Two new offices in Leeds and Birmingham have been announced by consulting engineers practice Brentwood, as part of its progressing national growth plans. This follows on from the delivery of new office bases in Manchester last year, and supports the company’s UK growth strategy. “We are delighted to announce our
A £2 million cash investment has boosted work on new designs for a transformation project at Harrow’s historic Elliot Hall. The project will involve redeveloping the run-down buildings surrounding Elliot Hall, which will add extra space for classrooms, affordable studios and an improved outdoor area. The new investment in the
The development of the multi-million Chester Northgate regeneration scheme has reached a significant milestone with the appointment of architect AHR, selected to progress the scheme to detailed design. Specialist advisors from Cheshire West and Chester Council have also been appointment. Together, they will bring forward the £60 million initial phase
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that a campaign for wide-ranging rent control is to be key to his 2020 re-election bid. He asked the government to give the London mayoralty the power to combat soaring rents in the capital. To this news, Alexandra Morris, Managing Director of
Planning consent has been granted by Liverpool City Council to a revised scheme for the stalled Baltic House project in Liverpool. The revised scheme, designed by architect Brock Carmichael, was submitted by Crossfield Exclusive Developments, after purchasing the Norfolk Street site out of liquidation late last year. Now under the name
The ventilation solution for indoor sports facilities needs to adhere to special requirements, as the climate changes constantly depending on what activities are going on inside the facility. Moreover, moisture and odours from athletes and spectators affect the air as well. Therefore, it is important that the ventilation solution is designed
Plans for the opening of a private terminal at Manchester Airport, which will provide travelers with the experience of a private jet when flying on commercial airlines, have been unveiled. The new PremiAir terminal will be open to all passengers regardless of airline or destination, with prices starting at £50. Completely separate
Recofloor is celebrating in 2019 ten years since it started recycling waste vinyl flooring. The Take Back scheme was first set up back in 2009 by Altro and Polyflor and it has now recycled a total of 4,300 tonnes of waste vinyl material. “Plastics are hot news at the moment and
A slowdown in property transactions, with home buyers and sellers taking more caution amidst economic uncertainty, has been registered. This is due to the housing market being left in a state of lull because of diminishing demand among foreign buyers and pending Brexit negotiations. Compared to a year ago, homeowners
Royston Scaffolding Ltd, the Cambridge & Hertfordshire-based company, has provided EOn and the Emirates Stadium with specialist confined-space scaffolding work. Home to Arsenal Football Club, the 60,000-seater stadium needed a unique scaffolding construction in an enclosed area underneath the stadium. Carrying out work underneath the stadium would enable engineers to gain access
Two new offices in Leeds and Birmingham have been announced by consulting engineers practice Brentwood, as part of its progressing national growth plans. This follows on from the delivery of new office bases in Manchester last year, and supports the company’s UK growth strategy. “We are delighted to announce our expansion into Leeds and Birmingham. With a presence now in the three core business cities outside of London we can provide more physical connectivity with our local markets and indeed nationally. With this physical growth we are also expanding our team and capabilities having recently announced new principal specialists in lighting and building physics,” said Mark Johnson, Director at Brentwood. An ambitious three-year strategy has been set out by Brentwood, who aims to achieve 50% annual growth in both team members and turnover. It is currently on target to achieve an 80% increase in just one year as it works towards year end in March 2019. “Mechanical, electrical and public health design services are at the heart of buildings, providing sustainable, controllable and appropriate environments. As a single disciplinary consulting practice, we are gearing the business to be better placed for market growth and our longer-term business plan is to increase our UK and international presence,” added Mark Johnson. The new offices will be located in the Grade I-listed Leeming Building in Leeds city centre and the Historic Alpha Building in Birmingham City Centre. Brentwood provide Mechanical, Electrical & Public Health (MEP) design services, including low and zero carbon solutions. Working across all sectors of the construction industry, the company provides leading expertise at all stages of the project, from inception through to commissioning and post occupancy. All projects are undertaken in accordance with the company’s mandatory QA procedures which are certified to ISO 9001:2008.
