The latest research by nationwide Buy-to-Let specialist, Sequre Property Investment, estimates that the current bricks and mortar value of the UK’s private rental sector sits at almost £1.4trillion pounds Sequre Property Investment compiled data on the number of current private rented dwellings across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, before
A £7m indoor attraction based on the blockbuster ITV show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! will open at MediaCityUK later this month following a 32-week project by principal contractor MC Construction. The Salford company carried out enabling and fit-out works at the venue and managed all directly-appointed
Contractor Henry Brothers has broken ground and started work to build a new £4million extension at Glossopdale School, funded by Derbyshire County Council. The new block will provide an additional nine teaching spaces comprising eight standard classrooms and a demonstration science lab. It will also provide flexible options for dining
Harrow council’s ambitious plans for over 1,500 homes to be built on three underused sites moved a step closer with the news of a joint development venture with Wates Residential. At least 40 per cent of the new homes are to be shared ownership or affordable housing and will be
International engineering federation FIDIC (the International Federation of Consulting Engineers) has expanded the scope of its 2019 agreement with the World Bank which enables the bank to adopt the use of six FIDIC standard contracts until 2024 to now include the FIDIC-ITA Emerald Book form of contract for tunnelling and
Moda Living, the UK’s leading family-owned operator of build-to-rent homes, has announced demolition will begin at its Sackville Road regeneration project in Hove as it prepares to create a landmark build to rent neighbourhood for the city. Moda is working with construction company Midgard to deliver 564 high-quality build to
Insulation specialist Actis joined dozens of Jewson staff from branches across the North of England this month as they walked 130 miles from Widnes to Hull – and raised £30,000 for charity. It was one of a number of Jewson suppliers which provided activities and information along the route. Actis
Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading furniture and fitout kitchen specialists, has completed the first phase of a £4.3m contract for the manufacture and installation of more than 600 kitchens for one of the biggest build-to-rent schemes in Manchester. Developed by Vita Group and built by John Sisk & Son,
The rapid growth of ecommerce has caused an inevitable soar in demand for easy returns. By reusing the original packaging, the environmental impact of a return is reduced by a minimum of half; Kite Packaging has launched sustainable kraft mailing bags to diminish this impact even further. These packages are
The latest research by nationwide Buy-to-Let specialist, Sequre Property Investment, estimates that the current bricks and mortar value of the UK’s private rental sector sits at almost £1.4trillion pounds Sequre Property Investment compiled data on the number of current private rented dwellings across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, before looking at the total value of these rental portfolios based on current property values. There are an estimated 5.5m privately rented homes across the UK, accounting for 19% of the entire property market. With the current average UK house price now at a giddy £254,624, this puts the PRS bricks and mortar value as high as £1.4trn. England is home to by far the largest private rental market with 4.8m homes within the sector. This places the total value of the English rental market at £1.3trn based on the current average house price of £271,434. London accounts for a notable 40% of this total market value, with the 1,042,000 rental homes located in the capital valued at nearly £519bn alone. The South East (£234bn) and the East of England (£154bn) are also home to some of the most valuable rental markets, with rental stock in each region estimated to be worth more than £150bn. Outside of England, Scotland ranks as the second most valuable rental market from a property standpoint, with the 371,000 privately rented homes worth nearly £64bn on the market today. In Wales, this current rental market value stands just shy of £38bn, with the Northern Irish private rental market valued at nearly £18bn. Sales Director at Sequre Property Investment, Daniel Jackson, commented: “The private rental market is the backbone of the UK housing sector and plays an incredibly important role in providing homes for those that are unable to overcome the financial hurdles associated with homeownership. Despite this, we’ve seen a number of legislative changes implemented to deter landlords from the sector by a government that clearly has no idea what they are doing. While it may only account for 19% of the total market, reducing the size of the sector would leave many struggling to find an alternative option with regard to their living