Following a successful July sale, Savills has released its catalogue for the next regional auction, which will take place on the 1st September 2016 at the Centenary Suite, Nottingham Racecourse at 2.30pm. Up to 29 lots offer a wide variety of opportunities across the residential and commercial property market, to
Essential Projects, a specialist manufacturer from Nottingham, is the provider of a new steel canopy above the exterior entrance of a Next retail shop in Epping Forest Shopping Centre. The shopping centre is located on the outskirts of London, off the M11 in Loughton and it was opened in September
Keith Williams Architects’ residential-led project at 38-44 Rye Lane, for developer Reality Holdings, has been unanimously approved by Southwark Council. The project will deliver 716 m2 of retail floor space and 27 residential units above, replacing a dilapidated 3 storey 1960s converted office building on an important corner site in
Persimmon homes revenues for 2017 were 9% up in 2016 at £3.42bn, with legal completion volumes up 6% at 872 new homes and the average selling price up 3% to £213,300. The company said that demand for new homes remained healthy through the autumn sales season and the value of
Sales of construction & building products slowed in the fourth quarter of 2017 and a further slowdown is expected in 2018. The latest state of trade survey from the Construction Products Association (CPA) indicates that the UK’s £56.5bn construction product manufacturing industry is losing its pace. The survey results showed
Brexit-backing digger tycoon Lord Bamford says that recruitment problems are ‘very positive’ for the UK and not something to worry about. Lord Bamford made his comments at a time when his company JCB is staffing up to deliver a record order book. Over the past 12 months JCB has recruited
TECHNOLOGY is having an ever-greater impact on the construction sector. Many ideas that were once thought of as gimmicks – or even the stuff of science-fiction – are now being steadily incorporated into the mainstream industry, with new and practical applications for technology being developed at a rapid pace. Here
Global real estate advisor, Colliers International, has announced the appointment of Samantha Addison, as Director and Gemma Browne as Associate Director within its Project & Building Consultancy division in London, to expand its specialist team within the industry. Samantha joins Colliers with over 25 years of project management experience, successfully
The latest ONS statistics on UK productivity show construction is yet to turn around productivity levels in line with other sectors. Last week, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) released the latest statistics on productivity. Across the economy as a whole output per hour increased by 0.8%, however the construction
Following a successful July sale, Savills has released its catalogue for the next regional auction, which will take place on the 1st September 2016 at the Centenary Suite, Nottingham Racecourse at 2.30pm. Up to 29 lots offer a wide variety of opportunities across the residential and commercial property market, to include: Lot 6, 30 Rees Gardens in Top Valley, Nottingham. An investment opportunity to acquire a first floor, one bedroom flat, offered for sale subject to an Assured Shorthold Tenancy with an annual rental income of £4,740. The property comes with a guide price of £40,000 to £45,000. Lot 7, the former Atmosphere Nightclub at The Old School House on Horseshoe Street, Northampton. An opportunity to acquire the vacant freehold of a former nightclub situated in the heart of the city centre in a location known for its nightlife. The property is being offered at a guide price of £290,000. Lot 15, 9 The Fox & Hounds at 9 Station Road in Reepham, Lincoln. The chance to purchase a public house, which has the potential to be converted for alternative uses subject to planning consent. The Fox & Hounds is guided between £150,000 – £170,000. Lot 16, 52 Wiverton Road, Forest Fields, Nottingham. A substantial period three storey terraced property offering generous accommodation. In need of upgrading and modernisation, the property, which is being offered at a guide price between £150,000 and £175,000, provides an excellent investor opportunity. Lot 20, Former Caretaker’s Bungalow in Stapleford, Nottingham. A modern detached bungalow offered in need of some refurbishment and modernisation, set within an established location with a guide price of £90,000 to £100,000. Lot 25, 48 Fern Road in Cropwell Bishop. A unique opportunity to acquire a period detached cottage, set on the edge of the sought after south Nottinghamshire village, offered with scope for upgrading and modernisation. The property is guided at £250,000. Lot 26, 18 Bank Yard in Bulwell, Nottingham. Comprising 12 units, the retail arcade offers an excellent investment opportunity, with strong rental income and the potential for future asset management. The arcade is being offered at a guide price of £175,000 – £200,000. Victor Ktori, head of office at Savills Nottingham, comments: “Once again the September auction offers a diverse range of properties across a wide geographical spread. We are continuing to see an influx of licensed leisure lots, including a rare opportunity to acquire a bar/restaurant on St James’s Street in the heart of Nottingham city centre. These lots offer both significant investment and development opportunities for those looking to secure a quick and efficient purchase via the auction process.” Bob Crocker, head of residential auctions at Savills Nottingham, adds: “Following another reduction in Bank of England base rates recently, it is anticipated that residential property will continue to be a strong choice for investors as they take advantage of lower interest rates, and we may begin to see more people investing in bricks and mortar to supplement their pensions. “Additionally, we are likely to see a rise in general activity as buyers begin to refocus their attention on property following the summer. As a result, we are anticipating a very busy September auction.” Source link
