Arthur McKay, a leading building support services provider in the UK and an Atalian Servest company, has appointed Steve Wallbanks as Managing Director to spearhead growth. With more than 30 years’ experience in the FM industry, Steve will be responsible for steering the strategic direction of the company and expanding
Two Devon village developments by Torquay-based Cavanna Homes have been shortlisted in the national housebuilding “Oscars” for Best Design. Alfred’s Gate in the East Devon village of Newton Poppleford, near Sidmouth, and Kings Orchard in Stoke Gabriel, near Totnes are the only South West developments to be shortlisted in the
Roger Bullivant Limited (RB), a pioneering ground engineering company, has commenced construction works for leading construction contractors, Benniman to bring forward industrial units at St. Modwens Logistics park development in Newport. Two units of 30,000 sq ft and 100,000 sq ft will be delivered, providing high-quality industrial and warehouse space.
Sales activity in the £1m+ property market is storming ahead according to the latest Rightmove data, as wealthier buyers race for more space and leafier locations in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and changing lifestyle preferences. This, according to Hilltop Credit Partners, makes it a perfect time to support
The Huddersfield Blueprint regeneration vision has been given a major funding boost, with a £2 million grant secured to help deliver the George Hotel’s transformation into the new National Rugby League Museum. Kirklees Council has been successful in its bid to Historic England’s High Streets Heritage Action Zone funding. The
Health and safety inspectors across Great Britain will be targeting construction firms to check that their health standards are up to scratch during a month-long inspection initiative, starting on Monday 5 October. This is the fourth health-focused initiative of its kind. As in previous years, inspections will focus on respiratory
Whether you’re planning a refurbishment or starting a new development, creating a healthy office building needs to be higher on your agenda than ever before. Healthy buildings might not be something that many have previously considered when choosing to develop, purchase or rent a commercial space and almost definitely not
Nottingham-based luxury home developer, North Sands Developments, has started construction works on a new sought-after luxury residential scheme in the Beeston area. Located in the Bramcote Village Conservation Area near Beeston, the development – known as ‘Cow Lane’, will comprise of one four-bedroom and three five-bedroom detached executive-style homes, ranging from £775,000
Coronavirus has hit the UK’s construction sector hard, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a record 35% drop in activity in the second quarter of 2020. As lockdown has begun to ease, however, and pubs have started to re-open, UK builders are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
A new entrant to the sector has acquired a Devon hotel in a deal brokered by property consultancy Christie & Co. St Andrews Hotel in Exeter comprises 25 en-suite bedrooms. It is located a short walk away from the city centre, close to the quayside and the Marsh Barton Trading
Arthur McKay, a leading building support services provider in the UK and an Atalian Servest company, has appointed Steve Wallbanks as Managing Director to spearhead growth. With more than 30 years’ experience in the FM industry, Steve will be responsible for steering the strategic direction of the company and expanding the its service offerings. He brings a wealth of knowledge and technical expertise that will be fundamental in improving service quality. Steve joins Arthur McKay following his role as Integration Director UK, US & Asia at parent company Atalian Servest for the last two years. Prior to this he worked for Servest SA, in Johannesburg, as CEO South Africa & Africa Business. Steve Wallbanks said: “I’m pleased to be joining the Arthur McKay team and I am excited about heading up this growing business. Having worked with Atalian Servest for the last two years I have a clear understanding of the proposed development initiatives for Arthur McKay and I’m proud to be driving these forward with the rest of the team.” Commenting on Steves’ appointment, Daniel Dickson, CEO UK & Ireland, Atalian Servest said: “Steve brings with him the expertise to really drive forward new projects for Arthur McKay, challenging traditional service approaches to enhance customer experience in the process. I know Steve and his team will continue to deliver the highest standards of operation that the company is known for.”
