Get a clear perspective of the London residential market The London residential market is closely monitored by EGi’s team of dedicated experts, from the planning and construction pipeline to sales and pricing, we cover the whole of the capital, all 33 boroughs. Source link
Construction of one of the UK’s largest solar farms has been completed, enabling the scheme to generate renewable energy for the local grid. The 50MW Scottow Moor solar farm near Norwich was completed in March 2016 and is expected to save nearly 20,000 tonnes of CO2 per
The latest opinion from Hometrack has suggested that should UK vote in favour to leave the EU, housing transactions could fall by as much as 10%. According to the report, city level house price growth is running at 10.4%, compared to 6.6% twelve months ago ahead of the General Election.
Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Thu, Mar 31st 2016 Aluminium fencing and louvres are lightweight but sturdy. They are long lasting as aluminium does not corrode even when exposed to the elements. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday A
The new Plymouth Job Shop has been launched this week, in a bid to promote construction in the South West. The scheme, set up by the ‘SWH Group’ in conjunction with the ‘Building Plymouth’ initiative set up by the city council, aims to promote exciting careers in the construction industry,
Consumers in the UK are demanding the increase of their heating system control, improving convenience and comfort, suggests research from the Energy Saving Trust (EST). The study shows that one in five households are without a standard radiator valve or thermostat. As a result, almost half of the UK’s households
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have announced that architect Simon Beeson and medal maker Nicola Moss are the winners of its ‘Research Medal Design Competition’. Their ‘Earth and Sky’ submission caught the judging panel’s eye and Simon and Nicola are now going to produce the medal in conjunction
The Watford office market is making a comeback, according to research by Savills. The firm’s study has shown that in May 2016 take up in the town’s office market rose to 104,678 square feet, indicating a rise of 40% on the total take up of 74,683 square feet in 2015.
Scottish out of town offices have seen a boom as organisations look for space away from the city centres, says a report compiled by Savills Scottish Office Market. Due to a scarcity of adequate office space in the major cities of Scotland, alongside increasing rent prices, companies are increasingly opting
Shop vacancies in Britain have fallen to their lowest level since December 2009, say the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) and the Local Data Company (LDC). The vacancy rate is now 12.4%, that’s a 0.6% decrease from April last year and the study showed that despite over 4,600 shops opening
Get a clear perspective of the London residential market The London residential market is closely monitored by EGi’s team of dedicated experts, from the planning and construction pipeline to sales and pricing, we cover the whole of the capital, all 33 boroughs. Source link
Construction of one of the UK’s largest solar farms has been completed, enabling the scheme to generate renewable energy for the local grid. The 50MW Scottow Moor solar farm near Norwich was completed in March 2016 and is expected to save nearly 20,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. Final work on the four solar units began in January this year and involved installation of more than 70,000 solar panels and new underground connections to the local UKPN electricity network. Scottow Moor Solar founder David Fyffe said: “We are delighted to have completed our solar farm. It’s been another monumental effort by everyone involved to get the work completed on schedule: our contractors and suppliers, as well as the teams at Scottow Enterprise Park and UK Power Networks. “We hope that by providing onsite and sustainable electricity generation, the SMSL solar farm can help attract new investment into Scottow Enterprise Park.” The completion of the solar farm by SMSL also means that Norfolk County Council, the landowners of the former RAF base where the farm is located, will secure in excess of £10 million in rental income from SMSL over the next 25 years. Source link
The latest opinion from Hometrack has suggested that should UK vote in favour to leave the EU, housing transactions could fall by as much as 10%. According to the report, city level house price growth is running at 10.4%, compared to 6.6% twelve months ago ahead of the General Election. The recent surge in transactions ahead of the stamp duty change resulted in most cities registering a spike in monthly house price growth. Cambridge recorded a 15.8% increase while Aberdeen is the only UK city bucking the upward trend posting a fall of 6.1%. However Hometrack believes that were the UK to vote for ‘Brexit’, there could be a 5% to 10% reduction in housing transactions that would particularly impact London. A vote to remain would deliver a boost to market confidence and deliver the greatest benefit to large regional cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham where housing demand is growing and current rates of house price growth are likely to be sustained. Hometrack added that in the decade up to 2007, sales volumes fell on four occasions in London by as much as 15% highlighting how the city is more prone to the impact of external factors, especially after periods of rapid price appreciation. Richard Donnell, Insight Director at Hometrack, said: “The economic impacts of a vote to leave will dictate the impact in the housing market. Our analysis of how the market has responded to external factors over the last 20 year suggests that a vote to leave on 23 June could result in a 