South Seaham Garden Village has taken a huge step forward with landowner Tolent completing the land sale to a trio of developers including Karbon Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Miller Homes. The completion of the deal means construction of the project, which was awarded garden village status back in 2019, can
Commercial property and investment company Evolve Estates has acquired two prime town centre parades in the North Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough. It has added to its burgeoning retail portfolio The Balmoral Centre, a 57,339 sq ft covered retail centre anchored by Wilko, and Bar House, on Aberdeen Walk, which
Site Sold For Proposed New Major Employment Scheme Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has completed the sale of its Wakefield East site in West Yorkshire to Opus North and Bridges Fund Management for an undisclosed sum. A planning application for
The way businesses file Value Added Tax (VAT) returns has now changed, as part of Making Tax Digital (MTD). HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging businesses in your sector to join over 1.7 million taxpayers who are already benefitting from MTD to make the change. From 1 April 2022,
Industrial asset and property management specialists NSM has appointed Kim Howey as its new Property Manager for the North West. Kim joins the growing company – with offices in Warrington and Doncaster – to help manage a range of logistics, SME and office assets across the M62 corridor and Midlands.
The UK’s biggest electricity distributor is opening the way for local residents to join the energy ‘flexibility’ market to help cut the costs of running their electric vehicles (EVs). New ways of smart charging have been successfully tested by UK Power Networks to deliver greener energy at a lower cost
Blackpool is a town that has had to reinvent itself on countless occasions. While it might be known as a seaside resort today, it was once nothing more than a few small villages which turned into a fashionable place for sea bathing in the 18th century; back then, this was
Having that space in your garden to tidy things away is a must for many people in today’s day and age. The much-needed storage space comes in the form of your very own shed. Sheds speak to your practicality and organisation. The nicer the shed, the nicer your garden space
South Seaham Garden Village has taken a huge step forward with landowner Tolent completing the land sale to a trio of developers including Karbon Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Miller Homes. The completion of the deal means construction of the project, which was awarded garden village status back in 2019, can now progress. Infrastructure works linking the development to the nearby A182 are due to start this summer with the first phases of housing commencing early in 2023. The development will bring 1,500 new homes to the area. 750 homes will be developed for private market sale by Miller Homes and Taylor Wimpey, with the remaining 750 homes to be of mixed tenure including rent to buy, shared ownership and affordable rent options. It is hoped that a proportion of the affordable homes will be designed to meet the emerging net-zero standards providing lower operational costs for residents as well as minimising the environmental impact of the development. Paul Webster, CEO at Tolent said: “South Seaham Garden Village will provide a diverse mix of homes providing a vibrant community on the outskirts of Seaham. The site has been owned by Tolent for a number of years and we have been working in partnership with Durham County Council to create an ambitious garden village that will provide innovation in the local housing market. “Approximately half of the development will be managed green space including play areas and a grassed playing pitch lined by a network of over three miles of landscaped paths and cycleways which coupled with its coastal setting make it an idyllic location.” Tolent will remain engaged in the project following the sale of the land and has entered into a construction partnership with Karbon Homes to deliver their share of the properties supporting local housing delivery over the next decade. Sarah Robson, Director of Development and Regeneration at Karbon Homes, said: “We’re delighted to have bought our share of the land at South Seaham Garden Village and are looking forward to bringing 750 much-needed, affordable homes to the area. This is the largest development we have embarked on to date and we’re excited to be playing a part in bringing this vibrant new community to County Durham.” In addition to the planned housing, the project includes a new village centre, which will include the delivery of a two-form entry primary school and a range of community facilities. Russ Hall, Managing Director of Taylor Wimpey North East, said “We are pleased to continue our investment in the North East and the South Seaham Garden Village project is a result of considerable hard work to date that will be evident on the ground soon. We are excited to be part of the delivery of another major development in the North East and the delivery of a new garden village community” Patrick Arkle, Managing Director, North East at Miller Homes said: “This is a key location for us in the region, Seaham has transformed over the years into a popular beachfront destination and an up-and-coming place to live. As a team we’re excited about South Seaham Garden Village, the scale of the site presents lots of opportunities and we believe it will become a flagship development offering an excellent range of much-needed three, four and five-bed homes.” The site is set to be a testbed for future technologies with a range of modern methods of construction planned for use with the potential for off-site panellised solutions and a range of alternative building methodologies currently being considered.
