Weston Homes’ proposals to regenerate Anglia Square in central Norwich into a £300 million mixed use urban quarter has received a Resolution to Grant planning permission from Norwich City Council. Planning permission can be issued as soon as a ‘Section 106’ legal agreement between the applicants and the Council is completed. The
Refurbishment work to enhance the look of Rossmere Park in Hartlepool has started. The £500,000 project, which will be in two phases and take a year to complete, has been developed by Hartlepool Borough Council following public consultation on its masterplan for the park in 2015. Phase one includes the relocation
The first multi-million pound contracts from Network Rail for Control Period 6 (2019-2024), worth a combined £645 million, have been awarded. ‘Lot 2’, which covers renewals and enhancements work in Scotland valued at around £135 million, went to Story Contracting. Meanwhile, ‘Lot 3’ to deliver work on the London North
Pure Commercial Finance, the Cardiff-based commercial finance brokers, carried out a research to reveal whether purchasing property near a football stadium is a worthy investment. The research found that homes near football stadiums are experiencing property price increases considerably higher than the UK average. The brokerage’s campaign combines Land Registry data and
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP has taken a strong stance on the issue of cladding and forcing the removal and reinstatement of a safer product. For months James Brokenshire has been warning landlords of at-risk properties to get on
Managing the logistics of your construction site is integral to ensuring time and budget constraints are met. Dan Casey, Marketing Manager at award-winning lifting equipment manufacturer Penny Hyrdraulics, shares four tips to help you do this. When managing a construction site, ensuring the whole operation runs smoothly is of paramount
Cube Glass, the fast-growing Scottish glass and aluminium specialist installer, has won another six-figure order, this time for Park’s Motor Group and its prestigious new McLaren dealership in Leeds. As part of a substantial project, it will supply aluminium curtain walling at a purpose built, 12,000 square feet showroom at
Sarah Toon is a specialist construction and architectural photographer based in Norfolk. With a lifelong interest in photography, after a decade working as a bookkeeper and practice manager for an accountancy business, Sarah decided to develop a new career as a professional photographer five years ago. Rather than following many other
Bicester Heritage’s ambition to become the number one leisure destination for automotive fans has moved into pole position with the granting of planning permission for a new hotel, designed by award-winning hotel architects and interior designers Dexter Moren Associates. Situated on a former RAF base in the heart of Motorsport
A unique full flow ball valve has been launched by leading manufacturer Pegler as part of its Integrated Piping Systems which is revolutionising installations across the globe. The VSH FullFlow XPress Ball Valve forms part of the expanding XPress portfolio and offers unrivalled specification due to being manufactured from material
Weston Homes’ proposals to regenerate Anglia Square in central Norwich into a £300 million mixed use urban quarter has received a Resolution to Grant planning permission from Norwich City Council. Planning permission can be issued as soon as a ‘Section 106’ legal agreement between the applicants and the Council is completed. The new development is one of the biggest urban renewal projects outside of Greater London, covering more than 1.2 million square feet. The redeveloped Anglia Square provides new homes, retail premises, leisure amenities, public artwork and new public realm. It will deliver a series of striking buildings designed around two Covent Garden style landscaped plazas, linked by new high quality landscaped public spaces including pedestrian streets, offering cycle linkages across the site, complete with new trees and planted areas. There would also be extensive communal green squares and central courtyards for residents of the scheme. Furthermore, over 1,200 much needed new homes will be created, including stylish one and two bedroom apartments and penthouses for private sale, alongside circa 120 on-site affordable homes for local households on lower incomes. The proposals for Anglia Square will give Norwich a new northern city centre destination for shopping, leisure and entertainment, with high quality retail floorspace allowing for 40 glass fronted retail units, including an anchor food store. Alongside this there will be a new 200 bed hotel with a range of facilities including a roof level bar and restaurant, offering panoramic views over the city centre, and a new leisure quarter, centred on a new ground floor multi-screen cinema. Surrey Chapel will be provided with a brand new £2.5 million home within the development. Anglia Square is the future of Norwich with striking architecture in the form of high quality buildings with expanses of glazing, varied balcony design, rooftop terraces and feature detailing to the facades. There will be shops, restaurants and leisure at ground level, with homes above, with those on the uppermost floors offering panoramic views over Norwich City Centre. There will be a replacement multi-storey car park providing 600 shopper parking spaces, and the project allows for 75% of the homes to have residential parking. There will also be public “play trail” artwork, helping to create a “Covent Garden” style ambience, allowing both adults and children to enjoy the public open spaces, with details to be agreed with the City Council. The project will open up new views of the Anglican Cathedral and St Augustine’s Church and bring various benefits to Norwich. The new Anglia Square represents a substantial level of private sector investment into Norwich, with the mixture of uses generating new Council Tax revenue, new construction and permanent employment opportunities, and New Homes Bonus payments over four years.
