Pets at Home, the UK’s leading pet care business, has opened a new, purpose-built distribution centre in Staffordshire. The state-of-the-art centre, which will employ more than 800 people, will support the company’s omnichannel capabilities and underpin the next decade of growth. The development, on a 70-acre site at Stafford North
Government ministers Lord Callanan and Nusrat Ghani, and MP Caroline Nokes, have all been announced as keynote speakers at this week’s UK Construction Week London, the UK’s largest event for the built environment, which makes a welcome return to London’s ExCeL from today, 2-4 May 2023. Registration is now live.
The Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Professionals (ALEP) has written to the Government to call for an urgent amendment to the Building Safety Act 2022 (‘BSA’), which it says is currently causing doubt and uncertainty for leaseholders and the professionals trying to advise them. ALEP’s letter to Rachel Maclean, Minister of State (Housing and Planning) highlights a key concern over the definition of a ‘qualifying lease’ under Section 119 of the Building Safety
RED Construction London, a regional arm of RED Construction Group that operates in across London and the south east, has announced its appointment to deliver phase one of The Sheppard Trust’s redevelopment of the Royal Cambridge Home in Surrey. As part of the £8m first phase, RED Construction London will
A new centre for green hydrogen innovation and product development has been launched by Heriot-Watt University in collaboration with hydrogen technologies experts Logan Energy and PlusZero. The newly named ‘Hydrogen Works’ building will see the consortium collaborate across a range of hydrogen-related research and industry projects including clean-power generators, state-of-the-art
Pets at Home, the UK’s leading pet care business, has opened a new, purpose-built distribution centre in Staffordshire. The state-of-the-art centre, which will employ more than 800 people, will support the company’s omnichannel capabilities and underpin the next decade of growth. The development, on a 70-acre site at Stafford North Business Park was overseen by leading commercial property developer Stoford with the building works carried out by McLaren Construction. Pets at Home’s Chief Executive Officer Lyssa McGowan marked the occasion at a special ribbon-cutting presentation also attended by her predecessor Peter Pritchard, who commissioned the development, and company founder Anthony Preston. Daniel Gallagher, Joint Managing Director of Stoford, and Councillor Jeremy Pert, from Stafford Borough Council were also amongst the attendees. Lyssa McGowan, who is also celebrating her first anniversary as Pets at Home’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “I’m incredibly proud to mark this significant moment for our business with some truly remarkable colleagues and former leaders who have each contributed so much to the success of our business. The team have worked incredibly hard to ensure our new fulfilment centre has the capacity and capability to support future growth for years to come as we continue maximising our omnichannel capabilities.” Pets at Home has signed a 20-year lease on the facility, which is close to Junction 14 of the M6. The building will provide 670,000 sq. ft of floor space, with adjacent land for an additional 100,000 sq. ft expansion, if required. Facilities will include two double-storey hub offices of 5,600 sq. ft and a recycling store, tote store and a gatehouse detached from the main building. A nature walk with bat and bird boxes and dog walking areas will be made available for the public and colleagues to use. The development also includes numerous environmentally friendly features such as solar panels, rainwater harvesting and electric car charging points. Daniel Gallagher, Stoford Joint Managing Director, said: “We have worked closely with Pets at Home and Tesco Pension Fund to develop this exciting new scheme that will sustain local jobs in Staffordshire. We have delivered a modern national storage and distribution centre, with a first-class design that has sustainability at its core.” Councillor Jeremy Pert, Deputy Leader of Stafford Borough Council, said: “I am really proud of having such a market leading and fast growing business as Pets at Home choose to set up their head office and national fulfilment operation in Stafford Borough, laying down their roots for the future and investing in the local area, and bringing a range of quality of roles. It shows that Stafford Borough is uniquely placed in the country to be a great place to live, work and thrive. Where Pets at Home leads, others will follow.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Government ministers Lord Callanan and Nusrat Ghani, and MP Caroline Nokes, have all been announced as keynote speakers at this week’s UK Construction Week London, the UK’s largest event for the built environment, which makes a welcome return to London’s ExCeL from today, 2-4 May 2023. Registration is now live. Lord Callanan, who was appointed Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance earlier this year, will appear with TV presenter and architect George Clarke on the UKCW Main Stage at 10.45am on the first day (May 2nd) for Net Zero Countdown – Keynote Intro and Question Time. Nusrat Ghani MP, Construction Minister, will speak as part of a discussion on the UKCW Main Stage at 11.15am on May 2nd – The 5th CO2NSTRUCTZERO Report. Caroline Nokes MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee, will be part of an Employment Panel appearing at the Culture Change Hub at 11.30am on May 3rd to discuss How To Identify Diverse Talent for Promotion – what does the industry need? Nathan Garnett, UKCW event director, commented: “It’s testament to the show’s standing and reputation that UKCW London has been able to attract such a high calibre of speaker as these three politicians, who are part of a prestigious line-up of experts from across the sector who’ll be appearing at this year’s show. We can’t wait to hear what they all have to say.” With over 10,000 products on display from over 300 exciting exhibitors including Rointe Kingspan, Google, Sevadis, HP, Celsa UK, Houzz Pro, Hanson Plywood and many more, the multi award-winning show attracts a wealth of overseas exhibitors from as far afield as Australia, China, India, Norway, Turkey