Logistics and industrial property business PLP is building its first net zero carbon ready speculative logistics development. It is being constructed at its 343,000 sq ft warehouse at Smithywood, Sheffield, and is due to complete in September 2020. PLP says it plans to deliver all future speculative builds to the
A flagship centre for low-carbon sea travel at Liverpool Docks, a new cultural hub to revitalise Blackpool seafront; and energy-saving social housing borne from a warehouse earmarked for demolition are among the show-stopping projects in the student architecture exhibition being held at the University of Nottingham from today. For the
Construction works have started to create a new neighbourhood centre and residential apartments at Blythe Valley Park in Solihull. Led by Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson, the works will involve the construction of four new mixed-use high quality apartment buildings at Blythe Valley Park – as part of client IM
Solihull-based residential land specialist Terra Strategic has sold a 10-acre former Green Belt site in the Nottinghamshire village of Cropwell Bishop to Bloor Homes for in excess of £5million. Terra has worked with Rushcliffe Borough Council, Cropwell Bishop Parish Council, the Primary School and other local stakeholders to negotiate the
Knightsbridge, one of the UK’s leading brands of wiring devices, accessories and lighting, has enhanced its product range with the introduction of grid faceplates to its popular screwless matt black portfolio of switches and sockets. Available in 1,2,3,4,6 and 8 gang formats, the new additions provide a stylish way to
Bowler’s Yard development in New Islington has secured planning approval, with work due to start later this year. Scarborough International Properties, in joint venture with Metro Holdings Limited of Singapore and Hualing Group of China, are behind the application. It will comprise 62 one and two-bedroom apartments over levels one
DealTrak, the automotive techology specialist, is set to return to its Leeds Dock base later this year, as the AutoProtect Group business commits to keeping its city centre building. The technology platform, which connects automotive dealers’ finance, insurance and compliance processes, will return to the city centre tech, media and
Work has commenced on the second Exchange Square development in Birmingham city centre, which will include 375 apartments. Nikal Ltd appointed Grainger plc to deliver the 37-storey build to rent scheme, designed by Stephenson Studio and located opposite the new HS2 Curzon Birmingham station. Birmingham City Council’s planning committee voted
Planning, marketing, productivity and talent. Just some of the most important aspects of any business. Driving your business towards success will certainly be more achievable if you bear those things in mind. However, money and good financial planning is also a feature of business you need to focus your attention
Logistics and industrial property business PLP is building its first net zero carbon ready speculative logistics development. It is being constructed at its 343,000 sq ft warehouse at Smithywood, Sheffield, and is due to complete in September 2020. PLP says it plans to deliver all future speculative builds to the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) Net Zero Carbon Ready standard. It is working with the Turley sustainability team and carbon neutrality and climate finance experts Natural Capital Partners. The firm has assessed carbon emissions from construction through life cycle assessment of materials and products, and reduced these emissions through the inclusion of materials with a lower carbon footprint. And it will mitigate any remaining construction carbon emissions to net zero by funding high quality carbon offset projects, achieving CarbonNeutral® development certification through The CarbonNeutral Protocol. The new building is also be designed to promote energy efficient and low carbon operation, with solar photovoltaics and air source heat pumps and 100% LED lighting. Further design measures, including roof strengthening, will allow the operator to install additional solar photovoltaics and battery storage in future to further enhance environmental performance. Jeremy Greenland, CEO at PLP, said: ‘PLP is committed to deliver best in class, sustainable and future-proof units. “With a useful life of 30 to 50 years, producing Net Zero Carbon Ready warehouses at no extra cost to occupiers is a big step forward. “Incorporating additional design flexibility to enable them to transition to Net Zero Carbon operations more cost effectively should mean our developments stand the test of time.” Colin Morrison, head of sustainability at Turley, said: ‘We are proud to have supported the delivery of PLP’s commitment to climate leadership at Smithywood. “As long standing members of the UKGBC involved in the development of their Net Zero Carbon Buildings Framework, this project showcases our complementary capabilities in building performance, embodied carbon and the commercial delivery of net zero buildings.” Tom Popple, senior manager, Climate Change and Sustainability at Natural Capital Partners, said: “The built environment is looking for pioneering climate leaders that can move beyond compliance and take the urgent climate action now to reduce carbon emissions to net zero and achieve carbon neutrality. “This best in class approach is a testament to the vision and ambition of all involved.”
