Tungsten Properties, one of the UK’s leading mid-box industrial and warehouse developers, has sold its three-unit industrial development at Eastways Industrial Estate, Witham, Essex, which was pre-let to OMG How Cheap Ltd, the online discount stationery superstore, to a private investor for £7.25 million representing a net initial yield of
Skanska, one of the world’s leading project development and construction groups, is launching a new initiative to make its Mental Health First Aiders more visible. All employees from its infrastructure business who have undertaken Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England’s Mental Health First Aid course, will now be able to
Proposals for a ground-breaking ‘net zero’ housing development, as part of the £1.3bn Granton Waterfront regeneration project in north west Edinburgh, have been granted approval by city planners (12 January 2022). The Granton D1 project is the first Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) pilot which will see the construction of 75
ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland is demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability by spotlighting its ‘Green Team’ – a group of colleague volunteers collectively taking action to help the business operate in a more efficient, innovative, and healthy way. Randen Lannas, Specification Consultant at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions
Entries are now open for The Hire Association Europe Event Hire Association (HAE EHA) annual Hire Awards of Excellence, which are due to take place on Saturday 7th May at Grosvenor House, London and include a brand new category open to all. The awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of hire
Daval Furniture, award-winning British designer and manufacturer of quality fitted furniture predicts furniture trends, with a rise in made-to-measure furniture for the kitchen, living space and bedroom as UK consumers seek interior solutions that optimise space management in 2022. Simon Bodsworth, Managing Director at Daval says: KITCHENS: Painted kitchens will embrace the mellow
Construction work is progressing well at a development in Edenbridge, where over three quarters of the new homes for sale are now reserved. Bellway Kent is building 319 homes at Oakley Park, off St Johns Way, where 159 of the 199 private homes have been purchased – and where new
There is nothing worse than having your home invaded by pests, as it can cause not only damage to your home, but can also spread disease to you, your family, and your pets. As a homeowner, an encounter with pests is more than likely inevitable at some point, but there
Tungsten Properties, one of the UK’s leading mid-box industrial and warehouse developers, has sold its three-unit industrial development at Eastways Industrial Estate, Witham, Essex, which was pre-let to OMG How Cheap Ltd, the online discount stationery superstore, to a private investor for £7.25 million representing a net initial yield of 4.75%. The three high specification logistics units total 45,000 sq ft and were completed in December 2021 with OMG How Cheap set to officially move into its new space in Q1 2022. The development was funded by Tungsten’s balance sheet, alongside its £50 million revolving credit facility with Fortwell Capital. Justin McVeigh, associate development director at Tungsten Properties said: “The sale of our Witham development is credit to Tungsten’s project team who built it during challenging conditions, ready for the simultaneous sale to the private investor and completion of OMG How Cheap’s lease. It is great news for the tenant which will have a more efficient building in terms of both energy and operations while generating more jobs for the local area. We wish both OMG, and the new purchaser, every success.” Savills acted on behalf of Tungsten Properties; Atlas Real Estate acted on behalf of the private investor. Glencar Construction was the contractor.