Two Devon village developments by Torquay-based Cavanna Homes have been shortlisted in the national housebuilding “Oscars” for Best Design. Alfred’s Gate in the East Devon village of Newton Poppleford, near Sidmouth, and Kings Orchard in Stoke Gabriel, near Totnes are the only South West developments to be shortlisted in the Housebuilder Awards 2020. Cavanna Homes’ brace of success comes just 10 months after being named “Housebuilder of the Year 2019” at the annual awards ceremony. Both schemes were masterplanned by the team of architects and technicians at the Exeter studio of LHC Design, who were also responsible for the detailed design. “These are the Oscars of the homebuilding industry and highly competitive. Each year the awards showcase the very best in design and innovation and we are thrilled to have two of our stunning Westcountry schemes shortlisted,” commented Michael Newman, Head of Land and Design at Cavanna Homes. Alfred’s Gate in Newton Poppleford is a joint venture development with Clinton Devon Estates, which has provided 40 new three and four-bedroom family homes and detached bungalows, 40 percent of which are affordable homes. The development adjoins an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is designed to reflect the style of the local village and blend with the adjoining countryside. In the South Hams village of Stoke Gabriel, Kings Orchard is a development of 53 new one to four-bedroom homes, which has also been shortlisted in the 2020 Michelmores Property Awards for ‘Residential Project of the Year (36 units & over)’. As well as delivering stylish, energy-efficient homes to fit within the rural landscape, a new community hub is also under construction, providing office space and rooms for local community groups. The National Housebuilder Awards are in partnership with the National House Building Council (NHBC) and the Home Builders Federation (HBF), which also recognises Cavanna Homes as a five-star homebuilder after the firm received a 100 percent recommendation from homeowners earlier this year. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the awards ceremony will be taking place via an online virtual event on Thursday 3rd December 2020.
Roger Bullivant Limited (RB), a pioneering ground engineering company, has commenced construction works for leading construction contractors, Benniman to bring forward industrial units at St. Modwens Logistics park development in Newport. Two units of 30,000 sq ft and 100,000 sq ft will be delivered, providing high-quality industrial and warehouse space. The expansion follows the success of the scheme, already home to Amazon and CAF’s new train production facility. Roger Bullivant will install 1,500 250mm Driven Precast Concrete Piles using two in-house purpose-built super-silenced hydraulic drop hammer rigs. Working closely with Benniman, RB was able to provide a cost-effective piling solution for the site, overcoming challenging contaminated soils over deep Alluvial deposits. “We are proud to be working alongside Benniman using our expertise and ability to think innovatively to provide a comprehensive ground engineered solution to help accelerate the construction works within the industry sector. Our team has an extensive skill set to provide our clients with the one-stop-shop solution, from planning through to design and production where we manufacture our products at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at our HQ in Derbyshire,” said South Wales Area Manager, David Johnson. By implementing this high-quality method on this former steelwork site, RB was able to offer a solution which prevents pollution pathways being created between the contaminated near surface soils and Groundwater, essential in such a sensitive ecological location “Benniman are happy to be working in association with Roger Bullivant on this contract and look forward to working with them again on future projects,” added Procurement Director, Tim Mills.