A £2 million cash investment has boosted work on new designs for a transformation project at Harrow’s historic Elliot Hall. The project will involve redeveloping the run-down buildings surrounding Elliot Hall, which will add extra space for classrooms, affordable studios and an improved outdoor area. The new investment in the project has been awarded by Harrow Council and the Mayor of London under the Good Growth Fund. “It wasn’t long ago that the Arts Centre faced an uncertain future – but we take great pride in saying those days are long behind us. 230,000 people visited the site last year. We want 300,000 people and more visiting the HAC in future – and this project, will make that possible,” said Cllr Keith Ferry, portfolio holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration. “But this investment doesn’t just mean fun. It means jobs and places for our small cultural industries to grow and thrive, helping them all on their journey to success – this is what the council does best. Economic development and cultural wealth go hand-in-hand at the HAC, and that’s something we can all believe in,” Cllr Ferry continued. The first new learning space will be available on site from Autumn this year, with new artist studios following in 2020. “This is a great example of a project which aims to give Londoners of all backgrounds the opportunity to be actively involved in shaping how their city develops. The Mayor and I are committed to supporting ‘good growth’ by building a city where all Londoners have access to the same opportunities and I look forward to seeing the positive impact this project has in the future,” concluded Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills, Jules Pipe.
The development of the multi-million Chester Northgate regeneration scheme has reached a significant milestone with the appointment of architect AHR, selected to progress the scheme to detailed design. Specialist advisors from Cheshire West and Chester Council have also been appointment. Together, they will bring forward the £60 million initial phase of the project, which includes a new relocated dynamic and modern market, six-screen cinema, restaurants, public square and car parking. “The Chester Northgate scheme is set to deliver a fantastic boost to the city and we’re tremendously pleased to have been appointed to the project. The development will reinforce the leisure and culture offering at the heart of the transformation of the city delivering a new relocated dynamic and modern market, six-screen cinema, host of new restaurants and public square,” said Dominic Manfredi, director at AHR and a local resident of the borough. “The project will also provide vital new car parking. This will increase capacity and ensure visitors can enjoy the development and the wider city centre with ease, benefitting local businesses across the city. We’re confident that this ambitious project will help further strengthen Chester’s reputation as one of the North West’s premier destinations,” Dominic added. The Council’s preferred contractor is Vinci Construction UK, who will be formally appointed to a pre-construction agreement in autumn 2019. Meanwhile, building work for the initial phase of Chester Northgate is set to start early 2020.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that a campaign for wide-ranging rent control is to be key to his 2020 re-election bid. He asked the government to give the London mayoralty the power to combat soaring rents in the capital. To this news, Alexandra Morris, Managing Director of online letting agent, MakeUrMove, said the following: “The main problem for tenants is a lack of supply in the housing market, meaning it does not meet demand, particularly when it comes to social housing. Rent controls do not deal with this problem, they merely seek to address a symptom of the problem. “Most good landlords don’t regularly increase rents, because they want to provide a service their tenants can afford. This means most landlords experience a real terms reduction in their rental income year on year. “Rent controls would represent another burden for landlords who are already facing interest rate rises, tax relief changes and increasing regulation. This could become a further barrier to landlords covering their costs or making a small profit. “As smaller landlords often have one eye on getting out of the market, rent controls could prove to be the final straw. This would further reduce capacity in the private rental sector. “In addition, there will also be some landlords who wouldn’t have increased rents but who now feel they have permission to put rents up in line with the rent control measures. “All of these factors will lead to more rapidly increasing average rents because the fundamental issue – that we aren’t building anywhere near enough homes in the UK – has yet to be adequately addressed.”
Planning consent has been granted by Liverpool City Council to a revised scheme for the stalled Baltic House project in Liverpool. The revised scheme, designed by architect Brock Carmichael, was submitted by Crossfield Exclusive Developments, after purchasing the Norfolk Street site out of liquidation late last year. Now under the name of Baltic View, the development will comprise 129 apartments with associated communal space and courtyard. It will also feature nine office units totaling 1,174 sqm on the ground and first floors to accommodate businesses in the digital and creative sectors, complemented by storage space for up to 100 bicycles. “We have worked closely with Liverpool City Council over many months and we are pleased that the planning committee shares our vision for the transformative potential of this site. Baltic View will be a new dawn for the site and our local, experienced team is committed to creating a development that provides a positive, enduring addition to the area,” said David Cain, director at Crossfield Group. The plans received approval by Liverpool City Council last week and Crossfield Construction is already on site to begin work on the scheme. Approximately ten new full-time jobs are expected to be created during construction, in addition to as many as 400 workers on site through a local supply chain. “We are really pleased to see the stalled development site back on track. It’s been a painful daily reminder of failed developments over the past few years,” said Liam Kelly, chair of the Baltic Triangle area company. “It’s really encouraging to see the site now being developed by Crossfield Group, who share in the area’s vision and have engaged with the stakeholders right from the start. This is an example of how the area can retain its identity and continue to see positive growth over the coming years, with everyone working together.”
