A planning application has been submitted for a £150m residential towers development in Salford. Above: City View is designed by Fletcher Rae The proposed development, called City View, comprises four towers ranging from eight to 24 storeys. The towers would house 488 apartments and 37 townhouses with commercial/retail and amenity
Morgan Sindall has started work on a design and build the first phase of the new £5.6m Finberry Primary School in Ashford, Kent. Above: Finberry Primary School Morgan Sindall will deliver the first phase of works at the school which will include the construction of nine classrooms, a nursery school
Perhaps it was the sight of Peabody Energy collapsing into bankruptcy, or perhaps someone had told the Rockefeller family of the terrible fate of the Nuffield Foundation, but there is something particularly poignant at their decision to sell their last shares in ExxonMobil, the business that their forebear built. Nearly
There are almost 30 million residential properties in the UK with the market linked to income, wealth and availability of income which makes is sensitive to the overall economic climate, according to a new report. The overview from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows that as of 2014 there
Svendborg Brakes has boosted its technical support for customers with the release of the Svendborg Brakes Service App for Android and iOS devices. The new app offers engineers free 24/7 technical support from anywhere in the world, via either e-mail or a dedicated technical hotline, aiding with any engineering or
Building contractor Sustainable Building Services (UK) Limited has featured in a new government report as an exemplar of best practice in the field of energy efficiency. This is the second time in two years that a major independent review has identified SBS as a company delivering ‘exemplary’ quality and processes.
With the recent review of fire safety in the UK having revealed an inherent number of ‘failings’ in the current system, Bureau Veritas has asserted that a major teamwork challenge must be overcome to ensure that buildings are constructed correctly and appropriately going forward. In the ‘Independent Review of Building
Residents and staff from across Rendall & Rittner ’s managed London developments have been generously donating thousands of toys to the Great Ormond Street Hospital appeal this Christmas. Over 500 presents worth around £5,810 were donated as part of the Great Ormond Street Hospital toy appeal, given to sick children who
Springfield Properties has provided their trading update for the six-month period ahead of their interim results, due to be announced in February 2018. Springfield are a leading house building company who work to deliver private and affordable housing. The trading update that has been released covers the six-month period ended
A planning application has been submitted for a £150m residential towers development in Salford. Above: City View is designed by Fletcher Rae The proposed development, called City View, comprises four towers ranging from eight to 24 storeys. The towers would house 488 apartments and 37 townhouses with commercial/retail and amenity space. The towers would be built at the junction of Oldfield Road and the A57 Regent Road, which links Salford and Manchester. The designs have been put forward by local architect Fletcher Rae on behalf of Vivere Group, the residential development arm of Bilt Group. The aspiration is to start construction in spring 2018. Fletcher Rae joint managing director Andrew Rae said: “The form of the building responds directly to the vision of the site to create a viable and sustainable regeneration development in a strategic location on Regents Road. The development will link to existing community infrastructure and adjacent developments. “This proposal is intended to repair the severed link that exists between these communities and developments and create a much-needed activity node for movement between these key places in the city.” Further Images This article was published on 25 Aug 2016 (last updated on 25 Aug 2016). Source link
Morgan Sindall has started work on a design and build the first phase of the new £5.6m Finberry Primary School in Ashford, Kent. Above: Finberry Primary School Morgan Sindall will deliver the first phase of works at the school which will include the construction of nine classrooms, a nursery school area and an SEN resource room. The firm will also deliver a main reception admin area, school hall facility and kitchen area. The school will comprise a steel frame structure and its brickwork skin will be partially clad in bright orange. Morgan Sindall will also deliver external landscaping as part of the project including; a new sports pitch, a multi-use games area, a soft play area, a habitat area and a covered outdoor learning area. The project for Kent County Council will eventually see the school transformed from a one-form to a two-form entry facility accommodating 450 pupils once the second phase of the project is complete. The new school is being built at the Finberry housing development site at Cheeseman’s Green and is the seventh school within The Stour Academy Trust, a primary sector-only Trust. Julien Jones, area director at Morgan Sindall, said: “Finberry Primary School will be unique in design and provide a modern learning space for pupils and teachers to enjoy. Morgan Sindall is well versed in delivering innovative and exciting learning environments and we look forward to handing over the new school in time for the start of the academic school year in 2017.” This article was published on 21 Sep 2016 (last updated on 21 Sep 2016). Source link
