Housebuilder Crest Nicholson has launched a brand-new play area within its sought-after Arborfield Green in Wokingham, for children and families to enjoy. Located off Princess Marina Drive, the play area includes a climbing frame, slide and swings, and is perfect for children aged three to twelve. Helping to promote active
Network Space has appointed Bansco to construct Broadheath Networkcentre in Altrincham with completion expected in summer. A pre-let has been agreed to one of the world’s largest logistics companies. Maersk will take a 41,500 sq ft unit at the Atlantic Street site, where some 206,000 sq ft of workspace is
Gregory Properties (Leeds) Limited has secured reserved matters planning approval to deliver 124,700 sq ft of green industrial and logistics park at Rockingham in Barnsley. The ten-acre site is well located fronting the A6195 Dearne Valley Parkway with direct motorway access to Junction 36 of the M1. Gregory Properties plans
Top ten homebuilder, Keepmoat, has commenced construction of its new housing development, Synergy, at Rathmell Road and Kendal Drive in Halton Moor, which is to be built on unused brownfield land in Leeds. The project will deliver 109 new homes to the area and will consist of two-, three- and
Leading modular housing pioneer ilke Homes has started work to deliver 146 energy-efficient, affordable homes at the Glenvale Park development in Wellingborough, as part of Man GPM’s community housing focus. The announcement marks the second time ilke Homes and Man GPM have worked together to deliver an affordable-led scheme, having
Winvic Construction and its client Edmond de Rothschild has celebrated the topping out of a 406-apartment build-to-rent project on Kent Street in the centre of Birmingham. To mark the occasion, one of the final sections of concrete was poured – an upstand to an automatic opening vent on the seventeenth-storey
Beard Construction has completed two deluxe Signature Senior Lifestyle care homes under projects worth a combined £24.8m. The two projects – Signature at Caversham, in Berkshire, and Signature at Farnham Common, in Buckinghamshire – provide luxury, high-end apartments and residential communities for residents, delivering nursing, respite and dementia care. High-end
Developer Ask Real Estate has handed over One Strawberry Lane in Newcastle city centre to Home Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of social housing. The 70,000 sq ft six storey building, designed by Ryder Architecture and built by BAM Construction, is Home Group’s new headquarters providing a sustainable
Construction and consultancy company, Mace, has been appointed by Manchester Airports Group (MAG) to manage the second phase of the Manchester Airport Transformation Programme (MANTP). The programme will expand Manchester Airport’s role as the UK’s global gateway in the North, transforming the passenger experience and helping attract new routes to
MSV Housing’s new Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (‘HAPPI’) development has launched in South Manchester. Cllr Bev Craig and Andy Burnham buried a time capsule to commemorate the occasion, created by the residents at neighbouring Elmswood Park extra care scheme. Bowes House offers 40 high quality 1 and
Housebuilder Crest Nicholson has launched a brand-new play area within its sought-after Arborfield Green in Wokingham, for children and families to enjoy. Located off Princess Marina Drive, the play area includes a climbing frame, slide and swings, and is perfect for children aged three to twelve. Helping to promote active lifestyles and healthy communities, the play area will be a prominent hub for families within the development. Charlie Joseph, Sales and Marketing Director at Crest Nicholson Chiltern, said: “As part of our commitment to build thriving communities with a range of amenities on the doorstep, we’re pleased to announce the launch of another much-anticipated play area at Arborfield Green. We know this play area will be popular with parents and children, and we’re looking forward to seeing both residents and local people coming together to enjoy it.” Crest Nicholson currently has a range of two bedroom apartments and three to five bedroom homes at its Nightingale Fields and Waterman’s Gate developments at Arborfield Green, and is launching a new phase at Waterman’s Gate in March 2023. Situated beside Waterman’s Lake and Hazebrouck Meadow, Arborfield Green provides the perfect balance between town and countryside living. Residents can already benefit from being close by to the brand new Bohunt School, which opened on site in September 2016, and will be able to make full use of the new Sainsbury’s store coming soon to the district centre. Prices for two bedroom apartments start from £305,000, whilst prices for three, four, and five bedroom homes start from £475,000, £640,000 and £699,000 respectively. To help homebuyers secure their dream property, there are a number of schemes available on select plots, including Part Exchange, Home Reach and Deposit Unlock. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Network Space has appointed Bansco to construct Broadheath Networkcentre in Altrincham with completion expected in summer. A pre-let has been agreed to one of the world’s largest logistics companies. Maersk will take a 41,500 sq ft unit at the Atlantic Street site, where some 206,000 sq ft of workspace is being delivered across 25 units at the 11.5 acre former Cartwright headquarters. Chris Liptrott, Managing Director of Bansco, said: “As a Greater Manchester company, we are delighted to be working with Network Space to regenerate one of the oldest industrialised sites in the area. “The sustainability credentials of the development, and the quality of the space that is being delivered, is already starting to attract high profile occupiers. The development will create new job opportunities, during construction and after completion, helping to boost the local economy.” Regional sub-contractors will be involved and local training and employment opportunities will be provided during construction. Once complete, the scheme will have an estimated GDV of £45 million. The regeneration of this brownfield site will see a mix of high-quality refurbished space, alongside new builds, creating a modern, multi-let industrial destination. With remaining units available from 2,100 sq ft to 28,500 sq ft, the development has the capacity to create upwards of 400 new jobs and provide much needed speculative workspace in the region. Both Network Space and Maersk are committed to a highly sustainable development and will be targeting low or very low greenhouse gas emissions. Across the wider scheme, Network Space will be targeting EPC A ratings and BREEAM Very Good. Bansco is working closely with Network Space to seek to reuse and recycle steel and concrete structures on site, resulting in a significant reduction in embodied carbon within the development. Individual units are being designed to accommodate photovoltaic panels to support renewable energy provision and electric vehicle charging will be delivered across the entire scheme. Simon Eaton, Senior Development Manager at Network Space, said: “This is a fantastic pre-let to a multi-national company and represents some 20% of the scheme’s total floor area. Securing Maersk as an anchor tenant in the most prominent unit on site is a fantastic start. “We are receiving a strong level of enquiries from local businesses and trade occupiers to last mile logistics firms and legal negotiations are ongoing for additional lettings. This best-in-class scheme will deliver high quality employment space, job opportunities, inward investment and economic growth.” Jonathan Williams at Savills and Will Kenyon at B8 have been appointed as letting agents for Broadheath Networkcentre by Network Space. The wider professional team includes Walker Sime, project management and quantity surveying and AEW architects. The scheme is being supported with a £23.25 million loan from Trafford Council. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Gregory Properties (Leeds) Limited has secured reserved matters planning approval to deliver 124,700 sq ft of green industrial and logistics park at Rockingham in Barnsley. The ten-acre site is well located fronting the A6195 Dearne Valley Parkway with direct motorway access to Junction 36 of the M1. Gregory Properties plans to speculatively build out the scheme which consists of three detached high quality industrial/warehouse units of 25,560 sqft, 43,000 sqft and 56,140 sqft. Each designed to a market facing specification including first floor office accommodation, secure service yards and institutional HGV loading provision and eaves heights. Nick Gillott, Development Director at Gregory Properties, said: “We are excited at the prospect of starting to deliver these three high quality purpose-built logistics units. It’s a superb scheme, situated less than half a mile from the M1, in an established location. We are confident that the development will attract strong occupier interest.” The Yorkshire industrial and logistics team at Knight Frank have advised Gregory Properties throughout the acquisition process and will be retained as marketing agents, Iain McPhail, Partner at Knight Frank said: “It’s a highly prominent site, in a desirable area for industrial, logistics and distribution. In addition to this, the area offers a vast array of amenities within close proximity. “On the ESG front, these will not be the usual grey boxes; they will be much more sympathetic to the surrounding natural landscape and complement the local area with neutral green tones. They are also set in generous landscaping, backing onto woodland. The impressive design doesn’t stop there, the units will have strong environmental credentials, green in more ways than one!” Gregory Properties hopes to start the speculative development on site Summer 2023 and be ready for an Easter 2024 occupation. The three new units will be offered to let. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Top ten homebuilder, Keepmoat, has commenced construction of its new housing development, Synergy, at Rathmell Road and Kendal Drive in Halton Moor, which is to be built on unused brownfield land in Leeds. The project will deliver 109 new homes to the area and will consist of two-, three- and four- bedroom properties, of which a percentage will be available for affordable housing provision though Leeds Federated Housing Association. The Keepmoat Yorkshire West team hosted a sod cutting ceremony at the site to mark the commencement of construction, with many guests in attendance, including Councillor Debra Coupar, deputy leader of Leeds City Council and executive member for resources, and Councillor Helen Hayden, the council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate. The development is the last site to be built as part of the Leeds City Council Brownfield Land Programme, which is designed to support the city’s growth and will provide over 1,000 new homes across 13 housing developments in East Leeds. This programme will not only deliver much needed new homes but will also improve the communities and neighbourhoods within the local area. The homebuilder has also made commitments to the local community, with plans to work with local schools and employment groups to recruit young people through apprenticeship schemes, with two local apprentices already recruited to start their homebuilding careers at the Synergy site. Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “The start of construction on this scheme is an important milestone for the council’s Brownfield Land Programme and underlines the impressive results that have been achieved through working in partnership to plan and deliver hundreds of high-quality and affordable homes for communities in east Leeds during recent years. “We are committed to working with developers and stakeholders on brownfield schemes that help meet local housing needs while also driving sustainable regeneration in a way that benefits all residents and plays a part in unlocking the city’s full economic potential. “I was particularly pleased, therefore, to attend the Synergy development’s sod-cutting ceremony and hear more about the apprenticeship opportunities being provided on site for young people. I look forward to watching as the new homes – and other community-oriented features such as the scheme’s open public spaces – begin to take shape over the coming months.” Michael Orgill, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat said: “We are delighted to have started construction at our Synergy development in Leeds and can’t wait to deliver these new homes for potential homebuyers in the area. As this is the last development to be built as part of the Leeds Brownfield Land Programme, we are incredibly proud of what we have already achieved in East Leeds for residents here. “The new housing is designed to benefit people in the community and promote integration with design features such as open public spaces. By constructing this new development on brownfield land, we hope to make a positive impact in the community, alongside other work with local schools and youth groups. We’re also proud to have already hired two new apprentices to work on the site and gain valuable experience in a real-world work environment.” The project is being delivered in partnership with Keepmoat and Leeds Federated Housing Association. The first of the new homes are expected to be complete by April 2023 with overall completion estimated for June 2025. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading modular housing pioneer ilke Homes has started work to deliver 146 energy-efficient, affordable homes at the Glenvale Park development in Wellingborough, as part of Man GPM’s community housing focus. The announcement marks the second time ilke Homes and Man GPM have worked together to deliver an affordable-led scheme, having struck a £31 million deal in December 2020 for a 226-home affordable housing development in Grantham, Lincolnshire. The 7.8-acre site forms part of phase one at Glenvale Park, which once complete, will deliver a total of 3,000 homes, over 200 acres of parkland, a new local centre and two new schools. The wider masterplan for Glenvale Park is expected to generate more than 3,000 jobs and £1.4 billion in economic impact for the area – with £2 of social value generated for every £1 spent during construction. Having received approval from North Northamptonshire Council, ilke Homes has started work delivering a mix of multi-tenure single family houses, apartments and maisonettes, ranging in sizes from one to four bedrooms homes. The homes – which are due for completion in 2024 – are being manufactured offsite at ilke Homes’ 25,000 sq. ft. factory in North Yorkshire, where precision-engineering techniques enable the company to deliver highly sustainable modular homes. ilke Homes can therefore commit to delivering energy-efficient housing, with a likely EPC rating of A, putting the properties in the top five percent nationally for