The latest research by Birmingham and Newcastle-based property developer, StripeHomes, has examined where in England buy-to-let landlords can achieve the best rent yields, discovering that the North provides the most valuable investment opportunities. The buy-to-let industry has endured some tough times in the last couple of years. Not only has
SWC has been awarded a three-year deal with Great Portland Street Estates plc covering its portfolio of over 40 properties across London. The contract award is one of the largest stand-alone window cleaning contracts in the country, which will see the SWC team demonstrating a wide variety of specialist window
J Tomlinson is making excellent progress on a brand‐new, Nottinghamshire‐based apartment scheme for older people which will be managed by client Jigsaw Homes Midlands with funding from Homes England. Set to complete in early 2022, Stockinger House in Burton Joyce will comprise a mix of high‐quality one and two‐bedroom apartments
Leading utility specialist Fastflow Group, a subsidiary of United Living Infrastructure Services, has been chosen to rebuild a key Pressure Reduction Station (PRS) in North London. The c. £4 million project, on behalf of gas giant Cadent, will keep the energy flowing safely and reliably for many generations. With the
Custom Build Homes (CBH) welcomes the government’s announcement (Tuesday, 20 July) launching a range of measures to achieve its vision for building beautiful places and putting people at the heart of new neighbourhoods, with an expectation that new housing projects should include custom build as part of the housing mix.
Topland and development partner Beltane Asset Management have started construction of Verdant, a comprehensive extension and redevelopment of 150 Aldersgate Street and 3-4 Bartholomew Place. The Farringdon office building is being redeveloped to meet changing occupier requirements. The scheme, that will see the two sites connected through a new extension, will
Sodexo has won a contract to provide facilities management services at a new Covid-19 laboratory in Leamington Spa, including a contactless “micro market”. The Rosalind Franklin Laboratory in Royal Leamington Spa, which is owned and run by the Department of Health and Social Care, is part of the NHS Test
The main purpose of any casino is to attract people’s attention. Architects and designers venture to non-standard solutions. They are ready to go the extra mile to create a vibe of the eternal holiday. Their goal is to kindle the desire to enter the temple of entertainment Today, absolutely everyone
The latest research by Birmingham and Newcastle-based property developer, StripeHomes, has examined where in England buy-to-let landlords can achieve the best rent yields, discovering that the North provides the most valuable investment opportunities. The buy-to-let industry has endured some tough times in the last couple of years. Not only has COVID-19 profoundly affected the reliability of rental income, but changes to regulations and tax rules have also made it more difficult for landlords to maintain a good level of profit from their investments. Proposed changes to Capital Gains Tax allowances were threatening to make the situation even harder, but now that this has been put on the backburner, landlords can finally start looking forward and thinking about how best to grow their rental portfolios. When doing so, rent yields are the most important statistic to examine, so StripeHomes has analysed all of the available data to provide a list of England’s best locations for high-yield buy-to-let returns. By Region On a broad regional level, the best buy-to-let yields can be found in the North East. Of course, the North East region is huge and so research when investing should always be undertaken at a more granular level. However, the region as a whole is currently home to an average house price of £144,032 and an average rent value of £566 per month, the rental yield is 4.7%, well above the national average of 3.9%. Second on the list is Yorkshire & Humber, where the average house price is £179,408 and the average rent is £631 per month, delivering a good yield of 4.2%. The third-most profitable buy-to-let region is the North West with an average yield of 4.2%, followed by London – the first location not found in England’s North – where high house prices are matched by high rent values to create a yield of just under 4%. Rounding off the top five is the West Midlands, where an average house price of £216,973 meets an average rent value of £697 per