5% to 10% fall in housing turnover with London bearing the brunt. After a period of strong house price inflation over the last 5 years, the London market faces greater headwinds irrespective of the referendum vote. Turnover fell 7% last year on the back of affordability constraints and weaker overseas demand. Tax changes for investors will reduce demand and we expect price growth to slow in the near future even if sterling were to weaken and improve the relative value of central London property. A vote to remain will have the greatest upside for house prices and transactions in regional cities where the recovery has been more short-lived and affordability less stretched than in southern cities. The boost to confidence from a vote to remain, coupled with low mortgage rates would most likely benefit cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham as housing demand and price growth seems set to sustain itself.” Source link
Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Thu, Mar 31st 2016 Aluminium fencing and louvres are lightweight but sturdy. They are long lasting as aluminium does not corrode even when exposed to the elements. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday A fence is not just a barrier or demarcation for property, but it performs many functions – you might want to keep out the noise or you may want to keep your pets safely inside. All these purposes are served by putting up a fencing but it should look good, complement the overall appearance of the property and also add value to it. Aluminium fencing and louvres can improve the look of your home while also adding to its security and privacy. Aluminium louvre fencing combined with decorative screening panels can create a stunning look, keeping in line with the modern appearance of your property. You can also control how the light and air passes through with adjustable aluminium slats on the fence. Aluminium louvres are very versatile and can be used within or outside your home. They can be fitted on to pergolas, decks, gazebos or any other area that you’d like and this can really change the look of your property. Aluminium fencing and louvres are lightweight but sturdy. They are long lasting as aluminium does not corrode even when exposed to the elements. In addition, aluminium fences can be powder coated to any colour of your choice. This method of painting aluminium further increases the life span of the material making it last for years. Another advantage of powder coating is that you can colour co-ordinate aluminium fencing to match the exteriors of your house to achieve a beautiful look. Since aluminium does not corrode, it is virtually maintenance free. Damaged portions can be easily repaired within a short time. Your aluminium fencing suppliers can easily take care of the repairs and installation for you. Aluminium metal is extremely pliable, so it’s not difficult to turn it into different shapes. Need an intricately designed fence? An aluminium fence is a great option considering it is almost maintenance free. Trimlite is an Australia-based aluminium fencing company that supplies not only aluminium fences but also deals in balustrades and railing, garden fences, pool fences, gates, louvres, slats, glass fences, privacy screens as well as aluminium seating and tables. The company focuses on creating innovative designs for their customers. Whatever your requirements, Trimlite can do it for you at very competitive rates. So if you have a design idea for your fencing or balustrades, chances are that the professional designing specialists at Trimlite can turn your dream idea into reality. It is not only the small projects that the company undertakes, it can handle large housing projects too. When you hire Trimlite to create your aluminium fencing and louvres, you can be assured of the best quality products at a reasonable price. Check out the options available for Glass Pool Fences and fencing or take a look at the picture gallery at http://www.Trimlite.com for more details. Source link
The new Plymouth Job Shop has been launched this week, in a bid to promote construction in the South West. The scheme, set up by the ‘SWH Group’ in conjunction with the ‘Building Plymouth’ initiative set up by the city council, aims to promote exciting careers in the construction industry, while tackling skills gaps. Furthermore, the job shop will try to alter people’s perceptions of building trade stereotypes. Over the course of the next five years, CITB has estimated that there will be around 6,480 jobs generated in the South West construction industry, resulting from considerable investments in infrastructure. In that same period, there are also set to be just short of 3,000 technical and IT staff and non-construction professionals needed every year, alongside nearly 800 process and senior executive managers. As well as this there will be a requirement of almost 500 more bricklayers, 230 roofers and 400 plasterers. Having launched in May, the scheme offers a great deal of advice on the various types construction roles that must be filled in order for South West construction projects to be a success. SWH said that visitors to the job shop will see for themselves the first rate scheme they have created, helped by its closeness to a major construction scheme. Prospective construction industry workers can drop in to the job shop from Wednesday to Friday (10am till noon) and as well as compiling a list of vacant jobs, there will also be workshops and information sessions on offer. SWH Group Training Manager, John Matthews, said that it is vital for the local construction industry to being in fresh blood. Mr Matthews said that having worked in the sector for the last 40 years, he has never experienced such an exciting time like this for Plymouth’s younger generation to follow such a secure career path in the industry.
