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April 8, 2022
First Completions at Nottingham Luxury Waterside Scheme

First Completions at Nottingham Luxury Waterside Scheme

Cristina Diaconu April 8, 2022

Works at the new luxury residential development The Yacht Club, situated on the banks of the River Trent between Colwick and West Bridgford in Nottingham, continue to progress well with first completions afoot and residents set to be welcomed to their new homes very soon. Developed by Leeds-based KMRE Group Ltd,

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Tech Startup to Turn Private Homes into Creative Workspaces

Tech Startup to Turn Private Homes into Creative Workspaces

Cristina Diaconu April 8, 2022

Tech startup, Jarvo, is readying itself to become the UK’s largest flexible workspace platform, opening up to users to allow them to list their private workspaces ahead of the official launch this spring. Jarvo, a new truly flexible workspace platform, has its official launch marked within the next 3 months,

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Issue 327 : Apr 2025

April 8, 2022

Hawkins\Brown team wins competition for design team for £1bn Begbroke Innovation District

Kenneth Booth April 8, 2022

Oxford University Development, a £4bn joint venture between the University of Oxford and Legal & General Capital, today announces the winner of the international design competition to find a creative, forward-thinking masterplan team for its world-leading £1billion, 190-hectare mixed-use Innovation District at Begbroke Science Park, just to the north of Oxford. A team led by Hawkins\Brown has been successful amongst an extremely competitive field of 40 submissions. The winner was selected following a rigorous assessment process and review of proposals by the project team, a technical panel and a jury panel supported by specialist advisers. Hawkins\Brown demonstrated design flair through strong leadership, a collaborative approach and cross-sector expertise that resulted in a fresh approach to the new Innovation District. The jury found the winning team had balanced the need for delivery, design, attention to phasing and the evolution of the place. The team offered a very strong response to the design challenge, proposed creative integration of different uses, as well as sensitive consideration of existing communities and those who will come to use the spaces. Hawkins\Brown’s team comprised OKRA (Netherlands), BuroHappold and C:Lab, RCKa, Ooze (Netherlands), and Murray Twohig. The team is a well-balanced blend of established, international, large and small practices who will bring fresh perspectives to the growth of an innovation district of international standing. Anna Strongman, CEO, Oxford University Development, said: “We’re thrilled to have found a stellar team that will work with us to design a masterplan that responds to Oxford’s housing needs and propels the economic attraction of the new centre as an exemplary place to live, work, and foster innovation and enterprise. We look forward to working with the councils and surrounding communities to deliver benefits for local people as well as compete on the global stage” Darryl Chen, Urban Design lead at Hawkins\Brown, said: “This is one of those rare opportunities to set an agenda for a type of place that doesn’t quite yet exist. Begbroke will see new homes and space for science set within a semi-rural location driven by clients with a long-term outlook. We’re super-happy that Oxford University Development have selected our team of spicy talents to work with them. We’re going to give it our all!” The competition was focused on finding the right team to develop a masterplan with Cherwell District Council, Oxfordshire County Council and surrounding local communities. Hawkins Brown will set the bold ambition and design intent for a project that will transform the area around the University’s Begbroke Science Park, to the north of Oxford.  The project will also create a community of up to 2,000 quality homes, with new schools, public park and nature reserve. OUD’s aspiration is to create a boundary-pushing scheme that demonstrably achieves a step-change in sustainable design, delivery, and operation. The new district will seek to attract the very best minds, while driving economic growth, improving transport connections, delivering benefits for local people, as well as enhancing the surrounding natural landscape. The site will provide an exemplary new setting for the University’s world-leading science and innovation, which will help address key global challenges facing humanity – from food security and biodiversity to climate change and the urgent need to move to a zero-carbon economy alongside seeking to reduce health inequity. The competition was managed by Colander Associates and Turner & Townsend.

