40-acre former BAE site when developed will accommodate 803,000 sq. ft of new industrial warehouse space. St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration has today announced that a planning application has been submitted for the redevelopment of a
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is supporting redundant workers by allowing them to apply for and renew SKILLcards free of charge. Anyone who suffered redundancy as a result of the Covid-19 crisis since March 1 will have their fees waived if they apply between August 1 and October 31.
THE LATEST completion of an 11,000 sq. ft warehouse by Stepnell has been a project with a difference, with the construction firm not only acting as the landlord, developer, principal contractor, and employer’s agent, but also successfully implementing its “whole team” approach to deliver in an efficient manner. Acting as
Proposals for a new flagship Dobbies garden centre near Tewkesbury have moved closer with the submission of the detailed designs. The new 75,000 sq ft garden centre with parking for 754 cars will be the largest Dobbies in the South West and the company’s fourth largest in the UK. It
Revised plans have been submitted for a mixed-use development in York featuring a new Roman visitor attraction. The proposed Roman Quarter development is a partnership between North Star and York Archaeological Trust, and is set to bring a news Roman visitor attraction to the city. It aims to regenerate and
A local development corporation has plans to redevelop an area of 4,500 acres in the North East of England in order to house several new industries. The former steelworks at Redcar will first need to undergo major demolition works, but clearing the land could pave the way to a prosperous future for
40-acre former BAE site when developed will accommodate 803,000 sq. ft of new industrial warehouse space. St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration has today announced that a planning application has been submitted for the redevelopment of a former BAE site at Radway Green in Crewe. Working in conjunction with the current landowners, plans have been submitted for 803,000 sq. ft of new industrial warehouse space on the 40-acre site part of which has already been demolished and cleared. Working collaboratively with Tilstone Industrial Limited, the proposals will see the creation of a high-quality multi-unit estate replacing the existing old, outdated stock as well as significant infrastructure improvements. Talking about the announcement Gareth Williams, Development Director at St Francis Group said “We are delighted to be working with our partners at Tilstone Industrial and Radway 16 will be a regionally significant industrial warehouse scheme. With quick and easy access off junction 16 of the M6 it will attract a broad range of occupiers looking for a quality of space currently lacking in the area”. Andrew Bird of Tilstone added “As we build the portfolio of well located estates across the UK, there are a number of opportunities to regenerate buildings which, on this occasion, will replace many of the existing warehouses. We will work with existing occupiers to phase the scheme, respecting the interests of all stakeholders.” The planning application will seek detailed consent for two units of 208,000 sq. ft and 143,000 sq. ft and outline consent for an additional 452,000 sq. ft. Infrastructure improvements will include work around the sites access off Radway Green Road. Units could be made available for occupation by the end of 2021. Joint sole letting agents are Gerald Eve, DTRE and Savills.
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) is supporting redundant workers by allowing them to apply for and renew SKILLcards free of charge. Anyone who suffered redundancy as a result of the Covid-19 crisis since March 1 will have their fees waived if they apply between August 1 and October 31. Engineering Services SKILLcard is one of the construction industry’s largest skills certification registers with more than 64,000 card holders across the UK. As a BESA group company, SKILLcard is the card and registration scheme for the mechanical sector of the building engineering services industry in the UK and is used by heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration specialists to provide proof of competence and qualifications. Applicants must still hold the relevant qualifications and certificates, but if they can provide evidence of redundancy they will not be charged the £40 fee when completing their renewal or application process. “We are acutely aware that many people in our sector are going through a torrid time,” said BESA Director of Certification Rachel Davidson. “Waiving SKILLcard fees may seem a relatively small gesture, but it represents a significant financial investment by BESA in the future of our people and our industry. Uncertain “It is also shows that we are serious about retaining skilled people in our sector and is just one of a number of ways in which the Association is trying to support workers faced with uncertain futures,” she added. BESA’s gesture is in line with the government-backed Construction Talent Retention Scheme that is designed to help redundant workers find new positions within the industry and avoid a repeat of the last recession when more than 500,000 people left construction. “Holding the relevant card is an essential part of finding work in our sector, enabling individuals to demonstrate relevant qualifications and experience so their skills can be re-deployed if they have lost their job,” said Ms Davidson. “This is a short-term downturn that could have very serious long-term consequences if we allow skills to drain away from our industry. We already had a serious skills gap before Covid-19 and if we don’t act now we will struggle to find the people we need to deliver the vital building engineering projects required to support the economic recovery,” she added. BESA is also launching its online Academy, which will make it easier for anyone working in building engineering services to access the training they need to refresh and update their skills.