month to create a yield of 3.9%. By Local Authority This yield analysis can also be narrowed down to examine individual towns and cities, which shows that the very best rental yields for buy-to-let landlords in England are found in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. With an average house price of £177,821 and average monthly rent of £844, the city offers an average yield of 5.7%. Blackpool is close behind with an average house price of £116,939 and an average rent of £540 per month creating a yield of 5.5%. Stoke-on-Trent also boasts yields of 5.5%, while Burnley in Lancashire and Knowsley in Merseyside both offer yields of 5.4%. It’s clear from this data that the best rent yields in England are currently found in the North, demonstrated by the fact that 16 of the country’s top 20 yield locations are found north of Nottingham. Managing Director of StripeHomes, James Forrester, commented: “It’s great to see a number of areas presenting strong yields to buy-to-let investors despite the government’s best efforts to reduce profit margins in an attempt to disincentivise landlords and free up housing stock for general homebuyers. As the backbone of the rental market, the buy-to-let sector plays an incredibly important role in providing many with a place to live, but we simply can’t expect the nation’s landlords to provide this service at a loss. However, the year ahead looks positive and with travel restrictions lifting, a return to face to face teaching at universities as well as a return to the physical workplace, increasing demand should help boost many areas of the market.” Table shows the current average yield in each region of England Location AveHP – April 2021 Average rent pm – March 2021 Rental yield North East £144,032 £566 4.72% Yorkshire and The Humber £179,408 £631 4.22% North West £183,299 £636 4.16% London £491,687 £1,623 3.96% West Midlands Region £216,973 £697 3.85% East Midlands £213,308 £660 3.71% South West £279,951 £840 3.60% South East £341,358 £999 3.51% East of England £313,964 £889 3.40% England £268,380 £864 3.86% Sources Gov.uk – UK House Price Index Office for National Statistics – Private Rental Market Summary Table shows the areas of England with the highest average rental yield at present Location AveHP – April 2021 Average rent pm – March 2021 Rental yield Newcastle upon Tyne £177,821 £844 5.70% Blackpool £116,939 £540 5.54% Stoke-on-Trent £120,043 £547 5.47% Burnley £105,618 £477 5.42% Knowsley £142,030 £641 5.42% Hyndburn £107,148 £482 5.40% Sunderland £126,520 £541 5.13% County Durham £117,576 £502 5.12% Barrow-in-Furness £131,544 £560 5.11% Salford £182,091 £770 5.07% Manchester £203,169 £838 4.95% Pendle £120,840 £498 4.95% Newham £382,016 £1,536 4.82% Blackburn with Darwen £127,154 £511 4.82% City of Nottingham £172,540 £682 4.74% Preston £143,743 £568 4.74% Barking and Dagenham £312,288 £1,226 4.71% Middlesbrough £125,115 £490 4.70% Stockton-on-Tees £146,819 £573 4.68% City of Bristol £306,482 £1,196 4.68% Sources Gov.uk – UK House Price Index Office for National Statistics – Private Rental Market Summary
SWC has been awarded a three-year deal with Great Portland Street Estates plc covering its portfolio of over 40 properties across London. The contract award is one of the largest stand-alone window cleaning contracts in the country, which will see the SWC team demonstrating a wide variety of specialist window cleaning techniques including Cradle systems, BMUs, rope access and traditional water fed pole systems in order to provide outstanding window cleaning across the variety of classic and state of the art modern buildings. Some of the notable buildings within the portfolio are 200 Grays Inn Road, brand new Hanover Square and The Hickman. Rebecca Bradley, Head of Property Services at Great Portland Estates plc said: “We were delighted to award SWC with this prestigious contract. We have a clear strategic focus on London with a varied portfolio of properties. SWC’s investment in their people, innovative cleaning methods and Health and safety approach, showed us that they are more than capable of offering a service that will cater for all of our buildings.” Gareth Thomas, Managing Director at SWC commented: “We were extremely pleased to win this significant contract. As one of the largest standalone window cleaning contracts in the county, it is a testament to our staff and their willingness to go the extra mile to exceed our client’s expectations. We look forward to working with Great Portland Estates plc and building our respective businesses.”
