A major west London regeneration scheme has unveiled a new plan to build more than 25,000 homes – despite admitting it has no land and little cash. The Old Oak Park Development Corporation, backed by the Mayor of London, is Britain’s biggest development, based around a huge new interchange station
Leading consulting engineer Howard Ward Associates (HWA) has assisted in the completion of phase one of The Oaks – a significant student development close to the University of Warwick. The building, known as Oaks 1, is located less than a kilometre from the University of Warwick to the south west
GLP, a leading investor and developer of logistics warehouses and distribution parks, today announces the development of a 53,000 SQ M unit at Heidenheim Logistics Centre. The 53,000 SQ M development is fully leased to an international e-commerce company. Construction began in August 2020 and the warehouse is expected to
Businesses change hands for a lot of reasons. It could be that a business has invested in another and wants to take over its assets or two businesses are combining to become one. Regardless, you will hear terms such as mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, and amalgamations. Although these terms are used
The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), the leading trade association for UK landscaping professionals, has teamed up with BALI Registered Affiliate Vectorworks UK to offer garden designer members an exclusive membership benefit package worth over £2,500 per year, aptly named BALI Blueprint. BALI is delighted to be working closely
Market-leading guarantees and technical support, in addition to pitched and flat roofing requirements made BMI the top choice when it came to refurbishing Crowngate Apartments in Birmingham. Built in 1912, the Crowngate building has a Grade II listed façade and was originally a clothing factory before Midland Heart, one of
A major west London regeneration scheme has unveiled a new plan to build more than 25,000 homes – despite admitting it has no land and little cash. The Old Oak Park Development Corporation, backed by the Mayor of London, is Britain’s biggest development, based around a huge new interchange station which will link HS2 to Crossrail. But the scheme’s first vision for a new neighbourhood in Park Royal collapsed after the corporation submitted false information in a £250 million funding bid to Government. Old Oak claimed that local business Car Giant, a used car dealership to the east of the planned station, had agreed to relocate so houses could be built on its site. But although Car Giant had expressed an initial interest in the project, talks had since broken down, and the company had no plans to move. Losing a quarter of a billion pounds in funding sent the corporation back to the drawing board – but leaders now have a new plan, with homes primarily to the north and west of the station. The new scheme relies more heavily on publicly owned land from Network Rail or HS2, including work sites and disused sidings. Old Oak aims to build 13,670 homes in the next decade, and 25,680 in total. Land to the east of the station will be developed into an “innovative industrial area” with multi-storey business units, new storage facilities, and an electric car plant and sales centre for Car Giant, according to corporation plans. Old Oak chairwoman Liz Pierce admitted the corporation was currently in the “unenviable” position of not owning land and needing significant new funding from Government and the private sector. But failing to develop the area around the new HS2 station would be a “massive missed opportunity,” she said. “If we’re not thinking about it, somebody else will be – and dare I say opportunist developers will pop up with very suboptimal proposals to make a quick buck out of the land that’s become available,” she warned the London Assembly yesterday. “We’re still seeing this as a major regeneration project that will deliver not just housing numbers but a new neighbourhood of London,” Ms Pierce told the budget scrutiny committee. Corporation leaders said housing developers were still interested in the area, despite the coronavirus downturn – and the scheme would bid for cash from a new Government housing fund set to launch in the coming months. Bosses were optimistic that the project – originally set up by Boris Johnson during his time as Mayor, and now supported by London Mayor Sadiq Khan – will get Treasury backing. But London Assembly Conservative leader Susan Hall, who chairs the budget scrutiny committee, warned that Old Oak has “a recent history of underspend and under delivering”. She said: “You have always had confidence, but that’s not always been backed. You’ve always had good plans but it’s delivery we’re looking for in this committee.”
