14 May 2016 – by Alexander Peace The UK’s largest housebuilder can no longer find development opportunities in central London that meet its required rate of return. Barratt Developments will now focus on schemes in Zones 3-6, because Zones 1 and 2 cannot satisfy its minimum hurdle rates. Chief
Electric cars could make up a quarter of the world’s automobiles by 2040. How will it affect oil demand? ©FT Graphic / Chris Tosic Rarely a day passes without at least one mention of a product that was not even easy to buy in its current form seven years ago:
Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has signed its largest Planning Promotional Agreement (PPA) to date. The agreement relates to a proposed major urban extension which aims to deliver some 2000 homes, employment, community facilities, the Featherstone bypass and open space
Britain may not face quite the same seasonal drop in temperatures as other countries however our winter weather conditions can still pose serious health and safety risks to those working on construction sites. Michael Knibbs, Managing Director, SafeSite Facilities outlines the top five hazards on construction sites in winter and
200 new homes will be delivered by Wates Residential on the south coast. The contractor has already started work on its Daedalus Village scheme, marking this occasion with a time capsule burial in Lee-on-the-Solent. The site will see the rise of a mix of housing consisting of 120 private homes
The 13 contractors who will be carrying out up to £8.7 billion worth of work on the national road network have been announced by Highways England. Known as Delivery Integration Partners, the contractors will be part of Highways England’s Regional Delivery Partnership, which encourages companies to improve safety and journeys
The ambitious development of the National Exhibition Centre Campus in Solihull has unveiled its plans, which will create up to 10,000 new jobs and 2,500 new homes. The NEC Masterplan, launched by Birmingham City Council and The NEC Group, involves the redevelopment of 75 hectares of land in Solihull into
Hospitality specialist architects, Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) is celebrating a quartet of hotel planning approvals achieved in October 2018. DMA’s ability to deliver creative and intelligent solutions for developers and operators has seen successful planning consent granted for London developments Hyatt Place Hotel in Whitechapel and Creed Court Hilton Hotel
External Wall Insulation (EWI) by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified for the thermal and aesthetic upgrade of Weir properties owned by East Ayrshire District Council. The webertherm XM EWI system is being applied in a two-phase programme of over 350 homes, a mix of tenancy and owner occupancy. Phase one
14 May 2016 – by Alexander Peace The UK’s largest housebuilder can no longer find development opportunities in central London that meet its required rate of return. Barratt Developments will now focus on schemes in Zones 3-6, because Zones 1 and 2 cannot satisfy its minimum hurdle rates. Chief executive David Thomas said that Barratt had not been successful on a bid in central London since September 2014, when it bought the Kidderpore Avenue site in Hampstead, NW3. All the content from this weekís magazine, including this article, is available in the new app. “In London we are competing against commercial developers and people investing money into the London markets with different objectives to a housebuilder,” he said. “That is the reality of the market, and in that situation you can do one of two things: drop your hurdle rates, or go elsewhere. “Our focus over the past 12 months has been about Zones 3-6 and we have secured a number of opportunities in outer boroughs.” Thomas blamed the situation on high land values, less demand from overseas buyers and reduced rates of sale caused by an increase in stamp duty. Click here to read the full story Source link
Electric cars could make up a quarter of the world’s automobiles by 2040. How will it affect oil demand? ©FT Graphic / Chris Tosic Rarely a day passes without at least one mention of a product that was not even easy to buy in its current form seven years ago: the electric car. But behind the headlines about new electric models from the world’s largest carmakers, the spread of charging stations and Tesla’s car battery “gigafactory” in Nevada, a more profound question emerges. Could electric cars ever cut the world’s thirst for oil enough to depress crude prices significantly? Even the most ardent environmental campaigner might have hesitated to entertain such a prospect in 2009, when International Energy Agency data showed there were fewer than 6,000 electric cars on the road across 40 countries. But that figure shot up to 1.2m last year, capturing interest well beyond the green movement. “Everybody is paying attention,” says Michael Wojciechowski, a Houston-based oil analyst at the energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie. “This thing has the potential to really start to take off.” One energy expert in Houston who believes electric cars will remain a niche industry for a long time says some oil producers, including Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude exporter, are