Sales activity in the £1m+ property market is storming ahead according to the latest Rightmove data, as wealthier buyers race for more space and leafier locations in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and changing lifestyle preferences. This, according to Hilltop Credit Partners, makes it a perfect time to support developers and provide investors opportunities to invest in a market that has never looked more bouyant. Paul Oberschneider, CEO at Hilltop Credit Partners, said: “A common conception is that houses in the £1m+ market take longer to find buyers than the overall market because of their higher price points. But the latest data from Rightmove shows that UK’s million-pound homes are actually outperforming the rest of the property market in terms of the number of sales being agreed. The hottest millionaire markets right now are Norfolk, Wiltshire, Cornwall, Henley, Hackney, Tooting, Stoke Newington, Balham with affluent buyers willing to part with huge sums of money to buy larger homes. “A big reason for this market sentiment is the ongoing pandemic which is pushing many potential buyers to swap city apartments for bigger homes with more living spaces and gardens. With the government’s big push for work-from-home once again, many employees are also expected to spend fewer days in the office and may look to relocate to a bigger property with more outdoor space. The post-Covid market will have an increased focus on indoor and outdoor space and wealthier buyers will be the first to move to bigger homes. “Since the lockdown this year, UK’s property sector has shown incredible resilience despite the market setbacks. Demand from residential developers continues to be strong, and we are encouraged by the strength we have seen in the UK residential market over the past several months. At Hilltop, we are extremely proud of our one-stop funding solution which continues to be well received by the market, and how we have provided c. £30m in lending commitments (to date in 2020) to SME developers across England. The product offered by Hilltop has a dual pronged approach which includes both debt and equity elements. The equity raise on one side assists the developer, meet much needed final stretch and on the other, opens up these exiting developments to investors who may wish to invest and be part of the growth story. “We continue to have a growing pipeline with great sponsors. Case in point our newly increased £50m loan-on-loan facility from OakNorth Bank which is set play a huge role in supporting our ongoing development finance lending. We also provided funds for an eco-friendly residential development in North Devon as it combines high-quality construction and design, with green space, energy efficiency, and affordability – catering perfectly to today’s home buyers.” Hilltop’s management team includes former developers and finance experts, and together they have successfully originated and managed value-add and opportunistic residential deals through challenging market cycles. The fund is backed by the global real estate investment firm Round Hill Capital.
The Huddersfield Blueprint regeneration vision has been given a major funding boost, with a £2 million grant secured to help deliver the George Hotel’s transformation into the new National Rugby League Museum. Kirklees Council has been successful in its bid to Historic England’s High Streets Heritage Action Zone funding. The £95 million government-funded High Streets Heritage Action Zone programme, which is delivered by Historic England, aims to unlock the potential of high streets, fueling economic, social and cultural recovery. This £2million Kirklees has been granted is the largest of any Yorkshire council. It will help fund the refurbishment of the Grade II-listed George Hotel – which is set to become the new National Rugby League Museum – and the former Estates Buildings which is also Grade II-listed. This is in addition to the £1.4million in funding already secured from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to carry out the first phase of renovation works to the George Hotel. On 22 September 2020, Kirklees Council’s Cabinet approved a £100million investment which will help deliver key town centre regeneration projects as part of the Huddersfield and Dewsbury Blueprint plans. Councillor Peter McBride, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: “With the decline in the retail offer and the continued drop in footfall through most towns, we have to change the role of the town centre. “In St George’s Square, the National Rugby League Museum will be a real centre-piece for our Huddersfield Blueprint regeneration plans and will draw people into the town from far and wide to celebrate the history of the sport and Huddersfield as a place. “This building is where it all began for rugby league and it’s something we have to celebrate and hold on to. That’s why we decided to buy the building as it’s the only way we could be sure it would be a key part in our future, just as much as it’s a key part of our heritage. “Heritage is something that runs right through our regeneration plans and this funding will help us to bring these vacant historic buildings in St George’s Square back into use. “I’m really pleased we’ve already been able to successfully secure such a significant amount of funding to help us deliver this. It shows that others have confidence in our vision and what it will bring to Huddersfield and Kirklees as a whole.” Councillor Naheed Mather, Cabinet Member for Greener Kirklees, said: “We have bold and ambitious regeneration plans for not just Huddersfield but the whole of Kirklees. “As we look to build thriving modern-day town centres, a common theme throughout our regeneration plans is that they also celebrate our heritage. “We can no longer rely on retail alone to attract people to our town centres. The George Hotel is the very best example of how we can use our history to help build a successful town centre that’s fit for the future. “I’m really happy that Historic England recognises what we’re working to achieve and has contributed such a significant amount of funding to help turn this vision into a reality.” Charles Smith, Acting Regional Director for Historic England in the North East and Yorkshire said: “Our high streets bring people together. They are places to socialise, shop, run businesses and be part of our local community. When high streets suffer, as they have done in particular over the past six months, the special character of our historic places and communities suffers too. With the funding from the Government, combined with the expertise and passion of local people, Kirklees Council and Historic England, the future of St George’s Square is looking brighter.”
