On behalf of pan-European developer Atenor, Lichfields – the national planning and development consultancy – has secured planning approval for the deep retrofit of Fleet House near Blackfriars Station in the heart of London to create a best-in-class sustainable workspace. Designed by global architects HOK, the project will see more
Civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale has brought in Mark Wood to lead its operations in Yorkshire and North East England. He will take up the position of Regional Director after four years as Programme Director at Keltbray. Previously, he held senior positions at TXM Plant and at Balfour Beatty
IN RESPONSE to calls to improve the construction sector’s poor mental health record, leading multi-disciplinary property consultancy EDGE has implemented an industry-leading mental health and wellbeing policy for its employees. Understanding that mental health is not a one-size-fits-all approach, the company’s policy is a wide-ranging framework that includes a personal
With the ever growing consciousness of the preservation of the earth, we’ve become a lot more aware of our impact on the environment around us in recent years. Are we becoming more mindful of not just what we put into the air around us, but equally importantly, what we’re putting
Research by debt advisory specialists Sirius Property Finance has shown that it’s not just the housing market that has benefited from the pandemic property market boom, with the estimated total value of the private rental sector (PRS) climbing by 30% since 2019. Sirius Property Finance analysed the current state of
Construction specialists Urban Group (York) Ltd has completed a six-figure project on Darlington covered market, transforming facilities for the traders and visitors alike. Phase Two of planned works to the iconic Victorian market, situated between High Row and Horse Market, started in August 2022 and has just completed. This transformational
If you own a large yard that needs mowing, chances are you’ve thought about purchasing a zero turn riding lawn mower. But with so many options out there, it can be hard to decide which one is best for your needs. Well, look no further – the Cub Cadet Zero
On behalf of pan-European developer Atenor, Lichfields – the national planning and development consultancy – has secured planning approval for the deep retrofit of Fleet House near Blackfriars Station in the heart of London to create a best-in-class sustainable workspace. Designed by global architects HOK, the project will see more than two-thirds of the current structure retained, ensuring the preservation of the existing embodied carbon and cutting the project’s environment impact. The new-look sustainable office building, which is being designed to achieve a minimum of BREEAM Excellent standards, will provide more than 77,000 sq. ft. of high-quality accommodation across eight storeys. The City of London’s planning sub-committee unanimously resolved to grant the scheme planning permission today (31 January 2023), following the planning officer’s recommendation for approval. Atenor, which is listed on the Euronext Brussels market, has projects in ten European countries, comprising office, residential and mixed-use. Atenor is recognised as an industry leader for ESG and recently achieved a 5/5 Star GRESB rating, the global benchmark for ESG-compliant real estate. Fleet House is fully aligned with this approach, with the rejuvenated building being designed to prioritise the wellbeing of the building’s users as well as the wider community with adherence to best-in-class WELL principles and biophilic design. Features for those working at the building will include short and long stay cycling parking, high-quality end-of-trip facilities and four unique external terraces – most with spectacular views of St Paul’s Cathedral. A range of new public amenities will also be created including a new pedestrian priority route connecting Bride Lane and Bridewell Place, an art wall, a new 1,300 sq. ft. (120 sq. m) juice bar/café, double-height office lobby with green wall and plentiful natural light and a 4,000 sq. ft (370 sq. m) re-provided public house at ground-floor and part-basement level. Alison Bembenek, associate director of Lichfields, who secured approval, said redevelopment will create jobs and provide a welcome boost to the locality. She added: “This a great redevelopment project with sustainability at its heart. It will certainly enhance the area and will undoubtedly contribute positively to this part of the City.” Eoin Conroy, Country Director UK for Atenor, said:“This is a major milestone for Atenor in the UK and highlights our ambition and focus to create beautiful places founded on sustainability and wellbeing. Our approved plans for Fleet House supersede a previously consented scheme that would have seen the existing building completely demolished and a new one built from scratch. “Instead, 72% of the building’s existing structure will now be retained, emphasising our belief that the adoption of sustainable practices at the design and construction phases is both the right thing to do and will make this building more appealing to future occupiers. We look forward to bringing forward further London opportunities in the near future.” David Weatherhead, HOK design principal, added:“HOK is delighted that Fleet House has been granted planning approval. The design provides a vast array of public benefits, including a new pedestrian passageway linking Bridewell Place and Bride Lane, along with active and inclusive ground floor uses, including a Public House. We have designed a modern, vibrant and sustainable place of work, embedding WELL principles and incorporating nature at every floor. We look forward to this exciting project being realised.