The Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria, BC, Canada is seeking approval for the rezoning of its current site as the first step in a major redevelopment scheme. At the moment, the site is zoned for residential use and a new Comprehensive Zone, with an expanded boundary, could be tailored to the potential needs of the museum for the foreseeable future. The museum has the care of more than seven million

More than one million Lego bricks have been used to construct a new children's centre in Hillingdon, West London, which opened on 19 November. Legoland Windsor modellers and WHAT_architecture worked with Hillingdon Council to build the Cowley St Laurence facility. Children using the venue will be encouraged to use natural resources to play, while services will also include parenting support and financial advice. Hillingdon Council cabinet member for education and

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has completed work on a refurbishment of the spa facilities at its property in Miami, US. The remodelling of the spa, which was carried out to help mark its 10th anniversary, has been designed by Robert D Henry Architects. A spa welcome reception and a retail boutique form part of the venue's public areas, while the private areas incorporate separate relaxation lounges for men and women.

India-based Taj Hotels, a subsidiary of the Indian Tata Group, has reopened Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, India, as a luxury spa hotel. Originally built in 1884, the former royal residence is spread across 32 acres of gardens and has undergone a 10-year restoration. The palace offers 60 luxurious rooms, a 10,000sq ft (930sq m) Royal Jiva-branded spa, two restaurants and an outdoor pool. The initial design of the Spa was

Club Elyspa in Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia, has opened its doors. The site is regarded as the most exclusive wellness spa in North Africa and is owned by the Tunisian royal family. The clientele at the 1,395sq m club reads like a who's who of Tunisian high society, including politicians and music stars. No official figures are available but industry insiders estimate that the building, constructed using only high quality

England women's footballer Sue Smith has helped officially launch a new £3.7m sports hall at Chipping Sodbury School in Gloucestershire. Designed by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) in-house architect Nicole Muller, the facility has been delivered by Surrey-based Wates Construction. A 3G artificial pitch also formed part of the scheme, which has been funded by the local authority (£3m) and the Football Foundation (£630,000). SGC executive member for children and young

Emil Galasso, vice president and co-owner of the Howe Caverns visitor attraction in Cobleskill, New York, has unveiled plans for a new park at the site. A major component will be Dinosaur Canyon, a walk-through outdoor attraction offering visitors the opportunity to interact with prehistoric giants. Howe Development, which is handling the expansion, will work with Garner Holt Productions to complete the concept design and take the project through installation.

Emirates Sunland Group (ESG) has announced that its AED2.3bn (€480m, US$630m, £402m) Palazzo Versace Dubai is now 80 per cent complete. The luxury hotel will boast 169 private residences and 213 super-luxury hotel suites, with a range of furniture and furnishings exclusively designed by Versace. Facilities will include a Salus Per Aquum-branded luxury spa, health club, ballroom, restaurants and convention facilities and Versace boutique, all set in landscaped grounds. The

Tate has announced that work on a £45m scheme to transform its original London gallery - Tate Britain - is to get underway in February 2011. Designed to help conserve the Sidney Smith-designed building,, the scheme will also entail a major upgrade of the the Grade II*-listed attraction's galleries. Caruso St John Architects' plans include the reconstruction of nine galleries in the southern part of the building and the revamp

Communities secretary Eric Pickles has approved developer Peel Holdings' plans for the £4.5bn transformation of Wallasey and Birkenhead Docks. Wirral Waters is one of the largest planning applications in the UK and was given the go ahead by Wirral Council in August, but had to go before the government. However, Pickles' decision to opt against calling in the scheme for further review means that a public inquiry will not be

The Oregon-based SRG Partnership is to lead a team tasked with developing a 25-year master plan for Oregon Zoo. SRG, together with CLR Design and Atelier Dreiseitl, will spend a year evaluating operations at the zoo and creating a master plan for projects funded by the US$125m (£80.5m) zoo bond measure passed in 2008. The plan is expected to be completed by the autumn of 2011. Ahead of the zoo

Outline planning permission has been granted for the development of a new £55m golf, hotel and residential development near Broughty Ferry, Dundee. Local entrepreneur Mike Forbes' proposals for The Angus, which have been drawn up by architects Archial, have been given the green light by planning officials at Angus Council. An international competition-standard, 18-hole championship golf course designed by Darren Clarke is at the heart of the scheme, along with

North Tyneside Council (NTC) has unveiled a new £1.2m sports pavilion at Forest Hall in order to replace an outdated timber community centre. East Palmersville Sports Pavilion - designed by _space group and project managed by Kier North Tyneside - will be used by Forest Hall Young People's Club. Facilities include six changing rooms; two officials rooms; a first aid room; a multi-purpose activity hall; and storage space. A floodlit

