The recent growth in the commercial property rental market has continued according to a new report by JLL, property consultants in the UK. The report shows there has been growth of 4.8% in the commercial property rental market in which Leeds, where Towndoor has commercial property available for rent, had
An innovative modular building system which has the potential to plug the massive shortfall in low-cost housing and schools, not just in Britain but across the world, is using expanded polystyrene (now known across Europe as airpop™) at the centre of its unique patented design. In its most recent project,
The property industry’s biggest challenge announces new three year partnership – CYCLE TO…, a business network that raises money through cycling to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people, is proud to announce Legal & General as the headline sponsor for the next three years of its flagship event, the
Bellway’s staff at Eastfields were crowned Property Team of the Year at a glittering awards ceremony in Glasgow on Thursday 24th September. The team located at the development in Carntyne won the prestigious title at The Herald Property Awards for Scotland 2015 held in the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.
WeWork, the co-working platform for creators with sites across 16 global cities, is to launch the world’s largest co-working space in London this November 2015. The 166,038 sq ft WeWork site in Fore Street, Moorgate, will provide capacity for 3,100 members over eight floors, with London positioned as the
David Cameron will today outline plans to increase the number of quality apprenticeships and give businesses a say on how they are run. Government outlines radical changes to boost apprenticeship numbers and drive up quality of courses Apprenticeship levy to level the playing field so every big company plays their
The recent growth in the commercial property rental market has continued according to a new report by JLL, property consultants in the UK. The report shows there has been growth of 4.8% in the commercial property rental market in which Leeds, where Towndoor has commercial property available for rent, had seen some of the biggest growth. It is expected that the growth will continue by another 2.9% in the coming few months. This Prediction is based on the increasing volume of companies looking to rent commercial property rather than buy. This report showing growth is incredibly positive for Towndoor as our Dyeworks project nears completion for autumn 2015. These units will feature high quality units that can be tailored for individual needs. A video on The Dyeworks can be found at the bottom of the article Another reason this report is so positive is because it shows that there is more confidence within multiple industries. When companies look to move into new larger commercial properties or take out new tenancy agreement, it proves they are confident in the industry and stability of their company. As leading providers of commercial property to rent in Huddersfield, we are particularly pleased to see the growth in the sector. Our units have been tailored to allow our tenants to grow and we work closely with them all to ensure their commercial working space meets their requirements on all daily basis. If you should be looking for high quality commercial units to rent, or a new office space to allow you to start your new business, please do not hesitate to contact Towndoor today on 01484 850015. [wpdevart_youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg_U1SlP9LY[/wpdevart_youtube]
An innovative modular building system which has the potential to plug the massive shortfall in low-cost housing and schools, not just in Britain but across the world, is using expanded polystyrene (now known across Europe as airpop™) at the centre of its unique patented design. In its most recent project, the Acermetric building system has just slashed costs and build-time at a London primary school where a two-storey multi-purpose 466m2 “Centre of Excellence” was assembled in around 13 weeks on site by just four builders lifting panels by hand and installing the elements with a single tool! Coppice Primary School in Chigwell, which provided independent funding for the project, said “the new Centre of Excellence is a unique and bespoke provision that houses two additional classrooms, a computing suite, art studio and science laboratory to accommodate our subject specialisms. This has been a huge success with our pupils, being able to educate them in a purpose built provision. The wider community also benefits from using the art studio in our Centre of Excellence”. The Acermetric system is patent-protected in twenty countries worldwide with another forty countries recognising patent conformance. It comprises a range of interlocking panels each of which is effectively a sandwich of grey eps with the option of the outer board material specified according to the building needs. Together with window and door cassettes, the full range of elements extends to around forty shape options which, when locked together and linked to patented roof support beams and columns, allow more than a million combinations of high-strength, three-dimensionally stable structures – a ‘lego-like’ system capable of creating a building of virtually any shape, size or design. According to the company’s calculations, the system could easily accommodate buildings up to ten storeys high, is suited to areas prone to ground movement and even to earthquake risk, and has undergone stringent UKAS testing covering strength, fire resistance, acoustic protection, thermal insulation and longevity. The whole idea was the brainchild of UK engineering design and R&D veteran David Appleford who cut his teeth in the deep sea oil exploration sector. According to David, his system owes a great deal to the eps