Refurbishment work to enhance the look of Rossmere Park in Hartlepool has started. The £500,000 project, which will be in two phases and take a year to complete, has been developed by Hartlepool Borough Council following public consultation on its masterplan for the park in 2015. Phase one includes the relocation of the toddler play area near to the cafe, complete with a range of new equipment, and the creation of a separate all-new junior play area featuring facilities including a Sutu interactive ball wall. On the site of the old toddler play area off Braemar Road an on-site car park will be built. Moreover, a new covered area for events will be created in the centre and there will also be general enhancement work around the park. “These exciting improvements will create new and better facilities for children and adults alike. I look forward very much to seeing the park welcome many more visitors when the work has been completed,” said Councillor Ann Marshall, Vice-Chair of the Council’s Neighbourhood Services Committee. Phase two will focus on the pond and will include planting around the pond’s concrete edging to improve its visual appearance and the introduction of several miniature floating islands which will act as natural filtration systems to improve the oxygen levels for the fish. “I’m delighted that, thanks to this external funding, Rossmere Park is getting a new lease of life,” added Councillor Jim Lindridge, Vice-Chair of the Council’s Regeneration Services Committee. The two phases project has been funded by Mondegreen Environmental Body – a regional grant-giving organisation which distributes money from the Landfill Tax to community initiatives.
The first multi-million pound contracts from Network Rail for Control Period 6 (2019-2024), worth a combined £645 million, have been awarded. ‘Lot 2’, which covers renewals and enhancements work in Scotland valued at around £135 million, went to Story Contracting. Meanwhile, ‘Lot 3’ to deliver work on the London North East route valued at around £190 million was secured by AmcoGiffen. The framework will complete a wide range of projects including replacing and refurbishing structures across the route and delivering improvements at stations. “We are delighted to have been appointed in partnership with Network Rail, delivering this programme of significant rail infrastructure investment. Providing substantial benefits to the travelling public, this framework award is testament to our long-standing relationship. AmcoGiffen’s engineering and project management expertise, coupled with our detailed regional knowledge, means we are ideally placed to support all stakeholders. Delivering added social value in the communities we operate, we’re creating apprenticeship and trainee programmes, developing local supply chain spend and employment opportunities,” commented Andries Liebenberg, Managing Director AmcoGiffen. ‘Lot 1’, which is the most significant work-bank in the Scotland and North East (SNE) renewals and enhancements framework, will be announced later this year and is valued at a further £320 million. In addition to the framework covering renewals and enhancements, SNE is also set to announce the award of its £147 million Geotech framework later this month. “Our CP6 contracts provide suppliers with substantial work-banks and the opportunity to be part of delivering essential improvements that will help shape the future of Britain’s rail network. Work to renew our infrastructure is increasingly important to improve reliability for our passengers and we look forward to working closely with Story and AmcoGiffen to deliver this,” said Kris Kinnear, Deputy Regional Director for SNE. “Significant five-year contracts not only benefit our key supply chain partners, but the thousands of companies who work for them too, providing them with the surety they need to invest in their people, innovation and value for money,” Kris added. The awards are the first of Network Rail’s CP6 contracts to be let following the Office of Rail and Road’s final determination, which confirmed £35 billion of funding for rail maintenance and renewals.