Essential Projects, a specialist manufacturer from Nottingham, is the provider of a new steel canopy above the exterior entrance of a Next retail shop in Epping Forest Shopping Centre. The shopping centre is located on the outskirts of London, off the M11 in Loughton and it was opened in September of last year. The 16,000 sqm construction is home to major brands such as Aldi, Mothercare, T.K. Maxx, and Next Retail Plc. Epping Forest Shopping Park costed £14 million and is set to bring 200 new jobs and investment to the district that will boost the local economy. The funding was awarded by Epping Forest District Council who named McLaughlin & Harvey Construction as the main contractor. Essential Projects became known for its metalwork on retail projects across the UK after being appointed on the £440 million Westgate Shopping Centre project in Oxford. They were appointed on the Epping Forest project to design, manufacture, and install a glass canopy above the newly opened Next store. The design includes two steel support columns located at either side of the store entrance with the store branding on a panel affixed to either side of the columns. An oblong shape steel structure with a glass panel to the top is fitted to provide rain protection for the visitors. All stores are now adjacent to each other and feature an identical steel canopy. The operation was carried out during the night, decision made based on the need to lift the structure in one piece. The canopy and signage display were assembled on the ground and a crane was used to lift it into place. “Essential Projects has track record of manufacturing bespoke metalwork for commercial retail park projects. On this project there was big emphasis on making sure that the steel we installed matched other existing canopies. I’m happy that we were able to play a small role in the development of the new shopping park,” said on behalf of Essential Projects, Managing Director, Eliot Saxton.
Keith Williams Architects’ residential-led project at 38-44 Rye Lane, for developer Reality Holdings, has been unanimously approved by Southwark Council. The project will deliver 716 m2 of retail floor space and 27 residential units above, replacing a dilapidated 3 storey 1960s converted office building on an important corner site in the heart of Peckham’s vibrant Rye Lane, one of the most aesthetically varied, and culturally mixed streets in London Set within the Rye Lane Conservation Area, the new building transitions in scale from the two storey C19th housing on Highshore Road, to a height of six storeys as the building faces onto Rye Lane itself; a scale similar to some of the grander former department stores and bank buildings, some of which still punctuate the street scene. The double height columnar treatment to the main façade gives a vertical more elegant emphasis to the composition, and whilst the main Rye Lane façade is continuous to give a civic scale to the main street, the same elevational rhythm is further subdivided before dropping in scale to respond to finer architectural grain of Highshore Road. Facing materials include red brick surmounted by polished aluminium cladding to the sixth storey rooftop pavilion. Keith Williams stated..” I am very pleased that Southwark have approved this project on its very prominent site on Rye Lane. The new building will help contribute to the ongoing regeneration of this vibrant area providing much needed housing within an appropriately crafted new building, which we have carefully conceived in response to its immediate and wider architectural context.” Consultants Planning Consultants : AZ Urban Studio with Interpolitan Structural Engineer : JMS Civil & Structural Consulting Engineers Daylight/Sunlight : Brooke Vincent & Partners Quantity Surveyor : Robinson Low Francis
Persimmon homes revenues for 2017 were 9% up in 2016 at £3.42bn, with legal completion volumes up 6% at 872 new homes and the average selling price up 3% to £213,300. The company said that demand for new homes remained healthy through the autumn sales season and the value of forward sales at the end of 2017 was 10% up on the year at £1,355m. Nor is there any slowdown on the horizon for Persimmon. It added 17,300 plots to its land bank last year and opened 197 sales outlets. It is building on all sites that have an implementable planning consent and currently has 375 active sales outlets. The new brick manufacturing plant in Harworth, near Doncaster, is now complete and begun deliveries to site and there are plans to expand capacity at the factory that builds the Space4 insulated frame build-system. Persimmon homes trading update concluded: “We remain mindful of market risks including those associated with the uncertainty arising from the UK leaving the EU. However, we are keen to deliver further improvement in our housing output and remain ready to invest wherever the local planning environment is supportive.” ABOUT Persimmon was founded in 1972 and is today one of the UK’s leading housebuilders. Persimmon Plc is the holding company for the Persimmon Group of companies. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (PSN.L) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. With headquarters in York, the Group operates from 29 regional offices throughout the UK. The Group trades under the brand names of Persimmon Homes, Charles Church and Westbury Partnerships, building quality homes across England, Wales and Scotland. We have c.4,500 employees with a significant number of long serving employees. We are also recruiting apprentices and trainees in all areas of our business to support our business growth.
