November 28, 2022
Devonshire Homes joint venture acquires landmark Ilfracombe site

Devonshire Homes joint venture acquires landmark Ilfracombe site

A funding partnership has been established to support the acquisition and development of a landmark scheme of 347 homes in Ilfracombe, North Devon. Independent West Country house builder Devonshire Homes has joined forces with social impact investor, Housing Growth Partnership (HGP) to bring forward the 50-acre site, as part of

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What's the future of the office? Business leaders discuss

What’s the future of the office? Business leaders discuss

THE POST-pandemic office needs to be people-centric with businesses creating the best environments for their teams to thrive, according to a panel of industry experts. Speaking at a roundtable discussion hosted by GT3 Architects, the group discussed ways in which their organisations are creating a positive working environment for their teams, and how

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Plans revealed for latest development at Exeter Logistics Park

Plans revealed for latest development at Exeter Logistics Park

Stoford has submitted a planning application for a new 42,500 sq ft industrial/warehouse development at Exeter Logistics Park in East Devon. Stoford is lead developer for Exeter Logistics Park and has a long-term site wide agreement with the Church Commissioners for England that will deliver c.500,000 sq ft of high quality

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Ofsted Grades TICA Apprenticeship Provision 'Good' Across All Areas

Ofsted Grades TICA Apprenticeship Provision ‘Good’ Across All Areas

The Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) has been praised by Ofsted for creating an inclusive learning environment, which allows apprentices to “develop and flourish.” Inspectors who visited the TICA training facilities over three days during October rated it as ‘good’ across all five areas: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour

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Birmingham to retrofit 300 homes

Birmingham to retrofit 300 homes

Birmingham City Council is investing £27 million to retrofit 300 homes. An event has been announced which aims to help local retrofit professionals, community representatives and local government teams accelerate the progress of energy efficiency retrofit from strategic planning to successful delivery. The online presentations, discussion and networking from 6-8

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Latest Issue
Issue 322 : Nov 2024

November 28, 2022

Tesla builds 'Europe's largest battery' near Dogger Bank offshore wind power landfall

Tesla builds Europe’s largest battery near Dogger Bank offshore wind power landfall

A UK developer has used Elon Musk company’s technology to deploy 98MW/196MWh storage system near grid-connection point for world’s largest wind at sea project. This makes it the largest facility of its kind in the UK and, indeed, in all of Europe. Harmony Energy confirmed last Monday that the Pillswood project had been successfully operationalised. It is located in the village of Cottingham, adjacent to the National Grid’s electricity substation at Creyde Beck. Construction has been managed by Tesla, whose Megapack battery products make up the array. The substation where Pillswood is based is the proposed connection point for the first two phases of the Dogger Bank wind farm. This facility will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once completed, at 3.6GW. It will consist of three 1.2GW phases and the first is set to come online in 2023. The battery storage facility will be crucial to maximizing the efficiency of Dogger Bank. Due to the intermittent nature of renewable electricity, it is beneficial to be able to store electricity in case supply is low at times of high demand. Similarly, there may be high supply at times of low demand, forcing the curtailment of energy. Originally, half of the Pillswood project’s capacity was set to become operational this side of the new year, with the other half due to come online in March 2023. The timetable has been accelerated on National Grid’s request, to help build in more energy security and flexibility this winter amid record-high wholesale energy prices. Harmony Energy’s director Perer Kavanagh said that “all stakeholders have recognised the importance of achieving energisation for this project ahead of winter” despite “a very challenging geopolitical and global supply chain environment”. Kavanagh added: “Battery energy storage systems are essential to unlocking the full potential of renewable energy in the UK, and we hope this particular one highlights Yorkshire as a leader in green energy solutions. “These projects are not supported by taxpayer subsidy and will play a major role in contributing to the net-zero transition, as well as ensuring the future security of the UK’s energy supply and reduced reliance on foreign gas imports.” A rapidly growing sector Harmony Energy is planning to bring five other utility-scale battery energy storage projects online within the next year. It is far from the only company looking to scale its battery storage portfolio in the UK. Back in April, trade body RenewableUK revealed that the UK’s energy storage pipeline had doubled within less than a year, surpassing 32GW. The UK Government’s Energy Security Strategy, published in April, is headlined with an ambition for 95% of the UK’s electricity generation to be low-carbon by 2030. Unabated fossil-fuelled electricity generation should then come offline by 2035. The Conservative Party’s approach prioritises growing nuclear and offshore wind to meet these goals. RenewableUK believes that, as well as the UK Government’s increased support for renewable electricity in the main, the growth of the energy storage pipeline is attributable to a decision to relax planning rules, first announced in summer 2020 and enacted in December 2020. The change enabled local planning authorities to make decisions on larger projects, lifting the previous 50MW cap for England and the previous 250MW cap for Wales, after which point Government intervention was previously needed. We are expecting further major policy changes to be made to support long-duration, large-scale energy storage by 2024. These changes will primarily impact technologies which don’t rely on batteries, such as pumped hydro. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Devonshire Homes joint venture acquires landmark Ilfracombe site

