A zona de Alcântara estará sujeita a obras durante um período previsto de 6 anos, impossibilitando assim a população de aceder ao rio pelas “Docas”, levando ao fecho de toda a actividade lúdica desta zona, pondo em risco 700 postos de trabalho.

Os terminais de contentores existentes nos portos de Portugal no final de 2006 tinham o dobro da capacidade necessária para satisfazer a procura do mercado.

O Tribunal de Contas em relatório de Setembro de 2007 sublinhava que a Administração do Porto de Lisboa (APL) é líder no movimento de carga contentorizada em Portugal, e apresenta desafogadas capacidades instaladas e disponíveis, para fazer face a eventuais crescimentos do movimento de contentores.

A prorrogação da concessão do terminal de contentores de Alcântara até 2042 que o Governo pretende concretizar com o Decreto-Lei n.º 188/2008, de 23 de Setembro, e que prevê a triplicação da sua capacidade afigura-se assim completamente incompreensível, desnecessária, e inaceitável para mais sem concurso público.

Apesar da lei prever 30 anos para a duração máxima das concessões, com esta prorrogação a duração desta concessão será na prática, de 57 anos, o que, tal como o Tribunal de Contas sublinha, impede os benefícios da livre concorrência por encerrar o mercado por períodos de tempo excessivamente longos.

Com esta decisão do Governo perde a Cidade de Lisboa, perdem os cofres públicos, perde o sistema portuário nacional, no fundo perdem os portugueses.

Em face do exposto, os abaixo-assinados vêm pelo presente meio solicitar à Assembleia da República que sejam tomadas as medidas necessárias para impedir este atentado estético e económico contra o País, contra Lisboa e contra os seus cidadãos, revogando o DL n.º 188/2008, de 23 de Setembro.

Lisboa 27 de Outubro de 2008

As well as annually attracting around 200,000 visitors and bringing around £4m per year into the local economy, it is also to have a strong educational focus - engaging thousands of young people with the arts and creative industries.

Examples of cultural facilities regenerating cities around the world support the need of a new contemporary art centre in Aberdeen.

This innovative project which is set to be a fantastic facility for both tourists and the local community and provide Union Terrace Gardens with better access, a safer environment and a new focal point with out being too detrimental to it's thriving ecosystem and landscape which has been evolving since the 17th century, has now been blown out of the water, and looks unlikely to survive in the face of new plans to 'deck over' Union Terrace Gardens by Sir Ian Wood.

If you believe strongly in preserving a beautiful historic landscape and helping create a brighter, better future for Aberdeen then please, sign this petition.

Gaby's has been serving wonderful food since 1965 and we must stop it falling victim to the power and lure of the chain restaurants.

For more information see this article from the Evening Standard
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/sos-save-our-shops/article-23987784-stars-favourite-west-end-deli-forced-out-by-big-restaurant-chain.do

What is Oriental City?
Oriental City was set up in 1998 and is the only indoor oriental shopping centre,
which is home to specialist Far Eastern businesses, services and community
facilities. Over the years, Oriental City has become a focal point for Far Eastern
communities to meet, social and gather for community support and celebrations
and is also regularly visited by other BAME communities. As such, Oriental City
has become known as the second Chinatown in London. Heads of States and
Ambassadors have attended the many Thai, Pilipino, Malaysian, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean and Asian festive, cultural and religious events at the Oriental
City.

Development Securities Planning Application
The planning application proposes to demolish the existing Oriental City in
Colindale, London NW9 and replace it with a retail complex consisting of a B&Q
warehouse store; other bulk non-food stores; floor space for a new Oriental
City; 500 residential flats located above the retail complex and a primary school.
The new floor space will be available for the new Oriental City with no net loss of
retail floor space.

Brent Council’s Decision and Referral to the mayor
Brent Council approved Development Securities Plc’s planning application on 21
November 2006. The matter was then referred to the Mayor of London, Ken
Livingston for his consideration. Despite receiving 10,000 objection letters
opposing the development as it currently stands, the Mayor approved the
planning application on 15 March 2007.