Pure Commercial Finance, the Cardiff-based commercial finance brokers, carried out a research to reveal whether purchasing property near a football stadium is a worthy investment. The research found that homes near football stadiums are experiencing property price increases considerably higher than the UK average. The brokerage’s campaign combines Land Registry data and previous reports by mortgage lenders to highlight previous property surges near new English sports stadiums such as The Emirates Stadium and the Etihad Stadium. It also predicts areas which will likely see an increase as the result of future redevelopment. “The statistics are compelling, it’s great to see that as a result of the development of new football grounds its proven to not only stimulate local infrastructure investment, regenerate tired or unused areas of the cities but to create an unprecedented rise in house prices in the immediate area of redevelopment,” said Ben Lloyd, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Pure Commercial Finance. If the same average growth is seen in the next two decades as that seen in 1997 to 2017, investors can expect an average 450% increase in property prices for buildings near Premier League stadiums, according to the research. Saying that, developments coming out of Millwall FC are definitely worth keeping an eye on. The New Den, which is Millwall’s current stadium, opened in 1993 just a few miles from London’s financial centre. In August 2018, it was reported that the club had appointed architects to draw up plans for its community programme, which involves pre-planning what the club requires in order to meet Premier League requirements. The average property price in nearby postcodes is around £505,000 – up more than 33% in the last five years, and 292% in the last two decades – and, if the club is redeveloped, this could see local property prices positively affected. Research has also revealed that investing in property surrounding West Ham, Fulham and Arsenal’s stadiums could achieve healthy returns on investment. Whereas property with the highest price per square metre can be found near stadiums belonging to Chelsea, Fulham, and Arsenal. One of the biggest increases in past property prices could be seen surrounding Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium in North London. The average home value in the postal district surrounding Spurs’ stadium rose more than seven and a half times in the two decades between 1997 and 2017 from £59,638 to £450,104. Zoopla states the current average price around White Hart Lane is just under £460,000.
The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP has taken a strong stance on the issue of cladding and forcing the removal and reinstatement of a safer product. For months James Brokenshire has been warning landlords of at-risk properties to get on and remove dangerous cladding. Yesterday Brokenshire announced a change to the housing health and safety regulations to force the landlords to make good these works with no apparent financial risk to the leaseholders. The Association for Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) welcomes the move as it has been lobbying for Government intervention ever since the Grenfell Tower tragedy. Immediately after the tragic fire, ARMA flagged to Government the problem under leasehold as to who would likely pay for the cost of fire safety remedial works and that this could seriously delay remedial works. ARMA has publicly asked for Government loans to be make available and for remediation to be taken into a national programme to avoid such delays as the safety of residents must always be the uppermost concern. Dr Nigel Glen, Chief Executive Office of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA), comments: “We congratulate the Government for taking this strong approach to ensure remedial works on affected buildings can get under way immediately. People need to know they are safe and able to live their lives. We have always said time is of essence here and work should be completed first and then worry about who pays later. The costs to cladding removal has given many residents grave anxieties and now some headway should start to be made more quickly. “The Secretary of State has said that ‘leaseholders must not pay’. We keenly await details of how that will work in practice given the structure of leasehold. For example, in the case of Citiscape in Croydon, the First tier Tribunal Property determined that the leaseholders were liable for the costs under the terms of their lease. That may well be the case across all the buildings under discussion, depending upon their leases. And where Landlords are not the guilty party re installing the cladding is it fair that they will be expected to pay? Clearly there is more work to be done but this is a welcome and significant step.”
Managing the logistics of your construction site is integral to ensuring time and budget constraints are met. Dan Casey, Marketing Manager at award-winning lifting equipment manufacturer Penny Hyrdraulics, shares four tips to help you do this. When managing a construction site, ensuring the whole operation runs smoothly is of paramount importance. Logistics management is key to this, helping to keep the project on time and on budget but, if you want to minimize inefficiency, you’re going to need a strategy. In this article, I will discuss four ways you can improve the logistics of your construction site to ensure that materials are delivered on schedule, you have the right tools and equipment for every job, and all your workers are fully trained and briefed on what they need to do. Start with a plan Projects of all kinds suffer due to unnecessary and wasteful activities. While this can never be fully avoided, creating a logistics plan at the start of your project is key to determining how everything will turn out. The purpose of creating a detailed plan is to increase efficiency and maximise profits, while also preparing as best you can for unforeseen circumstances. Ideally, you want to create a process map and a list of all the materials you’re going to use, which you can keep track of and update each day. Your plan must take into account the various logistical factors of the construction site, such as material transportation, workforce management, and control of equipment and machinery. This will help to avoid any wasted time and energy, and ultimately determine whether or not the project can be delivered on time and on budget. Communicate with your team An integral part of construction logistics is maintaining open communication channels with your