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Hawkins\Brown team wins competition for design team for £1bn Begbroke Innovation District

Kenneth Booth April 8, 2022

Oxford University Development, a £4bn joint venture between the University of Oxford and Legal & General Capital, today announces the winner of the international design competition to find a creative, forward-thinking masterplan team for its world-leading £1billion, 190-hectare mixed-use Innovation District at Begbroke Science Park, just to the north of Oxford. A team led by Hawkins\Brown has been successful amongst an extremely competitive field of 40 submissions. The winner was selected following a rigorous assessment process and review of proposals by the project team, a technical panel and a jury panel supported by specialist advisers. Hawkins\Brown demonstrated design flair through strong leadership, a collaborative approach and cross-sector expertise that resulted in a fresh approach to the new Innovation District. The jury found the winning team had balanced the need for delivery, design, attention to phasing and the evolution of the place. The team offered a very strong response to the design challenge, proposed creative integration of different uses, as well as sensitive consideration of existing communities and those who will come to use the spaces. Hawkins\Brown’s team comprised OKRA (Netherlands), BuroHappold and C:Lab, RCKa, Ooze (Netherlands), and Murray Twohig. The team is a well-balanced blend of established, international, large and small practices who will bring fresh perspectives to the growth of an innovation district of international standing. Anna Strongman, CEO, Oxford University Development, said: “We’re thrilled to have found a stellar team that will work with us to design a masterplan that responds to Oxford’s housing needs and propels the economic attraction of the new centre as an exemplary place to live, work, and foster innovation and enterprise. We look forward to working with the councils and surrounding communities to deliver benefits for local people as well as compete on the global stage” Darryl Chen, Urban Design lead at Hawkins\Brown, said: “This is one of those rare opportunities to set an agenda for a type of place that doesn’t quite yet exist. Begbroke will see new homes and space for science set within a semi-rural location driven by clients with a long-term outlook. We’re super-happy that Oxford University Development have selected our team of spicy talents to work with them. We’re going to give it our all!” The competition was focused on finding the right team to develop a masterplan with Cherwell District Council, Oxfordshire County Council and surrounding local communities. Hawkins Brown will set the bold ambition and design intent for a project that will transform the area around the University’s Begbroke Science Park, to the north of Oxford.  The project will also create a community of up to 2,000 quality homes, with new schools, public park and nature reserve. OUD’s aspiration is to create a boundary-pushing scheme that demonstrably achieves a step-change in sustainable design, delivery, and operation. The new district will seek to attract the very best minds, while driving economic growth, improving transport connections, delivering benefits for local people, as well as enhancing the surrounding natural landscape. The site will provide an exemplary new setting for the University’s world-leading science and innovation, which will help address key global challenges facing humanity – from food security and biodiversity to climate change and the urgent need to move to a zero-carbon economy alongside seeking to reduce health inequity. The competition was managed by Colander Associates and Turner & Townsend.

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Hochiki life safety devices reduce false alarms and help make the 75km long Dubai Metro transport network safe for passengers

