Harmony Energy Signs 40 Year Lease Keyland Developments, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister company to Yorkshire Water, has agreed a 40 year lease to Harmony Energy for the construction of a battery storage facility at a five acre site adjacent to Creyke Beck substation in Cottingham
HG Construction has been named as the main contractor on SCAPE’s new student accommodation scheme in Leeds which will top 100m high and provide 693 bedrooms for local students. The Merrion Street development will be Scape’s first student accommodation scheme in Leeds and HG Construction’s first development in the city.
Timber and panel product import volumes continued to show a steady decline in Q4 2021 as more ‘regular’ demand returns to the market, according to the latest Timber Trade Federation (TTF) statistics. The latest TTF statistics found the volume of timber and panel products imported into the UK declined by
HS2 Ltd launched its fourth Innovation Accelerator programme as the company behind Britain’s new high speed rail network seeks fresh thinking on three aspects of the project’s delivery. Working with the Collected Places Catapult, HS2 Ltd is seeking five innovative SMEs to develop digital solutions to: supply chain management risk
Planning permission has been granted for the refurbishment and extension of The Scores Hotel at St Andrews, Scotland; a historic property that occupies a unique position, a few yards from the first tee at the Old Course, overlooking the legendary Royal & Ancient Golf Clubhouse and North Sea coastline. The
Cruden Building (West), part of the Cruden Group, has been appointed by Calvay Housing Association, to deliver a £7.9m affordable housing contract at Garvel Crescent and Blyth Road in the Barlanark area of Glasgow. The brownfield sites will be developed to include 37 units of affordable housing at Garvel Crescent
The UK’s largest self and custom build development site, Graven Hill, recently hosted Homes England, showcasing what the site has to offer to prospective self and custom builders. Homes England, an executive non-departmental government body, is sponsored by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. It works closely with
If you’re considering extending or renovating your home, Hillingdon Council’s building control team can help you complete your project to the best and safest standards. The council’s in-house team is well trusted by property and construction professionals throughout the borough and can give your project the help it needs, from
National Apprenticeship Week 2022 is the 15th annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships. This week brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. This year’s National Apprenticeship Week theme will be ‘build the
Joseph Mews Property Group announces appointment by Consortia Developments Birmingham property investment group Joseph Mews has been appointed by London-based property development company Consortia Developments. The newly formed group, which is based within the Jewellery Quarter, is to work with Consortia Developments to bring the new Lockside Wharf apartments in
Harmony Energy Signs 40 Year Lease Keyland Developments, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister company to Yorkshire Water, has agreed a 40 year lease to Harmony Energy for the construction of a battery storage facility at a five acre site adjacent to Creyke Beck substation in Cottingham near Hull. When constructed it will be one of the largest battery storage facilities in Europe. Harmony Energy has secured planning consent from East Riding of Yorkshire Council for a total of 100MW of battery storage. The development will enable energy from renewables, like solar and wind, to be stored and then released when customers need power most, helping the UK transition to net zero. Yorkshire-based Harmony Energy develops, builds, owns, and operates utility-scale renewable energy assets across the UK. The new facility will have the capacity to store up to 200MWh of power to feed directly back onto the network via the adjacent Creyke Beck substation, making the site’s location ideal for this development. Peter Garrett, Managing Director at Keyland Developments, said: “We’re very pleased to get this deal across the line; the energy sector represents an exciting new business area for us to explore and we look forward to sourcing further opportunities from within Kelda Group’s extensive landholding.” Keyland Developments was advised by Carter Jonas’ Infrastructure and Energy team. Carter Jonas’ energy specialist Simon Currie said: ”We are delighted to have advised Keyland on the development and promotion of this significant energy development site. The project is a prime example of the opportunity that presents itself to landowners and developers with sites adjacent to major grid substations, given the increasing demand for energy storage and frequency management on the grid.” Keyland Developments Ltd is the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister company to Yorkshire Water. Keyland has been operating across Yorkshire for over 20 years, regenerating Yorkshire Water’s redundant sites. In addition to its work transforming former Yorkshire Water land, the team also works alongside independent landowners, corporates or regulated bodies to overcome obstacles to development on strategic sites in order to facilitate regeneration by securing planning consent for future use.