Skanska, one of the world’s leading project development and construction groups, is launching a new initiative to make its Mental Health First Aiders more visible. All employees from its infrastructure business who have undertaken Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England’s Mental Health First Aid course, will now be able to display a Mental Health First Aider sticker on their construction hard hat. Skanska has been working with MHFA England since 2016, when it began a campaign to place greater focus on mental health and wellbeing. It wanted to remove the stigma attached to mental ill health. In February of that year, it became one of the first construction companies to sign the ‘Time to Change’ pledge, after Skanska UK’s President and CEO, Gregor Craig, had been inspired to act by his personal experiences of mental ill health. The launch of this simple signposting initiative is a further indication of Skanska’s commitment to putting its people at the heart of the business. Through its sector leading mental health and wellbeing strategy, led by Tricia O’Neill, UK Head of Health Risk Management, Skanska is creating a working culture where its 3,300 UK employees feel valued, able to contribute and reach their potential. The project has been rolled out across Skanska’s M42 Junction 6 Improvement Scheme.– a £255 million project to improve junction 6 of the M42. The scheme, delivered on behalf of National Highways, provides a comprehensive upgrade of the junction near Birmingham Airport, allowing better movement of traffic on and off the A45. Out of the hundred or so people currently working on the project, eight are Mental Health First Aiders. From today they will proudly display their qualification sticker on their safety helmets. This means that everyone on site, no matter their role, will know who they can talk to, should they need support. Speaking about Skanska’s wellbeing and mental health strategy and the wider challenges faced by people in the construction sector, Tricia O’Neill said, “As a contractor, you are starting new jobs all the time and having to drop into new places and sites without a network. It’s difficult to build communities. You will often spend long periods away from your family, friends, and your GP. If you’re only there for a few months, people may not get to know you, meaning recognising if someone is struggling and offering the right support and signposting becomes more difficult.” Acknowledging the need for training to be part of the Skanska approach, focus groups were organised to discuss introducing mental health training. Tricia was pleased with the enthusiasm, saying, “60 people turned up, so it immediately felt like we were beginning to talk about the right things. We booked some half day courses with MHFA England, and by May 2016 we had developed our mental health network and had a real groundswell of positive opinion.” Through MHFA England training, Skanska began to empower a network of mental health ambassadors. They gained the skills and knowledge to spot the signs of mental ill health, including stress and anxiety, and offer support and guidance to a range of wellbeing initiatives offered by Skanska. These include the employee assistance programme run by UK provider Health Assured, which offers around-the-clock support and counselling. Since 2016, more than 55% of employees at Skanska have been trained in the MHFA England Mental Health Aware course or as Mental Health First Aiders. It has been a KPI for all line managers and executive staff to attend MHFA England training. “My vision is to have mental health literacy across our network and cover all sites at Skanska ensuring resources are available to everyone no matter where they work,” reflected Tricia. Ken Reid, Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager, who is a trained Mental Health First Aider and works on the M42 highways improvement scheme said, “Having our Mental Health First Aiders visible on site is helping to normalise conversations around mental ill health and remove the stigma surrounding it. The sticker easily identifies those who are trained and can provide support. People know who to speak to quickly, and if necessary, discreetly, so that they can get the help they need.” Ken goes on to talk about the benefits of becoming a Mental Health First Aider, “The last couple of years have been tough. We have noticed that more people than ever are coming forward to say they feel lonely and isolated. The training from Mental Health First Aid England has given me greater awareness of others’ emotional wellbeing. My fellow Mental Health First Aiders and I listen and offer guidance on where to get the right support. It can be as simple as offering to have a cuppa and a chat with a colleague – as the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved.” Skanska UK Highways Director, Glennan Blackmore said, “The idea of stickers, identifying Mental Health First Aiders is such a simple one but the impact for those on site could be potentially life changing. My hope is that this initiative will be adopted across the industry, helping to reduce the stigma surrounding mental ill health.” Simon Blake, Chief Executive of MHFA England said: “It is wonderful to see Skanska’s ongoing commitment to the mental health of its people. It’s ambition to train its staff in mental health awareness is impressive. The training will only create change if people know where to turn if they need support and feel safe and confident doing so. This initiative helps that. I love the simplicity of it and hope that it will be rolled out more widely across the sector.” National Highways Programme Leader Anita Prashar, said, “At National Highways we want everyone to get Home Safe and Well. This is a great initiative and we’re delighted to support it. The mental health of our colleagues is incredibly important.” Find out more about Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England training at www.mhfaengland.org
