Strategic Appointment Follows Lettings Success Barings Real Estate, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has appointed JLL to the leasing team at its 180,000 sq ft Landmark development in Manchester City Centre following a series of high-profile transactions at the building. JLL joins CBRE and Colliers
CONSTRUCTION firm Stepnell has delivered a new exclusive £12 million care facility in the West Midlands. The state-of-the-art scheme – located in Eastcote, Solihull – was completed in just over 18-months on behalf of luxury care home provider Cinnamon Care Collection, which has been recognised as a top 20 recommended care home
Places for People Group has committed to tackling the UK’s poverty premium, investing in the Fair by Design (FBD) Fund – an organisation which helps to grow businesses that make markets fairer. Via its charity Places Foundation, Places for People has committed £250k to FBD, which is managed by Ascension
Ross Baxter, Managing Director of Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions, which comprises Pasquill, Roofspace Solutions, International Timber, Intrastack and Scotframe, said: “The housebuilding and construction industry are an essential part of the UK economy and its resilience has been severely put to the test over the past 12 months. I welcome the
James Simmonds, head of UHY Hacker Young’s national drinks sector group and partner at its Nottingham office, said: “Sunak has announced that the business rates holiday has been extended to end of June 2021, which is great for the food and drink sector. However, many pubs, bars and restaurants may not be able to open until 21 June under the government’s current roadmap so, while this extension will
The multi award-winning student accommodation brand true student will open its doors to guests in Swansea this September, offering an unrivalled, all-inclusive living experience that’s set to shake up the way students have been living in the city. The landmark £90 million development will boast 706 luxurious bedrooms across four
Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has commenced works on a new 65,000 sq. ft. warehouse at Wakefield Hub for Newmarket Lane Ltd, a joint venture between developers HBD and Yorkcourt. Expected for completion by the end of summer 2021, the £6.4m scheme is being constructed at the Wakefield Hub industrial and logistics
Completing the world’s first zero-emissions harvest of a Barolo cru, and celebrating 2025 by opening the first 100% sustainable bottle of the highly prized King of Wines: these are the aims of the partnership between FPT Industrial and Fontanafredda presented at a digital press conference today. The global challenge of
Strategic Appointment Follows Lettings Success Barings Real Estate, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has appointed JLL to the leasing team at its 180,000 sq ft Landmark development in Manchester City Centre following a series of high-profile transactions at the building. JLL joins CBRE and Colliers International as agents on Landmark. Landmark has had a strong start to 2021, securing two global occupiers and a coffee bar operator since the start of the year. In January, Barings announced it had signed a management agreement with flexible workspace group, Hana, for 32,000 sq ft at Landmark. Hana will design, build and operate the flexible space, called Hana at St Peter’s Square, which isexpected to open in mid-2021. Additionally, global professional services firm Grant Thornton agreed a 15 year lease to relocate its 350-strong Manchester team into the 13,219 sq ft eleventh floor of Landmark and will take occupation of the space later this year upon completion of its fit-out. Most recently, it was announced that award-winning premium coffee company and social enterprise supporting people out of homelessness, Change Please, will operate the coffee and pastry bar within Landmark. JLL is an existing occupier at Landmark, having moved its Manchester team into the 14,004 sq ft 10th floor last year, representing JLL’s largest commercial office outside of London. Ian Mayhew, Managing Director at Barings, said; “JLL’s 10th floor office within Landmark is an exceptional space and is on target to achieve WELL Platinum and BREAAM Excellent for its impressive and sustainable fit-out. Bringing JLL on board was a natural move. In addition to being an excellent operator in the market, the team can utilise their first-hand experience of Landmark whilst engaging with potential occupiers and showcasing their space to interested parties. CBRE and Colliers International have secured us three important occupiers in quick succession, during a pandemic, since we achieved practical completion of Landmark in 2020 and we are excited to be building on that success with the appointment of JLL to the leasing team.” Chris Mulcahy, Director of Office Agency at JLL, continued; “JLL chose to relocate to Landmark because the building was of the highest quality and for the first-class amenities and public transport links close by. Looking forward, these credentials are going to be increasingly important for when businesses assess their office needs. We are delighted to be joining the team and look forward to welcoming more neighbours shortly.” The 180,000 sq ft award-winning Landmark development, which completed in 2020, offers 14 floors of BREEAM Excellent and Wired Score Platinum certified, next generation office space in the world-renowned St Peter’s Square district of Manchester City Centre.
