Greggs is setting its sights on 140 to 150 new store openings in 2025, following a record-breaking year in which the bakery chain surpassed £2 billion in sales for the first time. In 2024, Greggs expanded its presence with 226 new store openings, while closing 28 locations and relocating 53.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a £1.5 billion investment programme aimed at regenerating 75 neighbourhoods across the UK over the next decade. Each selected area will receive £20 million as part of the government’s new Plan for Neighbourhoods, designed to breathe new life into
GMI Construction Group has celebrated the topping out of its £27 million contract to develop the Mabgate Campus, marking a significant step in transforming the former derelict site into a modern educational hub. Commissioned by Luminate Education Group, the project will provide 70,000 sq. ft of new learning space, enhancing
Keon Homes has hailed being named on the £1billion Wolverhampton Housing Development Framework as a transformational moment for its business. The specialist in affordable housing and extra care schemes beat off intense competition to be granted preferred contractor status on all sites over 20 plots in the city and surrounding
With competency under the spotlight, it is important that all construction professionals have easy access to high quality educational opportunities. Siderise Academy is a new online learning platform designed to help the industry build its understanding of passive fire protection and acoustics in the built environment. Featuring RIBA-certified CPDs and
Selling a home in Cincinnati can be a daunting task, especially when using traditional real estate methods. From staging your home and scheduling showings to waiting for the right buyer and dealing with complicated negotiations, the process can be time-consuming and stressful. While the traditional route works for some homeowners,
Greggs is setting its sights on 140 to 150 new store openings in 2025, following a record-breaking year in which the bakery chain surpassed £2 billion in sales for the first time. In 2024, Greggs expanded its presence with 226 new store openings, while closing 28 locations and relocating 53. The company also refurbished 165 existing shops, bringing its total estate to 2,618 stores by the end of the year. Looking ahead, Greggs sees significant potential to exceed 3,000 UK stores in the long term. The company’s total sales for 2024 rose 11.3% year-on-year to £2.01bn, with underlying operating profit increasing 13.7% to £195.3m. Roisin Currie, chief executive of Greggs, reflected on the company’s success: “2024 was another record-breaking year for Greggs; we exceeded £2 billion in sales for the first time and opened our 2,600th shop. Our people have worked tirelessly to deliver on our strategic ambition to further establish Greggs as a multi-channel food-to-go retailer, and I want to acknowledge their efforts. It is thanks to their hard work, week after week, that we continue to grow, while maintaining the great prices, high-quality products, and friendly service that keep our customers coming back.” Currie also reaffirmed Greggs’ long-term growth strategy: “In 2021, we set our sights on doubling sales by 2026 and building a significantly larger business. Three years into this five-year plan, we are on track and confident in the growth opportunities ahead. The brand is stronger than ever, with vast potential to expand our store network and continue developing in newer markets and channels.” With strong momentum and ambitious expansion plans, Greggs is poised for another year of impressive growth in 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a £1.5 billion investment programme aimed at regenerating 75 neighbourhoods across the UK over the next decade. Each selected area will receive £20 million as part of the government’s new Plan for Neighbourhoods, designed to breathe new life into local high streets, parks, youth clubs, cultural venues, libraries, and health and wellbeing services. To ensure that funding meets local needs, newly established neighbourhood boards will bring together residents and businesses to decide how best to invest the money in their communities. Options could range from repairing pavements and revitalising high streets to setting up community grocers offering low-cost essentials, co-operatives, or even strengthening neighbourhood watch schemes. The investment will also focus on improving education, health, and employment services while tackling pressing local issues such as crime. Alex Norris, Minister for Local Growth and Building Safety, said the programme would provide long-term support to strengthen community spirit and help struggling areas recover. “This will deliver lasting funding to reignite the potential of neighbourhoods that have for too long been left fighting for survival,” he said. “Alongside our planning reforms, devolution of powers, and strengthened workers’ rights, this investment will help people and places