HomeServe Founder and GMI Property Join Forces To Launch Urban Life Developments Leeds-based GMI Property and York-based Capital Property Partners have joined forces to launch Urban Life Developments, a new joint venture development company focussing on the revival of Northern towns and cities through the delivery of urban mixed-use regeneration
A 360-tonne bridge has been lifted into place as part of construction of a new port for the South East, Tilbury2. The steel bridge was towed 135 nautical miles from Rotterdam to the Tilbury2 site – a process which took 24 hours – before it was lifted into place. The
ASCENA has been named as the hotel operator at the much-anticipated £120 million Guildhall development in Nottingham. Ascena will bring a 160-bed four-star hotel offering to the city which will include a rooftop fine dining restaurant, spa and wedding and conference facilities. The scheme will be submitted for detailed planning
HomeServe Founder and GMI Property Join Forces To Launch Urban Life Developments Leeds-based GMI Property and York-based Capital Property Partners have joined forces to launch Urban Life Developments, a new joint venture development company focussing on the revival of Northern towns and cities through the delivery of urban mixed-use regeneration schemes. GMI Property, part of the GMI Holdings Group, has a long track record of bringing forward complex regeneration projects in partnership with both public and private sector organisations. The Directors have successfully delivered some of the region’s most high-profile developments including the 200-acre award-winning Thorpe Park and the iconic Bridgewater Place in Leeds. They also have extensive knowledge of working with local authorities on complex regeneration schemes, including the redevelopment of Clay Cross town centre in Derbyshire. Capital Property Partners is a property investment business backed by one of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs, Richard Harpin, founder and CEO of FTSE 250 company HomeServe plc, which has a market capitalisation of circa £4 billion. In Yorkshire, Capital Property Partners has been investing in the redevelopment of Hull City Centre. Its most recent scheme, The GlassHouse at Queens Gardens in Hull, is delivering the transformation of a former Police Station in the heart of the Old Town to create 94 apartments together with gym and cinema which is due for completion in early 2020. Urban Life Developments will be operated by GMI Property Managing Director Chis Gilman alongside Capital Property Partners Managing Director Gerard Downes, who has 24 years investment experience, with Richard Harpin acting as a strategic advisor and principal investor. The new development company will combine its extensive experience and expertise with entrepreneurial spirit and financial strength to deliver strategic mixed-use developments in towns and cities across Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and the North East. The focus of the business is to regenerate and rejuvenate urban sites through the creation of outstanding spaces for ‘life’ to flourish, incorporating residential, retail, leisure and co-working elements. Chris Gilman said; “We have established Urban Life Developments to address the very real need for towns and cities across the North to redefine themselves to ensure long-term survival. The high street is not just about retail, in fact those centres where retail occupies most of the floorspace are the ones that are struggling. Successful centres have strong employment opportunities, a significant residential offer and attractive cultural and civic spaces. We want to partner with local authorities to help develop places where people will want to live, work, shop and spend leisure time. This ‘Next Generation Regeneration’ can help breathe new life into our towns and cities.” Richard Harpin continued; “I am a keen supporter of entrepreneurs and enjoy investing in opportunities that make a real difference to people and places. Being born in Huddersfield and raised in Northumblerland, I have a vested interest in the long term success of our Northern towns and cities and believe that Urban Life Developments can make great strides in revitalising these areas and enabling them to become prosperous centres. A key part of effecting change will be to establish public private sector partnerships as there are very few places where market forces alone will solve the problem. Identifying ways to work with the public sector is a fundamental part of Urban Life Developments’ strategy and we are currently in discussions with a number of parties over our first projects.”
