Random Stuff!

[Ray Finkle]

Paradise Birmingham.

This really shows the scale of the development

A general fly through, although I believe that phase two is indicative at this stage.

 

[58terminus]

This really shows the scale of the development

Not tall enough

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Must have been a typo , I'm sure he meant jazzfest .

But it's a long way across the keyboard from 'a' to 'i'

Kevin

 

[Ray Finkle]

It seems as if the team that are hoping to bring major film studios to the NEC are at MIPIM. It sure would be great for the region if they are successful.

#Soliwood

 

[Brum X]

New 20-year masterplan outlines grand vision for area surrounding new HS2 station in Solihull including homes and commercial space.




A landmark growth plan which will create more than 77,000 jobs and add over £4 billion to the region's economy has been set out today.

Business and public sector leaders have outlined a 20-year vision for the UK Central site in Solihull which will include new homes, commercial space and transport infrastructure to join up key assets such as the NEC and new HS2 station.
he UK Central Hub has 8.34 million sq ft of development land and space for up to 4,000 homes and the growth plan expects to create 77,500 new jobs and add £4.1 billion GVA to the local economy.

Already home to key businesses including Birmingham Airport, the NEC and Jaguar Land Rover, the Hub will be the location of the HS2 Interchange Station, placing the area 38 minutes from London Euston and creating one of the best-connected places in the UK by rail, road and air.

The Hub has already secured investment from central Government, the West Midlands Combined Authority, HS2 and Highways England, with an expected £1.5 billion of infrastructure investment over the next decade.

Plans also include the development of a multi-modal transport interchange at Birmingham International station, connecting the HS2 Interchange with the NEC and Birmingham Airport via an automated people mover and linking to mainline rail, Midland Metro trams and bus rapid transit.

This will also generate new development opportunities, with potential for more than 3.4 million sq ft of commercial space.

Coun Ian Courts, deputy leader of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, said: "This plan allows us to showcase the truly global opportunity that is presented by the Hub.

The Growth & Infrastructure Plan has been developed by UK Central's Urban Growth Company which was set up as a special vehicle to lead and develop major infrastructure investment in the Hub.


"Growth and development ambitions around the HS2 Interchange and Arden Cross site, in addition to those of Birmingham Airport, the National Exhibition Centre and Jaguar Land Rover, combine to create a compelling international investment destination for the worldwide stage."

Nick Brown, chairman of UK Central Urban Growth Company, added: "The scale of the opportunity is immense.

"The Hub will be built on strong foundations.....the UGC is determined to ensure that our shared ambitions for the area are fully realised by coordinating investment plans and growth opportunities."

 

[Kevin Farnell]

Circular runways.....Really?

I saw this on the BBC News Website -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-39284294

On first thought, it seemed to have merit, but the more I thought about it, the more uncertainties occurred to me.

For instance -

How will crosswinds effect take off and landing?

Throughout the circular runway (note that the report says that three simultaneous landings or take offs could occur) there will be aircraft experiencing headwinds, crosswinds and tailwinds.

Do the pilots plan for the departure/arrival to be into wind at the point of take off/landing, therefore starting in crosswind conditions?

How much extra workload is there on the pilots/aircraft during these procedures? (the lift distribution across the wings will be constantly changing, as the aircraft travels around the runway).

How on earth, would it be possible to have an effective CAT III ILS approach?

In perfect weather conditions, the concept may be feasible. How often, though do we have perfect weather conditions?

These are just a few of my thoughts, to which I'm sure that you could all add many more. I just can't see it coping with real world conditions.

Kevin

 

[Ray Finkle]

Interesting.......although I can't imagine it catching on.

I'd imagine it would be much more difficult for landing pilots to spot a potential runway incursion? Go arounds could also be interesting.

I also wonder how such a set up would fit into an airport layout, terminals in the middle or around the edge?

 

[Ray Finkle]

A stunning picture of St Phillip's with the beautifully restored Grand Hotel.

https://twitter.com/ThePAGuide/status/840172373080907777/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

 

[Ray Finkle]

March 27th and 28th will see the Qatar-UK Business and Investment Forum. The event will be split between London and Birmingham. The first day in London is planned to be Qatari businesses showcasing opportunities, the second held in Birmingham will be UK firms showcasing their investment ready projects. Both days are expected to see significant levels of investment.