The ventilation solution for indoor sports facilities needs to adhere to special requirements, as the climate changes constantly depending on what activities are going on inside the facility. Moreover, moisture and odours from athletes and spectators affect the air as well. Therefore, it is important that the ventilation solution is designed to handle these changes in humidity, temperature, etc. without creating discomfort for the people using the facility. Sports facilities cover a number of different application types, each requiring its own unique solution. Each application requires a thorough assessment of the important parameters, such as room dimensions, the primary purpose of the air, the risk of corrosion, special temperature requirements, elements affecting the induction patterns and so on. Thus, sports facilities also place great demands on the flexibility of the solution. The best suited dispersion technology for sports facilities is therefore fabric ducting. It is the solution that offers the greatest design flexibility while eliminating the risk of condensation and corrosion. Textile channel systems are designed for the specific application. This means that flow models and dispersion patterns can be completely adapted to the individual needs. The design flexibility covers all elements, such as the duct profile, type of fabric and its permeability, flow models and flow patterns, as well as the suspension method. The system is tailor-made and arrives ready for installation, in typically less than two weeks from the order is released for production. The textile channels are also distinguished by weighing far less than conventional metal solutions. Therefore, they are suitable for retrofitting in existing buildings. They weigh as little as 300g / m2 despite the fact that they provide a much better air distribution than the other technologies on the market. They can therefore easily be retrofitted in older sports facilities. Since the very beginning in 1973, even air distribution, no drafts and no condensation have been at the heart of FabricAir’s innovative technology. This is why technology quickly spread across application types and national borders. More than 40% of all countries in the world today use this fabric-based air dispersion technology because comfort, design freedom and other important features, such as condensation-free, are essential parameters in choosing the ideal ventilation solution for sports facilities.
Plans for the opening of a private terminal at Manchester Airport, which will provide travelers with the experience of a private jet when flying on commercial airlines, have been unveiled. The new PremiAir terminal will be open to all passengers regardless of airline or destination, with prices starting at £50. Completely separate to the airport’s existing three terminals, the new facility will cater to different services in line with individual passengers’ preferences. Passengers departing from the PremiAir terminal will be offered a personalised welcome, faster baggage processing, a lounge with complimentary food and drink, and a dedicated security channel. As part of the ‘private jet experience’, travelers will also be driven straight to their aircraft in a private car transfer. “By introducing PremiAir, we’re offering something unique for all of our passengers, and creating a completely new way to travel,” said Manchester Airport Group (MAG) airport services CEO Andrew Harrison. “It is something a large number of customers have been telling us for some time they would be interested in and we hope the services it will offer will appeal to a wide range of passengers, whether they are travelling for business, want to mark a special occasion or just want to add something different to their experience.” In addition, the PremiAir terminal will be available to incoming passengers as a standalone service or part of a round-trip booking. They will receive a car transfer direct from the plane and have access to a dedicated passport control service, as well as the PremiAir lounge. “The launch of PremiAir at Manchester Airport is the beginning of an exciting new project for MAG and we plan to assess opportunities to introduce it at other airport sites in the future,” added Andrew. Scheduled to become operational by the middle of this year, the private terminal is currently under construction on a site next to the Runway Visitor Park.