arrangements.” Table shows the estimated worth of the dwellings within the private rental sector based on the number of dwellings and the current market value of a home in each nation or region. Location All dwellings Private rented Private rented as a % of all Average Property Value Total est value United Kingdom 29,559,777 5,493,830 18.6% £254,624 £1,398,860,363,632 England 24,658,000 4,799,000 19.5% £271,434 £1,302,611,145,489 Scotland 2,650,000 371,000 14.0% £171,448 £63,607,184,256 Wales 1,437,567 204,955 14.3% £184,297 £37,772,604,137 Northern Ireland 814,210 118,875 14.6% £149,178 £17,733,512,868 London 3,634,000 1,042,000 28.7% £497,948 £518,861,773,174 South East 3,985,000 670,000 16.8% £350,016 £234,510,389,824 East of England 2,733,000 497,000 18.2% £310,200 £154,169,527,431 South West 2,604,000 506,000 19.4% £277,603 £140,466,965,340 North West 3,334,000 556,000 16.7% £189,245 £105,220,424,552 West Midlands region 2,537,000 451,000 17.8% £219,793 £99,126,788,132 Yorkshire and the Humber 2,461,000 482,000 19.6% £181,856 £87,654,406,816 East Midlands 2,124,000 391,000 18.4% £216,077 £84,486,121,936 North East 1,246,000 203,000 16.3% £143,129 £29,055,143,233 Average house prices souced from the Gov.uk – UK house Price Index (May 2021 – latest available) Dwellings stock and tenure sourced from Gov.uk, Gov.wales, NRS Scotland and Gov.scot, NISRA and finance-NI-gov.uk
A £7m indoor attraction based on the blockbuster ITV show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! will open at MediaCityUK later this month following a 32-week project by principal contractor MC Construction. The Salford company carried out enabling and fit-out works at the venue and managed all directly-appointed contractors, including those responsible for themed attraction installations, ticketing, retail fit-out, IT and communications and the building management system. The works were undertaken across the back-of-house, entrance, reception and attraction space and retail areas. Tickets for I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge will go on general sale Wednesday, July 21 and it will open to the public on Friday, July 30 at Quayside MediaCityUK, formerly known as the Lowry Shopping Centre, which is owned by Peel L&P. Continuum Attractions will operate the attraction. During hours of wholesome fun, Campmates will be taken into the heart of the themed jungle setting to navigate a series of fun-filled, physical challenges. Featuring Main Camp, the Throne and Winners Bridge, the action-packed experience will put Campmates’ nerves and agility to the test as they race against the clock in a bid to collect stars and be crowned King or Queen of the jungle. Timed trials will involve scaling The Ascent, with over 8m of vertical rock, racing across the suspended Treetop Trail, swinging round the Jungle Run, taking a leap of faith on Get a Grip and gliding through the trees on a Zipline. Campmates could also find themselves taking on Kiosk Kev and a multiple-choice Dingo Dollar Challenge if the iconic telephone boxes, synonymous with the TV programme, ring out. The attraction will also feature Europe’s first ceiling-mounted Spyrider (*), a high-speed track which whizzes above the jungle canopy. Russ Forshaw, group operations director at MC Construction, a family-owned business which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, said: “We are thrilled to have partnered with ITV on this project supporting the delivery of what will undoubtedly become one of the north west’s best new indoor attractions. “Talented craftsmen and equipment from all over the world were required to produce the fantastic end product. “Co-ordinating the specialists involved and the logistics of this scheme would have been difficult in normal times, but considering the entire project was delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic, I’m really proud of the way our team adapted and went the extra mile to deal with everything that was thrown at them. “Thankfully the construction industry has remained active throughout the pandemic so we’re also very pleased to be a part of a project that will form part of the leisure and tourism industry’s economic recovery.” James Penfold, Controller of Partnerships for ITV Global Entertainment, said: “I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge is a one of a kind, multi-sensory adventure – bringing together the heart and soul of the hugely celebrated series and ITV’s expertise in curating fantastic, memorable live brand experiences for guests and families across the world. “We’re delighted to see the vision for our flagship I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge attraction come to fruition. “MC Construction delivered the finished product to exacting standards and expertly handled the design and logistical challenges associated with the specialist nature of the project and equipment involved whilst following stringent Covid-19 guidelines.” (*) Tickets for Spyrider are limited and will be available to upgrade for £3 once inside the attraction, subject to availability.