Consumers in the UK are demanding the increase of their heating system control, improving convenience and comfort, suggests research from the Energy Saving Trust (EST). The study shows that one in five households are without a standard radiator valve or thermostat. As a result, almost half of the UK’s households say that they would welcome intelligent thermostats, with experts claiming that smart heating systems are to unlock a new generation of the heading industry. The latest research into consumer habits by the EST shows that one of the growing trends is that the growing smart phone business has resulted in an increase in app-based technology. As a result, this has seen the creation of householders demand for heating systems that are controlled by apps on mobile devices, including those that provide more manual controls, such as thermostats, valves and timers. EST Client Relationship Manager, Elaine Berry, said that we are seeing an increasing demand from society for services and products that fit into people’s lifestyles by controlling heating systems with little fuss and maximum convenience and comfort. Ms Berry added that it is crucial that the heating industry is made aware of what consumers are increasingly demanding from their heating systems, with more and more ranges of products on the market. She continued to say that despite coming into a season of warmer weather, now is the prime time to begin planning how to market new heating systems controlled by smart phones to ensure a good take up when the cold weather returns. She also said that the best way of educating consumers about their energy use and ensuring that they have comfortable homes is to make use of the EST research. The most recent UK Pulse study also showed that 25% said their heating systems are inefficient and too old, while 40% of home owners said that in the long run they intend to build in modern heating controls to their systems.
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) have announced that architect Simon Beeson and medal maker Nicola Moss are the winners of its ‘Research Medal Design Competition’. Their ‘Earth and Sky’ submission caught the judging panel’s eye and Simon and Nicola are now going to produce the medal in conjunction with a casting company, ahead of presenting it to the President’s Award for Research winner. The awards ceremony will take place on December 2 this year at 66 Portland Place, with the winner being announced on November 13. Jane Duncan, Chair of the Judging Panel and RIBA President, said that Simon and Nicola produced an exceptional medal design that reflects its strong traditions. She added that their combination of medallist, academic and architect made for a stunning submission, before thanking all six shortlisted entries for their incredibly high standard of entries. The judging panel was also made up of Charles Hind (RIBA Chief Curator), Philip Attwood (Keeper of Coins and Medals at the British Museum) and Stephen Hodder (RIBA Immediate Past President). Winners Simon and Nicola commented that they were thrilled at being chosen as the best design and that they are relishing the challenge of collaborating as architect and artist to produce their contemporary medal. Simon Beeson is an architect, sculptor and public artist who also works at Arts University Bournemouth (Principal Lecturer & BA (Hons) Course Leader for Architecture). Among his best known work is his 1997 design of the ‘Simmons Gallery for coins and medals’ in London’s Lambs Conduit Street. Nicola Moss is a well-established medal maker who has worked for the British Art Medal Society. Her work can be seen in collections all around the world, among which are the British Museum (Department of Coins and Medals), Smithsonian Institute, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin and the National Museum of Scotland.