Leading consulting engineer Howard Ward Associates (HWA) has assisted in the completion of phase one of The Oaks – a significant student development close to the University of Warwick. The building, known as Oaks 1, is located less than a kilometre from the University of Warwick to the south west of Coventry city centre, and was developed by McLaren Property, together with project managers Stace and Corstorphine + Wright Architects . The project was forward funded by Student Roost who now operate the Accommodation. Formerly the site of an office building, Oaks 1 brings 378 new student rooms to the area in a mixture of 288 cluster bedrooms and 90 studios, which are within convenient walking distance of the university’s main campus. The scheme also benefits from over 6,800 sq. ft. of amenity space; comprising an open plan common room and games room, gym and virtual training areas, study areas and social spaces, and has provided significant contributions towards the sustainable transport infrastructure in the area. HWA supplied civil and structural engineering services from feasibility and planning stages to phase one of the project. Phases two and three which include two further buildings – Oaks 2 and Oaks 3 – is currently under construction, and would deliver a total of 1,000 student rooms and studios. The Oaks is the only purpose-built student accommodation scheme adjacent to the University of Warwick. Demolition works for phase one began in September 2018, with McLaren Construction starting the main build contract the following month. Completion was ahead of the expected completion date – ready for the 2020/21 academic year. Dan Bailey, director at HWA, said: “We are pleased to be continuing our long-standing working relationship with McLaren Property and the rest of the supply team on this significant project in Coventry. “As the only purpose-built, large-scale student accommodation in the area, this will provide much-needed, quality rooms and studios for students to enjoy as they attend the University of Warwick. The accommodation couldn’t be in a better location, bordering the main campus with everything students need within easy reach. “We’re proud to be continuing our work in the Midlands, particularly in these challenging times, and look forward to seeing the next phase of the project progress.” From its head office in Nottingham, HWA delivers construction engineering consultancy services across a range of sectors, including education, healthcare, emergency services, commercial and residential across the country.
GLP, a leading investor and developer of logistics warehouses and distribution parks, today announces the development of a 53,000 SQ M unit at Heidenheim Logistics Centre. The 53,000 SQ M development is fully leased to an international e-commerce company. Construction began in August 2020 and the warehouse is expected to complete in August 2021. It will have a clear height of 10 M, increased floor loading capacity, 110 dock doors, as well as 285 car parking spaces. Heidenheim Logistics Centre is centrally located to the east of Baden-Wuttermberg, one of the most established logistics locations in Europe. It benefits from direct access to the A7 motorway, enabling Stuttgart, Augsburg, Nuremberg and Munich to be reached in less than 2 hours of drive time. Michael Gerke, Senior Development Director at GLP, said: “”The industrial area “Am Rinderberg” is the ideal location for our project. The immediate proximity to the A7 motorway, the central location in southern Germany between Stuttgart and Munich and the excellent support of the city of Heidenheim a.d. Brenz were decisive factors in the choice of location.”
Businesses change hands for a lot of reasons. It could be that a business has invested in another and wants to take over its assets or two businesses are combining to become one. Regardless, you will hear terms such as mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, and amalgamations. Although these terms are used interchangeably and can be confusing, they are different, with each of them coming with its own nuances. Below, we will look at mergers and consolidations, as well as the other two related terms. Mergers Mergers happen when two businesses merge to become one. Under a merger, a company (the survivor company) accepts all of the second business’ assets and liabilities. The second company then shuts down and no longer exists and the survivor company gets to keep its name. Mergers can be complicated, especially because of the assets and liabilities, and that is why businesses or corporations that want to merge consult with reputable law firms such as Cline Jensen, PLLC. An experienced lawyer can advise businesses and help them overcome the challenges and hurdles that come with completing a successful merger. Consolidation Consolidation happens when two companies or businesses merge to form a new business. The new business, the successor, assumes all the assets and liabilities of the two businesses that have now become one. In consolidations, no one business shuts down but there are some effects such as laying off redundant staff or people with the same tasks and responsibilities. Acquisition An acquisition is when a business takes over another business without consolidating or merging with it. This is often done by the first business buying over 51% of the second business’s stock. Acquisitions also come with asset acquisition, which is where the first business purchases most or all of the second business’ assets. However, when a business acquires another, it does not necessarily assume all of the second business’ liabilities. Amalgamation Amalgamation happens when a larger business takes over one or more businesses. Amalgamations can happen through mergers, acquisitions, or consolidation. Each of the businesses acquired enters in a separate contract or agreement with the new parent company depending on how it was taken over. Why Mergers, Acquisition, and Consolidations Happen There are several reasons why businesses choose to combine with or purchase other businesses. The most common reason is the creation of a stronger, better company. When two businesses become one, the new business becomes a bigger player in the market. They can use the combined capital, assets, and human resources to dominate a market. Another reason is to eliminate competition. When a second business that was previously a direct competitor ceases to exist, the surviving company does not have to worry about it. Financing is another reason why this happens. A bigger company, one with more assets, is usually in a better position to find financing than a smaller business. On a related note, a bigger company is also able to negotiate better deals with clients and suppliers. Businesses merge, are acquired, or absorbed into other businesses all the time. The way this is done will depend on the agreement between the two companies with the result being a merger, acquisition, consolidation, or amalgamation.
