Market analysis by estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, reveals how much money homebuyers need to spend to live in the same location in which their favourite TV programme is set, from the affordable surroundings of Game of Thrones, to the pricey stomping ground of the late Inspector Morse. GetAgent.co.uk analysed
New industry data has revealed that building & construction firms could be missing out on top talent due to complicated application processes. The Access Group’s Recruitment and Resourcing Index has revealed a significant gap between candidate experiences when applying for new jobs across the major sectors – which could be preventing
Leading civil engineering and building contractor Farrans Construction has launched its application process for 50 high-demand positions on its industry leading graduate programme, Farrans Foundation, with intake dates in June and September 2024. Farrans Foundation is an award-winning, two year graduate programme which provides applicants with the necessary experience and
In the fast-paced world of rail transportation, safety is paramount. The challenges are many, from ensuring on-time departures to maintaining tracks and stations. However, one often overlooked yet significant safety concern in the rail industry is the occurrence of slips, trips, and falls. These seemingly minor incidents can have far-reaching
Two social landlords joined forces earlier this month to transform the grounds at a supported living scheme in Herefordshire. Platform Housing Group and Stonewater Ltd teamed up with Orphans Press to create a ‘happy to chat’ bench within the communal garden at Newman House in Leominster as well as tidying up the area to
The owners of Asda are reportedly considering a £500m sale of some of the supermarket retailer’s property portfolio in an effort to reduce debts. The billionaire Issa brothers, Mohsin and Zuber, with the backing of TDR Capital, are said to be in negotiations with Australian firm Macquarie Asset Management regarding
Spencer Group has appointed a Managing Director for its rail division, experienced and highly respected industry professional Mike Halliday. Mike joins the multi-disciplinary engineering specialist from Network Rail, where he has served as a route delivery director for the last six years. In his new role, he will drive Spencer
Bellway is set to start demolition works on the site of a former brickworks and council depot in Midhurst which will be transformed into an attractive development of new sustainable homes. There will be 69 homes at Thornley Grange, off Bepton Road in the West Sussex town. The northern part
Leading accrediting body warns of high HSE conviction rates and ever-bigger fines facing those in construction sector CFTS — the UK accrediting body for Thorough Examinations (LOLER and PUWER) — is warning those in the construction sector that they face record fines should they be convicted following a prosecution brought
RIBA has responded to the Government’s advice to close educational settings with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), following warnings about the dangerous condition of England’s school estate. This year, RIBA President Simon Allford has called this a huge concern and urged the Government to seize this opportunity to invest in good design. RIBA President Simon Allford said: “All
Market analysis by estate agent comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, reveals how much money homebuyers need to spend to live in the same location in which their favourite TV programme is set, from the affordable surroundings of Game of Thrones, to the pricey stomping ground of the late Inspector Morse. GetAgent.co.uk analysed the current average house price in the local authority areas that serve as the settings or real life filming locations for eight massively popular TV programmes, before analysing how the prices have increased in the past year, and how much they’ve increased since the first episode of each programme aired. Game of Thrones top for affordability Of the eight locations, the most affordable house prices are found near Castle Ward, County Down, which serves as the real-world location for the fictional setting of Winterfell in HBO’s Game of Thrones. The castle is located in Northern Ireland’s Newry Mourne & Down local authority area where the current average house price is £186,646. Inspector Morse most expensive At the other end of the spectrum, the most expensive TV location is the city of Oxford where the late Inspector Morse lived and worked in the eponymous cosy police drama. The average house in this historic city currently costs £482,715. Inspector Morse also tops the list when it comes to annual price increases with the average Oxford home now 4.4% more expensive than it was a year ago. This is followed by Hitchin, Hertfordshire, which serves as the fictional town of Parminster in Dr Foster, where prices have increased by 3.4%; and then it’s the city of Bath and its surrounds which are home to the bright young things of Bridgerton and where prices have increased by 2.8% on the year. House price growth since each show aired Morse once again tops the list when it comes to house price increases since the first episode of each TV programme