Thames

Comments come after Andy Burnham says he would renationalise water and other businesses as PMInvestors in Thames Water have told the Labour government that a temporary nationalisation of the embattled company would slow its turnaround, after calls from Andy Burnham to put key utilities under public control.As Keir Starmer’s grip on power appeared to be fading, the Greater Manchester mayor suggested at the weekend that the renationalisation of water and energy would form part of his policy agenda should he become prime minister. Continue reading...

Planning inspector backs council’s rejection of development which was ‘not exemplary, extraordinary, remarkable or distinctive, just tall’Celebrities including Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger have defeated plans to build a 29-storey tower on the banks of the River Thames.Jagger, along with fellow rockstar Eric Clapton, actor Felicity Kendal and comic Harry Hill, fought the developer Rockwell Property for two years over its plan to erect a 100-metre tower next to Battersea Bridge. If the tower had been built on the south bank of the Thames in south-west London, it would have rivalled the heights of the famous chimneys on Battersea power station. Continue reading...

Thames at Ham designated as one of 13 new swimming areas across England to be monitored for water qualityThe first designated bathing water area on the River Thames in London will welcome swimmers for the official start of the bathing season on Friday as one of 13 new monitored swimming areas across England.The Thames at Ham, in south-west London, has been designated as a new river bathing water area after campaigners gathered evidence to show thousands of people use the river for swimming throughout the year.Canvey Island foreshore, EssexEast Beach at West Bay, Bridport, DorsetFalcon Meadow, Bungay, SuffolkGranville Parade Beach, Sandgate, KentLittle Shore, Amble, NorthumberlandNew Brighton Beach (east), MerseysideNewton and Noss Creeks, DevonPangbourne Meadow, BerkshireQueen Elizabeth Gardens, Salisbury, WiltshireRiver Dee at Sandy Lane, Chester, CheshireRiver Fowey in Lostwithiel, CornwallRiver Swale in Richmond, YorkshireRiver Thames at Ham and Kingston, Greater London Continue reading...

Offer reportedly put forward by creditors hoping to save struggling firm from being renationalised temporarilyThames Water is said to be close to a deal with its regulator that would allow the company to avoid new fines for four years, as long as it commits to investing in the business.The controversial offer, reported by the Financial Times, has been put forward by creditors who are hoping to save the struggling utility from being temporarily renationalised. Continue reading...

Latest effort involves paying off fines worth hundreds of millions of pounds as part of bid to stave off financial collapseBusiness live – latest updatesThames Water’s lenders have put forward a £10bn rescue plan that would involve paying off the troubled water company’s hundreds of millions of pounds-worth of fines for leaks and pollution, as part of an effort to stave off financial collapse.A group of private equity firms and investment groups said they would inject about £3.35bn of cash into Thames Water and raise £6.65bn in debt, in exchange for the company not falling into a government-handled administration, effectively a temporary nationalisation. Continue reading...