CONSTRUCTION firm Stepnell has delivered a new exclusive £12 million care facility in the West Midlands. The state-of-the-art scheme – located in Eastcote, Solihull – was completed in just over 18-months on behalf of luxury care home provider Cinnamon Care Collection, which has been recognised as a top 20 recommended care home group for the past three years. The luxury care and retirement living development, named Eastcote Park, is now ready to open its doors to residents next month, providing residential and respite care, as well as a dedicated community for those living with dementia. The two-storey build features a 50-bedroom care home and two additional apartment blocks that house 34 two-bedroom retirement apartments, with personal and private lift access for first-floor residents. The former garden centre and once brownfield site has been transformed with beautiful landscaped gardens, as well as outstanding facilities – such as a restaurant, bar, fitness suite, cinema room, hair and beauty salon and multiple lounges. Adrian Barnes, regional director at Stepnell, said: “We are really proud to have delivered this fantastic, advanced care facility for one of our repeat clients and one of the most highly regarded care home providers in the country. “As a former brownfield site, the land provided several practical challenges for us – such as surface water issues – as it is surrounded by countryside. We also had the added pressure of lockdown for a large chunk of the build, requiring us to adhere to government guidelines to ensure that we could stay on site to deliver the project on time and on budget. “Stepnell is continuing to increase its portfolio of high-end luxury care homes in the UK, and our care specialists pride themselves in understanding the importance of a beautifully designed living space and the impact it can have on the people living there. We are really pleased to be able to continue our successful relationship with Cinnamon on another care home in Stourbridge, due to commence on site shortly.” Albert Josephs, head of development at Cinnamon Care Collection, said: “We are excited to be opening the doors to our new, luxury retirement village for the West Midlands. Construction firm, Stepnell has done an outstanding job in completing Eastcote Park over the last 18-months – so much so that we are planning to appoint them for future Cinnamon sites. Every detail within the care home and the retirement village has been carefully planned to the highest standards, using the finest quality furnishings and fittings throughout.” The new ultra-modern care facility, designed by architects Harris Irwin, has been carefully designed with dedicated areas including sensory, reminiscence and visual stimulation to help support those living with dementia. Ian Holme, director at Harris Irwin, said: “We are delighted to have been involved in this project at Eastcote Park and seeing it through from inception to completion. Working closely with both Cinnamon and Stepnell, this outstanding development is the result of a fantastic team effort by all concerned, delivering the highest quality of accommodation and care environment for its residents. “We have no doubt that Eastcote Park will prove to be a highly successful development and we very much look forward to working with both Cinnamon and Stepnell on many more such projects in the future.” To find out more about Eastcote Park www.cinnamoncc.com/retirement-villages/eastcote-park/ To find out more about Stepnell visit: www.stepnell.co.uk. Join the conversation at @Stepnellltd.
Places for People Group has committed to tackling the UK’s poverty premium, investing in the Fair by Design (FBD) Fund – an organisation which helps to grow businesses that make markets fairer. Via its charity Places Foundation, Places for People has committed £250k to FBD, which is managed by Ascension Ventures and aims to address the poverty premium in the UK by backing social tech ventures. The poverty premium is the extra costs that people on low incomes pay for essential products and services; it is estimated that such costs burden the average low-income household by an extra £490 a year for services including energy, white goods, insurance and credit. The funding is the latest in a long line of social and charitable initiatives from Places for People, which last year delivered over £280m of social value across the Group through its social value activities. Marcus Hulme, Director of Places Impact at Places for People Group said: “We are proud to be a part of this movement which aims to address the poverty premium in the UK. “As an organisation we’re determined to do all that we can to help customers and communities by tackling the grossly unfair poverty premium. There’s such an imbalance when it comes to access to finance and services for some people due to their credit status or financial situation which results in them paying a disproportionate levy on day-to-day services. I’m proud that we’re using our charitable resources to help tackle that.” FDB launched in 2018 with initial investment of £10 million from investors including Big Society Capital and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. It invests in both pre-seed and seed stage social tech ventures which have a clear social purpose and route to market. Initial investments range from £75k to £400k with follow on rounds in companies which have high potential to scale. To date, FBD has deployed £6.6 million in 12 social tech ventures. Other investors in this round include the Nationwide Building Society, Edinburgh University and Esmée Fairbairn, whilst prior funding rounds have attracted investors including Comic Relief and Big Society Capital. Jean de Fougerolles, CEO of Ascension Ventures, concluded: “Ascension has been managing the Fair by Design Fund for the past three years, investing in tech-for-good businesses that reduce key aspects of the poverty premium. “The support of our new investors allows us to scale our work with a leading mission-led organisation to tackle the challenges faced by people impacted by the poverty premium across the UK. Together, we can change lives and back formidable entrepreneurs to scale market-led solutions to correct incredibly unjust market failures”
Ross Baxter, Managing Director of Saint-Gobain Off-Site Solutions, which comprises Pasquill, Roofspace Solutions, International Timber, Intrastack and Scotframe, said: “The housebuilding and construction industry are an essential part of the UK economy and its resilience has been severely put to the test over the past 12 months. I welcome the Chancellor’s positive announcements, which seek to provide reassurance to manufacturers, suppliers and house builders as well as homebuyers. “The two-year tax deductible on investments will allow us to drive forward with our plans for continuous improvement, growing both our services and product portfolio. Meanwhile, mortgage guarantees and the extension of the stamp duty holiday until 1 June will keep the market moving and provide continuity of work for everyone in the sector, so we can deliver on the ambition to build back better.”
