Key work on the M6 J13-15 smart motorway project has brought the scheme a step closer to completion. Kier Highways successfully installed three large cantilever gantries over a nine-night period while the motorway network remained open to customers. Three gantries weighing 24 tonnes and 18m in width now span the
Three new entertainment venues have launched in Birmingham’s creative quarter, Digbeth. Gaming concept Chance and Counters is based in the Custard Factory, and ‘social sports bar’ The Floodgate and The Great Birmingham Bake Off, an interactive baking experience, are based on Floodgate Street. The businesses bolster Digbeth’s burgeoning and eclectic leisure, retail,
A deal has been reached which will see 135 affordable homes built across Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire. One of the UK’s largest housing groups, Orbit has signed a contract Midlands-based Trent & Dove to deliver the homes. The contract forms part of Orbit’s strategic partnership with Homes England which will
Decorators and DIY’ers in need of exterior paints that allow decorators to continue their work outdoors, even in dipping winter temperatures, should look no further than Zinsser AllWeather Exterior Masonry Paint and Zinsser AllCoatExterior (Solvent-Based). Zinsser AllWeatherExterior Masonry Paint makes working outdoors in winter conditions easy, as this ultimate-performance exterior masonry
A London office building in the heart of St James’s has been recognised with a landmark double-certification. The Marq, a development from The Crown Estate, has become the first new-build project in the UK to achieve both a BREEAM New Construction Outstanding rating for its shell and core and the
Industrial space has been boosted in Liverpool with the completion of the third phase of development at Stonebridge Business Park. Caddick Construction delivered the six-month project on behalf of St Modwen, which included the delivery of a further 52,000 sq ft of industrial space at the 30-acre site. Ian Threadgold,
Energy, services and regeneration specialist, ENGIE held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, November 29, to mark the commencement of a £2.5 million construction project in Bellshill. The development, in partnership with the Clyde Valley Housing Association, will see derelict land on Hamilton Road transformed into 24 brand new, energy efficient
Research has revealed matching the cost of planned Palace of Westminster repairs could dramatically reduce the UK housing deficit. Data examined by property finance specialists Pure Commercial Finance revealed for £4 billion – the estimated cost of essential repairs in Westminster – over 40,000 new properties could be built, housing almost 121,000
The team at Online Mortgage Advisor have conducted in-depth analysis on the areas of the country most at risk of flooding in the future. As well as giving users in England an idea of how ‘at risk’ their county and local authority is of flooding as a percentage, the English Flood
Being able to afford a home is a symbol of success and since not everyone has the resources to make the purchase, finally having one on your own is an achievement worth celebrating. Your home is one of the greatest rewards you can give to yourself and your family. When
Key work on the M6 J13-15 smart motorway project has brought the scheme a step closer to completion. Kier Highways successfully installed three large cantilever gantries over a nine-night period while the motorway network remained open to customers. Three gantries weighing 24 tonnes and 18m in width now span the carriageway on the M6 between J14 (Stafford) and J15 (Stoke) and were installed with a contraflow in operation. This meant that one lane of traffic was able to stay on the main motorway carriage travelling north on the southbound side. Traffic on the southbound side ran in three narrow lanes. Customers were able to continue travelling on their preferred route instead of being diverted along sensitive diversion routes around Stafford. A team of 57 people worked each of the nine nights to install the gantries along with six smaller MS4 gantries and 28 lighting columns. This project is the first of its kind to operate under a full contraflow for the length of the works and its implementation is continuously increasing customer satisfaction through the roadworks. As work progresses to the opposite carriageway, the contraflow operation will switch in the New Year. Richard French, project director at Kier Highways, said: “We are coming to the end of a section of work on the northbound M6 and this critical activity makes the end date significantly closer. All teams have planned their activities meticulously and collaboratively, so that the result is completion to plan and on programme. There is a large amount of personnel involved and I would like to thank everyone for their solid performance during this complex activity.” The M6 J13-15 smart motorway project is scheduled for completion by 2022.
