A host of new apartments are set to be built on the site of the former regional headquarters of HM Revenue and Customs in Southend. Developer Weston Homes has secured the Portcullis House site at 27 Victoria Avenue to bring forward the £60 million residential development. To be known as
Plans have been put forward to redevelop a temporary surface car park into a new flagship hotel in Leeds cultural quarter. Hammerson is proposing to build a new 205-bed hotel adjacent to its iconic retail and leisure destination, Victoria Gate. The Victoria Gate Hotel is part of Hammerson’s City Quarters
Two leading firms in London have joined forces to drive forward an £8 billion development at Thamesmead Waterfront. Property group Peabody and construction firm Lendlease have formed a 50:50 joint venture partnership to work on the scheme. The companies will deliver a minimum of 11,500 homes and make a significant
ENGIE, leading energy and services specialist, has partnered with Edinburgh St James, the 1.7 million sq ft development, to develop and operate a new low carbon decentralised energy scheme, worth £90m. The 33 year partnership will develop and operate a new low carbon energy scheme at Edinburgh St James, which
Interserve has cemented its successful working relationship with Yorkshire Water by securing a place on two new frameworks. The firm’s water business has been named on the utility’s Complex MEICA Framework and Minor MEICA Framework, worth a combined value of over £1 billion. Yorkshire Water manages the collection, treatment and
Westcountry homebuilder Cavanna Homes have picked up one of the top honours in a prestigious national industry awards scheme. The 2019 Housebuilder Awards saw Cavanna Homes named Medium Housebuilder of the Year, recognising the firm’s strong commitment to “building brilliance” and well-designed high-quality new homes. The homebuilders’ Primrose Hill development
Skanska’s work on the refurbishment and expansion of Wymondham Water Recycling Centre in Norfolk has achieved a landmark environmental certification. The project, which was delivered as part of Anglian Water’s @one Alliance, was carried out to ensure the site could meet increased demand from new and future housing developments on
With manufacturers struggling, high street doom and gloom and general Brexit uncertainty Manchester property expert Mark Bailey warns that a recession is coming. Taking a look at the construction and property market the MD of Landwood Group claims Britain is set to face an uncertain economic future – with signs
Ipsum Group have announced a new investment of £6 million to fund “significant growth”. The infrastructure, construction and maintenance specialist, is set to develop the team, invest in a specialist fleet, boost its marketing drive and recruit senior personnel across the business to help deliver strategic growth and innovation within
Menzies Distribution has appointed adi Group to redevelop their flagship distribution centre in Coventry. The new state-of-the-art 165,000 sq ft media and distribution hub has been designed to be an integral part of Menzies’ UK & Ireland operation. Serving the firm’s network of 65 regional hubs, adi Building & Refurbishment
A host of new apartments are set to be built on the site of the former regional headquarters of HM Revenue and Customs in Southend. Developer Weston Homes has secured the Portcullis House site at 27 Victoria Avenue to bring forward the £60 million residential development. To be known as Victoria Central, the development will consist of 17 one, two and three bedroom apartments complete with a landscaped courtyard, entrance foyer and 275 sqm of ground floor commercial space. The building will be 15 storeys high at its apex with a striking brick and glass façade, glass fronted balustrades and a raised glazed ground floor. It will have a seven-storey rear wing and a landscaped courtyard with timber decking, planting with stone bordered beds and semi-mature trees. Victoria Central will offer a range of new homes, each with contemporary open-plan living areas, stunning bespoke designer kitchens and luxury bathrooms, all of which will be finished to the highest of standards. The ground floor commercial space available in the development will be available to investment purchasers following completion of the development. is ideal for a shop or a restaurant. Bob Weston, Chairman & Executive of Weston Homes, said: “Weston Homes are elated to have received planning consent to transform the former site of Portcullis House into a development of beautifully designed apartments. Following the success of several of our developments in the area of Southend, we are incredibly excited to be expanding our portfolio within the area, and hope for continued success at the scheme.”
