Construction activity in Europe continues to shift up a gear, with positive output growth being reported within all sectors, according to the RICS Global Construction Monitor (GCM). Feedback from survey respondents points to a pickup in activity across virtually all European markets, with the RICS’ European Construction Activity Index rising
Regeneration Of Dee House Progresses CBRE has been instructed by Cheshire West and Chester Council to seek a development partner to be part of the regeneration of Dee House, a prominent and historic building that has been vacant since the 1990s. Forming part of the Chester One City Plan, the
Study Inn Group, a luxury hotel-style student accommodation owner, developer, and operator are set to convert Reynard House, a former office block in Leicester, into a 267-bed high quality purpose-built student accommodation centre. The £30million redevelopment will increase the overall square footage of the existing Reynard House by 50% with
An independent construction firm has completed its largest care home development to date, including a cinema, bar and accommodation for up to 75 residents. Brymor Construction Ltd designed and built Care UK’s new Ancasta Grove home in Sarisbury Green, near Fareham, after demolishing the former dentists’ surgery on the site.
If you’ve never rented heavy equipment like cranes before, you might not know what to expect. Renting a crane is essential in large-scale projects as it increases productivity, especially if there’s too much heavy lifting. Without cranes, it’s impossible to move around heavy materials. If you don’t have a budget
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Construction activity in Europe continues to shift up a gear, with positive output growth being reported within all sectors, according to the RICS Global Construction Monitor (GCM). Feedback from survey respondents points to a pickup in activity across virtually all European markets, with the RICS’ European Construction Activity Index rising to +34 in Q2 from +16 in Q1. The latest reading is in complete contrast to the reading of -25 at this point last year. This improvement was particularly evident in Portugal and the Netherlands, with both recording a reading of over 50. Similarly, the UK, Germany and Ireland all registered comfortably stronger readings in Q2 compared to Q1. Furthermore, expectations regarding the 12 months ahead moved further into growth territory over the quarter, led by robust projections across the private housing and infrastructure sectors. Meanwhile, employment in the construction sector in Europe is expected to grow, with a net balance of +28% of respondents projecting an increase in headcounts across the industry over the year ahead (rising from a net balance of +13% in Q1). But respondents in Europe were less optimistic about profit margins. Although expectations for profit margins did improve over the quarter (as the net balance moved from -10% to +7%), expectations are only marginally positive. This is no surprise given that material cost pressures have escalated of late, with 78% of respondents across Europe citing this as an issue constraining construction activity. Indeed, with projections for material cost inflation rising further during Q2, it appears cost pressures are likely to become an increasing headwind, which could act to dampen momentum further down the line. Simon Rubinsohn chief economist RICS said: “The rebound in construction workloads continues to gain ground in Europe with strong housing markets playing a key role in supporting residential development. Moreover, with the cost of money expected to remain close to zero, there is little reason to believe that this key driver of activity in the industry will diminish in importance over the next twelve months. However the forward looking metrics in the RICS Construction Monitor do suggest that infrastructure will play an increasing significant role in most European countries as government programmes to rebuild economies following the pandemic begin to be more fully implemented. “As elsewhere around the world, the industry unsurprisingly faces significant challenges as it looks to lift capacity with both material and labour shortages widely being highlighted in the survey and evident in the projection of higher costs. Against this backdrop, the hoped for rebound in profitability is likely to be a little more drawn out with tender prices struggling to keep pace.”