Three new entertainment venues have launched in Birmingham’s creative quarter, Digbeth. Gaming concept Chance and Counters is based in the Custard Factory, and ‘social sports bar’ The Floodgate and The Great Birmingham Bake Off, an interactive baking experience, are based on Floodgate Street. The businesses bolster Digbeth’s burgeoning and eclectic leisure, retail, hospitality and live music scene which includes Digbeth Dining Club, Baked in Brick, The Mill, The Arena, Dig Brew, The Mocking Bird and Ridding & Wynn. The Floodgate is the brainchild of three school friends, Stephen O’Reilly, Mike Gregory and Chris Ross, who pooled their skills and interests to create the social sports bar. The new venue brings social sports, such as Pit-Pat Table Golf, Baseball cages and even Curling, together with cocktails in an interior boasting a plethora of UV murals, hand painted by leading Birmingham street artists, Gent48. Previously a converted warehouse, The Floodgate Spans 10,000 square feet and also has an upstairs area for live music and the arts, private parties, conferences and corporate events. Chance and Counters blends the nostalgia of over 500 board games – both old and new – with local beers and ciders and an extensive food offering, which includes brunch, burgers and tacos. With two popular sites in Bristol and Cardiff already, the 3,500 square foot, 100-seater Digbeth venue marks their biggest venture yet. The interior features secluded booths and a bright, open area overlooking the river. The creators of London’s highest rated event, The Big London Bake, are bringing their award-winning concept to Digbeth. Launching this weekend, the Big Birmingham Bake is based in a fully kitted out marquee on Floodgate street, complete with 12 idyllic bake stations, a treasure trove of customisable decorations and is led by a team of professional bakers who will give hints and tips to help create the winning bake. The businesses launch as Oval Real Estate, the owners of the Custard Factory and 98 other buildings and sites in Digbeth, announce plans for a consultation on long terms plans for the Digbeth Estate. It is anticipated that these new elements will include new places to live, work and play including offices, shops, restaurants and cafes, new public realm, arts and culture spaces, capable of hosting a range of events and activities. The Framework will also introduce homes to the area, providing the opportunity for people to live and work within walking distance of each other. The plans are available to view at www.consultdigbeth.co.uk James Craig, Founder of Oval Real Estate said, “We’re excited to welcome Chance & Counters, The Floodgate and The Great Birmingham Bake Off to Digbeth. We’re really proud of the eclectic and rich leisure offer we’re building across Digbeth; with so much to see and do the area is fast becoming a destination in its own right.”
A deal has been reached which will see 135 affordable homes built across Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire. One of the UK’s largest housing groups, Orbit has signed a contract Midlands-based Trent & Dove to deliver the homes. The contract forms part of Orbit’s strategic partnership with Homes England which will provide grant funding of £128m for an additional 2,762 much-needed affordable new homes to be in development by 2022. Maggie McCann, Director of Regeneration and Partnerships at Orbit, explained: “Our partnership with Homes England supports our ambition to deliver 20,000 new homes over the next 10 years as we continue to play a key role in the growth of the UK housing market and fulfil our commitment to lead in building thriving communities. The contract we have just signed will enable Trent & Dove to meet its own development ambitions through the Homes England funding. “This is a very positive step for the affordable housing market in the Midlands and Homes England is fully behind this partnership. We were very impressed with Trent & Dove’s experience of building high quality, affordable homes which are much-needed in Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.” Trent & Dove will build, own and manage the homes, which will be a mixture of affordable rent and shared ownership properties. A number of sites have been identified to deliver the 135 new homes and work has already started on two with three currently appointing contractors and two sites are in the planning system. These new homes will add to the firm’s portfolio of 6,000 properties covering East Staffordshire, South Derbyshire and North West Leicestershire. Charlie Riley, Director of Development at Trent & Dove Housing, added: “We are delighted to partner with Orbit to support our aspiration of becoming a 10,000 home organisation by 2022. Together, with both our experience and expertise, we can build the right homes in the right places for our customers. The partnership supports our mission of Transforming Homes, Lives and Neighbourhoods and we look forward to playing a pivotal role in providing more homes across our region.”