Plans have been put forward to redevelop a temporary surface car park into a new flagship hotel in Leeds cultural quarter. Hammerson is proposing to build a new 205-bed hotel adjacent to its iconic retail and leisure destination, Victoria Gate. The Victoria Gate Hotel is part of Hammerson’s City Quarters concept, which will create vibrant mixed-use neighbourhoods surrounding Hammerson’s existing flagship destinations. This announcement follows the recent submission of mixed-use planning applications for Martineau Galleries in Birmingham, the Goodsyard in Shoreditch and a residential development adjacent to Dundrum in Dublin. A public consultation was held last month on the Leeds proposal, in which 92% of respondents said they supported the plans and believed that the proposals would support the continued growth of the city and cultural quarter. The building is designed by ACME, the same architect that planned and delivered Victoria Gate. The facade draws design cues from Leeds’ rich textile industry heritage creating a close visual relationship with the rest of the development. Alongside 205 spacious rooms, an on-site gym and conferencing facilities; a new contemporary bar and restaurant on the ground floor will welcome both guests and visitors to the city. The hotel will support 50 full and part-time jobs on completion, whilst up to 980 jobs could also be supported during the construction period. Robin Dobson, UK Director of Development and Project Management at Hammerson said: “Hammerson has a successful track record of creating vibrant continually evolving places in and around thriving European Cities, and we are delighted to continue this journey with a prestigious hotel, restaurant and bar for this iconic destination. This is an important next step in our City Quarters concept, which will see us develop the area into a thriving cultural quarter adjacent to Victoria Leeds. “It is hugely encouraging to have received such strong support for the proposals, and I would like to thank the local community for sharing their thoughts with us ahead of submission.”
Two leading firms in London have joined forces to drive forward an £8 billion development at Thamesmead Waterfront. Property group Peabody and construction firm Lendlease have formed a 50:50 joint venture partnership to work on the scheme. The companies will deliver a minimum of 11,500 homes and make a significant contribution to the continuing economic regeneration of east London and the Thames Estuary. They will work with the community to revitalise the existing Thamesmead town centre, creating new cultural, community and commercial space, along with many new homes. The site, which currently includes 2.5km of river frontage as well as green space and two lakes, will see its full ambition unlocked by the two firms with a new cross-river extension of the Docklands Light Railway to Thamesmead. Peabody Chief Executive Brendan Sarsfield said: “Thamesmead Waterfront represents an historic opportunity to transform an isolated and underutilised riverside location in London. A new DLR crossing from east London would allow this long-term partnership to create a new waterfront district with thousands of new affordable homes and a new leisure, cultural and commercial offer for the town, for London, and for the wider Thames Estuary. This would unlock huge benefits for existing and new communities, boosting the economy and providing huge opportunities for London and the UK. “The Waterfront, alongside Peabody’s regeneration of the wider area, can help Thameshead become a sustainable new town – offering all of the benefits of urban living with unparalleled access to green open spaces by the Thames.” Neil Martin, CEO at Lendlease, Europe, added: “The breadth of opportunity and economic potential that this scheme offers Thamesmead and London, is enormous. Thousands of new homes and jobs can be created, but key to its successful delivery is improving connections for existing and current residents and businesses. Doing so would open up this area of London to new audiences and improve the opportunities for those already living there. “Improving transport links is a vital part of the long-term regeneration of the area, as it will bring those new homes within reach of the heart of London and help us deliver one of the most exciting new places to live in the capital.”