Regeneration Of Dee House Progresses CBRE has been instructed by Cheshire West and Chester Council to seek a development partner to be part of the regeneration of Dee House, a prominent and historic building that has been vacant since the 1990s. Forming part of the Chester One City Plan, the redevelopment of Dee House is a key aspect of the scheme and the Council is moving the project forward this year. CBRE’s UK Development Advisory team has been appointed to seek the right partner to bring the site back to life, with a shared vision to create a development of excellence to contribute to the long-term regeneration of Chester. Both Dee House and the site on which it sits have significant historical value. The site covers part of the area of the unexcavated Roman Amphitheatre discovered in 1929 and provides excellent views over the visible section of the amphitheatre, whilst the building is Grade II listed due to its special architectural and historic interest. Dee House is located to the south east of Chester City Centre adjacent to the City Walls and within close proximity to St John’s Church, the Roman Gardens and Grosvenor Park. The River Dee lies 100m south of the site. Its central location adjacent to the A5268 ring road (Vicar’s Lane) makes the site highly accessible and desirable. To help facilitate redevelopment and safeguard the integrity of the building, Cheshire West and Chester Council will be instructing vital works to stabilise key parts of the building. These are scheduled to commence this autumn and complete during early 2022. Alex Andrews, Associate Director, at CBRE Manchester, commented; “We are delighted to be appointed to work with Cheshire West and Chester Council to bring this exciting project forward. The preservation of historically significant sites is key to the long term regeneration of Chester and breathing life back into a site that has been redundant for over thirty years will not only enhance the immediate area, it will also add to the wider attraction of the city itself encouraging both tourists and locals alike to enjoy Chester City Centre at its very best.” Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “The Council and the Dee House and Amphitheatre Working Group have the collective view that Dee House is an important historical asset for the city of Chester and should be redeveloped and modernised for the 21st Century, while retaining its historic appearance and unique characteristics. “It is a building with great potential in a prominent location in the centre of a well-known and historic city. Anyone who chooses to join the Council in investing in its future is sure to benefit, helping to transform it into a place visitors and residents can enjoy for many years to come.” Andy Foster, of Dee House and Amphitheatre Working Group, said: “After more than a year of deliberations and taking guidance from experts in the field of archaeological and historic building preservation, the working group concluded that Dee House should be saved and redeveloped. “We are keen to see progress this year and the plan is to prepare a planning application to seek permission to begin stabilisation work as soon as possible in the autumn, which will enable a long term end-use to come forward.”
Study Inn Group, a luxury hotel-style student accommodation owner, developer, and operator are set to convert Reynard House, a former office block in Leicester, into a 267-bed high quality purpose-built student accommodation centre. The £30million redevelopment will increase the overall square footage of the existing Reynard House by 50% with additional new build space, totalling 73,550 sq. ft. The brand-new 7-storey student accommodation scheme will provide a mixture of studios and en-suite serviced apartment rooms, all within a 3-minute walk from the De Montford University’s main campus. Construction is well underway, with opening scheduled for September 2022. Facilities will follow the same enhanced specification as Study Inn’s 2nd generation of properties, including 24×7 onsite management; room cleaning and linen services; and state-of-the-art communal facilities such as extensive study space; wellness spa; sauna; steam room; hot beds; gym; yoga studio; games room; lounge; big screen cinema room; and an atrium conservatory for additional natural light. Commenting on the new development, Jack Jefferson, acquisitions director at Study Inn, said: “We are very pleased to add another fantastic city to our fast-growing portfolio. As both a developer and an operator, it is testament to our confidence in the continuing purpose-built student accommodation letting ability in Leicester.” In addition to Leicester, Study Inn is currently building its latest properties in Exeter, opening in September 2021 and Leeds, opening in September 2022 to add to its operating properties in Bristol, Loughborough, and Nottingham. https://www.studyinn.com/
An independent construction firm has completed its largest care home development to date, including a cinema, bar and accommodation for up to 75 residents. Brymor Construction Ltd designed and built Care UK’s new Ancasta Grove home in Sarisbury Green, near Fareham, after demolishing the former dentists’ surgery on the site. The £8.5m purpose-built development in Barnes Lane provides residential, nursing, respite and dementia care, with more than 80 new jobs created locally.As well as a cinema and bar, Ancasta Grove includes a hair and beauty salon, lounges, dining areas and landscaped grounds with a sensory garden and water feature. The development is the largest care home project in Hampshire-based Brymor Construction’s 34-year history and Care UK’s 125th home. Stephen Morton, chairman of 150-strong Brymor, said: “With an ageing population in the UK, the care sector is assuming an increasingly important role in our communities. “The high quality of facilities at Ancasta Grove, including a cinema and hair and beauty salon, show just how dramatically residential and nursing homes have evolved over recent years.” Brymor, which is headquartered at Denmead, near Portsmouth, with an office in Dorset, works in a wide range of sectors. The £85m turnover company is a collaborative and flexible business with a seamless approach from conception to completion, with the focus on innovative solutions, quality, safety and transparency. Ancasta Grove is Care UK’s 125th home. Since 2013, it has opened more than 50 new homes. There are about 17,600 care homes in the UK with 490,326 residents, according to industry source CareHome.co.uk. In 2018, 18 per cent of the total UK population was aged 65 years and over, compared with 10.8 per cent in 1950, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This is expected to rise to 24.8 per cent in 2050. Visit https://www.brymor.co.uk/ for more details.