I seem to remember that there is significant Qatari interest in the Curzon Street developments surrounding HS2. Lets hope that our region can secure even more.

http://businessbirmingham.com/media...&utm_campaign=SocialSignIn&utm_source=Twitter

"As a Government we are clear that we want to build a stronger, fairer Britain where wealth and opportunity are spread across every community, not just in London and the South East. Hosting this event in Birmingham gives us the chance to show investors the untapped potential that exists in this and other parts of the country."

 

[Ray Finkle]

Rooftop restaurant and bar coming to 103 Colmore Row

http://www.birminghamupdates.com/sp...nd-bar-to-open-on-colmore-row-by-summer-2019/

 

[Brum X]

Rooftop restaurant and bar coming to 103 Colmore Row

http://www.birminghamupdates.com/sp...nd-bar-to-open-on-colmore-row-by-summer-2019/

Looks awesome Ray, this will look great on the skyline of Birmingham. Very Londonesque

 

[58terminus]

Rooftop restaurant and bar coming to 103 Colmore Row

Not tall enough

 

[Brum X]

Not tall enough

Yeah i agree with you 100%

 

[58terminus]

I must admit to being a bit confused by all the reports in the local media of new towers being built in Brum.
A 30 storey building here a 35 storey there which all seem to contract to 12 maybe 20 storeys.Is there a reason apart from finance from this?
Paradise circus certainly needed a landmark building but looks as it will be a clone of Brindley Place.
Are there actually any buildings under construction that will change the skyline or even any that have a chance of
being built to the original spec?

 

[Brum X]

To my knowledge there has been no building that was meant to be 30/35 floors and been reduced to 15/20 floors, however towers that were really tall got cancelled and new proposals put forward.There is also a myth that BCC planning is against tall buildings, there is no evidence to support this. The simple fact is that no developer has submitted a really tall tower since before the financial crash. The council has not refused any tall tower.
103 Colmore Row is expected to begin in the summer, we will wait and see. The new 30 storey tower on Broad street is expected to begin around May 2017, again we will wait and see and there is a proposal coming forward in the next few months for a 40/41 storey tower on Broad street which already has funding so again it looks promising for this one too but we will have to wait and see.
As frustrating as it can be sometimes waiting for a tall tower to be built in Birmingham, the simple fact is Brum is very different to Manchester if that is the comparison you want. Manchester city centre is running out of space due to the build up of that city centre, Birmingham on the other hand still has large swathes of the Eastside/Digbeth area of the city which can be built on for Residential/Leisure developments so there is no need to build really tall at present, once all the surface car parks are built on like Exchange square (Masshouse Flyover area) and Digbeth is redeveloped with HS2 and the Smithfield development, they will have to build really tall becouse we will then run out of space.
For lots and lots and lots of tall towers, patience will be needed in Brum but it will come and already the city is being filled up with all these developments.

 

[58terminus]

QUOTE]

As frustrating as it can be sometimes waiting for a tall tower to be built in Birmingham, the simple fact is Brum is very different to Manchester if that is the comparison you want

Thank you and some good points made but i did not make or ask for any comparisons with other cities.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Yet again more terrible scenes on the news, this time from London. Poor innocent people just going about their business and in an instant it's all gone. I am praying that the number of fatalities rises no further.

One thing that really disgusts me is photo's of the victims being posted on social media. It just defies basic human dignity that someone would pull out a device and start filming another person in such a dire situation. The Met have asked for all footage and pictures to be sent to them rather than shared, it doesn't seem to be working. Very sad

All I can offer is thoughts and prayers to those involved.

 

[paul]

Same here ray shocking

 

[Brummiegem]

I am always appalled at how low a person will go to get a sensational picture/video on their social media feed.
Social media can and has been used for some very good purposes,unfortunately it is also being used for the very worst reasons.I hope that people who use this way of communicating realise how sick they are and get some help.Sadly I doubt they will.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families tonight.

 

[Brum X]

They are B-STARDS