11 June 2016 – by David Hatcher Insurance companies have further increased their presence in UK real estate lending and now account for nine of the 28 big-ticket lenders active in the market. According to Savills’ 2016 Financing Property report, AIG, Aviva, ING, Legal & General, M&G Investments, MetLife, Pricoa,
SES Engineering Services, owned by Wates, has secured a £43 million contract on the £300 million Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre at the Stanford Hall estate, near to Loughborough. SES will work alongside main contractor Interserve to provide a full range of electrical and mechanical services to deliver a purpose
An energy expert told delegates at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool that any potential gains from domestic demand side response (DSR) are “limited.” Domestic consumers are not able to shift their demand in the same way as industrial energy users and therefore the savings on offer are relatively small.
House building and development firm MJ Gleeson has reported a strong rise in profits and turnover for the last year. For the year up to June 30, 2016, MJ Gleeson posted a £28.2 million profit before tax, which is a 63% rise on the previous year’s £17.3 million, on revenue
On October 3 2016, the Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, Mike Robinson, will meet with the management of Hargreaves Industrial Services in Hong Kong to discuss the upcoming best practice health and safety audit of the Hong Kong Power Station, which is operated by Hargreaves. The charity, campaigning
A vibrant new, high quality office building overlooking the Grade II listed Wandsworth Park with views of the River Thames on the corner of Putney Bridge and Deodar Road has been granted planning permission by Wandsworth Council. Developed by Landid and designed by dn-a architects, The Parklife Building will transform
Five teams of architects have been shortlisted to enter a design competition for the construction of new bridges in Ipswich. Suffolk County Council is seeking to improve connections between the town centre and the waterfront and ease traffic congestion in the town. Its solution is the £77 million Orwell Crossings
19 March 2016 – by David Hatcher Countrywide is in talks to take on up to 80 transactional staff from Deloitte Real Estate. The owner of Lambert Smith Hampton is one of three real estate advisory firms in the running for the team but is understood to be competing most
The Presidents and Directors of the five professional bodies representing architects on the islands of Britain and Ireland met in Belfast earlier this week to discuss the implications of the UK referendum to leave the European Union and have released the following joint statement. This joint statement is made on
From a restored castle with a ‘cool’ contemporary café that has brought new life to Cardigan town centre, to the bold and dramatically-lit Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre in Pwllheli and a dynamic new ‘learning village’ in Cardiff, the judges of the Welsh Architecture Awards praised the imaginative
11 June 2016 – by David Hatcher Insurance companies have further increased their presence in UK real estate lending and now account for nine of the 28 big-ticket lenders active in the market. According to Savills’ 2016 Financing Property report, AIG, Aviva, ING, Legal & General, M&G Investments, MetLife, Pricoa, Rothesay Life and TIAA Henderson all originated and held two or more real estate loans of £100m or more during the year to 31 March. By number, insurers now eclipse German banks (six), UK clearing banks (four), US investment banks (four), alternative lenders (three) and other international lenders (two) in the big-ticket lending market. All the content from this weekís magazine, including this article, is available in the new app. The activities of insurance companies in the UK real estate market have increased markedly during the past four years, with £8.6bn lent by them last year, a 58.5% rise on the year before and a 238.2% increase on 2012. Insurers have become more active in the real estate market in order to match their annuity liabilities with interest paid by landlords, generally through longer-term deals, and have gained market share from traditional bank lenders, which have reined in their lending since the financial crisis. Last year William Newsom, Savills’ senior director and author of the report, said that the UK real estate lending market was in a “Goldilocks period” in which it was “not too hot and not too cold”. But he added that in the final quarter of last year margins started to increase and LTV ratios started to decrease. Click here to read the full story and a Q&A with William Newsom Source link
SES Engineering Services, owned by Wates, has secured a £43 million contract on the £300 million Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre at the Stanford Hall estate, near to Loughborough. SES will work alongside main contractor Interserve to provide a full range of electrical and mechanical services to deliver a purpose built clinical facility for the Armed Forces when it becomes operational in 2018. The BS Stanford project will see the construction of a new 380,000 sq ft specialist clinical facility along with the refurbishment and alteration of the Grade II listed Stanford Hall. SES Executive Business Director, David Mason, commented: “We have delivered numerous projects with Interserve over many years and have formed an inclusive and collaborative working relationship with them to ensure the delivery of a truly world-class facility. “The project involves highly complex site logistics, based around the refurbishment of the grade 2* listed Stanford Hall with over 20 separate new builds in close proximity and up to 1,000 workers on site at any given time.” SES is also working with the Career Transition Partnership, which helps to resettle ex-military personnel into new employment roles, to provide employment opportunities to former servicemen and women during the project. SSE has also secured an MEP contract worth £18.6 million on Barts Square Phase One, which is a £110 million residential development by Helical next to St Bart’s Hospital in Farringdon. The main contractor for both projects will be Carillion. Offsite construction is playing a major role on both projects as logistics is a primary consideration in city centres, particularly in London. Before being acquired by Wates last year, SES was formerly Shepherd Engineering Services and Wates said that the two contract awards represented a significant milestone for SES’ operations in London and the South East. The company put the King’s Cross contract win down to its digital engineering expertise, in response to the client’s requirement for building information modelling (BIM).