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A London office building in the heart of St James’s has been recognised with a landmark double-certification. The Marq, a development from The Crown Estate, has become the first new-build project in the UK to achieve both a BREEAM New Construction Outstanding rating for its shell and core and the WELL Gold Certification. Designed by John McAslan and Partners/Rolfe Judd, The Marq is a 46,000 sq ft building offering six floors of modern office space and two flagship retail and restaurant spaces on the ground floor. It is the first completely new build office building to be delivered in the St James’s neighbourhood since St James’s Market in 2017. This BREEAM Outstanding certification for its shell and core places The Marq within the top one per cent of UK new non-domestic buildings, positioning it as an innovator. With its WELL Gold Certification, The Marq is just one of six projects – five Gold certifications, and one Platinum certification – in the UK to achieve this standard. Simon Perks, Senior Development Manager at The Crown Estate, said: “The Marq’s double-certification demonstrates our commitment to creating places which nurture people’s health and wellbeing. To achieve these standards, we’ve sought to embrace innovation throughout the design process and in doing so set a new standard for best practice on future projects.” The Crown Estate worked together with Skanska to adopt a holistic approach to sustainability and wellbeing at The Marq ensuring both were integrated throughout the design process. This delivered a building of an exceptionally high standard that supports the health and wellness of the people that work in and visit it. Key features include exceptional indoor air quality and access to natural light, as well as optimised indoor lighting and responsive heating which can be tailored to individual needs without adjusting overall temperatures. The building reduces its impact on the environment by using a combination of photovoltaic panels, solar thermal water heating and air source heat pumps, to provide 14 per cent of the energy demand for the building. The team used building information modelling (BIM), to design the air handling unit and ductwork systems that pressurises the reception area. Richard Kirkpatrick, Project Director, explained: “The team excelled themselves with their engagement with the WELL Gold certification and it meant that the stringent requirements were met. This included the supply chain working with us, which was paramount when we selected and procured the low volatile organic compound materials. All the materials that needed to meet the standard were identified and checked for their levels of air emissions before being purchased and delivered to site. This means the air quality in the building is kept to exceptionally high standards.”
Industrial space has been boosted in Liverpool with the completion of the third phase of development at Stonebridge Business Park. Caddick Construction delivered the six-month project on behalf of St Modwen, which included the delivery of a further 52,000 sq ft of industrial space at the 30-acre site. Ian Threadgold, head of Caddick Construction’s North West office, said: “We have a successful, long standing relationship with St Modwen, having delivered earlier phases at Stonebridge Business Park and a retail park at Great Homer Street in Liverpool. This latest Design and Build scheme at Stonebridge is providing a further boost to the local economy in this prime location.” Stuart Murray, development director at St Modwen added: “Stonebridge Business Park is a key strategic site in the north west and plays an important role in the region. “The scheme has attracted some major players in the logistics sector due to its ideal location and we’re confident that the site will continue to be of interest to high-calibre tenants who are looking for flexible, quality space.”
Energy, services and regeneration specialist, ENGIE held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, November 29, to mark the commencement of a £2.5 million construction project in Bellshill. The development, in partnership with the Clyde Valley Housing Association, will see derelict land on Hamilton Road transformed into 24 brand new, energy efficient affordable homes; eight one-bedroom cottages and 16 two-bedroom cottage flats across six blocks. The aim of the project is to help regenerate the area, enhancing its visual appeal, in addition to bringing life to brownfield land. The infrastructure works will ensure the new homes will be energy efficient and affordable – placing local residents and businesses at the heart of the project. Regional Managing Director of ENGIE’s Places & Communities division, Brian Pettigrew, commented, “This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the new project in Bellshill, we’re excited to kick-start the scheme, especially as the town plays host to ENGIE’s regional offices. “We strongly believe that by using a local workforce, we can engage the local community and offer employment and training opportunities, in addition to working with our local partners to identify groups that would benefit from ENGIE’s support. “We’re keen to be working in partnership with Clyde Valley Housing Association, and to have the opportunity to transform the disused space into energy-efficient homes which will benefit the local community.” Allan Murray, chairperson of CVHA said, “We are pleased to be delivering these 24 properties in partnership with ENGIE. There is strong demand for properties across North Lanarkshire and in particular within Bellshill and this development will go some way in meeting local need.” Work on the 24 new homes on Hamilton Road is expected to be completed in April 2020.