energy efficiency, with the knock-on effect of saving consumers hundreds of pounds a year on energy bills. Thanks to most of the build stage taking place offsite, traffic disruption to the local community will be kept to a minimum. Man Group’s Community Housing team seeks to achieve the dual objectives of providing both social and financial returns, addressing the housing crisis in the UK by building homes that are affordable to households. The UK has experienced a significant, long-term mismatch between supply and demand in the housing market, which has led to an affordability crisis impacting households earning the median income and below. The team deploys institutional capital to build new homes with the aim of generating positive returns for investors and delivering a demonstrable social impact. Tom Heathcote, executive director of development at ilke Homes, said: “This scheme is testament to the continued confidence our customers have in our product, and we’ve enjoyed working with local planning officials and other stakeholders throughout the planning process and into the construction phase. After the success of our first joint scheme in Lincolnshire, we’re delighted Man Group have shown the confidence in us to deliver a second sustainable urban development scheme together. “Through our accredited modular methods of delivery, we can ensure the scheme aligns with Man Group’s own stringent ESG criteria, while also providing much-needed, energy-efficient and well-designed homes for the local community.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Winvic Construction and its client Edmond de Rothschild has celebrated the topping out of a 406-apartment build-to-rent project on Kent Street in the centre of Birmingham. To mark the occasion, one of the final sections of concrete was poured – an upstand to an automatic opening vent on the seventeenth-storey roof of Block A – and finished by the investment house’s leadership team and Winvic’s Director of Multi-room, Mark Jones. The project, which comprises 154 one-bedroom, 228 two-bedroom and 24 three-bedroom apartments is on the former site of the Kent Street Swimming Baths. Winvic began the enabling works in April 2021 and construction works commenced in August 2021. Contained by roads on all sides, the compact site has seen the reinforced concrete slip formed cores and frames rise to seven, eight, 10 and 18 storeys since then. The 10-storey tower is on the corner of Gooch Street and Kent Street and the tallest block – which also has a basement car park for 95 vehicles – is on the corner Bromsgrove Street and Henstead Street. Works to the roofs as well as the Steel Frame System and window installations are over halfway through their programmes across the whole project. The Winvic team is also focusing on the façade to Block D – where brick slip panels are being installed – and internal fit out to Blocks D, A and C including partitions, first fix mechanical and electrical works and the plant room. The scheme will also feature green roofs, a ground floor commercial space, shared resident amenity areas and a landscaped central courtyard with community hub. Winvic is scheduled to hand over the scheme in 2024. Mark Jones, Winvic’s Director of Multi-room, said: “It’s particularly rewarding to reach the topping out stage of a RC Framed building and we were delighted to be able to celebrate this important milestone with our client and the funders. We’ve been working as one team with Edmond de Rothschild to ensure progress is on track and the people of Birmingham will now start to see the brick slip façade envelop the buildings. I’d like to thank our team for their hard work to get to this stage. Everyone is looking forward to a productive year and final push to completion in 2024.” Tim Holden, Edmond de Rothschild – REIM Head of Residential UK – added: “We are delighted to be developing 400 apartments for Build-to-rent in Birmingham in partnership with Winvic. This scheme is an important project in our 2,600-unit portfolio. Working with Winvic is always a good experience and the topping out is an important milestone. We look forward to reaching practical completion so that our in-house lettings and property management service can begin to let and manage this exciting place-making scheme in the centre of Birmingham. I would like to thank our investors for participating in this project and the project team that’s bringing this landmark project to fruition.