Streatham Leisure Centre, operated by Greenwich Leisure Limited, has closed until further notice due to health and safety concerns. The centre's swimming pool was closed last week after an engineer's report raised concerns about the condition of the centre's roof, but further checks since then have revealed more widespread structural problems. Lambeth Council is now assessing the work needed to repair the building and in the meantime is directing users

London-based David Morley Architects (DMA) has been appointed by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to draw up designs for a new water polo arena, which will be used at the 2012 Games. The temporary venue, which will provide seating capacity for 5,000 spectators and a warm-up pool, will be located alongside the permanent Aquatics Centre and will act as a gateway to the Olympic Park site. Construction work is scheduled

Everton Football Club (EFC) and Tesco have been left "bitterly disappointed" at a decision to reject plans for the transformation of Kirkby, Liverpool, which would have included a new 50,000-seat stadium. Communities secretary John Denham has blocked the scheme, following a public inquiry held between November 2008 and February 2009 in the wake of Knowsley Council's decision to approve planning permission. In addition to the new stadium, proposals for the

Construction work has started on a £850,000 redevelopment of the Swan Centre for Leisure in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, which is to be delivered in three stages. The first phase of the scheme, which is being managed by operator Tees Active, will see Createability convert an existing 500sq m (5,382sq ft) soft play area into a new 65-station gym equipped with Technogym cv and resistance equipment. Scheduled for completion by January 2010,

A new 122-bedroom Best Western hotel in Basel, Switzerland - Best Western Hotel Stücki - has opened its doors to the public, which has been specifically designed to accommodate taller guests. The hotel, which was unveiled by Best Western Swiss Hotels in September, is fitted with beds at least 7ft (2.1m) long and 43 inches (109cm) wide to cater for tall people, while the average height of the rooms is

Hadrian's Wall Heritage (HWH) has announced plans to create a 'line of light' along the length of the World Heritage Site between Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, and Bowness-on-Solway, Cumbria. Around 500 points of light will be placed 250m (820ft) apart, following the 84-mile (135km) Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail on 13 March 2010, as part of next year's British Tourism Week. Led by HWH, the project will complement a wider

An application for a 430m euro (£387.4m) snow complex in Dundalk, Ireland, is to be submitted to Louth County Council. The Altitude project - proposed by local firm Innovative Leisure Systems and the UK-based Briton Engineering – will include a ski slope and nursery slopes; a 100-bedroom family hostel; a 110,000sq ft indoor concert arena; an 80,000sq ft leisure zone, which includes a cinema and bowling alley; and a 40,000sq

London-based architects Watkins Gray International's plans for the regeneration of the historic Camberwell Baths in London have been given the green light by the local authority. The London Borough of Southwark has approved planning consent for the first phase of a £3m scheme to overhaul the Grade II-listed baths, which will include repairs to the pool and sports hall and major upgrade works. Facilities at the refurbished 4,000sq m (43,056sq

Heathrow Airport, London's Terminal 2 has closed to allow the construction of a £1bn replacement. Work is expected to start in the new year and the new terminal - to be the base for the 25 airlines making up the Star Alliance network - is scheduled to open in 2014. Construction will be by HETco consortium, led by Laing O'Rourke and Ferrovial Aggroman, while the project architect is Foster and

Work has begun on the new US$185m Perot Museum of Science & Nature in Dallas, Texas. The museum’s new home, designed by Thom Mayne of LA-based architects Morphosis, is being built at Victory Park in downtown Dallas. Chair of the museum’s board, Frank-Paul King, said: “The groundbreaking of the Perot Museum of Nature & Science is the next major milestone toward opening the doors to a world-class facility, one designed

The University of California Berkeley in the US has scrapped its US$143m plans for a new museum. The plans to build a new home for its Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive were designed by Tokyo-based architect Toyo Ito, but the university has not been able to raise the funds. The school only managed to raise about US$81m of the US$200m target and blamed the economic downturn. However, the

Ritz-Carlton is opening the world's tallest hotel in Kowloon, Hong Kong, in 2010. The 1,574-foot (480-metre) high building will comprise around 300 bedrooms and suites, three restaurants, an ESPA spa and fitness centre, a rooftop swimming pool and meeting areas. Built on the top floors of the International Commerce Centre (ICC), the hotel will also feature 360-degree panoramic views of Victoria Harbor.