A flagship centre for low-carbon sea travel at Liverpool Docks, a new cultural hub to revitalise Blackpool seafront; and energy-saving social housing borne from a warehouse earmarked for demolition are among the show-stopping projects in the student architecture exhibition being held at the University of Nottingham from today. For the first time, the Department of Architecture and the Built Environment (DABE) has transformed its popular annual end-of-year event from a physical show at University Park campus to a virtual one. From 7 July to the end of September, visitors from around the world can explore the entire exhibit!20 show online. With exciting designs comprising exquisite hand drawings and paintings, Computer Aided Design, 3D models and other preparatory visuals from 278 students on display, organisers have made the online exhibition the largest and longest-running show of student work since the Department’s foundations were established in 1843. Every entrant has weaved either social, economic or environmental sustainability into their building design concepts, reflecting the core values of both the education and research undertaken at DABE. Professor Mark Gillott, Head of DABE, said, “With cutting-edge research and strong industry links, our Department is shaping both the profession and policies that champion better buildings, communities and environmental standards. For some, sustainability can be seen as an obstacle to aesthetics, but not at Nottingham. Our ethos is strongly rooted in the aesthetic and quality of design whilst embedding sustainability to respond to the climate emergency.” The Department has just been named one of the top three architecture schools in the UK by AJ100 for the second year running. This important industry ranking – informed by the Architects’ Journal top 100 largest architectural practices – recognises that graduates from DABE continue to impress and shake up the sector. Show co-organiser, Dr Nils Jaeger, Assistant Professor in Digital Technologies and Architecture, explains, “Our education model encourages independence in addition to creativity and this will be extremely important in a post-Covid world. Future architects will need resilience and ingenuity to succeed in practice and those are the qualities that set our students apart.” The exhibition opening will be marked with a special prize-giving ceremony live-streamed at 4pm on Tuesday 7 July to acknowledge the very best talent and innovation among the student work on show. Guest speaker is Tracy Meller, Honorary Professor of Architecture at the University of Nottingham and partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, alongside event chair, Dr Ben Jones, who will be among the host of DABE staff giving commendations and prizes to 12 shortlisted concepts. exhibit!20 student case studies Declan Clarke (K101 – MArch Architecture – Year 6 Unit S1 Continuity) – Learning from Blackpool (Renaissance of the British seaside town). The project is a re-imagination of Blackpool’s promenade through a series of ‘Culture Houses’ transforming the town through temporary cultural structures with prime focus upon the Palatine Building, an existing 1970s Pop Art structure. The project was inspired by Blackpool’s former ‘Culture House’ the Alhambra Palace. The new Culture House uses the existing façade and structure of the Palatine Building, inhabits the building with a series of spaces for art, performance, music and Citizen’s Advice. The ground floor acts as an extension of the promenade – creating a civic space for the people of Blackpool to galvanise a stronger community spirit. The project also aims to revitalise both the tired North Pier with a pavilion glasshouse and space for exhibitions, theatre, music and community events and the former Central Railway station, which are proposed as adaptable exhibition spaces and seafront gardens interconnected to the Culture House. Rosemary Fishburn (K230 –MEng Architecture and Environmental Design, Year 4, Unit 5B – Nurturing the City) – Liverpool Maritime Hub is an innovative centre for low-carbon international sea travel. The building connects ships and travellers, enabling people to undertake long distance journeys by sailing and providing an alternative to flying. It is located on the Clarence Graving Docks in the Tens Streets area of Liverpool, which is a major hub for migration by ship to and from the UK. In the environmentally-friendly building, workshop facilities are available for retrofitting existing boats with the equipment required to be hydrogen-powered, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels in boat engines. Engineers with knowledge of hydrogen fuel cells and renewable energy will fit the equipment and run training sessions for crew members. A hostel will provide residential facilities for ship crews to train and prepare for departures and for transiting or delayed sea travellers. An onsite market hopes to draw the Liverpool community to the building with stalls filled with goods sourced from global shipping destinations. Laura Fairchild (K10I – MArch Architecture RIBA Part II, Year 6, S1 – Continuity) – To Reuse or Replace prioritises reuse and transformation over the demolition of existing buildings. In this case the project looks at a warehouse due to be razed to the ground, reusing the building to create social housing apartments with additional communal facilities including a co-working space (winter garden) and a shared kitchen. The proposal aims to maintaining the existing structure while improving its thermal performance and to increase its overall density. The key alternations are the removal of the internal walls and the creations of alternating strips of housing and social spaces to improve community cohesion and act as a thermal buffer between the flats.