Kenneth Booth April 8, 2022

Famed for its luxury shopping and extraordinary architecture, the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates is home to over 3.3 million people, and the world’s longest driverless single metro line – the Dubai metro. Designed to take up to 13,380 passengers an hour on its green line, and 11,675 passengers an hour on its red line at peak time, the Dubai Metro is almost 75 km long and operated by RTA and Serco. Under contract to the Dubai Roads & Transport Authority, the network is run by a team of 2000 staff with 57 trains running at peak times.  Dafoos Fire and Security were commissioned to run the fire detection installation project on the entirety of the Dubai Metro. Trusted as a market leader in the Fire Protection Industry in the United Arab Emirates, Dafoos specialises in providing end-to-end design, erection and commissioning and maintenance of both active and passive Fire Protection Systems, and partners with some of the best OEMs in the world, including Hochiki. With tens of thousands of passengers using the network daily and the system itself operating in a hot and sandy environment, any false alarm could potentially cause mass disruption and cost the operator financially, especially during peak service times. The company’s Marketing Director, Vijay Chandran said about the project: “it was especially important as part of the life safety system design process to negate false alarms. Hochiki fire detection devices were chosen as they have a reputation for being the best in the market for their quality and their reliability when it comes to false alarm reduction. Our selection of Hochiki was confidently backed by the operators RTA and Serco”  The Hochiki sensors were to be installed inside the metro and tram coaches. This is considered an extremely sensitive area with thousands of people transiting at a time, thus posing a higher chance of triggering false alarms. Any fire alarm trigger was programmed to send a command to the central station, and this would halt the operations within the entire network until the problem is rectified. The Hochiki technical team also worked closely with the Dafoos team to negate the challenge of frequent dust build up in the chambers. It was advised that periodic maintenance of the sensors was moved from every 6 months to every two instead, which is customary practice for commercial buildings in the region.  “Hochiki Smoke Sensors have been installed across the entire Dubai Metro and tram coaches; they have been functioning with minimal issues for the last three years. Periodic maintenance has been conducted in conjunction with Hochiki’s technical team recommendation. Our team would not hesitate to recommend Hochikilife safety systems and products to be used in other projects within the transport industry”.

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MERGER CREATES ONE OF THE UK’S LARGEST RESIDENTIAL SERVICE CHARGE ACCOUNTANCY TEAMS

Kenneth Booth April 8, 2022

“As The Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) partners, Fortus are particularly strong in the specialist area of Service Charge, and our coming together means we’ll be among the largest Residential Service Charge accountancy teams in the UK. It’s partly their commitment to this specialism that led us to conclude they were the right fit.” Director Dave Brown, formerly of Thomas David. With nearly 200 years of legacy service and experience, the Executive team at Thomas David were exploring ways in which they could best continue to support Owner Managed Businesses (OMBs) long into the future. Increased regulation, more complex taxation and the need to advise clients on an ever-widening range of topics, were top of their concerns. They have now merged with Fortus Business Advisors and Accountants to build on their expanded and sophisticated advisory services, and bolster Fortus’ long-term growth plans. Committed to the Hertford area and to accommodate the new, enlarged team, Fortus now add the Hertford-based office to their national footprint. Fortus is becoming fast-recognised as the ‘challenger’ business advisory and accountancy firm with 350 people in their UK-wide team. Carly Liston, Executive Director at Fortus, said: “Our merger with Thomas David represents another positive key milestone in our nationwide expansion strategy. We’re pooling together our complementary strengths as ‘one team many talents’ to support the coordinated growth of our non-compliance related client services, as well as improving our national market recognition. The incredible level of expertise, experience and network the team bring with them to Fortus means we’re able to deepen our bench strength even further. Together we’ll continue to serve our valued, existing client base whilst also providing the much-needed resources to serve larger advisory clients. We very much look forward to developing many new business opportunities together.” Director Dave Brown, formerly of Thomas David, adds: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to join the Fortus team to support businesses achieve their future ambitions. We’ve known this was the right course of action for over 12 months but we wanted to take the time necessary to find a larger, national firm whose culture and client-first service aligned perfectly with ours. “As The Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) partners, Fortus are particularly strong in the specialist area of Service Charge, and our coming together means we’ll be among the largest Residential Service Charge accountancy teams in the UK. It’s partly their commitment to this specialism that led us to conclude they were the right fit. “This is a truly positive move for Thomas David with our entire Hertford team retaining their existing roles as we transition to Fortus. I’m more than confident our collective talent and harmonised cultures will bring tremendous benefits for our clients and team members alike.”