Research has revealed matching the cost of planned Palace of Westminster repairs could dramatically reduce the UK housing deficit. Data examined by property finance specialists Pure Commercial Finance revealed for £4 billion – the estimated cost of essential repairs in Westminster – over 40,000 new properties could be built, housing almost 121,000 people (three people/property). Government figures reveal 430,000 affordable homes have been built since 2010, but housing charity Shelter estimates a deficit of 3.2m homes and states there are around 320,000 homeless people in the UK – 170,000 in London alone. Using internal data, Pure Commercial Finance calculated that the average 3-bedroom home in the UK costs £99,842.75 to build, meaning the Houses of Parliament budget, if matched, could house over a third of the UK’s rough sleepers (37.5%), or 71% of the capital’s homeless. The chart below shows the number of cities that could be completely rebuilt with £4bn worth of government funding*. *Based on three people per household. Due to lower population sizes, you could rehome the below cities, under the same principles, almost four times over. City 2019 Population Winsford 30259 Pontypridd 30420 Wishaw 30510 Deal 30555 Beverley 30587 Burgess Hill 30635 Saint Neots 30811 Ruislip 31000 Caerphilly 31060 Aberdare 31135 Thornton-Cleveleys 31157 Rutherglen 31180 Spalding 31588 Barnstaple 31616 Chichester 31654 Ben Lloyd, Managing Director and Co-founder of Pure Commercial Finance, said: “As development finance specialists, we deal with professional developers every day and are well-aware of the demand for affordable housing across the UK and the influence Brexit is having on borrowing. “Although we would never suggest cancelling the refurbishment of such a prized national monument, we were shocked to see how matching the refurbishment budget could help towards solving the deficit. “We placed millions of pounds of commercial property finance last year and will continue to ease the affordability and process of building across the UK for the foreseeable.” Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter, stated: “It’s unforgivable that 320,000 people in Britain have been swept up by the housing crisis and now have no place to call home. These new figures show that homelessness is having a devastating impact on the lives of people right across the country.”
The team at Online Mortgage Advisor have conducted in-depth analysis on the areas of the country most at risk of flooding in the future. As well as giving users in England an idea of how ‘at risk’ their county and local authority is of flooding as a percentage, the English Flood Predictor tool also demonstrates if their local MP decided to vote for or against new climate change legislation to come into place, as well as the flood risk for specific MP constituencies. According to the analysis* undertaken, the 10 UK counties with the most risk of flooding in percentage are: · East Riding of Yorkshire – 48.2% (% of the county at risk of flooding) · Lincolnshire – 33.21% · Inner London – 22.8% · Somerset – 18.3% · Surrey – 11.27% · Berkshire – 10.85% · Cambridgeshire – 10.83% · Leicestershire – 10.45% · Norfolk – 10.34% · Nottinghamshire – 10.1% Furthermore, the English constituencies with the highest proportion of properties with a ‘high risk’ of flooding, alongside their relevant MP’s voting record, emerged as follows: Constituencies MP’s & Voting Records Constituency % at ‘High Risk’ MP Name Party Voted? 1 Boston & Skegness 10.81% Matt Warman Conservative Against 2 Runnymeade & Weybridge 8.05% Phillip Hammond Independent For & Against 3 East Devon 6.09% Hugo Swire Conservative Against 4 Calder Valley 4.56% Craig Whittaker Conservative Against 5 Louth & Horncastle 4.21% Victoria Atkins Conservative Against 6 Windsor 4% Adam Afriyie Conservative Against 7 Leeds Central 3.91% Hillary Benn Labour For 8 Loughborough 3.33% Nicky Morgan Conservative Against 9 Westmorland & Lonsdale 3.26% Tim Farron Liberal Democrat For 10 Rochester & Strood 3.25% Kelly Tolhurst Conservative Against Pete Mugleston, Mortgage Expert at Online Mortgage Advisor, commented: “With reports on flood-ravaged towns and villages up and down England dominating the recent news agenda following periods of heavy rain – and many worried about how their homes and areas might fare should the weather take a turn for the worse again – we wanted to showcase to English inhabitants precisely how at risk their homes are of flooding in the future. “With a general election just around the corner, we also built the English Flood Predictor in a bid to help those living in areas at a risk of flooding to understand how much emphasis their local MP’s put on the environment and tackling the effects of global warming.”
