中融重建倫敦水晶宮計劃胎死腹中
Plans by a Chinese developer to build a replica of the famous Crystal Palace structure in south east London are set to remain a dream, after the local council ran out of patience and withdrew from negotiations.
一家中國開發商在倫敦東南部重建著名的水晶宮(Crystal Palace)建築的計劃註定仍是一個夢，此前失去耐心的地方議會退出了談判。
Zhongrong Group had proposed building a £500m “cultural destination” on the same scale and size as the original Victorian glass and iron structure that burnt down in 1936. But Bromley council said it had concluded “there was not a realistic prospect of reaching agreement” and it would be looking at other options.
中融集團(ZhongRong Group)曾提出斥資5億英鎊，打造一個與當初維多利亞時代風格的“玻璃加鋼鐵建築”（1936年被焚燬）規模和大小相同的“文化勝地”。但布羅姆利區地方議會(Bromley Council)稱其得出結論認爲：“不存在達成協議的現實前景”，將研究其他選擇。Barring an unforeseen breakthrough, the news marks the end of the grandiose proposal — launched with great fanfare by London major Boris Johnson a year and half ago — to rebuild the glass structure that hosted the Great Exhibition of 1851.
除非出現意想不到的突破，否則這一消息標誌着重建這座曾舉辦1851年萬國工業博覽會(Great Exhibition)的玻璃建築的宏偉計劃畫上句號。一年半以前，倫敦市長鮑里斯•約翰遜(Boris Johnson)大張旗鼓地宣佈了這一計劃。
While there was an initial flurry of activity and a group of famous British architects shortlisted to produce designs, activity on the project soon stalled with the developer and the council unable to agree about land ownership questions.
儘管各方起初展開了緊鑼密鼓的活動，一羣著名的英國建築師被列入提供設計方案的入圍名單，但該項目很快就陷入了停滯，原因是開發商與地方議會無法就土地所有權問題達成一致。The site is owned by Bromley council and designated as metropolitan open land, meaning there are restrictions on what can be developed.
水晶宮原址地塊屬於布羅姆利區地方議會所有，被指定爲城市公共土地，這意味其開發要受到種種限制。With details about what would be included in the development remaining vague, local residents and politicians were concerned by reports the developer was seeking a 125-year lease on the site, arguing this would amount to a sale.
在項目開發細節一直不明確的情況下，當地居民及政界人士對於有關開發商尋求該地塊125年租期的報道感到擔憂，提出這將等同於出售該地塊。After a 16-month exclusivity period ran out in February without visible signs of progress, the local council demanded that Zhongrong Group produce detailed proposals and pay a £5m deposit to extend the exclusivity agreement.
中融集團被授予的16個月排他期於2月份終止，而項目沒有進展跡象。於是地方議會要求中融集團拿出詳細方案，並支付500萬英鎊的保證金以延長排他期。With that deadline now past, Stephen Carr, leader of Bromley Council, said the council would be looking at other options.
隨着最後期限已過，布羅姆利區地方議會領導人斯蒂芬•卡爾(Stephen Carr)表示，該議會將研究其它選擇。“We were prepared to properly listen to what Zhongrong had to say but we were never going to simply say yes to absolutely anything as we need to get this right,” Mr Carr said.
“我們準備充分聽取中融的解釋，但我們永遠不會對所有的事都簡單地一口答應，因爲我們需要正確把握這個項目，”卡爾說。Zhongrong Group said it was “obviously disappointed” that no agreement had been reached, adding that agreement around the size of the site and leasehold arrangements had been “critical” for the development.
中融集團稱，對未達成協議“顯然很失望”，並補充說，圍繞地塊大小和租期安排的協議對整個開發項目“至關重要”。