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale has brought in Mark Wood to lead its operations in Yorkshire and North East England. He will take up the position of Regional Director after four years as Programme Director at Keltbray. Previously, he held senior positions at TXM Plant and at Balfour Beatty where he spent 22 years of his career. Mr Wood will take overall responsibility for developing Barhale’s portfolio of work in Yorkshire and the North East across transport, energy, water and the built environment. He will also lead and support the successful delivery of projects for Yorkshire Water. Under the AMP7 framework, Barhale works in joint venture with Enpure, on complex civils for the clean and waste water network. Barhale is also appointed to Yorkshire Water’s minor civils framework. Chief executive Martin Brown described Mark Wood’s appointment as a very positive step for Barhale. “Mark brings with him exactly the sort of strong programme management and engineering skills which we see as a hallmark of Barhale,” he said. “His appointment will ensure that we continue to grow our relationship with existing clients and support the delivery of our business plan targets and objectives for the region. “Mark’s extensive civil engineering and rail infrastructure experience will also add depth to our senior team as we continue to grow our business and increase our presence across the region.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
IN RESPONSE to calls to improve the construction sector’s poor mental health record, leading multi-disciplinary property consultancy EDGE has implemented an industry-leading mental health and wellbeing policy for its employees. Understanding that mental health is not a one-size-fits-all approach, the company’s policy is a wide-ranging framework that includes a personal Wellness Action Plans (WAPs), access to a Vitality Mental Health portal, and additional signposting for external advice. The policy was written into employment contracts in December and fine-tuned in partnership with the Mental Health and Productivity Pilot led by Coventry and Derby Universities, with its Mental Health at Work Commitment acting as a roadmap for change. Thomas Hunt, cost manager and mental health lead at EDGE, said: “We know that our people are our most valuable resource. Their wellbeing is vital to effective performance both at work and as part of our positive workplace culture, meaning the implementation of a more robust mental health and wellbeing policy was a natural step for us. “There seems to be a lack of education around mental health as the topic is perceived negatively – as an inconvenience, an illness, depression, or stress – but everyone has mental health. We need to shift the focus onto how to better yourself and maintain positive emotions, and which support and management techniques can be used to help us achieve this in our everyday lives.” In order to increase provisions for a rapidly expanding workforce across multiple locations, EDGE has also trained a further four employees as Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) to meet its goal of having at least one MHFA per office across the company’s five locations. Kieran O’Donoghue, director at EDGE, added: “The statistics show that suicides in construction are rising at an alarming rate. This is a disturbing fact that we wanted to address. We appreciate that no policy is perfect – but we hope that in talking about our policy, awareness of the issue will be raised throughout the industry. “We hope that with our new Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy, along with our sociable culture, and commitment to caring for our employees, our workforce understands that we are there should they need us, and that those experiencing mental health issues are supported with respect, confidentiality and without discrimination.” For more information on EDGE and its services, follow the link below: https://www.edgeps.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
With the ever growing consciousness of the preservation of the earth, we’ve become a lot more aware of our impact on the environment around us in recent years. Are we becoming more mindful of not just what we put into the air around us, but equally importantly, what we’re putting into the ground? Leading ductwork, extraction and fabrication specialists Airmatic have endeavored to find out which town holds the most contaminated land in the UK. By culminating in a list of the top towns with a series of freedom of information requests to uncover just where in the country contaminated land was at its highest based on the square meterage and amount of sites. With a total of 41,603,277 square metres across 1759 sites in the UK, the top spot on the list goes to Warrington, with 23% of the borough being consumed by contaminated land. This dwarfs every other position on the list, including second place borough of Sefton from their neighbor, Liverpool, with their 975,050 square metres of contaminated land. All sites on the top 10 list are from England, aside from one feature from the Scottish borough of West Dunbartonshire who placed third overall with 700,000 square metres of contamination. Just making it onto the top 10 list, in tenth place was Hull. In a report in 2020, it was found that the borough had built the 6th least amount of houses in the UK, which may be affected by the 163,578 metres of contaminated land which can’t be built on, across two large sites. The study was undertaken as businesses continue to consider the impact they’re having on the environment, with stricter measures continually being introduced. The full top 10: Warrington – 41,603,277m2 Sefton – 975,050m2 Hillingdon – 700,000m2 Waverley – 382,000m2 Mendip – 280,000m2 Gateshead – 243,000m2 West Dunbartonshire – 180,000m2 Hull – 163,578m2 Herefordshire – 156,000m2 Calderdale – 137,000m2 Below is a graphic of the Top 10 sites and their location on a map of the UK. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Research by debt advisory specialists Sirius Property Finance has shown that it’s not just the housing market that has benefited from the pandemic property market boom, with the estimated total value of the private rental sector (PRS) climbing by 30% since 2019. Sirius Property Finance analysed the current state of the PRS, looking at the level of stock, the current market value of this stock, the average yield available and how this has changed since 2019. The latest figures show that, despite the government’s best efforts, the overall size of the PRS has grown by 2.4% across England since 2019, with 4.876m properties helping to house the nation’s tenants. The South East has driven this growth with a 9.1% increase, along with the South West (+7.4%) and the North West (+3.8%). However, the East Midlands (-9.9%), Yorkshire and the Humber (-0.4%) and East of England (-0.3%) have all seen a decline in PRS stock when compared to the pre-pandemic market. What’s more, the analysis by Sirius Property Finance shows that the current total value of PRS stock is estimated to sit at a staggering £1.536 trillion across England, having seen a 30% increase since 2019 alone. At an estimated £575.7bn, London remains home to by far the most valuable PRS where total stock value is concerned. However, when compared to the pre-pandemic market, the capital has seen the smallest increase in this total value at 16%. The South West has driven PRS market performance in terms of the increase in total value, up 41% when compared to 2019. The total value of PRS stock has also increased by more than 30% across the North West (+39%), South East (+37%) and West Midlands (+31%). Finally, the analysis by Sirius Property Finance shows that of the 4.876m rental homes across England, just 130,272 are currently listed online as available to rent, equating to just 2.7% of all PRS stock, highlighting the pivotal role the sector plays in today’s society. Managing Director of Sirius Property Finance, Nicholas Christofi, commented: “Despite the government’s sustained attempts to dampen the enthusiasm of buy-to-let investors, the private rental sector has continued to grow in size over the last few years. This growth, combined with the high rates of house price appreciation seen throughout the pandemic, have pushed the total value of the sector to a quite remarkable level. However, previous whisperings of a hike in capital gains tax will remain a worry for those who have benefited from an increase in the value of their buy-to-let portfolio. Should these changes come to fruition in the future, we may well see many landlords scramble for the exit to avoid the government’s latest cash grab.”View full data tables online here.
Construction specialists Urban Group (York) Ltd has completed a six-figure project on Darlington covered market, transforming facilities for the traders and visitors alike. Phase Two of planned works to the iconic Victorian market, situated between High Row and Horse Market, started in August 2022 and has just completed. This transformational project is part of a successful masterplan from operators Market Asset Management Darlington Ltd and Darlington Borough Council for the venue to grow as a food, retail, and live entertainment destination. Urban’s Interiors Division has renovated the shop front fascia and entrances, added a new shop floor café, new public and trader toilets on the ground floor and new toilets to the basement of the market, which remained open throughout the revamp. The work has also incorporated a full renovation of the abandoned basement which has been transformed to create a Prohibition-themed bar and live music venue named The Vault, which is due to open as early as Spring 2023. Darlington town centre has been home to a covered market since May, 1864, where the very first purchase recorded was leg of mutton bought by the local landlord. Over 150 years later the covered market is still proving to be a popular with shoppers, with the recent renovations ensuring it is ready to become a key regional destination providing a wide range of retail, food and leisure facilities. Urban Interiors’ Operations Director, Kevin Keogh said: “This has been a fascinating job for the team. When we were stripping and repurposing the basement for the 1920s themed bar, we uncovered the old cells from the former police station that used to be on the site. He added: “We wanted to try and maintain as much of the heritage as possible with exposed metalworks still evident as part of the interior, and we’ve incorporated elements such as the old banana racks that were used to allow the imported fruit to ripen that had been left behind by traders from the 1960s.” MAM’s Darlington General Manager, Michael Harvey said: “The Phase 2 development is already having a positive impact and it has been great working with Urban Group (York) who have managed to keep disruption to traders and customers to a minimum while carrying out such a transformational scheme as part of MAM’s commitment that Darlington Market is a place where people love to shop, eat and drink and enjoy entertainment.” Councillor Jamie Bartch, cabinet member for economy for Darlington Borough Council, said: “The market is rightly considered one of Darlington’s jewels and the work that has been carried out by Urban means that it shines brightly once again. I hope people take the time to visit and see for themselves the improvements that have been made and support the established traders and the new food and drink outlets. The Vault, in the cellar, is an amazing transformation of an unused space. “The aim has always been to bring the market up to modern standards, while retaining its traditional