Colliers voice dismay that negotiations with the VOA to find a solution have come to a halt in what it describes as a “Kick in the Teeth” for Business Talks between the Government’s Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and the RSASG ( RSA Covid19 Strategy Group) , the body set up to
A new collaborative workspace is set to open at the Enterprise Centre on Moorfield Group’s Energy & Innovation Parks in Bridge of Don. Co-Lab will offer workstations, as either a flexible hot desk or dedicated desk. Both options come with reception services, kitchen facilities, free car parking, access to meeting
A £45m residential development promising to bring a new village-style community to a sought-after suburb of Grimsby has recorded its first reservations after opening the doors to its show home. A fully booked opening weekend at King’s Park, on land next to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Hospital in
With 750,000 construction workers due to retire in the next 15 years, the UK may be unable to meet net zero targets, according to IPPR A letter has been sent by a group of leading construction industry figures and organisations calling on the Chancellor to support the sector to get
Willmott Dixon Interiors has delivered the refurbishment of a former maternity ward at Eastbourne General District Hospital in East Sussex that will provide improved facilities and more bed space for patients. The fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor has undertaken the full refurbishment of almost 7,000 sq ft on the first
The British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious National Landscape Awards, the largest of their kind anywhere in Europe, return on Friday 3rd December 2021 and entries have now opened alongside several exciting new announcements for the 45th year. Registered members can now submit their full entry online for the
For most people, having their own living spaces can be a dream come true. Typically, a home is considered a place of comfort and relaxation. After a tiring day of work, people look forward to going home to rest and spend time together. It’s also a place where everyone feels
Colliers voice dismay that negotiations with the VOA to find a solution have come to a halt in what it describes as a “Kick in the Teeth” for Business Talks between the Government’s Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and the RSASG ( RSA Covid19 Strategy Group) , the body set up to represent 85% of the ratepayers with outstanding Covid 19 MCC (Material Change of Circumstances) business rates appeals – have come to an abrupt halt, a decision which Colliers believes may have been directed by the Chancellor. And there is no indication that talks will resume. The decision has been criticized as disastrous for hundreds and thousands of businesses by John Webber, Head of the business rates team at Colliers, who himself is part of the RSA (Rating Surveyors Association ) negotiating with the VOA, along with other respected firms of rating surveyors. According to Colliers many businesses that occupy office space have been severely impacted by the impact of Covid 19 and the various lockdowns, but unlike businesses in other sectors such as those in retail and leisure/hospitality, office based businesses have received no rates holiday, and only the smallest businesses were able to benefit from the initial government grant schemes. This is despite many office-based businesses seeing a massive disruption to their business operations due to the pandemic and lockdowns, with staff working from home and offices left largely unoccupied. Many businesses have seen a significant drop in profitability. As a result, the number of businesses appealing their business rates on the grounds of Material Change of Circumstance, is at its highest rate ever. Latest publish CCA (appeals) figures reveal there were 289,510 Checks (the first stage of the appeals process) between March and December 2020. Colliers has said the number of businesses starting their appeals has rocketed further since the New Year and estimates the number of outstanding Covid-19 checks (the first step in the appeals process) is now around 350,000. Webber says, “ The RSASG and the VOA had been discussing what should be done about the hundreds and thousands of businesses lodging an MCC since March last year and given the pressures on the current appeals system, the most sensible and efficient thing to do would have been to grant such businesses a blanket percentage reduction on their rates bills for 2020/21. This would prevent what could be years of uncertainty whilst the VOA worked through the backlog ‘’ Although the RSA and VOA were working towards an understanding last Autumn, a premature press release was issued to the media by one firm of agents in late December saying a deal had been agreed, despite nothing having been formally signed. This release had not been authorized by the RSA. As a result, the VOA appear to have been directed to break off all negotiations with the RSA. They then requested a stay of the discussions for the whole of January. The RSA was hoping negotiations would begin again in February, but the VOA has again said it is unable to take part in any further discussions for the foreseeable future, without explaining why there is a refusal to engage. As John Webber says, “ It is outrageous that whilst jobs are being lost by the hour and businesses prevented from occupying office space in towns and cities up and down the land, that the Chancellor effectively called a halt to discussions between the VOA with agents representing small and medium sized businesses at Christmas. In these talks the VOA had tabled an initial offer of a 25% reduction in business rates which should have risen to 75% – but the offer was withdrawn as soon as it came to public attention and before it could be properly accepted. Now around 350, 000 businesses have had to go through the notoriously painful CCA system to register their displeasure of having to pay business rates on property they have all but been able to occupy for 12 months. Amongst these are businesses who desperately need financial support if they are to survive into the Spring.” “The RSA represents 85% of those ratepayers with outstanding Covid 19 checks and we have been working hard to find some solution to their problems quickly. For the VOA to be instructed that it should not resume negotiations or to engage with us in a constructive manner, could sound the death bell for many firms that have been hanging on in the hope for a reprieve on their business rates. One wonders about the Chancellor’s hand in this. Is he just hanging on so he can play Father Christmas at the Budget on March 3rd – to bask in the glory of handing back to businesses monies they should not have paid out in the first place?” “We urge the Chancellor to direct the VOA to re-enter negotiations with us, or to come clean and explain why it won’t. Our clients deserve more consideration than to be left out to dry for an extra 3 months in this way.”