HG Construction has been named as the main contractor on SCAPE’s new student accommodation scheme in Leeds which will top 100m high and provide 693 bedrooms for local students. The Merrion Street development will be Scape’s first student accommodation scheme in Leeds and HG Construction’s first development in the city. The scheme, which will be built on the site of the former Santander building, comprises purpose-built student accommodation including shared amenity spaces built across two blocks, with two retail units on the ground floors. The tallest of the two blocks will be 32 storeys, making it HG Construction’s tallest development to date and amongst the tallest buildings in Leeds. The second block will be 11 storeys high. The new scheme is set to make an impressive addition to the Leeds skyline, with striking unitized glass facades on the high-rise building. Shared facilities will include a cinema, communal kitchens, gym, study and breakout spaces, a fourth-floor terrace with outside space, and cycle storage at ground level. SCAPE is one of the UK’s leading student accommodation providers, focusing on the quality of the student experience and their personal well-being. The Leeds scheme will be the 10th scheme that HG Construction has delivered for SCAPE. The company is currently building a 774-bed student accommodation led scheme for SCAPE in Canada Street, London and has recently finished a student accommodation and co-living scheme with 500 beds in Guilford. Adam Quinn, Managing Director, HG Construction said: “We are delighted to be partnering with SCAPE to deliver this iconic new student accommodation scheme in Leeds. SCAPE has an excellent reputation for developing high quality, innovative student accommodation schemes which provide an exceptional living experience for students across the UK. We are proud to be involved in this significant new development in Leeds, our first project in the city, and we look forward to working with SCAPE and the wider team to bring this scheme to life.” Adam Brockley, Global CDO, SCAPE said: “We look forward to continuing our partnership with HG Construction to bring to life our vision for a new student accommodation scheme at this landmark site in Leeds. HG Construction has earned an impeccable reputation for its forward-thinking design and innovative developments that go above and beyond anybody’s expectations. We are proud to be bringing our high-quality accommodation to a city so well-known for its vibrant student life as we continue with our ambitious plans to develop the global Scape offering.”
Timber and panel product import volumes continued to show a steady decline in Q4 2021 as more ‘regular’ demand returns to the market, according to the latest Timber Trade Federation (TTF) statistics. The latest TTF statistics found the volume of timber and panel products imported into the UK declined by 158,000m3 in November 2021 as compared to October 2021. Despite these declines, with 768,000m3 of timber and panel products imported into the UK in November 2021, the total volume of imports reported in 2021 exceeds 11 million m3. Most products categories are also nearing record import volumes in 2021 even as they enter more regular trade patterns – including the usual winter decline. Softwood import volumes fell to 471,000 m3– a 90,000 m3 reduction from the previous month – and this trend was carried across product categories ranging from particleboard to OSB and MDF. TTF head of trade and technical policy Nick Boulton said: “It is normal for timber and panel product imports to tail off towards the winter months as construction demand slows amidst the festive season, and as colder weather deters home and garden renovations. “The fall in the volumes of imports in Q4 2021 also likely reflects the state of supply lines in the structural softwood market which appeared to be largely saturated at that time. “As the weather improves and demand for timber climbs, we can expect to see timber imports rebound in our trade statistics, which is a regular pattern for the timber industry. “Over the coming year we expect to see a comparatively stable market – but this doesn’t mean there won’t be any squeeze on the supply chain particularly amidst rising international demand. “We will be exploring all these trends in full in our next Market Statement, which will come out next month.” Members can read the full report and more on the TTF Statistics Hub: https://ttf.co.uk/statistics/
HS2 Ltd launched its fourth Innovation Accelerator programme as the company behind Britain’s new high speed rail network seeks fresh thinking on three aspects of the project’s delivery. Working with the Collected Places Catapult, HS2 Ltd is seeking five innovative SMEs to develop digital solutions to: supply chain management risk management and decision making information exchange and insights HS2 innovation manager, Jonathan Kelly, said: “Fourteen SMEs who graduated from HS2’s first three Accelerator programmes have since attracted over £50million in commercial trials, investments and grants following their four-month stint honing their products. “HS2 is massive whichever way you look at it, be it duration, geography or workforce. We’re looking to build on this success with the Accelerator’s fourth cohort providing innovative solutions to the challenges of information sharing across this vast project.” At the end of four months working inside HS2’s Accelerator the firms will present their innovations to the project’s tier one suppliers, as well as investors and wider industry, to take forward for further development and potential deployment to deliver the railway. The application portal opens on Tuesday 1st February and closes on Monday 28th February.
