Progress continues on Nottingham University Hospital Trust new radiotherapy department (LINACs). The main bunkers are still on programme for the sectional handover.  Work is also underway on selecting an appropriate artist(s) and artwork for the scheme. This will address our commitments under BREEAM Hea19 and also our strong belief in the use of art in buildings, to enrich the experience of those who use the building and aid in the process of healing. 

View of atrium space and bunker sub-wait

View of staff terrace at first floor

View from roof into internal courtyard

As part of BREEAM and guidance from ‘The art of good health - Using visual arts in healthcare’ document, I have created a set of A3 presentation sheets with Artists that have worked with P+HS in the past and a range of new artist have been created for future reference. It’s a starting point and one that can help for future projects.

These presentation sheets have been created following input from the LINAC arts coordinator Mr. Chris Potter and James Gordon.

Artist in this project:
Shona Kitchen
Julia Barton
Kisa Kawakami

Artist:
Shelagh Wakely

Arists:
David Harben
Blow Zone
GA Aquatic

These are just some examples of what we proposed to our client at Nottingham City Campus for the new LINAC Facility.

For those in P+HS interested in seeing all the presentation sheets please access our intranet and check out Operations / Technical page.

I’ve been wanting to look at this Urban Splash scheme for quite a while and a trip to see Michael Bourne’s Swan Lake at the Lowry enabled Mrs P and I to take in some architecture. Chimney Pot Park is a great example of how to make housing regeneration into Architecture. Very clever upside-down housing conversion of beautifully preserved streets in Salford. The rear alleys are turned into undercover and secure parking, with garden decks above. All fully occupied and the remaining streets just waiting for the end of the recession. Radical structural alterations see the roofs replaced by a steel structure, incorproating the kitchen hung inside the roof. All in all, very uplifting housing.

Some internal images from a 1:100 model showing the pedestrian entrance and main reception area of the building.
The PCT and GP receptions are located inside a suspended drum within the main atrium space, creating a dramatic space and sense of arrival for the visitor.
The scheme is currently progressing towards a full planning application date of early May this year.

Planning Minister John Healey has confirmed a package of planning system reforms saving developers time and money to help them complete building projects during the recovery have now been approved by Parliament.

Businesses that need to extend existing planning permissions to allow more time to build new developments will now pay significantly lower fees which, along with other measures to improve the flexibility of planning permissions, will help save up to £69m a year, giving a valuable cash boost for developers so they can keep investing in new projects.

New measures that enable businesses and homeowners to extend existing planning permissions without the expense and red tape of a new planning application were introduced in October 2009.

The fees for extending planning permissions are now being reduced so the fee for a major development that was previously as high as £250,000 will now be £500, the fee for smaller developments that was as high as £3,000 will now be £170, and for householder projects the previous fee of £150 will be reduced to £50.

Read the CLG press release

Read the Dear Chief Planning Officer letter

Access the new Statutory Instrument

The Planning Portal’s PDF fee summary, which incorporates all the changes, and the online Fee Calculator, which incorporates changes to ‘other applications’ submitted under Schedule 1, Part 2 category 9(b), was updated on 26 February 2010.

Applications to extend the time limits for implementing planning permissions and non-material amendments are not yet included within the Portal’s online Fee Calculator, but will be incorporated when the applications can be applied for via the online service. Currently the forms can be downloaded from the Portal and are available below.

Non-material amendments form [PDF]

Time limit extension forms [PDF

The extracts above were taken from the Planning Portal News Round-Up dated 4^th March 2010.

A series of practice notes on managing responses to stalled development schemes has been published by the Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS). 

The notes are in recognition of the challenges many local authorities and their partners are facing in developing a response to large-scale development schemes that have stalled as a result of the economic downturn.

Access the ‘Responsive Planning Practices for Changing Economic Times’ notes and ATLAS press release

This extract was taken from the Planning Portal News Round-Up dated 4th March 2010.

The Yorkshire Post Environment Awards 2010 took place last night at the Queens Hotel in Leeds. There were a total of 89 entries, and in our category of Built Environment for Projects over £1M there were three projects shortlisted;

Morrisons Halifax, designed by Bauman Lyons
Safety Central, Bramley, a pioneering £3.5m safety education centre.
The Regional Agricultural Centre, at The Great Yorkshire Showground.

Presented by Hilary Ben MP and Julia Bradbury (of Countryfile fame) the title gives away the winner.

Along with Nigel Pulling, (YAS, Managing Director) and Heather Parry (YAS, Deputy Chief Executive) I was delighted to accept the award on behalf of P+HS Architects.
Photographs to follow (of me being hugged by Julia!)

Thanks again to all those who work on the project, not least Eamon, Mike & Dave.

Staff Entrance : ramp needs some work.

Main Entrance Barrel

South East Corner

The LINAC bunkers which form part of the new Radiology department for Nottingham University Hospitals is nearing it’s April deadline for it’s partial handover .  The Bunkers which form the main body of the building will be handed over to allow the 6 month commissioning period for the specialist machines to commence.

Work will continue on site to the exteranl envelope and the Mould workshops and fittings areas as programmed for the buildings completion later this year.