to thrive again.” Among the communities set to benefit are Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire, Irvine in Scotland, Wrexham in Wales, and Coleraine and Derry in Northern Ireland. Housing Secretary Angela Rayner highlighted the importance of putting local people in control of their own regeneration. “For years, too many neighbourhoods have been starved of investment despite their potential to grow and flourish,” she said. “Communities across the UK have so much to offer—from rich cultural heritage to strong local networks—but they know best what their neighbourhoods need. “Our fully funded Plan for Neighbourhoods does things differently. It puts local people in the driving seat, giving them the power to decide how government investment is spent, what issues to tackle, and where to focus growth.” With this ambitious funding package, the government aims to give neighbourhoods the tools and resources to transform their futures, creating stronger, more vibrant communities across the UK. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GMI Construction Group has celebrated the topping out of its £27 million contract to develop the Mabgate Campus, marking a significant step in transforming the former derelict site into a modern educational hub. Commissioned by Luminate Education Group, the project will provide 70,000 sq. ft of new learning space, enhancing teaching and student experience while contributing to the regeneration of the Mabgate area. The development includes a five-storey campus for University Centre Leeds, a new building for Leeds City College’s adult learning provision, and an atrium cafeteria. It also involves the refurbishment of Studio 24, an historic arts and events space. All buildings at Mabgate Campus are designed with sustainability in mind, featuring low carbon heating and energy-efficient measures. David Warren, Group Vice Principal of Development at Luminate Education Group, said, “This milestone marks another step forward in our commitment to delivering high-quality learning environments. The new facilities will replace outdated buildings, providing cutting-edge spaces for University Centre Leeds and Leeds City College adult students.” Ed Weston, Commercial Director, Yorkshire, at GMI Construction, added: “Reaching the topping out stage at Mabgate is a key milestone in this landmark development. As a Leeds-based company, we are proud to contribute to the regeneration of this area while enhancing the facilities in this space. This investment will create outstanding opportunities for students and deliver lasting benefits to the region.” GMI Construction began work on the project last year, with initial phases involving the partial demolition of existing buildings to make way for the new development. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Keon Homes has hailed being named on the £1billion Wolverhampton Housing Development Framework as a transformational moment for its business. The specialist in affordable housing and extra care schemes beat off intense competition to be granted preferred contractor status on all sites over 20 plots in the city and surrounding areas. It is about to start construction work on the £40m New Park Village remodelling project in the summer and is shortly getting underway with the first phase of 99 new bungalows at Lincoln Green in Bushbury. Five new jobs have been created at the Burntwood-based developer with tens more expected to follow indirectly in the supply chain. Importantly, the Housing Development Framework also included a Direct Award for Keon Homes, providing authorised users with a streamlined process to procure works for the next four years. This is open to any local authority or registered provider across Cheshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire, and the West Midlands. Matt Beckley, Partnerships Director, commented: “This is arguably the biggest deal in our history, with the opportunity to support the redevelopment of some key housing sites in Wolverhampton and, then potentially, further afield. “Our track record for bringing challenging schemes to market and then completing them on time and to budget played a key role in the award, that and our passion for creating communities where individuals and families can thrive. It’s more than bricks and mortar to us.” He continued: “New Park Village and Lincoln Green are two sites that drastically needed remodelling, especially the latter where old, prefabricated accommodation was coming to the end of its lifecycle in terms of structural integrity and energy efficiency. We’re replacing these with highly energy efficient properties that will be built using the latest construction techniques and with green spaces at their heart, meeting the needs of local residents.” Councillor Steve Evans, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for City Housing at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “Our new Housing Development Framework is helping speed up the delivery of good homes