foam which forms the core of the panels. “The grey eps at the heart of our Acermetric panels gives us many advantages – light weight, rigidity, excellent insulation, high acoustic performance and good fire protection. In fact thermal insulation is so effective that in the primary school project – the combination of the heat generated by the occupants and high solar gain meant we had to install additional cooling measures.” Appleford is convinced the Acermetric system could bring major benefits across the globe, “Our success so far allows us to be confident that if we could move to large-scale precision mass production of the panels we would have no problem in plugging the gap of 150,000 low-cost homes desperately needed across the UK. Then when we look at the potential in developing countries – this could represent a massive solution to a global problem in which eps could play a significant part.” The thermal performance for grey EPS/Airpop is 0.03 W/mK and, according to David Appleford, this helps his Acermetric buildings to achieve 0.1 u-values or better. The British Plastics Federation also points out that Airpop™ is non-toxic, chemically inert, non-irritant and rot-proof. Fungi and bacteria cannot grow on Airpop™, it is insoluble and non-hygroscopic – and moisture contact will not lead to product or performance deterioration. Other advantages of the Acermetric system include the fact that no expansion joints are needed as the entire construction is post-tensioned through the locking mechanism. All internal walls are pre-finished – avoiding the need for plasterboard – and external walls can be finished to any specification including architectural cladding, weatherboard, slate, tile or brick slips. Chairman of the BPF EPS Group David Emes said: “There are many building systems which take advantage of airpop™ but this is one of the most innovative we have come across. It’s an ideal building material for modular or elemental systems because it can easily be cut or moulded to shape during the manufacturing of the elements and has built-in BBA Approval, BRE Certification, BRE Green Guide A+ rating and many wider industry accreditations. It also comes closest of any modern building material to fulfilling the 60-year performance life target set by the UK Building Regulations”. A new residential build project for Acermetric is in the pipeline and will further prove the system’s integrity. The next step for Acermetric will then be to commission a state-of-the-art factory for the mass production of the panels and to license the innovative yet extremely simple technology to manufacturers, builders and construction companies in the UK and beyond.
The property industry’s biggest challenge announces new three year partnership – CYCLE TO…, a business network that raises money through cycling to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people, is proud to announce Legal & General as the headline sponsor for the next three years of its flagship event, the annual charity cycle ride to MIPIM. Legal & General’s involvement is in keeping with its growing Health and Wellbeing agenda, while also reflecting its commitment to supporting sustainable, macro trends. Bill Hughes, Managing Director of LGIM Real Assets, comments: “Now in its eleventh year, the charity cycle ride to MIPIM is a high profile, well established event in the industry calendar, and recognised as one of the property sector’s toughest sporting challenges. Our three year commitment reflects our belief that cycling and other charity-focused, physical challenges play an increasingly important role in industry networking, providing a good antidote to MIPIM itself. Our position as head sponsor presents us with an exciting opportunity to provide our input and have a positive effect on the event, whilst also encouraging new riders to take up the challenge.” CYCLE TO… is known for its highly professional, well-supported rides, which gives the cyclists an experience of what it’s like to be a pro-rider; with rolling road closures, support vehicles, mechanics and masseurs. The MIPIM ride has become a flagship event for the property industry and it offers the opportunity to connect and network with fellow industry professionals, whilst also raising money for charity. Since its inception, the ride has helped foster a number of successful business relationships: earlier this year, Duggan Morris Architects secured planning for a development with Argent for its biggest project to date, citing meeting Argent on the event as a significant contributing factor to landing the contract. The 2016 event will be launched on 29th September 2015 in front of this year’s prospective riders. Now in its eleventh year, the MIPIM ride will take place 10th-15th March 2016.The epic six day endurance event will start in London and finish in Cannes for the start of international property fair MIPIM. The unique event brings together over 100 property industry professionals who will ride 1,500km route as one peloton with the aim of raising £300,000 for charity. In 2015, the highly successful tenth anniversary event raised £254,000, bringing the ultimate total raised by CYCLE TO… to more than £2 million. Nick Hanmer, Chief Executive of CYCLE TO… said, “We’re extremely pleased to have L&G on board and very excited about working together with the team there. L&G is a high profile and well-respected organisation within the industry and our three year relationship is a fantastic way to start the second decade of our flagship event.” Two-thirds of funds raised by the ride will go to the principal charity partner, Coram, the UK’s first dedicated children’s charity. For over 275 years it has been helping the most vulnerable children overcome hardship and trauma. Article 25, Emthonjeni Trust, Multiple System Atrophy Trust and Tom’s Trust are the other organisations being supported.