A new collaborative workspace is set to open at the Enterprise Centre on Moorfield Group’s Energy & Innovation Parks in Bridge of Don. Co-Lab will offer workstations, as either a flexible hot desk or dedicated desk. Both options come with reception services, kitchen facilities, free car parking, access to meeting rooms and super fast broadband as standard. The parks also have a cafe and day nursery, which is ideal for those working on-site. Cherry Paton, Parks Manager said: “We are excited to introduce Co-Lab as an alternative office solution. The Co-lab has been designed to cater to start-up businesses that are looking to increase their available office space and have a touchdown base. “It is ideal for businesses looking to move up a gear with an Aberdeen office address within a bright and vibrant environment. Terms are extremely flexible, from as little as three months, with an affordable monthly cost from just £125.” The launch of Co-Lab coincides with the most significant shift in office working patterns in living memory. Throughout the pandemic there have been extensive debates about the future of offices, with many industry experts now predicting that the role of the office is likely to become even more vital once lockdown restrictions have been lifted. Whilst working from home has brought many advantages, many businesses and office workers are simply missing face-to-face interaction and the ability to collaborate with colleagues. Many are now looking to actively move away from full-time working from home into a more blended approach. Co-Lab offers a completely flexible approach which will match well with new post-Covid work practices. Watch our new video at ABERDEEN COLAB or speak with Cherry Paton on 01224 933004 to find out more.
A £45m residential development promising to bring a new village-style community to a sought-after suburb of Grimsby has recorded its first reservations after opening the doors to its show home. A fully booked opening weekend at King’s Park, on land next to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Hospital in Scartho, led to several immediate sales with more in the offing. The scheme, one of the largest residential sites under construction in North East Lincolnshire, is being developed by E5 Living UK. The first phase includes 78 properties, a mix of three-bedroom semi-detached houses and two-bedroom bungalows. The second phase is to include an additional 19 homes with proposed retail units including a convenience store. Further phases will include housing for over-55s and there are plans for assisted living accommodation. The homes, designed by Cleethorpes based Hodson Architects, set a new standard for design of larger market residential schemes, said Managing Director Kevin Stevens. “We’ve really raised the bar in terms of what you’d expect for properties at this price bracket with a specification that people would expect from homes selling at a higher level. We’ve included elements like underfloor heating, bi-fold or patio doors to the garden and individually designed kitchens with stone worktops as standard. “Our intention is to bring a fresh approach to housebuilding and create a community that is the kind of place where people are actively seeking to live because of the quality, the amenities and the location.” Kevin added: “We have received brilliant feedback from the viewers so far and look forward to securing many more sales in the coming months.” King’s Park is being built by Humberston firm JemBuild and marketed by Crofts Estate Agents, which has offices in Cleethorpes, Immingham and Louth. Director Gary Croft said the response to the first show home had been incredibly positive. “We spread the opening weekend over three days to ensure we could meet demand for viewings in a covid-compliant way and the level of interest was phenomenal. E5 Living has brought a fresh style and superior quality to a new build development.” Properties at King’s Park start from £195,000 and a second show home will be opening soon. The show home and marketing suite are open from 10am to 4pm for covid safe appointments through Crofts Estate Agents.