Recofloor is celebrating in 2019 ten years since it started recycling waste vinyl flooring. The Take Back scheme was first set up back in 2009 by Altro and Polyflor and it has now recycled a total of 4,300 tonnes of waste vinyl material. “Plastics are hot news at the moment and we are proud to be instrumental in recycling our waste vinyl flooring. We, as well as Altro, invest significant amounts of time, energy and money into the scheme,” said Bob Smith, Polyflor’s Technical Director. Barry Hall, Altro’s Manufacturing and Technical Director also commented: “Companies working with Recofloor are leading the way in terms of resource recovery and circular economy. This takeback scheme is helping Altro in terms of its sustainability programme and ambitious growth plans.” With more than 700 collectors throughout the UK and Ireland and more than 60 drop-off sites accepting waste vinyl flooring, the scheme sees smooth and safety vinyl offcuts and roll ends, uplifted smooth vinyl, luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and loose lay being recycled back into new products, including flooring manufactured by Altro and Polyflor. “We are truly proud of our achievements over the past decade and certainly credit is due to all our members – flooring companies, contractors and distributors – who continue to work tirelessly to support the scheme. Everyone deserves a big pat on the back for their efforts and enthusiasm,” said Recofloor’s Project Officer Joe Gardner. Recofloor made an impact right from the beginning, winning several high-profile environmental and innovation awards for its recycling achievements within the scheme’s first five years. More than 450 tonnes were collected solely during 2011, and in 2013, the scheme was recognised with a Green Apple Gold Award for Environmental Best Practice. By the time Recofloor reached its fifth birthday in 2014, the scheme had toppled a 2,000-tonnes collection milestone. 2015 saw over 100 new members join Recofloor and by that year, the scheme had saved more than 2,000 tonnes of CO2. Further awards recognition was to come, including the Letsrecycle.com Award for Excellence in Recycling & Waste Management in 2016. The following year, Recofloor broke through the 3,000-tonnes collection total and had more than 1,500 Twitter followers.
A slowdown in property transactions, with home buyers and sellers taking more caution amidst economic uncertainty, has been registered. This is due to the housing market being left in a state of lull because of diminishing demand among foreign buyers and pending Brexit negotiations. Compared to a year ago, homeowners wanting to sell their property are finding themselves having to wait a lot longer and buyers are taking more time to make decisions. At the beginning of 2016 the average buyer took 53 minutes during the viewing process to make a decision on whether or not to buy a property. However, buyers this year took an average of 65 minutes to finalise their decision, with an average of 2.4 viewings. While in 2017 it took 96 days for the ‘sold’ sign to go up, it now takes 102 days. The buying process is also taking 23% longer than it did in January 2016, with 27% of buyers now asking to view a property three times before submitting an offer. Even when homeowners have found a potential buyer, more than a third of deals have fallen through. This is perhaps down to the lack of buyer confidence in the run up to Brexit negotiations. These failed deals have cost consumers an estimated £270 million a year. Slower property transactions have also affected buyers. News of falling house prices has been met with concern from those wanting to sell their property. A cautious approach by sellers hoping to make a profit has meant that buyers are finding their bids undermined through a practice called gazumping. Gazumping is where a seller retracts an offer after receiving a higher bid from someone else. This is especially becoming an issue in Sheffield, where more than a third of buyers have reported being victims of gazumping. The south east has been most affected by this housing market lull, with house prices in London falling by 0.8% over the course of last year. The UK’s capital now has the second-slowest property market, after Blackpool. The average property in the capital now takes 126 days to finalise a deal, 15 days longer than in 2017. Further still, houses in London worth more than £1m are taking a whopping 171 days to sell. The forecast for 2019 much depends on the outcome of Brexit. The sales market, especially within the south of England, is likely to remain as it is until a deal has been confirmed.
Royston Scaffolding Ltd, the Cambridge & Hertfordshire-based company, has provided EOn and the Emirates Stadium with specialist confined-space scaffolding work. Home to Arsenal Football Club, the 60,000-seater stadium needed a unique scaffolding construction in an enclosed area underneath the stadium. Carrying out work underneath the stadium would enable engineers to gain access to various points that powered certain areas such as the changing rooms. Confined-space scaffolding projects have specific requirements and need to follow a strict installation process to meet high safety regulations. Royston Scaffolding Ltd became qualified in confined-space scaffolding over three years ago and since then it has seen growth in a number of these unique projects. Working in confined spaces can be a difficult and demanding task, where safety is key in often sometimes hazardous conditions. However, the team at Royston is confident in its abilities to offer a safe and professional service to its clients. Business partners Elliott McGrath and Craig Nettleingham have both been lifelong Tottenham Hotspur fans, however they were still eager to meet the demand. “While we of course were always going to take the project on, we did take an extra second to think about it! Since moving into confined-space scaffolding though we have been able to diversify our services as well as increase our extensive scaffolding knowledge,” said Elliott McGrath, Managing Director. “What we didn’t take into account was that the work began the day after the north London derby where Spurs lost 4-2! Talk about rubbing salt in the wounds,” he added. Elliott went further to add that fans of the “other” North London club can rest-assured they did not tamper with anything.