Construction works have started to create a new neighbourhood centre and residential apartments at Blythe Valley Park in Solihull. Led by Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson, the works will involve the construction of four new mixed-use high quality apartment buildings at Blythe Valley Park – as part of client IM Properties’ strategic vision to create a sustainable, mixed-use community in this area of the West Midlands where people can live and work. Blythe Valley Park is a 1.2 million sq. ft development, surrounded by 122 acres of scenic parkland, and the addition of the neighbourhood centre will create a new focal point and seamlessly connect the growing residential and commercial community. The business park employs 3,500 people and is home to many leading businesses including a range of high-profile brands such as Gymshark, Lounge, Cooper Parry, Siemens and Zenith. The £7.5m development is expected to complete in spring 2021 and the new mixed-use buildings will feature 48 one and two-bedroom apartments, 25 per cent of which will be managed in partnership with Bromford Homes to offer affordable housing at the location. Two of the ground floor buildings will become modern retail spaces and will include an eatery and community convenience store, as well as a further retail unit, creating additional jobs in the area. There will also be level access to all four buildings, to accommodate disabled members of the community. Andy Sewards, managing director at G F Tomlinson said: “We’re thrilled to be working with IM Properties to create an integral new element of the sustainable, mixed-use scheme at Blythe Valley Park, which is delivering a significant number of new homes and jobs to boost the local economy.” “This is an exciting project to add to our residential portfolio and we’re looking forward to handing over in 2021.” Richard Knight, technical director of IM Properties strategic land division, IM Land said: “The new neighbourhood centre is a significant investment for IM Properties and will help further cement the strong community feel at Blythe Valley Park. We are very happy to have G F Tomlinson on board working with us to deliver this scheme.” Crest Homes and Bloor Homes have also been working on the residential phase since 2018 and continue to progress at the site, with the delivery of up to 750 new homes.
Solihull-based residential land specialist Terra Strategic has sold a 10-acre former Green Belt site in the Nottinghamshire village of Cropwell Bishop to Bloor Homes for in excess of £5million. Terra has worked with Rushcliffe Borough Council, Cropwell Bishop Parish Council, the Primary School and other local stakeholders to negotiate the site’s removal from the Green Belt and inclusion in the recently adopted Rushcliffe Local Plan. Having run a planning application in parallel to the emerging Local Plan, the company then secured an Outline Planning Consent for 85 family homes and bungalows and a new access road and car park for the adjacent Primary School. 30 per cent of the homes have been designated for affordable housing. Cropwell Bishop is famed for its family-owned traditional creamery that produces award-winning stilton cheese. Located on Church Street on the edge of the sought-after rural village, the residential site was previously designated for arable purposes. With the site adjoining the local school, which had extensive access and parking issues, Terra Strategic was brought on board in 2016 to promote the Green Belt land for a quality housing scheme that delivered community benefits and a solution for the school. Property and Planning Consultant Fisher German and AT Architecture have worked on the successful project. James O’Shea, Managing Director of Terra Strategic said: “It is very rewarding to see this strategic land project reach this major milestone. Despite the amount of uncertainty in the marketplace – as the UK eases its way out of the Covid-19 lockdown – this has been a popular development opportunity and we are pleased to have achieved a very efficient land sale to Bloor Homes. Thanks to the hard work of all involved, the legal process has only taken six weeks to simultaneously Exchange and Complete. “The 85 family homes and bungalows will help to meet Rushcliffe Borough Council’s housing needs, which we identified lacked a sufficient pipeline when first considering this land opportunity. The high-quality scheme that we received Outline Planning Consent for earlier this year is designed around a central village green area and is very reflective of its rural location. “Given the shortage of new homes in the current marketplace, we would urge anyone who is looking to maximise their land value to get in touch with us to explore the opportunities available.” Terra’s Outline Planning Consent secured a range of two, three and four-bedroom bungalows and family houses, set around landscaped drives and Public Open Space. In order to alleviate local access and parking issues, a new car park for 36 cars will be delivered for Cropwell Bishop Primary School from a newly created access road. With the design principles of the development in place, Bloor Homes will now commence the process of seeking a Reserved Matters Planning Approval. There are a range of village amenities within walking distance of the Church Street site and Cropwell Bishop is well-served by bus routes into Nottingham and the nearby market towns. There is also easy access to the A52 and A46 arterial routes. Terra Strategic is an experienced residential land specialist, which enters into agreements with landowners and then pursues, funds and secures an agreeable planning permission. It also has the financial resources to secure land with or without residential planning consent to assist landowners looking for a quick sale process. Terra Strategic has a national reach, having secured residential land in Bedfordshire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, The West Midlands, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.