An energy expert told delegates at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool that any potential gains from domestic demand side response (DSR) are “limited.” Domestic consumers are not able to shift their demand in the same way as industrial energy users and therefore the savings on offer are relatively small. Richard Howard, Policy Exchange Head of Energy and Environment, said that their ability to actually shift their demand is not that good as most of the time in a household when you need energy, you need energy. He added: “There are a few things that you could shift; you could set your dishwasher to run at a different time and things like that, but you can’t set your lights to run at a different time because actually you need them to see.” Even when domestic customers are offered time of use tariffs and do their best to play around with their energy usage “over the whole year they might save £50”. “That’s not a level of saving a lot of households would find attractive for that amount of effort.” He said the “big opportunities” could instead be found in managing the demand of large industrial energy users. Lucy Symons, Head of Policy at Open Energi, said that they started out in fridges, so they started making fridges demand responsive, but they were making three pounds per fridge per year which is not a business case. Nevertheless, she said the economics had “gotten better” and that domestic demand management is still worth pursuing in the long run: “I think we can stagger this. We don’t have to take on this challenge immediately.” Last week the Science and Technology Committee called on the government to be clearer on the benefits its hopes to secure from the smart meter rollout. The government lists 11 different objectives for the project, including saving customers’ money on energy bills.
House building and development firm MJ Gleeson has reported a strong rise in profits and turnover for the last year. For the year up to June 30, 2016, MJ Gleeson posted a £28.2 million profit before tax, which is a 63% rise on the previous year’s £17.3 million, on revenue up 21% to £142.1 million (from £117.6 million last year). The Gleeson group is made up of two businesses: strategic land trading, mainly in the south of England and housebuilding on brownfield land in the north of England. The operating profit at Gleeson Homes rose to £19.5 million (up from £17.4 million last year) and the average selling price was £125,700 (from £123,750 in 2015). During the year, Gleeson sold 904 new homes (751 in 2015) which has put its 1,000 a year target firmly in sight. The board said: “We expect to reach this target, on an annualised run rate basis, during the financial year ending 30th June 2017. Once this milestone is reached, we will outline new medium term growth targets.” The division’s land pipeline rose to a record high of 117 sites (97 in 2015), made up of 9,284 plots owned or conditionally purchased (7,496 in 2015). The board said that Gleeson Homes intends to start building low cost homes on every site as soon as planning permission has been obtained. Chairman Dermot Gleeson said: “Our twin track strategy – the development of low cost homes for open market sale in the north of England and strategic land sales in the south – goes from strength to strength, delivering increased margins, profits and cash. “We are in a strong position to deliver further growth. Market demand remains strong and Gleeson Homes’ growing land pipeline provides the opportunity to open new sites in both existing and new regions in the north of England and the Midlands.”