nonetheless concerned. “I think they are scared to death,” says Vikas Dwivedi, global energy strategist at the Macquarie Group. “Electric vehicles are a massive enemy and I think they are worried to the point that this has been one of the motivations, among others, for the Aramco IPO.” The kingdom revealed this year that it plans an initial public offering to sell up to 5 per cent of Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil producer, as it moves to cut its economy’s reliance on crude. Outwardly, the oil industry is less bothered. Opec, the producers’ cartel, predicted last year that by 2040 only 6 per cent of the world’s passenger cars will be running on non-oil fuels. Just 0.1 per cent of the nearly 1bn passenger cars on the road last year had a plug, according to the IEA. “Without a technology breakthrough, battery electric vehicles are not expected to gain significant market share in the foreseeable future,” Opec said, citing high purchase prices, driving range limitations and poor battery performance in very high or low temperatures. ExxonMobil, the world’s largest listed oil company by market value, also thinks electric cars will only make small strides, accounting for fewer than 10 per cent of new car sales globally by 2040. Sales last year were less than 1 per cent of the 80m passenger cars and light trucks sold worldwide, according to EV Volumes, a Swedish electric car consultancy. Engines of demand The oil industry’s views do not seem outlandish considering the vehicles are so novel there is still some confusion about how they work. There are two main types of electric car: battery-only ones like Tesla’s models and the Nissan Leaf that have an electric motor but no petrol engine, and plug-in hybrids such as the Mitsubishi Outlander that have a petrol engine and a battery that can be recharged, unlike older hybrid models. Annual sales of both have increased faster than expected, from 48,000 in 2011 to 550,000 last year, especially the battery-only cars that have been showered with incentives by governments trying to tackle climate change. Sales of the two types should reach 850,000 this year, says EV-Volumes. The questions are, will the industry keep growing as quickly as it has and, if it does, how long will it take before it starts to make an appreciable dent in oil demand? Passenger cars use 18m barrels a day of oil products, 18.7 per cent of the 96m barrels consumed daily, according to the IEA. Crude prices crashed from $115 a barrel in mid-2014 to less than $30 in the early part of this year, when supply exceeded demand at a rate of about 1m b/d, the IEA says. Some analysts say this shows how vulnerable prices are to a relatively small shift in demand — a change that could become permanent if electric cars can eat into the global car market in big enough numbers. ©Getty A Tesla Model X at the Geneva motor show this year But it is not quite that simple, says IEA chief economist Laszlo Varro, pointing out oil prices are affected by supply as well as demand. So even if electric car sales keep booming, the industry’s effect on crude prices will struggle to match the impact of the natural depletion of existing oilfields, he says. Considering demand alone, it would take 50m-100m electric cars to displace 1m barrels a day of oil, he adds, depending on future driving habits, That is a far cry from today’s fleet of 1.2m plug-in vehicles on the road. Then there is the question of how long the government subsidies that are powering much of the electric car market will last. Last year, electric cars had more than 1 per cent of the market in six countries, led by Norway with 23 per cent. But the vehicles received an average subsidy of $4,000 to $5,000, says Mr Varro, and that is clearly unsustainable. “You can subsidise 10,000 cars but you cannot subsidise 10m,” he says. Disruptive power Still, Mr Varro thinks technical advances and consumer excitement about electric cars point to their potential to be highly disruptive for the oil industry. “Electric cars are roughly where solar power was 10 years ago in terms of their impact on commodity markets,” he says. “Today, solar is a multibillion-dollar business which has a significant impact.” The solar industry’s breakthrough followed dramatic falls in the price of photovoltaic panels and some improvements in their efficiency. One factor holding back electric car sales is the price of the vehicles, which is strongly determined by the batteries that power them. These can account for about one-third of overall costs. Many of the subsidies that bridge part of the pricing gap between conventional and
Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has signed its largest Planning Promotional Agreement (PPA) to date. The agreement relates to a proposed major urban extension which aims to deliver some 2000 homes, employment, community facilities, the Featherstone bypass and open space on a 300 acre site in Wakefield. A masterplan has been developed for the transformational project which incorporates a new strategic highway to relieve congestion in the area, market facing employment with good transport links to the nearby motorways, approximately 2,000 new homes addressing the housing deficit of the district, community facilities including a new primary school, a new retail offer to complement the existing town centre and accessible green space with a link to the proposed nine lakes. The development of the site represents a significant opportunity to enable housing-led regeneration to create a critical mass of population to reinforce the facilitate the delivery of the bypass, whilst improving the setting of the existing settlement itself. The development will also act as a catalyst for enhancing local services, encourage further expenditure within the local economy and attract future inward investment into the area. Having developed the masterplan, the landowners have now entered into an agreement with Keyland Developments who will take on the promotion of the scheme through Wakefield Council’s forthcoming Local Plan Review. The agreement represents Keyland’s sixth West Yorkshire PPA, with previous agreements in Leeds, Calderdale and Kirklees. The PPA’s involve Keyland working with independent landowners, corporates or regulated bodies to overcome obstacles to development on strategic sites to facilitate regeneration by securing planning consent for future use. Peter Garrett, Managing Director of Keyland Developments Ltd, said; “Keyland’s PPA agreements enable landowners within the region to derive the maximum potential from their sites with no financial risk, whilst unlocking much-needed land to assist the local authorities in meeting their long-term housing needs. The project, which aims to deliver multiple and far-reaching social, economic and transport benefits is ideally suited to our expertise of facilitating the future regeneration of strategic land. It will be a major transformational project and we are delighted to lead the dedicated team to bring the vision to life.” Keyland will now continue to positively engage with the Council and other stakeholders to maximise the regenerative potential of this strategically located site. The project team includes Spawforths as planning consultant, Carter Jonas for residential development advice and i-Transport for highways advice.
Britain may not face quite the same seasonal drop in temperatures as other countries however our winter weather conditions can still pose serious health and safety risks to those working on construction sites. Michael Knibbs, Managing Director, SafeSite Facilities outlines the top five hazards on construction sites in winter and advises how to ensure your site and workforce is safe and productive during the colder months. Put the ground work in Keep driving surfaces, parking area and walkways free of pot holes. When the ground is frozen it is much harder to maintain these areas. Keeping them well looked after before the big freeze arrives will make removing snow and ice an easier job. Any areas that can be repaired, or holes filled, should be clearly marked out and cordoned off, using safety barriers, so they are visible, even in the snow. As part of your overall site safety plan, ensure that you have adequate stores of sand, salt and grit. Even if temperatures don’t drop below freezing, rain can make surfaces and equipment, such as ramps and scaffolding, slippery and dangerous. If you choose to use de-icer, make sure site environmental requirements are met. De-icers that are salt based can change the pH and conductivity of ground water. Consider ordering in specialist ground protection mats that have an anti-slip surface for optimal vehicle grip and pedestrian safety. Vehicle and equipment checks Fluids, such as engine and hydraulic oils, should be rated for the temperatures in your area. Replace them if necessary and put antifreeze oil in pneumatic tools and air hoses. Check that heaters inside vehicle cabs are regularly serviced and working as they should be. Ice or snow should be routinely cleared from windscreens, walkways and steps. Don’t let ice cause your safety plan to slip up Slips and falls can happen at any time of the year on construction sites but winter weather increase the risk due to ice and wet, slippery surfaces. When temperatures drop, ice may form and accumulate on scaffolding, ladders, walkways, and stairs. If these areas are not treated correctly or built from weather resistant materials, the consequences could be fatal. If there are areas where safety cannot be guaranteed then restrict access using clear signage, safety barriers or fencing. Wrap up against the elements Personal protection equipment can be bulky and restrictive so it’s important to balance protection against the cold with productivity. Choosing the wrong kind of protection can even cause additional hazards such as fogging (if you’re using safety eyewear); reduced hearing (if there is layering around workers’ heads and ears); snow glare and diminished traction over difficult ground. Waterproofing is essential for gloves, footwear and outwear. These items should also be breathable for comfort and to let perspiration out. Get ready to spring back into action If there has been heavy snow and rainfall bear in mind that at the end of winter additional equipment, such as pumps and hoses, may be needed to remove excess water from site. Review your site plan and ensure that water run-off areas are adequate and whether ditching systems will be able to handle the volume of water that may accumulate based on the amount of snow.