Perhaps it was the sight of Peabody Energy collapsing into bankruptcy, or perhaps someone had told the Rockefeller family of the terrible fate of the Nuffield Foundation, but there is something particularly poignant at their decision to sell their last shares in ExxonMobil, the business that their forebear built. Nearly all Nuffield’s eggs were in the basket marked British Leyland, and when it became a basket case, they broke. There are plenty of others who would like to see Exxon go the same way as BL, and who point to Peabody as a terrible harbinger. Lucky, then, that the Rockefeller family trustees can claim a convenient conflation of financial sense and ethical behaviour: “There is no sane rationale for companies to continue to explore for new sources of hydrocarbons.” The experts at Bond Vigilantes tend to agree. A cheerful post entitled “The end is nigh” warns about the credit ratings of the three-quarters of the world’s non-financial high yield debt that is issued by energy companies. The Vigilantes fear that some of the assets backing these bonds will be “stranded” between rising restrictions and falling hydrocarbon prices, to the point where it will never be worth exploiting them. Well, so far, so fashionable. Big oil cannot expect to be loved, but forecasts of the end of the oil age have been as wrong as they have been frequent. It is within recent memory that Goldman Sachs was forecasting $200 oil, and it is only a decade since the price was last under $40. The big companies have learnt to survive under feast and famine. BP has survived much worse, with the Macondo disaster demonstrating that there is a great deal of ruin a big oil company can stomach. Oil powers the world economy, and will continue to do so for decades to come, whatever the green dreamers believe. The assault on the oil companies has parallels with that on those other pariahs, the tobacco companies. They have grown used to ever-increasing regulation and tax rises, yet in the last decade, tobacco shares have more than doubled (the FTSE 100 is almost unchanged). Unlike their customers, rumours of their demise are much exaggerated. Rather like the oil companies, in fact. Maths lessons at the Treasury Mervyn King, in his post-Governorship ruminations, made much of the idea of “radical uncertainty”, a somewhat more sophisticated version of “forecasting is difficult, especially for the future”. Experience at the Bank of England had taught him, often rather brutally, that stuff happens. Surprises in economics are seldom pleasant. We should be grateful that nobody at the Treasury seems to have grasped this. Had they done so, we would not have had the entertainment of the Equation of the Week, the arithmetic gobbledegook behind George Osborne’s assertion of economic misery in 2030 if we leave the European Union. Produced by a Treasury which has proved so poor at forecasting that we need four Budgets a year, and brilliantly deconstructed by Chris Giles, the equation asserts that you trade more with countries that are nearer, with bigger populations and who speak the same language. Of course. Has anyone been to Japan? Pity the (relatively) poor chairman The season for revolting shareholders is in full swing. Last week it was Bob Dudley, this week Mark Cutifani, next month Mark Wilson, CEOs of BP, Anglo American and Aviva respectively. It is understandable that any investor unlucky enough to hold all three of these duds wants to vote down egregious pay packets, and to blame the remuneration committee for awarding them in the first place. The unfortunates who populate these committees must struggle each year to find justifications for the pay awards regardless of performance, which is why the dozen or so pages of the annual report contain explanations of metrics with all the clarity of, say, your mobile phone tariff. However, the buck should really stop with the chairmen, all done for a (relative) pittance. Lest they feel they are not getting the recognition they deserve in this debate, here are Sir John Parker at Anglo (£724,000) Sir Adrian Montague at Aviva (£481,000 for part of 2015) and that Macavity of the oil industry, BP’s Carl-Henric Svanberg (£823,000). neil.collins@ft.com Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2016. All rights reserved. You may share using our article tools. Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. Source link
There are almost 30 million residential properties in the UK with the market linked to income, wealth and availability of income which makes is sensitive to the overall economic climate, according to a new report. The overview from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows that as of 2014 there were 28.1 million properties and as the population continues to grow housing is set to remain an important topic. Since 1980, there has been considerable fluctuation in the UK housing market. Overall, there has been growing demand and relatively limited supply growth. House prices have been increasing, and first time buyers are finding it more difficult to get on the property ladder while home ownership among younger age groups generally has declined. The report points out that on average house prices have increased by 7% per year since 1980 and the year with the greatest annual increase in house prices was 25.6% recorded in 1988 while by 2015, the average price (mix adjusted) of a property in the UK stood at £279,000. There were seven years between 1980 and 2013 where, on average, UK house prices fell, the majority of which occurred during the recession of the early 1990s. The biggest drop, however, was 7.6% in 2009. The economic downturn in 2008 had a considerable impact on the UK housing market. The decline in house prices was accompanied by reduced mortgage availability and stricter lending criteria. The analysis also shows that the number of property sales in the UK almost halved from a peak of 1.67 million in 2006 to 0.85 million in 2009 but since then the number of sales has