Sales of construction & building products slowed in the fourth quarter of 2017 and a further slowdown is expected in 2018. The latest state of trade survey from the Construction Products Association (CPA) indicates that the UK’s £56.5bn construction product manufacturing industry is losing its pace. The survey results showed that more heavy side building products manufacturers, such as steel, bricks, timber and concrete, reported a decrease in product sales in the fourth quarter of 2017 than an increase. The net balance was -6%, compared to a 10% balance reporting a rise in Q3. This was the first negative balance since the first quarter of 2013. In contrast, sales on the light side, which includes non-structural and finishing products such as insulation, boilers, glass and lighting, were still reported higher by half of manufacturing firms. A net balance of 50% of light side firms reported a rise in sales in Q4 2017. Light side building products are generally used later in the construction process and therefore would expect to follow the pattern of the heavy materials side some months later. While manufacturers generally expect a modest pickup in sales in the first quarter of 2018, the survey showed a weakness in sales expectations extending across the next 12 months, for both heavy side and light side firms. No heavy side firms and only 10% of those on the light side expect to see an increase in product sales for 2018 as a whole. CPA senior economist Rebecca Larkin said: “The survey echoes other industry data that has shown the prolonged period of growth in construction activity since 2013 started to lose pace in the closing months of 2017. Of note are the signals of a leaner 2018 with heavy side expectations for sales growth at their lowest in five years, reflecting a backdrop of a slower economy, Brexit uncertainty and falling new orders in key sectors such as commercial offices. “As well as weaker market conditions, it appears as though a further rise in costs will strengthen the headwinds facing industry. In Q4, 87% of heavy side firms and 91% of light side firms reported a rise in raw materials costs, whilst on the energy-intensive heavy side, fuel and energy costs were reported higher for 93% of firms. This illustrates the lagged pass-through of the 2016 Sterling depreciation and rising global commodity prices into input cost inflation that is still to filter down the construction supply chain. Three-quarters of product manufacturers expect inflationary pressures to linger into 2018.”
Brexit-backing digger tycoon Lord Bamford says that recruitment problems are ‘very positive’ for the UK and not something to worry about. Lord Bamford made his comments at a time when his company JCB is staffing up to deliver a record order book. Over the past 12 months JCB has recruited more than 1,200 people at its 11 UK factories in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Wales and handed permanent contracts to 150 agency employees – with more to follow this year. In 2017 JCB launched 46 new products and increased its purchasing spend globally to more than £2bn a year. Spending with the company’s 2,500 UK suppliers rose by 13% compared to 2016. JCB has this week gone into production with its new site dumpers in Staffordshire, a product line that will create around 70 further jobs over the next 12 months. Chairman Lord Bamford said: “The industry in which we operate is doing very well at the moment, which is not only good news for JCB, it’s good news for our region and good news for Britain. Our spending with UK suppliers has increased substantially over the past year and we are already off to a very strong start in 2018 with a very healthy order bank in place.” The prominent Brexit advocate added: “In my view there is every reason to be optimistic about the future and in particular the future of the British economy. With unemployment at its lowest level for more than 40 years, we face some challenges with recruitment but that is a great challenge to have to overcome and a very positive position for the UK to find itself in.” JCB shop floor employees start 2018 with a pay rise of 3.9% as part of a three-year wage deal. It follows a £500 Christmas bonus paid to all 5,500 of JCB’s UK employees. Chief executive Graeme Macdonald added: “The long-term pay deal agreed last year gave us the stability we needed to plan and has delivered a robust pay rise for JCB’s shop floor employees. The outlook for 2018 is positive with markets all over the world in exceptionally good shape.”