If you’ve never rented heavy equipment like cranes before, you might not know what to expect. Renting a crane is essential in large-scale projects as it increases productivity, especially if there’s too much heavy lifting. Without cranes, it’s impossible to move around heavy materials. If you don’t have a budget to buy a crane, you can rent one. Be smart with which crane rental company you’re going to choose before you sign on the dotted line. To ensure you get the right crane rental services for your project, here are some questions you need to ask a crane rental company before hiring them. 1. How Much Experience Do You Have? Normally, you should ask a crane rental company about their experience in providing rental services before you hire them. The crane rental company you’re going to hire should have years of experience in the relevant field so they can be considered for the job. Experience is important because there are many different types of cranes. The best company will help you choose the perfect type of crane that’s best suited for your building or construction project, which is what one Calgary crane company does for their clients. Upon your first meeting with the crane rental firm, be sure to start the conversation by asking them about their experience, as this is the most important thing you need to know about them. 2. What Types Of Cranes Do You Provide? You may not know this, but there are many different types of cranes. It can be quite challenging for someone who doesn’t know about cranes which one is best suited for their construction project. Here are some of the most common types of cranes rental companies offer: Loader cranes Overhead cranes Mobile cranes Rough terrain cranes Telescopic cranes Tower cranes The type of crane you’re going to choose all depends on what you’re looking for. It’s best if you go with a crane rental company that has a large selection of cranes available. They can walk you through different types of cranes, and help you choose the one best suited for your project needs. 3. Do You Provide Crane Operators? If So, Are They Licensed And Trained? Obviously, a crane won’t operate on its own. You’re going to need someone to operate it, which is why you need to ask a crane rental company if they provide operators. Fortunately, most rental companies understand the need for these workers. There are some companies that offer rental services wherein crane operators are already included in the package. You also need to make sure the crane operators are fully licensed and experienced. If mistakes are made in large construction projects, it can be extremely dangerous for everyone in the site. This is especially true when operating a crane. To guarantee that all health and safety guidelines are followed when operating a crane, be sure to hire operators that are fully trained and qualified. In this way, you can rest assured the job will be done on the right way, on time, and within the budget. 4. What Are Your Rental Rates? Cranes are very expensive, especially if you’re going to buy them outright. Not all construction companies or builders can afford a crane. As a result, they rely on rental companies so they can use one for their projects. Although renting a crane can save your business a lot of money, it’s still wise to check the cost of crane rentals beforehand, so you can find the best value for your money. Take some time to shop around and compare quotes when searching for a reliable and reputable crane rental service providers who’s willing to rent you heavy equipment within your budget. 5. Do You Provide Insurance? Keep in mind that if you’re going to simply rent a crane, you’re also responsible for the insurance. This is why it’s important to ask a crane rental company if they provide insurance for you, especially if you’re going to hire an operator from them. Final Thoughts By asking these questions before signing a contract, you can protect yourself from problems later. Another reason why you should ask these questions is because there are some crane rental companies that aren’t honest, especially when it comes to their services and reputation. Knowing what questions to ask before renting a crane will help you get the most out of the deal. It is always better to rent a crane from a reliable and reputable company who you can trust to give one that is in good working condition.