aired. The first episode of Inspector Morse aired in January 1987 when the average house price in Oxford was £51,118. Today, it is 844.3% more expensive. Port Isaac, Cornwall, serves as the town of Portwenn in Doc Martin, the first episode of which aired in September 2004. At that time, the average local home cost £180,749. Today, it is 70.6% more expensive at £308,267. Close behind is the local authority area around Highclere Castle, Hampshire, which serves as the setting for Downton Abbey and where today’s average house price of £358,977 is 70.3% higher than it was when the first episode aired in September 2010. County Down’s prices have increased by 48.3% since the first episode of Game of Thrones aired in April 2011; Hitching, Herefordshire has seen prices increase by 37.8% since Dr Foster first aired in September 2015; and Wye Valley, the seeing for Sex Education, has seen prices increase by 26.8% since the show first aired in January 2019. The real-life location of Bridgerton has seen price rises of 19.9% since the first episode landed on Netflix in December 2020; and finally, prices around Hatfield House, Hertfordshire, which serves as Marlborough House and Windsor Castle in The Crown, have increased by 13% since the show began in November 2016. Co-founder and CEO of GetAgent.co.uk, Colby Short, commented: “We’ve all thought about upping sticks and moving to our favourite TV towns at some point and with so many top shows filmed right here in the UK, the idea isn’t as crazy as it might seem. However, It could cost you more than you might expect, with all but Game of Thrones coming in with a considerably higher average house price than the national average. That said, it’s interesting to see that these famous filming locations have all largely held their own in the last year when it comes to house price growth, despite the wider economic landscape. What’s more, they’ve also seen a considerable level of house price appreciation since their respective on screen portrayals first aired.” Data table… Data tables and sources can be viewed online, here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New industry data has revealed that building & construction firms could be missing out on top talent due to complicated application processes. The Access Group’s Recruitment and Resourcing Index has revealed a significant gap between candidate experiences when applying for new jobs across the major sectors – which could be preventing them from completing the process. The index was compiled using different metrics – including user-experience of careers pages, the number of questions on an application form, and whether candidates can apply via LinkedIn or need to send a covering letter. The higher the score, the better the candidate experience. The findings come as the British Chambers of Commerce latest Quarterly Recruitment Outlook (QRO) found that 80% of UK businesses have reported difficulties in recruiting – down just 2% from the ‘highest level of recruitment difficulties on record’ last year. The Access Group, a business management software specialist, analysed 20 industries including manufacturing, legal, healthcare and logistics to find out which ones offer the best candidate experiences, and where there is room for improvement. The lower the index score, the worse the experience. Building & construction firms were one of the most likely to struggle to recruit top talent according to the index. Topping the index as the industry most likely to struggle to fill positions due to arduous recruitment processes was accounting and finance, followed by automotive and building and construction. The ten industries potentially missing out the most on industry talent When it comes to the best candidate experiences, consumer-centric industries like retail and ecommerce, and homeware and interiors are leading the way, according to the index. Bookstore Waterstones had the best-performing website, while Hobby Craft, Mamas and Papas and Bargain Booze came out top with the best application processes. Overall, comic book and science fiction retailer Forbidden Planet scored the highest among the retailers with an average index score of 188.1. Top ten industries for providing the most seamless candidate experience Commenting on the findings, Julia Harvie-Liddel, Head of Recruitment at The Access Group said: “In today’s competitive jobs market, organisations cannot afford to risk losing candidates at the final stage because of poor experiences with their website and arduous application forms. “The good news is that with a few improvements, employers could see a vast improvement in the number of people who complete their application form. Make sure your careers pages or microsite is performing well from a technical perspective. Like customers, candidates will be put off by sites that are slow to load or don’t display properly on a mobile, so ask your digital team to check its Core Web Vitals (CWV). Just as important is updating your website with the latest roles and engaging content – everything from rewards and benefits to company life.” She added that in-house recruitment software can also play a valuable role in achieving this. “This technology enables firms to create a professional branded website that attracts candidates, engages them at every stage of the journey – keeping them updated on the status of their application and completing checks as efficiently as possible.” To view the full Recruitment and Resourcing index, visit: https://www.theaccessgroup.com/en-gb/blog/the-industries-winning-the-recruitment-race/ Methodology The Access Group used two key metrics to compile an average index score for each industry analysed, based on the UK’s top 100 brands by turnover by sector. