Scottish loan scheme for energy efficiency measures open Published: 11 May, 2016 The Scottish Government HEEPS Loan Scheme for energy efficiency measures is now open, offering owner-occupiers, private tenants and registered private sector landlords an interest free loan of up to £15,000 for installing a variety of measures. The repayment
©Bloomberg Balfour Beatty, the construction and infrastructure group which built the Channel tunnel and the Docklands Light Railway, has narrowed its losses and remains confident that a turnround programme is on track. The building company reported revenue of £8.44bn in the year to December compared with £8.79bn in 2014 and
Real estate has been among the sectors that have made people wealthy over the years. As such, you have every reason to invest in property. However, you should be well-informed about some important issues if you’ll get the best deal. Besides being well versed with the market, you need to
WORK to redevelop the historic Grade II listed Newcastle City Pool and Turkish Baths in Newcastle upon Tyne has started. The Pool and Turkish Baths – which holds fond memories for many locals – first opened in 1928 and closed to the public in April 2013. Now developer Fusion Lifestyle,
Since Rothgen Capital UK announced the launch of the latest funding round for The Tyram Lakes Hotel, Spa and Resort in Hatfield, near Doncaster in Yorkshire UK, Doncaster as an area has been attracting a significant amount of new attention, both domestic and internationally. As well as Doncaster’s undeniable horse
Covers Timber and Builders Merchants is delighted to have agreed to sponsor Chichester Rugby Club for another season. The club, which has its home ground at Oaklands Park, runs four senior teams, and a full range of junior teams. Covers’ sponsorship deal will include having the company’s logo appear on
This April, the Fire Industry Manufacturer’s Expo (FIM Expo) is coming to Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol. The event is organised by the Fire Industry Association and helps to build the bridge between manufacturers of fire detection and alarm products and those in the services world. The expo is a
Achilles Information today announces that the Achilles BuildingConfidence community is now a member of Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSiP) Achilles and SSiP share a dedication to promoting health and safety for construction workers, as well as reducing unnecessary cost and confusion in supply chain assurance. Alongside PAS91, the SSiP accreditation
Scottish loan scheme for energy efficiency measures open Published: 11 May, 2016 The Scottish Government HEEPS Loan Scheme for energy efficiency measures is now open, offering owner-occupiers, private tenants and registered private sector landlords an interest free loan of up to £15,000 for installing a variety of measures. The repayment period varies based on the amount borrowed but those taking out higher value loans for solid wall insulation for example, will be able to pay back over 10 years. The Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency (SWIGA) is advising anyone considering solid wall insulation to their property to ensure they use a SWIGA member. SWIGA’s Contractor and System holder members have to meet stringent entry criteria prior to joining to ensure they are trained correctly, understand the systems and installation techniques needed to fit the systems correctly as well as ensuring the companies that join are financially viable as businesses to carry out solid wall insulation work. The SWIGA guarantee offers cover for external wall, internal wall and hybrid systems for traditional solid wall properties, non-traditional properties such as no-fines concrete and frame buildings, as well as providing cover for low and high rise apartments. “Not only does SWIGA provide consumer protection with our independent 25-year guarantee we can offer the customer independent industry expertise – our membership includes all major system designers who we can draw on, but we also have an independent approach and can offer expert opinion on client projects,” said Andrew Champ, executive director of SWIGA. “We differ from insurance companies in that in the unusual event of installation issues, we will arbitrate directly with the home owner on any disputes, working with our network to obtain the best outcome for the owner. Our prime focus has always been on prevention, not cure. Our Quality Assurance framework is key and our pre-vetting procedures do more than any other to avoid issues from the outset.” Source link
©Bloomberg Balfour Beatty, the construction and infrastructure group which built the Channel tunnel and the Docklands Light Railway, has narrowed its losses and remains confident that a turnround programme is on track. The building company reported revenue of £8.44bn in the year to December compared with £8.79bn in 2014 and a pre-tax loss of £199m, less than the loss of £304m a year earlier. More On this topic IN Construction The group, the largest UK building company by revenues, said it expected to reinstate its dividend — scrapped last year — when it presents interim results in 2016, stressing that business in its main UK and US markets “remains positive”. Leo Quinn, who was parachuted in last March to rescue the business following a calamitous two years, is halfway through a two-year turnround programme called “Build To Last”. The builder had