Plans to build a new school and improve existing facilities at the Eastern Leisure Centre in Llanrumney, Cardiff, have been put on public display by the city council. Cardiff Council intends to close both the Llanrumney and Rumney High Schools in a bid to improve local education standards, with part of the Eastern Leisure Centre site earmarked for the construction of a purpose-built replacement. Facilities at the leisure centre will

An area of Camden Town, London, which was severely damaged by fire in February 2008, is set to be transformed after the local authority gave the go-ahead for the regeneration of Hawley Wharf. Camden Council has adopted a new planning framework for the wharf area, which extends back from the north bank of Regent's Canal into Camden's iconic market area. The Hawley Wharf Planning Framework outlines the council's vision to

The Monument, a memorial built to commemorate the Great Fire of London in 1666, has reopened to the public following multi-million pound restoration project lasting 18 months. A new viewing platform, balustrade and cage have been installed at the 202ft (62m)-high structure as part of the £4.5m scheme, as well as new telescopes and improved lighting. Work has also been carried out to clean The Monument's stonework and to repair

Local residents are being invited for another round of public consultation into Bristol City Football Club's (BCFC) proposals for a new 30,000-seat stadium at Ashton Vale. Plans for the new stadium, which will be built on a 42-acre (17-hectare) site near the David Lloyd fitness centre and the Long Ashton park and ride facility, are due to be submitted to the local authority later this year. The club first asked

Plans for the multi-million pound refurbishment of Stoke-on-Trent city centre in Staffordshire have been given the green light by the local authority. Stoke-on-Trent City Council's (STCC) development control committee backed the scheme, which includes a new multi-screen cinema complex, a hotel, and new cafés and restaurants. Retail units and a multi-storey car park also feature in plans submitted to the council by developer Realis in October 2008, as well as

Health managers at NHS Hull have approved multi-million pound proposals for the development of a combined sports and healthy lifestyle complex, which will also incorporate training facilities for Hull Football Club (HFC). The board of NHS Hull has agreed to invest £1m in the scheme, which will create a hub for the organisation to offer a number of public health programmes for the local community, as well as bringing the

Plans for the £165m refurbishment of Manchester's town hall complex has been given the green light by the city council. The project, which is expected to get underway later this year, has been designed to preserve the area's historic buildings for future generations, as well as improving services for the local community. A new 'Mediatheque' facility will be created as part of the scheme, a series of spaces including cinema

Highland Council has announced that the redevelopment of Fort William's waterfront is set to move forward with the signing of legal documents, enabling the project's developer to continue with its planning application. Once missives are signed, Fort William Waterfront Ltd (FWWL) will be able to appoint consultants for the scheme, which will include a hotel and restaurants, as well as new residential and retail developments. FWWL's plans, which will also

Plans for the £750m transformation of the 468-acre (189.4-hectare) Longbridge site near Birmingham have been given the green light by the government. The Longbridge Area Action Plan (LAAP), which was submitted to the government last March, outlines a 15-year vision for a mixed-use redevelopment of the former MG Rover factory site. At the heart of the scheme is a new town centre incorporating public, leisure and retail facilities, as well

Plans for the new London 2012 Handball Arena have been given the green light by the Olympic Delivery Authority's (ODA) planning committee. Designed by Make Architects with PTW and Arup, the planning application for the 7,000-seat venue has been recommended for approval when it goes before the Greater London Authority (GLA) before permission is ultimately granted. The arena will be situated in the west of the Olympic Park within four

Designs for the €450m (US$582m, £399m) Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre in Athens, Greece have been revealed by Italian architects Renzo Piano. The 187,800sq m centre, to be built on a 42-acre (17-hectare) waterside site in Stavros Niarchos Park, will house the Greek National Opera and the National Library of Greece. The project is funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, and once completed in 2015 will be handed over to

Property developer Montpellier Estates is to take legal action against Leeds City Council (LCC) after losing out in the race to build a new multi-million pound entertainment arena. In November, LCC's executive announced that the new 12,500-seat venue would be built by the council itself on a 5.1-acre (2.06-hectare) site at Claypit Lane, which is part-owned by Leeds Metropolitan University. Proposals for the new arena put forward by two developers,

A £150m mixed-use regeneration scheme for Lancaster's canal corridor, which was approved by the city council in October, has been called in by communities secretary, Hazel Blears. The Castle View project, which is being led by the London-based urban regeneration company, Centros, will now go to a public inquiry later this year, although no date has been set. Plans feature six public spaces, including a new park leading to the

Blackpool Council (BC) has announced that it will bring forward the opening of a new seafront promenade in a bid to capitalise on the expected increase in domestic tourism. Most of the construction work, which is being carried out by Birse Coastal, is now expected to be completed in time for the summer season. The remaining work will be carried out later this year. Maxine Callow, BC's cabinet member for

