The Spring Budget was announced last week by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond. Released on the 8th March, the Spring Budget doesn’t appear to be very beneficial for the self-employed or for Small or Medium Enterprises. Rob May, the Director for the international qualifications board YMCA Awards, has
Product manufacturers, civil engineering firms, SMEs and specialist contractors all reported an increase in workloads and output increases in the first three months of the year. On balance, 20 per cent of civil engineering firms and 38 per cent of specialist contractors saw workloads grow compared to a year earlier,
Manchester City Council has given planning permission for construction of the city’s tallest building. Above: The Owen Street towers The 64-storey Owen Street skyscraper will contain 496 apartments and will trump the neighbouring 48-floor Beetham Tower. The tower will be built alongside three slightly smaller buildings near Deansgate railway station,
Should towns and counties should be the focus of house building? The Housing & Finance Institute today calls for a fairer share of housing money to be given to England’s towns, counties and districts. In their new report, ‘From the Shores to the Shires’, the HFI says England’s regional towns
Property prices in Australian capital cities increased by 0.8% in July, a new record high, with values now 6.3% higher than the first seven months of the year, the latest published data shows. However, while overall values are still rising, four of Australia’s eight capital cities recorded a fall in
21 July 2016 FM company OCS has agreed terms for the buyout of its shareholding in Agents4RM International Limited. Peter Slator, chief executive of OCS Group, and Lionel Prodgers, managing director of Agents4RM, announced that they agreed terms for Prodgers to buy out OCS’s shareholding in Agents4RM International Limited. The
Leeds-based contractor APP Construction has booked £10m of new work from car dealerships. Above: Jaguar showroom to be built in Cheshire APP’s construction team starts work this month at Crewe Gateway for Swansway on a £5m Jaguar dealership, due for completion in mid-January 2017. Then next month it starts work
19 March 2016 – by Mike Cobb Deutsche Bank is on the verge of pulling two CMBS deals valued at more than €500m (£392m). The Portuguese and Irish bonds have met with a lack of interest from credit markets as pricing remains too wide to attract investors and satisfy Deutsche’s
A 35-year-old self-employed worker from London has been given two suspended jail terms for falsely claiming to be Gas Safe Registered. At the Old Bailey the court heard how Winters signed Gas Safe certificates for a number of properties. This was only discovered after a gas leak was reported by National Grid at a rented property. Brian Winters of Hertford Road,
Six of the UK’s biggest contractors are among the six development partners longlisted for a new NHS hospital building programme. Source link
The Spring Budget was announced last week by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond. Released on the 8th March, the Spring Budget doesn’t appear to be very beneficial for the self-employed or for Small or Medium Enterprises. Rob May, the Director for the international qualifications board YMCA Awards, has issued a statement noting a few oversights in the Chancellor’s budget. May suggests that half of the UK’s occupations have been left out in the cold when it comes to funding for training. In the budget it has been announced that £500-million has been pledged for “T-Levels”. These qualifications are an equivalent and alternative to A Levels, providing technical as opposed to more traditional qualifications. The result of the funding means that more than half of UK occupations that use a classroom-based vocational education route are not given a part of this funding. The recipients have been decided by a five-member panel review of vocational education. The panel, led by Lord Sainsbury; the Labour peer and Cambridge University Chancellor, have chosen 15 technical educational routes for the investment. However, Rob May suggests that the definition of “technical” routes was never properly explained. May has also pointed out that even though the budget has a number of pledges to improve the nation’s health, yet the fitness sector has missed out on this funding. The reason for this omission was apparently the physical education sector is not technical enough to warrant the funding. This undermining move is made to look more ridiculous when industries such as tailoring and hairdressing have been given the funding. Although those sectors are surely very deserving of the funding in their own way; a pledge to improve the health of the residence of the UK has been supported by not funding those sectors and instead providing money for sectors that focus on appearance. This lack of funding could lead to fewer courses for the fitness and health sectors in favor of courses that will offer funding, which will lead to a deficit of trained professionals and even more problems for later generation.