Planning permission has been granted for the refurbishment and extension of The Scores Hotel at St Andrews, Scotland; a historic property that occupies a unique position, a few yards from the first tee at the Old Course, overlooking the legendary Royal & Ancient Golf Clubhouse and North Sea coastline. The scheme, designed by TODD Architects, has been conceived to become a world-class facility to complement the existing hospitality and leisure offer in St Andrews for local residents and visitors. It will be developed on behalf of the hotel’s new owners, a joint venture between Links Collection Capital and Northern Ireland based property investment company, Wirefox, who purchased the historic property last year. Fife Council’s planning officers approved the application under delegated powers and work will now commence to reconfigure the hotel’s existing rooms and add a five-storey extension at the rear to create a 5* luxury hotel with 51rooms. TODD Architects is working closely on the detailed design with interior design studio, Goddard Littlefair, to develop a unique and contemporary scheme inspired by the history and splendour of the locale. Andrew Murray, Director at TODD Architects, said: “We are delighted to see this scheme gain approval and are grateful to Fife Council’s Planning Team for their collaborative approach and the input of the various Consultees to ensure an efficient and positive planning process for all parties. “The Scores Hotel has been in existence since the mid 1930s and we fully understand the responsibility of restoring such an important and well-loved building for the local community and the tourism trade in the area. This is made all the more poignant as this year the home of golf hosts the 150th Open on the historic links of the Old Course and we will continue to work proactively with both the R&A, local stakeholders and the wider St Andrews community as the scheme progresses.” Joanne McBurney, Development Director at Wirefox, said: “We welcome the positive decision taken by planners at Fife Council and we are delighted to be able to realise our aim to create a world-class facility to complement the existing offer in St Andrews and the site’s location overlooking golf’s most famous course. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the local residents and community groups we have liaised with over recent months.” TODD Architects’ design will see bedroom floors in the existing terrace reconfigured to increase room sizes in keeping with 5-Star requirements and better benefit from the amazing views over The Old Course and North Sea Coastline. The rear extension will sit discretely to the rear of the main hotel and features a simple, contemporary look with materiality that is distinct from the original fabric but complementing its forms and features. A mansard roof creates a lighter finish to the building, and articulation creates a strong vertical rhythm accentuated with recessed and projecting elements for the outer wall. The ground floor will contain space for a new destination restaurant and a flexible multi-purpose area that can be used for small weddings or reconfigured into rooms of differing sizes for corporate bookings. Patrons of the ground-floor rooms can spill out into the freshly landscaped, south-facing garden. A predominantly glazed link forms a delicate connection between the original hotel and the new wing. The design includes the creation of a modest new stone and glass entrance in a simple contemporary style, reconfigured to contain a dedicated staircase to an upper bar and restaurant. Andrew Murray concludes: “Whilst a truly special hotel, it has been subject to a series of unsympathetic and piecemeal changes and additions, leading to many of the lovely Victorian spaces being carved up into awkward shapes with difficult access and many level changes. The hierarchy of spaces, dramatic settings and potentially amazing views have been lost. Our aim is to bring it back to its full potential, respecting the existing fabric whilst making sure our contemporary additions sit gracefully within the hotel grounds and the wider conservation area. “It is a rare opportunity to contribute to the ongoing story of such an important and historic building as The Scores Hotel. Building on our growing portfolio of hospitality and leisure schemes throughout the UK, we have drawn on our experience to enhance and add value to the property with a workable layout and additions that respect the proud history of the site and St Andrews, the home of Golf.”