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading civil engineering and building contractor Farrans Construction has launched its application process for 50 high-demand positions on its industry leading graduate programme, Farrans Foundation, with intake dates in June and September 2024. Farrans Foundation is an award-winning, two year graduate programme which provides applicants with the necessary experience and knowledge to fast track their career in construction, quantity surveying and civil engineering. With a blend of classroom-based learning and on-site experience, this is the starting point on the journey to becoming the future leaders of Farrans. This year, Farrans will be hosting a series of virtual career open days in September, October and November for those people who are interested in finding out more about what it is like to be a graduate or a placement in the company. Farrans Construction, a CRH company, has over 80 years’ experience of delivering world-class projects across the UK and Ireland. The company which employs more than 600 people has offices in Cambridge, Edinburgh, Leeds and Belfast with further site offices connecting its regional network. Dominic Lavery, Managing Director of Farrans, said: “We understand that the move from education to employment can be a big step and we want to make the experience as enjoyable as we can. Our graduate programme, which has recently been CPD Accredited by Engineers Ireland, will provide you with all of the necessary experience and knowledge you need at the start of your career. We will support you to begin your journey to become Chartered with your relevant professional body and, with over 60% of our professional employees Chartered, we are able to give you all the help, guidance and support required to attain your professional qualification. “We receive a high volume of applications for our programme so I recommend that anyone who is interested should join a virtual open day to find out what we look for in our graduates and placements and to take your time to make your application the best it can be.” Conor McCourt, senior engineer and Farrans Foundation Graduate, said: “Farrans Foundation is a graduate programme that provides you with an opportunity to learn about all aspects of the business so that you understand the ‘why’ of the work that you are doing. It certainly made me more commercially astute, taught me time management skills and opened my eyes to the many career paths I could take. University focuses on the theory while Farrans Foundation provides a framework to excel on the ground. “One of the major benefits is that you are able to make connections with colleagues at many levels. The programme gave me a support network of experienced professionals to call on for help if I need it. Skills from Farrans Foundation can be easily transferred to working towards Chartership.” For more information, to register for an virtual open day and to submit an application to Farrans’ Graduate and Placement Programme visit: www.farrans.com/graduates/ and www.farrans.com/placements/ Virtual open days will take place on 27th September from 5-6pm, 18th October from 1-2pm and on 23rd November from 4-5pm. Register here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In the fast-paced world of rail transportation, safety is paramount. The challenges are many, from ensuring on-time departures to maintaining tracks and stations. However, one often overlooked yet significant safety concern in the rail industry is the occurrence of slips, trips, and falls. These seemingly minor incidents can have far-reaching consequences for the workforce, the public and the efficiency of rail operations. The Effect of Slips, Trips, and Falls Slips, trips, and falls might sound like everyday occurrences, but within the rail industry, they can trigger a chain reaction of problems. Whether it’s a passenger slipping on a platform, a staff member tripping on uneven flooring, or a contractor falling while maintaining equipment, the consequences can be severe. Human Toll Slips, trips, and falls can lead to injuries ranging from minor sprains to more serious fractures or head injuries. Each incident not only affects the individual involved but also their colleagues, family, and the overall morale of the workforce. Operational Disruptions Even a brief halt in rail operations can have a cascading effect on schedules and customer satisfaction. If a worker or member of the public is injured, investigations and medical attention can disrupt regular activities. Financial Impact In addition to potential compensation costs, slips, trips, and falls can result in legal liabilities, increased insurance premiums, and potential compensation claims. These financial repercussions can strain