urbanglasgow.co.uk

escotregen · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 10:15 am Post subject:

It's good to see that local government can now insert 'social benefit' clauses into contracts. They have long tried to do this but have been constrained by supposed 'EU competition rules'. I say supposed becuase a lot of us never accepted that interpetation, and anyway I'm always suspicious when something is blamed on 'the EU'

Hopefully, housing associations and other public fund aided organisations will pull their weight as well, and step up the insertion of such clauses in their contracts.
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Well I am.

james73 · Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:26 pm Post subject:

2014 plans are going for gold

IT will have everything from an internet cafe, health centre and bank to a
laundry and handyman. It will even have a post office and pub.

Today, as more details emerged on just how the athletes' village for the
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games would look, it became clear it would
be just that a complete village within Glasgow.

City council bosses have now asked potential developers to contact them if
they are interested in taking on the massive project.

But they insist the 95-acre site must include:

• A shopping complex with a bank, post office, travel service and
convenience shopping.

• An entertainment complex with a cinema, internet cafe, bar/bistro,
conference and meeting rooms.

• A religious centre and a fully equipped clinic providing immediate health
assessment and recuperation area.

• A restaurant capable of taking 2000 diners which throughout the Games
will operate 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

• Further dining facilities, seating up to 600 people each, at various
locations in the residential area where 6500 competitors and officials will
live. They will be expected to be open between 10am and 10pm.

• Service centres providing a laundry, television, handyman, information
services and free drinks vending machines.

• An international zone with a VIP registration and reception area and an
area to carry out ceremonies.

Facilities will be needed for the Commonwealth Games Federation Medical
Commission and the Village will include a fully equipped gym, fitness and
recovery centre as well as outdoor training facilities.

It will also include a travel centre and a base for the police and fire and
rescue services.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Tue Aug 12, 2008 3:06 pm Post subject:

Final piece of the jigsaw . . . (Evening Times)

ONE of the final steps in Glasgow's preparations for the 2014 Commonwealth
games is ready to fall into place.

On Friday, city councillors are likely to agree to buy 4.5 acres of derelict
ground in the East End for £17million.

It is the final large piece of land needed for the Commonwealth Games
Athletes' Village.

The land is owned by Springfield Properties, whose boss is Glasgow
businessman Charles Price, the developer behind plans for the six star
Argyle International hotel in the International Financial Services District.

As part of the deal, the council will sell Mr Price a piece of ground it owns
on the East End site for £3m.

Mr Price plans to spend £60m on building a 200-bedroom hotel and two
office blocks, one of which is set to be the new headquarters for Sport
Scotland.

The agreement requires the property tycoon to enter a profit sharing
scheme with the council, meaning the city could benefit by more than
£2.5m in future years.

Mr Price's site is regarded as vital to the Athletes' Village because his land
effectively splits the planned village location in two.

Steve Inch, the council's executive director of development and
regeneration, said: "To deliver the Village we need to acquire all the land
to give us a single site."

External valuers were brought in to decide how much Mr Price's land was
worth and set a price of £17m.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:19 pm Post subject:

Top firms join race to win Games Village deal (Evening Times)

MAJOR building firms are queuing up to be allowed to build the Athletes'
Village for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Companies who are interested in getting involved in the project, which is
likely to cost well over £100million, were asked by council chiefs to
complete a detailed questionnaire.

Around 70 have been returned from a wide range of firms including
architects, design and project management companies.

But it is understood a number of huge consortiums, which could carry out
the entire development, also lodged an interest before Monday's deadline.
It follows yesterday's Evening Times revealing the £17m deal to buy the
final piece of land needed for the village is set to be agreed on Friday.

A council spokesman said: "We received more than 70 registered notes of
interest in the Commonwealth Games Athletes' Village by the noon
deadline on August 11. This was a very healthy figure indeed given
current market conditions."

Steve Inch, the council's executive director of development and
regeneration, said: "The intention is to evaluate these expressions of
interest and by the third week in September, we hope to be able to
recommend which companies should be taken forward.

"That will be narrowed down to four or five and we will get into what is
called a competitive dialogue towards the end of the year.

"We will then be in a position early next year to recommend who the
preferred developer should be.

"I would hope that by Spring next year we will have all the contractual
arrangements in place."