James Simmonds, head of UHY Hacker Young’s national drinks sector group and partner at its Nottingham office, said: “Sunak has announced that the business rates holiday has been extended to end of June 2021, which is great for the food and drink sector. However, many pubs, bars and restaurants may not be able to open until 21 June under the government’s current roadmap so, while this extension will be welcomed by the industry, it may not relieve many hospitality businesses from rent debt. “The government also announced the continuation of the reduced VAT rate of 5% until 30 September 2021, along with an interim rate of 12.5% for a further six months to allow the consumer to pay reduced prices at the business’ discretion. “Restart grants of up to £18,000 for hospitality businesses will also be welcomed – however, this sum is to the rateable value of the business’ property assets so the grant could be as low as £8,000 for smaller premises. “The continuation of the freeze on alcohol duties for the second consecutive year will hopefully keep the consumer from paying increased prices and incentivise a return to pubs, bars and restaurants post-Covid. “Additionally, the introduction of a community ownership fund will allow communities across the UK to invest in and protect what matters most to their area, which in many places may well be the local pub or hospitality business – something that could also bring benefits to the industry.” For more information on UHY Hacker Young, please www.uhy-uk.com or call 0115 959 0900.
The multi award-winning student accommodation brand true student will open its doors to guests in Swansea this September, offering an unrivalled, all-inclusive living experience that’s set to shake up the way students have been living in the city. The landmark £90 million development will boast 706 luxurious bedrooms across four unique blocks securely interlinked with fantastic outdoor & courtyard spaces, totaling a prime 2.85-acre site. The sheer size and scale of true Swansea ensures no comparison when it comes to students finding a home and lifestyle to create lifelong memories, relationships and opportunities. “We’re delighted, proud & excited to be bringing our multi award-winning offering to Swansea. This development is our most ambitious yet and we are raising the bar even higher, setting new standards & expectations for student living. true Swansea will exemplify the trueLife™ experience through innovative design & services, delivering market leading student accommodation whilst also providing a compelling programme of opportunities focused on wellbeing, community and personal development to leave our guests, teams and partners feeling energized, connected and inspired,” commented Ben Morley, Managing Director of true student. Situated on Morfa Road overlooking the River Tawe in the heart of the Hafod Copperworks area, true Swansea is conveniently located North East of the city centre, providing easy access to both of Swansea’s universities, transport, leisure and retail facilities with a new dedicated bus stop constructed at the entrance. Swansea Bay, the Maritime Quarter and marina are only a short walk away – making it the ultimate base for all with regular connections across the city and stunning Gower coastline. Swansea University’s waterfront campuses make it one of the country’s most desirable locations for students from around the world, yet the supply of high-quality purpose-built student accommodation in the city to date remains relatively low with little choice to meet the surging demand of record growing student numbers. So much more than just renting a bedroom, guests of true Swansea will benefit from incredible all-inclusive, on site amenities with the amazing festival zone, legendary slide, cwtchy picture house, multiple themed sky lounges, dedicated library & quiet study areas, pantry and café, come dine with me kitchens, welcome hub, managed laundry, secure parking and cycle storage as well as a game changing 24/7 wellbeing centre – packed full with state of the art equipment and latest trend purposed fitness zones and studios for 1:1, small and large group classes supported by personal training partners. true Swansea offers students an all-inclusive living experience that puts opportunity at its heart, also offering free cleaning, unlimited printing, all-inclusive bills, insurance, lightning-fast Wi-Fi, plus an amazing trueLife™ events calendar packed full of opportunities to learn and have fun all within the price of rent. Owned by The Bricks Group, who currently operate across student, co-living and hotel sectors, the experience-led true student brand already manages more than 4,500 beds across the UK.
Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has commenced works on a new 65,000 sq. ft. warehouse at Wakefield Hub for Newmarket Lane Ltd, a joint venture between developers HBD and Yorkcourt. Expected for completion by the end of summer 2021, the £6.4m scheme is being constructed at the Wakefield Hub industrial and logistics development for end user H B Clark, which is part of the Kitwave Wholesale Group. Delivered to a fast-track programme, G F Tomlinson is undertaking the design and construction of the 65,000 sq. ft. purpose-built warehouse, which also includes ancillary office space, to accommodate Kitwave’s expansion plans within the region. “We’re delighted to be delivering this high-quality warehouse unit for Newmarket Lane Ltd. We have previously worked with HBD on the construction of three units at the flagship Markham Vale development, so it’s a pleasure to be working with them once again and with developer Yorkcourt for the first time,” said Andrew Sewards, managing director at G F Tomlinson. “We have extensive experience in the warehouse and logistics sector and are pleased to be expanding this into more geographical regions. We’re currently in the early stages of works which are progressing very well, and we look forward to handing over the project once complete in the summer.” The unit is being constructed to a BREEAM Very Good standard and the site will also feature an 80-space car park and 24-space lorry park. The infrastructure works will include an extension to the existing highway with new street lighting and pavements, along with a new service yard. Located on Newmarket Lane, Wakefield, the new warehouse unit will employ up to 130 full and part time staff and boasts excellent transport links being in close proximity to the M1, A1 and M62. This is the second scheme to be built at the 200-acre Wakefield Hub development. “We’re pleased to be able to welcome Kitwave to Wakefield Hub and look forward to seeing their bespoke premises take shape,” added Simon Ross, development surveyor at HBD. “The interest in Wakefield Hub is a real vote of confidence in the city as a place to invest. One of the largest regeneration projects of its kind in the North of England, the scheme will bring a significant number of jobs to the area and inject millions in inward investment.” G F Tomlinson has worked on a number of high-profile industrial units over the last few years, and most recently it handed over five new industrial units at Ashroyd Business Park, Barnsley, for developer Network Space.
Completing the world’s first zero-emissions harvest of a Barolo cru, and celebrating 2025 by opening the first 100% sustainable bottle of the highly prized King of Wines: these are the aims of the partnership between FPT Industrial and Fontanafredda presented at a digital press conference today. The global challenge of energy transition demands not only widely shared solutions on a large scale, but also targeted actions in specialist sectors, which must be able both to deliver concrete results and to attract the interest of a broader public, through the high intrinsic value of the projects themselves. Both can be achieved by projects involving partners with a long-standing commitment to environmental accountability. Implementing these guidelines, a core part of its brand identity from the outset, FPT Industrial, the global powertrain brand of CNH Industrial N.V. (NYSE: CNHI / MI: CNHI), and the world’s largest producer of low environmental impact engines, has joined forces with Fontanafredda, the historic winery founded by Vittorio Emanuele I, the first King of Italy, in 1858. The heart of the partnership is the supply of two New Holland TK Methane Power crawler vineyard tractors with biomethane-fueled FPT Industrial F28 Natural Gas engines, which will work in the Vigna La Rosa cru that produces the grapes for the legendary Barolo of the same name, a wine which has been included in the Wine Spectator Top 100 of the world’s best wines. Recently awarded the title of “Engine of the year 2020” for its modular, multi-propulsion approach, the FPT Industrial F28 engine is designed to be compact, productive and environment-friendly. In fact, it ticks all the boxes in terms of power, performance and low environmental impact for specialized applications such as orchard and vineyard tractors where compactness and small overall dimensions are an essential requirement. The F28 is able to operate on diesel or natural gas and is hybrid-ready. The biomethane model designed for Fontanafredda was developed on the basis of a New Holland Agriculture crawler vineyard tractor. It can provide a power output of 75 hp with peak torque of 330 Nm and therefore ensures, in complete safety, performance which is absolutely identical to that of its diesel equivalent, even when working on the steepest slopes and on the slippery terrain typical of the finest vineyards in Italy’s Langhe wine-growing region. This is all with a zero-carbon footprint, as the biomethane that powers the engine is not a fossil fuel, but is produced by the anaerobic digestion of agricultural waste. Fontanafredda has a long-standing commitment to environmental sustainability, both on the land, by implementing organic growing methods, and in the cellar, through the use of autochthonous yeasts. In 2020 these decades of evolution culminated in a fresh perspective: the Green Renaissance. The new Renaissance will create a great global community, united around respect for the land, which will also be expressed through respect for people. These values have led to the “greening” of all daily procedures, from the reuse of water to the choice of healthy, natural, environment-friendly packaging, and the use of clean energy for the Village inside Fontanafredda the farmstead. Thanks to FPT Industrial, from the 2021 vintage onwards, mobility in the vineyard has also become sustainable. The arrival of biomethane-fueled tractors will enable Fontanafredda to cut vineyard emissions to zero and make growing operations ever more sustainable.