Health and safety inspectors across Great Britain will be targeting construction firms to check that their health standards are up to scratch during a month-long inspection initiative, starting on Monday 5 October. This is the fourth health-focused initiative of its kind. As in previous years, inspections will focus on respiratory risks and occupational lung disease; looking at the measures businesses have in place to protect their workers’ lungs from the likes of asbestos, silica and wood dust. This is part of HSE’s longer term health and work strategy to improve health within the construction industry. While the primary focus will be on health during this programme of inspections, if a HSE inspector identifies any other areas of concern, they will take the necessary enforcement action to deal with them. This will include making sure that businesses are doing all they can to protect their workers from the risk of coronavirus and make workplaces COVID-secure. Inspectors will also be looking for evidence of employers and workers knowing the risks, planning their work and using the right controls. If necessary, they will use enforcement to make sure people are protected. The health and safety construction initiative will be supported by HSE’s ‘Dustbuster’ campaign, aimed to influence employer behaviour by encouraging builders to download free guidance and advice, increasing knowledge and capability to protect workers’ health. More than 3,500 builders die each year from cancers related to their work, with thousands more cases of ill-health and working days lost. HSE’s chief inspector of construction, Sarah Jardine, said: “Around 100 times as many workers die from diseases caused or made worse by their work than are actually killed in construction accidents. “Our inspection initiatives ensure that inspectors are able to speak to dutyholders and visit sites to look at the kind of action businesses in the construction industry are taking right now to protect their workers’ health, particularly when it comes to exposure to dust and damage to lungs. “There are a few simple things that everyone can do to make sure they are protecting their health and their future. Be aware of the risks associated with activities you do every day, recognise the dangers of hazardous dust and consider how it can affect your health. We want businesses and their workers to think of the job from start to finish and avoid creating dust by working in different ways to keep dust down and wear the right mask and clothing.”
Whether you’re planning a refurbishment or starting a new development, creating a healthy office building needs to be higher on your agenda than ever before. Healthy buildings might not be something that many have previously considered when choosing to develop, purchase or rent a commercial space and almost definitely not when applying for jobs, but Covid-19 has changed the global landscape and we are thinking about our health now more than ever. So how can you create a healthy building? There are a number of factors to consider: AirThe design of the ventilation system is so important. Think about getting in the highest amount of fresh air possible and getting it moving through your building, with less air recycled. More fresh air leads to increased brain function which in turn leads to higher productivity. Filter the air at source to rid it of particulates and microbes as far as possible. WaterDrinking water should be filtered. To attain the highest quality drinking water, we suggest UV disinfecting and localised carbon filters can be fitted at every drinking water outlet with additional carbon filters just before you drink. MaterialsUse clean materials which will not introduce pollutants into the building. Use materials which do not harbour microbes, e.g. use copper for tea-making surfaces rather than plastics which allow viruses to ‘survive’ on their surface for extended periods. People movementBuild healthily, incorporating multiple stairwells in new builds to allow passage of people from one floor to another with no over-crowding. Refurbish existing stairwells to allow a more enhanced user experience and encourage use of stairs rather than the lift. This reduces microbial transmission and increases opportunity for exercise within the working day. LightingEnsure access to daylight for all staff and windows that people can look out of, where possible, preferably over a green space (difficult in some places where you may need to bring the green indoors – see below). Heating and coolingDesign your building to be not only thermally efficient but to keep a constant temperature with feedback controls. People are uncomfortable when temperatures are too low and lose concentration when temperatures increase. Increased temperatures also encourage the reproduction of microbes. SoundProvide quiet areas as well as areas with background noise so people can choose to work where they feel most productive. Smart technologyUse automated smart technology to track occupancy densities, air and water quality as well as humidity and temperature. Add plantsHumans, in general, are happier in a green space or by a window where they can see a green space. Bring the green space into your building by using a planting consultant who will can design where your plants will go and select plants which absorb higher levels of carbon dioxide and produce more oxygen, thus increasing air quality at the same time as providing a calming and inspiring space to work. Article curated by Milieu