Proposals for a ground-breaking ‘net zero’ housing development, as part of the £1.3bn Granton Waterfront regeneration project in north west Edinburgh, have been granted approval by city planners (12 January 2022). The Granton D1 project is the first Edinburgh Home Demonstrator (EHD) pilot which will see the construction of 75 net zero carbon homes and three retail units in Granton. The project is led by the City of Edinburgh Council with support from construction and academic partners and is part of the Council’s ambitions to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2027. The project is being undertaken in partnership with CCG (Scotland) Ltd to test this new business model for building affordable, net zero homes. A large proportion of the construction will be carried out off site in a factory setting reducing the overall time it takes to build the homes. The homes will also include zero emissions heating. This will help to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and support the city’s 2030 net zero target. The pilot is also supported by a team from Napier University that will analyse the energy performance to validate and inform the net zero carbon strategy for future EHD projects. The EHD project aims to deliver 1,000 affordable net zero carbon homes across the six council areas in the City Region Deal. With an ambitious target to become a ‘net zero’ city by 2030, both of these developments, alongside the 444-home Western Villages development, will act as a blueprint for future sustainable development and help Scotland to transition towards a greener economy. Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener for the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, said: Making homes more sustainable will help us to meet our net zero targets, but the most important thing is that our tenants will benefit. With the cost of living rising sharply, making the running costs of homes more affordable will help tenants on low incomes, preventing fuel poverty. This pilot, and the learning we hope to take from it, is a really important step for us on our journey to making all of our housing stock more energy efficient, and better for tenants to live in. We have incredibly ambitious plans which form the bedrock of our housing strategy over the next ten years. There is a critical need for more affordable homes in Edinburgh and we are responding to that through our commitment to deliver 20,000 social and affordable homes by 2027. Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener for the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, said: The Granton D1 development will provide affordable places to live for everyone with over 60% being for social rent. The development is part of the wider Granton Waterfront regeneration, which includes the creation of one of Europe’ s largest new coastal city parks. We hope to provide residents and visitors with the chance to reconnect with the city’s waterfront and take advantage of the new leisure and outdoor experiences that will be on offer – altogether fostering an environment that will benefit everyone’s health, community spirit and wellbeing. Councillor Neil Gardiner, Convener for the Planning Committee, said: This sustainable development is a great addition to our major regeneration of Granton Waterfront to create a coastal town with lots of green and open space. It was good to see the committee unanimously backing the project which will provide the area with much needed affordable net zero homes as well retail units providing businesses opportunities and employment locally. Calum Murray, CCG (Scotland) Director and Edinburgh Climate Commissioner, said: The approval of Granton D1 is another important milestone for the City of Edinburgh Council and CCG. By working collaboratively alongside our partners, we are pioneering the delivery of affordable, net zero homes in Scotland and the Council is to be congratulated for taking these necessary first steps in delivery of our country’s net zero carbon ambitions. CCG is delighted to be leading the design and build of Granton D1 where we will provide a cutting-edge demonstration in the use of fabric first design and construction technology. We look forward to advancing works on-site in the very near future. The approval made at the Development Management Sub-Committee on Wednesday 12 January and construction of Granton D1 is expected to begin in Spring 2022. The Granton Waterfront regeneration project also includes the refurbishment of the Granton Station building and the Granton Gasholder restoration project, which is currently lighting up the skyline in a joint project with Edinburgh College. The wider proposals will bring over 3000 additional homes and create one of Europe’ s largest coastal city parks linking Granton Harbour to Cramond and Lauriston Castle, reconnecting the city with its waterfront and providing opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy spectacular views across the Forth while experiencing enhanced leisure and outdoor activities.
ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland is demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability by spotlighting its ‘Green Team’ – a group of colleague volunteers collectively taking action to help the business operate in a more efficient, innovative, and healthy way. Randen Lannas, Specification Consultant at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions UK & Ireland, is a ‘Green Team’ member and ‘Green Champion’ for the business, helping to develop its Sustainability and Environmental strategy. With over 16 years’ experience in door and hardware specification, Randen’s day-to-day job involves specification consultation of high security doors, general door hardware and electronic access control to architectural and construction professionals. His role as ‘Green Champion’ is heavily intertwined with specification consultancy, helping the company to achieve its sustainability and environmental goals, as well as advising clients on the most sustainable option. He explains: “Being a ‘Green Champion’ means I dedicate myself to aiding ASSA ABLOY’s commitment to sustainability, passing it onto our professionals through our specification services and ensuring green products are offered. “By specifying many of ASSA ABLOY’s Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certified products, we’re able to contribute confidently to Green Building. ASSA ABLOY are members of all Global Green Building Councils such as BREEAM®, LEED®, and GreenStar to name a few.” An Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) presents quantified environmental data for products based on information from a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and promotes transparency. Randen adds: “Looking to the future, ASSA ABLOY’s commitment to green specification will continue to greatly contribute to the communities we live in, by enhancing energy efficiency, water efficiency, waste reduction, indoor environment quality, materials and resources and many more.” For more information on ASSA ABLOY Door Group, please visit https://bit.ly/3hVybbC.