A 360-tonne bridge has been lifted into place as part of construction of a new port for the South East, Tilbury2. The steel bridge was towed 135 nautical miles from Rotterdam to the Tilbury2 site – a process which took 24 hours – before it was lifted into place. The approach bridge is the first of three components to be installed over the next few months to create a Roll On – Roll Off facility into the new terminal currently under construction by GRAHAM. Peter Ward, Commercial Director at The Port of Tilbury, said: “This is another important milestone in the creation of our new port Tilbury2. “GRAHAM’s team successfully completed the link span fixed bridge installation and we look forward to seeing the bridge opened early next year.” The steel bridge, measuring 54m x 15m x 5m was chosen for its strength and durability in the marine environment. It was transported by the HAPO pontoon H-332 and supporting tug. The Port of London (PLA) pilots were on board when entering the Thames Estuary and remained with GRAHAM throughout the lifting operations. Following closely behind in convoy was the MATADOR 3 seagoing floating sheerleg crane with a lifting capacity of 1,800 tonnes, again with a supporting tug. Paul Scott, Contracts Director for GRAHAM, said: “We have hit another milestone on this major project with the arrival and installation of the approach bridge. “It was a real team effort from the loading out at Ravestein’s BV yard through to the installation. “The approach bridge is positioned from abutments on both the landside of the flood defence and on the foreshore.” The Tilbury2 project consists of the construction of a new port terminal and associated facilities on land at the former Tilbury Power Station on the north bank of the River Thames at Tilbury. When operational in Spring 2020, Tilbury2 will be the UK’s largest unaccompanied freight ferry port, the country’s biggest construction processing hub and will see the creation of a new significantly larger rail head which can accommodate the longest freight trains of 775m. The project is central to the Port of Tilbury’s £1 billion investment programme during 2012-20, which has seen it double the size of its business in the past 10 years and is projected to double the volume of cargo across the quay (from 16 million to 32 million tonnes) and increase direct employment (from 3,500 to 12,000 jobs) over the next 10-15 years.
ASCENA has been named as the hotel operator at the much-anticipated £120 million Guildhall development in Nottingham. Ascena will bring a 160-bed four-star hotel offering to the city which will include a rooftop fine dining restaurant, spa and wedding and conference facilities. The scheme will be submitted for detailed planning over the next few weeks. Ascena has been working over the past few months to bring forward the redevelopment of the listed Guildhall. John Wilby, project lead for Ascena, said: “We are delighted that this scheme has taken a significant step forward. We will soon be submitting the development for planning and it is likely that all being well, that work will start on site in autumn 2020. “It is a landmark development for the city and a key destination for people across the East Midlands. The Guildhall is an amazing building and we are naturally delighted to be working the city council.” There will be sensitive restoration of the Grade II listed Nottingham Guildhall – the city’s former magistrates’ court – and Fire Station House, he added. “There will be a new lightweight extension to the northern elevation of the existing Guildhall to replace an unsightly latter-day extension,” John said. “We will be utilising high-grade materials and are working closely with our heritage consultant Turley and Historic England to ensure that this listed building is brought back to its former glory.” Ascena owns and runs a number of luxury hotel and restaurant facilities in Birmingham and the south West, one of which is the Birmingham Michelin starred restaurant Opheem – which is run by Ascena business partner Aktar Islam. Aktar, who is a former winner of The Great British Menu and The F Word, will be running the rooftop restaurant. The existing courtrooms will be sympathetically converted to bar and restaurant facilities, retaining many of the original key listed features. There will be a rooftop bar and restaurant to the new build extension incorporating Fire Station House. The Guildhall building itself will house the hotel, while more modern extensions at the back of the building would be demolished and rebuilt. The remaining part of the site, including the old fire and police stations, are subject to a mixed-use redevelopment which will be announced soon. Following detailed planning approval, it is likely that work will start on the hotel in autumn 2020. Since it was built in 1887, it has hosted a magistrates’ court, police station, and fire station. Nottingham City Council was based at the building between 1996 and 2010, until it moved to new offices in Loxley House. There will be a public exhibition on Monday 2 December at 38 Carrington Street from 3pm to 7pm when it will be possible to see images of the development and meet with the project team.