ENGIE, leading energy and services specialist, has partnered with Edinburgh St James, the 1.7 million sq ft development, to develop and operate a new low carbon decentralised energy scheme, worth £90m. The 33 year partnership will develop and operate a new low carbon energy scheme at Edinburgh St James, which will: Offer substantial savings in terms of capital and operational expenditure; Save occupiers the costs of onsite plant provision; Serve all homes and businesses at the site with affordable heat and chilled water for cooling (where needed) Ensure cost-savings and a low carbon footprint Encourage sustainability and recycling throughout the site, by using electricity generated from the Energy Centre to supply power elsewhere. By using a low carbon and cost-effective energy solution through the onsite Combined Cooling, Heat and Power (CCHP) energy centre, ENGIE, who is committed to long-term consumer cost-savings, will meet all residents and occupiers energy needs, right on their doorstep. CCHP typically has an energy efficiency of over 80 per cent compared with 56 per cent for a more conventional system. In addition, allowance has been made for expansion of the service into even more sustainable technologies as they are developed. The new energy centre is a part of the Growth Accelerator Model (GAM) agreement between Edinburgh St James, the Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh Council. The funding from this innovative partnership is helping to regenerate the capital’s east end, with ENGIE’s recent deal the latest in a series of projects that have already benefitted the local community and city as a whole. ENGIE has been working closely with Edinburgh St James since 2016 when it was appointed preferred bidder, to agree future sustainable energy proposals for the site. Under the terms of the new partnership, ENGIE will design and fit out a basement energy centre and adopt the district heating and cooling network from Edinburgh St James and provide ongoing operation and maintenance, including lifecycle responsibility for the scheme. Andrew Hart, Managing Director for ENGIE’s Urban Energy business, said: “This hugely significant project will be transformational for the city of Edinburgh. We have been involved in conversations surrounding the future of the scheme for several years so it’s fantastic to have agreed our part in bringing it to fruition. “Too often, energy is an after-thought when it can bring remarkable benefits to a scheme of this size. The fantastic thing about Edinburgh St James is that they saw very early on, how important a factor this would play in the successful delivery of the scheme. It will also play a role in supporting City of Edinburgh’s target of net zero carbon by 2030. “We have several similar schemes across the country and our unparalleled expertise in district energy, coupled with our capabilities in construction and services, means we are ideally placed to deliver this important project.” Martin Perry, Director of Development at Edinburgh St James, said: “It became clear from the outset that ENGIE’s commitment to cost-savings in a low carbon environment aligned with ours, CEC and the Scottish Governments aspirations for our existing and future partners, residents and occupiers within the development. “This deal marks another milestone on the road to completing this transformational project for Edinburgh. To have been fortunate enough to agree a partner of the quality of ENGIE takes us another step closer to the project completion and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with one of the very best energy centre operators in Europe.” Cllr Kate Campbell, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We have set an ambitious target of net zero carbon by 2030, so it’s very welcome that the Edinburgh St James development has plans for a low carbon, energy efficient scheme. The energy centre, which will be delivered as part of the infrastructure agreement with the council, will provide homes and businesses at the site with affordable heat and encourage sustainability by generating power to be used elsewhere” ENGIE is anticipated to complete the centre in late 2019. The retail element of Edinburgh St James is set to open in October 2020.
Interserve has cemented its successful working relationship with Yorkshire Water by securing a place on two new frameworks. The firm’s water business has been named on the utility’s Complex MEICA Framework and Minor MEICA Framework, worth a combined value of over £1 billion. Yorkshire Water manages the collection, treatment and distribution of water in Yorkshire, supplying 1.2bn litres of drinking water each day and collects, treats and disposes of about 1bn litres of waste water safely back into the environment. The Complex MEICA Framework involves a variety of construction and refurbishment works associated with assets within Yorkshire Water’s operational treatment sites. The Framework will run for an initial five years with a further 36 months extension option. The Minor MEICA Framework will include a range of work on operational treatment site, collection or distribution of assets including process treatment and water retaining structures. These contract wins add to Interserve’s recent success in being included on Yorkshire Water’s Complex and Minor Civil Frameworks. “Having worked with Yorkshire Water for a number of years on previous Frameworks this is another fantastic result for our water business. Interserve Construction works for a range of utility companies in the UK and these contract wins further demonstrate our strong credibility in regulated industries and our successful strategy in accumulating Framework partnerships,” said Chris Tyerman, Infrastructure Managing Director at Interserve Construction. “The team will offer a full range of integrated services to continue to deliver innovative solutions to Yorkshire Water to support them in the delivery outstanding service to their customers whilst adding value to the communities and environment they operate in. This exciting role also broadens Interserve’s presence in the north of England where we already work with Northumbrian Water Group.” Yorkshire Water’s Head of Programme Delivery, Mark Baker, commented: “This is the second phase of our procurement process and we would like to welcome our MEICA Partners to support our ambitions and challenges into AMP7. The MEICA Framework Partners will join our Civils Partners and Yorkshire Water in developing our Enterprise Delivery Model. “Through this new model, we’re looking to form a collaborative, innovative and efficient delivery vehicle with a focus on engineering excellence and our carbon targets, utilising a Programme First approach. We are confident that this will ensure we achieve our challenges going into AMP7.”