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Panattoni increases speculative programme with 417,570 sq ft scheme at Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Kenneth Booth April 8, 2022

Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, is planning to develop one of the largest speculative logistics facilities in South Yorkshire. The development, called Panattoni Doncaster 420, will be a 417,570 sq ft facility at GatewayEast, Doncaster Sheffield Airport.  Panattoni has acquired the 18.4-acre site, which has outline planning consent, from Peel Land and Property. Panattoni Doncaster 420 benefits from superb multi-modal links, located within six minutes of rail facilities at iPort, while the seaports of Immingham and Hull are both approximately 50 miles from the site. It also provides last-mile access to the major conurbations of Yorkshire and Humberside and the major consumer and manufacturing centres of the North East, North West and East Midlands, plus central London, all fall within 4.5 hours by HGV. Panattoni expects to start construction later this year with the intention of delivering the facility in Summer 2023. Panattoni Doncaster 420 is targeting BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and EPC ‘A’ ratings. Occupiers will also benefit from a range of standard sustainability features and green build options. The development is part of Panattoni’s commitment to a significant speculative development programme in the UK in 2022 in response to strong demand from occupiers for immediately available space. Dan Burn, Development Director at Panattoni, said: “This well-located site with direct access to local, regional and global markets is a superb addition to our speculative development programme. South Yorkshire is rapidly forging a reputation as one of the UK’s prime distribution locations. Record take up across Yorkshire in 2021 has resulted in the supply of units over 100,000 sq ft dipping to the lowest level ever seen”. Burbage Realty acted for Panattoni.

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Stoford and Church Commissioners sign new site wide agreement at Exeter Logistics Park

Kenneth Booth April 8, 2022

Leading commercial property developer, Stoford has announced a new site wide agreement with the Church Commissioners for England that will unlock future phases of development at a job creating industrial scheme in East Devon. The agreement paves the way for the development of an additional c.500,000 sq ft of industrial/logistics accommodation at Exeter Logistics Park, Clyst Honiton.   Stoford will develop the scheme on a design and build basis, with new units made available on freehold or leasehold terms.   Exeter Logistics Park is part of the second phase of a significant industrial scheme which was opened in 2017, following the grant of outline planning, secured by the Church Commissioners.   Part of the Exeter and East Devon Growth Point economic development zone east of the M5, near Exeter Airport, the scheme will total more than 650,000 sq ft upon completion and includes improvements to the local transport infrastructure. A new access road and signalised traffic junction have been created off the B3174 London Road, making the site immediately available for further development.   Stoford has already completed construction of a new 90,000 sq ft distribution unit and a 415-space electric vehicle charging park at Exeter Logistics Park, on behalf of an international retailer.   Works are also underway on the construction of a further two new buildings, including DHL’s 54,732 sq ft parcel distribution service centre and a 28,464 sq ft warehouse that is being developed speculatively.   The new developments are characterised by strong environmental credentials, including green roof spaces, a sustainable urban drainage system, provision of solar panels and an external trim trail with outdoor gym and fitness area. They are expected to be completed this month (March 2022) and have the potential to create more than 100 new jobs.   It is estimated that Exeter Logistics Park could contribute between £90 million – £105 million to the regional economy when fully complete. Dan Gallagher, Joint Managing Director, Stoford said: “Exeter Logistics Park is an extremely well connected site with enormous potential. We are on track to deliver the two new buildings in Q1 this year and the new agreement will enable us to further develop the scheme to meet continued demand. This is a sustainable scheme that has already attracted high calibre, international occupiers. It has all of the attributes to become the South West’s leading distribution hub, south of Bristol.”   Joanna Loxton, Head of Strategic Land for the Church Commissioners for England, said: “The latest agreement builds on our already strong partnership with Stoford and will see hundreds of thousands of square feet of high-quality employment space being delivered, resulting in significant job creation locally and supporting the area’s continued growth. “We are particularly proud of Exeter Logistics Park’s sustainability credentials, which are a demonstration of our ESG commitments in action and will help support a ‘green recovery’ post-covid.”  All enquiries regarding Exeter Logistics Park should be directed to the scheme’s retained agents, JLL and Cushman & Wakefield.  

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Tackling pollution in construction is at a “crossroads”, says chief executive of Constructing Excellence Midlands

Kenneth Booth April 8, 2022

THE CONSTRUCTION industry needs to capitalise on the collaborative atmosphere created by this year’s MIPIM in order to meet the key challenges it faces, according to Andrew Carpenter, chief executive of Constructing Excellence Midlands. Speaking in the wake of this year’s event – which was attended by more than 20,000 delegates from around the world – Carpenter says that while a collaborative spirit is alive and well in Cannes, it risks being wasted if not capitalised on at home. “MIPIM has always been an ideal opportunity to meet the movers and shakers,” said Carpenter. “You can speak with the whole supply chain in one fell swoop, as well as some of the major policy creators and decision makers. “The event is the nucleus of the collaborative culture that we believe the construction industry needs to ensure it moves forward at the required pace. However, it is how that is followed up that will make the key difference when it comes to creating a truly integrated supply chain. “It’s our industry’s version of ‘a dog is for life, not just for Christmas’. It’s all well and good doing and saying the right things at MIPIM, but if that collaborative approach gets left at passport control on the way back into the UK, it’s just lip service and not something that is going to drive us forward.” Carpenter – who is also chief executive of the Structural Timber Association – hosted a breakfast event during MIPIM, which discussed the use of timber as part of the government’s push for net zero. He believes this is a key example of where collaboration is needed in order for the ambitious targets to be met. “With an eye on 2050 as the target for decarbonising all sectors of the UK economy, it is clear that this is not going to be anywhere near feasible for the construction industry if we aren’t working in lockstep. “We as an industry are one of the biggest polluters on the planet, and we are at a crossroads in terms of how we tackle that. “This is a key conversation that Constructing Excellence is having across its regions. We recently refined our theme groups – at which we discuss and define industry challenges – to create a dedicated workstream that focuses on strategic and collaborative research into how the climate crisis can be addressed. Conversations like this are a vital catalyst for continuous, long-term industry improvement, which is what Constructing Excellence is all about. “We truly feel that the construction industry is at a critical juncture, and it’s our responsibility to make sure that we move forward together in the right direction.” If you or your organisation would like to be involved or to find out more, please contact Constructing Excellence Midlands at info@cemidlands.org.

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First Completions at Nottingham Luxury Waterside Scheme

First Completions at Nottingham Luxury Waterside Scheme

Cristina Diaconu April 8, 2022

Works at the new luxury residential development The Yacht Club, situated on the banks of the River Trent between Colwick and West Bridgford in Nottingham, continue to progress well with first completions afoot and residents set to be welcomed to their new homes very soon. Developed by Leeds-based KMRE Group Ltd, the 81-home luxury waterfront scheme – which will be known by residents as Yacht Club Place – is located off the secluded Trent Lane, with Colwick Country Park and Nottingham Racecourse to the East and Lady Bay Bridge to the West, in an area that is undergoing significant transformation promising a vibrant new inbound community. Over 60% of the apartments in the first phase have already been sold and the largest out of the three apartment blocks, Block C, is set to complete in the coming days. The remaining two blocks – Block A and Block B, are set to complete within the next few weeks as they enter the final stages of construction. The development comprises of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as penthouses, with prices starting from £300,000. A show apartment is available for prospective buyers to view on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 9am – 12pm, where a member of the sales team will be on hand to show visitors around and answer queries. All of the homes are river-facing, and each feature their own private balcony or terrace, providing spectacular views over the water, looking out to The Hook nature reserve opposite. With no passing traffic, except that of river boats, paddle boarders and rowers, The Yacht Club offers a supremely serene location by the water. Residents will also be able to access an onsite gym which boasts stunning views of the river. A new cycle and pedestrian bridge, known as the Waterside Bridge, is also proposed for the area with a planning application due to be submitted to Nottingham City Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council – it would be the first bridge to be built over the River Trent in more than 60 years. At the end of last year, The Yacht Club reached a new milestone with 45% of its apartments sold and has since completed the largest of the three apartment blocks that make up the development, Block C, which features 35 apartments and four penthouses. Of the apartments sold so far, developer KMRE Group Ltd and joint selling agents FHP Living and William H Brown have noted a particularly high level of interest from both young professionals and those looking to downsize or purchase a second home. During and post pandemic, the housing market has also seen a shift in the number of London-based homeowners choosing to purchase properties outside of the capital and moving further up north. In 2021, homebuyers from London purchased more homes outside of the city than in any year since 2007, in a movement that is expected to continue. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News