resources that would be better utilised for other safety improvements. Public Perception Safety incidents reflect poorly on the rail industry’s reputation. A high-profile slip or fall can erode public trust and deter potential passengers from choosing rail as their mode of transport. To address the issue effectively, it’s essential to understand the risk factors that contribute to slips, trips, and falls in the rail environment: How can SOCOTEC UK help? As a leading provider of testing, inspection, and certification services, SOCOTEC UK is dedicated to enhancing safety across various industries, including rail. Our expertise can make a significant impact on reducing slips, trips, and falls within the rail sector: Slips, trips, and falls might seem minor, but their impact on the rail industry is far from insignificant. By addressing these safety concerns, we can create a safer environment for rail workers and passengers alike. SOCOTEC UK’s commitment to providing tailored solutions and expertise can help the rail industry mitigate risks and maintain its reputation for safety and reliability. Together, we can ensure smooth rail operations while putting safety first. Stay Tuned for Our Annual Rail Environment Forum (REF) Invitation for 2023 Additionally, we invite you to keep an eye out for our upcoming REF invitation for 2023. This forum serves as a platform to exchange insights, share best practices, and collaboratively address safety challenges. At SOCOTEC UK, we believe that continuous learning and collaboration are key to fostering a safer rail industry for all. Attend SOCOTEC’s next Expert Webinar Effluents – Do you consent? – This webinar will focus on trade effluents and will take place on Wednesday 20 September 2023 at 11 am. Jonathan Harries, Technical Manager for SOCOTEC Environmental, will deliver the talk. Click on the link below to sign up via our dedicated webpage. A link to join will be delivered via email on the morning of the webinar. Register your interest Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Two social landlords joined forces earlier this month to transform the grounds at a supported living scheme in Herefordshire. Platform Housing Group and Stonewater Ltd teamed up with Orphans Press to create a ‘happy to chat’ bench within the communal garden at Newman House in Leominster as well as tidying up the area to provide a better environment and peaceful retreat for the residents to enjoy. The initiative came about as part of a 150th birthday celebration; Orphans Press – a print, publishing, design and web agency based in the town – was established in 1873 to support the Leominster Orphan Homes, founded in 1869 and located at Newman House until its closure in 1951. The home housed 18 destitute children from industrialised parts of the country who had been orphaned. Henry Stanley Newman – founder of the Leominster Orphan Homes and Orphans Press – was determined to make sure that the children felt at home there, providing access to education, training and religious teachings. The event also included the planting of a ceremonial apple tree. Helen Bowden, Director at Orphans Press explained: “We discovered that there used to be an orchard in the garden at Newman House where the children used to pick apples. We decided to commemorate Henry Stanley Newman by planting an apple tree where the orchard used to be.” Newman House is run by Stonewater Ltd; since March 2022, Platform Housing Group has been undertaking repairs on Stonewater homes in the Herefordshire area. Matthew Stock, Grounds Maintenance Delivery Manager at Platform Housing Group said : “We were absolutely delighted to be approached by Orphans Press to undertake such a fabulous project on behalf of Stonewater. The history behind the home is fascinating and being involved with it has really brought it all to life. We hope the residents of Newman House will enjoy their new bench amidst the beautiful grounds.” Helen Holland, Connected Communities Peer Leader, Neighbourhoods, at Stonewater, said: “We’re so thrilled that Stonewater can be part of such a positive and essential initiative. We understand how necessary it can be for people to be able to chat to others, especially given the difficulties we’ve all faced over the last few years. We’re glad to be able to help strengthen the sense of community among new and future residents.” Helen Bowden concluded : “Newman House is such an important part of the history of both Orphans Press and Leominster. We felt it was important to do something really special for our 150th birthday and collaborating with Platform and Stonewater to transform the grounds at Newman House was the perfect way to commemorate Henry Newman and give back to the residents.