With 750,000 construction workers due to retire in the next 15 years, the UK may be unable to meet net zero targets, according to IPPR A letter has been sent by a group of leading construction industry figures and organisations calling on the Chancellor to support the sector to get the green skills it needs to play a leading role in the green recovery and the drive to net zero. From building major infrastructure projects that stem the tide of carbon emissions to improving the energy efficiency of homes, the sector is essential to this vital national project to tackle the climate crisis and restore nature, the group’s letter says. The letter warns that the UK’s failing skills system, that isn’t even meeting existing skills needs, threatens to delay the ability of the UK to deliver a zero-carbon economy. The group of industry leaders call on the government to consider proposals developed independently by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank. In a new report, the think tank warns that up to 750,000 construction workers could retire or be on the verge of retiring over the next 15 years and not enough is being done to replace those workers, with just 20 per cent of construction workers currently aged under 30. The letter is signed by leading industry figures including Mark Reynolds, the CEO of Mace Group, along with industry bodies including The Federation of Master Builders, The Chartered Institute of Builders, British Property Federation and the Construction Industry Training Board. The letter signatories are listed in the notes below. Together the group argues that initiatives to boost the number of workers with green skills in the infrastructure sector are hamstrung by a lack of coordination among firms, and a lack of leadership in government. They argue that investment in a green recovery can create thousands of new construction jobs on projects essential for ‘building back better’. However, to seize this opportunity, the government must bring forward legislation and regulatory powers to ensure skills gaps can be filled. The IPPR proposals recommended by the industry leaders in the letter include: Increasing funding for further education and expanding apprenticeships, as well creating a new National Infrastructure and Construction Skills Demand Pipeline at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. Ensuring investment in skills is accounted for in budgets for government-funded infrastructure projects. Legislating to improve pay and conditions for workers in the sector, to make construction careers more attractive to jobseekers. The letter also recognises that the construction sector must itself make substantial changes to achieve the shared ambition of transforming the economy and reaching net zero by 2050. Previous research by the IPPR think tank’s Environmental Justice Commission found that government investment to meet net zero and restore nature could create up to 1.6 million green and clean jobs. Mark Farmer, letter signatory and author of the 2016 government commissioned Farmer Review of the construction labour model, said: “We need to start moving from rhetoric to action in the pursuit of net zero. This has to be about building a legacy that can deliver not just a strong economic recovery, but also a fundamental shift in climate change trajectory and the societal benefits generated from green infrastructure. “I was commissioned by the government in 2016 to explain the skills crisis facing the construction sector, and how we can solve it. Over the past five years we have made progress on the recommendations of the Farmer Review. However, it is clear from the findings of IPPR’s research, that action is still needed. We need to invest in the skills system, and to go even further in making the rules of the game clear to firms in our industry. “How the Treasury Green Book and Construction Playbook is operationalised in central government will determine whether we can really ‘build back better’ and maximise the opportunities of green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.” Oscar Watkins, IPPR construction sector lead, said: “We cannot build back better without the builders. As this letter from industry leaders and organisations demonstrates, the construction sector wants to be at the heart of the UK’s drive to net zero emissions and a low carbon economy but recognises it does not yet have the skills it will need to do this. “In addition to the steps the industry says it will take to meet this challenge, departments across government need to come together and direct investment where it is needed most, to unlock the full potential of businesses in the sector. The government’s procurement system also needs to be made more adept at recognising and meeting skills needs. “It is essential that the construction sector has a pipeline of skilled and motivated people coming through the system into the sector to make the green transition possible.”
Willmott Dixon Interiors has delivered the refurbishment of a former maternity ward at Eastbourne General District Hospital in East Sussex that will provide improved facilities and more bed space for patients. The fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor has undertaken the full refurbishment of almost 7,000 sq ft on the first floor of the hospital on behalf of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. The £2 million project included the re-modelling and internal refurbishment of a former maternity ward, creating new shower rooms, toilets and 26 new beds for patients. Medical gasses have been installed, as well as new nurse stations and sluice and drug store rooms. The 18-week project has delivered a decant ward to facilitate other hospital works, including an upgrade of existing fire stopping provisions. It also involved installation of new window fenestrations and cladding to the exterior building and courtyards. The project was completed in a live hospital environment with existing services unaffected and the hospital blue light route in operation at all times. Works were carried out to government Covid-19 safety guidelines and were accelerated to provide additional bedspace during the height of the pandemic. The remaining bedspace was handed over ahead of schedule to ease pressure on NHS staff. Graham Shaw, managing director at Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “We are very proud to have delivered such an important project on behalf of East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. This project was undertaken in extremely challenging circumstances during the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw a large increase in hospital admissions. Its successful delivery owes much to daily collaboration between our team and staff at the hospital’s Pathology Lab to minimise disruption during construction and ensure that works were completed as quickly and safely as possible.” Willmott Dixon Interiors was awarded the contract through the Scape Major Works framework. As part of its delivery, the contractor met a series of key performance indicators for local spend and employment, including 78% of project spend within 40 miles of the site, 99% of project spend with SMEs and 99.9% of waste diverted from landfill. The company also recruited a local student to work on the project through a two-month paid internship in partnership with Falcon Green. Willmott Dixon has an impressive track record of working in live healthcare environments and enabling NHS Trusts and private healthcare providers to get better use of their facilities. The contractor has delivered a £10.2 million fit out and construction of a CCU at Harley Street Clinic, the full strip out and refurbishment of an emergency department at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and delivery of a new Bariatric ward and 39 bed out-patient ward on behalf of Pembury Hospital NHS Trust. For more information, visit: www.willmottdixoninteriors.co.uk