Why we object to the plan?
SOCC objects to the Development Securities’ Oriental City redevelopment plan
on the following grounds:
1. No consultation with the communities who will be adversely affected by the
plan
2. There are no provisions in place for the relocation of business and
community facilities, this development will destroy 40 far eastern businesses
and some 800 jobs as well as the community facilities which the Oriental City
provides for
3. With no provisions in place during the 3 year reconstruction period, the loss
to the community will be permanent

The proposal has also attracted objections and concerns from the Chinese
Embassy, MPs, London Assembly Members, the Commission for Racial Equality
and BAME Community Organisations. Former Arsenal Football Club Striker, Mr
Ian Wright has lent his support to the campaign by presenting 5000 letters of
objection to The Mayor of London’s Office on 4 December 2006. To date, the
Mayor has received 10,000 objection letters.

This petition is now closed. Thanks to all who signed. Results will be posted in due course.

...............................................

The Intrepid Fox pub on Wardour Street in Soho is a landmark for the alternative / rock/ goth movement of London. There has been a pub at that location since 1784.

The property has recently been sold and news has only now been made public that the landlord and staff have just a few weeks to vacate the premises.

It is believed that the property has been sold to a company to develop into flats.

The building stands pretty much unchanged since Georgian times, and it is a rare living testimony to those bleak institutions as a whole, rich in architectural as well as historical interest.

Since the closure and destruction of the Middlesex Hospital (to the south-west) complete demolition and redevelopment of this former workhouse has also been proposed: the building in the new plans is yet another very large development of expensive flats quite out of character with the surroundings. A planning application has already been submitted and the decision in favour or against is imminent, and so potentially is its demolition.

Time is really upon us all to save this Georgian building. For too long it has been overlooked and judged only on the basis of its functionality. Its aesthetic is austere and rigorous and yet it sits extremely well between the elegant neighbouring period properties, and its ties with social and medical history are extraordinary, making it a London landmark.

Recent research also links the workhouse as the likely inspiration for Charles Dickens Oliver Twist, as it has been discovered that the famous author lived only a few doors away. Dr Joseph Rogers, a friend of Dickens, worked at the workhouse for many years, and his work was responsible for key reforms of the time.

Virtually every other Georgian property in the country has already been listed, on the basis that - no matter what the aesthetic represented - the age of the building and the fact that Georgian properties are in percentage rare are sufficient elements to grant preservation. Justice needs to be done!

Find out more information about our petition and the campaign to save the building via the following links:

Cleveland Street Workhouse - www.clevelandstreetworkhouse.org

Workhouses.org

The Georgian Group

Camden Planning Application Ref 2010/2205/P

Camden Planning Application Ref 2010/2209/C

The Times - Public Letter asking for building to be saved

Dobson's statement on workhouse published in the Times

The Times - Activist response to Dobson statement

Westminster Councillor Support

Georgian Group - Impressive groundswell of support

Dr Richardson - Joesph Rogers and the reform of workhouse medicine

CNJ - Dobson seeks demolition

University of London - Georgian workhouse under threat

West End Extra - Workhouse is just as it should be

Powerful letter written by SAVE Britain's Heritage

The charity Greenwich Hospital plans to demolish the 150 year-old market in Greenwich town centre along with 30 surrounding shops, to make way for re-development into a large block of flats or retail outlet.

Not only will this strip Greenwich (a World Heritage Site) of one of it's most loved attractions, it will damage tourism, and lead to the loss of 130 market stalls and 30 surrounding businesses.

The charity has already begun the process of clearing the way for development by means of dramatic rent rises for leaseholders. It has also applied pressure on leaseholders to sign contracts outside the Landlords and Tenants Act, and stipulated early break clauses.