in well-connected neighbourhoods across Wolverhampton, while providing affordable housing to residents. “It will also allow our housing team to plan estate regeneration and gain advice from contractors and developers, like Keon Homes, on buildability and viability as we work in partnership to ensure value for money. “This will prove to be an effective way to deliver new homes and, crucially, increases the city’s housing stock when it needs it most.” The Wolverhampton Housing Development Framework is in place for four years initially with the opportunity for it to be extended if the agreement is going well. It marks another significant year of growth for Keon Homes, who recently announced it is bringing the £35m Phase 3 of Port Loop in Birmingham back to life and successfully completed its first extra care scheme in Newport nine months ahead of schedule. “We have slowly, but surely been building a reputation in the East and West Midlands as a developer that organisations can trust and this means we are now working with eleven housing associations and the City of Wolverhampton Council on this landmark Framework,” added Richard Williams, Managing Director of Keon Homes. “The Direct Award is also very important. In essence, it means other local authorities can come to us direct with a site award, without having to go through the time-consuming and costly procurement process.” For further information, please visit www.keonhomes.co.uk or follow the company across its social media channels. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
With competency under the spotlight, it is important that all construction professionals have easy access to high quality educational opportunities. Siderise Academy is a new online learning platform designed to help the industry build its understanding of passive fire protection and acoustics in the built environment. Featuring RIBA-certified CPDs and ASFP-verified modules, it can support the creation of safe, comfortable and compliant buildings designed to last. Created by learning and technical experts at the global manufacturer of high-performance passive fire protection, acoustic and insulation solutions, Siderise Academy offers a range of on-demand courses, webinars and CPD modules that are accessible on any device with an internet connection. These are supported with reading materials and interactive quizzes and assessments designed to test your knowledge and reinforce your learning. With RIBA-certified CPDs and passive fire protection modules verified by the ASFP, the content aligns with high industry standards and can be used as part of the ASFP Competency Pathway. Once a course or webinar is completed, users can download a certificate of completion, enabling them to document their learning and provide evidence that they are taking steps to maintain their competence through continuous learning and development. Elan Penn, Training Manager at Siderise, spoke of the significance of the new platform: “Launching the Siderise Academy marks a key milestone in our mission to ‘Go Beyond, contributing to safer buildings.’ Both passive fire protection and acoustics are incredibly complex areas of construction and it is important that industry professionals have the right background knowledge to ensure the approaches and solutions they are using are the best practice for their projects, supporting both safety and regulatory compliance. Through this platform, we hope to better share the knowledge and experience of our technical experts, with even more valuable courses and modules set to be released over the coming year.” Siderise Academy has launched with three foundational courses and insightful webinars, enabling you to start your journey to a better understanding of passive fire protection and acoustics from today. Sign up for your free account at https://sideriseacademy.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Selling a home in Cincinnati can be a daunting task, especially when using traditional real estate methods. From staging your home and scheduling showings to waiting for the right buyer and dealing with complicated negotiations, the process can be time-consuming and stressful. While the traditional route works for some homeowners, many others need a simpler and faster way to sell. If you’re looking to sell your house quickly and without hassle, you may want to avoid the traditional selling process and explore more efficient alternatives. Whether you’re facing foreclosure, relocating, downsizing, or simply want to sell your home without delays, there are better options available. In this guide, we’ll discuss why traditional home sales can be challenging, explore alternative ways to sell your house quickly in Cincinnati, and explain how you can complete the sale without the usual stress. 