J Tomlinson is making excellent progress on a brand‐new, Nottinghamshire‐based apartment scheme for older people which will be managed by client Jigsaw Homes Midlands with funding from Homes England. Set to complete in early 2022, Stockinger House in Burton Joyce will comprise a mix of high‐quality one and two‐bedroom apartments designed for older people, and has been specially designed to provide residents with an independent living environment with capacity for some ‘extra care’ accommodation, including assisted bathrooms, guest suites, and an on‐call social alarm. Works commenced before Christmas 2020 and included demolition of Lendrum Court – a former sheltered housing complex created in 1972 by Basford District Council that will be replaced by the new, purpose‐built development. As part of this exciting design and build project, J Tomlinson will also be undertaking landscaping works, including creation of a car parking area and electric vehicle charging infrastructure works. The development is situated just off Lambley Lane in Burton Joyce, and forms part of Jigsaw’s long-term commitment to providing much‐needed affordable homes. J Tomlinson has worked with Jigsaw Homes Midlands– formerly known as Gedling Homes – to deliver a range of new build and refurbishment projects over the past three years. Other housing schemes undertaken in partnership with Jigsaw include the design and build of 12 apartments and six houses at York Mews in Arnold; internal and external upgrades to six‐storey flats at Walton Court, Carlton, as well as refurbishment and upgrades to communal areas at Moreland Court – an independent living scheme for older people ‐ also in Carlton. Tony Shenton, managing director at J Tomlinson commented: “We’re pleased to be working in partnership with Jigsaw Homes Midlands to create much‐needed accommodation for over‐55s in Nottinghamshire. Masonry and pre‐cast flooring works are ongoing, with roofing works due to commence next month, and we will continue to work closely with our client and the wider project team to ensure that the completed development is fit for purpose and aligns with Jigsaw Group’s vision.” Karen Sands, Head of Independent Living at Jigsaw Homes Midlands said: “These new apartments will offer a modern, light, spacious and safe environment that meets the expectations of local older people. We are really pleased to see this development progress and look forward to welcoming our new residents in February 2022.” J Tomlinson, whose head office is situated in Beeston – just 30 minutes from the development site – is a leading provider of new build, refurbishment, engineering and maintenance services to clients across the Midlands, Yorkshire, Central and Southern England. The company operates across a range of specialist sectors, including extra care, healthcare, social housing, commercial and industrial, emergency services, and local government. Jigsaw Homes Midlands is part of the Jigsaw Group, one of the largest housing groups in England, with over 34,000 homes across the North West and East Midlands. For more information, please visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk
Leading utility specialist Fastflow Group, a subsidiary of United Living Infrastructure Services, has been chosen to rebuild a key Pressure Reduction Station (PRS) in North London. The c. £4 million project, on behalf of gas giant Cadent, will keep the energy flowing safely and reliably for many generations. With the old Tottenham Holder Station demolished, the new PRS set to be constructed off Albany Road, Tottenham. Once operational, it will adjust gas pressure, enabling it to be fed into the local gas distribution network, supplying thousands of homes, businesses and community facilities. The scheme also involves replacing ageing pipes with tough new ones, ensuring better connectivity and improved resilience of the gas network. The PRS rebuild forms part of the broader redevelopment of the area, supporting the £6 billion Meridian Water scheme that will deliver over 10,000 homes and thousands of new jobs in Enfield over the next 20 years. As well as supporting the delivery of new homes and jobs, the PRS rebuild will take place on a ‘clean construction site’, with minimal CO2 emissions and noise pollution, helping to drive a low carbon economy, support a green recovery and help deliver the UK’s clean growth strategy. Several innovative technologies are to be employed on-site to reduce carbon emissions, including trialling a Hydrogen fuel cell, zero-emission temporary welfare units, hybrid machinery, HVO fuel, Green Concrete, battery-powered hand tools, electric vehicles, and solar panel lighting towers. The predicted CO2 saving over a standard construction process is a massive 274.45T/CO2e, a significant reduction, which will help Cadent work towards its net zero ambitions. With the construction part of the rebuild scheduled to be completed by mid 2022, Andrew Hejdner, Senior Project Manager, Cadent Capital Delivery, said: “Cadent has a longstanding relationship with Fastflow and it’s great to see both the engineering and sustainability challenges being addressed in a collaborative way with passion and enthusiasm. “Decarbonising construction is a dilemma the whole industry faces and some of the initiatives being deployed at the Tottenham project will showcase what is possible. Over a short space of time I’m hopeful this technology will become business as usual meaning we can really make inroads into reducing our carbon footprint.” Benn Cottrell, Managing Director, Fastflow Group / United Living Infrastructure Services, added: “We’re pleased to have been chosen by Cadent for this exciting project and bring our engineering expertise to help secure safe gas supplies for years to come. Taking on this vital installation, with its specific challenges, is a project to which our team is looking forward. We’re already getting started on the planning in order to deliver safely and efficiently for Cadent. “The construction and infrastructure industry traditionally use a significant amount of energy to deliver critical projects that shape the communities in which we live. To counteract this, it is our responsibility to modernise the energy consumption approach and help reduce carbon emissions from our operations. “While creating energy-efficient buildings and infrastructure is key, it’s just as important to reduce the impact on the environment during the construction of these buildings. With solutions such as hydrogen fuel cells, hybrid machinery, clean, renewable fuel, we can improve our sustainability practices and reduce the impact construction sites have on the environment, as our industry strives towards meeting its carbon reduction targets”. Cadent is the UK’s biggest gas network. It ensures gas reaches more than 11 million customers, by maintaining and upgrading networks that include more than 80,000 miles of pipes, with new connections added every day. Placed end to end, that amount would already stretch more than three times around the world.
