Kier Property has secured a double deal in Manchester City Centre and revealed it will begin work on an 80,000 sq ft office project on Fountain Street in 2017. Kier Group’s development arm will revamp Oldfellows House, which it brought from Aberdeen Asset Management, to provide floor plates of between
Production is underway at a new £400,000 ready mixed concrete plant at Lynemouth in Northumberland. The new facility is the second to be opened in just 18 months by H-Mix at Lynefield Park, the site of the former Alcan aluminium smelter, which is now owned by Harworth Group plc, one
A complex brief from the client and historic buildings to deal with were two of the challenges that Comelit had to overcome in its latest door technology entry project. In partnership with two separate developers, Comelit helped provide security at converted Grade 2-listed period houses and apartments, as well as
BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE [gdlr_video url=”https://youtu.be/MY6yrBk4MNg” ] The BALI National Landscape Awards, in association with Horticulture Week, are the premier landscaping awards. Celebrating their 40th year, the Awards return for 2016! Use this website to see the categories available for entry and entry deadlines. The Awards will be open for entry in
Kier Property has secured a double deal in Manchester City Centre and revealed it will begin work on an 80,000 sq ft office project on Fountain Street in 2017. Kier Group’s development arm will revamp Oldfellows House, which it brought from Aberdeen Asset Management, to provide floor plates of between 10,211 sq ft and 11,668 sq ft. There will also be two retail units on the ground floor. When finished, Oddfellows House will be known as Eleven York Street. Furthermore, Kier Property has sold nearby 81 Fountain Street to real estate investment firm Aprirose. Constructed in 1988, a comprehensive refurbishment of the 40,100 sq ft property is underway and should complete in December. Managing Director for Kier Property (North), Tom Gilman, commented: “These two deals demonstrate the high demand for office space in the heart of Manchester, and we are excited to be involved in the transformation of the transformation of the CBD. “We have been looking for the right opportunity for some time and Eleven York Street provides us with a perfect platform to break into Manchester and expand our already successful northern operations. “81 Fountain Street is a fantastic space, and the sale demonstrates the demand for high quality office space.” Managing Director of CBRE, John Ogden, advised Kier on the purchase of Eleven York Street. He said: “With a number of high profile lease events over the coming 18 months there are certainly some high calibre suitors for this highly desirable HQ opportunity.” Last month, Kier announced the completion of the disposal of Mouchel Consulting to WSP Global Inc. for £75 million cash. Mouchel Consulting, bought in June last year as part of Kier’s acquisition of Mouchel, provides engineering, environmental and asset management consultancy services, principally to infrastructure markets. Kier announced in July that it was undertaking an evaluation of the strategic options for the Mouchel Consulting business including a possible disposal.
Production is underway at a new £400,000 ready mixed concrete plant at Lynemouth in Northumberland. The new facility is the second to be opened in just 18 months by H-Mix at Lynefield Park, the site of the former Alcan aluminium smelter, which is now owned by Harworth Group plc, one of the largest property and regeneration companies in the UK. The new plant for H-Mix will see the firm double its production capacity to more than 500 cubic metres of concrete – around 1,200 tonnes – per day. Managing director John Hudson says the business is now ideally placed to win new business while continuing to serve its existing customers. “We really haven’t looked back since opening our first production facility at Lynefield Park in May 2015,” explained John. “Security of supply is critical to our customers so the new plant provides important back-up to the first. It also provides us with the capability to tender for the new business opportunities that will come on the back of the growth in house building, commercial property and other infrastructure investments that are being made across the North East.” With the new plant in production, John’s targets for 2017 include doubling his workforce to 12, taking on an apprentice and investing in additional delivery vehicles. One of the main customers for H-mix is its Lynefield Park neighbour, Lynx Precast, which makes beams for flooring in the construction of homes, offices and public buildings. Other businesses operating on the 320 acre site include C&J Marine, which is involved with caravan disposal and storage and construction firm Sisk. And Paul Scott, a former Alcan employee, has returned to the site to set up a business recycling wooden pallets. Aluminium production ended at Lynemouth in March 2012 and Harworth Group took over the site in April 2015. Since then, some of the smelter’s buildings have been demolished including the eight distinctive potroom chimneys, while others have been retained for alternative commercial uses. We’re making good progress Harworth Group director, Eddie Peat, said: “We’re making good progress on the redevelopment of the site and H-Mix’s investment in a second facility here provides a very clear example of what ambitious businesses can achieve at Lynefield Park. “This is an ideal location for business growth and Harworth Group is committed to attracting high-value, secure employment back to the site.” Businesses interested in the opportunities at Lynefield Park should contact Harworth Group’s retained agents who are Cushman & Wakefield (telephone Richard Scott on 0191 223 5711) and HTA (telephone Nick Atkinson on 0191 245 1234).