Entries are now open for The Hire Association Europe Event Hire Association (HAE EHA) annual Hire Awards of Excellence, which are due to take place on Saturday 7th May at Grosvenor House, London and include a brand new category open to all. The awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of hire and supply companies across the UK’s plant, tool, equipment and event hire industries, and give the opportunity for recognition to individuals who have consistently stood out from the crowd by achieving some of the highest standards in the industry. After the last two years’ awards were forced to be held as virtually, excitement is building for this year’s awards, which will be hosted by comedian Jo Caufield. There are 16 categories altogether, including Hire Industry Product of the Year, Best use of New Media and the coveted Hire Industry Supplier of the Year Award. A complete list of all this year’s categories and the entry requirements can be found here. New for 2022, HAE EHA has introduced the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative Awards. Any company wishing to enter this latest category will need to demonstrate how its organisation sets the standards for diversity and inclusion within the industry, going above and beyond to facilitate improvements and inspire change. Entries that cover one, some or all aspects of diversity provision within the hire sector are welcomed. A range of sponsorship options is also available this year including individual category sponsorships as well as larger packages, providing the opportunity for sponsors to tactically position their brands at this prestigious event. The closing date for entries is 28th January, with judging taking place in February and the finalists announced in March. Applications can be made online at: www.awards.hae.org.uk For any queries regarding the awards or sponsorship please contact: awards@hae.org.uk
Daval Furniture, award-winning British designer and manufacturer of quality fitted furniture predicts furniture trends, with a rise in made-to-measure furniture for the kitchen, living space and bedroom as UK consumers seek interior solutions that optimise space management in 2022. Simon Bodsworth, Managing Director at Daval says: KITCHENS: Painted kitchens will embrace the mellow and gentle hues of nature where land meets the sky so look out for shades of grey, cream, green and blue echoing the colours of the British countryside. When it comes to material, timber will be a go-to solution providing both traditional grounding for modern in-frame kitchens, as well as a tactile and organic contrast to pared back linear schemes with Scandi-style undertones and eco-attributes. Two key looks will dominate the kitchen market next year – Refined Country, inspired by the timeless beauty of painted Shaker-inspired furniture and Natural Renewal, in which recycled materials and tactile surface treatments and finishes take precedence. It’s safe to say the market is enjoying the ability to create whole-house interior design schemes so that the kitchen living space now includes added-value living areas like a home bar or utility/boot room with ease. Broken plan and open plan will continue to evolve with elegant and versatile made-to-measure, made-to-order furniture serving real needs in custom kitchen design. Still the cornerstone of the modern home, optimizing how the kitchen space can adapt with your lifestyle to create a supportive environment with ample storage and worktop space to accommodate family life is going to be vital next year and one of the furniture trends. Post pandemic life will bring a deeper appreciation of the capabilities of custom-made furniture, alongside the introduction of hygienic surfaces and hardworking kitchen storage like walk-in pantries. LIVING: Hybrid home-office lifestyles have brought new options to the meaning of a healthy work/life balance, and this is set to continue next year with flexible interior spaces becoming increasingly important. In fact, we are getting requests to assist customers with personalised garden rooms to work as an outside office or entertaining space. This alone underlines the markets determination to optimise indoor outdoor living all year around and offer a home office which is separate from the main building, for extra privacy and comfort. Beautifully designed media rooms, home offices and space for outside entertaining will all see resurgence next year as one of the furniture trends and built-in furniture is your answer to achieving both style and function affordably. There is real benefit to selecting furniture which is designed around the evolving needs of your growing family or changing lifestyle and so carefully curated personal spaces will become standard fare next year. BEDROOMS: In 2022, the master bedroom is all about quality time with considered space management becoming critical to enhancing wellbeing at home. This will see a rise in tactile surfaces with silky-soft finishes and ergonomic handles topping the charts alongside easy-to-use storage components, which help create a deluxe space built for comfort and relaxation. Added to that, tailor-made dressing tables, walk-in wardrobes and fitted drawer systems will evoke a five-star feel to the home, so regardless of any potential travel restrictions, you can enjoy a boutique look and feel at your leisure. I believe the sustainability theme in interior design and growing responsibility to reduce carbon footprints at home and in business, has already encouraged more people to ‘shop local’ and Buy British. This has led to a greater appreciation for family-run British manufacturers in the creative industries both regionally and nationwide.