charms, and I think the work carried out by MAM and Urban has achieved that.” As part of the contract, five new jobs were created in the Darlington area and, wherever possible, Urban used local sub-contractors and suppliers for the works. The next chapter comes amid exciting times for the market and follows the successful first phase of the revamp which opened to the public in August 2021. It saw one third of the shop floor transformed into a street food scene with independent food traders offering cuisine from around the world from purpose-built units and a large communal seating area. There is also the Market Tap bar and an events stage. As well as its amazing global cuisine and independent retail offering continues to shine as an events venue. Popular events have ranged from hosting the North East final of the prestigious Young Traders Market to its much-loved Pease Pudding events on the first Thursday of the month in Darlington Market Square. It also regularly welcomes charities and hosts the hugely popular Food and Drink Festival each year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
If you own a large yard that needs mowing, chances are you’ve thought about purchasing a zero turn riding lawn mower. But with so many options out there, it can be hard to decide which one is best for your needs. Well, look no further – the Cub Cadet Zero Turn Mower has proven itself time and again as the premiere choice for homeowners who need an efficient and reliable way to keep their outdoor space looking great! So regardless of whether you’re in the market for your first mower or if you’re replacing an existing one, rest assured that our complete review will help you find the perfect piece of power equipment just right for making light work out of maintaining those beautiful green spaces around your home. What is a zero turn mower and why would you want one over a regular lawn mower? A zero turn mower is a lawnmower that can rotate its cutting deck around 180 degrees, allowing the operator to “turn on a dime” and quickly move the mower to another part of the lawn. They offer several advantages over traditional lawnmowers. For starters, they’re much faster and more efficient because you don’t have to walk back and forth across the yard to mow it. They’re also much easier to maneuver in tight spaces, so you can get closer to obstacles like trees and fences without having to worry about damaging the mower. Finally, they produce less noise and emissions than traditional lawnmowers, making them more environmentally friendly. What makes Cub Cadet zero turn mower stand out from other mowers on the market today? Cub Cadet zero turn mowers offer a number of features that make them stand out from other mowers on the market today. For example, Cub Cadet’s patented Smooth Trak Steering gives you the ability to make turns at speeds up to 10 mph, so you can get the job done quickly. Plus, their exclusive dual-blade cutting system delivers a superior cut every time. Finally, their intuitive steering wheel control makes it easy to navigate your Cub Cadet zero turn mower around tight spaces and obstacles. So if you’re looking for a top-of-the-line mower that can tackle even the most difficult lawns, then a Cub Cadet zero turn mower is definitely worth considering. What are some of the features that come with the Cub Cadet zero turn mower that you should consider when purchasing one? Some features that you may want to consider when purchasing a Cub Cadet zero turn mower include: – The horsepower of the engine. This will affect how well the mower cuts through tall grass. – The size of the deck. The larger the deck, the more area it can cover in a single pass. – Dual hydrostatic transmissions for a smooth, responsive ride – A foot-controlled deck lift for easy adjustment of the cutting height – Anti-scalping wheels to prevent damage to your lawn – Mulching or bagging capabilities for versatile disposal options. How much do Cub Cadet zero turn mowers cost, and what are some tips on how to save money when purchasing one? Prices for Cub Cadet zero turn mowers start at around $3,500. You can save money on a zero turn mower by checking with your local dealer to see if they are having any sales or discounts, and also by comparing prices online. Another way to save money is to think about the features you really need on your mower. For example, do you need a model that has a bagger or canister? Or would a side discharge be fine? If you don’t need certain features, you can save money by opting for a less expensive model. Finally, consider buying a used zero turn mower. There are many good deals to be had on used machines, and as long as you do your research and buy from a reputable dealer, you can get a real bargain. How to care for and maintain your new Cub Cadet zero turn mower so that it lasts for years to come? – Keep the blades sharp. Dull blades can damage the grass and decrease the lifespan of your mower. – Clean the undercarriage after each use. This will help reduce the amount of dirt and grass build-up that can cause wear and tear on your mower. – Keep the engine well lubricated. A well-lubricated engine runs cooler and is less likely to suffer from wear and tear. By following these simple tips, you can ensure that your zero turn mower lasts for years to come! Tips for using your Cub Cadet zero turn mower safely and effectively – Read the owner’s manual carefully before operating the mower. – Be sure to familiarize yourself with all of the controls and their functions. – Never allow children to operate the mower. – Mow in an open area free of obstacles. – Keep a safe distance from trees, fences, and other objects while mowing. – Do not attempt to make sharp turns at high speeds. – Be aware of your surroundings at all times when mowing. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