Cruden Building (West), part of the Cruden Group, has been appointed by Calvay Housing Association, to deliver a £7.9m affordable housing contract at Garvel Crescent and Blyth Road in the Barlanark area of Glasgow. The brownfield sites will be developed to include 37 units of affordable housing at Garvel Crescent with a further 6 units being constructed on the Blyth Road site. The new energy-efficient homes will comprise a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses and cottage flats. The development will also have dedicated landscaped parking courts. The Glasgow based design team for this project included the award-winning practice, MAST Architects, and Clyde Design Partnership. Work is due to start on site in March 2022 and is expected to be completed by Spring 2023. Allan Callaghan, Managing Director of Cruden Building said: “We are excited to start work on this important development and to provide much needed affordable homes that deliver as much on quality, as they do on energy efficiency. “At Cruden, we give back to the communities we build in, and on this project, we will provide a range of community benefits, including valuable apprenticeship opportunities and an additional £5k in funding for Calvay Housing Association to support even more community housing initiatives in the Glasgow area.”
The UK’s largest self and custom build development site, Graven Hill, recently hosted Homes England, showcasing what the site has to offer to prospective self and custom builders. Homes England, an executive non-departmental government body, is sponsored by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. It works closely with stakeholders across the housing sector to help provide the homes England needs, improve neighbourhoods and grow communities. Making self-building more accessible has always been the goal for Graven Hill, with the site seeing the potential that self and custom building has for tackling the UK’s housing crisis, a sentiment shared by Homes England. The visit included a tour of the Graven Hill site, allowing the Homes England team to see first-hand the range of houses available, from self-builds to custom new build homes and apartments. They were also able to watch the delivery of an off-site manufactured home, a popular construction method for many of the development’s self-builders. Homes England was also shown around one of the completed self-builds on site, which won ‘Best Brick Home’ at the Build It Awards in 2021. While self-building isn’t for everyone, that doesn’t mean that people can’t live in a vibrant community packed with personality. Graven Hill’s custom build homes enable people to customise the internal layout and fixtures when purchased early on, without having to commit to a self-build project. Gemma Davis, customer experience director at Graven Hill said: “From the start, we’ve been passionate about providing people with homes that work perfectly for them. It was brilliant to show Homes England the progress we’ve made, and the variety of houses we have available. Putting choice at the core of the development has created a truly unique community, one that we hope will inspire others. “Much of Europe has already embraced self and custom building as a route to home ownership, recognising the benefits that it holds when it comes to meeting people’s individual needs. It’s time that the UK caught up.” Will German, home ownership director at Homes England said: “Being able to see the diversity of homes at Graven Hill was inspiring. The development shows the wide range of possibilities for housing in the UK, when the needs of the buyer are put first. We believe that self and custom building will become an important part of the housing market in future, so we must continue to strive to make it an accessible option.” For more information on the plots and homes available, get in contact with the Graven Hill team.
If you’re considering extending or renovating your home, Hillingdon Council’s building control team can help you complete your project to the best and safest standards. The council’s in-house team is well trusted by property and construction professionals throughout the borough and can give your project the help it needs, from a name you can trust. During the recent COVID-19 lockdowns, many homeowners used the time to build garden offices, gyms and more. In fact, since the onset of the pandemic, the need for more space has prompted record numbers of residents to expand and renovate their homes. Most home renovations require planning permission – which the council’s planning team deals with – but also building regulations approval, which is what the council’s building control team covers. If your project requires building regulations approval, the council’s team of qualified surveyors will give you pre-application advice, check your plans and help you to navigate the process. Why chose Hillingdon Council’s building control team? Experienced in private and public sectors, they know the area, the ground your property is built on and the history of your home. The team prides itself on the service’s fast turnaround times and applications are registered within three days once the fee is paid. Get in touch before 3pm, Monday to Friday, and a site inspection will be carried out the next working day. As a not-for-profit council service, our team gives impartial advice that looks after your interests. Once instructed, a surveyor will make regular site visits to help you and your builder with any technical queries which might arise during construction and ensure it meets all regulations. The surveyor will also ensure that the materials being used are high-quality and that your home is energy-efficient and meets fire safety standards. The surveyor’s site report from each inspection request will be emailed to the address you provide. If anything unexpected arises, the team is always available to troubleshoot any issues early – saving you time and money. Once the works are complete, your surveyor will issue a Completion Certificate, which you are likely to need if you come to sell your home. Trusted and recommended by local businesses. Strong links with local builders and architectural practices who choose to work with our team time and again. Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Housing and Regeneration, said: “Our team is here to put residents’ interests first and ensure that your new home, or renovation work is safe, well-built and cost effective to run. “They will work closely with your contractors to save you time and money and our new reporting system will give you real-time updates so you will know exactly what’s happening on the ground.” For more information and to find out why your home is in safe hands with Hillingdon’s building control, visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/buildingcontrol.