The British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI), the leading trade association for UK landscaping professionals, has teamed up with BALI Registered Affiliate Vectorworks UK to offer garden designer members an exclusive membership benefit package worth over £2,500 per year, aptly named BALI Blueprint. BALI is delighted to be working closely with one of the world’s leading Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Building Information Modelling (BIM) software providers, Vectorworks UK. The partnership sees BALI Associate Designer and Registered Designer members gain access to an exclusive range of dedicated services, sophisticated learning & development tools and training opportunities. If fully utilised, the BALI Blueprint package can save thousands off the bottom line for businesses and individuals who are looking for support from their trade association. BALI’s Chief Executive Wayne Grills commented: “Improving the membership benefit provision for designer members was one of our priorities. Many of our designers commented in this year’s membership survey that they wanted more design-specific support from BALI. By partnering with Vectorworks UK, our members now have access to a complete range of support services, from free training sessions with a landscape specialist to 5% off the price of a perpetual licence* to their leading Landmark software. Garden designers are an integral part of the landscaping industry and play a vital part in supporting our association. I am delighted to be able to provide them with an exclusive membership benefit that also provides a flexible learning environment, and I look forward to strengthening our relationship with Vectorworks UK in the months and years ahead.” The new membership benefit package is available in two stages. For Associate Designer members, BALI Blueprint offers an introduction to the world of Vectorworks UK. The perfect entry-point for any garden designer looking for an all-in-one program designed specifically for landscape professionals. This unique package is tailored towards assisting learning and development of key design skills and knowledge of sketching, modelling, and documenting any size project using their world-class and award-winning Landmark software. For Registered Designer members, there is BALI Blueprint+, a significantly upgraded package providing the perfect solution for any garden designer looking to hone their skillsets with this complete Vectorworks UK experience. The BALI Blueprint package for Associate Designer members, in full: 30-day free trial of Vectorworks software. This includes any of its software packages, including its popular Landmark, developed specifically for garden designers looking for a simple all-in-one CAD, BIM, sketch, draw and illustrate solution Free watermarked version of Vectorworks software for students for the duration of their studies, worth £2,445 per year if choosing the Landmark perpetual licence 40% off a perpetual licence of Landmark for graduates, if purchased within 12 months of their graduation date. That’s a saving of £978 off the annual fee *Exclusive 5% discount off the price of a perpetual licence of the Landmark software for any garden designer who hires an apprentice. This is a saving of £122.75 Exclusive opportunity to attend Vectorworks UK user groups. User groups are VIP sessions that are not available to all Vectorworks customers. The groups provide specialist insider knowledge of the software which you can pass on to your client Introducing BALI Blueprint+, exclusively for Registered Designer members Access to all of the above, plus; Four exclusive complimentary training sessions, held quarterly, with a landscape industry specialist, worth £495 per session with members voting on topics they want to cover Exclusive complimentary BALI Blueprint+ Bitesize lunchtime sessions, held on the last Friday of every month, with an industry specialist lasting 30 minutes. This is the equivalent of £450 in support time Commenting on the partnership, Vectorworks UK’s Landscape Specialist Katarina Ollikainen said, “We are very excited about this opportunity to work together with BALI – the emphasis on further education is something we strongly believe in and want to support. To create the framework for a continuous dialogue with members will set the base for a deeper understanding on how to manage projects of all sizes. It will also help with the promotion of sustainable design and push the value of Biodiversity Net Gain and wildlife friendly decisions to the forefront of the design process. We will concentrate on best practices and workflows, as well as dive deeper into the understanding of how to produce precise drawings and 3D models, both for clients and for use on site.” BALI designer members can now access BALI Blueprint or BALI Blueprint+ in their member’s area on the BALI website by logging in at bali.org.uk. This will include details of how to access the perpetual licence discount or how to book onto the free training where this is available. Garden designers are encouraged to speak to the BALI team during FutureScape Virtual 2020 on the 17th-19th November, where BALI will be exhibiting and Vectorworks UK are headline sponsors.