Product manufacturers, civil engineering firms, SMEs and specialist contractors all reported an increase in workloads and output increases in the first three months of the year. On balance, 20 per cent of civil engineering firms and 38 per cent of specialist contractors saw workloads grow compared to a year earlier, up from 5 per cent and 31 per cent of firms respectively in Q4 2014. There was some evidence of a slowdown for main contractors, albeit in a market that is still growing; on balance, 19 per cent of main contractors saw workloads grow in the first quarter of 2016 compared to a year earlier, down from 23 per cent in Q4 2015. Main contractors reported a drop in orders across the board in Q1, especially in the public sector, with a balance of 42 per cent of firms reporting a downturn in public housing orders and 28 per cent reporting a fall in public non-housing. Private commercial was the strongest performing sector in Q1 compared to a year earlier for main contractors, but private housing output fell back. However, the picture was more positive for specialist contractors and SMEs, with business enquiries improving for both during Q1. Rising costs continued to be a problem for the sector, according to the CPA. Costs increased for a balance of 58 per cent of main contractors and 74 per cent of civil engineering firms during the quarter, driven by growth in wages and salaries coupled with an ongoing shortage of available trades and skilled workers. Fuel costs continued to fall, with more than half of heavy side product manufacturers reporting a decline. In Q1, 24 per cent of building contractors reported that they had been paid in under 30 days, while a further 24 per cent reported payment between 31 and 45 days, and 32 per cent reported payment within 46-60 days. Only 4 per cent of contactors reported a payment period of more than 90 days. Commenting on the data, Suzannah Nichol, chief executive of Build UK said, “There continue to be mixed messages in terms of growth; however, industry intelligence shows increasing levels of activity over the last quarter. “Employers are experiencing both rising material and labour costs as they head towards maximum capacity and this continues to highlight difficulties in recruiting appropriate skills at all levels.” Source link
Manchester City Council has given planning permission for construction of the city’s tallest building. Above: The Owen Street towers The 64-storey Owen Street skyscraper will contain 496 apartments and will trump the neighbouring 48-floor Beetham Tower. The tower will be built alongside three slightly smaller buildings near Deansgate railway station, on land previously used as a car park. The tallest will be 200.5 metres tall. The other three are 37-, 44- and 50-storeys high, reaching 122-, 140- and 158-metres respectively. Tower B is 50 floors and 157.9 metres tall, Tower C is 37-storeys and 122 metres tall and Tower D is 44 floors and 140.4 metres tall. The developer is CQ Investments, part of the Renaker Build group of companies. The scheme, designed by SimpsonHaugh & Partners, also includes basement car parking and a cinema. The four main towers will range between 37 and 64 storeys, and include 1,508 apartments in total, with a further three-storey building housing a tennis court, swimming pool and retail units. Andy Finch, head of sales at Renaker Build, said: “We are thrilled to have received permission for our latest development which will be the first within the Great Jackson Street framework, creating a new community at the southern gateway to the core of Manchester city centre.” WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff provided building services engineering. Director Ian Standring said: “Planning approval for the Owen Street towers is a real sign of confidence in Manchester’s property market, and we’re excited to be working as part of the design team on what will be an iconic scheme for the city.” This article was published on 1 Jul 2016 (last updated on 1 Jul 2016). Source link
Should towns and counties should be the focus of house building? The Housing & Finance Institute today calls for a fairer share of housing money to be given to England’s towns, counties and districts. In their new report, ‘From the Shores to the Shires’, the HFI says England’s regional towns and councils must get a fairer deal when it comes to the allocation of housing funds. The Institute says it is England’s regional towns and councils that are leading the way on house building and they should be rewarded with more resources. It argues that there has been a longstanding emphasis on giving a bigger share of the money to big cities and metropolitan areas who are only responsible for around 30 per cent of new homes. Natalie Elphicke OBE, HFI chief executive, commented: “Following the EU Referendum, it is clear that things need to change if we are going to succeed in building a Britain that works for everyone. This must include rewarding energetic councils across England who toil to make the housing difference but who don’t have the comfortable cash flow or big balance sheets of the largest cities and housing associations. Change is afoot in our coastal communities, the country villages & market towns, the post-industrial heartlands and historic cities and counties of England. There is an ambition to build and shape housing choice for local communities. Too often it has been the noisy major metropolitan cities or the massive housing associations already awash with cash who ask for even more. Yet the beating heart of sustainable housing delivery is in the counties, ordinary towns and districts of England. It’s time to harness the energy across the country in building homes and regenerating communities. The Government needs to put more of its housing money where the opportunity to deliver is and that means right across the country.” Research published in the report today shows that around 70% of new homes and homes permissioned for planning are currently in the district and unitary councils. That far outweighs the combined contribution of the London