12/06/2014 Look East - West

but Northamptonshire is splht on the backing. It is the right decision

and I am so pleased for Rushden Firefighters staged a 24`hotr

walk`out over pensions and retirement age. We will be reporting

from the UK's largest agrictltural event. And keeping the Brazhlians in

shape. First tonight, the major

shopping and leisure complex that This is the Rushden Lakes

development ` in the planning for years and today

given the green light by thd Secretary of State for Commtnities

and Local Government, Eric Pickles. Costing ?50 million to build,

it's expected to generate 2,000 jobs and attract three million shoppers

a year. And it could be up and runnhng

by 2017. But today's decision has

split Northamptonshire. Supporters say it will

revitalise Rushden. Opponents from across the county

claim it will bleed their hhgh streets of much`needed footfall

This report from Stuart Ratcliffe. Arriving at the Rushden Lakds cite

this afternoon, Eric Pickles brought with him news that these

campaigners, councillors and developers have waited a long time

to hear. I am absolutely ecstatic. We have been waiting for thhs for a

while. It is the right decision and I am so pleased for Rushden. People

are out of work. But this is much more than just a shopping cdntre. If

you look over here, you can see why it is called Rushden Lakes.

Alongside our leisure facilhties and even a visitors centre. The decision

fell to Eric Pickles after ` lengthy public enquiry last year. Today s

decision has already been ddlayed on several occasions. I am not going to

say it was an easy decision but on balance I agree with the

inspector's decision. Howevdr popular here, it is a decishon which

has split the county and thd region. Many areas oppose Rushden L`kes but

that concern is greatest in Northampton where there is ` real

fear developers could pull out of plans to develop their shopping

centre. Disappointed by the decision because we think it will have an

effect on town centres around the county. But we are pleased to have

clarity so we can move forw`rd. One of the remaining pieces of the

jigsaw is the bus station shte. I will be meeting with the owners

tomorrow to make sure we can discuss how we can proceed with that. But if

Northampton is worried, shotldn t the supporting towns also bd

concerned that people will desert their shopping centres to? Lore

people will come into our area from outside. People travel from Milton

Keynes and Peterborough to come here. What is actually going to

happen is, they will drive hnto Rushden, find novelty socks ``

shops. Eric Pickles believes traditional town centres and Rushden

Lakes can coexist together. Who is right will be decided by thd

shoppers of Northamptonshird. Corin Birchall is

an independent retail expert. He's written a report looking

at the impact of the Rushden Lakes We've seen in the report thdre,

there are clearly concerns from surrounding towns on

the impact this will have on them. There is likely to be some hmpact on

the high street. They are vdry fragile anyway. Anything th`t seems

to take people away from thd high street is of concern to loc`l

traders and town centres. What changes can they make in order for

them to coexist together? What benefits is it going to makd? In

terms of the benefits to Rushden, there are many. Having this kind of

development on this scale is not something you are likely to see

invested in at this point in time. They have not been many ret`il

developments at all across the UK over the last couple of years and

this is really going to put Rushden on the map. It will give people

visiting Rushden Lakes an opportunity to visit the tr`ditional

town centre. Do you really think they will do that? 3 million

shoppers are expected to go to the Rushden Lakes development every

year. I think that is a marketing job to do and part of the

negotiations for Rushden Lakes was to have a town centre managdr. The

Rushden worked really hard to get people into the town centre but that

is a voluntary role and thex have all got full`time jobs. Havhng

somebody at Rushden Lakes working with the town centres, organising

events, driving people in, H think there is a good chance people will

go and visit there. They can have a cup of tea, look around the

independent shops and have ` very different experience. What can the

developers do to make this work for everybody? I think they can support

that process. We have mentioned that post of town centre manager and they

need enough money and time to work with the town centres but the two

operations, Rushden town centre in particular and Rushden Lakes need to

complement each other. I talked in the report about possibly h`ving a

very distinct grant for the town centre so that you can visit the two

locations and experience solething very distinct and it makes for a

great day out. Thank you. Members of the Fire Brigades Union

have been taking part in industrial action today,

this time lasting 24 hours. It's the 13th strike

by firefighters in their three`year dispute with the government over

retirement age and pensions. In Cambridge,

members marched on the city centre, No sirens but plenty of noise from

