Quintain talks to FA about co-ownership of Wembley, Barratt boss slams planning - plus links to other weekend news

Quitain and FA in talks over Wembley stadium
The Sunday Times said that developer Quintain was in talks to become co-owner of the new Wembley Stadium in joint venture with the Football Association. According to the paper Quintain would help to run the stadium and in return the FA could have a stake in the redevelopment of the surrounding area, 66 acres of which is controlled by the developer.

It was reported that one of the options being considered by the FA was to offer Multiplex, the Australian contractor on the delayed, over-budget Wembley stadium, a construction role on the wider Wembley redevelopment, in order to help resolve the current dispute between Multiplex and WNSL.

Planning system accused of stunting UK economy
The Sunday Times also featured the planning system as one of the controls that is holding back greater growth of the UK economy. It quoted David Pretty, chief executive of housebuilder Barratt, saying that 25 years ago in London a normal non-contentious planning application would take 12 to 14 weeks to be processed. Now, he said, it would take 12 to 14 months.

Bellway picked for Millennium Dome regeneration
The Times on Saturday said that developers Quintain and Lend Lease had selected Bellway Homes to build the first apartments as part of a £5bn regeneration project around the Millennium Dome in London.

London mayor predicts 20 skyscrapers by 2015
The Observer reported Ken Livingstone as predicting London will have upto 20 new skyscrapers by 2015. “'When I was elected you had two tall buildings,' he said. 'I think you've now got nine and by 2015 you'll have perhaps 18 to 20,” Livingstone said.

In the interview the Mayor of London also admitted that Olympic site land values had doubled since the games were won adding £500m to acquisition costs.

Security fence on Saudi/Iraq border
The Sunday Telegraph reported that Saudi Arabia has ordered the construction of a 550-mile high tech fence in response to heightened security problems in neighbouring Iraq. The project will involve ultraviolet night vision cameras, buried sensor cables and thousands of miles of barbed wire.

AWG to list Morrison arm separately
The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday that AWG is looking at spinning off its Morrison utility and facilities management business, valued at up to £250m, in a separate listing next year. AWG sold the construction arm of Morrison to contractor Galliford Try earlier this year.