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The owners of Asda are reportedly considering a £500m sale of some of the supermarket retailer’s property portfolio in an effort to reduce debts. The billionaire Issa brothers, Mohsin and Zuber, with the backing of TDR Capital, are said to be in negotiations with Australian firm Macquarie Asset Management regarding a sale. The deal would see Macquarie purchase the ground rent leases of around 50 Asda stores, with a clause allowing the supermarket retailer to reassume control of the sites at the end of the 50-year term. Asda would then be able to pay lower rents at these stores while raising higher amounts of equity. The Issa brothers acquired the Asda estate from Walmart in 2021 in a deal worth £6.8bn, however some £2.75bn of debt was included in the transaction. In March, it was reported that the billionaire brothers were eyeing the sale-and-leaseback of the entire Asda estate, worth £8.6bn. The supermarket retailer then disposed of 25 stores to American investor Realty Income in a sale-and-leaseback deal worth £650m. Asda recently reported an increase in sales during the second quarter, which the supermarket said reflected the “strength” of its customer proposition. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Spencer Group has appointed a Managing Director for its rail division, experienced and highly respected industry professional Mike Halliday. Mike joins the multi-disciplinary engineering specialist from Network Rail, where he has served as a route delivery director for the last six years. In his new role, he will drive Spencer Group’s rail division forward as it delivers transformative projects across the UK. Reflecting on his appointment, Mike said: “I’m delighted to be joining Spencer Group, which has a reputation for innovation and engineering excellence. I’ve spent the last six years with Network Rail, developing supply chain strategy and delivering projects – and will draw on this experience to grow and align Spencer’s rail division. “My focus will be on the upfront development side of the business, and on realising the full potential of its internal design capabilities. I’m committed to ensuring that we truly align with and understand our clients, avoiding change and unnecessary delays in delivery. Mike added: “I’ve spent most of my career as a contractor – but, after joining Network Rail, I gained invaluable client-side experience. Six years later, I’m confident that I understand the organisation’s requirements – and the needs of other rail clients. I began my rail career with Spencer Group and know that meeting these needs is in its DNA. Now, I’m really looking forward to shaping and building our rail offering with the help of my team.” With 27 years of industry experience, qualified engineer Mike is well-equipped to lead Spencer Group’s rail division – a business he first joined in 1996. Over the course of 11 years, he helped to grow it into a Tier 1 contractor and was made a main board director. During this time, Mike drew heavily on the skills he had acquired as an engineer on complex heavy civil engineering projects. Helping to deliver highways and bridges, he also developed a solution-driven style and straight-talking approach. After leaving Spencer Group in 2007, Mike became a private consultant – and was later offered the role of rail director at Story Engineering. By 2015, the business had become a well-established Tier 1 contractor and increased its turnover by 300 per cent. During Mike’s tenure, it was also named Supplier of the Year by Network Rail. He joined Network Rail in 2017, after a stint as infrastructure division lead at Wood Group. Serving as a route delivery director for the UK’s infrastructure owner and manager, Mike was responsible for the safe and efficient delivery of major projects. Commenting on Mike’s appointment, Spencer Group Managing Director Gary Thornton said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Mike to Spencer Group as our Managing Director of rail and to help drive forward our ambitions in the sector. Mike brings with him decades of valuable experience both contractor and client-side working for Network Rail and in his previous experience with Spencer Group. “Mike’s strong engineering background places him ideally to lead our team and build on our already fantastic reputation for project delivery in the rail industry.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bellway is set to start demolition works on the site of a former brickworks and council depot in Midhurst which will be transformed into an attractive development of new sustainable homes. There will be 69 homes at Thornley Grange, off Bepton Road in the West Sussex town. The northern part of the site was a brickworks from 1913 to 1985 and has remained as industrial land, with the southern part of the site used as a West Sussex County Council depot. Bellway purchased the land earlier this month (August) with full planning consent already in place. The new community has been designed to complement the neighbouring woodland at Midhurst Common. The development will feature a central green copse area and existing mature trees will be protected and enhanced. Bellway has paid £100,000 to improve Midhurst Common and a further £12,660 to enhance wildlife habitats ahead of starting work on the site in September. Matt Hoad, Land and Planning Director for Bellway South London, said: “Thornley Grange will enhance this area of the South Downs National Park, replacing derelict industrial buildings with a sustainable new development. “The homes have been designed to reflect the architecture of buildings in Midhurst, including the many listed properties. This has created some intricate detailing within the elevations of the various