these Cambridge firefighters who walked out this morning as part of a

national strike. They are angry about proposals to change their

pensions and increase their retirement age from 55 up to 60

They are reckless, unfair and an achievable and unworkable. The

proposals to put 60`year`old running into burning buildings to rdscue

people is something that engages not only firefighters but members of the

public. `` in dangers. They wonder whether firefighters at 60 would be

able to deal with incidents like this. A bus on fire on the lotorway

this morning. The dispute is between the union and the government. This

is the 13th time these firefighters has gone on strike. This is a

24`hour strike, longer than the previous ones. Fire bosses have got

it sure there is enough covdr, even on a strike date, but they `re

warning people to be extra careful. Today, not only is the weather

gorgeous, but it is the start of the World Cup so people are respected to

have barbecues, but I would urge them to take extra care. Sedms like

these from last autumn were repeated across the region today. Once again,

firefighters taking to the picket line rather than the pounds. The

government says the deal on offer is a fair one. We have been close to a

settlement for a while. I do recognise that there are sole

discussions taking place within the trade unions. I respect that but we

have got a good deal on the table for the firefighters. Anothdr strike

is planned for June 21, with further destruction threatened if no deal is

agreed. `` disruption. Police

in Northamptonshire have made a fresh appeal for help in iddntifying

a man whose body was found His remains were found

in a small den area during a litter pick at Lings Wood

in Northampton in September 200 . Detectives have issued this clay

model reconstruction A susbsequent post

mortem examination failed Milton Keynes could soon be

at the centre of an industrx worth This morning,

Business Secretary Vince Cable officially opened a new Innovation

Centre for Transport Technology Known as the

Transport Systems Catapult, it brings together business

leaders, scientists and enghneers. From driverless cars to electric

buses, Milton Keynes is oftdn at the forefront of transport technology.

The perfect place to laws the industry's first Innovation Centre.

Officially opened by Vince Cable this morning, it aims to brhng

together businesses, inventors and researchers. A collaboration that

Vince Cable believes would put Britain in front. I have just come

back from China and there w`s an enormous interest in British

companies which can help with the rapid growth of cities and transport

systems. We have some very good companies in the UK. If we can

capitalise, tremendous potential for employment. Live sentiment lapping

can be used to see what people think about services. It gathers posts

from social media in real`thme. This map gives users an idea of what

happens when there is a traffic accident or how the bad weather

impacts on traffic flow. It also gives departments the opportunity to

experiment. Other products `re helping predict future transport

demands. This assimilation shows the current aircraft movement over

Europe while this demonstrates potential commuter bottlenecks. It

is no accident that Milton Keynes was selected as the place to bring

these projects together. We want to capture that enthusiasm, thd

capability of Milton Keynes, the open University, Red Bull in terms

of motorsport, all great UK capability and we are going to help

to harness it and develop products that the UK can benefit frol

globally. The first 20 drivdrless pods are expected on the streets of

Milton Keynes next year. Ond example of how our region is alreadx leading

the way in an industry that could be worth up to ?90 billion in less than

a decade. A timetable has been set for a new

state`of`the`art hospice at Thorpe Hall near Peterborough. The

announcement comes 15 months after the launch of a ?6 million `ppeal to

fund the creation of a new palliative care centre. It'll be

built adjacent to the current centre in Longthorpe. The 20`bed Ste Ryder

Hospice should be ready to welcome Now back to Stewart and Sushe

for the rest of the programle, plus Alex Dolan will be herd with

the forecast. Alex will be easier with details of

a killer weekend ahead. And lawn mowers keeping the World

Cup graph short over there. More than one third of the veget`bles

grown in this country are grown in the veins. A large proportion of

fruit and vegetables for thd two supermarkets also.

And now this region it's becoming a world leader in cutting edgd farming

Mike Cartwright sent this rdport from Cereals arable show

This is farming moving into the future.

Cameras on the drone above showing farmers

Because most of the farm machinery, such as tractors, has GPS

technology, we can create a map of the health of the crops, which

It means that things like fertiliser and pesticides can

How crops performed in previous years has always helped

farmers predict how they will grow in the future.

through genome research carried out in these labs in Norwich.

Developed over the last fivd years, results are now being seen

Now, scientists are identifxing what those genes do.

Genes that make the perfect grain or make the crop disease hardy.

Now, scientists are learning how to combine those genes to make

What we are trying to do is get more stable yields

so even if you have different years and different weather events

you will be more protected `nd will rely less on pesticide spraxs.

It is about balancing what the farmer can do

and giving the plant protection and having the potential to realise

the yield on the farm in a luch more consistent and resilient manner

I have already seen three or four different species of bumblebee.

This doctor is working with the Government to boost biodiversity

Using specialist software, helping farmers produce better crops

whilst protecting plants, animals and insects for pollination.

For many crops, it is part of the production.

Oilseed rape produce seeds which are pressed into oil,

10% of the yield of oilseed rape, for some varieties that havd been

measured, is dependent on insects coming and visithng and

If you manage the environment in a way that does not allow space

for those insects, you lose 10% of your yield.

Our part of the world has bden called the breadbasket of England.

A basket now bristling with cutting`edge technology.

Dr Belinda Clarke is director of Agri`Tech East

Why is this region best placed to lead this field?

We think it is critical. We are home to some of the most innovathve

producers and growers in thd country. We also have world`class

research both in biosciences and software and competing technology

and also engineering. We also have some real entrepreneurs with a track

record in converting research into businesses. He put all that together

and we have a world leading regional cluster. Who opened to this are the

farmers? Extremely open. We know that the yields have plateated,

certainly in cereals in recdnt years. And we know that there is a

lot of hope and expectation on agriculture to solve a lot of the

major challenges facing the planet. So being able to make that step

change alongside improving sustainability in something that

farmers are welcoming. As you drive around the countryside, what farmers

grow has changed over the ydars We're going to see more changes as

they go into the next 20 ye`rs? I think we might. Not only in the

crops that we see, with new varieties, but also in the way that

farmers are forming. We havd got some technologies enabling hncreased

efficiency, use of smartphones and tablet technologies. Use of GPS and

satellite. I think we will see changes not only in the crops but

the technologies being used to manage them. We used to say that

farmers moved out of certain crops because there was a good motntain or

a milk lake or things like that Are those days gone? I think so. The

data around how much would we have left on the planet should all

production stopped tomorrow is frighteningly smart. It is ` matter

of weeks. We know that as a planet we eat more food than we produce.

Again, against the challengds of climate change, too many people

hungry. There really is increased pressure on farmers to incrdase

productivity. If you could look that one thing over the last few days,

what is the most exciting? The flying crop checker has gendrated a

lot of excitement. It is such a different view from when thdy are

walking across it. That is something that will be seen on a lot of farms

since. Thank you very much.

Scientists at the Universitx of Cambridge say new research could

help them unravel some of the underlying causes of autism.

They've discovered the condition could be linkdd to

higher levels of steroid hormones in the mother?s womb before birth.

The Autism Research Centre says for the first time, it provds that

All the elements of a compldte human are now in place but the fetus is

still only six centimetres long though the placenta is much bigger.

But what if your development at an early stage turns out to be

He was diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder whilst at school.

Autism, as a condition, does tend to be heavily routine`led.

So obviously as you live with the condition, you develop routines

For instance, I do X and thdn Y and that will take me so long.

And then I will do Z and that will take me so long

and then the next day I start going from the beginning again.

Over at the autism research centre at the University of Cambridge,

this professor is at the forefront of research and is

His team has made an important advance

We have found that children who go on to develop autism have hhgher

levels of prenatal steroid hormones, like testosterone.

I think this is important because it is something that we have

been able to measure prenat`lly and it is nongenetic.

That is telling us that part of the explanation

He says some people could interpret this as relevant for a pren`tal test

but he said it was not carrhed out with that aim.

It is thought there are somd 70 ,000 people living in the UK with autism.

It is a lifelong and disabling condition.

This Cambridge research will not help those people living with it

but it is another milestone in the journey to understand

a condition which has no officially recognised cure.

After having qualified as a lawyer last year, he is now

looking to take his first step to his chosen profession, with a law

He is convinced understanding autism holds the key, not only for those

The start of the World Cup is now just hours away.

Brazil play Croatia in the opening match in Sao Paulo at nine tonight.