Nottingham-based luxury home developer, North Sands Developments, has started construction works on a new sought-after luxury residential scheme in the Beeston area. Located in the Bramcote Village Conservation Area near Beeston, the development – known as ‘Cow Lane’, will comprise of one four-bedroom and three five-bedroom detached executive-style homes, ranging from £775,000 to £1million. Expected for completion in summer 2021, the luxury properties will be situated in a cul de sac accessed through a private road and will boast landscaped gardens, open plan living areas, spacious bedrooms, bespoke bathrooms and kitchens, and high-spec finishings throughout. Close to Queens Medical Centre, Boots HQ, Nottingham University and Junction 25 of the M1, Cow Lane is the second North Sands development in the Beeston area, following the sought-after leafy Mulberry Close development that was completed last year. Following the acquisition of the land and the granting of planning permission, demolition works began in August at Cow Lane, which was previously the site of a large bungalow. Construction works commenced on 1st September and once built, early purchasers will have the opportunity to choose from a range of fixtures and fittings to put their own stamp on their new homes. At this stage, a purchaser would be able to choose kitchen layouts and appliances along with tiles, bathroom finishes and floor finishes throughout the house, using the highest quality materials including Porcelanosa Tiling, Duravit sanitaryware, Siemens, AEG or Miele kitchens, underfloor heating and fibre broadband. In addition to this, the purchasers can spend time with the North Sands Developments independent interior designer and design team throughout the whole process, ensuring the best possible individual finish. James Hartley, director at North Sands Developments, said: “Following the success of Mulberry Close, we are excited to be designing and building more homes in this great area of Nottinghamshire, and properties have been carefully designed by architects and interior designers to fit in with the surrounding neighbourhood. “Situated within the Bramcote conservation area in a beautifully preserved and quiet village environment – Cow Lane is nestled in one of the most desirable locations in Nottingham, providing professionals and families with spacious, quality living spaces within convenient reach of Boots HQ, Queen’s Medical Centre, the University of Nottingham and major road routes including the A52 and M1, as well as many quality schools, public parks and transport links to Nottingham city centre. “Beeston is a fantastic town centre that is constantly evolving and improving. With plans for Beeston Square – a new cinema complex with bars, restaurants and retail outlets – taking shape, now is a great time to purchase a home for the long term, especially with the government announcement of the stamp duty holiday until March 31st next year. Prospective homeowners that register interest early will also have the pick of our quality fixtures and fittings options, to ensure homes are built to a bespoke specification.” Steve Parker, director of sales agent FHP Living, said: “We are delighted to be acting for North Sands Developments again on such an exciting site. This is a great opportunity for prospective buyers to work with this quality builder and developer, to have an input in choice and colours, with an independent interior designer to really put their personal stamp on these stunning new build homes. Now is a great time to talk to us and North Sands to start the ball rolling on a most enjoyable journey to your new home”. North Sands Developments is working alongside Taynton Construction, Peter Greenwood Architects and Nick Grace Planning for this housing scheme and the development will be marketed through FHP Living. The new development has already received a large amount of interest and properties are expected to be available to move into by summer 2021 – contact Jules or Steve at FHP Living to register interest for Cow Lane. Award-winning developer North Sands has delivered high-spec schemes in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Salcombe in Devon since inception.
