THING OF THE WEEK

MIPIM MEMORIES… Planit-IE founders Pete Swift and Ed Lister were no doubt expecting a fair amount of reminiscing during the firm’s 25th anniversary celebration this week – but we don’t think they expected to be presented with photographic evidence of a stunt they pulled at MIPIM in 2011. At a PechuaKucha event (itself peak 2011), the two wore bright orange morphsuits to deliver their six-minute presentation while atop bicycles. Thankfully, Bruntwood’s Chris Oglesby was on hand at the 25th birthday party to embarrass the two with the memory and a photo, which was put in pride of place for all revellers to appreciate.

Credit: via Jayne Moore Media

GOOD CAUSES… Kudos to civil and structuring engineering company Sutcliffe on raising more than £50,000 to support Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s SWAN model, which supports patients receiving end-of-life care and their families. The money was raised during Sutcliffe’s spring charity ball last week – with the auction of items such as Eurovision tickets, signed Liverpool FC and Everton memorabilia, and Michelin-star meals helping reach the final figure. Always great to see the built environment having fun and doing good all at the same time.

Credit: via planning documents

NAME GAME… The original Manchester Airport is getting back in touch with its roots. After opening as Barton Aerodrome in the late 1920s, owner Peel Holdings rebranded the site as City Airport in 2007. However, 16 years on, the name is being changed to Manchester Barton Aerodrome. The original name is thought to be “much more in keeping with the airport’s heritage”, according to planning documents requesting a change to the signage on the airport’s main hangar. There is only one problem, the airport is very much in the city of Salford – not Manchester.

Credit: Michal Mrozek via Unsplash

ROCK ON… A rare opportunity has arisen for sun-seeking consultants. The Government of Gibraltar wants to appoint a practice to draw up a masterplan for the British Overseas Territory. A £250,000 contract to rework the out-of-date 2009 Gibraltar development plan is up for grabs for those who fancy swapping the rain of the North West for the sunny southern tip of the Iberian peninsula for a little while. Those who suffer from pithecophobia need not apply. 

The New Chinatown scheme proposes around 500 homes and a hotel. Credit: via planning documents

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT… It has been a good week for high-profile stalled schemes in Liverpool. No less than four residential developments that had previously hit the buffers or been slow-moving now appear to be progressing. Between them, Festival Gardens, New Chinatown, Freemasons Row, and Scholars Court could provide 3,000 units, which would be a real shot in the arm for Liverpool’s supply of homes.