Tritax Symmetry has marked the start of work on site to develop 190,000 sq ft logistics / warehouse accommodation with an official ground-breaking ceremony at MA6NITUDE in Middlewich, Cheshire. Main contractor GMI Construction has commenced the construction of units 11 and 12, which will offer 149,000 sq ft and 41,000
More than 50 organisations operating within the property sector have penned an open letter to the Government to use Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) to create a database for the public and private sectors. The idea is to allow UPRN data available at a large scale so that organisations can
With a 450% increase in buyer enquiries for properties in Devon since the start of the pandemic, housing market activity in the South West is strong for Burrington Estates. Thanks to excellent sales, the Exeter based residential and commercial property business had a turnover of £70m in 2020. Building on
Developer Hill Group has just scooped a prestigious 2021 Housing Design Award for its unique scheme, Knights Park in Cambridge. The awards, which took place at Storey’s Field in Eddington, are the longest running award programme in the country [1948] and the only one that sends a multidisciplinary set of
Caddick Construction has been awarded a £2m contract to fit out a warehousing and office unit on the Logistics North industrial park in Bolton. The fit out contract, awarded by Amscreen Group Ltd, follows on from the £3.2m contract won by Caddick in 2020 to design and build the 50,000
A Midlands-based property and land company has strengthened its senior team with two promotions. Richard Mees has been promoted to Chief Executive at Rainier Developments Ltd and Josh Sinnett becomes Managing Director. Both have been with the company — which has its headquarters in Henley-in-Arden — since its early days,
New plans have been submitted to support a project to bring a grade I-listed South Yorkshire manor house back into use. Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham, was the seat of the Wentworth family from the 13th century. The manor house was built between 1725 and 1735, incorporating earlier elements dating back
Staffordshire-based handrail and balustrades specialists, SMART Balustrades, has started work to deliver more than 1,000 metres of stainless-steel balustrades at a luxury waterside residential development in Nottingham. Working alongside Leeds-based property developer KMRE Group and construction company Crown Construction, SMART Balustrades is supplying and installing all of the glass and
Tritax Symmetry has marked the start of work on site to develop 190,000 sq ft logistics / warehouse accommodation with an official ground-breaking ceremony at MA6NITUDE in Middlewich, Cheshire. Main contractor GMI Construction has commenced the construction of units 11 and 12, which will offer 149,000 sq ft and 41,000 sq ft respectively. The units will be built to net zero carbon in construction; will include 15% PV roof coverage as standard and the capacity to accommodate 100% PV roof coverage. Speaking about the start on site at MA6NITUDE, Development Director David Nuttall, commented: “We are excited to see spades go in the ground here at MA6NITUDE and bring forward high quality facilities at a time when demand for space is at record levels. There is a huge amount of activity happening across the site, with Swizzels’ facility also due to complete next year and detailed planning submitted for 238,000 sq ft of space at unit 41 which could also be delivered before the end of 2022.” Jonathan Atherton, Director at Savills, joint letting agents for the scheme with B8RE and Legat Owen, continued: “The development at Ma6nitude will provide much needed floor space to a market when supply is falling at its fastest ever rate. The location and quality of the units are expected to attract strong occupier interest.” Marc Banks, Divisional Managing Director at GMI Construction said: “We are delighted to be working with Tritax Symmetry to deliver the new facilities in Middlewich. Our team has made an excellent start and the site is already taking shape to what will eventually be a first-class sustainable building that will be a huge business asset to the area.”