200 new homes will be delivered by Wates Residential on the south coast. The contractor has already started work on its Daedalus Village scheme, marking this occasion with a time capsule burial in Lee-on-the-Solent. The site will see the rise of a mix of housing consisting of 120 private homes and 80 affordable homes. Part of the Accelerated Construction Model together with four other national pilot sites, the Homes England initiative was designed to enable the Government to fast-track the building of homes on publicly owned land and diversify housing delivery. “We are very proud to have started work on the Daedalus Village site, which has a rich history and a very promising future, and are pleased that so many people from the local community joined us to celebrate this significant moment with a time capsule burial,” said Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential South. “Through our work, we will not only deliver 200 new high quality homes for local people but will also increase opportunities in the area through our investment in education, training and skills,” he added. Local suppliers will be appointed for the new homes on the south coast, while residents will benefit from the creation of training and educational opportunities, which aim to boost the local economy. This includes 10 apprenticeships, work experience placements for local students and courses aimed at unemployed adults. The homes are expected to be completed in late 2020. Wates Residential is responding to the needs of its customers by developing mixed tenure housing schemes in partnership with both public and private sector organisations. The business covers new-build and partnership housing development activities, reaffirming its long-term commitment to deliver new homes and to help address the UK’s urgent need for new housing. Its partnership housing offer includes building and selling homes to the public, as well as providing affordable homes for social landlords.
The 13 contractors who will be carrying out up to £8.7 billion worth of work on the national road network have been announced by Highways England. Known as Delivery Integration Partners, the contractors will be part of Highways England’s Regional Delivery Partnership, which encourages companies to improve safety and journeys on roads. “Routes to Market represents a fundamental change in the way we deliver road projects. It will be performance rather than price based, focusing on building the right projects with the best outcomes for road users and the communities we serve. It demands a major step up in our supply chain to embrace innovation and team work, and in their ability to deliver value,” commented Jim O’Sullivan, Highways England Chief Executive. These are the selected contractors and the lots: Lot 1 – South West and Midlands – £200 million – two partners: Geoffrey Osborne; and Griffiths/Farrans Joint Venture (Alun Griffiths (Construction) and Northstone (NI) Limited trading as Farrans Construction); Lot 2 – South East and East – £350 million – two partners: John Graham Construction Ltd; and Volker Fitzpatrick; Lot 3 – North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber – £200 million – two partners: Amey Sir Robert McAlpine Joint Venture (Amey OW and Sir Robert McAlpine); and North Midland Construction; Lot 4 – South West – £800 million – two partners: Galliford Try Infrastructure; and Taylor Woodrow; Lot 5 – Midlands – £1,250 million – two partners: BAM Nuttall; and Skanska Construction UK; Lot 6 – South East – £1,100 million – two partners: BAM Nuttall; and Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering; Lot 7 – East – £2,800 million – three partners: Costain; Galliford Try Infrastructure; and Skanska Construction UK; Lot 8 – North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber – £2,000 million – three partners: Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering; Costain; and Kier Highways. The partnership will help develop, design and construct highway projects across England from 2019 through to 2024.