partially recovered, increasing to 1.23 million in 2015. According to the report rising house prices could partially explain the decline in the number of first time buyers taking out a mortgage, although other economic factors will play a role. From the 1980s until the early 2000s there were typically between 400,000 and 600,000 loans to first time buyers each year. However, in 2003 there was a 31% decline and then in 2008 there was a further 47% decrease, the largest in the series, as the economic downturn affected the housing market. In recent years the number of first time buyers has been recovering, although numbers fell in 2015 and the levels remain below those seen before 2003 and the reduction in the numbers of first time buyers has subsequently had an impact on the age of home owners. In 1991, 67% of the 25 to 34 age group were home owners. By the financial year ending 2014, this had declined to 36%. There were also reductions in home ownership over the same period for the 16 to 24 age group from 36% to 9% and for the 35 to 44 age group from 78% to 59%. By contrast, home ownership has increased among older age groups. Another changing aspect of the housing market is the percentage of purchase price being paid as a deposit. For first time buyers the average deposit as a percentage of purchase price more than doubled between 1988 and the peak of the economic downturn in 2009, reaching almost 28% of the price of the house. A likely factor was that buyers with smaller deposits became less likely to be approved for a mortgage, pushing up the average value of those deposits that were paid. Since then, deposits for first time buyers have fallen as a percentage of purchase price, although the 2015 figure of 21% is still much higher than it was through the late 1980s, the 1990s and early 2000s. For existing owner occupiers the level of deposit being paid has been more stable, but also peaked during the economic downturn in 2009. Since then the level has fallen from 39% to 35%, which is similar to the level in the late 1980s. The difference in percentage deposit paid by first time buyers and existing owners has therefore narrowed over time. The number of households in the UK, and therefore demand for housing, has increased, partly as a result of increasing population together with decreasing average household size. There were 27 million households in the UK in 2015. Of these, 29% consisted of only one person while in 1981 some 20% of the 20.2 million households were single occupancy. Supply has also risen, with an increase of 31% in the total dwelling stock between 1980 and 2014. The report also explains how the growth of home ownership throughout the 1980s and 1990s can be partly attributed to the introduction of Right to Buy, a policy in the UK which provides secure tenants of councils and some housing associations the legal right to purchase the home they are living in at a large discount. By 1991, more than one million council houses in England had been sold to their tenants as a result. The rate of Right to Buy sales fell during the 1990s, and in recent years the number of owner occupancies has also slightly declined. Accompanying this decline is the continued growth of private sector renting, which more than doubled between 1980 and 2014. The overall level of house building in the UK has declined since 1980, with 152,440 houses built in the financial year ending 2015, a fall of nearly 40% from the 251,820 built in the financial year ending 1980. From the financial year ending 2003, the number of build completions saw a short term increase, peaking in the financial year ending 2007. Afterwards, the number of houses built dropped at the time of the economic downturn, although since the financial year ending 2013 build completions have again increased. BOOKMARK THIS PAGE (What is this?) Source link
Svendborg Brakes has boosted its technical support for customers with the release of the Svendborg Brakes Service App for Android and iOS devices. The new app offers engineers free 24/7 technical support from anywhere in the world, via either e-mail or a dedicated technical hotline, aiding with any engineering or maintenance issues they may encounter regarding Svendborg Brakes brakes and couplings in application. The app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. Users are able to utilise an e-mail or call function, depending on preference. An e-mail will be sent directly to a Svendborg Brakes technician, who will reply within 24 hours, which provides an easy way to gain relevant documents, manuals or advice. For more urgent enquiries, users have the option to call the dedicated technical hotline which is manned exclusively by Svendborg Brakes experts, who offer on-the-spot support, guidance or maintenance coordination. The app aims to reduce downtime to a minimum, while also offering a centralised support framework to address end user challenges. Purchasers of Svendborg Brakes products will receive automatic eligibility for the free service, delivering on the business’ aim to offer more than just high performance products, but also a comprehensive technical framework to support end user’s operations. An intuitive design and a worldwide reach ensure the app is a must for maintenance teams or operators. Svendborg Brakes is part of Altra Industrial Motion Corporation, a global group of power transmission and motion control brands that service almost every industrial sector. This level of expertise has seen Svendborg Brakes provide intelligent braking and coupling solutions to demanding industries such as renewable energy, mining, cranes and oil and gas. The business offers design, manufacturing, testing and maintenance support across its entire range – meaning end users not only benefit from premium products, but also the expert technical knowledge behind them.