THE LATEST completion of an 11,000 sq. ft warehouse by Stepnell has been a project with a difference, with the construction firm not only acting as the landlord, developer, principal contractor, and employer’s agent, but also successfully implementing its “whole team” approach to deliver in an efficient manner. Acting as a “complete construction partner”, the detached warehouse is part of the latest phase at OGEE Business Park in Wellingborough. Stepnell provided master-planning to create more than 350,000 sq. ft. of high-quality warehouse, industrial and office space. The 24-acre OGEE Business Park offers design and build opportunities available for sale or to let through Stepnell’s property team. The warehouse unit is being leased by one of Stepnell’s existing tenants at the business park, Double R Glass and Roofing Systems Ltd. The double-glazing supplier is expanding from its current warehouse at Ogee Business Park that it has leased since the unit was first built by Stepnell ten years ago. The new warehouse, located at the entrance to the business park, features fully fitted office space, including kitchen areas, a reception space and private offices. Edward Wakeford, property director at Stepnell, said: “We are delighted to have completed our latest project at OGEE Business Park. The development showcases our ability to offer a complete service; from planning and construction, all the way through to the development overseen by our dedicated team. “Using our own in-house expertise and property management team, we’ve been able to manage the project as a whole rather than having to tackle each part individually, making for an efficient build. We are proud to be able to offer this end-to-end approach, helping to provide continuity and consistency throughout the development. “We are really pleased to have supported our tenants Double R Glass and Roofing Systems on this development as part of their business growth and to provide the new warehouse facility, which they will now expand into. Stepnell built the first unit that Double R Glass and Roofing Systems occupied for the past ten years and it is great that we are able to continue the relationship.” Made up of a steel portal frame construction, the building also features fully landscaped external areas, providing a loading area with two five metre high loading doors as well as a dedicated car park for up to 17 vehicles. Once fully complete, OGEE Business Park – situated on the Finedon Road Estate and approximately a mile and a half north of Wellingborough town centre – will bring new investment and commercial opportunities to the area, providing new jobs for the Midlands region. Stepnell’s in-house property management experience includes an £8 million commercial development at Stepnell Park, which features ten industrial warehouse buildings and will eventually house a new head office for the 154-year-old family-owned firm. Badby Leys in Rugby, a development of three homes, which was completed at the end of March 2020 was also fully developed, built and managed by the construction company. Other occupiers at OGEE Business Park include Bedford Battery Company Ltd, Double “R” Glazing, Robinson Manufacturing and Tripal International. To find out more about Stepnell visit: www.stepnell.co.uk or join the conversation at @Stepnellltd
Proposals for a new flagship Dobbies garden centre near Tewkesbury have moved closer with the submission of the detailed designs. The new 75,000 sq ft garden centre with parking for 754 cars will be the largest Dobbies in the South West and the company’s fourth largest in the UK. It will be sited at Junction 9 of the M5 and adjacent to the A46 and the existing M&S Simply Food, Starbucks and BP petrol station. The reserved matters application submitted by developer Robert Hitchins Ltd provides detailed information for the garden centre development, including layout, landscaping, scale, car parking and elevations in line with the outline planning permission already secured. “We’re delighted to be welcoming Dobbies to this new development near Tewkesbury which will provide a huge economic boost to the local area. Despite Covid, a lot of work has been carried out behind the scenes to ensure we are on target to start building later this year and to be opening the doors to the public in 2022,” said Simon Tothill, property and development director for Robert Hitchins. The new garden centre will share the same overall 180-acre site as the proposed 195,000 sq ft Designer Outlet Cotswolds which will feature some 90 retail units, restaurants and cafes along with 850 new homes, a school and a local centre. Infrastructure works are due to commence later this year with both the garden centre and outlet village planned to open in the autumn of 2022.