More than 50 organisations operating within the property sector have penned an open letter to the Government to use Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) to create a database for the public and private sectors. The idea is to allow UPRN data available at a large scale so that organisations can adopt them without cost, and allows an accurate record of any changes to the property. Housing secretary The letter, addressed to at the time, housing secretary Robert Jenrick, comes addressed from the The Lettings Industry Council (TLIC) and the Institute of Residential Property Management (IRMP). The letter is also backed by many estate agents and industry organisations including the NRLA, Propertymark and TDS. The idea of a UPRN involves a digital database with all the information and a full history of the property, including repairs and remodelling. This would speed up the process of property sales, with completions not beholden to lengthy searches and possible inaccuracies. Andrew Bulmer, CEO of the IRPM, commented: “The UPRN is like attaching a number plate to a car, instead we [will] attach a unique number to all things related to properties so that each property can be uniquely identified with unparalleled accuracy.”He added: “If all the conditions outlined in the letter were to be met, we could proactively work towards the wholesale adoption of the UPRN.” Benefits of UPRN’s The letter outlines the benefits from the wider adoption of a single number for properties including: Improve building, consumer and market safety More targeted and cost-effective enforcement of legislation Increase protection for tenants and a reduction of rogue landlords Speed up and make more certain the home buying and selling process Reduce waste, save time and empower the consumer Increase income for the Treasury If this was to be a success in the residential market, the collective organisations are hopeful the system would work across the whole market. One of the biggest conditions the letter outlines is: “The UPRN must be in a clear and useable format that allows the UPRN to be widely identified, used and shared at no cost on an individual or market level basis. As far as is possible, this must include the tools, the support materials and the explanation needed by the whole sector for adoption, not just the solution providers” This last point, identifying that it would be more widely accepted if it was without cost, may be a stumbling block for this proposal. Not necessarily a radical idea to identify properties, it is hard to replicate on a country-wide scale without someone incurring a cost along the way. Landlords would not want further costs adding to their property purchases, and tenants would be keen to avoid further premiums being passed onto rental prices. Transparent and compliant One landlord praised the idea of UPRN’s, highlighting that it would make for a completely transparent and compliant market, as it would allow for more focus on rogue landlords. It may also provide the tools necessary for local councils to enforce some of the property regulations they have been armed with in the last 5 years. Beverley Kennard, associate and operations manager at Knight Frank, commented: “A Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) is allocated to a property by local authorities and means that a full history of the property is available, regardless of if the address changes. The use of UPRNs will bring real benefits to the residential property sector and landlords and tenants.” Not only would the centralisation of this data hopefully speed up conveyancing times and therefore completion windows, it could also offer tenants access to more information about properties they are enquiring about.
With a 450% increase in buyer enquiries for properties in Devon since the start of the pandemic, housing market activity in the South West is strong for Burrington Estates. Thanks to excellent sales, the Exeter based residential and commercial property business had a turnover of £70m in 2020. Building on this success in the South West, the company aims to triple its turnover over the next five years, as it embarks on ambitious plans to expand into other regions. It has twelve new developments launching in the next year and the vision to become a national company. Founded in 2013, Burrington Estates has grown rapidly into a thriving business that has made its mark across the West Country. Its landmark developments include the flagship mixed-use scheme Winslade Park near Exeter, which incorporates the company’s corporate head office. It has completed over 500 new homes to date, with a portfolio worth £300m currently in development. Burrington Estates’ aspirations for growth are supported by the positive outlook for the housing market, with huge demand for properties in Devon and Cornwall. There has been a surge in buyers moving to the South West over the past 18 months seeking a better quality of life, made possible by the rise in remote working. At Harbour Reach in Fowey, Burrington Estates sold 80% of the properties to buyers from outside of Cornwall and all were sold off-plan. In Devon, around half of Burrington Estates’ buyers are from out of county, compared to just 10% pre-pandemic. Using this success in the South West as a springboard, Burrington Estates has already kickstarted its expansion plan by opening a new division, the Central region. It has a pipeline of new developments in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, launching its first site in Binfield in September. Mark Edworthy, Managing Director at Burrington Estates, said: “We were already in a strong position with good forward sales, but there is no doubt that the pandemic has prompted a step change in peoples’ lives and their aspirations, driving many more buyers to the South West. Technology has enabled people to work from anywhere so there is huge demand for high quality, well-designed homes not just in Devon and Cornwall, but across the regions as people continue to move out of the cities in search of more space and healthier lifestyle. Our success in the South West has given us a solid platform to expand into other counties where there is also a strong potential market for our homes.” Burrington Estates has built its reputation on creating high quality homes and attractive, enduring communities with a strong sense of place. From medium to large scale developments, high-quality mixed-use schemes, luxury individual homes and careful renovations, Burrington Estates developments span a wide range of property types. It carefully tailors its designs to the needs of buyers to suit evolving lifestyles and make properties more functional, for example vegetable patches constructed with railway sleepers are often included as an option in gardens, as well as spaces to accommodate working from home. The Heaths, a new development near Portreath, offers a range of bungalows designed with older people in mind for those with more limited mobility. As a people led business, Burrington Estates prioritises the highest standards of customer service and attributes its success to its growing team. Reflecting the growth of the company, it has made many key hires recently, increasing its staff by 45% in the past year to a total of 85 employees.
