Opinion – Page 477
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Comment
The unsung heroes lament
The unsung heroes’ lament I write regarding your article (5 January, page 36) with horoscopes of the 12 facets of the building industry. The contractor is one of the 12, as are the architect and the client but I’m gobsmacked engineers aren’t mentioned.
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CommentBuilding buys a pint … for Urban Initiatives
“Developing the evening economy is an essential part of regeneration projects,” pronounces Marcus. “And we’re very happy to do our bit.”
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CommentBring back the DoE
Construction has been bounced around portfolios since 2001. But this industry needs a dedicated minister, working out of a strong Department of the Environment. Come on, Gordon, do the right thing
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CommentA stand-up row
Surely it was the operator’s responsibility to alleviate overcrowding on the crammed trams of Croydon? Well, not unless a performance standard was agreed in the PFI contract
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CommentFighting fit
Ray O’Rourke stirs up Anglo-Irish rivalry, Building defends itself in court and Gardiner & Theobald’s QSs battle to be the ultimate bridge-building champions – all to a backdrop of classical music ...
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CommentTo build or not to build
The fact that most local authorities, urban ones anyway, regularly accept and embrace contemporary architecture is a mark of great progress.
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CommentWe’re not just building schools here
Building Schools for the Future can be a real force for good if we tackle the flaws in the bid process. Once that’s done, says Paul Foster, we can radically change the way children learn
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Comment
Dead letters
Subcontractors too must beware of relying on a letter of intent as the courts have made clear that its use may jeopardise the right to adjudicate and thus make the pursuit of claims under the letter more difficult
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CommentThe do-it-yourself pillory
State your case Litigants beware! If you go to court to decide a sensitive dispute, the jackals of the press may have a right to see some of the papers you’ve filed. So, Simon Brew asks, anyone for arbitration?
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CommentBuilding buys a pint … for Land Securities
Most of the team are halfway through their first beers by the time Steve and I arrive at 4pm on a Tuesday afternoon.
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CommentEvery little helps
How refreshing to see somebody point out the exodus of staff from Tesco’s property division at last. I spent several years as a consultant for Tesco, working almost exclusively on its developments, and saw a number of changes over the years. In the past ten years it became more “ruthlessly ...
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Comment
Poaching QSs
There is a clear shortage of well-trained QSs today, as the list of any agency will illustrate. Last week, after trying to get my equity partner to defect, an agency asked if he knew anyone else in the firm interested in moving.
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Comment
A dead loss
I was disappointed to read the article about the Dead Sea project (23 February).
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Comment
Spitting image
The artist who painted the intrepid Mr Bingham this week needs his hands breaking!
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Comment
Modern life is rubbish
I was delighted to read the demolition of modern methods of construction (MMC) by Sir Digby Jones. The practice of bureaucrats deciding what is modern and what isn’t without criteria or supporting science is wasteful.
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Comment
A risky game
It isn’t just crane drivers who find themselves under pressure to “play the game and take risks to save time”. Just a few weeks ago an acquaintance who drives diggers was saying much the same thing.
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Comment
Birds eye view
I think your report (23 February) on the ban on building near warblers is biased and incorrect in omitting the fact that English Nature was reacting to a EU directive when it recommended building restrictions.