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Beard Construction has completed two deluxe Signature Senior Lifestyle care homes under projects worth a combined £24.8m. The two projects – Signature at Caversham, in Berkshire, and Signature at Farnham Common, in Buckinghamshire – provide luxury, high-end apartments and residential communities for residents, delivering nursing, respite and dementia care. High-end materials and finishes – combined with Beard’s reputation for building excellence and quality – ensure five-star hotel comfort across both care homes. Farnham Common, which opened in January 2023, offers luxury assisted living and nursing in 74 studio-style apartments with private wet rooms, alongside facilities which include a café, restaurant, cinema, lounge areas, activity room, a pub, spa bathrooms, hair salon and therapy room. Officially opening in February 2023, Caversham is a four-floor care home with 86 apartments, split across a sloping site with views across to the Caversham lakes. Communal facilities will include the same range of facilities as Farnham Common on hand to residents. Both homes have been constructed from brick and render. Farnham’s roof is a tiled, mono ridge design while Caversham’s is Sarnafil topped with pebbles and lined with paving. Both projects remained operational during the second wave of the Covid pandemic with enhanced health and safety procedures designed to keep staff safe. Beard director Mike Hedges said: “The care sector is important to us, and our expertise means we can help clients to meet the increasing demand for the very best in assisted living spaces. Signature’s attention to detail in these homes and the high level of fit and finish is testament to the quality of living and care demanded by modern-day residents. “Beard’s core aim is to build with ambition and this project more than lives up to that ethos.” Alex Alexandru, General Manager at Signature at Farnham Common, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Beard to demonstrate what is possible in care home design. “As a community within a community, Signature at Farnham Common offers excellent residential, nursing, dementia, and respite care in luxury surroundings. “Our care home has been designed to be a hub of activity, with a host of communal spaces and social activities for residents, supported by highly trained team members committed to delivering true peace of mind to residents, relatives and their loved ones.” Carmela Magbitang, General Manager at Signature at Caversham said: “Signature at Caversham provides a warm, welcoming and luxury community which will offer industry-leading care, luxurious facilities and surroundings along with top-quality dining and nutrition. “We look forward to working in partnership with the communities we serve, both inside and outside of our home. We are also delighted to have partnered once more with Beard, who have meticulously supported us to realise our aspirations for excellence in this project.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developer Ask Real Estate has handed over One Strawberry Lane in Newcastle city centre to Home Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of social housing. The 70,000 sq ft six storey building, designed by Ryder Architecture and built by BAM Construction, is Home Group’s new headquarters providing a sustainable workspace for 700 of its 3,500 strong workforce. It will be open and accessible to the local community and is the first workspace in the UK to be specifically designed for a post-Covid hybrid way of working. Home Group has taken a 30 year lease on the building which was acquired by Canada Life Asset Management in 2020 for approximately £30 million. Two of the five floors will be let to external organisations. During development, Home Group has worked closely with Connected Voice, an organisation which supports local charities, social enterprises and voluntary community groups, to help tailor One Strawberry Lane’s space, and the expertise within. During construction One Strawberry Lane returned a 44% social value score, (validated by The Social Value Portal), three times the national average for a similar sized project. Home Group and its delivery partners Ask and BAM also set up a community projects fund, with a pot of £150,000, comprising financial contributions, labour and donated materials. Seven projects run by local charities and community groups were selected for support, including: a new lwellbeing centre at The Mercy Hub; a community garden at Pendower and the redecoration of the West End Foodbank. Ask worked closely with Home Group to secure funding and to deliver a next generation office building which would satisfy the Group’s long term workspace requirements whilst also delivering a highly sustainable, energy efficient and flexible building. One Strawberry Lane is the first in the region to achieve both SmartScore and WiredScore certifications. Mark Henderson, Chief Executive of Home Group, said: “This is a building like no other presently in the city. We are proud to be leading the way for things like SmartScore certification and to deliver the first purpose-built workspace for hybrid working. But, for me, what sets One Strawberry Lane apart above all else is the fact it will be integrated into its environment, working to support and interact with the city’s organisations, businesses and communities. Home Group has been rooted in the North-East for close to 90 years. We know this region, we know this city and we know its communities. One Strawberry Lane represents Home Group’s absolute determination to be ever closer linked into our communities. And I hope our office is the beginning of a trend for city centre offices to be more open and welcoming to their fellow citizens and be a part of a vibrant city culture.