Property developer Eastbank Studios is meeting the post-lockdown surge in demand for top-quality London rentals with its sustainable – and stylish – approach to renovating property in dire need of modernisation. The East London company invests in houses and apartments which require a complete scheme of refurbishment, bringing each one up to the
DEVELOPERS Peveril Securities and Sladen Estates, the team behind the landmark Unity Square scheme in Nottingham, have acquired a number of key buildings in the heart of the city’s Southside area. The sites, which include Albion House in Greyfriar Gate, and Hanson House and Midland Scooter Centre in Collin Street, are
Work to install a 65-metre bridge, spanning the width of the M42, was completed in just two days and ahead of schedule as the motorway reopened to road users today (9 August) 22 hours earlier than planned. The works near Interchange Station move Solihull a step closer to the arrival
We were ready back then, and we’re even more ready now! Commonhold isn’t new to us, back in June 2019 the Fexco Property Services group was already looking at it. Being part of the larger Australian based Fexco where it is widely adopted as a type of property ownership, meant
The NHBC has presented Pasquill with a Pride in the Job award in recognition of their role supplying timber trusses to a development in Devon. For 40 years, Pride in the Job has celebrated the housebuilding industry and worked to build confidence in new homes. The competition focuses on exceptional
Anthony Walker has joined the board of Topscan to lead new project management, contract administration and fire safety services for estates management. Anthony Walker has more than 30 years’ industry experience as a surveyor and project manager, most recently as Chief Executive Officer of proptech specialist GoReport. Before that, he also
Property developer Eastbank Studios is meeting the post-lockdown surge in demand for top-quality London rentals with its sustainable – and stylish – approach to renovating property in dire need of modernisation. The East London company invests in houses and apartments which require a complete scheme of refurbishment, bringing each one up to the highest standard of contemporary finish and returning them to the market turn-key ready. Eastbank’s CEO, Jason Arden says: “We can provide housing where all the hard work has been done. In addition to the structural and technical repairs, we also have our own in-house interior décor specialist. All our properties are finished to a beautifully-high standard with superb use of light and neutral palettes.” Arden adds: “We come as a full package and, we bring to life every property we introduce to the market – either for short or long-term rent. Every home we refurbish is sympathetically restored but still delivers contemporary interiors. It’s the best solution for the modern world.” Eastbank’s rentals are concentrated in the lively East London neighbourhoods of Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone, areas popular with young professionals and families seeking the extra living and working space – indoors and out – of period homes. “Many of our rental properties are in areas which have become desirable again, having benefited from the complete regeneration of the East End. They’re also an easy commute for people who still need to travel to their central London workplace.” Uncertainty in employment and relocation trends caused by the coronavirus pandemic means many people are rethinking where and how they live. Eastbank understands the flexible nature of today’s market and offer rental agreements to suit a range of circumstances. Arden says: “The right rental gives people time and space to consider their options. Even if someone isn’t planning to stay at a rented property for a long time, expectations are still high and they want top drawer accommodation even in the short -term. We live in a time of instant results on demand. Consumers want everything at the touch of a button. We recognise this and know how important it is to deliver on style as well as quality.” Issued on behalf of Eastbank Studios, 141 Hoe Street, Walthamstow, London E17 3Al Eastbank Studios HQ is in Walthamstow, E17The company was founded in 1984 by Tony Arden who has worked in property and investments since the 1960s. Eastbank have a solid track record in identifying long and short term opportunities to maximise returns for investors.The company believes in long-term partnerships and outcomes.To validate their transparency, investors are welcome to scrutinize the company accounts and encourage open conversations with collaborators and partners.Eastbank’s website recently added a blog page which offers interior décor and property tips. For further information go to www.eastbank.co.uk
DEVELOPERS Peveril Securities and Sladen Estates, the team behind the landmark Unity Square scheme in Nottingham, have acquired a number of key buildings in the heart of the city’s Southside area. The sites, which include Albion House in Greyfriar Gate, and Hanson House and Midland Scooter Centre in Collin Street, are set to play an important role in the ongoing redevelopment of this area. Once developed, the sites could accommodate some 300,000 sq ft of prime office space with an end value of £150m, bringing much-needed employment space into this part of the city centre. Managing director of Peveril Securities, Ralph Jones said: “We are delighted to complete this strategic purchase of these sites with Sladen Estates which, combined with our control of Ocean Nightclub, will allow us to play a major part in the redevelopment of this area, building upon our recent successes in Nottingham city centre with our 275,000 sq ft pre let at Unity Square to HMRC. “The sites are suitable for a range of uses and could include a mix of office and residential space that will be complementary to the neighbouring uses currently under development. Despite the current challenges facing the country, we have been encouraged by Nottingham’s resilience and believe the site is ideally placed to continue the growth the city had been experiencing prior to COVID-19.” Discussions are already underway with Nottingham City Council to determine a suitable use for the site, with consideration also given to any future plans for the redevelopment of intu Broadmarsh following its transfer to council control in recent weeks. Chief executive of Sladen Estates, Nick Sladen added: “Sladen and Peveril have an intimate knowledge of the local market and national development and contracting expertise so we jointly have the scale, expertise and resources to make the most of the opportunity that our latest purchase presents.” The announcement comes immediately after the partnership announced the acquisition of 34 acres of development land in Bicester, Oxfordshire to develop a £350m office park. For more information, please visit: www.sladenestates.co.uk