Devonshire Homes joint venture acquires landmark Ilfracombe site

A funding partnership has been established to support the acquisition and development of a landmark scheme of 347 homes in Ilfracombe, North Devon. Independent West Country house builder Devonshire Homes has joined forces with social impact investor, Housing Growth Partnership (HGP) to bring forward the 50-acre site, as part of Devonshire Homes’ ambitious growth strategy. Located off Old Barnstaple Road, the land with spectacular views across the Bristol Channel sea and stunning open countryside, has a Reserved Matters Planning Consent for 309 open market homes and 38 affordable homes. The homes comprise a full range of properties, from one and two bedroom apartments and two, three and four bedroom houses.    The new Ilfracombe scheme is the fourth site acquired under the joint venture arrangements between the Tiverton-headquartered house builder and HGP in the last six years. It is also an important strategic milestone for Devonshire Homes as the 30-year old residential home developer drives its ambitious five-year growth plan forward.  Angus Cook, Managing Director at Devonshire Homes, commented: “The purchase of this sought-after Ilfracombe site cements further our exciting partnership with HGP and long-term relationship with our funders, Lloyds Bank. It demonstrates the success of our partnership model and the confidence in our robust growth plans to build more high quality, sustainable communities across the region.” Construction at Ilfracombe is due to start in early 2023. Devonshire Homes will be responsible for all aspects of the development process. Working with Thrive Architects, the award-winning housebuilder intends to deliver homes with an exciting and aspirational coastal aesthetic design that sits well within the topography of the elevated site, maximising the stunning outlook and coastal views. Angus continued: “Lying close to the amenities of Ilfracombe and offering easy access to the A39 and A361, the site has the exciting potential to offer customers all of the convenience of this desirable location with the high-quality homes that Devonshire Homes is recognised for. “This fantastic site represents a significant step change in Devonshire Home’s expansion.  The acquisition is consistent with our active growth strategy and underpins our ability to identify and secure opportunities in the best locations to deliver high-quality homes that people want to live in.” HGP, established by Lloyds Banking Group and Homes England to provide assistance to the most ambitious regional housebuilders in the UK, invests alongside housebuilders to support the delivery of new homes.    Arnaud de Blay, Investment Director at HGP, commented: “We are delighted to be partnering with Devonshire Homes to bring forward this locally significant scheme at Ilfracombe.  We recognise that this scheme plays a large part in the ambitious growth plans for Devonshire Homes   “HGP’s investment in the Ilfracombe development represents a deepening of an already hugely successful partnership and the next step in our respective growth journey.  This deal reflects HGP’s ability and willingness to invest significant money into large and complex sites along with the right partners.” Paul Collings, Relationship Director at Lloyds Bank, commented: “Securing our future affordable housing supply and ensuring stock can stand the test of time is vital in the current cost of living crisis.  “It’s fantastic to continue our support for Devonshire Homes as it looks to tackle the shortage of quality housing in the South West and deliver its ambitious growth strategy. We will continue to be by the side of local businesses to help them take advantage of growth opportunities in these challenging economic times.” A range of community benefits are planned under the Section 106 agreement which will see Devonshire Homes contributing to the local community in the following ways: providing sports pitches, a MUGA (multi-use games area), LEAP (local equipment area for play), LAPS (local area for play) and open space. Land will also be provided for a school and community facility to be built. The overall Section 106 financial contributions to be made for the scheme will total over £2,000,000 after indexation and are to be used for the following The Devonshire Homes team has decades of experience in building new communities across the West Country with current developments including: The Grange, Bideford; Tarka View, Crediton; Longston Cross, Bovey Tracey; Applegate Park, Kingsbridge; Gwallon Keas, St. Austell; Five Lanes Close, Altarnun and The Sun Houses, Yelland. To find out more about Devonshire Homes, visit www.devonshirehomes.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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What's the future of the office? Business leaders discuss