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction and consultancy company, Mace, has been appointed by Manchester Airports Group (MAG) to manage the second phase of the Manchester Airport Transformation Programme (MANTP). The programme will expand Manchester Airport’s role as the UK’s global gateway in the North, transforming the passenger experience and helping attract new routes to key international destinations. The first phase of the £1.3bn programme has already seen Terminal 2 more than double in size. Representing a £440m investment, the phase two works will see the remainder of Terminal 2 modernised, and a second pier built. The programme is expected to complete in 2024, with the new facilities opening in 2025. Mace brings extensive experience managing the delivery of major aviation projects and programmes, most recently at Keflavik Airport in Iceland and Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands. The business has global expertise working with a range of airport operators and carriers. The company has been appointed as the project management and construction delivery specialists for the redevelopment of Terminal 2 and the construction of the second phase of the new Pier 2 to create additional contact served aircraft stands. The transformation programme will contribute significant social and economic benefits to the surrounding community. Mace and its supply chain partners will create over 500 new jobs, while independent analysis commissioned by Manchester Airport shows around 16,400 extra jobs will be generated by 2040 as a result of the economic activity stimulated by the expansion of the airport and its route network. The same research – by York Aviation – reveals the economic contribution Manchester Airport makes to the Northern economy will soar by £2.75bn as a result of the full delivery of its transformation programme. And a further £2.9bn boost will be triggered through the increased productivity of businesses travelling and trading globally through Manchester over the same period. Mace and its supply chain partners will also engage over 1,500 young people across Greater Manchester, aim to raise £70,000 for local charities and donate at least 500 hours of employee volunteering time. It has been established that at least 5% of the workforce should be apprentices for the duration of the project. During the build phase, over £75m will be contributed to the local area through wider business operations, regional supply chains and tourism recovery beyond the pandemic. Over £1.3m in social value has already been created to date. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
MSV Housing’s new Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (‘HAPPI’) development has launched in South Manchester. Cllr Bev Craig and Andy Burnham buried a time capsule to commemorate the occasion, created by the residents at neighbouring Elmswood Park extra care scheme. Bowes House offers 40 high quality 1 and 2 bedroom apartments as shared ownership for the over-55s and is MSV’s fourth HAPPI scheme, designed to adapt over time to meet the changing needs of the occupants. This is the latest MSV development at the award winning 5 acre Stagecoach site (now known as The Depot) in Whalley Range. Working in partnership with Manchester City Council and Homes England, MSV has played a key role in providing suitable homes at The Depot for every stage of life, from young families needing contemporary homes to the older generation wanting to live independently but with support in beautifully designed spaces. The 40 apartments at Bowes House have been designed and built to meet the ‘HAPPI’ design principles, ensuring they are adaptable and accessible with plenty of space, natural light and communal areas. Each apartment incorporates stylish open plan living and large private balconies. There is also a shared roof terrace and beautifully landscaped gardens at the scheme. The homes are all available for shared ownership, which enables people to buy a share of a property and pay a subsidised rent on the remaining share, a scheme which offers a route into affordable home ownership whilst helping those who may wish to ‘rightsize’. Delivering the new HAPPI scheme has seen MSV invest £5.6m in Bowes House with £2.2m funding from Homes England. The entire Depot site now provides over 200 homes including 30 family homes for shared ownership and 72 apartments at extra care scheme Elmswood Park, which offers a high standard of on-site support from housing management staff and a consistent care service for customers who need it, helping to relieve pressure on residential care settings. Total Investment by MSV on The Depot has been £18.4m with funding from both Homes England and Manchester City Council totalling £9.07m. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