Work to install a 65-metre bridge, spanning the width of the M42, was completed in just two days and ahead of schedule as the motorway reopened to road users today (9 August) 22 hours earlier than planned. The works near Interchange Station move Solihull a step closer to the arrival of HS2, Britain’s new low carbon high speed railway. In an engineering feat led by specialist engineering contractor, Expanded and HS2 enabling works contractor, LMJV (Laing O’Rourke and J. Murphy & Sons Joint Venture), the 2,750-tonne bridge structure was carried along the motorway on a self-propelled modular transporter. The 448-wheel transporter took just one hour and 45 minutes to move the bridge span 150 metres, where it was affixed to a composite concrete deck to complete the overall bridge structure. Traditional construction methods would have required several weeks of lane closures on both carriageways, followed by additional weekend and overnight closures. HS2 CEO Mark Thurston, was joined by Andy Street, West Midlands Mayor, to observe the bridge being moved into place. Mark Thurston, HS2 Ltd’s CEO said: “This new road bridge is the first permanent structure to be installed along the route of Britain’s new railway. Today represents an important milestone for the project and the West Midlands region – which is already benefiting from thousands of jobs and renewed investment as a result of HS2. “Constructing the bridge off site and using innovative engineering practices to install it over the motorway enabled us to carry out the work in just two days, keeping disruption to a minimum for road users”. The successful installation marks the completion of the first of four bridges to be built close to the new Interchange Station. It will form part of the major remodelling of the regional road network to improve the circulation of traffic around the HS2 railway line and connect the existing road network to the new Interchange Station. Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands said: “Seeing major construction activity like this in Solihull is hugely encouraging as it shows HS2 is now truly underway. In just a few years, the HS2 station at Interchange and further investments in public transport will help make Solihull one of the best connected places in the UK. “Today’s work also comes at a critical time for the West Midlands, as we look to bounce back economically from the coronavirus crisis. Major infrastructure projects like HS2 have a critical role to play as they help stimulate demand and create and secure local jobs for local people”. Once complete HS2 will bring the West Midlands within an hour’s commute of Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, York and London, making it one of the most connected parts in the country. HS2 is already transforming the region, spearheading regeneration and economic investment in Birmingham and surrounding towns, including Solihull. HS2’s Interchange station is at the heart of the UK Central Hub growth area which will create 70,000 new and safeguarded jobs, up to 5,000 new homes and 650,000 square metres of commercial space. Andrew Stephenson MP, HS2 Minister, said “The installation of this innovative bridge across the M42, ahead of schedule and with minimum disruption, demonstrates our dedication to delivering this vital rail connection to the West Midlands as efficiently and as quickly as possible. “It’s an achievement of British construction and marks another step forward in this historic project, which will leave a legacy of better connections and regional growth for generations to come”. Companies from the Midlands and the North played a leading role in the construction of the deck components and supply of the 1,130 tonnes of steel plate girders and 1,610 tonnes of precast and insitu concrete. Simon Russell, LMJV project director, said: “This is British construction, design and engineering innovation at its finest. “Major components of the bridge and its supports were built offsite under safe, high quality conditions, then transported to site for assembly. Advanced digital capabilities allowed us to design all elements of the structure in a virtual world, before building it for real, and I am delighted that the work was completed safely and ahead of schedule”. Mr Thurston and the West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street were joined by Solihull MBC leader, Councillor Ian Courts; MP for Meriden, Saqib Bhatti; Maria Machancoses, Midlands Connect Director; and Nick Brown, Chair of the Urban Growth Company. The delegation joined forces to mark the engineering milestone, recognising it as an important first step in cementing the West Midlands’ status at the heart of the HS2 network. Further work in preparation for the arrival of HS2 is scheduled to take place later this year. A similar bridge placement will be installed over the A446, ahead of two more bridge structures being installed which will span the new high-speed railway line. Over 9,000 people and 2,000 UK businesses have been part of the HS2 journey so far, and it is estimated that the project will support at least another 20,000 roles as it hits peak construction. HS2 Ltd is currently recruiting for 300 people to join the team at its flagship Birmingham office, as main construction works start in earnest this summer. For more information about HS2’s live recruitment campaign or to complete a skills match assessment visit www.hs2.org.uk/hs2-and-you/