Developer Hill Group has just scooped a prestigious 2021 Housing Design Award for its unique scheme, Knights Park in Cambridge. The awards, which took place at Storey’s Field in Eddington, are the longest running award programme in the country [1948] and the only one that sends a multidisciplinary set of judges to the shortlisted developments. Knights Park is the first ever completed Housing Design Award entry to be recognised by Building with Nature for providing an outstanding habitat to support biodiversity alongside a comprehensive strategy for channelling cloud bursts to rain gardens under which there are storage tanks so the water can be used for the planting, when needed. Housing Design Awards Director David Birkbeck said: “This summer we’ve seen many examples of climate change bringing tropical downpours. This is the first scheme in Britain with a strategy to make sure those cloudbursts don’t soak through under your front door. It’s an exemplar of designing for climate change with a 360 degree vision, such as its clever ventilation strategies so homes won’t overheat, now a real issue for nearly all new-builds. If I were buying a new home and worrying about climate change and how that would affect my comfort in my home, I’d be confident Knights Park wouldn’t leave me sweltering at night.’ Knights Park in Eddington is an exemplar of sustainable architecture and urban design for the 2020’s and beyond. A zero-carbon neighbourhood which has been thoughtfully planned is set within a network of social, tree-lined streets. The urban grid is anchored by a car-free landscaped avenue that connects cycle and pedestrian routes to nearby local amenities: schools, health centre, supermarket and shops alongside a community hall and hotel. Dr Gemma Jerome, Director of Building with Nature said: “Our quality standards have been created to award projects at both the design and post-construction stages of development. Given that Knights Park is already built and occupied, meaning their planning application came forward before much of the current environmental and climate legislation was in place, we were super impressed with the high standard and holistic design approach evident across the scheme. Knights Park delivers a new neighbourhood which will act as a benchmark for development for years to come. Without compromising on the design quality of the built environment, Knights Park successfully demonstrates what is possible when a scheme positively responds to the climate and ecological emergency, meeting the needs of both the existing and future local communities.” Andy Hill, Chief Executive of Hill Group, commented: “It’s a great honour and a privilege to receive this award from such a prestigious array of judges. Working in collaboration with Pollard Thomas Edwards and Alison Brooks Architects, we have created a scheme with the highest standards in design and sustainability we are immensely proud of. Delivering functional homes that have a reduced impact on the environment is something we are known for, and it is terrific that Knights Park has been recognised by this expert panel. “Achieving this award would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work performed by the whole team over almost ten years. I would like to congratulate Pollard Thomas Edwards and Alison Brooks Architects for their hard work and commitment, which has resulted in an exemplar scheme for sustainable design. It takes an extraordinary number of businesses, stakeholders and individuals to deliver a scheme the size of Eddington, and we feel immensely proud to have been recognised for this work.” Teresa Borsuk, Senior Advisor of Pollard Thomas Edwards, commented: “Pollard Thomas Edwards and Alison Brooks Architects are delighted to have received this inaugural Housing Design award and respect this recognition by Design for Homes. The whole project team, (including both architectural practices, the many consultants, the client and developer, Hill) have strived to ensure that the success of Knights Park is consistent and “thrutone”, from its fundamental ambitions of sustainable