mismanaged contracts won at rock bottom prices during the fiercely competitive period after the recession and was forced to issue seven profit warnings in two years, as well as fend off two takeover approaches. The company, which employs 34,000 staff worldwide, has been reviewing its lossmaking contracts in Britain and the Middle East. It has completed 60 per cent of the lossmaking contracts on its books and expects that to rise to 90 per cent by the end of the year. ”If you look under the bonnet, you’ll see we’ve made strong progress in stabilising the business,” said Mr Quinn. “We’re confident we’re winning contracts at better terms.” Although its order book fell £400m to £11bn, the company cited infrastructure opportunities in the UK, Hong Kong and the US, including the £300bn new highways budget in North America. In the UK it has won deals including a £25m contract to build an onshore wind farm substation. The farm, which is to be constructed by Dong Energy off the Yorkshire coast, will eventually power 1m homes. It has also secured a £416m contract to build the western section of the new £4.2bn London supersewer under the Thames river from Ealing to Hammersmith in a consortium with Morgan Sindall. Stephen Rawlinson, analyst at Applied Value, said the fact that the company was on track to achieve industry level margins this year demonstrated the “medicine is working”. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2016. 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
Real estate has been among the sectors that have made people wealthy over the years. As such, you have every reason to invest in property. However, you should be well-informed about some important issues if you’ll get the best deal. Besides being well versed with the market, you need to understand the neighborhood where you intend to purchase your property. In this article, you’ll learn some tips for getting more value from a property deal. Consider a foreclosed property Normally, banks will repossess a property if the owner stops servicing the mortgage. The bank will also go ahead to list it with a local real estate agent. It’s obvious that a foreclosure is frustrating to the affected persons but it can be a luxurious deal for an investor. In most cases, lenders want to dispose of the property as quickly as possible and it’s easy to get generous discounts. However, foreclosures can take a few years and you might need to do some repairs before you can sell it. When that is the case, you can be offered some additional discounts to take care of the repairs. As soon as you are ready to purchase the property, you should talk to an agent around your area and see if there are any good foreclosures. Approach owners privately When there are too many people looking for property, it can be quite hard to get a good deal. In popular areas, a house might attract multiple offers from interested buyers. To deal with this hurdle, you should go beyond relying on listing services and find owners who are interested in selling a property. The trick here is to get in touch with the owner before they’ve listed the property. This not only gives you an opportunity to negotiate a better deal but it will also help deal with competition. One of the most rewarding ways to handle this is targeting absentee property owners. You’ll be surprised to find out that some people have inherited property but aren’t ready to manage it and therefore they can sell easily. Make sure it’s the right property for you While some people are good at doing repairs around their home, others have no idea how to work with basic tools. At the same time, you can easily find someone to make the repairs needed but that also means that your profits are dwindling. If you are not very good with repairs and you don’t have some spare cash, buying a property that needs some repairs may not be a good idea. When you understand the property, it’s easy to know if the deal is good for you or not. The only way you can do this is talking with the owner as well as the real estate agent. You should also try to find out why the property is being sold and if there are any problems. You can also speak to professionals who have a good understanding of property you intend to buy. Whenever possible, you should look for something that can be easily upgraded to add more value. Consider multiple deals The earlier you understand that you need multiple deals the more you raise the chances of getting an attractive offer. Don’t be afraid of looking at several properties in your area and examine them carefully for features that are important to you. You can consider hundreds of offers but you will only settle on just a single deal depending on availability and pricing. Deal with your debt While it’s common to find investors have some mild level of debt as part of the portfolio, debt can become a burden to an average investor. If you haven’t paid your student loans or other loans, it’s good to do a clear assessment to determine if acquiring property is a good move. If you want to use realistic loans to finance the purchase, the first thing you should do is to determine if you can handle the new debt without hurting your financial profile. Not all properties are treated the same and sometimes commercial property requires a slightly higher down payment. When you want to flip the property quickly, it may not be appropriate to use a mortgage to finance the purchase. Today, you can