What’s the future of the office? Business leaders discuss

THE POST-pandemic office needs to be people-centric with businesses creating the best environments for their teams to thrive, according to a panel of industry experts. Speaking at a roundtable discussion hosted by GT3 Architects, the group discussed ways in which their organisations are creating a positive working environment for their teams, and how the increasing demand for high-calibre individuals is establishing a renewed need to look at how the workplace functions. The panel agreed that flexibility and choice are key considerations for both current and prospective employees, as well as having a defined culture that is understood throughout all levels of the business. Michael Simpson, associate director and workplace consultant at GT3 Architects, said: “We can’t rely on data from the pandemic as working from home was enforced, so we’re just now beginning to see trends emerge through our work with businesses looking at their office space. “We’ve seen that people highly value flexibility, not just in terms of working from home versus the office, but also when and how they do that work. The strongest and clearest conclusion is that people want the choice – they don’t want to be told they can or can’t come in.” One underrated benefit of working from the office discussed by the panel, was the so-called “osmosis effect”, where team members share knowledge and experience simply by being around each other and overhearing conversations.  Adam Tarleton, head of construction and procurement at Macildowie Recruitment, said: “Being in the office is particularly beneficial for more junior members of the team, but we’re seeing a lot of candidates that list being able to work largely or exclusively from home as their top priority.  “While there are benefits to this, I think it is maybe a little lost on them that you learn so much just from sitting near other people, absorbing how they interact with each other and simply gaining a better understanding how the business works.” There was cross-panel consensus on the office being the best, and sometimes only, way to ensure effective collaboration and creative thinking, as working from home is often productive but also causes teams to work in silo.  James Garment, director at engineering consultancy Hexa, said: “There’s a bit of a fallacy that just because you’re working from home and ticking off everything on your to-do list, you’re being productive, but when you’re in the office having meetings and talking with the team, you’re not achieving as much as you would like. “The reality is that those in-person meetings and conversations are every bit as valuable as completing everything off your task list, so it’s about that balance and understanding that the perception of “being productive” can be a little bit skewed by traditional thinking.” The location of offices was also identified by the group as a key consideration for staff, with many businesses looking to migrate back into city centres following the pandemic. Mark Tomlinson, director at commercial property agent FHP, said: “The pandemic has made many businesses reevaluate their location. If you look at ten or fifteen years ago, the trend was heavily toward out-of-town business parks, but as people reduce the amount of time they spend in the office, they want their trips there to be as useful as possible. “It feeds into the discussion about flexibility and choice – people want that work-life balance and a city centre location is part of that as it means you can easily head out for lunch, visit the shops and do everything in one place.” Wrapping up the roundtable, Simpson talked about the future of the office, agreeing that there is huge value in location, but that amenities will also play a considerable part in attracting and retaining staff. He said: “We are finding that when we’re working with clients to rethink how their spaces will work, there is generally a shift towards the flexibility of space we discussed earlier, but also towards smaller spaces that are fitted out to a higher specification. “I believe we will get to a point where going into the office will be like going to a high-end hotel, with all the associated amenities you’d expect.” Liz Clarke, associate director and head of people at GT3 Architects, added: “The pandemic accelerated a shift in how businesses operate, and the dynamic between employer and employee has changed significantly because of this. This is massively impacting how businesses attract, retain, and ultimately support their staff, and the conversation around the table today has illustrated the importance of the workplace offering in creating a team that works.” The roundtable was chaired by Liz Cartwright (Cartwright Communications) and also featured: Neil Harrison (Arup), Jenny Keen (Marrons Planning), Alex Jones (Chord Consult), Tom Huffsmith (The Island Quarter), Jerry Major (Willmott Dixon) and Geoff Tindsley (EDGE). GT3 Architects puts it people at the forefront of its projects, with this roundtable event helping to facilitate deeper conversations to influence the design process. By bringing together local leaders and business owners, GT3 hopes to create an opportunity to learn and inspire a different way of working. To be part of the conversation, register your interest at info@gt3architects.com to be notified of the next roundtable event.  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Plans revealed for latest development at Exeter Logistics Park

