Wales' tallest building - could be poised to get underway in late summer/autumn this year. Developers are currently in discussions with architects Harper Downie to finalise plans for the scheme, which is to include a 32-storey hotel operated by Wyndham Hotel Group. Ardmore Construction has been appointed to deliver the scheme, which will include the 200-room hotel; serviced apartments;

Benmore Group, the UK-based property developer, has submitted its plans for a new £30m leisure-led mixed-use scheme adjacent to New Mersey Retail Park in Speke, Liverpool. Hotels, restaurants, a multi-screen cinema and a gym have been proposed as part of the New Mersey Leisure complex, which would occupy a 15-acre (6.1-hectare) site. It is anticipated that the first £30m phase of the Falconer Chester Hall-designed scheme will open by the

Spenhill, the wholly-owned regeneration subsidiary of supermarket chain Tesco, has started work on a £105m mixed-use scheme in the heart of Higham's Park, London. The 11.2-acre (4.5-hectare) project has been designed by ColladoCollins and will include a new public park and a new pedestrianised street comprising retail and café units. Construction work can now commence on the first phase after Spenhill concluded the final agreements of the Section 106 arrangement

ELLE, one of the world's largest fashion magazines, is to lend its name to a premier spa set to launch at Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach hotel in June 2011. The 22,000sq ft (2,000sq m) ELLE Spa will be a joint venture between the magazine and the resort and forms a part of a larger US$200m (135m euro, £121m) redevelopment of the property. Facilities will include six treatment rooms and

A new entrance facility has been unveiled at Camperdown Wildlife Park, Dundee, following a £1m investment designed to enhance the attraction's visitor experience. Dundee City Council architects are behind the design of the venue, which boasts a learning room equipped with an interactive whiteboard and a cinema-style projector. It is hoped that the purpose-built space will help Camperdown to continue its education and conservation programme, while a new retail area

Ballymore's plans for the redevelopment of the 10-acre (4-hectare) Leamouth Peninsula site in London's Docklands have been given the green light. The group has been handed planning consent by the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation for the scheme, which will include leisure and sports facilities and a public park. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill has drawn up the project's masterplan, with architects such as Glenn Howells Architects, John Pardey Architects and