Building contractor Sustainable Building Services (UK) Limited has featured in a new government report as an exemplar of best practice in the field of energy efficiency. This is the second time in two years that a major independent review has identified SBS as a company delivering ‘exemplary’ quality and processes. At the end of 2016, SBS’s work with Nottingham City Homes earned the company a citation in “Each Home Counts,” a national review of energy efficiency within the social housing sector. Chaired by BRE Chief Executive Peter Bonfield, the report notes that “the project delivered consistently, with cost certainty, and without any weak links in the process.” Now, 12 months later, SBS’s work has again been acknowledged in an independent review. Commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the new report is designed to inform future decisions about the funding of energy efficiency schemes. It was produced by University College London (UCL), Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources (BSEER), with support from Cambridge Architectural Research. Entitled “Understanding Best Practice in Deploying External Solid-Wall Insulation in the UK“, the 96 page report makes numerous references to work carried out by SBS. In particular, it cites its continuing work with Nottingham City Homes and the system designer PermaRock Products Ltd. All three organisations were interviewed at length by researchers who wanted to identify the most effective approaches to area-based ‘mass deployments’ of solid wall insulation systems. The executive summary of the report notes that: “Mass deployment and roll-out of energy efficient retrofit through area-based approaches have been increasingly seen to be a key method to delivering high quality and cost-effective installations. In this context of area-based approaches, we have studied mass deployment ‘exemplar’ housing retrofit schemes in five different towns and cities across the UK to identify, analyse and assess best-practice lessons.” A detailed review of the Nottingham City Homes / SBS scheme points to a number of important best-practice examples. With regard to quality, it noted: Installation delays were minimised by careful stock management in a local warehouse. Site works were minimised by preparing individual house packs with products cut to fit before delivery. Phased implementation allowed continuous worker employment and maximum value from training, which was delivered locally. Custom products were needed to satisfy planner requirements on particular details. With regard to costs and impacts, it noted that the SBS scheme delivered a number of important advantages: Costs were de-risked by agreeing the design in advance of setting the price. Private owners were offered exactly the same measures as tenants at the rates provided to Nottingham City Homes, providing cost savings to homeowners / landlords. A fixed price offer based on the property’s archetype was determined for private owners. This allowed installers to be able to quote price ‘on the doorstep’ and interest free loans were made available. The report also points to the value of effective collaboration, saying: “One key factor in this project was teamwork – all stakeholders including clients, contractors and residents were involved from start to finish. Early contact between contractors and client helped to build trust. Resources were committed from both sides even before contracts were signed. Detailed design decisions were made before the price was set, so it was not necessary to make compromises later to fit the budget. The designers worked closely with planners to agree detailed design issues.” Further, acknowledging the importance of technical inspections, it states: “There were full time PermaRock technicians on site at all times to advise and oversee installation work. All completed work was signed off by PermaRock and SBS. Where E.ON was providing grant funding through the Energy Company Obligation, E.ON inspectors were also part of the inspection regime.” The researchers pointed to continuity of work as a key factor in reducing costs. It recorded that “the work was done in phases, with each new development overlapping with the previous one. This meant that personnel and infrastructure could be transferred straight from one job to another, thus minimising waste of resources. At the peak, with three developments overlapping, there were 100-120 workers employed. ” Responding on behalf of SBS, company chair Derek Horrocks said: “We and our key supply chain partners have developed very efficient, quality-focused procedures over a period of many years, so it’s great to see independent experts taking note. This isn’t the first time that our work has been presented as an example of best practice, and we’re determined that it won’t be the last.”