Bellway’s staff at Eastfields were crowned Property Team of the Year at a glittering awards ceremony in Glasgow on Thursday 24th September. The team located at the development in Carntyne won the prestigious title at The Herald Property Awards for Scotland 2015 held in the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow. Since 2008 Bellway has been building at Eastfields, transforming a derelict gap site into a thriving community which will feature 750 new homes in total when it is completed. Judges praised Bellway for their “strong team ethic” and tireless work in creating a really special environment in the East of Glasgow. Bellway was also a finalist in the Best Family Home for developers building more than 50 units per year with the Birkdale showhome at The Marches in Stepps. Fraser Conn, Sales and Marketing Director for Bellway Homes (Scotland) Ltd picked up the award for the company. He said: “When we started work on Eastfields we were in the dark days of the recession, long before work had started in the area in preparation for the Commonwealth Games. However our sales staff from day one recognised the important role of the development as a catalyst for regeneration in the area and have worked tirelessly to make it happen – everyone from the sales advisors to the site manager has consistently gone the extra mile for people. “We were determined that Eastfields would not be a sprawling estate of identical homes but a development with lots of distinct areas and a wide range of house types so that it would not just appeal to families but first time buyers, young couples, single householders and retirees as well. “It is wonderful not just to see Eastfields become a flourishing community but the entire East End blossoming with great new sporting facilities thanks to the success of the Commonwealth Games.” The Herald Property Awards for Scotland in association with Burness Paull honours the achievements of Scotland’s most innovative and successful house builders, developers and registered social landlords.
WeWork, the co-working platform for creators with sites across 16 global cities, is to launch the world’s largest co-working space in London this November 2015. The 166,038 sq ft WeWork site in Fore Street, Moorgate, will provide capacity for 3,100 members over eight floors, with London positioned as the US company’s hub for global expansion. Founded in 2010 by Adam Neumann and Miguel McKelvey in New York, the company is now worth an estimated $10bn, with 700 employees worldwide and new sites opening in new cities month-on-month. WeWork’s mission is to actively build a community of entrepreneurs within its walls, seeking ‘creators’ from all industries to become members, with a suite of WeWork-specific membership benefits in each country. The overriding ideal is that these members collaborate – a member can use any WeWork space in the world, access an internal social network of 30,000 individuals, attend bespoke social events and top it up with unlimited free beer. Companies who are members include Amazon, SkyScanner, SoundCloud, KPMG, and Farfetch, with new partnerships being continually set up. More than 30% of WeWork’s members have done business together, and international locations serve as a base for business travel and enable a great degree of work flexibility. Commons Membership starts at £30 for access to its facilities, while Full-Time Membership is divided between desks, starting at £325/month, and large private offices, starting at £650/month. These include all the plug-and-play facilities a modern business needs, as well as furniture, internet access, cleaning and other expenses like payment processing, IT support, payroll, legal support, web hosting and cloud storage. Memberships include access daily events like ‘lunch and learns’, one-on-one business mentoring, yoga and meditation classes, technology talks, life coaching sessions, wine tastings, and movie, salsa, and trivia nights. WeWork Moorgate is designed by Matt Wood, and features unique design elements based on the building, neighbourhood, and history of the space. The design, location and arrangement of Moorgate reflects its target demographic of both startups and seasoned companies looking for inspiration and collaborative space – breakout areas are cushioned by bean bags chairs and hammocks, conference rooms are designed as plush lounges and there are a suite of amenities available at break-out points throughout.