Westcountry homebuilder Cavanna Homes have picked up one of the top honours in a prestigious national industry awards scheme. The 2019 Housebuilder Awards saw Cavanna Homes named Medium Housebuilder of the Year, recognising the firm’s strong commitment to “building brilliance” and well-designed high-quality new homes. The homebuilders’ Primrose Hill development in the seaside town of Torquay was highly commended in the ‘Best Design for Three Storeys or Fewer’ category, with the firm’s vibrant Yarners Mill development in the Devon village of Dartington also shortlisted in this category. Cavanna Homes’ successful apprenticeship scheme was shortlisted for ‘Best Training or Recruitment Initiative’ alongside six others. “We’re thrilled to be recognised in these highly respected awards and to be named Medium Housebuilder of the Year is a brilliant achievement and testament to our on-going commitment and passion to building high-quality new homes,” said Andy Addison, Operations Director at Cavanna Homes. “This has been one of the busiest construction years to date for the firm with our highest number of developments across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, so to be recognised in these awards which shine a light on the best in the housebuilding industry is something to be proud of.” The Housebuilder Awards, in partnership with the National House Building Council (NHBC) and the Home Builders Federations (HBF), recognise innovation and excellence in the housebuilding industry. Primrose Hill is a development of 155 new 2, 3 and 4-bedroom properties set on a hilltop site within green, landscaped areas that form an impressive gateway to Torquay. Cavanna Homes’ Yarners Mill development transformed a redundant workspace into a vibrant community of 30 open market and affordable new homes, complementing the village of Dartington, near Totnes. As part of the homebuilder’s commitment to nurturing up-and-coming talent in construction, Cavanna Homes has welcomed its largest intake of apprentices to date. The awards ceremony took place at the InterContinental in London – The O2.
Skanska’s work on the refurbishment and expansion of Wymondham Water Recycling Centre in Norfolk has achieved a landmark environmental certification. The project, which was delivered as part of Anglian Water’s @one Alliance, was carried out to ensure the site could meet increased demand from new and future housing developments on the outskirts of Norwich. The scheme also needed to meet Anglian Water’s ambitious goal to reduce the carbon in newly built assets by 60 per cent, to help realise the water industry’s commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030. After considering constructing an entirely new treatment process and site building, the team opted to instead completely refurbish the existing site, saving almost 3,000 tonnes of carbon. They achieved this by taking a green design approach, focusing on offsite manufacturing of the Flow Submerged Aeration Filter (FSAF) tank. This reduced waste onsite, with zero waste to landfill and enabled the tank to be constructed above ground – reducing spoil and the need for concrete filling. It made construction on site safer and installation quicker, completed by two cranes in just three days. Reuse of materials as part of the design meant that the redundant 1930s trickling filter was given a new lease of life with new mechanical arms to make use of the existing filtration process. The existing Biological Aerated Flooded Filter (BAFF) feed pump station was also reused, reducing energy use by 53 per cent. By taking this approach, the scheme achieved the highest environmental certification of ‘Deep Green’ on Skanska’s global environmental rating system – the Skanska color palette™. Peter Walsh, Skanska Managing Director for Utilities, said: “Wymondham Centre is now the fourth UK project to achieve Deep Green environmental status and the third delivered in the water sector. It demonstrates that innovation in design, coupled with aligning our environmental aspirations with our customer’s, can create something truly sustainable. As we adopt these principles across our projects, I look forward to developing more ‘Deep Green’ critical national infrastructure in the future.” Paul Fletcher, Director of the Anglian Water @one Alliance added: “Carbon reduction only happens when all partners in the supply chain are committed to reducing their footprint and saving costs. Huge carbon savings like these clearly demonstrates that commitment and the strength of the collaboration between our suppliers and partners on our journey to carbon neutrality. “By continuing to set ambitious carbon targets, we can disrupt established practice, drive innovation, and significantly reduce costs and environmental impacts – a win-win all round.”