One of four disused gasholders in King's Cross, London, is set to undergo a major £2.5m makeover after designs drawn up by architects Bell Phillips + Kimble were selected for the scheme. The London-based practice was selected from a shortlist of five firms following the King's Cross Central Gasholder No. 8 design competition, which aims to transform the Grade II-listed structure situated to the south of the Regent's Canal. Bell

Interiors and theming company Mivan has secured two major museum fit-out projects - the new £4.4m Glasgow Riverside Museum contract and a £1.6m project at the Museum of the Order of St John in Clerkenwell, London. The Glasgow project will be Mivan's largest assignment since it worked on the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar and the company will be supplying and installing a range of exhibition systems, street

BRC Imagination Arts, the US design firm, has won contracts for several global visitor attractions, including two pavilions at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China. BRC will be designing the USA Pavilion and the Information & Communications Pavilions for the Expo. Two US projects comprise master planning work and exhibition updates at Kennedy Space Centre - including the Exploration Space exhibit that is due to open early next year

Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth, Minnesota, US, is developing a master plan for the future. The Zoological Society - with funding from the State Legislature's Legacy Amendment Arts and Culture Heritage Fund - has commissioned Studio Hanson/Roberts, the zoological planning and design consultants to develop the plan. One of the priorities of the plan will be a strategy to regain accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and to

Plans have been unveiled for a major £400m redevelopment of Lord's cricket ground in St John's Wood, London, which are designed to reaffirm the venue's reputation as the home of cricket. The development proposals have been drawn up by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron - the firm behind the Beijing National Stadium, China, which was used for the 2008 Olympic Games. According to The Times newspaper, the Vision for

Raffles Hotels and Resorts is set to manage a new luxury hotel in the holy Islamic city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Located in the Abraj Al Bait Complex, the 198-bedroom Raffles Makkah Palace will include a cafe, an ice-creamery, a chocolate parlour and the Levantine Restaurant. An outdoor dining terrace will overlook the holiest site in Islam - the Masjid al-Haram (Grand Mosque). Health and fitness facilities will include

Aberdeen City Council (ACC) has appointed Glasgow-based Gareth Hoskins Architects (GHA) to draw up plans for a major revamp of Aberdeen Art Gallery ahead of the venue's 125th anniversary in 2010. GHA will now create a design study for the scheme, which will be financed by the Marguerite McBey Trust - set up in 2001 to distribute a bequest left to help fund a range of projects promoting contemporary art.

London-based restauranteurs, the Galvin Brothers, are set to launch their latest venture - Galvin La Chapelle and Café de Luxe - at the capital's Spital Square on 18 November. The new venture includes the Galvin La Chapelle restaurant, which is housed within the converted 19th century, Grade II-listed St Botolph's Hall dating back to the 19th century and boasting 30m (98.4ft)-high ceilings. Meanwhile, Café de Luxe will act as an

Restaurant operator D&D London has unveiled plans to develop its first hotel after securing a deal with property company Frogmore for a new 80-bedroom property in Moorgate, London. The 72,000sq ft (6,689sq m) boutique property will be designed by architects Allies and Morrison, while Conran and Partners - owned by D&D London's majority shareholder Sir Terence Conran - will design the hotel's interior. A ground floor bar and grill, a

Aldar Properties has announced the completion of the external structure of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. Located on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, the new retail, leisure and entertainment destination and host venue for the inaugural Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will reportedly be the world's largest indoor theme park and the first ever Ferrari theme park when it opens in 2010. The red roof of the

A new campaign has been launched to safeguard the historic Aveling and Porter building in Strood, Kent, which is set to make way for a new riverside development. Medway Council is seeking to demolish the Edwardian building in order to allow for the construction of a new retail and residential scheme on the site, which is located on the banks of the River Medway. However, campaign group SAVE Britain's Heritage

The Lighthouse in Glasgow is set to remain as Scotland's national centre for architecture after the Scottish Government stepped in to safeguard three of the venue's programmes. In August, increasing financial losses forced The Lighthouse Trust to call in the administrators, despite receiving a funding package from Glasgow City Council (GCC) and the Scottish Government. Architecture and Design Scotland (A+DS) will now be responsible for staff working on three government-funded

Rockwell Group Europe has teamed up with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide to design the W Paris-Opéra, W Hotels' first property in France. Diego Gronda, managing and creative director of RGe - the Madrid office of New York's Rockwell Group - is leading the design team, with the project scheduled to open on 1 February, 2011. Owned by Barcelona-based Meridia Capital, the hotel occupies an 1870s Haussman-era building situated across

Lancashire County Cricket Club (LCCC) has submitted plans for a major £200m redevelopment of the Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester to the local authority. Trafford Council is now set to consider the development proposals, which form part of a wider sports-led regeneration project aimed at transforming a 50-acre (20-hectare) surrounding the venue. Construction company Morgan Ashurst has already commenced work on the first stage of the stadium redevelopment, which

A new landmark tower structure - comprising a "cloud" of transparent spheres to display images and information - could be built in London to celebrate the hosting of the 2012 Olympics. Initially earmarked for the Olympic Park, a number of other sites across the city are now being explored for The Cloud, which has been designed by a team of engineers, architects and artists. The Cloud would boast an observation