Chinese developer Greenland Group has purchased the sites of two proposed two high-rise developments in London for £1.2 billion. This is the first acquisition in Europe by Greenland Group, which is one of the largest developers in the world.
Greenland Group, the Chinese state-owned developer who recently made a splash by entering a joint venture partnership with Forest City Enterprises in New York on the Atlantic yards site, has purchased the 7.75 acre Ram Brewery site in London’s Wandsworth town centre and another site in Canary Wharf for £1.2 billion from developer Minerva.
Iain Withers reports the Greenland’s Groups plans for the Ram Brewery site: “The Wandsworth site has outline planning permission for a 36-storey tower incorporating 166 flats and 9,500 sqm of commercial space for new shops, cafes, bars and restaurants, alongside 661 new homes and restoring some of the historic brewery buildings.”
The plans for the Canary Wharf will become London’s tallest luxury residential building, totaling 98,000 square meters of development.
Zhang Yuliang, chairman and president of Greenland Group, cited London’s role as global financial center, as well as an open and mature city, as the reasoning behind the decision to enter Europe through London.
FULL STORY: Chinese developer buys two London tower developments

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

Test News Post 1
This is a summary

Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.

Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service