utilize different non-conventional loan products that are tailored to certain needs. With options like hard money loans and lines of credit, you can get a good deal. Act quickly In the real estate business, the first person to check out a property has higher chances of buying it. You’ll be surprised to find out that the deal doesn’t always go to the highest bidder but the persons who act promptly. If you want a great deal, it’s important that you be ready to seal the deal before others start giving offers. You might need a bank pre-approval as well as staying updated about new property deals around you. However, you can also get great discounts if you target a property that has been on the market for an extended length of time. Conclusion While you should definitely be smart with your investments, it’s good to have realistic and achievable expectations with a real estate investment. Getting a good return on your property investment is the dream of every investor and that’s why you should work with a professional when looking for a great deal. Before investing into your first property knowing which architect has built your specific property is important to a lot of people, Newtecnic have worked on a range of different properties, check them out.
WORK to redevelop the historic Grade II listed Newcastle City Pool and Turkish Baths in Newcastle upon Tyne has started. The Pool and Turkish Baths – which holds fond memories for many locals – first opened in 1928 and closed to the public in April 2013. Now developer Fusion Lifestyle, in partnership with a group of specialist companies including leisure, design and build expert Createability, will begin the £5m renovation of the city centre building. An expert team will begin work immediately on the project, which has faced unforeseen delays often associated with buildings of this age. Fusion, a registered charity, has developed exciting plans to bring the pool, Turkish baths and spa back to life, and add a fitness suite and café bistro to the site. The plans include restoration of the Turkish baths and swimming pool, the creation of a new state-of-the-art fitness suite, glass fronted conditioning studios on the first and ground floor and contemporary changing areas. Works will also deliver a new spa which will offer a range of treatments and improved access for disabled people. It is estimated the works will be completed by the summer of 2019. Anthony Cawley, operations director at Fusion Lifestyle, said: “We’re delighted to start the exciting work to bring the Newcastle City Pool and Turkish Baths back to life for a new generation. “The reinvigorated venue will bring between 100 to 150 jobs to the city once re-opened.” Fusion Lifestyle secured planning permission and listed building consent from Newcastle City Council in 2016 after spotting the historic venue thanks to the community campaign to save the building by Re-open Newcastle Turkish Baths and City Pool Group. The charity – which runs leisure venues across the UK – reinvests profits back into its operations to provide affordable health and fitness facilities for communities. Leader of Newcastle City Council, Councillor Nick Forbes, said: “It’s great to see redevelopment work starting on this historic city treasure. This is a beautiful building that we were determined would not be lost to the city. “Newcastle has been through a lot of difficult changes as a result of Government austerity, and we have had to search for new ways of providing the services residents want and depend on. “The investment about to go in to the City Pool is a great example of that. Newcastle City Council said we would not turn our back on leisure facilities and keep all options open, and by working with Fusion we see this building saved for people to enjoy. “This time next year we’ll be getting ready for a renewed City Pool bringing with it at least 100 jobs to our city centre. I look forward to that next step.” Ian Cotgrave, managing director of Createability, said: “The restoration plans will turn this historic 1920s building into a stunning leisure destination fit for 21st Century use. “We have more than 20 years’ experience working alongside leisure trusts, including Fusion, sensitively redeveloping and refurbishing old leisure venues and this has to be one of the most exciting projects we have worked on to date. We cannot wait to reveal the beautiful facilities to the local community once more.” The works will include careful restoration of many of the building’s original features, such as the original 1920s pool tiles, wood-panelled changing rooms and terrazzo flooring in the Turkish baths. Cait Read of the Re-open Newcastle Turkish Baths and City Pool Group said: “We are delighted that work will finally start to restore and re-open Newcastle City Pool and Turkish Baths. “What great news, in this year that is the 90th anniversary of the building first opening its doors to the public, that it will be restored, renewed and will re-open serving the people of Newcastle and visitors to the city as was originally intended. “We will continue to be involved alongside Fusion to ensure that the building re-opens as an affordable and accessible facility for all. “We are also planning to explore the unique heritage of the City Pool and City Hall building and to mark the 90th anniversary of its original opening in 1928.” For more information and to register for updates, please visit www.citypool.co.uk.