Knightsbridge, one of the UK’s leading brands of wiring devices, accessories and lighting, has enhanced its product range with the introduction of grid faceplates to its popular screwless matt black portfolio of switches and sockets. Available in 1,2,3,4,6 and 8 gang formats, the new additions provide a stylish way to accommodate a variety of switching needs in one convenient place. The discrete lines – a profile of just 4.3mm – and concealed screw fixing mean that the finished installation looks elegant and unfussy, adding a touch of class and refinement as well as practicality. The new grid faceplates are an exciting addition to the already comprehensive matt black range of switches and sockets, further increasing the versatility and scope of this sought-after line-up. Offering a contemporary aesthetic, the matt black finish is just one of six available in the Knightsbridge range of wiring accessories that offer a modern twist in terms of style and functionality. Other finishes include matt white, brushed or polished chrome, black nickel and polished brass, all crafted to ensure lasting good looks. Whatever the application, whether charging iPhones, accessing a network, listening to music over Bluetooth or simply switching and dimming lights, there’s a Knightsbridge product that can do it beautifully. For further details of Knightsbridge’s innovative wiring accessory and lighting products, please visit www.mlaccessories.co.uk or call 01582 887760.
Bowler’s Yard development in New Islington has secured planning approval, with work due to start later this year. Scarborough International Properties, in joint venture with Metro Holdings Limited of Singapore and Hualing Group of China, are behind the application. It will comprise 62 one and two-bedroom apartments over levels one to nine, designed by CJCT Architects, with the ground floor providing a double-height entrance hall, bicycle stores and undercroft electric car charging points. “This is great news and we are looking forward to getting started. Bowler’s Yard will be an exciting addition to the popular residential area of New Islington,” said Nicola Wallis, sales and marketing director at Scarborough. Bowler’s Yard represents the third phase of residential development by Scarborough, Metro and Hualing at New Islington, following Milliners Wharf, which completed in 2010, and the Hatbox, which completed in the spring of 2016. Contractors will soon be appointed, with completion expected in mid-2022. “Bowlers Yard is another opportunity for Scarborough and our international partners to create a high quality, residential scheme in one of the UK’s most vibrant, cosmopolitan and progressive cities,” added Paul Kelly, development director at Scarborough. “It underlines not only our commitment to deliver our major residential and mixed-use developments, in a dynamic city where there is strong demand for housing but also Manchester’s attractiveness to international investors.”
DealTrak, the automotive techology specialist, is set to return to its Leeds Dock base later this year, as the AutoProtect Group business commits to keeping its city centre building. The technology platform, which connects automotive dealers’ finance, insurance and compliance processes, will return to the city centre tech, media and creative cluster following the easing of lockdown measures, as it expects a surge in car sales post-Covid-19. “The role of the workplace has changed, it is no longer a space in which we are glued to our desks for eight hours a day, it is a place for collaboration, inspiration and socialising,” commented Allied London chief executive Michael Ingall. “Leeds Dock enables all of this, and is a destination which adds true value to a business and its working week. We’re thrilled to see the AutoProtect Group and DealTrak commit its future to Leeds Dock, and return to the workplace, when some businesses are abandoning the workplace – something which is in my opinion shortsighted, and detrimental in the long run.” DealTrak currently occupies a 5,300 sq ft space over two floors, with a balcony overlooking the waterfront, which is part of the Leeds Dock cluster, owned by Allied London. The property developer has created a water taxi service, in partnership with DealTrak, who created its TaxiTrak app. Allied London has welcomed back all of its Leeds Dock tenants and has assisted in the introduction of on-site safety measures, including screens, two-metre distance markers, additional cleaning, and hand sanitiser stations, as it helps the business cluster get back on track. “Leeds Dock is very much our technology hub and we are committed to retaining the building and supporting Allied London in the continued development of this great part of the city centre,” Matthew Briggs, chief executive at Autoprotect Group, added. “We have always had a flexible working policy at our Leeds office, and this will continue after lockdown restrictions are lifted. Offering our employees the choice of working from home or coming into our fantastic open plan office, allows us to honour our commitment to employee wellbeing.”