Coronavirus has hit the UK’s construction sector hard, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a record 35% drop in activity in the second quarter of 2020. As lockdown has begun to ease, however, and pubs have started to re-open, UK builders are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. In July, the sector saw the strongest rebound in activity in almost five years. This is excellent news for companies like Lynch which supplies operated, self-drive and contract hire to the construction industry. The company which is headquartered in Hemel Hempstead has an expansive fleet of modern plant and equipment for civil engineering, rail engineering, public utilities, groundworks, demolitionand last but not least highways maintenance projects. Despite some of its other areas of business going quiet, its highways work continued to be busy. Throughout lockdown, road-building activity was identified as critical for the future of the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI). The lockdown’s emptier roads provided an opportunity to fast track existing road building projects. When asked about the type of machines it supplies its customers with for these types of projects, Chris Gill, Director at Lynch commented “we have been using Kubota’s machines for well over 10 years. Across Kubota’s 8 tonne, 5 tonne and 3 tonne range, there is something for everyone”. Over the last few years, Lynch has worked with Highways England to supply machines for some of its latest smart motorway projects. These projects have included work on the M23 from Hooley in Surrey to Brighton on the south coast and the redevelopment of the M23 the M4, the M26 and the A41. For the recent smart motorway building projects, it was estimated that 90% of the machines hired for the jobs were from Kubota’s 5-tonne range. Chris commented, “Kubota’s machines are very reliable and their compact design allows for excellent manoeuvrability in tight spaces, which is a priority for our customers. The sustainability of the machines is also particularly important for these types of projects.” “All of Kubota’s machines come fitted with Stage V compliant engines. Our customers actively choose us over competitors as they know our fleet will always be on top of the game in terms of green credentials. For our customers, this is increasingly desirable – especially for jobs that take place in urban environments, where both noise pollution and emissions are a priority.” When working on busy highways it is also incredibly important that the machines come fitted with the correct safety requirements. Kubota’s machines all come fitted with restrictions on how much the boom can swing and have beacons on the seatbelts. This helps to ensure Highways England can comply with its comprehensive list of safety requirements. “At Kubota UK, we are proud to be the dependable partner that helps our valued customers in getting the job done. While the industry has had to navigate twisty roads, the journey in front of us has given us indications that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. As major road construction projects go ahead, we’re confident that our latest series of excavators will deliver excellent field results in the same reliable way they always have,” said Fenella Tolhurst, Key Account Manager at Kubota UK.
A new entrant to the sector has acquired a Devon hotel in a deal brokered by property consultancy Christie & Co. St Andrews Hotel in Exeter comprises 25 en-suite bedrooms. It is located a short walk away from the city centre, close to the quayside and the Marsh Barton Trading Estate in the Alphington district. The hotel has been owned by Vincent and Elaine Blackshaw for 13 years as part of a portfolio of three hotels in Exeter that also includes The Clock Tower and Georgian Lodge. They have made the decision to sell in order to retire from the industry. The sale of St Andrews Hotel follows that of the Clock Tower which was sold last year. “We are delighted to have purchased St Andrews Hotel and were initially attracted to the property because of its potential for someone to add value. Our intention is to create a new image for the hotel by comprehensively refurbishing and modernising, whilst improving the existing business. We look forward to becoming part of this wonderful community,” commented the new owners. The business has been purchased by Mohan Arora and Tarini Mendiratta, new entrants to the sector who met whilst studying at University of Exeter. “The St Andrews Hotel has always held its own, competing against the other largely corporate owned hotels that dominate Exeter’s bed stock,” said Stephen Champion, director at Christie & Co and also the person that handled the sale. “It is fantastic to see this hotel sell for continued use as a hotel to independent operators, who plan to build upon the already successful business created by Vincent and Elaine Blackshaw, who incidentally purchased the hotel via Christie & Co back in 2007. We wish Mohan and Tarini every success in the future.” St Andrews Hotel in Devon was sold off an asking price of £1.3 million.