On October 3 2016, the Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, Mike Robinson, will meet with the management of Hargreaves Industrial Services in Hong Kong to discuss the upcoming best practice health and safety audit of the Hong Kong Power Station, which is operated by Hargreaves. The charity, campaigning body and membership organisation, The British Safety Council, was founded 60 years ago and has a vision that no one should be made ill or injured at work. The group has been working with businesses in the Far East, including Hong Kong, to improve health, safety and environmental management to benefit both workers and the whole organisation. A subsidiary of the Hargreaves Services Plc, Hargreaves Industrial Services is a leading provider of operational, maintenance and facility management services to customers in the waste, energy, steel and transport sectors. The company employs more than 2,000 staff and has annual revenues of £340 million, delivering key projects and services in the property, energy and infrastructure sectors. Head of Audit at the British Safety Council, David Parr, commented on Mike Robinson’s meeting with Hargreaves in Hong Kong: “Hargreaves have been using the British Safety Council’s five-star audit process across its Industrial Services to benchmark the company’s current occupational health and safety management systems against best practice and to ensure continual improvement in this area of their business.” During his time in Hong Kong, Robinson will also meet with other local business leaders to discuss the many aspects of future co-operation, such as professional education and training, of which the British Safety Council is the leading provider. He will also explore the benefits of consultancy and audit for the management of operational risks and the continuous improvement of standards in health and safety. Mr Robinson will also speak at the 8thInternational Forum on Work and Safety, taking place in Beijing, China, on the 27-29 September 2016, where he will present the business case for managing health and safety and explore the nature of leadership in the industry.
A vibrant new, high quality office building overlooking the Grade II listed Wandsworth Park with views of the River Thames on the corner of Putney Bridge and Deodar Road has been granted planning permission by Wandsworth Council. Developed by Landid and designed by dn-a architects, The Parklife Building will transform the current site, a c. 40,000 sq ft empty office building, into an 80,000 sq ft, user-focused and design-led urban workplace. It will provide the much needed commercial floorspace to the area and will set new standards of quality and character for businesses in Putney. The building will have a focus on creating a connected community and will provide 7,000 sq ft of flexible public retail space fronting onto the park, along with occupier amenities such as multiple cafes, on-site yoga lessons and cycle and shower facilities. The office building extends to five storeys and boasts a terrace on each floor, which makes the most of the wonderful park setting. Development Director at Landid, Claire Hammond, commented: “Landid is thrilled to be involved in this exciting development opportunity in Putney. Putney has lost a significant amount of commercial space as a result of permitted development rights, and there is a lack of Grade A floorspace. The Parklife Building will have everything we look for in a workspace – including excellent connectivity, amenity, and character within a very special setting.” Meanwhile, dn-a director, Nick Troullides said that their architectural approach is to deliver a high quality design that will create a much improved office building to attract occupiers and enhance the current streetscape. He added: “The architecture is sympathetic and respectful to its surroundings, yet contemporary in its execution. High quality architectural detailing and materials and sustainable design are intrinsic to our proposal to create a highly desirable workplace.” The Parklife Building will start on site in early 2017, with an 18-month build period and expected completion date of June 2018.
Five teams of architects have been shortlisted to enter a design competition for the construction of new bridges in Ipswich. Suffolk County Council is seeking to improve connections between the town centre and the waterfront and ease traffic congestion in the town. Its solution is the £77 million Orwell Crossings Project, which will see the construction of two new crossings near the waterfront area of the town, along with the refurbishment of an existing swing bridge across the lock that provides access to the Wet Dock and its marina facilities. The new crossings should also pave the way for a wider regeneration of the waterfront area of Ipswich. A design competition for the project is being run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Competitions, which has now produced this shortlist of applicants: – Adamson Associates (Toronto) with William Matthews Associates and Ney & Partners – Foster & Partners (London) – Knight Architects (High Wycombe) – Marc Mimram (Paris) – Wilkinson Eyre (London) with consulting engineers Fhecor Ingenieros Consultores (civil) and Eadon Consulting (mechanical) During the shortlist selection, the evaluation panel looked for architectural teams that showed experience of collaborating on big infrastructure schemes, working within a multi-disciplinary team environment, and designing projects of architectural distinction with a complexity, scale and/or budget similar to that required on the Upper Orwell Crossings scheme. The final winner will join an existing project team led by WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, which will be responsible for providing structural and civil engineering input to the project. The evaluation panel was made up of Suffolk County Council’s project manager and planning consents manager, along with WSP associate director Kevin Drain and Matter Architecture director Jonathan McDowell acting as the RIBA architect adviser. The five short-listed teams will be invited to present their design concepts to the judging panel, chaired by architect Sir Michael Hopkins, in mid-December 2016. A winner is scheduled to be announced in early 2017.