Plans revealed for latest development at Exeter Logistics Park

Stoford has submitted a planning application for a new 42,500 sq ft industrial/warehouse development at Exeter Logistics Park in East Devon. Stoford is lead developer for Exeter Logistics Park and has a long-term site wide agreement with the Church Commissioners for England that will deliver c.500,000 sq ft of high quality industrial/logistics accommodation. The leading commercial property developer proposes to build a new high specification unit on a 3.30-acre plot in Clyst Honiton. Known as DC9, the new unit will be built on behalf of an end user and will reflect the scheme’s already impressive sustainability credentials. Stoford will target BREEAM ‘very good’ and an EPC ‘A’ rating, as well as net zero carbon in construction. Features will include water and daylight saving controls, PV panels, electric vehicle charging provision and a sustainable urban drainage system, while occupiers will also benefit from onsite trim trail and outdoor gym areas, including bodyweight exercise equipment. The developer has already completed construction of four new developments, including a 90,000 sq ft distribution unit, a 415-space EV charging park for Amazon and DHL’s new 55,000 sq ft parcel distribution service centre. More recently, adhesive manufacturer Forgeway signed a 15-year lease on a 28,500 sq ft building that was speculatively developed by Stoford and Urban Logistics REIT. Stoford Director, Edward Peel said that Exeter Logistics Park has all of the attributes to become the South West’s leading distribution hub, south of Bristol. He said: “We are excited to submit plans for our next new development at Exeter Logistics Park. DC9 is a well designed building which offers a combination of high-quality internal and external spaces in an easily accessible location. “Exeter Logistics Park is based just a short distance from one of the fastest growing cities in the UK with a huge potential workforce on its doorstep. The scheme benefits from good local and national connections, including direct bus links and access to the motorway network, which makes it a perfect location for distribution.” Exeter Logistics Park is sited two miles from Jct 29 of the M5 and a mile from the A30, near Exeter Airport, with Exeter city centre lying just six miles to the west of the site. All enquiries regarding the scheme should be directed to the scheme’s retained agents, JLL and Cushman & Wakefield. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Ofsted Grades TICA Apprenticeship Provision 'Good' Across All Areas

Ofsted Grades TICA Apprenticeship Provision ‘Good’ Across All Areas

The Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) has been praised by Ofsted for creating an inclusive learning environment, which allows apprentices to “develop and flourish.” Inspectors who visited the TICA training facilities over three days during October rated it as ‘good’ across all five areas: overall effectiveness, quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and apprenticeships. TICA, which formed in 1957, provides access to the best industry training for levy-funded apprentices throughout the UK at its National Training Centre in Darlington. At the time of the Ofsted inspection, it had 153 apprentices enrolled on its apprenticeship programmes – 43 on the Level 3 standard for industrial thermal insulation technicians, and 110 on the Level 2 standard for commercial industrial thermal insulation operatives. The report said that the training is conducted in “very well-resourced workshops” with trainers, many of whom are time-served thermal insulator technicians, while describing the level of practical work produced by apprentices as “very high.” It praised the trade member organisation for designing a “well-planned and sequenced curriculum” that ensures apprentices build up strong skills over time. The report added: “Leaders have achieved this by working closely with employers to devise bespoke training that meets the principles and requirements of the apprenticeship programme. “Employers benefit from and are right to value the training that their apprentices receive and recognise the positive contributions that apprentices make to the business.” Apprentices attend training on a residential basis for two weeks every three months which, the inspection team said, “allows them to be taught substantial new knowledge and skills while working on projects with like-minded committed apprentices.” It added that: “Trainers support apprentices well” and provide “effective feedback” on the quality of their work and should an apprentice be identified as struggling, they receive “effective additional support.” It concluded that the programme leaders have created “an inclusive environment in which all apprentices are able to develop and flourish.” Marion Marsland, chief executive of TICA, said: “I’m delighted that the inspectors acknowledged our high standards, excellent training facilities, and the effectiveness of our programmes that allow apprentices to quickly gain both practical skills and valuable technical knowledge. “It is also gratifying to note that TICA has developed an effective curriculum that promotes a positive and supported attitude to learning. I hope this Ofsted rating further highlights the exceptional training we provide and encourages more apprentices into the industry to help solve an historic skills shortage.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Tips for Improving Your Building Design and Construction Business