TECHNOLOGY is having an ever-greater impact on the construction sector. Many ideas that were once thought of as gimmicks – or even the stuff of science-fiction – are now being steadily incorporated into the mainstream industry, with new and practical applications for technology being developed at a rapid pace. Here we’ve shortlisted the 8 construction technology trends to keep your eyes on in 2018. AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES With a drive to improve efficiency and safety on construction sites, autonomous vehicles are gaining traction and could be seen on some projects in 2018. Just as driverless cars promise to revolutionise the way in which we travel, autonomous vehicles could transform our building site environments – helping to address a shortage of skilled labour and enhancing productivity. Above: Autonomous vehicles could transform construction sites and address shortages of skilled labour (image courtesy of Built Robotics) Several developers have already created prototypes of autonomous construction vehicles ranging from bulldozers and tractors, to cranes and excavators. While entry costs and regulations remain serious barriers to adoption, several observers believe that we may see self-driving vehicles on construction sites before we see them on roads – particularly as sites are highly controlled environments. VIRTUAL + AUGMENTED REALITY Next up is a technology area that has been on construction’s radar for several years, and indeed made it onto our 2017 tech roundup; virtual and augmented reality. These visual technologies continue to be “one to watch” in 2018 as they gain greater traction within the construction industry and become valuable tools for project teams and end users alike. Above: Enveloping 360 pop-up tents or rooms allow designers to step inside their buildings (image courtesy of Igloo Vision) Virtual Reality – or VR – creates an immersive environment in a headset or cardboard viewer, or even an enveloping 360 pop-up tent or room – enabling contractors, designers and end users to step into their buildings in the future – either during key stages of construction, or in their completed states. Prominent examples of this in practice include London’s 22 Bishopsgate skyscraper and the impressive “Tomorrowland” at the Shanghai Disney Resort. Augmented Reality – or AR – is also finding its feet, providing a graphic layer to our real-world view and offering a wide array of data to site personnel – from design information and specifications, to statistics on productivity and health and safety warnings. Whilst VR and AR have long been touted for their future potential, they are now being used in anger and are set to drive clear benefits for project teams in 2018. EXOSKELETONS Exoskeletons are a technology that has been long-touted for its potential to make construction more efficient. Like many of the technologies on this list, they might sound more like the stuff of science fiction, than a credible real-world application. However, the wearable mechanical suits – that are worn outside clothing to help with lifting heavy equipment, machinery, or supplies – are now becoming a reality. Above: Exoskeletons have been specifically developed for the construction industry (image courtesy of Lockheed Martin). Designed to “augment with humans” and help them overcome physical weaknesses, these suits could aid construction workers with everyday mundane, repetitive tasks, supporting better physical health and helping to combat conditions such as arthritis and hand-arm vibration. Around 40 companies are now manufacturing exoskeletons worldwide, so you may well see them on a site near you in 2018. ADVANCED MATERIALS The world of construction materials is advancing at an incredible rate as new technologies enter the construction sector, enabling further research and development. In the last 12 months we’ve reported on many innovations including “Self-healing concrete” – which contains calcite-precipitating bacteria which germinate when water enters the cracks in decaying concrete, filling the emerging air gaps. We have also seen “Kinetic paving” which harvests energy from the footsteps of pedestrians to generate electricity, “4D-printed structures” that have the ability to re-shape or self-assemble over time by virtue of how they are formed and how different elements of their composition respond in differing conditions and “smog-eating buildings” coated in photocatalytic titanium dioxide that reacts with light to neutralise pollutants in the air of the some of the world’s most congested cities. UAVs Above: Drones are becoming widely used in the construction industry (image courtesy of Aibotix). The rise of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the construction industry – often referred to as drones – was featured on our 2017 list and is set to significantly pick-up pace in 2018. UAVs are now being used for health and safety inspections, progress reporting and most-prominently in site surveying; capturing accurate data on large areas of land in just a few minutes and accessing potentially hazardous zones with ease, keeping surveyors themselves save. While there has been much publicity about the potential for drones to carry out deliveries, it is the construction industry that is predicted to be the biggest user of commercial drones in the coming years. “The construction industry is predicted to be the biggest user of commercial drones in the coming years” Regulation of UAVs remains a hot-topic, particularly as the rate of technology advancement often pulls ahead of legislation