workers, suppliers, and higher-ups. You should always be looking for new ways to improve communication, as this will allow you to get on top of problems early and nip them in the bud before they snowball into something bigger. Little things left unchecked can lead to workflow inefficiencies, so it’ll pay dividends to stay on top of things. As construction is a constantly-evolving industry with new practices and requirements being implemented all the time, it is important to maintain open channels of communication. This is especially true for experienced workers who will be able to help spot holes in your plan, so it’s a good idea to get them involved early and stay in contact with them on a regular basis. While a lot of this can be streamlined and done from afar, the site should still be visited regularly so you can chat to workers on the ground. Have the right tools for the job Even the simplest jobs can take far longer than they should without the correct equipment, leaving workers to struggle through at reduced efficiency. This can be something as simple having the correct shovel for the job but, when it comes to larger equipment and machinery, entire processes can be slowed down, and days can be lost. Providing your workers with the tools they need to do the job effectively is a key part of ensuring the logistics of your site are running smoothly. At Penny Hydraulics, we aim to help improve workflow efficiencies with our vehicle-mounted hydraulic crane and SwingLift products, which are used to move and load materials in a safe and efficient manner. Trying to manually load such items can be laborious and time consuming, so having a handy and easy-to-use solution on-site can massively improve efficiency. Jobs that would have previously required two or more people, such as filling a van with material, can now easily be done by one. Use software to your advantage Improving your own workflow will allow you to spend more time on important tasks, such as focusing on the logistics of your construction site. Implementing automated systems will allow you to save time by cutting down the time it takes for you to send out progress reports, manage ongoing budgets, and keep track of day-to-day changes that affect the site. By using reporting and budget management software, you’ll be able to make sure the right people know what’s happening at all times, allowing you to focus on the more important day-to-day logistics management. There are all kinds of other tools you might find beneficial as well, such as health and safety management software, which can help to prevent hazards and keep track of incidents. There will always be unforeseen circumstances that you have to deal with on your construction site but, with careful planning, open channels of communication, and the right tools to help you do the job, you’ll be best placed to tackle them head on.
Cube Glass, the fast-growing Scottish glass and aluminium specialist installer, has won another six-figure order, this time for Park’s Motor Group and its prestigious new McLaren dealership in Leeds. As part of a substantial project, it will supply aluminium curtain walling at a purpose built, 12,000 square feet showroom at Aire Valley Drive, featuring the latest McLaren brand identity. The company will cover 370 sq metres with a special product from the German-based global giant Schueco Group, the industry leader in window, door and façade technology and service. The new contract for a top-end client is the latest in a string of successes for Cube Glass, which focuses on curtain walling, doors, windows, glass roofing systems and shop fronts as well as bullet, bomb and blast resistant glass. It is set to secure record sales this year of around £2.75 million. “We have carried out work for Park’s Motor Group in the past, but this is a particularly exciting project at its fantastic new space in Leeds, which is only the eighth McLaren retail partner in the UK,” said Gary Thorn, Cube Glass founder and Managing Director. “Park’s is a leading name in the luxury car market. The work, which will be carried out by APP Construction, takes us into new areas and expands our portfolio as well as continuing our association with some very prestigious brands,” Gary added. The company currently has 14 direct employees and 12 sub-contractors and expects this number to increase in the new year. Around 80 per cent of the company’s sales are made to major companies including Hilton Hotels, the Ministry of Defence, Morris and Spottiswood and Clark Contracts.
Sarah Toon is a specialist construction and architectural photographer based in Norfolk. With a lifelong interest in photography, after a decade working as a bookkeeper and practice manager for an accountancy business, Sarah decided to develop a new career as a professional photographer five years ago. Rather than following many other female photographers and focusing on fashion, weddings and family portraits, she has chosen to specialise in the more male-dominated niche of construction and property photography. Sarah recently completed an eighteen-month project as official progress photographer for the Wells Maltings project in North Norfolk. Working closely with architects, contractors and the client team, Sarah’s images have become iconic in the retelling of this new cultural and arts centre’s story. Other regular clients include regional construction firms RobSon Construction Limited, who were the main contractor for the refurbishment of the Lady Elizabeth Wing on the Holkham Estate, Norwich-based surveyors Daniel Connall Partnership, Chaplin Farrant architects and most recently, Daylight Developments Ltd. She is due to start work on several projects this autumn in London, for a structural engineering consultancy in London. In recognition of her role within a traditionally male workplace, in September 2018 Sarah was selected to take part in the National Association of Women in Construction’s project, Image of Women in Construction. Aimed at highlighting the diversity and strength of women who work within the construction industry, to encourage the next generation of girls to consider it as a future career path, the project is being led by acclaimed architectural photographer Morley von Sternberg, FRIBA. As one of so few women specialising in construction and property photography, Sarah jumped at the chance to be involved in such an inspiring project and has subsequently joined Morley on a number of his commercial shoots. Sarah is keen to promote equality across the sector by showing young women that creative careers in the construction and architecture sector are open to all.