Tips for Improving your Building Design and Construction Business

Whether your company focuses on design, construction, or both, you may be looking for ways to improve. That can mean many different things, you might improve your revenue, your customer service, the quality of your products, or much more. Below are a few ways you can go about making these improvements. Identify Existing Problems Whatever your industry is, the first step in improvements is to identify any problems that you’re already aware of existing. This should go beyond your own assessment; you should try to survey staff and customers as well. The reason this is such an important first step is twofold. First, you don’t want to make the mistake of fixing something that is actually working fine. Second, you don’t want to neglect obvious problems in favor of rooting out more obscure ones. This latter action is also important, but it should only happen after obvious deficits are addressed. Additionally, there will always be problems, like an economic recession that you cannot control so identifying and fixing the ones you can should be a high priority. Tech Solutions for Your Fleet Fleet management can be a challenge for most construction companies. Whether it is keeping costs down, managing staff that may be temporary or dispersed geographically, staying on top of compliance, ensuring safety, staying on top of maintenance, or preventing theft and waste, there’s a lot that can go wrong in this critically important area. Tech solutions have gone a long way toward streamlining fleet operations and making it easier to track and manage issues in this department. When it comes to compliance, tachograph management can be an excellent solution. Among its other offerings are instant analysis, live tacho status and remote downloads, allowing you to ensure compliance with one streamlined system instead of trying to accomplish different tasks across several more complicated systems. Improving Productivity The great thing about looking to improve productivity in this industry is that you can work with very concrete measures of what constitutes being productive. Maybe it’s how quickly a section of roofing is installed or how precisely the initial estimated work time is followed. However, there are also challenges. It’s essential to follow construction site safety rules and above all else, safety has to trump productivity. The supply chain may be out of your control. Sometimes, the only solution is hiring more workers, and you may struggle to find the ones with the skills you need. Yet there are things within your control that you can focus on, such as advance planning that identifies the most logical and efficient order in which work needs to be done. You should also make sure that your workers are fully trained and have what they need to complete their work. Set Goals Think about where you want your company to be in a year, five years, and ten years. Make your goals specific and measurable. Think about what kind of profit you want to show in the year ahead and work backwards from there to accurately calculate expenses and better understand the bids you need to make in order to achieve that goal. It can be tempting to bid low in order to get certain jobs, but you will ultimately undercut your ability to work effectively and grow your business with this mindset. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Birmingham to retrofit 300 homes

Birmingham to retrofit 300 homes

Birmingham City Council is investing £27 million to retrofit 300 homes. An event has been announced which aims to help local retrofit professionals, community representatives and local government teams accelerate the progress of energy efficiency retrofit from strategic planning to successful delivery. The online presentations, discussion and networking from 6-8 December 2022 will help attendees develop their understanding of how the UK’s second city, social housing, community partners and supply chain can work together with residents to create better homes, with reduced energy use, to alleviate fuel poverty and support residents through the energy crisis and beyond. Speakers will be exploring three key themes, focused on scaling up retrofit across Birmingham through collaboration to provide continuous support and consistent delivery. “Retrofitting homes across Birmingham is of course a key part of our route to zero carbon emissions but also a huge opportunity to create green jobs and tackle fuel poverty across the city. So we’re delighted to be working with Low Carbon Homes to deliver this summit. This is a great opportunity to engage with retrofit experts, community representatives and other councils and discuss how we can progress retrofit activity across the region,” said Birmingham City Council Leader Cllr Ian Ward, who is opening the event. Day 1 covers how to design and plan to provide long-term continuity for the market through planning and policy consistency; while Day 2 will explore ways to ensure the continuity of retrofit delivery by creating a conducive environment to motivate businesses, education providers and individuals to invest in training, workforce and operations. On Day 3, presenters will share how retrofit success for Birmingham includes the provision of long-term aftercare to ensure residents benefit not only from living in better homes, but that the interventions have long-lasting well-being, economic and societal impact. Organisers Low Carbon Homes say that the event is an opportunity for retrofit stakeholders across Birmingham to meet the peers and colleagues they need to collaborate with to achieve local and national objectives for retrofit and Net Zero. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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