Custom Build Homes (CBH) welcomes the government’s announcement (Tuesday, 20 July) launching a range of measures to achieve its vision for building beautiful places and putting people at the heart of new neighbourhoods, with an expectation that new housing projects should include custom build as part of the housing mix. In publishing the National Model Design Code (NMDC) the Government has provided detailed guidance on the production of design codes, guides and policies to promote successful design. An important element of good design when planning for all new housing set out in the Code is to provide for a mix of homes that custom build where possible. This should give councils the confidence to secure custom build housing on larger sites and give preference to schemes where such housing is proposed as part of the mix. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government also announced a new Office of Place to drive up design standards, testing and piloting the NMDC. The NMDC also includes supporting Guidance Notes which, for the first time, define what custom build housing is – namely new homes built on serviced building plots that are designed or customised for the occupant and the purchaser has input into the design, this can also include different house types and tenures. This helps to provide much needed clarification in terms of what type of housing Ministers consider to fall within the legal definition under the Self-build and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 which is currently under review. Design codes along with plot-based masterplans and plot passports are also recognised as important tools when planning for self-build and custom build. To support the implementation of the NMDC the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has been revised to set an expectation that all local planning authorities are to prepare local design guides or design codes consistent with the principles in the NMDC and which reflect local character and design preferences. The NPPF also expects that development which is not well designed should be refused. New houses will also be expected to be built on tree-lined streets with an emphasis on well-designed local architecture and support for walking and cycling to boost health, wellbeing and happiness. The government aims to digitalise the planning system to streamline planning decisions supported by design codes and enable local people to better navigate and access the planning process with online map-based local plans. This will allow people to visualise local plans for development and participate more fully in the planning system. Mario Wolf, CBH Director of Planning & Strategic Engagement at Custom Build Homes, said: “The changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and new National Model Design Code mark an important step change in the consideration of design quality and the use of design codes in the planning and development process. “The recognition that custom build housing is as an integral part of well-designed new housing schemes should not be under-estimated and we will be advising our clients that it forms an increasingly important material consideration when new projects are submitted for planning.” CBH is well positioned to maximise the opportunities from this latest announcement for its clients. All our developments are demand led and sit well with this range of new planning measures. We generate data from our subscribers who have expressed an interest in creating their own home and use this data to inform our masterplans and customisable housing products to communities. We currently have a database of over 100,000 people actively looking for a building opportunity. CBH specialise in the preparation of design codes and plot passports for self-commissioned housing projects and typically use these for all our development projects. This ensures the look and feel of the places we create take full account of local preferences and fit into an area’s local vernacular. We typically work with a range of different types of landowners and match the development opportunity to the preferences of people who are actively looking to create their own homes. This maximises value and ensures that the development is built out as fast as the market allows. Our schemes also align with the government’s ambition to deliver housing via more innovative and modern methods of construction (MMC) which the NMDC supports. The delivery of custom build housing using MMC can be supported by design codes and maintain consistency where customisable house types are used on larger phased developments. MMC can also reduce time on-site and therefore disruption to new and existing communities, which is especially important on bespoke custom build plots as sites are built out. Using MMC over traditional building methods can also improve building performance with higher levels of air tightness and insulation which can mean a more sustainable and energy efficient house for new homebuyers. This is also what our demand surveys for sites consistently tell us. Infill and brownfield sites within existing urban contexts could also benefit from our customisable housing products as the impact on the surrounding neighbours is minimised given the reduced time spent on site.