Bicester Heritage’s ambition to become the number one leisure destination for automotive fans has moved into pole position with the granting of planning permission for a new hotel, designed by award-winning hotel architects and interior designers Dexter Moren Associates. Situated on a former RAF base in the heart of Motorsport Valley, a stone’s throw from numerous Formula One teams and the Silverstone Circuit, the approved scheme will feature a 252-room hotel, 92-unit aparthotel, restaurant, leisure facilities and conference centre. The hotel design, granted unanimous approval by Cherwell District Council last week, is inspired by RAF Bicester’s rich heritage, offering a modern interpretation of the form of adjoining listed hangars and featuring a signature entrance atrium designed around the display of classic motor vehicles. “We were thrilled to be selected to design this landmark hotel within the former RAF base, forming part of the Bicester Heritage Masterplan vision focusing on motorcars and aeroplanes. The design objective has been to respond in a contemporary manner to the site’s unique past, drawing inspiration from its historic position at the forefront of aviation, engineering, and innovation while complementing the existing period buildings. The elevations take inspiration from the listed aircraft hangers within Bicester Heritage, whilst the metal-clad curved façade references the sinuous line of a classic car,” said Dexter Moren Associates. “Providing 344 hotel and aparthotel rooms, and with extensive facilities including food and beverage, leisure and conferencing, this new hotel will contribute to the greater Bicester and Oxford area hospitality offer while enhancing the activities of Bicester Heritage and its future plans for accommodation, theatre, automotive research and maintenance,” Dexter Moren Associated added. Dexter Moren Associates is an award-winning practice of 70 architecture and interior design specialists, working right across the hospitality spectrum. Over the past 26 years in business we have established a world-renowned reputation as leaders in hospitality design, based on our ability to deliver intelligent, creative and bespoke solutions which meld both developer and operator requirements.
A unique full flow ball valve has been launched by leading manufacturer Pegler as part of its Integrated Piping Systems which is revolutionising installations across the globe. The VSH FullFlow XPress Ball Valve forms part of the expanding XPress portfolio and offers unrivalled specification due to being manufactured from material that is identical to the pipe. With the materials matching and technological advancements within the design and manufacture of this valve the reliability of a system is greatly enhanced as the risk of damaging galvanic corrosion and condensation is eliminated. “Due to the resounding success of our VSH XPress range the VSH FullFlow XPress Ball Valve further complements our product portfolio and offers HVAC contractors with a reliable Integrated Piping System,” commented Sindar Singh Director Product Line Valve Technology at Pegler. “A complete system that offers reliability is a huge benefit to contactors whose reputation relies on the quality of the products they use. We are delighted to be now launching a new product that incorporates the valve and fitting into one streamlined body and is made from Carbon so when used with carbon pipe system it delivers a positive zero voltage reaction and therefore preventing the start of any galvanic corrosion,“ Sindar added. Made from Carbon which comes with all the inherent benefits such as lighter weight and low theft risk, the team at Pegler has developed the VSH FullFlow XPress Ball Valve to ensure a number of advantages no matter what the application. For the exposed valves the streamlined body offers increased aesthetics whilst also providing a safety function. Its design allows for easy pipe insulation fitting whilst the handle can be repositioned for ease of installation or fully removed for security. In addition, the valve is designed to reduce the number of seals which decreases the possibility of leaks due to incorrect fitting but also benefits from double O-Rings giving increased reliability. Available in ½ to 2” diameter, the valve is compatible with the XPress thread, swivel and press options as required. A stainless steel version, suitable for potable water applications will be released later this year. “This is another element of our Integrated Piping Systems which are proving to deliver greater efficiencies and reliability across all applications,” said Sindar. “The incorporation of a full-bore valve inside a streamlined fitting is a simple yet effective solution and will assist in saving time, increasing reliability and continue the re-education of the way we approach pipe and plumbing systems.” All VSH XPress valve bodies are laser marked with information on size, material and pressure and a colour coding indicates the type of material; red for carbon steel and green for stainless ensuring compatibility.