We were ready back then, and we’re even more ready now! Commonhold isn’t new to us, back in June 2019 the Fexco Property Services group was already looking at it. Being part of the larger Australian based Fexco where it is widely adopted as a type of property ownership, meant we were ahead of the game over a year ago. Back then we wrote about Fexco having built the largest strata management group in Australia (https://picagroup.com.au/) managing in excess of 200,000 apartments as well as a further 60,000 via a franchise operation. The vast majority are homes in strata title schemes, so commonhold management is something we are very familiar with as an organisation. Read the full article HERE. However, Commonhold is something that the UK property industry has typically shied away from – the feeling is that it’s just not necessary. The concerns within the industry appear to be around the additional work that may be involved to bring about this change, and that the current Leasehold set up could just as easily be tweaked to provide a similar offering. Whilst this is a valid point, as an organisation, we feel that the advantages outweigh any changes that are necessary to bring it about. It’s not new – Part I of the Commonhold & Leasehold Reform Act 2002 (the Act) was finally enacted in September 2004 introducing commonhold as a new form of freehold ownership, an alternative to the Leasehold system. It can be used for commercial, residential and mixed-use premises, and it addresses two of the problems currently encountered by tenants of residential leasehold buildings; firstly the enforcement of covenants between tenants and secondly the diminishing value of leasehold property as an asset. Via a Commonhold Community statement tenants (or Unit Holders) will benefit from greater transparency, and because the unit-holder will own the freehold interest to its unit, rather than a diminishing leasehold interest, Commonhold properties may attract a premium as a result. And there are other benefits additional to these two. Units are likely to be sold more quickly due to lower associated costs, no 7-year period restriction on resale, and because the Commonhold Community statement and associated documents will be set as non-negotiable. Of course, as with most things, there will always be a few downsides to consider, such as the potential lack of control the Commonhold Association may have on non-paying Units. It is most definitely not a system that will suit everyone, nor is set up to be a unifiable ‘fit’ for everyone’s requirements, and having tenants living and effectively ‘working’ together may cause some discomfort along the way. But we are ready to embrace all of these changes and can easily cope with what Commonhold may bring. We are in the best place to guide clients towards a Commonhold system and help them with this transition. We’re confident that providing the best advice will not mean losing a client. The ‘legal personality’ of the client might change but the work required remains the same. Unlike some in the industry – we are not shy of change. Being equipped to provide the best advice when it comes to it means if it’s going to happen, we’re ready! Jennifer Holmes Fexco Property Services
The NHBC has presented Pasquill with a Pride in the Job award in recognition of their role supplying timber trusses to a development in Devon. For 40 years, Pride in the Job has celebrated the housebuilding industry and worked to build confidence in new homes. The competition focuses on exceptional site managers, along with the suppliers and contractors who support them in the goal of creating high quality homes. Pasquill, the UK’s leading supplier of timber roof trusses, was acknowledged for supporting Baker Estates with its Hayne Lane development in Honiton. The collection of two, three-and four-bedroom homes, garages and flats were supplied with trusses and spandrel panels via Pasquill’s Bodmin site. The trusses for the houses are a mix of standard trusses with some raised tie trusses. Chris Powell, Sales Director at Pasquill, said: “These days a little bit of good news goes a long way. This is a terrific achievement, so I’d like to say thank you to all my colleagues who were involved on this project – from administrator to delivery driver. “Building quality homes is the goal, and it takes a team of experts to achieve this. We’re proud to have played our part and are delighted to be recognised alongside our fellow suppliers.” For more information, please visit www.pasquill.co.uk
Anthony Walker has joined the board of Topscan to lead new project management, contract administration and fire safety services for estates management. Anthony Walker has more than 30 years’ industry experience as a surveyor and project manager, most recently as Chief Executive Officer of proptech specialist GoReport. Before that, he also led the proptech offer at Trident Building Consultancy for over four years. Anthony is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) where he is also a member of the UK and Ireland World Regional Board, and a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE). He has also held a number of senior positions within the public and private sector including 10 years with the Department for Education where he led the Property Data Survey Programme, the largest single building surveying programme ever carried out in Europe. This new appointment marks a major step forward for Topscan. The company is best known for its asset services in the office, commercial and public sector, including building and M&E surveying, fire safety, CAD and BIM services for the British Library, Historic Royal Palaces, HM Prison Service, Screwfix, hoteliers, retailers and leading research establishments. Shortly after Anthony joined Topscan, the company was successful in its application to become an RICS registered firm, confirming that the business operates to globally recognised ethical and professional standards. Anthony Walker said: “Topscan is a business that I have admired for many years. It has grown significantly since its CAD service beginnings almost 30 years ago and is now delivering a bigger range of services to clients in healthcare, education, hotel and leisure, retail and many other sectors. I’m really looking forward to driving future growth with new service offerings and working with the team to enhance our existing services to maximise the value we provide. Harnessing technology in the built environment will be a key focus going forward.” Julia Kemp, Managing Director of Topscan, said: “Anthony comes to Topscan at a critical time for our clients, all of whom are looking very closely at how they manage their buildings and facilities for increased safety, health and security in the future. He marries a deep knowledge of proptech practice with project management expertise and many years’ practical experience of surveying major property estates. This creates a very compelling offer for our clients. This unique combination of Anthony’s knowledge, passion and experience will also play a valuable role in building our success and propelling Topscan to the next level on our exciting growth journey.” www.topscan.co.uk