Contractor Henry Brothers has broken ground and started work to build a new £4million extension at Glossopdale School, funded by Derbyshire County Council. The new block will provide an additional nine teaching spaces comprising eight standard classrooms and a demonstration science lab. It will also provide flexible options for dining and social spaces and extra staff workrooms. Once finished, there will be room for a further 200 students aged 11 to 16, and 40 additional sixth form places. Construction director of Henry Brothers Midlands, Justin Hicklin, said: “We are excited to have started work on this site to build an extension for Glossopdale School. Henry Brothers built the main school complex, which has proved popular with students, and we are delighted to have strengthened our relationship with the school by being appointed to create this new block as well. “Henry Brothers has partnered with Derbyshire County Council and a number of Derbyshire schools on a variety of projects in recent years, helping them to enhance their facilities, and we are looking forward to building this extension at Glossopdale School to create extra spaces for pupils.” A small ground-breaking ceremony was held to mark the start on site by Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Midlands. Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Alex Dale said: “It’s great news that work has started. “We’ve worked hard to provide the extra places needed and this is a major step forward towards the much-needed expansion of this school.” Headteacher, Debbie McGloin said: “We are really pleased to see this extension move forward and are excited to be able to offer more places for the children in our community.” It is expected that the new block will be completed in spring 2022, allowing more children to attend from September 2022. Other members of the team involved in building the extension at the school in Hadfield are employers agent Concertus, DLA Architecture, civil and structural engineer Curtins and Couch Perry Wilkes for M & E services. Associate director at Concertus Andy Bates said: “We are thrilled to be working for Derbyshire County Council and Henry Brothers to deliver the expansion of Glossopdale Community College. We have extensive experience in providing high-quality educational facilities across the region and are excited to be able to celebrate the early stages of this new facility.” As well as having built the main Glossopdale School facility, which opened in 2018, Henry Brothers is currently building the new £13.2 million Alfreton Park Community Special School, having previously delivered a hydrotherapy pool for the school. The company also completed phase 1 and phase 2 of the Aldercar High School project for Derbyshire County Council, totalling £8.7m in value. Based at Beeston near Nottingham, Henry Brothers Midlands is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors. For more information, visit www.henrybrothers.co.uk
Harrow council’s ambitious plans for over 1,500 homes to be built on three underused sites moved a step closer with the news of a joint development venture with Wates Residential. At least 40 per cent of the new homes are to be shared ownership or affordable housing and will be built on council-owned land in Wealdstone. Harrow council leader Cllr Graham Henson said: “Our work with Wates will benefit countless local people and improve the lives of generations to come. As we begin to emerge from the devastating pandemic, I want this to signal the start of our renewal.” The ten-year initiative will include a new civic centre, commercial space as well as green public spaces at Poets Corner, Peel Road and Byron Quarter. Local residents will be consulted extensively on the proposals with the plans to come forward later this year on phase one of the Byron Corner. Wates Residential executive managing director Helen Bunch said: “The regeneration goes beyond the building infrastructure, and as part of the partnership with Harrow, we are committed to supporting the local community by providing apprenticeships, new jobs, spend in the local community and early careers support for the local schools and colleges.” New jobs and apprenticeships to be generated Wates Residential plans to create more than 300 jobs for local people and 180 apprenticeships in Wealdstone – the former home of the Kodak Harrow plant which closed in 2016. The housebuilder also said it was investing in local companies and environmental initiatives including a tree-planting project. Wates was identified as a preferred bidder to form a development partnership with the council back in September last year. The council’s equity is made up in part by the value of the three development sites it owns plus a top up to match Wates’s investment, which will be found from borrowing. The long-term business case is projected to return £120m. Property finance brokers Hank Zarihs Associates said that property development finance lenders were keen to offer construction loans for mixed-use schemes in locations with good tube and rail connections.