The 95-acre site opposite Celtic Park will provide accommodation and
facilities for 6500 competitors and officials. When the Games are over, it
will be transformed into a residential community with 1000 new homes -
around 300 of them for rent.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:38 pm Post subject:

Velodrome gives 2014 honour for Hoy treble (Evening Times)

OLYMPIC hero Chris Hoy is to have a stadium in Glasgow named after
him.

As Scotland's greatest Olympian clinched his third gold of the Beijing
Games - and his fourth overall - council bosses were making plans to
honour the cyclist in his home country.

Glasgow City Council said the new 4000-seat National Velodrome, which
is being built in the East End for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, would
be named in his honour.

There are also calls for the 32-year-old to be knighted.

As reported in later editions of yesterday's Evening Times, Hoy clinched
his place in history by becoming the first British Olympian for 100 years
to win three gold medals at the same games.

The Edinburgh-born star, who also has a gold medal from the Athens
Olympics four years ago, took Britain's haul of golds in China to 15,
equalling the total from the Antwerp games in 1920.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:48 pm Post subject:

Games village land bid clears last hurdle (Evening Times)

THE final piece of land needed for the Athletes' Village at the 2014
Commonwealth Games has been bought by Glasgow City Council.

Relieved council officials say the purchase of land on the banks of the
Clyde at Dalmarnock removes any uncertainty over the future of the East
End site.

On Friday, councillors will be told glazing firm Gold Seal has agreed to sell
its land and property on Springfield Road for £1.8million.

The company will move its operations and staff to a council owned site at
London Road/Dunn Street which it has purchased for £350,000.

Council Commonwealth Games spokesman Archie Graham said: "Gold
Seal is a local company directly employing around 100 staff and there are
very few other options suitable for relocation.

"This would allow the company to consolidate and expand.

"Purchasing this piece of land is a major step forward for us as we begin
the practical work that will allow us to host the 2014 Games.

"The Athletes' Village is a central part of our plans for the Games and the
council is committed to delivering on the promises we made in Sri Lanka
in November when we won the right to host the event.

"We want the 2014 Games to be the most athlete-friendly ever and this
village is designed to provide them with everything they will need.

"But, as it will eventually be turned into housing, it will also be a lasting
legacy for the city.

"The power of sport to enhance lives will never be better demonstrated."

Since winning the right to host the Games, the council has been treating
the delivery of the Athletes' Village as a priority.

The new community on the banks of the Clyde has been planned with the
help of Scotland's athletes.

It is intended to be not just a place to sleep but a place to live a place the
council hopes will sum up the whole games experience.

The Village, which will be twice the size of the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth
Games Village, will include on-site training facilities.

It will cater for up to 8000 people, allowing teams room to live, work and
prepare for the Games.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:44 pm Post subject:

Designs on 2014 success (Evening Times)

THE man who will design the cycle track for Glasgow's showpiece Commonwealth
Games in 2014 admits he's more of an architect than a cyclist.

On a flying visit to Glasgow, Ralph Schurmann quipped: "I do cycle, but if
you see me, I could do more.

"My brother is a good cyclist - I am the theorist but he's the practical guy.

"I know how to design the tracks but he must ride them."

The family company, Schurmann Architects, based in Munster, Germany,
is one of the world's leading designers of velodromes.

It devised the spectacular Beijing Olympics veledrome, frequently likened
to a giant flying saucer, at which Scot Chris Hoy memorably raced to three
cycling golds last month.

The firm has been involved in the design of nearly 130 velodromes worldwide,
including the ones used at six Olympics before Beijing.

Together with the adjacent National Indoor Sports Arena, the 4000-seat
velodrome will form a key venue at the Glasgow Games in six years' time.

Hoy's father David, a consultant on the project, said: "As far as Scottish
cycling is concerned, having Ralph Schurmann involved in the design of
this track is the best news we have had for a long time. He is truly world-
class."

Mr Schurmann, grandson of the company's founder, said the venue will
be "architecturally striking".

The actual velodrome building has been designed by sports venue specialists,
Sport Concepts.

Mr Schurmann said he was impressed by plans for the £92million complex
near Celtic Park, consisting of the velodrome and indoor arena.

James H
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Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...