19 March 2016 – by David Hatcher Countrywide is in talks to take on up to 80 transactional staff from Deloitte Real Estate. The owner of Lambert Smith Hampton is one of three real estate advisory firms in the running for the team but is understood to be competing most aggressively. The decision will be determined by Deloitte and senior staff involved in the transfer, considering a combination of the financial offers proposed by the suitors and the preference of staff as to where they want their futures to be. A final decision is due within the next fortnight. It is expected that as a result of the competition for the team Deloitte will now receive some payment as part of the transaction. The deal comes off the back of Countrywide attempting to buy the whole of the Deloitte Real Estate business at the end of last year. A deal could not ultimately be agreed. Countrywide has been aggressive in its expansion of LSH since it bought the business in 2013. It has looked to bulk up the operation and create scale in its commercial advisory division and has bought firms including BTWShiells, Tushingham Moore and ES Group. All the content from this week’s magazine, including this article, is available in the new app. LSH, which has its main strengths in advisory services, would see its transactional capacities neatly boosted by taking on the Deloitte staff. EG revealed that Deloitte had begun a formal strategic review of its agency and investment businesses last month (20 February, p29). Its West End and City agency and investment teams are likely to move as a result of conflicts arising due to being part of a big-four accountant. These conflicts could potentially hinder them from undertaking of transactional work. The 80 staff affected include three partners: Stephen Peers, head of transactions and West End; Jamie Olley, head of City investment; and John Rodgers, head of national investments. Source link
The Presidents and Directors of the five professional bodies representing architects on the islands of Britain and Ireland met in Belfast earlier this week to discuss the implications of the UK referendum to leave the European Union and have released the following joint statement. This joint statement is made on behalf of: Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) The Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) “The uncertainty caused by the result of the EU referendum in the UK could have a major impact on the construction industry across these islands and we know that some building projects have been put on hold. Restoring stability and confidence as a matter of urgency will enable us to maximise the opportunities presented by the UK’s new relationship with the EU and the rest of the world. It is our view that the free movement of people, goods and services throughout Europe is of paramount importance to the economic, social and environmental well-being of these islands. We call on the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as it negotiates the UK’s exit from the European Union, to protect free movement.” Additional comment from each individual professional body RIBA President Jane Duncan said: “UK architecture is a resilient, flexible and innovative profession with a long and proud history. I’m confident that architects, along with our partners in the wider creative and construction industries can help deliver strong economic growth for the UK during and after Brexit. As we look outwards to the world, we will continue our work with the UK government to address the challenges and support the opportunities that arise from Brexit, including pressing for continued free movement so vital for architects’ practices in the UK and the EU, and mutual recognition of qualifications.” Paul Crowe, President of RSUA “Unlike in other parts of the UK, the level of investment in Northern Ireland’s built environment was still significantly below pre-recession levels even before Brexit. The modest recovery we were experiencing is now in jeopardy. There are concerns that Brexit might hit Northern Ireland harder than elsewhere in the UK and we believe there is an onus on the UK Government to take account of this as it rolls out measures to mitigate the impact of Brexit. Looking ahead it is essential that some way is found to maintain free movement and free trade across the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.” Robert Firth, President of RSAW “The Royal Society of Architects in Wales fully supports the Welsh Government in its demands that Wales should not lose out on projects and funding that would previously have resulted from our position as a region of the EU. Architects want to play a key part in creating better places for everyone – and to engage with the Welsh Government to achieve its aims of a sustainable, vibrant country through the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. Wales is a small nation with an international outlook so our cultural and economic connection with Europe will be vital for students and practitioners of architecture in the future.” Carole Pollard, President of RIAI “The Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland is the representative body for architects throughout the island of Ireland. There have always been strong connections between the architectural profession in Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. That connection has been built on a long