The Market is hugely popular with locals and tourists; its demolition would rip the heart out of the centre of Greenwich. The plans should be dropped and the current Market, a treasure in today's increasingly prevalent 'clone towns', be supported.

Daaruit blijkt waarschijnlijk dat de masten verstorend zouden kunnen werken. Niet veel later besluit de overheid dat het een goed idee is deze hoogspanningsverbinding dan maar langs een woonwijk met jonge mensen aan te leggen. Meer dan 60% van de mensen die hier wonen hebben kinderen onder de 10 jaar. Alleen een provinciale weg scheidt onze huizen van de 60 meter hoge masten.

Kinderleukemie en andere gezondheidsrisico’s
Het is wetenschappelijk onderzocht en bewezen dat de nabijheid van hoogspanningskabels onder andere de kans op kinderleukemie significant vergroot. Meer schrikbarende feiten over de gezondheidsrisico’s op: www.medischdossier.org/archief/jaargang_11/nummer_4/artikel_488/dossier_elektromagnetische_velden_ziekte_onder_hoogspanning.html.

In ons geval gaat de Nederlandse overheid uit van slechts 50 meter afstand! Dat er gezondheidsrisico's zijn sluit de rijksoverheid niet uit, maar zij redeneren dat een direct oorzakelijk verband nog niet bewezen zou zijn. Het verhoogde risico op kinderleukemie kan ook nog een andere oorzaak hebben, zo stelt de overheid opportunistisch. Een bezorgde Floriande bewoner heeft het rijk gevraagd schriftelijk te bevestigen dat onze gezondheid niet zal worden geschaad door de 380 kv. Die bevestiging is (uiteraard...) niet mogelijk.

Naast de gezondheidsrisicos’ maken wij ons ook ernstig zorgen over:

- Het feit dat het park van ons wordt afgenomen

- Onze huizen minder waard worden.

Geen communicatie
Naast het dreigende besluit voor het Westtrace, voelen wij ons ook genegeerd en geschoffeerd door een zeer slechte communicatie vanuit het project. Waarom de verbinding plotseling aan de andere kant van Hoofddorp moet worden aangelegd weten we niet. Schiphol of geld, wie zal het zeggen? Gecommuniceerd wordt er niet. De informatiebijeenkomst die het rijk in Hoofddorp op maandag 31 januari had gepland, werd drie dagen voor tijd plotseling afgelast. De laatste nieuwsbrief van december 2010 heeft niemand in de bus gekregen.

Conflict over onze rug
Zowel de gemeente als de provincie zijn faliekant tegen het westtrace. Zij hebben namelijk jarenlang gewerkt aan plannen om in het gebied van de westtrace circa 10.000 nieuwe huizen te bouwen, de zogenoemde ontwikkeling van de Westflank. Dit is van belang om de regio Schiphol aantrekkelijk te houden. Om diezelfde reden is toentertijd ook de wijk Floriande ontwikkeld. Maar nu dreigen de ministers Verhagen (EZ) en Schultz (Milieu) de hoogspanningskabel pal door deze wijken te trekken. Wij hebben aan de contacten met het ministerie gemerkt dat onze gezondheid geen enkele overweging is in dit conflict. Er is bestuurlijk overleg met de provincie en gemeente op vrijdag 11 maart. Wij als beraden ons momenteel op acties om aandacht te vragen voor onze problemen.

Otago Lane is a beautiful West End conservation area with unique independent shops, a small parking area and a charming Mews building. All this is currently under threat, as a local developer has submitted plans to put up four very modern blocks of flats.

Not only will this irrevocably change the look and feel of the area, especially as it will be highly visible from across the river at Gibson street and Great Western Road, but may put the futures of the independent retailers at risk. Currently we have a great selection of small shops, Voltaire and Rousseau (which is regularly used as a filming location), Mixed up Records, Ken Chapelle clock repair and of course Tchai Ovna.

We ask you to sign in order to help us protect the integrity of this beautiful and unique corner of the West End.