The British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) prestigious National Landscape Awards, the largest of their kind anywhere in Europe, return on Friday 3rd December 2021 and entries have now opened alongside several exciting new announcements for the 45th year. Registered members can now submit their full entry online for the first time, (including their submission pack) thanks to a new entry system, alongside the returning postal option. Due to the effects of COVID-19, Contractor, Designer and International members, for 2021 only, now also have the opportunity to submit a scheme that has achieved practical completion in the last 24 months, instead of the normal 12 months. BALI’s Chief Executive Wayne Grills commented, “This extension to the practical completion date now affords members more flexibility in what has been a difficult last 12 months. Alongside the option to submit online, we hope to see a wide variety of entries across all of our available categories this year.” There are 33 categories in total, including a brand-new Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Enhancement category. The judges will be looking for projects that demonstrate a significant contribution to conservation or enhancement of biodiversity, embodying the principles of sustainable development using innovative concepts. Chair of the judging panel, John Melmoe, said, “We are delighted to introduce this new category for 2021. We will be looking for evidence of any biodiversity net gains and clear definitions of innovation or environmental designs. The long-term management strategy must be clearly defined, including proof of monitoring processes. On behalf of my fellow judges and I we look forward to seeing some truly remarkable projects in this category.” Other returning categories include Domestic Garden Construction, Hard Landscaping Construction (non-domestic), Community and Schools Development, Design Excellence and Affiliate Exceptional Service. Registered members can check out all of this year’s categories on the BALI Awards website here. Alongside an FAQs section, the team at Landscape House have also produced an Entry Guidelines document, which contains information on each category, the deadlines and fees and what the judges are looking for in an award-winning scheme or entry. To help further, members looking to enter are invited to join representatives of the judging panel for a free-to-attend Awards Workshop webinar on 25th March from 3pm-4.30pm. The event will provide an opportunity for members to ask questions about entering, as well as how the judges evaluate and score the submission packs and advice on photography and video. Non-members who are interested in entering and would like to know more about BALI are also welcome to join. Events Project Manager Emily Feeney said, “Today we have not only opened entries but also announced three new positive changes to this year’s Awards which continues to be the ultimate celebration in our industry. We are working with Headline Sponsor Green-tech, our host venue the J W Marriott Grosvenor House, Park Lane, London and event partners and sponsors to stage a safe end of year celebration, and we look forward to sharing more with you in the coming months.”
For most people, having their own living spaces can be a dream come true. Typically, a home is considered a place of comfort and relaxation. After a tiring day of work, people look forward to going home to rest and spend time together. It’s also a place where everyone feels loved, cared for, and respected. However, when they’ve decided to have their own houses, they may be thinking about whether to buy or build one instead. While the decision depends on them and their unique lifestyle, the following are the four reasons people are building houses themselves: Brand-New People usually opt to build houses because of the fact that everything is brand-new. For instance, when they construct their own living space, the odds of needing to make repairs and replacements within the first few years are low to none. This means they’ll be able to enjoy their houses and settle in there for a long time without worrying about getting it damaged anytime soon. Thus, to get the most out of their decisions to construct a brand-new house, they opt to consider having a steel house. Typically, steel building homes are increasingly becoming popular due to their wide range of benefits. For instance, expert companies in the home building industry published an article about how one can actually start the construction of a steel house, including the things to consider from the beginning. 2. Learn A Lot About The Building Process Purchasing an existing house can be a good idea, but it doesn’t really make sense if homeowners don’t know how to troubleshoot a plumbing issue or how the electrical circuit works. When this happens, they may have to deal with some headaches plus spend more money for hiring professionals for the repairs. Because of this, people see it as a good idea to build their own so that they’ll know more about the entire home-building process. For example, if they know exactly how the construction process works such as how all the inner workings connect, they can efficiently address some problems in their houses. 3. No More Mortgage Buying an existing home may mean paying a considerable amount of mortgage for a long time. But, for most people who want to be mortgage-free for the rest of their lives, it can be one of the reasons they should invest their money in building a new home. When they construct their own houses, they don’t need to apply for a mortgage from banks and other traditional lenders which will more likely cost them hundreds to thousands of money. While home ownership is usually expensive, they can still get rid of hefty mortgage payments by considering building their own residences that’ll suit their needs and budget. 4. Customize The Living Space In most cases, finding a ready-made house that suits their preferences is never easy. Hence, if they love to customize their living space and make it more comfortable and inviting, then building their place can be something that comes to their minds first. When people decide to build, they’ll not only personalize and design the entire place, but they’ll also have full control of what their space should feel and look like. This means they can choose their own interior designs and building constructors, plan their own furniture arrangements, and many more. Also, when they construct their own residence, they can freely add some little extras without violating any property rules and regulations from a landlord. Wrapping Up Indeed, home ownership can be a significant milestone for anyone. With the information mentioned above, it’s no doubt why most people prefer to build houses themselves. It’s usually an exciting experience that some people don’t get the opportunity to try themselves. But, it’s always a possibility that one can consider.