and the UAE. Celebrating Culture Change in Construction, UKCW London will host three days of debate and discussion from top speakers on how the industry can move forward to tackle its biggest issues, including quality, fire safety, sustainability, offsite manufacturing, mental health, and improving diversity and inclusion. Visitors will also be able to find sections dedicated to Digital Construction, Infrastructure, Offsite, Surfaces, Net Zero including Renewables, HVAC, Energy Management; Build Show including Roofing, Cladding and Insulation; Tools; Health & Safety; Fire Prevention; Future Lab; and a Careers Trail. Officially opened by architect and Channel 4 presenter George Clarke, UKCW London will also feature sessions and seminars led by industry experts across the show’s six stages; the show will feature an incredible 300 speakers, with over 150 hours of CPD seminars available. Register for UKCW London for free – ukcw-london-2023.reg.buzz/cab-campaign-pr Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Professionals (ALEP) has written to the Government to call for an urgent amendment to the Building Safety Act 2022 (‘BSA’), which it says is currently causing doubt and uncertainty for leaseholders and the professionals trying to advise them. ALEP’s letter to Rachel Maclean, Minister of State (Housing and Planning) highlights a key concern over the definition of a ‘qualifying lease’ under Section 119 of the Building Safety Act, which states that the lease needs to have been granted before 14 February 2022 in order to qualify. Mark Chick, Director at ALEP, said: “As worded, the definition raises the question of whether a new lease granted on or after 14 February 2022 will be a ‘qualifying lease’, in circumstances where the existing lease is a ‘qualifying lease’. “This issue is causing doubt and uncertainty for leaseholders, which advisors are now obliged to address in each individual case. The issue was compounded by unclear guidance on the matter published by the Department for Levelling-Up, Housing and Communities. “ALEP contacted the Minister to clarify the definition with the aim of getting clarity for our members and their clients and, subsequently the guidance note has been further amended. Government clearly acknowledges that there is a problem here as the renewed guidance states: ‘9. If you are a qualifying leaseholder and you extend or vary your lease, you may surrender your existing lease and be granted a new lease. As the new lease will not have been granted before 14 February 2022, the statutory leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act 2022 will not apply. We are looking to legislate to resolve this issue as soon as Parliamentary time allows. In the meantime, before seeking a new extended or varied lease, leaseholders should seek legal advice and seek to come to agreements with landlords to apply the same protections as contractual terms.’ “Though this revision to the guidance note is helpful, it simply acknowledges that there is now a significant lacuna for anyone with a qualifying lease with BSA protection who wants to extend this. Whilst most leases in affected properties will be ‘long’ leaseholders they may also face issues with ground rents / RPI reviews that they would normally wish to address by a statutory renewal of the lease. The current situation means that this cannot be done without losing the qualifying leaseholder protection.” “As the updated guidance note acknowledges, the Government now needs to address the deficiencies in the current wording of the Building Safety Act legislation to clarify the definition of a ‘qualifying lease’.” He continues: “Whilst the policy objective and overarching goal for leasehold reform has been to make the process ‘simpler, quicker and cheaper for leaseholders,’ the definition of ‘qualifying lease’ contained in Section 119 of the BSA fails on all three counts. “It has not made the process simpler because the issue of whether the new lease is protected under the Act has been made far more complex. It has not made the process quicker, because the uncertainty caused gives rise to a whole area of specialist enquiry to be undertaken before a claim can be made. “And it has not made the process cheaper, both because it raises the question of whether the removal of protected status gives rise to any valuation issues, and because the extra work involved necessarily incurs additional professional fees. “I cannot believe that it was the Government’s intention to create doubt and uncertainty. However, if the goal is to ensure that a new lease granted under the 1993 Act can be a ‘qualifying lease’, then the absence of any express provision to that effect in the Building Safety Act is surprising and confusing. “The Government urgently needs to resolve this problem, and as they now acknowledge a simple amendment to the legislation is required to make it clear that statutory and other renewals of leases will not lose qualifying leaseholder protection. I hope the Government will move swiftly to rectify this problem, which will provide far greater certainty to leaseholders and the professionals advising them.” For more information please visit https://www.alep.org.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
RED Construction London, a regional arm of RED Construction Group that operates in across London and the south east, has announced its appointment to deliver phase one of The Sheppard Trust’s redevelopment of the Royal Cambridge Home in Surrey. As part of the £8m first phase, RED Construction London will carry out works to demolish around two thirds of the existing buildings, replacing the section with a state-of-the-art 32-bed care home. The new building will be fully wheelchair accessible and will provide residential long term and respite care. Specialist architects, PRP, have carefully designed the new care home to respect the street scene and conservation area, by creating elegant buildings which are reflective of the villas that currently occupy the site. Each of the 32 bedrooms will be fitted with ensuite bathrooms, and the new home will provide high quality communal facilities including a lounge overlooking the gardens as well as a hair and beauty treatment room and a full catering kitchen. Located in East Molesey and operating as a not-for-profit facility, the redevelopment will optimise the site’s ability to provide