and metropolitan councils, who currently get the lion’s share of cash and attention. The Institute has highlighted housing zones to demonstrate this skewed funding. London has secured almost 100 times as much initial funding in this area than the rest of England, but will deliver only twice the number of homes. London has secured £600 million of housing zones allocations, which they are planning to build 75,000 homes with. This is compared to just £6.3 million allocated for the rest of England in the same period, which will result in 34,000 new homes. It is calling for regional councils to keep the cash from any valuable houses they sell, to be exempted from the high value assets levy and given extra cash allocations and financial support if they can show they can and will deliver more homes. Natalie Elphicke continued: “If a council can show it is housing business ready, has a good track record and will commit to minimum housing targets, why shouldn’t it get the type of individual deals, powers and money given to the big devolved city authorities. It isn’t the case in housing delivery that biggest is best – some of our coastal communities, country villages & market towns, post-industrial heartlands together and historic cities and counties of England are absolutely brilliant at making housing delivery happen and are delivering the majority of our new homes. If a council knows what it is doing and is doing a good job in housing delivery, government should give it greater support and resources. That should apply to smaller councils too.” The HFI has also launched a new book that provides councils with a ready-made strategy for building more homes, more quickly. The strategy is designed to help councils deliver more homes by fully using their assets and resources and collaborating across the public and private sector. Ms Elphicke commented: “The book we are launching today aims to give councils support and strategic clarity in their growth and housing agendas. By helping local government devise a more effective housing strategy to make the best their resources, we will continue to deliver the homes that we need across the country.” Writing for the Housing & Finance Institute’s new book, Lord Kerslake said: “All councils have a special responsibility and a unique opportunity to shape their communities and build more homes which are right for their areas. No-one should underestimate how hard it will be to deliver the new houses our nation requires nor how important. This book is a welcome helping hand for local authorities with the vision and passion to meet the challenge to build the homes we need.” Ashford, Bournemouth and Stoke-on-Trent, all councils who have been awarded the Institute’s Housing Business Ready status, are highlighted in the new book and show that there are housing opportunities all around the country. The Housing Business Ready book launched today is an accessible guide for councils looking to increase their housing delivery. The book contains practical checklists and advice to help councils assess and improve their housing and growth performance. Source link
Property prices in Australian capital cities increased by 0.8% in July, a new record high, with values now 6.3% higher than the first seven months of the year, the latest published data shows. However, while overall values are still rising, four of Australia’s eight capital cities recorded a fall in dwelling values over the month, the CoreLogic July home value index also shows. Simultaneously, the rate of growth across the combined capitals aggregate index slipped back a notch after bouncing higher in April and May. The annual rate of growth, which hit a recent peak at 11.1% across the combined capitals index in October last year, is now tracking at 6.1%, the slowest annual rate of appreciation since September 2013. Sydney and Melbourne have also seen the annual rate of growth slip back to below 10% with the July indices showing a respective 9.1% and 7.5% capital gain over the past 12 months. Previously both Sydney and Melbourne’s capital gains peaked higher with Sydney reaching a peak rate of annual growth in July last year when dwelling values were rising by 18.4% annum and when Melbourne values were increasing by 14.2% per annum over the 12 months ending September last year. Darwin and Perth remain as the only two capital cities to record a negative movement in dwelling values over the past year with prices in Darwin down 7.6% and Perth values falling by 5.6%. July marks the 50th month of the combined capitals growth cycle, which commenced in June 2012. Over the cycle to date, capital city dwelling values have risen by 38.3% and according to CoreLogic head of research Tim Lawless this demonstrates the strength in the Sydney and Melbourne growth trend with dwelling values across the two largest capitals recording a cumulative 61.3% and 42% over the cycle to date. Hobart, where the growth trend has recently accelerated, has been the next best performer with values rising 17.6% over the growth cycle followed by Brisbane at 17.4%, Adelaide at 14.3% and Canberra at 12.4%. ‘The recent moderation in the rate of capital gains should be viewed as a positive sign that growth in dwelling values may be returning to more sustainable levels. However, the growth trend rate is still tracking considerably faster than income growth resulting in a deterioration of housing affordability,’ said Lawless. ‘Using Sydney as a case in point, the Australian National University estimates that Sydney household incomes have grown by approximately 4.5% per annum since June 2012 while dwelling values are up 12.1% per annum,’ he added. Source link