house types. “In addition to funding enhancements to the nearby woodland, Thornley Grange will help to satisfy the need for more new homes in this sought-after town. “Demolition works will begin in the coming weeks and we look forward to creating an outlook that is much more fitting with these stunning surroundings than the industrial buildings which Thornley Grange will replace.” Bellway will build 44 homes for private sale, which will be two, three and four-bedroom houses. There will be 25 affordable homes, including one and two-bedroom apartments for low-cost rent and two and three-bedroom houses for shared ownership. The homes will feature electrical car charging points to encourage sustainable transport. There will also be a ‘Hedgehog Highways’ scheme, creating routes for hedgehogs to travel between gardens alongside bird, bat and dormouse boxes and wildlife habitats to enhance biodiversity at the development. Bellway South London has invested in communities across West Sussex, with work currently progressing on new homes developments at Indigo Park in Chichester, Elizabeth Square in Goring-by-Sea, Riverbrook Place in Crawley, Abingworth Fields in Thakeham, and Fallow Wood View in Burgess Hill. For more information see https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/south-london. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading accrediting body warns of high HSE conviction rates and ever-bigger fines facing those in construction sector CFTS — the UK accrediting body for Thorough Examinations (LOLER and PUWER) — is warning those in the construction sector that they face record fines should they be convicted following a prosecution brought by HSE. “The most recent statistics make sobering reading,” says Geoff Martin, Chairman of CFTS. “Construction is an exceptionally hazardous industry with a non-fatal injury rate of 59,000 per year – that’s 76% higher than the all-industry average. Even more disturbing is the fact that if you work in construction, the chances of you dying are four times the all-industry average. “In addition to the human cost, employers also face increasingly severe financial penalties and an exceptionally high probability of conviction.” As has been well-publicised, courts are now adopting a very robust approach towards offenders. Since the introduction of the Health and Safety Guidelines in 2016 the average fine has more than doubled, with judges handing out punishments intended to have a significant economic impact on the businesses concerned. Looking at the most recent figures, the average fine has increased from £107,000 in 2019/2020 to £145,000 in 2020/2021 — an increase of 35%. What’s more, 7 of the cases sentenced in 2020/2021 resulted in a fine of £1 million or more. ** “The chances of being found guilty have also increased,” continues Geoff Martin. “Recently released statistics reveal that if a case is brought by HSE, then the probability of conviction is significantly greater than for other criminal cases with 94% of those prosecuted being found guilty… compared with 83.6% for general convictions. “As a result, we are urging all employers in construction to review their health and safety procedures – and that starts with ensuring equipment is regularly inspected to certify it is safe and fit for purpose,” emphasises Mr Martin. “It makes complete financial sense, not just because of the risk of prosecution but because of the importance of protecting your investment in expensive plant. “That means carrying out routine pre-use checks and underpinning those with Thorough Examinations that cover both the lifting components (as required under LOLER regulations) but also the brakes, steering and other safety-related parts (covered by PUWER). “The incentives for employers to ensure they are fully compliant when it comes to safety have never been greater, with conviction a near certainty if an accident results in a prosecution. “CFTS can offer advice on what should be covered in a Thorough Examination to comply with HSE requirements and the intervals when it should be carried out.” For more information visit www.thoroughexamination.org * Health and Safety Executive Annual Report and Accounts 2022/23 ** https://dwfgroup.com/en/news-and-insights/insights/2022/1/hse-statistics-and-falling-prosecutions Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
RIBA has responded to the Government’s advice to close educational settings with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), following warnings about the dangerous condition of England’s school estate. This year, RIBA President Simon Allford has called this a huge concern and urged the Government to seize this opportunity to invest in good design. RIBA President Simon Allford said: “All young people and staff deserve to learn and work without fearing for their safety. We have repeatedly raised concerns about the dangerous state of some school buildings – and the Government has failed to fund desperately needed repairs. It’s shocking to see this advice issued, just days before schools are due to reopen. The Government must now make it an immediate priority to identify the extent of remediations necessary and fund them without delay.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals