Fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor, Willmott Dixon Interiors has been chosen to lead the refurbishment of the Grade II listed Sanctuary Buildings in London. The Department for Education (DfE) has appointed the contractor to deliver the phased CAT B fit out of 12,850m2 across floors of the property in Victoria.
Balfour Beatty recently announces that it has been awarded a £42 million contract by National Grid to construct the Little Horsted Substation Grid Supply Point in East Sussex, UK. The two year contract will see Balfour Beatty design and build a new 400 kilovolt substation as well as two new
The Retrofit Academy has announced that it has successfully enrolled over 5,000 learners to its range of retrofit training courses. Trained as retrofit advisors, assessors and coordinators, the newly qualified experts will help accomplish the Government’s target of reaching net zero in 2050 by leading the sustainable upgrade of
The Government Property Agency (GPA) has achieved Practical Completion at its new Government Hub in Croydon, 2 Ruskin Square. The building will accommodate over 5,000 civil servants and enable the Home Office to migrate from three current locations in Croydon to the building in the summer 2024. Following the completion
Leading UK build-to-rent provider Placefirst has appointed Anna Hwang as its new assets and strategy director, as the business moves forward with its ambitious growth plans. This is a new role and key addition to the senior leadership team for Placefirst. Anna joins with over 20 years’ experience in the
The latest research by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed what it takes to purchase a property in the top one percent of the property market, with the average buyer requiring an estimated income of £4.7m in order to do so. Benham and Reeves analysed sold
Fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor, Willmott Dixon Interiors has been chosen to lead the refurbishment of the Grade II listed Sanctuary Buildings in London. The Department for Education (DfE) has appointed the contractor to deliver the phased CAT B fit out of 12,850m2 across floors of the property in Victoria. The project has been designed to create a more modern, sustainable and streamlined office environment, which reflects the Department’s adoption of hybrid working practices. Willmott Dixon Interiors will deliver collaborative and open plan workspaces, including hot desking facilities and staff breakout areas, as well as new meeting rooms with state-of-the-art conferencing technology. The design is characterised by its focus on diversity and inclusion, with features that directly cater for those with sensory, cognitive, physical or developmental needs. They include the availability of sensory spaces, improved lighting and acoustic properties and a muted colour palette. Existing plant facilities will be upgraded as part of DfE’s decarbonisation agenda, while the infrastructure will be put in place to support the future use of photovoltaic solar panelling. Works will be carried out in a live environment, with staff decanted to alternative floors during separate phases of the project. The project is expected to be completed by autumn 2024. Graham Shaw, managing director at Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “This important project will allow the DfE to facilitate hybrid working and consolidate its existing footprint within the Sanctuary Buildings. We’ll be refurbishing the building to modern standards and future proofing its plant facilities, to deliver a sustainable workplace environment that promotes wellbeing and inclusivity. It is the second significant project we have been appointed to deliver on behalf of the customer and we’ll be working in close collaboration to ensure everything is completed on time and with minimal disruption to occupants.” The contract was awarded to Willmott Dixon Interiors via the Southern Construction Framework. The project team includes Arcadis, which is delivering principal design, project management and cost consultancy services. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Balfour Beatty recently announces that it has been awarded a £42 million contract by National Grid to construct the Little Horsted Substation Grid Supply Point in East Sussex, UK. The two year contract will see Balfour Beatty design and build a new 400 kilovolt substation as well as two new terminal towers which will support electrical conductors transmitting high-voltage electricity to the Little Horsted Substation Grid Supply Point. Once complete, the new substation will form a key part of National Grid’s ‘Little Horsted Connection Project’ which will allow local electricity distributer, UK Power Networks, to connect with the National Grid – improving the electricity supply in East Sussex. As part of its commitment to leaving a lasting, positive legacy for the communities in which it operates, Balfour Beatty will look to engage a workforce from the local, surrounding area and will also plant approximately 500 trees during the construction programme. Ian Currie, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s Power Transmission and Distribution business said: “As one of the leading high voltage substation suppliers in the UK, we are perfectly positioned to deliver the Little Horsted Substation Grid Supply Point. “Building on our longstanding and successful relationship with National Grid, this latest contract will see us improve the power supply in East Sussex, and help provide the UK with the grid connectivity required to meet increased future demand.” Works are due to commence in early 2024 with completion expected in Autumn 2025. At peak, the project will employ a workforce of up to 120 people including a number of apprenticeship and graduate positions. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Retrofit Academy has announced that it has successfully enrolled over 5,000 learners to its range of retrofit training courses. Trained as retrofit advisors, assessors and coordinators, the newly qualified experts will help accomplish the Government’s target of reaching net zero in 2050 by leading the sustainable upgrade of 27 million homes. The qualified retrofitters have the opportunity to work with or for local authorities, housing associations and their contractors to specify and install additional measures in homes that were not originally included in the building’s design. Using Government funding such as the Social Housing Development Fund (SDHF) and Home Upgrade Grant (HUG), institutions have clear access to the financial support needed to make the necessary changes to drive sustainability forward. Founded in 2016, The Retrofit Academy is the driving force in skills and knowledge to lead the way in the high-quality decarbonisation of homes at scale by acting as a workforce development partner. This includes collaborating with social housing landlords, local authorities and building contractors tasked with meeting the Government’s net zero targets. The business offers workforce solutions, resources and training designed to aid the development and recruitment of skilled retrofit personnel, to meet the UK’s growing need. To achieve net zero by 2050, 400,000 qualified retrofitters are needed to carry out large-scale high-quality retrofitting of homes, with The Retrofit Academy aiming to train half of these by 2030. Both new entrants to industry and those currently working in the built environment can fully understand how to conduct large-scale high-quality retrofit. As demand for competent retrofitters grows at speed, this major milestone represents the impact The Retrofit Academy is making to increase capacity and develop the large workforce required to deliver on goals. David Pierpoint, Chief Executive at The Retrofit Academy explained: “Decarbonising millions of existing homes is vital if we are to fulfil the Government’s aim of achieving net zero by 2050. To ensure this goal is reached, we need to collaborate and work together to have enough qualified personnel to carry out retrofit at scale. “While we’re pleased to have passed the milestone of enrolling 5,000 professionals to be trained as skilled and qualified retrofitters, work is well underway to ensure we reach our goal of 200,000 by the end of the decade. By continuing as the driving force in retrofit knowledge and skills, we can help to achieve net zero.” For more information about The Retrofit Academy and their educational courses, please visit: https://retrofitacademy.org/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Government Property Agency (GPA) has achieved Practical Completion at its new Government Hub in Croydon, 2 Ruskin Square. The building will accommodate over 5,000 civil servants and enable the Home Office to migrate from three current locations in Croydon to the building in the summer 2024. Following the completion of Cat A construction, funded by Pensions Insurance Corporation (PIC) and developed by Stanhope in partnership with Schroders and Lendlease, the GPA will now take on the lease and work in partnership with Wates Smartspace, to fit out and complete the building to the Government Workplace Design Standards. Clive Anderson, Director of Capital Projects at the GPA said: “Today marks the end of three years of hard work by the integrated delivery team, led by the GPA in partnership with PIC, Stanhope, Schroders, Lendlease and their excellent supply chain, who have designed and built this extraordinary building to meet the Home Office needs . I am delighted with the CAT A base build completion earlier than planned ready for the GPA to complete for our Home Office customers in late summer 2024.” Home Office Permanent Secretary Matthew Rycroft said: “This is an exciting step towards the completion of the new Home Office Croydon Hub. The site will play a major role in our work to keep the country safe, secure and prosperous. It will provide a modern space that is sustainable and which offers a collaborative and enjoyable working environment. “I would like to thank all those who are working hard to make this innovative building a reality. I very much look forward to its completion next year.” 2 Ruskin Square represents the second purchase by PIC of a GPA hub within the past 12 months following the purchase at Manchester, First Street, in 2022. James Agar, Head of Long Income at Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC), added:“Government let commercial property assets are an important, on-going area of specific focus for PIC, and we are pleased to make this long-term commitment to supporting the greening and modernisation of the UK Government’s estate. 2 Ruskin Square is a best-in-class development and joins the First Street Hub in Manchester as part of PIC’s expanding partnership with the GPA.” The building, rated BREEAM Outstanding, is highly sustainable with fully decarbonised power and all electricity procured from renewable sources. Once complete, it will offer an effective mix of flexible and hybrid work spaces to support neuro-diversity, collaboration and wellbeing, along with fully inclusive refreshment hubs, home zones and meeting rooms.The new Hub in Croydon will be the area’s second, creating a government campus with excellent sustainable transportation links.It will form part of the nine-acre Ruskin Square scheme and is located adjacent to East Croydon train station. It sits alongside One Ruskin Square, HM Revenue & Customs’ (HMRC) regional centre which opened in 2017. The Government Hubs Programme has so far supported regeneration and economic development in 17 locations throughout the UK including; Glasgow, Belfast, Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Cardiff, Birmingham, Peterborough and Bristol to support around 60,000 civil servants and in so doing create a smaller, better and greener public estate. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading UK build-to-rent provider Placefirst has appointed Anna Hwang as its new assets and strategy director, as the business moves forward with its ambitious growth plans. This is a new role and key addition to the senior leadership team for Placefirst. Anna joins with over 20 years’ experience in the property sector and will be responsible for developing and executing Placefirst’s real estate strategy, which looks to build on recent success as the business aims to reach 6,500 homes in the coming years. Anna joins Placefirst from Savills, where she was director of operational capital markets for two years, consulting with clients to drive their strategy and achieve maximum growth. Prior to this, Anna was a partner at investment and asset management specialist Addington Capital. Anna joins at a pivotal time for Placefirst which has established itself as a leader in the single-family BTR market, both through existing award-winning neighbourhoods and an exciting pipeline of UK wide projects. This pipeline includes 122 apartments at Cow Green in Halifax approved in March, 146 homes at Benwell Dene in Newcastle submitted in April, and 366 units in Wolverhampton. Placefirst are also now on site in Bolton, delivering a 167 unit neighbourhood in partnership with the council. Commenting on her appointment, Anna said: “I am delighted to be joining Placefirst at such an exciting time for the business. Our position as an industry leader in the market is shown through a number of high-profile schemes currently being built or in planning, and it is important we continue to be influential in the industry and create communities where people are proud to live and rent for the long term, in an exciting and growing residential sector. I look forward to working closely with David and the wider team to deliver this next phase of growth which will see the business expand at an impressive rate.” David Mawson, chief executive officer at Placefirst added: “We are thrilled to welcome Anna to Placefirst, bringing with her over 20 year’s experience and knowledge of the industry. With Anna’s skills in strategy and asset management, this new role encompasses the ambition that Placefirst has and will help us to progress at a national scale. Our plan is to continue on our path in delivering best-in-class BTR communities and contributing to answering the huge demand for quality private rented accommodation across the UK.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The latest research by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed what it takes to purchase a property in the top one percent of the property market, with the average buyer requiring an estimated income of £4.7m in order to do so. Benham and Reeves analysed sold price transactions for homes sold across London so far in 2023, looking at the median sold price of the top one percent of these properties, before calculating the required income needed to buy based on placing a 15% deposit and at an average income to lending ratio of 4.5 times salary. The research shows that so far across London, 8,119 homes have sold in 2023 with an average sold price of £525,000. However, the average sold price seen across the top one percent of the market comes in at a far heftier £4.75m. This means the average buyer looking to purchase in the top one percent of the London property market would not only have to put down a deposit in excess of £700,000, but they would need to earn almost £900,000 a year to qualify for a mortgage at 4.5 times income. Of course, across the nation’s most expensive market of Kensington and Chelsea, the required income is far, far higher. So far this year, the top one percent of homes sold across the borough have averaged £24.7m, meaning those looking to purchase at this very top tier of the market would require an annual income of almost £4.7m. Camden ranks second where the top one percent of homes have sold for an average of £14.1m in 2023, requiring an income of £2.7m. Westminster completes the top three, where an average sold price of £13.75m across the top one percent of the market so far this year means buyers would need to earn £2.6m a year to qualify. Those looking to buy in the top one percent of the market across Lambeth (£1.3m), Richmond (£1.2m), Merton (£1.1m) and Hammersmith and Fulham (£1.1m) would also need to earn in excess of £1m per year in order to do so. Even at the other end of the table, the top one percent of homes across Barking and Dagenham have sold for an average of £825,000 since the start of the year. While it’s the only borough where the average price of a home at the very top of the market sits below the £1m mark, buyers would still need to earn almost £156,000 a year to make their move. Director of Benham and Reeves, Marc von Grundherr, commented: “The London market is notoriously expensive even for the average buyer, but for those looking to purchase a home at the very top of the ladder, the finances required are quite mind boggling to say the least. The average price paid across the most exclusive pockets of Kensington and Chelsea is currently sitting at almost £25 million so far this year. Of course, those with the financial firepower to make such a purchase are unlikely to be phased by lending restrictions, but to put it into perspective, the average buyer would need an income of almost £4.7 million a year in order to qualify.” Data tables Data tables and sources can be viewed online, here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