and zero carbon living, through its specific place making and green qualities, to the special and particular enjoyment of each of the homes. A conscientious and considered development where people will truly feel ‘at home’. “ Located in the newly created district of Eddington, the scheme places residents’ wellbeing, sustainability and ecology at the forefront of the design. It uses innovative, seamlessly integrated construction methods to minimise environmental impact and is based around a neighbourhood system for ‘living lightly’. Alison Brooks, Founder and Creative Director Alison Brooks Architects commented: “This Housing Design Award is a wonderful acknowledgement of what can be achieved when a client group prioritises sustainability at every level and invests in architectural quality. We are delighted for the University of Cambridge, Hill, PTE, AECOM and our wider project design team who have all invested a huge amount of care and effort into the realising Knights Park. Collectively we’ve brought exemplary innovation and quality of life to this beautiful new neighbourhood where our housing designs have integrated home working – long before Covid was governing the headlines. ” The new houses include a wide range of sustainable features from high performing robust insulation and triple glazing to photovoltaic panels and mechanical ventilation in addition to heat recovery systems. The energy centre in Eddington delivers heat and hot water to residents, with major system efficiencies reducing C02 and energy wastage. In addition, the development-wide rainwater harvesting and sustainable urban drainage system is currently the largest in the UK and recycles rainwater through natural drainage features before filtering it and returning it to Hill’s new homes for use in washing machines and flushing toilets. An underground refuse system negates the need for wheelie bins and promotes recycling, and the development was designed to cater for pedestrians and cyclists, with interconnecting foot and cycle paths. Prices at Knights Park start from £689,950 for a two-bedroom penthouse apartment. For further information visit www.knightspark-eddington.co.uk or call 01223 607200.
Caddick Construction has been awarded a £2m contract to fit out a warehousing and office unit on the Logistics North industrial park in Bolton. The fit out contract, awarded by Amscreen Group Ltd, follows on from the £3.2m contract won by Caddick in 2020 to design and build the 50,000 sq. ft unit. Logistics North industrial park is one of the largest and most successful developments of its kind to be brought forward in the north of England. Envisaged as a hub for both manufacturing and logistics operations, the scheme will ultimately deliver over 4 million sq. ft of bespoke Grade A industrial buildings in a range of sizes once fully developed, in addition to a 550-acre country park. Built on the former Cutacre surface mine site where deep mining operations have also taken place, the scheme has already delivered over 3m sq. ft of commercial space since receiving initial outline planning consent in December 2013. Once fully developed, the site is expected to deliver over £300m of Gross Value Added to the local economy in addition to over 7,000 jobs. The quality of the development and the site’s location at the heart of the region’s motorway network has been key to attracting some of the World’s leading logistics companies including Amazon, Lidl and Whistl. Some 5,500 people are now employed on site. Said Caddick Construction (North West) Managing Director Ian Threadgold: “Demand for high quality logistics and industrial space in the North West shows no sign of letting up, and with households names such as Aldi, Lidl and Amazon already on site, it is testament to both the location and quality of the units that Logistics North has to offer. He added: “We are delighted to be taking on the fit out contract for this latest unit on behalf of Amscreen as it’s always great to fully complete and deliver on a project from the initial ground-breaking right through to the final lick of paint.”