1. The Challenges of Selling a Home Traditionally in Cincinnati While the Cincinnati real estate market has been strong in recent years, selling through traditional methods is not always the easiest route. Homeowners often encounter various challenges, including: 1. Lengthy Time on the Market Even in a hot market, selling a home can take weeks or even months. Traditional sales require listing the property, waiting for buyers, negotiating offers, and completing inspections. The longer your home sits on the market, the more stressful and uncertain the process becomes. 2. Expensive Repairs and Renovations Buyers today expect homes to be in excellent condition before making an offer. If your home needs repairs or upgrades, you may be forced to spend thousands of dollars on renovations before even listing it. 3. Unpredictable Closing Process Even after accepting an offer, the closing process can be unpredictable. Buyers often require financing, which can result in delays if their mortgage approval falls through. Inspections and appraisals may lead to price reductions or deal cancellations. 4. High Real Estate Commissions and Fees Real estate agents typically charge 5-6% of the final sale price in commissions. That means if you sell your home for $300,000, you could end up paying $15,000-$18,000 in agent fees alone, not including closing costs and other expenses. 5. Constant Showings and Disruptions Selling a home traditionally means keeping your home spotless at all times, allowing potential buyers to tour your property on short notice, and dealing with open houses. This can be incredibly inconvenient and time-consuming, especially if you’re living in the home while selling. For homeowners looking for a faster, more efficient selling process, alternative selling methods can help you avoid these common pitfalls. 2. Alternative Ways to Sell Your Home Quickly in Cincinnati Fortunately, there are better ways to sell your home without dealing with the headaches of a traditional sale. These alternatives can save you time, money, and stress. 1. Sell Your Home to a Direct Buyer (Cash Buyer) One of the fastest and simplest ways to sell a house in Cincinnati is to sell directly to a cash buyer or a home-buying company. Cash buyers purchase homes in any condition and eliminate the need for repairs, staging, or showings. Benefits of Selling to a Cash Buyer: ✔ Fast Closing (Often in 7-14 Days)✔ No Need for Repairs or Renovations✔ No Agent Commissions or Fees✔ Guaranteed Sale (No Financing Contingencies)✔ Sell Your Home As-Is If you’re in a hurry to sell your home without delays or uncertainty, this is one of the best options available. 2. Sell Your Home to an Investor Real estate investors buy homes for rental income or resale. Many investors purchase properties in as-is condition, making it an ideal option for sellers who don’t want to invest in repairs or updates. Investors often offer flexible closing timelines and cash offers, making this a great option for those looking to sell quickly and efficiently. 3. Sell Through an iBuyer iBuyers (instant buyers) use technology to provide instant cash offers on homes. These companies use algorithms to assess property values and offer a competitive price within 24-48 hours. Pros of iBuyers:✔ Quick home evaluation and offer process✔ No need for multiple showings✔ Competitive cash offers However, iBuyers often charge service fees (similar to agent commissions) and only buy homes that meet their criteria. If your home needs repairs or doesn’t fit their model, this may not be the best option. 3. Why a Direct Sale is the Best Option for Many Homeowners in Cincinnati For many Cincinnati homeowners, selling directly to a cash buyer or investor is the most efficient and stress-free way to sell a home. This option allows you to avoid the common challenges of traditional real estate transactions. Selling your house directly is especially beneficial if:✔ You need to sell fast due to job relocation, divorce, or financial hardship.✔ Your home needs repairs that you can’t afford to make.✔ You don’t want to pay agent commissions and fees.✔ You want to skip showings and open houses.✔ You prefer a guaranteed cash sale instead of dealing with financing approvals. If you’re considering selling your home the easy way, you can explore more information and resources here on how to get started with a direct home sale. 4. How to Get Started with a Fast and Simple Home Sale If you’re ready to sell your home quickly and efficiently, follow these simple steps: Step 1: Find a Reputable Cash Buyer or Home Buying Company Look for trusted home-buying companies in Cincinnati with positive reviews, fair offers, and no hidden fees. Step 2: Request a Free, No-Obligation Cash Offer Most direct home buyers will assess your home’s condition and provide a cash offer within 24-48 hours. Step 3: Accept the Offer and Choose Your Closing Date Once you accept an offer, you can set your own closing date. Many buyers allow sellers to close in as little as 7 days or give flexibility if they need more time to move. Step 4: Get Paid and Move On At closing, you’ll receive your cash payment without the hassle of agent fees, commissions, or last-minute negotiations. Final Thoughts: Selling