and its enforcement. Falling entry costs and the availability of UAVs to a mass market has only served to compound this issue. ROBOTICS The successful application of robotics in the construction sector could enhance efficiency, productivity and safety in many instances, making it a highly-attractive prize for those that see its value. Above: An “in-situ fabricator” developed at the National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Digital Fabrication in Zurich ( image courtesy of NCCR Digital Fabrication). The last 12 months has seen further iterations of brick and track-laying robots and even a machine capable of tying rebar unveiled – the latter being part of a series of in-situ fabricators. The challenge for this area again remains the entry-cost and its credibility. Many struggle to recognise and accept the application of robots, seeing the concept as science fiction. 3D PRINTING Above: 3D printing
Global real estate advisor, Colliers International, has announced the appointment of Samantha Addison, as Director and Gemma Browne as Associate Director within its Project & Building Consultancy division in London, to expand its specialist team within the industry. Samantha joins Colliers with over 25 years of project management experience, successfully delivering new-build and office fit-out schemes for occupiers across the UK and Europe, working with multi-national corporations including Shell, Microsoft, Nokia Networks, T Rowe Price and GSK. Over the past two years, Samantha has spearheaded TowerEight’s expansion into the commercial sector, winning and delivering projects for Centrica, Whitbread and Unite and gaining access to two new corporate frameworks. She also held positions at JLL for 18 years; highlights included heading up the Corporate Occupier PM team as Director, working on secondment to Shell as Regional PMO managing a portfolio of circa 25 capital projects, delivering a BCO award winning new building for Microsoft, and client relationship manager for Hermes and Scottish Widows. Samantha Addison, Director in the Project & Building Consultancy team commented: “Colliers International’s entrepreneurial culture, coupled with a strong focus on client success, plays to my strengths. The division will provide me with the opportunity to expand the regional and global project management and programme management offering, enabling me to build and maintain long-term client relationships.” Samantha will be reporting to Graeme Foreman, Co-Head of the Project & Building Consultancy team. Gemma Browne, the new Associate Director in the division in London will be reporting to Graeme Foreman. She has over ten years of extensive experience and specialist knowledge of the sector having held positions at JLL for the last five years where she has been involved in commercial fit-out projects ranging from 20,000 sq ft to 130,000 sq ft, throughout all phases from premises selection through to benefits realisation management (BRM) post-occupation. In addition, over the last three years, she has consulted global clients to successfully deliver multiple high-value and prominent category B fit-outs in both London and Johannesburg and has also worked client-side whilst on secondment roles. Gemma Browne, Associate Director added: “I aim to be a key element in the future growth of the firm, utilising my experience to continue to deliver successful projects that my clients can be proud of.” Graeme Foreman, Co-head of Project & Building Consultancy said: “In the past year, we have grown the UK division to a headcount of over 85, including a project management team of over 30 in London, as we seek to enhance our client offering and keep ahead of the curve in the industry. Both Samantha and Gemma have a wealth of experience within the market and will complement the existing team, fulfilling our goal of providing our clients with exceptional service across the whole Project & Building consultancy sector.”
The latest ONS statistics on UK productivity show construction is yet to turn around productivity levels in line with other sectors. Last week, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) released the latest statistics on productivity. Across the economy as a whole output per hour increased by 0.8%, however the construction industry is yet to take advantage of improving technology and techniques to increase productivity alongside the rest of the economy. (See below Figure 2). “There are many simple ways for construction to catch up with the other sectors, and the sooner the industry acts, the better. New technology offers a proven, cost effective way to create efficiencies. myConsole is specifically designed to improve in work winning – creating both time and cost savings across the entire process,” says Phillip Collard, CEO myConsole. Pressure has been mounting on the sector over the last few years to increase productivity. Analysis and reports, including the Farmer’s Review (October 2016), have led the government, through the Construction Leadership Council, to recently announce a deal in November aimed at transforming productivity. “Time is running out, construction and pre-construction businesses need to step up and innovate. We estimate myConsole will increase efficiency and reduce workloads by 20%. Early feedback from our clients confirms that using myConsole will save them a day a week per person in the work winning process compared to their old methods.” Says Philip Collard, CEO myConsole. Contact myConsole to find out how to use the power of digital to streamline the procurement process and win more bids.