Topland and development partner Beltane Asset Management have started construction of Verdant, a comprehensive extension and redevelopment of 150 Aldersgate Street and 3-4 Bartholomew Place. The Farringdon office building is being redeveloped to meet changing occupier requirements. The scheme, that will see the two sites connected through a new extension, will create 135,000 sq ft of new office accommodation. The building will benefit from dual entrances to both Aldersgate Street and Bartholomew Place. It is located within the heart of the Cultural Mile and within two minutes’ walk of the Farringdon Elizabeth line underground entrance at Long Lane. Biophilic Design and Natural Ventilation Verdant has a low embodied carbon footprint achieved by reusing approximately 80 per cent of the existing structure, natural ventilation throughout and a bespoke biophilic design integrated into the architecture. In addition, there are green roofs, terraces on all floors, hard and soft landscaping and the creation of external courtyards. Communal facilities will be incorporated, including a ground floor café and co-working area and further investment in sustainable travel is included, with the introduction of more than 250 cycle spaces. Once complete, the building will comprise 135,000 sq ft of Grade A office accommodation, with floorplates ranging from 2,000 sq ft to 17,000 sq ft, suitable for a range of office users. The building is scheduled to complete in Q2 2023 and Cushman & Wakefield and BH2 have been appointed as leasing agents. Mark Kingston, ms of Topland, said: “Our decision to build speculatively demonstrates not only our confidence in the London office market, but also our confidence in the scheme itself. Verdant provides truly sustainable next generation office space that we believe will appeal to a wide range of occupiers”. Jonathan Chenery, Founding Partner at Beltane Asset Management added: “We are delighted to get going on the redevelopment of Verdant. The building will provide occupiers with a sustainable workplace of the highest quality, aimed at fostering wellbeing and productivity, in arguably one of London’s most attractive sub-markets. Farringdon, Clerkenwell and Smithfields are experiencing record-levels of demand from a range of sectors that are attracted by the transport connections at Farringdon and all that the area has to offer.”
Sodexo has won a contract to provide facilities management services at a new Covid-19 laboratory in Leamington Spa, including a contactless “micro market”. The Rosalind Franklin Laboratory in Royal Leamington Spa, which is owned and run by the Department of Health and Social Care, is part of the NHS Test and Trace network, which will increase Covid-19 testing capacity by hundreds of thousands a day in the coming months. The facilities management contract will employ 90 people from the local area to provide services including communal area cleaning, security, grounds maintenance, waste management, logistics, maintenance and 24/7 catering services. The catering services will include a contactless “micro market”, where staff can buy a range of drinks, snacks, sandwiches, salads and hot meals using self-service tills at any time of day. “I am extremely proud that we continue to play our part in the fight against this pandemic, supporting NHS Test and Trace, to increase the UK’s Covid-19 testing capacity,” said Stuart Winters, chief executive of healthcare for Sodexo UK & Ireland. “We know that working in close partnership with our client, being agile and responsive to their needs, is absolutely vital and I am delighted that we have been recognised for our ability to do this for NHS Test and Trace.