Oxford University's plans for a major overhaul of its Iffley Road sports complex have been given the green light by Oxford City Council. FaulknerBrowns Architects are behind the design of the multi-million pound project, which is set to include the demolition of the existing grandstand. A lower grandstand will be built to accommodate an indoor cricket school, a projectiles range, spectator seating and changing rooms. Meanwhile, a one double-sized and

Salford City Reds rugby league team has secured a deal that will enable it to use a new £26m community stadium at Barton-upon-Irwell as its home ground. The Super League club has reached agreement with a joint venture between Salford City Council (SCC) and developer Peel to play at the venue, which is due to open in 2012. Meanwhile, construction work on the AFL Architects-designed venue is to start in

Gateshead Council has approved plans put forward by Spenhill - the regeneration subsidiary of Tesco - for the mixed-use Trinity Square development. Designed by 3Dreid, the scheme is poised to deliver a new town square, a student village, 45 retail units and offices, as well as the potential for a hotel. The development is still subject to a legal agreement, although Gateshead Council anticipates that construction work will be able

Derbyshire County Council (DCC) has confirmed that work has started on the creation of a new £1.9m sports hall for Aldercar Community Language College, Langley Mill. Buchans has been appointed to deliver the facility, which was designed by ETC Design and will incorporate four new badminton courts and a fitness room. Changing facilities and two classrooms are also proposed as part of the scheme, which is being funded by the

The first property in Marriott's Editions boutique hotel chain has opened on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. The hotel has been designed by architects George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg and the team also inlcuded landscape designer Deborah Nevins. The brand, first announced in 2007, is being rolled out in partnership with hotelier Ian Schrager who is acting as creative director. Further editions will open in Istanbul in 2011, then Barcelona, Bangkok,

The opening date for the 137-bedroom London Syon Park, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel in London, UK, has been set for early 2011. The hotel will include a luxury spa called Kallima - named after the lepidopteran that transforms from a leaf like insect to a spectacular butterfly. The spa will have 11 treatment rooms, including a double VIP suite; a hydrotherapy suite; Vichy shower; a rest and relaxation space; a

Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) has started work on two new playgrounds, which are being created in Ashtead and Beare Green, Surrey. Playsafe Playgrounds is behind plans for the new Ashtead recreation ground facility, which is set to include a rope bridge and tower; a hexagonal swing; and a water feature. Meanwhile, Playdale Playgrounds will deliver its new facility for the Beare Green recreation ground, which will feature an aerial

St Albans City and District Council (SACDC) is to seek a new preferred contractor for the demolition and reconstruction of Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre. Although no contracts had been signed with Michael McNamara & Co, the council had identified the company as its preferred option before it entered receivership. Drivers Jonas Deloitte has now been instructed to 'recalculate the financial scores' of original tenders for the scheme in order to

Albert Roux and Michel Roux Jr have unveiled a new restaurant at The Langham, London - the first time the father and son pair have worked together in 19 years. Roux at The Landau - the David Collins-designed signature restaurant - follows the opening of Roux at Parliament Square in May. Chris King has been appointed chef de cuisine at the new restaurant, having completed an apprenticeship and worked at

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club's (THFC) plans for the £450m redevelopment of its White Hart Lane stadium in North London has received the green light from London mayor Boris Johnson. A new 56,250-seat venue is at the heart of the Northumberland Development Project proposals, although the Premier League club is still in contention to take over the running of the Olympic Stadium following the 2012 Games. Haringey Council had already approved

Plans for a new £10m sports arena on the site of a former fruit and vegetable market in Worcester are to be submitted by the University of Worcester (UW) next week. The Robert Limbrick Architects-designed Worcester Arena is designed to help drive up participation from grassroots to elite level across the region. Willmott Dixon has been appointed to work with consultants to develop the design of the 5,300sq m (57,049sq

Charnwood Borough Council (CBC) has officially unveiled a new £178,500 skateboarding and BMX facility at Southfields Park, Loughborough. Skate and bike ramps at the new facility have been designed for street skaters and transition skaters and was opened by mayor Jill Vincent on 16 November. Freestyle Skateparks and Loughborough Skatepark Association were behind the design of the facility, which was part-funded by the Veolia Environmental Trust (£70,000). The Community Spaces

Hyatt Hotels and Extell Development Corporation are to introduce the Park Hyatt luxury brand to New York with a newly-constructed hotel designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Christian de Portzamparc. Park Hyatt New York will be located at 157 West 57th Street between Avenue of the Americas and Seventh Avenue, opposite Carnegie Hall. Slated for completion in 2012, the 210-room hotel will be part of a 90-storey mixed-use tower that will

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) has reopened its new theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon following a £112.8m development programme. At the centre of the new-look Royal Shakespeare Theatre (RST) is a 1,040-seat main auditorium and a thrust stage, which has halved the distance of the furthest seat from the stage to 15m (49ft). The four-year development also included the creation of a Rooftop Restaurant to offer views overlooking the River Avon; a