A Midlands-based property and land company has strengthened its senior team with two promotions. Richard Mees has been promoted to Chief Executive at Rainier Developments Ltd and Josh Sinnett becomes Managing Director. Both have been with the company — which has its headquarters in Henley-in-Arden — since its early days, with Richard previously Managing Director and Josh one of the team of Land Directors. Rainier Developments was established in 2015 by Eric Grove, one of the most successful property entrepreneurs in the country. Eric, Richard and Josh have grown the business to become a market leader in property and land development. There are currently 40 sites in its portfolio, which is managed by an in-house land, planning and development team. Richard Mees said: “Josh has been with Rainier since 2017 and was the first person we hired after I had arrived the year before, so his promotion to Managing Director is recognition of how he has helped the business grow. “He has immense experience in this sector and has a significant role to play in our strengthened senior team and as we look to match and improve on the rapid growth that we’ve seen in recent years.” Josh Sinnett, 32, said: “Rainier is a growing business and one with a strong reputation in the sector, so it’s a really good opportunity for me to step up to the role of Managing Director. “We’ve had a particularly successful 18 months, and I’m really looking forward to getting involved in both the strategic sites and the urban development work that we’re doing in the Midlands and in other parts of the country.” Rainier Developments recently secured funding from West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) to build 37 one- and two-bedroom apartments and commercial space in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
New plans have been submitted to support a project to bring a grade I-listed South Yorkshire manor house back into use. Wentworth Woodhouse, near Rotherham, was the seat of the Wentworth family from the 13th century. The manor house was built between 1725 and 1735, incorporating earlier elements dating back to about 1630. King George V and Queen Mary stayed at the house for four days during a visit to the region in 1912, and it was used as a training depot and headquarters of the Intelligence Corps during WWII. It was then used as a private residence until it was sold by the Newbold family to the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust in 2016. In 2018, the trust set out its masterplan to restore the estate and bring it back into use. A new application has now been submitted by the trust to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough for the next step in the project. The new application seeks to regularise the opening of the buildings and garden to the public and for various events. These uses have been taking place at the estate without planning consent in order to provide sustainable income for the Trust. Approval would cover the change of use of the estate from a private residence to allow guided and non-guided tours, garden visits, weddings, events, education workshops, ancillary café within the mansion house and location filming. The plans also include the change of use of the Camellia House to a café and event space with associated facilities, as well as the demolition of Lady Mabel College teaching accommodation and provision of a new car park to the north west of the stable block. A planning statement accompanying the application said: “The proposed change of use of the Camellia House in the wider proposals including the demolition of the 1970s Teaching Accommodation and the provision of a main visitor car park and further changes of use across the site focused on bringing the Estate into public use, will have an exceptional impact on local character and distinctiveness, allowing people to experience and engage with one of the foremost historic country estates in England in a manner previously unknown. “The proposals will lead to major and wholly positive benefits which would substantially outweigh any perceived ‘less than substantial harm’.” The application has been supported by Acer Town Planning and Donald Install Associates. The government previously awarded a £7.6m grant toward urgent repairs in 2016, with funding also received from the National Trust, Heritage Lottery Fund and the Architectural Heritage Fund.
Staffordshire-based handrail and balustrades specialists, SMART Balustrades, has started work to deliver more than 1,000 metres of stainless-steel balustrades at a luxury waterside residential development in Nottingham. Working alongside Leeds-based property developer KMRE Group and construction company Crown Construction, SMART Balustrades is supplying and installing all of the glass and stainless-steel balustrades for all balconies at The Yacht Club, which boasts uninterrupted views across the River Trent. Featuring 81 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including penthouses, The Yacht Club is situated on Trent Lane and will offer residents a luxurious waterside lifestyle in a convenient location, close to city amenities. All of the south-facing apartments at the development feature either a large private balcony or terrace, with two installation teams now on site from SMART Balustrades to complete the construction of the balustrades quickly and efficiently. “This is our first project working with both KMRE and Crown Construction, and in terms of size and the number of balconies involved, it’s certainly our biggest project of the year so far,” said David Hough, managing director at SMART Balustrades. “The stunning, uninterrupted views that these new apartments will provide will be priceless, so we’re installing stainless steel balustrades with clear glass infill panels to terraces and balconies to really open them up and make the most of the vistas. We are also providing balustrades to the development’s internal staircases as well, giving a clean and modern look to the communal areas of the building.” Set up in 2017 by David and his brother, Jonathan Hough, and with over 120 years of experience in the balustrades industry, SMART has a sustained demand for its specialist services, both in the commercial and residential sectors. Having recently taken on two new recruits, with another installation engineer joining the team this month, the company continues to grow and is on track to achieve its 2021 targets. “SMART has just celebrated its fourth birthday and everyone is thrilled with the company’s performance and growth in that time. Managing and fulfilling a project of this size is a testament to that success. After a difficult 18 months for many businesses, we are eagerly looking ahead to the future, continuing to meet and excel our goals and expanding our team of skilled craftspeople and delivering excellent customer service to our burgeoning client portfolio,” continued David. “We are delighted to be working with well-known, industry leading companies such as KMRE and Crown Construction, helping to provide unique and beautiful new homes in an idyllic waterside location.”