Work has commenced on the second Exchange Square development in Birmingham city centre, which will include 375 apartments. Nikal Ltd appointed Grainger plc to deliver the 37-storey build to rent scheme, designed by Stephenson Studio and located opposite the new HS2 Curzon Birmingham station. Birmingham City Council’s planning committee voted through the plans at the end of 2019. “We are delighted to progress on our Exchange Square development, our second build to rent scheme in Birmingham. The Exchange Square location makes it attractive and convenient for renters in the city, and we look forward to seeing this landmark scheme progress,” said Andrew Saunderson, director of investments at Grainger. The formal completion of the agreement concludes the appointment of design and build specialist McAleer & Rushe as main contractor. Grainger’s development, along with half-an-acre of new public realm known as Exchange Square, will form the first stage of works on the last phase of this development. A second stage will deliver a 15-storey 235-bed Premier Inn Hotel and 6,000 sq ft Bar+Block Steakhouse Restaurant, both pre-let to Whitbread, and 7,500 sq ft of retail space. Exchange Square phase two is the next phase in Nikal’s £350 million urban village. Phase one, comprising 603 build-to-rent apartments across three buildings of seven, 14 and 27 storeys, was completed last November. “We’re so proud of what we have achieved to date in Birmingham. We started with dreams and derelict land, and to see ambitions transformed into thriving busy communities that people can call home is why we do what we do,” commented Nikal co-founder and managing director Nick Payne. “This next chapter in our Masshouse story is our most ambitious to date, and we could not have asked for a better partner in this project than Grainger. Their foresight, passion and dedication to creating a sense of place and community, whilst providing high quality homes for all, is admirable. We are looking forward to working with them to deliver Exchange Square phase two in Birmingham,” he continued. Works started on site last week, with completion scheduled for summer 2023. James Mannix, head of residential development at Knight Frank, also added: “This deal is a huge vote of confidence for the BTR sector and for Birmingham. Nikal is emerging as a key delivery partner for this sector and Grainger is continuing to curate one of the best institutional grade rental portfolios in the country. Knight Frank research shows that through careful and considerate tenant care during this crisis that institutional landlords have continued to collect close to normal levels of rent through the period.”
Planning, marketing, productivity and talent. Just some of the most important aspects of any business. Driving your business towards success will certainly be more achievable if you bear those things in mind. However, money and good financial planning is also a feature of business you need to focus your attention on. Keeping an eye on that bottom line and keeping your business in the black is what it’s all about. You want both business and financial success. As well as something to pass onto your children and of course something left over for your retirement – looking for info on a personal pension plan? Click the link to find out more. So, if you’re looking to keep those coffers full you might want to look at how you save your business as much money as possible. Read on for how you start saving money on your business, today. Reduce the cost of equipment Laptops, office chairs, file cabinets, printing equipment, monitors, printer cartridges – whatever you and your team need in the office, avoid buying brand new and choose gently used instead. You can still look professional, kit out your workspace and get the job done without spending a fortune. Always be as green as possible Going green isn’t just good for the environment, it’s great for your bank balance too. In addition, being environmentally conscious is also a great USP, which many people look for when choosing small businesses. Make sure everything is switched off when it’s not in use, encourage employees to carpool, use renewable energies and save as much paper as you can! Go freelance or home-based More people than ever are working from home. With many employees working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic and continuing to do so for the foreseeable future, if you don’t need to spend huge amounts on rental fees and office utilities, then why should you? Opting for home-based or freelance workers can free up huge amounts of money that could be better spent elsewhere. Cut back on meetings Meetings are great for checking in with your employees, sharing ideas and updates. However, in terms of productivity, they’re incredibly expensive. How many hours a week are you spending on meetings? The amount might surprise you. If what needs to be said can be put into an email, do it. Hire those with less experience If you need in-house staff, then consider opting for candidates who are fairly new to their career. Choosing a graduate or entry-level employee to complete tasks that they’ll be capable of is a simple yet effective way to save your business money. Not only do enthusiastic and recently qualified people get to work with you, but you won’t have to pay the larger salary of someone who has over ten years of experience. You still get the work done, but for much cheaper. And finally, cut back on expenses Buying the team their lunch every week? Or providing endless tea, coffee and biscuits? All of these expenses don’t sound like much but over a year? It’s money that could certainly be better spent elsewhere.