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Tech Startup to Turn Private Homes into Creative Workspaces

Tech Startup to Turn Private Homes into Creative Workspaces

Cristina Diaconu April 8, 2022

Tech startup, Jarvo, is readying itself to become the UK’s largest flexible workspace platform, opening up to users to allow them to list their private workspaces ahead of the official launch this spring. Jarvo, a new truly flexible workspace platform, has its official launch marked within the next 3 months, and will offer a hassle-free alternative for the work-from-home market that uses private homes and unused spaces to fuel workers’ productivity and creativity. With a distributed network of flexible and diverse design-led workspaces across the UK, spanning residential and public realms, such as unused galleries and theatres, Jarvo is set to disrupt the flexible working market with a focus on previously unused private and residential workspaces.. The trailblazer already has more than 4,000 people on the waiting list for launch to use the platform, with over 600 homeowners now signed up to list their space on the platform, with set targets of onboarding more than 20,000 workspaces in the next 12 months, including an expansion across Europe. The platform will be the first of its kind to offer out private residential workspaces and will turn unused creative spaces, free from distractions and without lengthy commutes, into new places for its users to work. As Jarvo doesn’t rely on flexible office space usually found in large city centres, users in any region will always be able to find a unique space close to home. As well as the benefits to the remote working community, the new platform will help users to generate extra income by listing their spare rooms as potential work-ready spaces, at a time when people are feeling the effects of rising inflation and utility costs. Each space or private home put forward for the platform must be design-led, to encourage creative workers from around the UK to thrive. Before public listing, each new space will be carefully vetted by the Jarvo team to ensure it’s an aspirational working environment, which includes super-fast WiFi, power outlets, ergonomic chairs and plants, and each user will have the opportunity to leave a review of the space and host after use. Workspaces can be booked on-demand, with daily bookings available, flexible terms and rates to suit every budget. People can book a workspace via online payment, in less than 60 seconds, with plans to incorporate crypto payments via Coinbase in the near future. Founded at the height of the pandemic, in 2021, after CEO Daniel Hillman’s frustration at a lack of flexible workspaces outside of big city centres, Jarvo is evolving the future of remote work with a sustainable solution for the global workforce. Daniel Hillman, Founder and CEO at Jarvo, commented: “Jarvo has been 8 months of hard work and dedication to get the platform off the ground and I’m looking forward to embarking on our ambitious growth journey. What started out as a solution to my own problem, as a consumer with no access to a flexible workspace close to my home, has since grown into an exciting opportunity to revolutionise the entire sector with a trusted, sustainable, and community-driven platform. “One of our aims with Jarvo is to ensure everyone is free from those lengthy commutes with access to a workspace that’s just a 15-minute walk or cycle from their own homes. We are experiencing the biggest shift in the way we work since the industrial revolution, and our vision going forward is to create a way of working that is decentralised, diverse and truly sustainable.” Marilie, an early Jarvo host who signed up and listed her home workspace said: “Deciding to put our spare workspace on Jarvo was a no-brainer, it meant others within the local community who were struggling to work from home had the opportunity to work somewhere and I earned extra income. Win-win!” Jarvo is set to launch in the coming months and already has a waiting list of over 4,000 users. Everyone who signs up to Jarvo’s waiting list ahead of launch will receive token rewards, which will provide future financial utility benefits for the early members. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News

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