21 July 2016 FM company OCS has agreed terms for the buyout of its shareholding in Agents4RM International Limited. Peter Slator, chief executive of OCS Group, and Lionel Prodgers, managing director of Agents4RM, announced that they agreed terms for Prodgers to buy out OCS’s shareholding in Agents4RM International Limited. The sale will allow OCS’s management to concentrate on growth opportunities for its core facilities management services in international markets, and on its extensive transformation programme in the UK. The OCS UK facilities management business is being refocused to concentrate on providing services to organisations in education, healthcare, government, business and industry, leisure and retail. This will enable the business to channel its resources into areas where it is already strong and has the potential to grow. Agents4RM will continue to offer consultancy and information management services relating to the built environment and facilities management from its offices in London and Dubai. Service provider OCS invested in international FM consultancy Agents4RM with a view to creating a global professional services business for the FM and built environment sector in February 2014. Source link
Leeds-based contractor APP Construction has booked £10m of new work from car dealerships. Above: Jaguar showroom to be built in Cheshire APP’s construction team starts work this month at Crewe Gateway for Swansway on a £5m Jaguar dealership, due for completion in mid-January 2017. Then next month it starts work in Nottingham for Midlands-based Sandicliffe Motors on a £5m Ford & Mazda showroom. Car showrooms seem to be becoming a specialism for the contractor, established in Leeds in 2007 by accountant Anthony Quinn and surveyor Paul Burke. APP recently completed a £6m multi-franchise facility housing Vauxhall, Mazda and Kia for Perry’s in Preston and has refurbished five Skoda dealerships. APP director John White said: “We’ve seen strong demand from the automotive sector for some time now and we’re confident that securing these latest schemes will further raise our profile with the bigger dealers and franchises.” APP is also starting work this month in Sheffield on a £4m, seven-storey, 63-bedroom student accommodation scheme for Empiric, with completion demanded by September 2017. This article was published on 4 Aug 2016 (last updated on 4 Aug 2016). Source link
19 March 2016 – by Mike Cobb Deutsche Bank is on the verge of pulling two CMBS deals valued at more than €500m (£392m). The Portuguese and Irish bonds have met with a lack of interest from credit markets as pricing remains too wide to attract investors and satisfy Deutsche’s needs. The Portuguese CMBS, which would have been the first from the region, was pre-marketed as far back as June last year. Backed by €250m of loans, including one to Baupost on the Dolce Vita Tejo shopping centre in Amadora, Lisbon, the deal initially got caught up in the China crisis of last summer before being tentatively relaunched in the new year. An Irish CMBS, valued at around €250m and backed by various Irish loans, was also launched in January and was expected to be well received once bond markets recovered. However, credit markets remained volatile on further bad news from China and poor figures from the EU and the deals have once again been met with a lack of appetite from bond investors. But not all CMBS deals are failing. Bank of America Merrill Lynch this week successfully got away its €317m German CMBS. All the content from this week’s magazine, including this article, is available in the new app. BAML’s Kingfisher loan-backed Taurus 2016-1 DEU CMBS did suffer from a fall away in pricing, however, with the AAA-rated tranche failing to achieve initial indicated pricing of between 140 and 150bps over Euribor. The 130bps it finally achieved, though encouraging, was considered to be more indicative of the quality of the underlying German retail assets and the fact that Blackstone is a sponsor than a true sign of recovery in the bond markets. Deutsche is understood to have considered repricing the Irish CMBS to match the sort of levels that made the BAML deal ultimately successful, but it seems the potential of significant losses on the junior tranches would have made it unpalatable. The Portuguese CMBS, however, was considered to be too widely priced for such a move to have resulted in anything but a total loss and instead the underlying loan, along with the Irish loans, were put forward for syndication. Following the decision, both loan pools have received strong interest from the syndication markets and Deutsche Bank will therefore take this exit route in coming weeks. MIPIM was understood to be a final test for the bonds but the sale is considered to have reached a point of no return and will be formally pulled once the event is over. Source link
A 35-year-old self-employed worker from London has been given two suspended jail terms for falsely claiming to be Gas Safe Registered. At the Old Bailey the court heard how Winters signed Gas Safe certificates for a number of properties. This was only discovered after a gas leak was reported by National Grid at a rented property. Brian Winters of Hertford Road, Edmonton was found guilty of four charges of regulation 3(7) of the Gas Safe Installation and Use Regulations 1998 and was given an 18 month suspended sentence for two years for the property where a gas leak occurred and 12 months suspended for two years for the three other charges. He was also given two community orders. Health and Safety Executive Inspector Monica Babb said after the hearing: “Gas Safe registered engineers are regulated and have to ensure they can prove they are competent. This safe guard is removed when people choose not to register, putting people at risk in their homes. “It is important that anybody who has gas work carried out checks their engineer is carrying a valid gas safe registered identification card. They should also check online or call Gas Safe Register to confirm they are competent to carry out the work ” For further information on Gas Safety www.gassaferegister.co.uk Notes to Editors: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/and guidance at HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk Journalists should approach HSE press office with any queries on regional press releases. Source link
Six of the UK’s biggest contractors are among the six development partners longlisted for a new NHS hospital building programme. Source link