A complex brief from the client and historic buildings to deal with were two of the challenges that Comelit had to overcome in its latest door technology entry project. In partnership with two separate developers, Comelit helped provide security at converted Grade 2-listed period houses and apartments, as well as at a private gated riverside development called Fitzroy Gate in Old Isleworth, Middlesex. The project involves leading UK retirement developer Beechcroft Developments and nationwide property developer St James (part of the Berkeley Group). This site on the Thames waterfront includes the White House, a stucco Georgian building created in 1832, in addition to an Edwardian red-brick chapel and a range of new apartments. Systems integrators Standing Power Electrical have installed Comelit’s Ikall panel at the entrance to Fitzroy Gate. The Ikall panel is modular in design, which allows easier installation and customisation. The standard unit features a 128×64-pixel display and 21-button backlit keypad. It is easily programmable via USB and RS485 ports. Once inside the parkland estate, visitors use a secondary audio-only entrance panel from Comelit’s 3one6 range to gain access to an apartment block. These panels have a 4-mm stainless steel plate and are flush-mounted. Green solution Many of the new apartments have been fitted with SimpleHome, Comelit’s home automation system, which gives residents full control of their lighting by enabling them to create their own ‘scenarios.’ SimpleHome reduces the building’s carbon footprint by showing occupants frequent updates of their energy usage by connecting to pulsed output meters installed by the utility companies. This seems to be the goto technology that will be incorporated into many housing projects. SimpleHome won a Benchmark Innovation Award earlier this year, with judges praising it for turning appliance management into a lifestyle product. It is compatible with any type of switch and is used on other projects for a broader range of utility readings, including water usage. SimpleHome also allows customised management of audio-visual entertainment by zone for individual family members. This aspect of the Fitzroy Gate project was implemented by EML Installations. Versatile monitor In the houses and apartments, residents use either Icona or Icona Manager monitors to speak with visitors. Icona Manager combines door entry functions with home automation. It uses touchscreen technology and responds to gesture and ‘swipe’ conventions similar to that of a smartphone technology or tablet device. John Line, Business Development Manager at Comelit Group UK, said: “Fitzroy Gate is interesting insofar as Comelit’s door entry and SimpleHome automation system have met the differing requirements of two developers and two installers. The estate is extensive and has multiple building types, but we have succeeded in responding to current needs, as well as supplying a future-proofed IP solution. The project shows Comelit excelling on yet another project of historical interest by providing a really flexible and adaptable installation.” Twickenham-based EML Installations Ltd, designs, installs and tests electrical systems for new properties and refurbishments. The company has a track record stretching back over 20 years. Disciplines covered include access control, fire alarms, CCTV and data cabling. The company is a NICEIC-approved contractor. Standing Power Electrical Contractors is Camberley-based and has a portfolio that includes many high-end domestic projects of this type. Six apartments are the result of the conversion of the Grade 2-listed White House at Fitzroy Gate, which has a classical Georgian façade. It was designed by Edward Blore in 1832 for Sir William Cooper, a former chaplain to George III. Blore is best known for his work on Buckingham Palace. Fitzroy Gate has also been used in the past by the Sisters of Nazareth, who formed a convent on the site in 1892. Their chapel, with little structural change, is part of the new complex.
BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE [gdlr_video url=”https://youtu.be/MY6yrBk4MNg” ] The BALI National Landscape Awards, in association with Horticulture Week, are the premier landscaping awards. Celebrating their 40th year, the Awards return for 2016! Use this website to see the categories available for entry and entry deadlines. The Awards will be open for entry in March. To receive a BALI National Landscape Award is one of the landscape industries’ highest accolades. Recognition of a high level of achievement, from within the industry, has a positive motivational effect on staff. Winning one of these awards offers a company great marketing opportunities, with the benefits lasting long beyond the ceremony and the Awards’ association with Horticulture Week will enhance a winner’s profile even further. To learn more about BALI itself, please visit the association’s main site: www.bali.org.uk