The ambitious development of the National Exhibition Centre Campus in Solihull has unveiled its plans, which will create up to 10,000 new jobs and 2,500 new homes. The NEC Masterplan, launched by Birmingham City Council and The NEC Group, involves the redevelopment of 75 hectares of land in Solihull into 315,000 square metres of new floorspace. “I am delighted to launch this Masterplan which sets out a radical vision for the transformation of the NEC campus which will not only see the Midlands International appeal and global position strengthened but also bring huge economic benefits to our local communities,” said Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council. The site is home to the NEC, its sister benue Genting Arena, Resorts World Birmingham and the recently-opened Merlin visitor attraction – Bear Grylls Adventure. “I welcome the publication of this Masterplan for the NEC which has been identified as one of the main areas for growth in the UK Central Hub, Solihull. These ambitious proposals to continue the diversification of the leisure and entertainment offer are a key component of the UK Central vision to be globally renowned as one of the best connected destinations for business, leisure and living in Europe and a major engine for growth in the UK,” said Councillor Bob Sleigh, Leader of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Recently sold to private equity funds managed by Blackstone, the City Council retained a freehold interest in the land at the Solihull site. “With the backing of our new majority shareholder, Blackstone, we have ambitious plans to develop our business further. The Masterplan is an important element of that expansion and builds on the excellent progress we have made over the last few years towards creating a truly world-class business, entertainment and leisure destination,” added Paul Thandi, CEO of NEC Group. The NEC Masterplan will be endorsed at a council meeting on the 13th of November.
Hospitality specialist architects, Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) is celebrating a quartet of hotel planning approvals achieved in October 2018. DMA’s ability to deliver creative and intelligent solutions for developers and operators has seen successful planning consent granted for London developments Hyatt Place Hotel in Whitechapel and Creed Court Hilton Hotel near St Paul’s Cathedral, as well as new hotels in Bath City Centre and at Bicester Heritage. Commenting on these planning successes, DMA said: “We’re delighted to see these four signature projects granted planning permission and further build on our strong track record of creating deliverable hotel projects that meet both client aspirations and planning requirements. Each project is different and presents unique challenges, but working closely with clients and local authorities we have been able to develop design solutions that have been supported at committee level and will result in positive contributions to their respective locations.” Hyatt Place Hotel, Whitechapel DMA was appointed by Resolution Property to reconfigure a previously DMA consented 217-key aparthotel scheme as a 280-key Hyatt Place hotel in Whitechapel, London E1. DMA proposed some clever internal changes to ensure the design of the hotel meets the expectations and requirements of Hyatt Place whilst respecting the external treatment established during the original planning stages. In particular, guestroom levels have been reviewed to satisfy the Hyatt brand and a roof bar added that overlooks Whitechapel Road with a south-facing terrace on the ninth floor. Creed Court, St Paul’s Dominvs Group appointed DMA to review this consented boutique brand 4/5 star hotel scheme near St Paul’s Cathedral. Using its extensive expertise in hotel design, in particular space planning in a prime location and a good understanding of the client’s aspirations, DMA has reconfigured the internal layout of the scheme to meet the expectations of a luxury boutique offer. The redesign increases the number of rooms from 132 to 152 keys and reconfigures the ground level to provide a bar and restaurant that optimises active frontage and facilities for both guests and the local community. Located in a conservation area, the building has been designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent, incorporating a height amendment to facilitate green roofs across the scheme. City Centre Hotel, Bath A second project with Dominvs Group is the newbuild 198 room “lifestyle hotel” on the site of a former Bath College building in the historic core of the City. The design, while respecting the World Heritage Site and character of the Conservation Area, was developed under the guidance of the local planning authority to produce an entirely contemporary scheme responding to the individual nature of its location fronting three streets. The hotel will also create a new destination, with restaurant, bar and gym facilities at ground-floor level open to guests and public alike. Bicester Heritage DMA’s design for a newbuild 252 room hotel and 92 room aparthotel for Bicester Heritage, centre of classic automobiles and aeroplanes, received unanimous approval from Cherwell District Council. Inspired by the rich former RAF base site heritage the new five storey building offers a modern interpretation of the form of adjoining listed hangers with a signature entrance atrium designed around the display of classic cars. Augmenting the extensive amenities of this centre of engineering & automotive excellence, the hotel includes a restaurant, conferencing and leisure facilities with pool.