Commercial property and investment company Evolve Estates has acquired two prime town centre parades in the North Yorkshire seaside town of Scarborough. It has added to its burgeoning retail portfolio The Balmoral Centre, a 57,339 sq ft covered retail centre anchored by Wilko, and Bar House, on Aberdeen Walk, which has 17,602 sq ft of retail and leisure space over three floors. It acquired the parades for an undisclosed sum, taking this year’s retail acquisitions to more than £48m. Sebastian MacDonald-Hall, of Evolve Estates, said: “Scarborough is a beloved seaside resort and we’re pleased to have secured these well-known, popular parades, bringing them into our in-house portfolio. “We are committed to focusing our efforts on regional retail centres and neighbourhood parades where we can see there is incredible potential. The Balmoral Centre and Bar House provide us with significant opportunities to add significant value and we are already looking to identify how we can revitalise these centres further. We hope to make announcements on how we can achieve this over the next few months.” The Balmoral Centre, which Evolve bought as freehold, comprises seven retail units on ground floor, with five fronting Westborough. There are also two further units, plus a vacant night club located on the first floor and a gym located on the second floor. An NCP car park has space for 480 vehicles. Bar House comprises seven shops fronting Westborough and Aberdeen Walk, with vacant first and second floors, which used to be a nightclub. The agents for Evolve Estates were Prime Retail.
Site Sold For Proposed New Major Employment Scheme Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has completed the sale of its Wakefield East site in West Yorkshire to Opus North and Bridges Fund Management for an undisclosed sum. A planning application for the 31-acre employment scheme, now branded ‘City Fields’, was recently submitted by Keyland. The indicative layout proposes employment space totalling up to 500,000 sq ft, which could generate around 800 new jobs for the local area. The majority of the commercial site will benefit from Class B2, B8 and E(g) consent for urban logistics, as well as industrial accommodation in a varied range of unit sizes, whilst also offering scope for the development of a trade counter scheme and associated pub/restaurant/drive-thru options. Previously part of the redundant Yorkshire Water Calder Vale treatment works, the site will now form a key strategic element of the overall City Fields development which, at 375-acres, will play a significant role in creating a new, important, and sustainable primary employment hub to the east of Wakefield. The site runs adjacent to the £33m Wakefield Eastern Relief Road (WERR) which opened in 2017. Regeneration of the broader City Fields community also includes the construction or (re)development of around 2,500 houses, a primary school, health facilities, district and neighbourhood centres. Appointed agents Avison Young and Knight Frank facilitated the sale of the land on behalf of Keyland with Square One Law acting as legal team. Carter Towler and Walker Morris advised the purchaser. Peter Garrett, Managing Director of Keyland Developments, said; “We are delighted that the sale has now completed and look forward to the planned development forming the main commercial element of this significant regional regeneration scheme.” Ryan Unsworth, Development Director of Opus North, said; “The acquisition of this strategic site continues our strategy of sustained growth in the northern commercial sector. The surrounding area has witnessed a considerable surge in investment and regeneration and the development of this pivotal site will make a further significant economic contribution. We are looking to commence works on site in early 2023 with a targeted completion of the first units later that year. In addition to bringing about new jobs, the development will help ease the well documented shortages of high quality industrial/commercial accommodation in the region.” Guy Bowden, Partner at Bridges Fund Management partner, added: “The City Fields development will allow us to revitalise a previously redundant site and create over 800 new jobs for the surrounding area. Aiming to incorporate important sustainable features into the design, this development will both benefit occupiers and provide the wider Wakefield community with a high-quality commercial and industrial hub, contributing to the catalysing of local economic growth. We are looking forward to working with Opus North on delivering another successful project.” Iain McPhail, Partner at Knight Frank, said; “City Fields is an exciting new commercial opportunity which benefits from not only access to the region’s motorway network via the M1 and M62, but also to Wakefield town centre itself. The site is ideally positioned to capitalise on the significant demand in the current market for urban logistics and distribution as well as manufacturing and trade.” Rob Oliver, Principal at Avison Young, added; “‘Due to the range of plots across the development, we have considerable flexibility and are able to accommodate a wide range of unit sizes. We are already talking to a number of businesses, some already local and looking to relocate or expand, others would be new to the area. There is a severe lack of units available in the West Yorkshire area, particularly on the M62 corridor, and with continued occupational demand we are confident that the scheme will prove very successful. Occupiers are increasingly keen to occupy new premises which will meet their ESG agenda’s as well as staff wellness and retention in addition to presenting their brand positively, having lower operating costs and greater efficiency.”