high quality facilities for the elderly, so that the Royal Cambridge Home can continue to offer first class care in a building designed to meet modern requirements. When completed, Royal Cambridge Home will vacate the remaining property on site to enable its partner charity, The Sheppard Trust, to proceed with its phase two project, providing 60 one bedroomed flats for independent living, along with high quality communal facilities, designed for older women in need. Mark Iori, Operations Director at RED Construction London, commented: “At RED Construction London, our aim is to deliver great schemes fit for the future, so we could not be happier to work on phase one of this redevelopment for The Sheppard Trust and Royal Cambridge Home. Our team have extensive experience across a broad range of projects, from considered restoration work to new builds and fit-outs, and we are looking forward to delivering a key element of the new and improved Royal Cambridge Home scheme.” Robert Dowler, Chair of Trustees for Royal Cambridge Home, said: “It is the aim of the Royal Cambridge Home to provide care for our residents of the highest standard, achievable with bespoke facilities that allow our well-trained and motivated staff to shine. This development will enable us to continue to offer the best care within an elevated custom built home, suitable for 21st century care requirements. RED Construction London’s track record, and their understanding of our needs, make the team the perfect partner for phase one of this development. We are very pleased to have them on board.” This news follows RED Construction London’s recent appointment to deliver elevated office spaces within Barwood Capital’s redevelopment of ‘Explore’. The 45,000 sq ft space previously known as ‘Eton House’ will be undergoing refurbishment with the purpose of providing a prime sustainable office space as well as additional amenities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new centre for green hydrogen innovation and product development has been launched by Heriot-Watt University in collaboration with hydrogen technologies experts Logan Energy and PlusZero. The newly named ‘Hydrogen Works’ building will see the consortium collaborate across a range of hydrogen-related research and industry projects including clean-power generators, state-of-the-art refuelling infrastructure and cutting-edge energy systems for heavy industry. As part of Heriot-Watt University’s pioneering strategy to engage with business and become leaders in sustainability, it is reshaping its Riccarton Campus in Edinburgh to house innovative companies and clusters, including Logan Energy and PlusZero. The Scottish Government recently published a draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan setting out its plans to kickstart the production of low carbon hydrogen and carbon capture and storage as part of its ambition to decrease industrial emissions by 43% by 2032. It’s estimated that Scotland’s energy-intensive industry, which relies on polluting fossil fuels, is responsible for up to 15% of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Professor Gillian Murray, deputy principal for business and enterprise at Heriot-Watt University, said: “Working hand-in-hand with business is at the very heart of what we do at Heriot-Watt University. Hydrogen Works is an excellent example of how co-location on our campuses can drive engagement and accelerate growth in businesses through access to innovation, talent and entrepreneurial minds. “We look forward to working in partnership with Logan Energy and PlusZero and building a strong business cluster in Scotland around the future opportunities hydrogen brings to our economy.” Energy Minister, Gillian Martin, said: “Scotland has vast natural resources with which we can become world leaders in renewable hydrogen production and export, and the Scottish Government’s Hydrogen Action Plan reaffirms our clear commitment to helping our hydrogen sector grow and prosper. “We must work collaboratively and innovatively in order to realise the huge potential of hydrogen and partnership is important to accelerate the development of the technology.” Edinburgh-based Logan Energy has more than twenty-six years’ experience in delivering projects and solutions in the hydrogen and clean energy sectors. It specialises in integrated engineering solutions incorporating hydrogen technologies, including production, refuelling, storage, distribution, and fuel cells. Bill Ireland, CEO of Logan Energy, said: “With demand for net zero technologies greater than ever, this collaboration demonstrates the innovative ways academia, industry and enterprise can work cheek-by-jowl to meet our collective energy-solution needs. “Our partnership with Heriot-Watt University and PlusZero comes at a pivotal moment for hydrogen as part of Scotland and the UK’s energy mix. The further development and roll-out of standardised, proven hydrogen technologies will only accelerate the transition from environmentally damaging fossil fuels and encourage the wider adoption of renewable energy sources across industry and society. “Together, as part of Hydrogen Works, we look forward to helping deliver the hydrogen technologies critical to Britain and the world’s net zero objectives.” Launched in 2021, PlusZero Power creates portable, zero-carbon generators that are powered by green hydrogen from renewable electricity generated on the Scottish islands, with the aim of replacing greenhouse gas-emitting diesel generators. David Amos, Managing Director at PlusZero, said: “PlusZero Power’s unique offer is to deliver portable clean power wherever it is needed. In the two years since we launched, our innovative green hydrogen generator has already removed tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere at several festival and live music events. “It’s abundantly clear that there is huge potential to bring this ready-to-go green hydrogen solution to other sectors including outdoor filming, construction, and industry, as well as outdoor events. “I’m delighted that PlusZero Power will be headquartered within the Hydrogen Works building at Heriot-Watt University in order to build a generator fleet that can realise this potential. Working with our partners at Logan Energy and Heriot-Watt University, PlusZero is making hydrogen happen.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