Since Rothgen Capital UK announced the launch of the latest funding round for The Tyram Lakes Hotel, Spa and Resort in Hatfield, near Doncaster in Yorkshire UK, Doncaster as an area has been attracting a significant amount of new attention, both domestic and internationally. As well as Doncaster’s undeniable horse racing heritage, it has a surprising amount to offer in other areas. This has recently been demonstrated by Amazon, IKEA, Tesco, Lidl, BMW, Asda et al who are all utilising the convenient geographical location for their large distribution centres, plus Doncaster’s obvious proximity to significant transport and travel capabilities, including Doncaster Sheffield (formerly Robin Hood) airport. Amongst other news of note, the Yorkshire Wildlife Park has recently announced its £50M expansion which will potentially make it a top UK destination. With so much international attention now focussing on the Doncaster area in general, can it be much wonder that property developers have started exploring possibilities in the region? With infrastructure improving weekly, and demonstrable confidence from some of the world’s best known companies, the luxury property sector is finally also taking notice. One of these sector members is Rothgen Capital’s Tyram Lakes project, which uses cutting edge ecological and eco-friendly innovations as its basis, and is leading the field in this kind of development, thus of particular interest to energy focussed investors and the media alike. In the centre of the Humberside Peatlands, Hatfield Moor and the National Nature Reserve in South Yorkshire, plans are already approved for 325 luxury eco-lodges set on and around 65 acres of lakes adjacent to 100 acres of natural woodlands, plus the hotel and spa, constituting The Tyram Lakes Hotel, Spa and Resort. There are two types of eco-lodges. About a third of the lodges (125) will be floating structures, and a further 200 will be set amid the vast woodlands. Available from two to four bedrooms versions, all lodges will blend into the landscape providing private hideaways with natural spaces all around. Lodge features include rooftop gardens fitted with solar panels, decking areas with sunken spa bath and a choice of classic or contemporary interiors. In the centre of the resort will sit the planned boutique hotel by Den Architecture in association with Baca Architects, who are specialists in eco-friendly and amphibious projects. This unique hotel will offer 104 rooms, conference facilities, a fine dining restaurant with lakeside views, an indoor pool, leisure club, spa, gymnasium, and a picturesque wedding and party venue. How did this happen? Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council approved the application to build the green resort in December 2016, commencing with the first phase of 50 eco-lodges. The scheme comprises four phases of development: Phase1 – 50 Lakeside and floating lodges Phase2 – 104 Bedroom Hotel, Spa, and Leisure Centre Phase3 – 75 Lakeside and floating lodges Phase4 – 200 Woodland retreat lodges …. and embraces the very latest science and technology to create a resort which is designed to function through environmentally accredited solutions that are energy efficient, all of which engage and sustain the local ecosystems. “The scale and ambitious nature of the plans will ensure the resort is one the most luxurious, fun and relaxing holiday destinations in Europe. This green development will be as sustainable as it’s currently possible to build, and be exemplary case study for other developers,” says Baca Associate, Andrew Scrace. Ecological solutions Geyser Thermal Energy (GTE) has designed from scratch the heating and hot water system for the resort without a significant negative impact on the local ecology. Using the main lake as a heat source for the lodges, coupled with various (non-chemical) water filtration processes, energy consumption and the need for chemicals is vastly reduced. This innovative renewable heating system coupled with highly efficient and ecologically sound water solutions leads also to minimal running costs and environmental impact for the development. The Laws of Attraction Funding rounds by property developers are executed in a number of ways ranging from loans, finance and bridging through to private capital, usually with ease for potential investors in mind. In its hallmark innovative fashion, Rothgen/Tyram Lakes have engaged the Accounting Worx Group, based in Reading UK (along with international presence), who have designed and implemented specific financial instruments for the project to enable investors