External Wall Insulation (EWI) by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified for the thermal and aesthetic upgrade of Weir properties owned by East Ayrshire District Council. The webertherm XM EWI system is being applied in a two-phase programme of over 350 homes, a mix of tenancy and owner occupancy. Phase one is now complete and phase two, some 248 properties, is now underway. Many new construction methods were introduced to alleviate the chronic housing shortage immediately after World War II and in Scotland one of the most active design teams was that of the Weir Housing Corporation. Challenged to deliver significant quantities of housing, they introduced a variety of ‘prefab’ system buildings. The Weir system initially utilised steel and concrete sections to provide fast-assembly build programmes but when the material supply issues restricted capacity they moved toward timber buildings, many of which survive today. The timber-frame Weir properties are poorly insulated and expensive to heat. East Ayrshire District Council’s project has been led by senior architect Ernie Tew, who not only managed the technical elements of the scheme but also produced and managed the financial grant submission. “We wanted a cost effective solution for externally refurbishing these houses that would enable the upgrade to be carried out without having to temporarily relocate our residents. The system had to create a watertight and thermally efficient building envelope, reduce CO₂ emissions, cut fuel consumption and change the external appearance of the properties,” said Mr Tew. Saint-Gobain Weber calculated a greatly improved target U-value of 0.29 W/m²K from a pre-application value of 2.1 W/m²K. Funding for this programme has been delivered through the HEEPS private/public partnership between the Council and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), the UK’s broadest-based energy company. Skyform Specialist Contracts Limited, Glasgow, a multi-discipline structural repair and construction company, and a Weber recommended EWI installer, has been appointed by East Ayrshire District Council to carry out the application work. Andy Calder, production construction manager, SSE, praises the webertherm XM EWI system: “This high performance Weber system is excellent; it’s easy to deliver and ticks all the boxes for us. There really is a remarkable improvement in the aesthetics of these properties which has changed the community’s outlook, character and atmosphere for the better. We have had a very positive response from the residents who have already noticed reductions in their heating bills. Weber EWI is making cash savings for these residents which is very welcome.” Each property requires 84m² of webertherm XM EWI. Gary Meredith, Skyform’s project manager, is an enthusiastic supporter of this EWI system. “Bringing the wall surfaces up to the same level with the insulation not only makes it easier to apply the render coats but makes a substantial improvement in the appearance of the properties; they become more ‘modern’ almost overnight and the residents really appreciate living in a ‘new’ home which will be warmer, less expensive to run and attractive. The webertherm XM system is straight forward and reliable and we look forward to making continued progress with this project.” The webertherm XM EWI system chosen for these Weir properties features expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation which is mechanically fixed to the timber structure. The main insulation thickness is 90mm but 110mm has also been applied to level some façades whilst in the gable ends 70mm EPS has been used to achieve a level consistency. The render process requires two passes of weberend LAC cementitious render into which the fibreglass reinforcement meshcloth is embedded to give a robust render coat. The second render coat used in this project is weberend PTC, a polymer-modified, cement-based mortar which acts as the dry dash colour-base and adhesive on which the selected aggregate blends are carried. The dry-dash stones are then applied to give the very best weather and impact protection to this multi-layered process. For more information about this project, or for technical support, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.uk.weber A free download of the new WeberApp for iPhone and iPad users is also available from iTunes and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates. www.uk.weber/facades