With manufacturers struggling, high street doom and gloom and general Brexit uncertainty Manchester property expert Mark Bailey warns that a recession is coming. Taking a look at the construction and property market the MD of Landwood Group claims Britain is set to face an uncertain economic future – with signs emulating the last recession already visible. With a rise in properties going into receivership, banks unwilling to lend for construction projects and a decline in tenants looking to rent business or residential properties – its clear the squeeze is on. Rightmove last night announced the number of sellers coming to market is down by 13.5 per cent compared to this time last year – with the imminence of Brexit deterring sellers who do not need to sell right now. The figures reflect the very real times of political uncertainty – putting off would be sellers while the market steals itself for Brexit. A rise in auction sales is also evident – in the first half of 2019 auction sales increased by 800 per cent at Landwood – largely down to an increase in repossessions. Since the end of August this trend has continued – reflecting the uncertainty in the marketplace. And the news from the rental market isn’t much better – giving clearer indications of the property sinkhole we could be headed down. Rightmove revealed almost a quarter of landlords (24%) are planning to sell at least one property from their current portfolio despite record asking rents. Nationally, the number of available rental properties is 13% lower than previous record lows recorded in 2015 and 24% down in London, as tax changes deter new and existing landlords. However it’s not all bad news. Buyer activities haven’t stopped, there is still the opportunity for buyers to secure a good deal, reflected in the data that sales are down year-on-year by just 0.5 per cent. And Landwood believe there are areas of exception to the misery – none least than their Headquarters in Manchester. With a skyline full of cranes the city centre continues to grow apace proving that sporadic growth hotspots where investment continues do exist. Liverpool, Leeds and Bristol are also investment areas – and they have in common; a relatively young population and a well qualified workforce in jobs that give a good work/life balance. Mark Bailey, managing director of Landwood Group and Landwood Property Auctions, a leading firm of chartered surveyors, asset managers and online auctioneers, said: “How is your business doing is the question on everyone’s lips at the moment? And depending on what you make, buy or sell, the answer is going to be wildly different. “More worryingly, at Landwood we are also receiving more instructions over the past few months than we have done for a year or more – instructions for properties that have sadly gone into receivership. “It is harder for property owners to let business space and for domestic landlords to find tenants – there’s no doubt that a squeeze is on. “With each failed building project, banks become more nervous to lend, builders stop building… and we fall headlong into a dreaded recession. Once we do, it’s anyone’s guess how deep it is or how long it lasts. “The blame for all of this cannot be put at the door of Brexit… well, not entirely. There is no arguing with the fact that this is a period of change – domestically and globally. People err to the negative whenever there is change on the horizon – until events transpire and the scales balance out. The big issue is uncertainty and property is key to all of this. Uncertainty causes negativity, while a solid market has the opposite effect.” So, if the pointers are all correct and a recession is upon us, what’s the advice? “Sit tight,” says Mark. “Whether you are a commercial property owner or a domestic landlord, try your best to ride it out, perhaps for six months, before making any business decisions. Look at your borrowings and don’t over-stretch yourself at this time. “There are always people who benefit from downturns in the market and they tend to be cash buyers. So if you have cash to invest long-term, a ripe time to buy may be about to begin.”