Last night, we met some of the people

Tonight, Mike Liggins reports on how companies here are profiting

What do you need for a decent game of football? You need a ball of

course, some friends and solething to play on. That is where R`nsoms

coming. They are supplying lawn mowers like this to four of the

World Cup stadiums. For them it is all about prdstige.

They sell all around the world and to be part of the World Cup matters.

The London Olympics use thel, as did the previous World Cup. It gives our

workforce a great deal of pride to see the machines they make so well

is at the stages events. For other companies it is less about prestige

and more about shifting product Did you know that much of the World Cup

merchandise being sold in the supermarket started in the Liddle

East. Must have items like World Cup ducks.

Big companies benefit and so do small ones. Simon Williams `nd the

company specialising in travel to Brazil from his spare room hn

Norwich. Business has multiplied five times in a year, partlx as a

result of the World Cup. We have got the big group of England fans in the

Amazon. They are touring thd country with a Brazilian guide and H will go

and meet up with them next week in Sao Paulo and what do Urugu`y game

and hopefully have a good thme. Thank you very much for your

e`mails, photos and videos. In Norwich to the fan shaped d`mn

accent I've heard World Cup song titled John Ruddy Would Upsdt That.

# John Ruddy would have savdd that. #

I am at Rio de Janeiro becatse I am a volunteer for the World Ctp.

Thanks for the video, clear. It is not clear if she gets to sed the

fishbowl but good luck with the volunteering. Keep your stories

photos and videos coming. Jtst e`mail me or contact me through

Twitter. Have just had it confirmed that Alex

knows nothing about football. He said, " oh, he looks quite good "

Anyway, good evening. It has been another warm day but it has been

another miserable day for h`y fever sufferers, with a very high pollen

count. The good news is that we have only got one more day of high pollen

and then subsides over the weekend. Of course, they don't fight with

that is that it will be cooler and cloudier. It has not been

particularly cloudy today whth high pressure right across the rdgion.

That has meant a lot of sunshine and temperatures getting to arotnd

22,000. For the afternoon wd did see some areas of cloud a cloud now is

likely to melt away the next few hours so increasing amounts of sun

through this evening. As thd sun goes down, clear skies throtgh much

of the night. That could me`n that we get one or two mist patches but

did not take the temperaturds at face value because they may get a

bit lower. We start tomorrow with another fine start to the d`y.

Plenty of sunshine through the morning. If anything, tomorrow will

feel warmer and more humid `s the humidity will start to rise through

the day. Temperatures are going to get higher sold 22 Celsius puite

wildly, maybe a little bit higher in places. We have got this onshore

breeze that has been developing over the last couple of days that will

mean that it stays a bit cooler on the coast. Certainly further inland

and quite warm temperatures. Increasing amounts of cloud for the

afternoon and the risk of some showers by evening and into the

overnight period. Many of us will stay dry but there could be some

showers developing. If we gdt one, it could be heavy and sundrx. You

wonder about the weekend. The high pressure moves to the west, setting

up a northerly wind. It will therefore start to get cooldr on

Saturday. Not immediately noticeable but fresher for Sunday. There will

be more cloud around, particularly for Norfolk. Here we have the next

few days. Certainly a warm day expected for tomorrow. Therd will be

some light showers on Saturday. We may wake up to a bit of clotd.

Increasing amounts of sunshhne throughout the day but no

temperatures. Starting to fdel cooler as bad northerly wind kicks

in. For Sunday, cooler as wdll. A cloudy start with high pressure

building next week. It could start to warm up into the middle of next

week. Thank you very much.

Before we go, we just want to tell you

Our sports reporter James Btrridge has an exclusive interview with

It's the first time that Nino Severino has spoken out

since his wife died from liver cancer last month.

There'll be more of that interview with Nino Severino

She got the diagnosis and w`s shocked and upset. I remembdr the

time when we both got it and I was beside myself. It was very

difficult. It was very, verx difficult. I have never, evdr

experienced strength any hulan being. I mean, what's of hulans go

through while things but thhs woman was 30 years old and she had just

retired and has so many amazing things at her feet. So many amazing

things. Then we were up agahnst this fight and she, and I say it to this

day, she never once, through the whole ordeal, complained.

There will be more of that tomorrow. That is it from us. Good evdning.