The way businesses file Value Added Tax (VAT) returns has now changed, as part of Making Tax Digital (MTD). HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging businesses in your sector to join over 1.7 million taxpayers who are already benefitting from MTD to make the change. From 1 April 2022, MTD for VAT became mandatory for all VAT-registered businesses, regardless of turnover. This means businesses need to keep digital business records, sign up to MTD and file all their future VAT returns using MTD-compatible software. If they do not file their VAT returns through MTD, they may have to pay a penalty. Even if a business currently keeps digital records, they must check their software is MTD compatible and sign up for MTD. MTD’s aim is to help businesses get their tax right first time and to support the UK to go digital. More than 15 million returns have been successfully submitted through MTD, with businesses reporting that MTD has increased their confidence in managing their tax affairs and using technology. There is a range of compatible software products available for VAT, allowing businesses to choose which tools they use to run their business and tax affairs. A list of software compatible with Making Tax Digital for VAT, including low-cost options, is available on GOV.UK. HMRC has continued to work with smaller businesses below the £85,000 VAT threshold to ensure they are ready and to remind them of the actions they need to take. A range of accessible help is available online through GOV.UK, webinars and videos as well as through HMRC’s Extra Support Service. Giles McCallum, Director of Making Tax Digital at HMRC, said: “We continue to support those businesses who have yet to sign up and are encouraging traders in the construction sector to help them make the change to Making Tax Digital. Using MTD helps businesses reduce errors, making it faster to prepare and submit returns. “In order to gain benefit from MTD and to avoid any penalty as many others have already, we urge all businesses to sign up to MTD now.” Federation of Small Businesses National Chair Martin McTague said: “MTD software can improve productivity and open up opportunities to tighten internal processes beyond just the tax side of things. Even if you’re not obliged to be a part of MTD at the moment, it’s worth looking into different platforms, especially now Help To Grow Digital is live. If you’re an FSB member, we can help you get up to speed in this area.” To comply with MTD for VAT, businesses or an agent on a business’ behalf need to take three simple steps: If a business hasn’t signed up to MTD yet, they must do so before they submit their next VAT return otherwise they could receive a penalty. Find out how to sign up on GOV.UK. Agents can sign up on behalf of a business, although businesses remain responsible for meeting their VAT obligations. Details on how to avoid being charged a penalty can be found here.