National Apprenticeship Week 2022 is the 15th annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships. This week brings together businesses and apprentices across the country to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy. This year’s National Apprenticeship Week theme will be ‘build the future’; reflecting on how apprenticeships can help individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career, and businesses to develop a talented workforce that is equipped with future-ready skills. There are over 1,200 virtual and in-person events planned targeted at a range of audiences including stakeholders, businesses, training providers and schools. A full events listing can be found here. Last year, industry leaders from the construction industry called on the government to boost apprenticeships following a 40% drop in people joining industry-relevant schemes, (16,000) compared with the five-year average of (22,500). Statistics for the latest academic year are due for publication later this month. During the course of 2021 the government announced £7m funding to support flexible apprenticeship opportunities so that sectors including construction industries could bid for a share of the fund to support the creation of new flexible apprenticeships, intended to unlock opportunities for people to develop the skills they need to get good jobs. The government also reminded businesses to ensure that apprentices are paid at least the National Minimum Wage. This followed the publication of a report from the Low Pay Commission which found that around 1 in 5 apprentices earn less than their legal entitlement sighting several common errors by businesses including: failure to pay the higher age-related minimum wage rate to those apprentices who are aged 19 and over and have completed the first year of their apprenticeship paying the £4.30 per hour minimum wage apprentice rate before or after an apprenticeship actually starts or finishes not paying for all the time worked by an apprentice – training time is working time Robert Candy, Chief Executive of the Scaffolding Association said “The construction industry is suffering from significant skills shortages and apprenticeships can provide an excellent start for many seeking a career in the industry”. A report published by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) last year found that 37% of the construction workforce are over the age of 50 and estimated that 217,000 workers will need to be recruited into the industry over the next 5 years. Robert Candy added “Attracting a new generation of workers is critical but this is only part of the problem – keeping them is just as important. Paying them correctly, providing training that is relevant and embraces modern innovation and technology and ensuring qualifications gained provide access to work are all vital to the growth and success of apprenticeships across all sectors”. For more information on apprenticeships and to get involved in National Apprenticeship Week click here.
Joseph Mews Property Group announces appointment by Consortia Developments Birmingham property investment group Joseph Mews has been appointed by London-based property development company Consortia Developments. The newly formed group, which is based within the Jewellery Quarter, is to work with Consortia Developments to bring the new Lockside Wharf apartments in Birmingham City Centre, to market. The canal-side development, based on Scotland Street, was formerly an office building. Work has already begun to convert it into 16, one-bedroom and two bedroom duplex apartments. There will also be roof extensions, which will house four penthouse-style apartments, and a new building on the adjacent car park, creating an additional 45 homes, three of which will be affordable. Olly Clayton, Partner at Consortia, said: “Lockside Wharf is one of the most exciting new developments for Birmingham city-centre. This is why we’ve partnered with Joseph Mews to help bring it to market. “Aside from their extensive past performance in the city’s development sector, they understand what it takes to help deliver a high-end project such as Lockside Wharf in an increasingly competitive central Birmingham market. “With Lockside Wharf covering nearly 45,000 sq.ft of waterfront space minutes from the highly desirable Jewellery Quarter and Brindleyplace, it represents a truly thoughtful restoration – a unique addition to the local market composed of beautiful warehouse-style apartments. We can’t wait to see Lockside Wharf take shape and how Joseph Mews will help bring this stunning new development to an entirely new audience.” The Joseph Mews Property Group, which officially launched at the start of the year, was set up by former SevenCapital sales director Andy Foote Andy said: “We are really proud to be working alongside such a well established company, and on such a great scheme right in the heart of the city we love so much. Consortia Developments are really creating a fantastic addition to the city with Lockside Wharf being redeveloped, and we are looking forward to working with them to bring such incredible homes to market.” Lockside Wharf is expected to complete in the second quarter of next year. For more details about Joseph Mews email Sales@Joseph-Mews.com or visit www.joseph-mews.com.