A new £100m retail and leisure complex is set to be built at Ty Mawr on Anglesey, North Wales, after councillors gave the green light to plans submitted by developer Ynys Môn Estates. Plans for the 55-acre (22.3-hectare) development near Llanfairpwll, which include a Cineworld multiplex cinema and a ten-pin bowling alley, were originally rejected by Anglesey Council in December. However, because the council's decision went against the recommendations of

UK-based Vitala Group has signed a memorandum of understanding to carry out eight feasibility studies in Vietnam. Most projects are situated within the Ho Chi Minh City district and cover mixed-use developments with leisure elements, a hotel, a themed entertainment project and a tourist resort project to be located in the Khanh Haa Province of Vietnam. Also being considered for development are a marina, port site and freight container port

Designs have been unveiled for a landmark oil & gas museum and exhibition centre set to be built in Al Ahmadi, Kuwait for the Kuwait Oil Company. The 8,800sq m exhibition and display centre has been designed by UK-based Architect Morgan Professional Services (MPS) and will be arranged over three floor levels with a viewing tower above. Nine interactive exhibition spaces will form an integral part of the building and

Leisure Connection has opened a Harpers-branded health club at a leisure centre in Wyboston, Bedfordshire, after completing a £0.5m revamp at the site. The new private health club at Wyboston Health and Fitness, managed by Leisure Connection, features equipment from Technogym and Star Trac as well as range of NXT spin bikes and a boxing fitness zone. The gym has been designed based on a zone layout system, with designated

Amended plans for Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club's (BHAFC) new £65m stadium at Falmer, East Sussex, have been given the green light by local planners. Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) approved revised proposals for the site, which include a complete redesign of the stadium interior and alterations to the roof, as well as plans to deposit excavated chalk onto Village Way South. Work has already got underway on

Southwark Council has approved a £5.5m refurbishment plan to update Dulwich Leisure Centre. The grade II listed, 19th century building will benefit from an improved swimming pool area, a new gym and new wet and dry changing areas. Access for those with disabilities will be incorporated, including hoists into the pool, step-free access and a lift to the first floor studios. Green energy saving features like high-efficiency boilers, roof-mounted solar

The first part of a £10m expansion programme at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley has been unveiled. The three-dimensional interactive guidebook called Heart of the Black Country aims to provide visitors with a more in-depth experience by linking the interior of the museum with the open-air site via a mini graphic representation of what there is to see and do at the 26-acre urban heritage park. It includes

Plans for the redevelopment of Gateshead International Stadium, Tyne and Wear, have been given the green light by the local authority. Gateshead Council has approved proposals to improve the stadium's facilities, which has become one of the top athletics venues in Britain over the past three decades. All of the venue's spectator seating will be replaced and brought undercover as part of the scheme, while new media and hospitality facilities

UK-based hotel group von Essen has postponed the opening of its latest 70-bedroom hotel currently being built by the side of the River Thames in Battersea, London. Verta, the seven-storey hotel, will feature a subterranean spa and a rooftop restaurant. The spa, covering two levels below the boutique property, includes treatment rooms, a hydrotherapy pool and an aromatherapy sanarium. The company has been forced to postpone the opening from June

Construction work on the creation of a new adventure play world at Devonport Park in Plymouth, Devon, has got underway. The scheme will see play equipment installed in three zones, Highlands, Lowlands and Middlelands areas, which have been specially designed by Bristol-based Atkins. A new sensory garden will also be created, along with the installation of new poles, paths and seating areas. A timber playhouse, seesaws, a nest swing and

The Tempe Historical Museum in Arizona, US, is closing its doors to undergo a US$4.1m redevelopment. Weddle Gilmore Architects (WGA) has been selected as the architectural consultant for the project which will see the main gallery and entrances completely refurbished. According to museum officials, the redevelopment will redefine the exhibit area to feature flexible spaces with changing exhibits; integrate new technology with innovative interpretation; increase programming space; and create a

Plans for a new £3m swimming pool in Ripon, North Yorkshire, have been postponed by Harrogate Borough Council (HBC) due to the economic downturn. The development was to be funded from the sale of the city's existing spa baths and through prudential borrowing, but HBC has now admitted that it is currently unable to afford the revenue costs of repaying loans. Under plans outlined in December 2007, the new complex

Starbeck Baths in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, has closed its doors to the public in order to allow work to get underway on a two-month refurbishment of the facility. The centre will reopen on 5 April following the £237,000 revamp, which will include the replacement of floor tiles in the changing rooms, installing new damp proofing measures, and fitting a new energy efficient boiler. A refurbished reception area is also part