David Cameron will today outline plans to increase the number of quality apprenticeships and give businesses a say on how they are run. Government outlines radical changes to boost apprenticeship numbers and drive up quality of courses Apprenticeship levy to level the playing field so every big company plays their part in delivering new generation of skilled apprentices and industry-led training standards to meet their needs All part of one nation government’s pledge to create 3 million apprenticeships by 2020 Prime Minister David Cameron will today outline a package of radical plans to increase the number of quality apprenticeships across England – from nuclear engineers to tailors and butchers – and give businesses a say on how they are run and what they offer. Employers across the country will today (Friday) be asked for their views on the introduction of an apprenticeship levy – set to be introduced in 2017 and designed to increase investment in training and apprenticeships. Other steps outlined today, which form part of the government’s pledge to support 3 million apprenticeships by 2020, include a requirement to take a company’s apprenticeship offer into account when awarding large government contracts and publishing new ‘industry standards’ so that apprentices have the skills that companies need. Also today, the Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced an ambition to boost apprenticeships across the road and rail industry – pledging 30,000 apprenticeship places in the sector during the lifetime of this Parliament, with help from a transport strategy led by Terry Morgan, Chairman of Crossrail. This builds on the 2.3 million apprenticeships created under the last Parliament to make sure that young people have the skills and expertise that employers demand. Prime Minister David Cameron said: The greatest asset any employer has is their workforce. And by investing in them, they are investing in the success and future of their business. As a one nation government, we are committed to supporting 3 million quality apprenticeships over the next 5 years – to help strengthen our economy, deliver the skills that employers need and give millions more hardworking people financial security and a brighter future. Skills Minister Nick Boles said: Skilled people are the lifeblood of a strong economy but for too long UK businesses have invested too little in developing their employees’ skills to meet the demands of a competitive, global market. The apprenticeship levy will ensure that businesses invest in skills and training, and will act as a much needed shot in the arm for the country’s productivity. The plans outlined today include: Apprenticeship levy The amount that UK businesses have invested in training has fallen consistently over the last 20 years and UK productivity now lags behind other major Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Employers are now being urged to give their views on plans for an apprenticeship levy to boost investment in apprentices and skills training and make sure it meets their needs. Under the proposed approach employers who put in funds will have direct spending power over it. Levy systems already operate in over 50 countries, including Netherlands, Denmark and South Korea, and will ensure every larger company plays their part in investing in the future generation of apprenticeships. The levy will help cement the government’s aim to build a world class apprenticeship system, led by employers. A full consultation on the implementation of the levy is being launched today. Major changes to government procurement From 1 September 2015, all bids for government contracts worth more than £10 million must demonstrate a clear commitment to apprenticeships. In particular, employers’ bids will be reviewed in line with best practice for the number of apprentices that they expect to support. The move is aimed at widening the scope of businesses offering apprenticeships, and with more than £50 billion a year spent on government procurement contracts, will provide a significant boost in apprenticeship numbers. ‘Industry standards’ for quality apprenticeships In the latest of a series of steps to drive up the quality of apprenticeships, 59 new apprenticeship standards developed by Trailblazer groups of employers and businesses have been approved today. The ‘industry standards’, which cover a range of professions including nuclear engineers, fashion assistants, live event technicians, personal trainers and welders will outline the skills apprentices in these roles are expected to have to meet the needs of employers. This is all part of government’s commitment to see through the reforms to build a world class apprenticeship system. The first 8 trailblazers began in October 2013 and there are now over 140 Trailblazer groups that so far have collectively delivered or are in the process of delivering, over 350 standards. The 5% Club The 5% Club is a business-led network of employers who commit to getting at least 5% of their workforce on apprenticeships and training schemes within 5 years. The network is growing in popularity and is announcing its 100th member – Sellafield. It joins other leading employers KPMG, Vision Express, CBI and Kier which together train around 36,000 young people. Other supporters Professor Alison Wolf, Director of Public Services Policy and Management at Kings College said: This country once had, and then lost, an excellent apprenticeship system. I am delighted that the government is introducing a levy. In my view, this is a necessary step towards recreating high quality apprenticeships across the country, based on the needs of our economy, engaging and responding to employers, and able to contribute to current and future productivity in an effective way. Brian Lightman, General Secretary, Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL): ASCL strongly supports the government’s commitment to increase the number of apprenticeships available to young people. We need to be doing everything we can to raise awareness about opportunities available and ensuring that young people have access to them throughout the country. The new levy has the potential to accelerate progress towards these aims. School and college leaders look forward to working with the government to ensure that it has maximum impact on the life chances