Revised plans have been submitted for a mixed-use development in York featuring a new Roman visitor attraction. The proposed Roman Quarter development is a partnership between North Star and York Archaeological Trust, and is set to bring a news Roman visitor attraction to the city. It aims to regenerate and revitalise Rougier Street, as well as provide a major two-year archaeological dig on the site. Three properties on Rougier Street – Northern House, Rougier House and Society Bar – would be replaced with a new building incorporate cutting edge sustainable technology and features. The scheme will include apartments, retail units, office space, leisure space, alongside the visitor attraction. “We want to deliver this exciting project as quickly as possible which is why we have amended the plans. In the post-Covid uncertain economic times, we feel that this project will be a major boost to York city centre and help with York’s economic recovery,” said a spokesperson for North Star. “It will raise the city’s profile, create a fantastic new educational and cultural attraction and will show the city moving forward. We’ve taken on board comments about the height of the development and have now lowered the proposals to make this building the lowest of the four large buildings in the immediate vicinity. We strongly believe that this addresses the main issue that was raised.” Following feedback from the council, stakeholders and other consultees, amended plans have been lodged with City of York Council to address issues raised. The height of the development has been reduced to make it lower than the adjacent Aviva Offices, Yorkshire House (soon to be the Malmaison hotel) and The Grand Hotel. Changes have been made to the design, with more stone and less glass, to complement the two taller existing buildings either side of the new development. The overall massing and width of the building has also been decreased and the mix of the apartments has been altered to provide larger, family-style. The total number of units has been reduced from 290 to 250. It has been estimated that the development would create more then 450 jobs and inject an extra £250m into the region’s economy over the next 30 years, as well as adding to York’s cultural offer. “We have had a superb response to the concept of the Roman visitor attraction, and indeed, enormous excitement about the potential of the archaeology that we will be uncovering during the dig if the plans are approved,” commented David Jennings, chief executive of York Archaeological Trust. “We know that this site has had many uses over the last 2,000 years, and we are very pleased to be partnering with an organisation that sees the building as an integral part of the city’s future – helping to regenerate this area, a fascinating and important place in the city at various points in history, with a building that fits into the urban landscape of Rougier Street and Tanner’s Moat.”
A local development corporation has plans to redevelop an area of 4,500 acres in the North East of England in order to house several new industries. The former steelworks at Redcar will first need to undergo major demolition works, but clearing the land could pave the way to a prosperous future for the local area. When transforming large sites for new construction developments, it’s easy to see the long-term benefits that land clearing can bring. However, even on a smaller scale, the removal of dangerous materials, diseased trees or potentially hazardous dry wood can ensure its suitability for use and improve the safety of nearby communities. Preparing Land For Construction Following the completion of constructions in Shanghai, Berlin and Nevada, the next Tesla Gigafactory is to be built near Austin Texas on a site covering over 2,000 acres. Preparation is key for such a large construction, and Tesla have now commenced clearing and preparing the land for development. Clearing a large site like this is a huge undertaking and requires state of art equipment and land development experts to complete the project to the highest standard. Professional land clearing and property clean up services will clear away brush and trees. In addition, by liaising with local authorities, sites with potential issues such as power lines or pipelines are quickly dealt with, allowing construction to commence without delay. As it took just 168 days to finish the gigafactory in Shanghai, a prompt start to the project would be highly desirable. Removing Diseased Trees And Plants When land has been abandoned and left unused for a long period of time, the rotting wood it houses may attract pests and encourage disease, which can quickly spread to surrounding areas. If the land is to become useful again, extensive clearing is necessary to wipe out any infestation. Although only recently discovered in the UK, serious fungus-like bacteria have also been found to cause damage to a range of trees and plants in both the USA and Europe. As the disease spreads quickly to otherwise healthy trees and plants, infected trees can be completely removed, even in environmentally protected areas. To thoroughly destroy the disease, a larger area of containment is cleared to stop it from spreading further. Preventing The Spread Of Wildfires Even if it doesn’t house pests and other infestations, land filled with debris, rotting wood and dead tree stumps can be hazardous to anyone who needs to access it. In California, dry brush and wood are also highly flammable. By clearing it away and thinning out trees, local authorities hope to prevent the spread of deadly wildfires. Although there are strict regulations in place to protect land from potential environmental damage, these have been eased in areas close to communities that could become vulnerable to fire damage. To offset major clearing projects, other initiatives are planned that will help to naturally balance the protection of valuable forests, while at the same time managing the destructive spread of wildfires. From preparing huge construction sites to ensuring the safety of local communities, there are many reasons to use professional services to clear land of hazardous debris, pests and dead wood. Land clearance is an integral to the construction of new developments as the building work itself.