to participate quickly and easily. These range from bonds through to larger private capital arrangements – all being very attractive for new participants. The investment interest attracted by Tyram Lakes is not just from the Green and Eco sectors. The inherent design and sustainability factors have led to the world famous ARMANI fashion house /brand becoming involved with the design of a selection of exclusive lodges on the site. This means that The Tyram Lakes Resort & Spa is the first holiday resort inside the UK to have Armani participating in this way. Natural England too have partnered with Tyram, who have a sizeable park neighbouring Tyram Lakes, and who also have given complimentary access for Tyram Lakes visitors, enabling yet more acres for hiking, trails, and exploration. With all this happening then, it’s no surprise that Hoseasons, the UK’s largest park operator, are on board. They believe that Tyram could become a flagship park to sit within the Hoseasons Portfolio and have provided projected rental incomes and occupancy levels to back this up showing strong returns, thus providing evidential balance sheet background for those wishing to invest. Finishing off this latest update, Rothgen and Tyram Lakes are pleased to announce the arrival of Royal patronage in the form of Princess Alexandra Cantacuzène-Spéransky who will also be delighted to welcome new participants and investors to the project. So, Doncaster, Yorkshire, UK is ALIVE, and The Tyram Lakes Resort & Hotel is inviting investors to play along……
Covers Timber and Builders Merchants is delighted to have agreed to sponsor Chichester Rugby Club for another season. The club, which has its home ground at Oaklands Park, runs four senior teams, and a full range of junior teams. Covers’ sponsorship deal will include having the company’s logo appear on the club’s pavilion, website and match day programmes. Ron Migliorini, from Chichester Rugby Club, said: “Our relationship with Covers stretches back many years and we are delighted that they will be continuing to back us this season and would like to thank them for their ongoing support. Their sponsorship is invaluable in ensuring we can continue to maintain the club’s facilities and training for all our teams.” Henry Green, Managing Director at Covers, added: “With our company’s head office based in Chichester, and our great love and affection for all things sport at Covers, it is an absolute pleasure to be supporting the club. We wish them the very best of luck for a successful season.”
This April, the Fire Industry Manufacturer’s Expo (FIM Expo) is coming to Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol. The event is organised by the Fire Industry Association and helps to build the bridge between manufacturers of fire detection and alarm products and those in the services world. The expo is a fantastic place to meet manufacturers and network with other service professionals if you’re working in this niche but still buoyant area of business. The expo’s light and informal atmosphere is renowned for making those close connections and business partnerships due to its small size. Here, instead of wandering aimlessly between stands for hours, you can easily make all the connections you need within a relatively short period of time. A major advantage is that you can see all the products and get answers on how they all work, which is helpful if you’re unfamiliar with a particular area. There is still plenty at the expo even for a seasoned fire detection and alarm pro. The 17 confirmed exhibitors (and more on the way) will be showing a range of their products and with new ranges being developed, so it’s a good time to find out if there are any new products, or explore other manufacturer’s products that you might not have known much about previously. Aside from the exhibitors themselves, there is the added bonus of two free seminars. The first seminar, ‘BS 5839-1: 2017 – What’s changed?’ is presented by the FIA’s Technical Manager, Will Lloyd is known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of British Standards, and can provide expert advice on a wide range of fire detection and alarm issues. The seminar covers the latest major revision of the standard, BS 5839-1, and the differences between this version and the old 2013 version. Despite it being 2018, there may still be some aspects of the 2017 revision of this standard that you (or colleagues) may be unaware of. The update seminar covers a long list of areas including: Differences between the old version of BS5839-1: 2013 and the 2017 update Unwanted fire alarm signals Multi-sensor detectors in escape routes L3 and L2 systems The use of manual call point covers Places of ‘ultimate safety’ Manual call point locations Communications with the fire and rescue service Staff alarms Video fire detection Types of fire detectors and their selection Spacing and siting of automatic fire detectors Detector spacing and siting on honeycomb ceilings Siting of optical beam smoke detectors Ceiling height limits Cables, wiring, and other interconnections Inspection and servicing This is not a full and complete list but does give an indication of the level of depth that will be presented. The FIA is committed to improving professional levels throughout the industry and this seminar will provide plenty of insight into this complex subject area. The second seminar running at FIM Expo will be discussing the future of the fire industry. What levels of competency will be expected or needed in 2018 and beyond? In our current climate, where pressures on responsible persons/duty holders are rising, what will those potential clients be looking for in a fire detection and alarm service company? Entitled, ‘The future of qualifications in fire detection and alarm’, this is a good opportunity to hear from industry experts and ask questions about the movement of the industry over the next few years. This presentation will be presented by the FIA’s General Manager, Martin Duggan. Both seminars are fully CPD accredited and certificates will be available to pick up from the registration desk at the end. Details: 25th April 2018 Open 9.30 – 3.30pm Ashton Gate Stadium, Ashton Rd, Bristol BS3 2EJ Complimentary tea, coffee, and buffet lunch Free parking Free entry Seminar times 11am – ‘BS 5839:1 – what’s changed?’, presented by Will Lloyd, FIA Technical Manager 2pm – ‘The future of qualifications in the fire industry’, presented by Martin Duggan, FIA General Manager. Although the event is free to attend, spaces are limited and it’s best to register in advance to secure your space. Go to www.fim-expo.com to register.
Achilles Information today announces that the Achilles BuildingConfidence community is now a member of Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSiP) Achilles and SSiP share a dedication to promoting health and safety for construction workers, as well as reducing unnecessary cost and confusion in supply chain assurance. Alongside PAS91, the SSiP accreditation puts Achilles’ supply chain solutions at the forefront of standards in the UK construction industry. To meet SSiP standards, approved suppliers must demonstrate their capability to manage health and safety for the activities they carry out. The addition of the SSiP accreditation to Achilles’ BuildingConfidence community strengthens the focus on health and safety, giving certainty to buyers while simplifying the supply chain compliance process. SSiP questions will be added to all levels of the pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ), so suppliers no longer need to sign up to multiple assurance platforms, saving time and cost. BuildingConfidence suppliers can upload their existing SSiP ‘deem to satisfy’ certificate for free or add SSiP to their PQQ for a fee of £75. Meanwhile, buyers can be assured that all suppliers in Achilles’ BuildingConfidence community have demonstrated SSiP compliance. Dedicated Achilles teams, located across seven geographic hubs, check and validate the information provided by suppliers while qualified assessors visit supplier sites and record the level of compliance. Jay Katzen, CEO, Achilles Information commented; “SSiP and Achilles share a mission to reduce cost and complexity in supply chain compliance. With the addition of SSiP to our BuildingConfidence community, we are proud to offer the UK construction market an end-to-end service that strives to improve compliance with health and safety along with other supply chain issues.” Eleanor Eaton, Chair of SSiP added “we are delighted to welcome Achilles as a member of the SSiP family. Achilles shares our vision and that of all our members – to help businesses achieve more by reducing duplication in health and safety pre-qualification. We look forward to making this happen for even more buyers and suppliers in the months to come.” Achilles’ BuildingConfidence community launched in 2007. Within four years of launching, there was a 90% improvement in the compliance levels of registered suppliers, including a 75% reduction in the number of major environmental non-compliances. For further information, please contact: Rebecca Bantoft | Global Head of Corporate Communications & Events