International engineering federation FIDIC (the International Federation of Consulting Engineers) has expanded the scope of its 2019 agreement with the World Bank which enables the bank to adopt the use of six FIDIC standard contracts until 2024 to now include the FIDIC-ITA Emerald Book form of contract for tunnelling and underground works. FIDIC has extended the terms of its license agreement with the World Bank dated 6 February 2019 to enable the international funding organisation to now use the Emerald Book contract for all underground works contracts under World Bank-financed projects, for which invitations for bids are published on the bank’s website no later than 31 December 2024. Both FIDIC and the World Bank have also agreed that the Conditions of Contract for Underground Works (Emerald book) 2019 will be used as part of the bank’s standard bidding documents for projects that are financed by World Bank until 31 December 2024. The bank already has a licence to refer to six major FIDIC contracts for projects they finance and these mainly include the 2017 Second edition FIDIC contracts, which cover a wide range of international construction and infrastructure work. Commenting on the extension of its agreement with the World Bank to now include the Emerald Book, FIDIC chief executive Dr Nelson Ogunshakin said: “I am delighted that the World Bank has chosen to adopt the use of the Emerald Book and include it in its standard bidding documents. The Emerald Book addresses several critical areas that should lead to the smoother running of contracts in the growing tunnelling and underground works sector and the bank’s move will help to command the respect and authority of the tunnel engineering and construction sector and further underline the fact that both clients and contractors can use this contract with confidence.” FIDIC hopes that the use of the Emarald Book on World Bank-funded projects will herald a new approach for hydropower projects that involve tunnelling and underground works. Large infrastructure projects, including hydropower and dams, are notorious for cost overruns and delays, especially projects with large underground works where the risks are high. The FIDIC-ITA Emerald Book is based on risk sharing principles and was developed through a joint initiative between FIDIC and the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association based on many years of experience. Commenting on the World Bank’s decision to adopt the contract, Professor Jenny Yan, president of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association, said: “We at the ITA welcome the World Bank’s decision to utilise advanced and proven contractual mechanisms to deal with subsurface construction risks more fairly and efficiently. The Emerald Book will make dam projects with significant underground works components more efficient to deliver and thereby support sustainable global hydropower energy initiatives.”
Moda Living, the UK’s leading family-owned operator of build-to-rent homes, has announced demolition will begin at its Sackville Road regeneration project in Hove as it prepares to create a landmark build to rent neighbourhood for the city. Moda is working with construction company Midgard to deliver 564 high-quality build to rent homes, turning a rundown trading estate next to Hove Station into a thriving inter-generational neighbourhood with extensive public gardens. The masterplan also includes 260 care community homes. The development is based on an intergenerational approach and will appeal to both small and large households of individuals – or families – as well as older members of the community. The proposals also include communal lounges, private dining areas, cafes, shops and 50,000 sq ft of office and co-working space to foster emerging businesses/SMEs, five communal roof terraces and open spaces – all designed to enhance community living. Moda Living do not charge deposits from would-be residents, do not levy service charges and the monthly rental includes an extensive range of amenities including access to the gym, internet and reduced electricity costs. Moda is also appealing for local artists to express an interest in producing artwork for an exterior wall at the site which overlooks Sackville Road. ”Now that our regeneration of the Sackville Road site has received planning consent, we’re happy to announce that demolition will begin on Monday 12 July. We expect demolition to take around three months to complete. We’re very excited to see this project get underway and look forward to delivering much needed high quality rental accommodation for the city, together with care home units and much more,” said James Blakey, Planning Director at Moda. “Moda is here to stay, so we want to be part of our local community and to support it. As a result, we are keen to hear from local artists who would like to see their art featured in a prime position and showcase their talent. We’re really looking forward to seeing what local artists come up with to bring the wall to life and connect it with Hove’s history and culture.” Approximately 70 per cent of the site will include new streets, squares, amenity and open spaces. It will create the equivalent of more than 560 full time jobs and more than 150 full time equivalent construction jobs, with many people working on the site coming from the local area.
Insulation specialist Actis joined dozens of Jewson staff from branches across the North of England this month as they walked 130 miles from Widnes to Hull – and raised £30,000 for charity. It was one of a number of Jewson suppliers which provided activities and information along the route. Actis regional sales director Jemma Harris and area sales managers Karolina Taylor and Louise South manned stands on three of the five days on which the event took place, inviting the Jewson team, their customers and passers by to try their hands at installing Hybris into a mock timber frame in exchange for an Actis branded T-shirt. The event saw staff from 13 branches and seven business units take part, with the proceeds being shared between two charities. Long-estabished Barnardo’s cares for vulnerable children, while Band of Builders helps members of the construction industry when times get tough, through projects, advice and support.
Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading furniture and fitout kitchen specialists, has completed the first phase of a £4.3m contract for the manufacture and installation of more than 600 kitchens for one of the biggest build-to-rent schemes in Manchester. Developed by Vita Group and built by John Sisk & Son, 266 luxury apartments have been handed over at Circle Square and construction of the second phase of 417 apartments is well advanced. Designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, the £247m build-to-rent scheme is part of a £750m mixed-use development on the former BBC site in the centre of Manchester. This landmark regeneration project is creating a vibrant new urban neighbourhood, providing homes, commercial office accommodation, and retail and leisure space. Deanestor is manufacturing and installing 683 kitchens and around 2,000 fitted wardrobes for the high specification one, two and three-bedroom apartments for modern private residential living. The bespoke fitted wardrobes are supplied in four sizes and finished in contemporary cashmere with a sleek metal edge handle. “These are high quality apartments to meet the rising demand for city living. Our requirement was for exceptional quality kitchen and bedroom furniture and a robust installation. Design-led aesthetic appeal for the fitted furniture is essential in order to attract tenants and create a fantastic first impression of the apartments,” said Tristan Herbert, Development Director at Vita Group. “Kitchens are particularly important in an open-plan living space and need to look good for years to come. These kitchens definitely have a wow factor. The finishes such as solid surface worktops are high specification and reflect our brand very well. Deanestor has delivered high quality products in the first phase which have met our expectations and requirements. Their team also kept working throughout the pandemic and supported us in a challenging year. Lettings are going well, and we are looking forward to completion of the second phase.” The open-plan kitchen fitout has white quartz worktops, an oak-effect finish to the breakfast bar and moulded doors with an integrated handle in indigo blue for the base units and white for the wall cabinets. Door backs are colour-matched, and the cabinets are manufactured by Deanestor to very accurate tolerances for this high specification, design-led build-to-rent scheme. The space between the kitchen cupboards has been reduced using a specialist hinge detail for a sleek appearance. All the appliances for each kitchen are integrated for an enhanced finish, including the hob, oven, microwave, fridge/freezer, dishwasher, and washer dryer, all supplied and fitted by Deanestor. As part of the design development process, Deanestor created a mock-up kitchen at its Mansfield factory for the client team to review. Deanestor have also manufactured and installed 683 service cupboards in three sizes, and 350 store cupboards, finished in indigo blue to complement the kitchens. The lifestyle enhancing living spaces at Circle Square include shared lounge areas, co-working spaces, gym, and facilities for private entertaining, split across two buildings. Deanestor provides high quality contract furniture solutions to construction clients and contractors for healthcare, education, student accommodation, build-to-rent and laboratory projects – both new build and refurbishment. It offers bespoke design services to meet specific project requirements and is responsible for installation to provide a seamless approach for its customers and a single point of contact.
The rapid growth of ecommerce has caused an inevitable soar in demand for easy returns. By reusing the original packaging, the environmental impact of a return is reduced by a minimum of half; Kite Packaging has launched sustainable kraft mailing bags to diminish this impact even further. These packages are manufactured from FSC certified kraft which is sustainably sourced and grants the mailers superior strength to other papers. A heavy-duty material is essential for an item designed for reuse by a customer, though brown kraft is also 100% recyclable to ensure responsible disposal. This is guaranteed to significantly reduce a company’s carbon footprint while enhancing their green credentials. The expandable gusseted sides offer extra capacity to fit a considerable range of different products while arriving flat-packed for convenient storage. To allow for effortless packing and returns, Kite’s product features a double peel and seal strip: one for securing an order to be delivered and the second should the goods need to be returned. The perforated easy tear opening provides excellent user satisfaction at the unboxing stage that is continued until the end of the transaction with this intuitive design. Encourage consumers to shop with confidence, reassured by a user-friendly returns process that promotes repeat sales and all round positive transactions.