Being able to afford a home is a symbol of success and since not everyone has the resources to make the purchase, finally having one on your own is an achievement worth celebrating. Your home is one of the greatest rewards you can give to yourself and your family. When you have your own home, you can guarantee your family’s comfort and safety. Although an important investment, there will come a time when selling your home is a better option than continually keeping it. Regardless of the financial investment you’ve put into buying your home, choosing to sell it can actually provide more benefits. To drive the point home, listed below are the advantages you can enjoy once you decide to sell your home: 1. Professional Services Having a strong background on what homebuyers want and how the competitors are hauling in buyers are essential to selling your home fast. However, you don’t have to exert too much time and effort in learning all of these things as there are professional services that can help you sell your home, such as: We-buy-houses companies: Companies such as Nexus Homebuyers buy your home for cash as-is. When you choose to work with a we-buy-houses company such as www.cashfortxhousesnow.com, you won’t have to pay for any renovations or repairs before you can earn a profit for your home. Real estate agents: These professionals will take over all of the responsibilities when selling your home. They will accurately price your home, organize a successful open house, make your home attractive in the local real estate industry, and negotiate with potential homebuyers. Home inspectors: Home inspectors will assess the overall condition of your home and identify its value. Hiring home inspectors will make it easy for you to properly price your home. When you choose to sell your home, you can maximize the professional services offered by these businesses and individuals. Their presence in the local real estate industry will allow you to sell your home in the easiest way possible while earning a profit. 2. Earn Money The home selling process is demanding, but homeowners like you are willing to go through this process because of one reason—to get cash. Selling your home is usually an option when you’re in a situation that requires immediate cash. Although your home is an important investment, emergencies can happen in life that can require you to shift your focus and change your priorities. For example, if you or your family members are involved in a vehicular accident and money is required to pay for the hospitalization bills and therapies, selling your home can be your first course of action. This is especially true if you don’t have any savings or if your savings aren’t enough to pay for all such costs. Aside from accidents, selling your home is the easiest option to get cash if you are experiencing debt or bankruptcy, divorce, or death of a family member. 3. Meet Family Demands Life is unpredictable as a lot of things can change over the years. You might be living alone in your home today, but after a few years, you’ll be moving to another home with your spouse or decide to stay in your current home to support a growing family. Selling your home allows you to meet the ever-changing demands of your family. For example, the home you currently live in might be enough for you and for your spouse, but your needs can change as your family starts to grow. When you sell your home, you can dispose of a property that is no longer sufficient for your family’s needs and lifestyles, and earn enough money to buy a new home perfect for your new family. By selling your home, you can choose to upgrade or downgrade to provide better comfort and safety for the entire family. Living in a home that’s just right for your family can also help you save money from paying for expensive household bills and unnecessary home renovations. 4. Seize Opportunities The financial investment you’ve put into buying a home is one of the reasons why you’re hesitant to seize opportunities. Because the home you purchased is too expensive, you have no choice but to stay in your current location in order to maximize your investment. Things will be different once you choose to sell your home. Since you can still earn money from your investment, leaving your home and flying to another country to seize more opportunities won’t seem like a very tough decision. Although you’re no longer living in your home, you still earn money, so your investment won’t feel like a complete waste of money. Carefully Consider Options If you’re convinced that selling your home is indeed beneficial, start deciding how you’re going to sell it. You can choose to work with businesses or professionals who can make the home selling process easier or shorter for you or opt to sell your home on your own. Have the time to carefully compare all of your options and weigh their pros and cons. You should be able to sell your home in the most convenient way possible while allowing you to earn the highest return on investment.