Industrial asset and property management specialists NSM has appointed Kim Howey as its new Property Manager for the North West. Kim joins the growing company – with offices in Warrington and Doncaster – to help manage a range of logistics, SME and office assets across the M62 corridor and Midlands. Its current portfolio under management has grown to £374m so far this year. She was previously residential and commercial property manager for The Next Big Thing, based in Liverpool, and before that worked for Regus as a Community Manager in Cardiff. Kim reports into Associate Director Jacqui Saunders and will be part of the Property Management team that manages 577 units nationally with a rent roll in excess of £20.67m. NSM Managing Director Nicky Jones said: “Kim’s experience in both commercial property and asset management is a welcome addition on to the team and she has hit the ground running. Her knowledge of the North West property market is very strong and is already proving to be a real asset, both with our clients and their tenants.” Kim added: “I’m delighted to be joining NSM which holds a large and diverse portfolio of assets. My background has been in commercial space but more recently I’ve moved into residential property management, so the fit with NSM is ideal. I’m looking forward to being able to add to my knowledge in the larger commercial property section and I’m very excited to be starting this new chapter in my career.” NSM is in a uniquely strong position, in addition to managing more than 5.4 million sq. ft of industrial property across the north, the company also markets many of the properties, handles lettings and is overseeing the delivery of new builds which will ultimately come into the management portfolio.
The UK’s biggest electricity distributor is opening the way for local residents to join the energy ‘flexibility’ market to help cut the costs of running their electric vehicles (EVs). New ways of smart charging have been successfully tested by UK Power Networks to deliver greener energy at a lower cost for customers who charge their EVs at certain periods. With energy prices rising, smart charging enables customers to use electricity not only when it is greenest, but cheapest too. Project Shift, led by UK Power Networks in partnership with Kaluza, Octopus Energy and ev.energy, developed and trialled three different ways to incentivise EV charging outside of peak times, more attractive to EV owners. The world’s largest trial of smart charging incentives has shown that only 19% of the time customers spend plugged in at home, is needed to meet their charging needs. This makes ‘smart charging’ a possibility for people who can shift their charge times to when demand on the electricity network is lower, using cheaper, greener electricity to charge their car ready for the next day. Findings included that 85% of customers were open to smart charging, so long as their mobility requirements were met. EV demand during the evening peak was reduced by an average of 79% due to Smart charging with ongoing financial incentives. The median daily reduction in EV demand between 6-9 pm was 82%. Customers are now charging their car cheaper at certain times on a routine basis and earning rewards for charging, while avoiding the need for local electricity grids to be reinforced. As the distributor of electricity to 8.4 million homes and businesses across London, the South East and East of England, UK Power Networks is a key enabler of the UK’s transition to a low carbon economy and forging a path to Net Zero. Smart EV charging is critical to enabling the lowest cost electrification of transport, especially important as consumers are facing increased cost of living. As more people opt for a low carbon way of life, demand on the electricity grid rises with customers wanting the choice of how and when they charge. Project Shift means people can easily access the benefits of the fast-emerging flexibility market while supporting the increased adoption of EVs. Ian Cameron, head of customer service and innovation at UK Power Networks, said: “It is great that customers can receive incentives for charging their electric vehicles outside of peak times at home. “Smart charging will ultimately save everyone money and offers new opportunities for domestic households and businesses to contribute to a smarter UK energy system. It is key to helping us deliver Net Zero at the best cost for both customers and the network.” William Goldsmith, head of grid & data services at ev.energy, said: “It’s been fantastic working with UK Power Networks on such world leading innovation and I am delighted that the learnings from Project Shift have already been integrated into UK Power Networks’ first-of-a-kind flexibility tenders. “Charging electric vehicles smartly to unlock grid services is a critical part of delivering a green, affordable energy future. This can only be done by engaging and incentivising EV drivers to take part.”