Construction work is progressing well at a development in Edenbridge, where over three quarters of the new homes for sale are now reserved. Bellway Kent is building 319 homes at Oakley Park, off St Johns Way, where 159 of the 199 private homes have been purchased – and where new residents have already moved into 130 of those properties. The housebuilder is also providing 120 affordable homes at the Edenbridge development, available for local people – 41 for shared ownership and 79 for affordable rent – which are now all built and handed over. A selection of one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three, four and five-bedroom houses are being constructed at the development with work set to conclude at the end of 2022. “Having now been on site at Oakley Park since 2018, the whole team have been working flat out to continue to meet the demand that we have seen from buyers who are eager to move to a growing community here in Edenbridge,” said Mark Harrop, Sales Director for Bellway Kent. “We have witnessed interest from a diverse range of buyers who have been impressed with the selection of homes available. It has been important to offer something for everyone, with first-time buyers, upsizers and growing families looking to snap up their dream home. “Oakley Park is in a very good location due to its proximity to Edenbridge rail station, where commuters can travel to London Bridge station in less than an hour. The development also benefits from a wide of local amenities on the doorstep, whilst retaining its rural feel as it is situated on the north-west edge of the town. We expect Oakley Park to continue to sell quickly, so we would advise all prospective buyers to contact the sales team and arrange to visit the development.” A selection of properties is currently available, with prices starting from £374,995 for a two-bedroom mid-terrace Romney house type.
There is nothing worse than having your home invaded by pests, as it can cause not only damage to your home, but can also spread disease to you, your family, and your pets. As a homeowner, an encounter with pests is more than likely inevitable at some point, but there are ways to prevent these pest invasions from occurring. Continue reading to learn how to protect your home from pest invasions. Start With Your Yard It should be stated that if your yard is not attractive to nuisance pests, they will be much less likely to make their way into your home. One of the best ways to make your yard less attractive is to get rid of easy sources of food and shelter for nuisance wildlife. Clean up any fallen leaves, brush piles, or any debris laying around your yard. These are food and shelter havens for rodents, snakes, and insects. Picking up any fallen fruit from fruit trees is also a very simple fix. Be sure to secure your pet’s food so it is not left outside all night. By doing these simple steps, you will decrease the attractiveness of your yard, and more than likely prevent a pest invasion. Inspect Your Home The most important step you can take to protect your home from pest invasions is to give your house a thorough examination, in which you will want to check for any entry points that allow easy access for pests. If you would prefer a professional pest control company to examine your home and perform prevention services, be sure to reach out to a pest control company like Mighty Men Pest Control. You can begin by checking the exterior of your house. Pay special attention to the roofline, roof, and all along your attic. These are some of the more common places that nuisance wildlife find entrance into homes. Look specifically for loose siding, loose shingles, and any gaps, cracks, and holes you may find along the exterior. Most problem areas should be easily repaired, but some may require professional work done. Next, it would be wise to perform the same inspection on the interior of your home. When examining the inside, be sure to pay special attention to the attic, as attics provide an excellent refuge for all kinds of pests. If you find any problem areas in your attic, you can repair them on your own, or you might want to call a professional repairman. Simply inspecting your home for problem areas can protect you from pest invasions quite well! In fact a visit to stuart pest control will make sure all these critters are taken care of once and for all!!!…. Pest Removal If, despite all of your precautions, your home does undergo a pest invasion, there is no need to panic. You have two options you can choose from: DIY wildlife pests removal or hiring a professional wildlife removal company. There are pros and cons to both options, but the general recommendation is to hire a wildlife removal company, as they have the skills and experience to get your pest infestation taken care of in a cost-effective manner, while keeping you, your family, and your pets safe from any harmful diseases the pests are carrying. If you are interested in a professional, well-done removal job, it would be wise to reach out to a pest control company like Complete Wildlife Removal. Learn About Pests One of the best ways you can protect yourself from pest invasions is to read up on different types of nuisance pests you may encounter. Visit getridofpests.com to learn more about insect pests, as well as a variety of other nuisance wildlife. When you learn the behaviors of these pest animals, you will be able to understand what motivates them to come into your home, and how you can attempt to prevent this from occurring. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