Ipsum Group have announced a new investment of £6 million to fund “significant growth”. The infrastructure, construction and maintenance specialist, is set to develop the team, invest in a specialist fleet, boost its marketing drive and recruit senior personnel across the business to help deliver strategic growth and innovation within the sector. This funding injection aims to contribute to an increase in annual revenues by 20 per cent, bolstering its industry presence across the UK. Ipsum Group has invested over £2 million in the last 18 months replacing and increasing its specialist fleet. The firm’s assets now include over 300 new vehicles, 100 of which are specialist CCTV Units, Jet Vacs, Gully Trucks, Grab Wagons, Unimogs, MEWPs and Recycling Units which are utilised in the wastewater, drainage and telecoms sectors. Since April, 2019, the Preston-based firm has acquired two new partner companies, electricity network service provider, Stormport and national drainage service provider, EEG. These impressive acquisitions follow on from the firm’s two previously successful investments in asset management firm, CALM, and a specialist high voltage engineering business, SPEC. Greg Fernie, CEO of Ipsum Group, said: “Our strategic direction is focused on growing organically and increasing our geographical presence in the wastewater, drainage, electricity and telecoms markets. As a result, we’ve dedicated a significant amount of investment to ensure we reach our ambitious growth targets. “Here at Ipsum Group, our proactive and innovative approach ensures our clients’ businesses can flourish. Our advice, support and strategic direction nurtures companies into national operators, utilising smart solutions to drive value for the businesses and their customers.” The ambitious firm, with over 23 sites in the UK, has plans to expand further and is seeking other businesses to acquire which fit its portfolio. Ipsum Group now boasts over 500 staff and turnover in excess of £60 million, securing its position within the market. It is a utilities and infrastructure, construction and maintenance specialist that delivers efficiencies and drives value through innovation.
Menzies Distribution has appointed adi Group to redevelop their flagship distribution centre in Coventry. The new state-of-the-art 165,000 sq ft media and distribution hub has been designed to be an integral part of Menzies’ UK & Ireland operation. Serving the firm’s network of 65 regional hubs, adi Building & Refurbishment was brought in to play a key role in the development process, delivering both internal and external work to tight deadlines and quick turnaround times. Commenting on the project, adi Building & Refurbishment managing director David Beebee said: “It’s a pleasure to be working with Menzies on this development. “Over the past few months, we’ve been working hard to implement a strategy that would allow Menzies to rapidly expand its distribution base as well as continue operations as normal. “Thanks to the fast growth of our business and the talent base at our disposal, I’m pleased to say that at all times we’ve been able to execute the programme with the upmost efficiency.” Winning the Menzies project is partly the result of adi Building & Refurbishment building its brand regionally over the last couple of years, positioning itself to fill the void left by other contractors that have gone out of business or that have been bought by large national construction companies. More importantly to them, however, it is through delivering previous projects to a very high standard. With a customer satisfaction rating consistently nudging 100%, the business puts a lot of emphasis on understanding clients’ needs and expectations and implementing a plan that meets those needs as an absolute minimum. David added: “Following on from the exciting work we’ve been doing with other clients on similar buildings, this contract represents another huge feather in the cap of adi Building & Refurbishment. “Interior fit-out is a key service stream for us now and particularly in the future. We also have significant experience building, refurbishing and fitting out distribution centres and other similar structures and see this as a key area to grow too.” Fitting out offices, reception areas and the main warehouse, adi has been heavily involved in the Menzies project, engaging with architects, local authorities and planning parties on behalf of the client. External work has included new barriers, turnstiles and halogen fencing, as Menzies significantly steps up its portfolio of print media haulage in the UK. “The new distribution hub really formulates part of a wider growth strategy for us,” said Greg Michael, CEO at Menzies Distribution. “We’ve recently taken on new contracts with Frontline Ltd and Seymour Distribution, both of which will see us take their products to over 25,000 retailers. “In adi Building & Refurbishment, we knew we’d found a contractor that could help us design and deliver the space we needed at what will be our largest distribution centre, as well as meet time critical deadlines. “This project will drive further improvements in our daily logistical operations for retailers across the UK & Ireland. So far, however, adi has either met or exceeded my expectation in every regard.” Birmingham-based adi Group is a multi-disciplined construction and engineering firm, with over 30 specialist service sectors meeting the needs of thriving start-ups and national brands across the UK & Republic of Ireland.