With the recent review of fire safety in the UK having revealed an inherent number of ‘failings’ in the current system, Bureau Veritas has asserted that a major teamwork challenge must be overcome to ensure that buildings are constructed correctly and appropriately going forward. In the ‘Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: interim report’ launched on Monday 18 December 2017, former health and safety chief, Dame Judith Hackitt raised concerns about the building regulation process including unnecessary complexities and a lack of a joined up approach. For Bureau Veritas, a leading testing, inspection and certification company with a vast experience of the building control sector, the most pertinent points within the report lie, however, within the remedies for change – with an increased team ethic being central to this. Andy Lowe, director of building control at Bureau Veritas, comments: “As highlighted in the report, there is a major teamwork challenge to overcome if we are to negate failings of the past and ensure that buildings are constructed correctly and appropriately. “However, as detailed in the report, a significant part of the responsibility lies with the industry; with professional and accreditation bodies working to form a suitably robust qualification system and greater input from the fire and rescue services, through to a more structured handover process between building developers and owners, and greater clarity by building control. “For far too long, the many different entities in the fire safety chain have worked predominantly in silo, creating a weak link in the overall system – thus, working more holistically as a team is the only approach forward.” While a final review of the fire safety report is not due until spring 2018 and regulatory reforms may take some time, for Bureau Veritas the recommendation is for all viable parties to take positive, progressive action now. Andy adds: “It is really unfortunate that such a tragedy, one that will never be forgotten, has had to happen to shed light on some of the weaknesses in the current system. However, by taking action now and working more holistically as a team together with all areas of the industry, we can refocus standards for the greater good and ensure grave mistakes of the past do not happen again.” Bureau Veritas Building Control UK combines technical expertise and market-leading systems with unrivalled industry experience to deliver building control services to some of the biggest names in construction. Through effective teamwork, a consistent approach and commitment to excellence, Bureau Veritas’ solutions go beyond just compliance – they can help to reduce costs and manage risk throughout the building lifecycle, from design stages through to site inspections and final certification – whilst giving designers confidence that the project will comply with Building Regulations and all relevant legislation.
Residents and staff from across Rendall & Rittner ’s managed London developments have been generously donating thousands of toys to the Great Ormond Street Hospital appeal this Christmas. Over 500 presents worth around £5,810 were donated as part of the Great Ormond Street Hospital toy appeal, given to sick children who will not be home for Christmas time. Gifts included a guitar that will help with music therapy at the hospital, five tablets, and a Wii console. The highest number of donations were collected from Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. Taking on the role of Father Christmas, was operations team member, Carlos Ornelas who was joined by Community Engagement Manager, Marc Gomes, dressed as head elf and Stewart Brown, Head of Customer Care and Resident Services, dressed as a reindeer. The team toured the developments in a decorated vehicle to collect the toys. Marc Gomes comments: “Thank you to everyone that gave something to this appeal – our residents and staff have been very generous this year and it has been a bumper collection, showing it really is the season of goodwill and a time to think of those less fortunate that ourselves. Great Ormond Street Hospital is a charity that Rendall & Rittner has supported for several years and the Christmas collection is very important to us. We are pleased that these gifts will help bring a bit of happiness to children who are receiving treatment at the hospital and may not be able to spend this Christmas at home.” The donated gifts that include toys, games and books have been safely delivered to Great Ormond Street ready for the big day. Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity raises money to enable the hospital to provide world-class care and to pioneer new treatments and cures for childhood illnesses. With more than 268,000 patient visits every year, the charity relies on fundraising and additional support to help give hope to young patients and their families. To find out more about Rendall & Rittner, visit: www.rendallandrittner.co.uk
Springfield Properties has provided their trading update for the six-month period ahead of their interim results, due to be announced in February 2018. Springfield are a leading house building company who work to deliver private and affordable housing. The trading update that has been released covers the six-month period ended 30 November 2017. The Company will be providing more details on their operations at the time of their interim results. In the meantime, the company has released news that they have made good progress in both the private and affordable housing divisions. The updates that have been released show that the company’s progress has been underpinned by the requirement of more homes across Scotland for private individuals across all tenures in the affordable and the social housing sector. Because of this work it is thought that Springfield Properties will report their revenues for the first half of the 2017/18 period will be in line with the management’s expectations, which will lead to the declaration of an interim period for the period. Springfield, the leading housebuilder in Scotland has been working over this trading update period to advance the development of villages which are under creation across Scotland. The Company has made progress with their first village, Dykes of Gray in Dundee, here sales are ahead of the Company’s target for the year to date. In September of this year, Springfield’s new 3,000 home village in Perth went on sale, and work on the site commenced. The Company have also revealed their intention to submit plans for another 3,000 home village. Springfield Properties has had their legal agreement for 870 of 2,500 new homes in a village south of Elgin finalised. The affordable housing division of the company has been shown to perform as expected according to the recent trading update and has reached a milestone when they welcomed the Housing Minister Kevin Stewart, to their affordable housing development in Muirhouse, Edinburgh.