Blackpool is a town that has had to reinvent itself on countless occasions. While it might be known as a seaside resort today, it was once nothing more than a few small villages which turned into a fashionable place for sea bathing in the 18th century; back then, this was seen as a cure for many ailments. The town really came alive in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when it became the first town to install street lighting. Tourists flocked from all over to get a glimpse of this new technology for themselves, a tradition that lives on to this day. However, today’s Blackpool is very different from the town in its heyday, when it was the place to be for Brits from all across England who were looking for a fun break away from work. Cheap international air travel facilitated by low-cost airlines put an end to that. While Blackpool is not the must-visit tourist destination it once was, it still attracts more than 18 million visitors each year. Those guests bring a huge boost to the local economy, spending £1.5 billion with local businesses. But to keep these visitors coming back, Blackpool has had to reinvent itself several more times as it looks to stay fresh and appealing to visitors of all kinds. To do that, the town has had to invest millions in construction projects to improve the built environment. Some of these projects are already complete and providing benefits to locals and visitors alike, though others are still in the planning stages. New Hotels Blackpool has a very broad range of hotel options that extend from quaint bed and breakfasts all the way up to a giant castle-shaped complex packed with a whole range of amenities. However, aside from a few exceptions, much of the accommodation in the town feels a little tired as chronic underinvestment and tough economic conditions have driven standards down. A new project that will see the redevelopment of a large section of the central part of the town promises several new hotels opening near the seafront. It will include the Sands Resort Hotel & Spa, a Premier Inn, and a Holiday Inn. The bulk of this construction work is due to be completed in 2022. A Casino Blackpool has long flirted with the idea of building a large casino. The town already has several small gaming establishments ranging from the arcades where you can play coin pusher games, to slot salons where you’ll find a range of different fruit machines to spin. In the 2000s, Blackpool bid to be the home of the country’s only “super casino” but it ultimately lost out to Manchester. In recent years, politicians have begun to revive the idea of opening a large casino in the seaside town, arguing that it will help to create jobs and attract even more visitors to Blackpool. Unlike hotels, building a casino requires a lot more regulatory approval before you can even start breaking ground. It’s unclear as to whether this one will happen, though, because the entire gaming landscape has changed since the original plans were put forward. For a start, casino gaming has become much more accessible through the internet, with online casinos offering numerous convenient options. Competition among these sites is incredibly strong, with many looking for ways to set themselves apart from the crowd. They’ve all taken different approaches, with some focusing on bigger bonuses and others creating unique games that can’t be found anywhere else. Another tactic has been to develop slot games that have higher return-to-player rates. These higher RTP slots mean that players can theoretically expect to receive more of their wagers back if they were to play for an exceptionally long time, so, while not a guarantee, it is a good way to measure expected average payouts. With more people choosing to play online, any potential casino operators will need to assess the economic viability before committing to making such an investment. New Transport Infrastructure Blackpool is one of few places in Britain that retained its tram service, even as the mode of transport fell well and truly out of fashion. Despite these road-going trains still being in operation, the town has become very car-centric. Major changes to the town’s roads and footpaths have already been undertaken to help make it easier for pedestrians to get around on the seafront, with many more changes in the works. In addition to £20 million that’s been spent to avoid stormwater flooding, a total of £7.84 million will be spent on upgrading streets to make them more appealing and will involve resurfacing works, new trees, upgraded crossings to improve accessibility and safety, enhanced street furniture, and additional public art. In addition to improving the look, the work will help make cycling easier, boosting the uptake of active travel around the town.
Having that space in your garden to tidy things away is a must for many people in today’s day and age. The much-needed storage space comes in the form of your very own shed. Sheds speak to your practicality and organisation. The nicer the shed, the nicer your garden space will look. As a quick reference, Sheds Liverpool is a convenient place to look. What is a Garden Shed Used For? A shed is a small structure with a base, walls and a roof, mean for outdoor garden and backyard spaces. It’s usually used for storage, hobbies and as a workshop. They can vary in size, building material and just about anything else. They may have windows and even electricity. It all depends on how much time, effort and money you can invest in the making of one. Building a shed is now a project that can be completed in a weekend, or even a few hours if you’ve done your research and are well prepared. So, this is how to build a shed yourself. How to Build a Garden Shed Step by Step? A great place to visit for a new shed is SHEDPLANS.org, you can get a full insight on the procedure & protocol of the cost to build a shed here.