Market-leading guarantees and technical support, in addition to pitched and flat roofing requirements made BMI the top choice when it came to refurbishing Crowngate Apartments in Birmingham. Built in 1912, the Crowngate building has a Grade II listed façade and was originally a clothing factory before Midland Heart, one of the region’s leading housing associations, converted it into 120 residential flats in the 1980’s. Midland Heart asked roofing contractor Hodgson Sayers to survey both flat and pitched roofs on the multi-storey building and advise whether repair or replacement was needed to meet current building regulations. In turn, Hodgson Sayers invited manufacturer BMI to survey and provide specifications for renewing the flat and pitched roofs because the poor condition of the existing roofs ruled out repair as an option. A BMI flat roofing system comprising areas of BMI Sealoflex liquid waterproofing and BMI Icopal bituminous waterproofing and insulation was specified for the flat roofs, and BMI Redland Cambrian tile on the pitched roofs. The Welsh-made Cambrian tile slate replicates the original slate roofing, and so meets Birmingham City Council’s conservation policy whilst offering a robust modern material that withstands severe weather conditions. “Midland Heart chose BMI because it not only met the design brief, it provided support and on-site supervision throughout the project,” said Rob Kraska, Senior Contracts Manager (planned), Midland Heart. “The BMI SpecMaster service also provides a 15-year guarantee for further reassurance. The use of Redland’s Cambrian tile slate also enabled us to meet conservation guidelines and, because it is made from recycled Welsh slate, our own environmental criteria.” He explained that the housing association had previously used different manufacturers for the flat and the pitched roofing which had caused issues, usually at the point where the two different systems met, and delays while responsibility for repair was established. “BMI Icopal and BMI Redland systems work perfectly together as they complement each other technically with the bonus of looking good. Furthermore, BMI has taken full responsibility for the design of all construction details to ensure the systems are streamlined.” The £1.2m project, which took over a year to complete, involved stripping the existing waterproofing back to the deck, repairing damaged areas and installing an insulated three-layer bituminous system. The work included dealing with the common issues of raising upstands, water checks and altering outlets and other penetrations. There were more unusual challenges too as some of the confined areas meant alternative build-ups and products had to be found. For instance, a new gutter layout had to be designed for the inner court yards to remove standing water and the complexity of the top gutters meant Sealoflex liquid waterproofing was deployed to ensure the installation was waterproof. Sealoflex was also used in conjunction with bitumen to seal the window cleaning rig support structure. “One of the greatest challenges was carrying out this lengthy project with the least disruption possible to the 180 Midland Heart tenants living in the flats,” added Kraska. “The contractors had to maintain safe access for residents at all times and strictly adhere to their own working areas. Scaffolding had to be constructed around the exterior of the apartments so that the construction team could access the different roofs, and also provide an edge protection to the entire building. “It was also essential that large quantities of roofing material were removed safely and transported quickly from the site as there is very little on-site storage and the building lies between two busy roads on the edge of Birmingham’s bustling Jewellery Quarter.” John Sayers, director of Hodgson Sayers, said: “Working together the project was carried out and completed within the required timescale. We have worked with BMI on various projects over the years and we were comfortable with the proposed products and the capability of its site team. Hodgson Sayers has a strong reputation for quality and to maintain that reputation we need to install high quality materials and BMI`s products certainly fit the bill.”