The Watford office market is making a comeback, according to research by Savills. The firm’s study has shown that in May 2016 take up in the town’s office market rose to 104,678 square feet, indicating a rise of 40% on the total take up of 74,683 square feet in 2015. The statistics show the continuing commitment by corporations to the town, while Savills are predicting further take up increases after the completion of the Croxley Green Business Park office building, which is due to be finished by the end of 2017. The 60,000 square foot Threadneedle construction is Watford’s first major development of its kind in over 10 years. There is also another 39,990 square foot of Grade A stock available that has recently been refurbished at The Junction and 45 Clarendon Road, which will help to meet the demand. Meanwhile, the rising need for office space is shown by various corporate deals that have taken place recently, none more so than TK Maxx last year buying a Clarendon Road site. The company will be developing an office accommodation of 100,000 square foot, with Smith & Nephew developing 60,000 square foot of space at the Croxley Green Business Park this year which will be the biggest lease in the town for 15 years. However, Watford has continued to be considerably undervalued in comparison to other towns on the M25. Grade A office space that has been recently refurbished is £27 per square foot as things currently stand, in comparison to St Albans and Uxbridge which are £30 and £34 per square foot respectively. However this could work in the town’s favour as it is seen as more affordable when compared to other office markets in the South East. Savills expects rents to carry on increasing over the course of the next year, already evidenced by law firm Veale Wasborough Vizards taking 11,000 square feet at the Clarendon Road site.
Scottish out of town offices have seen a boom as organisations look for space away from the city centres, says a report compiled by Savills Scottish Office Market. Due to a scarcity of adequate office space in the major cities of Scotland, alongside increasing rent prices, companies are increasingly opting to open office space away from the city centres. The report says that office space take-up away from the primary business centres of Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen has risen by 4% in 2016’s first quarter, compared to that of 2015. Savills believe this tendency will increase further as businesses will keep being attracted to the lower rents available in locations out of the major cities, with some cases seeing discounts of up to 50% on prime rents of £30 per square foot in comparison to city centre rents. Head of Commercial Research at Savills, Mat Oakley, said that particularly in Glasgow and Edinburgh we are seeing the resurgence of the out of town office market, which he believes is mainly because of occupiers saving money on rent costs. Due to this, the firm has predicted that the strongest rental increases in Scotland will be seen in Glasgow and Edinburgh’s out of town markets, where the next three years could see rent costs in the early £20’s. The research indicates that there has been a significant increase in office space demand across all of Scotland in the last year. In the first quarter of 2016, Edinburgh has enjoyed its second strongest period in terms of leasing activity since 2013, while Glasgow has seen around 300,0000 square foot of space leased in 2016’s first quarter alone, that’s over half the total amount of space let in the city in the whole of last year. However, the report also indicates that this increased demand, along with more growth of employment, has resulted in a squeezed supply of space.
Shop vacancies in Britain have fallen to their lowest level since December 2009, say the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) and the Local Data Company (LDC). The vacancy rate is now 12.4%, that’s a 0.6% decrease from April last year and the study showed that despite over 4,600 shops opening in 2015, there were over 5,000 that shut down, while just short of 500 units became unused last year. The number of shops closing down adds to the thousands that have suffered the same fate over the last five years. A fall in the amount of units being vacant (a fall of 16% from April last year), alongside a removal of more units than usual (76% in comparison to April last year), has resulted in the change. Orbis, an expert in vacant property management, has warned that an increase in shops closing compared to ones opening for the fifth year in a row is a massive issue for property managers. CEO at Orbis, Guy Other, said that the creation of hundreds more empty units over the last year is something that needs addressing sooner rather than later. However he did agree that the fall in the number of shops closing down is positive news. He said vacant units can become too expensive to reopen if they are not correctly managed or secured, with many becoming unfit for purpose, vandalised and a general community eyesore. The study also revealed that further shop closures are to be announced on top of those that have already shut down. Orbis also warned that if further units become void over the next number of years, there will need to be a management and security fix in place in order to make sure high street units remain prosperous in the long term. Meanwhile, the LDC data also showed that there has been a rise in the number of independent retailers.