The main purpose of any casino is to attract people’s attention. Architects and designers venture to non-standard solutions. They are ready to go the extra mile to create a vibe of the eternal holiday. Their goal is to kindle the desire to enter the temple of entertainment Today, absolutely everyone can plunge into the atmosphere of world casinos without leaving the house. All you need is a BetChan casino login to dive into the full-fledged excitement and endless holiday vibe. But if it’s so convenient to play online, why do people still fly thousands of miles to visit a land-based casino? We believe that the answer is that ground-based casinos attract people with unique and unrepeatable architectural esthetics and fanciness. Typically, architects choose the thematic direction in which the building will be designed. They often draw inspiration from the architecture of other countries, cultures, historical periods to recreate a unique look. Luxurious and eye-catching casinos are profitable not only to the owners but also to the city and all its residents. Glamorous casinos attract tourists. Tourists bring money to various sectors of city life and enrich the economy of the state. Each new gambling venue in the world is more expensive and more luxurious than the previous ones. Casino owners compete in luxury and scale. They try to impress the world with masterpieces of architectural and design art. We’ve prepared 7 stunning examples of architectural ideas fulfilled in land-based casinos designs. 1.Caesar’s Palace Caesar’s Palace is one of the world well-known gambling dens in Las Vegas. It locates in the heart of Sin City. The ancient Roman style decorations explain its name. Monuments, fountains, chariots and even the ship of Cleopatra are open to your eyes. All this is spiced with the vibe of elite antiquity and ardour. This has made this casino a highly revered destination. 2.The Baden-Baden Casino The Baden-Baden Casino in Germany is a classic of gambling houses. It is one of the oldest and admirable casinos in the world. It is a much more sophisticated and classy place. Instead of neon lights, you will see sparkling chandeliers. The design of the casino was influenced by the Palace of Versailles. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century. Its tables remember many members of the royalties. Back in the day, only gold and silver chips were used on the tables. The elegant halls of the casino are filled with vibrant excitement. 3. The Venetian Macau Casino The Venetian Macao Casino is Venice Charm in lovely Macau. The amusement centre was constructed in 2007. On its territory are channels, along which gondolas with gondoliers float. The casino vestibules are decorated in an iconic Venetian style. The resort covers a territory of over fifty thousand square meters. It is the seventh-largest building on the globe by floor area. 4. Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island Atlantis Resort (Bahamas) is the biggest casino in the Caribbean. It is located on the world’s most beautiful Paradise Island. City-complex is connecting two districts built on a 28 thousand metres lagoon. Rooflights and massive windows bringing outdoor beauty inside. This is a novelty in casino design. It contains everything to enjoy an exciting gambling spirit. Great place for an excellent vacation on the beautiful beaches of the Bahamas. 5.Sun City Casino Sun City Casino (South Africa) is located in a top-level entertainment centre. It is built in an extinct volcano crater. Sun City is named “African Las Vegas”. The constructional style is extraordinary. It combines ruthless African motifs with the opulence of Ottoman royal residences and modernism. Thousands of tourists travel to experience all the greatness of casino premises. Sun City is a beloved destination for the elite of the gambling community and many world celebrities. 6.Casino de Monte Carlo Casino Monte Carlo, located in Monaco, undoubtedly deserves worldwide recognition. Its exterior is inspired by Renaissance architecture. Inside you will find ornate portraits dating back to the founding of the United States. Deluxe marble facade, a plethora of columns and all the possible benefits for the pleasure of guests. Everything there creates an elite atmosphere for laid-back gambling sessions. 7.Marina Bay Sands Casino Marina Bay Sands (Singapore) is a knockdown casino with a futuristic look. It is located on the seashore of Marina Bay. Three 200 meters high towers with a tropical oasis that soars on top. There is a massive panoramic pool placed on their rooftops. This casino is a true work of art of modern engineering. Even before you enter the casino, you will already be overwhelmed by the stunning views. If you’ve always wondered where to search for magnificent architecture and unique designs, now you know.