tradition of movement of the profession between both jurisdictions and the cyclical nature of the construction industry has ensured a constant flow of architects throughout these islands. Free movement of people and services, particularly via the open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, is essential for a healthy and sustainable construction sector.” Willie Watt, President of RIAS “Our Festival of Architecture, celebrating the RIAS’ centenary this year, has reaffirmed that Scottish architecture has been greatly enriched by our close trading and cultural relationships with the UK and Europe. We join with our colleagues from throughout the UK and in the Republic of Ireland in seeking to retain and strengthen those ties.” ENDS Notes to editors: For further press information contact Howard Crosskey in the RIBA Press Office howard.crosskey@riba.org +44 (0)20 7307 3761 The latest policy documents from RIBA on Brexit and the implications for architects in the UK can be found here: https://www.architecture.com/Brexit The Royal Institute of British Architects (@RIBA) is a global professional membership body that serves its members and society in order to deliver better buildings and places, stronger communities and a sustainable environment. www.architecture.com Posted on Friday 29th July 2016 Source link
From a restored castle with a ‘cool’ contemporary café that has brought new life to Cardigan town centre, to the bold and dramatically-lit Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre in Pwllheli and a dynamic new ‘learning village’ in Cardiff, the judges of the Welsh Architecture Awards praised the imaginative approach of the architects and clients whose buildings have enriched and revitalised communities across Wales in 2016. The Welsh Architecture Awards are presented by RSAW (Royal Society of Architects in Wales) as part of the UK-wide RIBA Architecture Awards (Royal Institute of British Architects) which in turn lead on to the RIBA Stirling Prize, awarded to the building with the most influence on the evolution of architecture in 2016. Jury Chair Chris Loyn of Loyn & Co Architects, himself a winner of the 2015 Manser Medal (RIBA House of the Year) said that the positive relationship between architect and client was a key factor in the winning formula for all five projects, demonstrating that good design and successful buildings are achievable within tight budgets. Chris Loyn said the jury particularly noted the important role played by local authorities in this year’s winning schemes: “It was great to see local authorities taking such an imaginative approach, playing an active role in the design process, recognising the importance of achieving excellence in design within the inevitable budget constraints facing all councils.” The jury was also impressed by how clients such as Welsh Water, Gwynedd Council and Carmarthenshire County Council had shown a clear commitment to community involvement and to community use that went “way beyond” the obvious primary purpose of the brief. Praising the contribution of volunteers in several schemes, the Jury Chair commented: “It is fair to say that many of these buildings would not have been realised without the tremendous effort and energy of local people. At Cardigan Castle, for example, without the will and passion of this active and determined community, the castle wall and associated buildings would almost certainly have been lost.” The 2016 Welsh Architecture Awards were presented at a ceremony in the Temple of Peace, Cathays Park, Cardiff, on Wednesday 27 April. As well as awarding five Welsh Architecture Awards, the jury recognised outstanding achievement in five categories, awarding special prizes to: RSAW Building of the Year – sponsored by Marley Eternit: Llandegfedd Visitor Centre and Watersports Centre RSAW Client of the Year: Gwynedd County Council (YGC) for the Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre, Pwllheli RSAW Conservation Award: Cardigan Castle RSAW Sustainability Award – sponsored by Sika: Burry Port Community Primary School RSAW Project Architect of the Year – sponsored by Tarmac: jointly awarded to George Mikurcik, Architype and Andrew Tidy, Carmarthenshire County Council, for Burry Port Community Primary School. Details of all winning schemes: Llandegfedd Visitor Centre and Watersports Centre Architect: Hall + Bednarczyk ArchitectsClient: Dŵr Cymru Welsh WaterContractor: Anthony A Davies Welsh National Sailing Academy and Events Centre, Pwllheli Architect: Ellis Williams ArchitectsClient: Gwynedd Council (YGC) with acknowledgement to Plas Heli CyfContractor: Wynne Construction Cardigan Castle Architect: PurcellClient: Cardigan Castle Building Preservation TrustContractor: Andrew Scott Ltd Burry Port Community Primary School Architect: Architype and Property Design, Carmarthenshire County CouncilClient: Carmarthenshire County CouncilContractor: WRW Construction Cardiff and Vale College, New City Centre Community Campus Architect: BDPClient: Cardiff & Vale CollegeContractor: Willmott Dixon Ends Notes to editors: 1. Welsh Architecture Awards jury 2016 The 2016 jury was chaired by Chris Loyn of Penarth-based Loyn & Co Architects; the RSAW representative was Kay Hyde, Hyde + Hyde Architects; the lay assessor was Menna Richards. 2. Sponsorship The National Sponsors for the RIBA Regional Awards 2016 (Welsh Architecture Awards) are Tarmac, Sika and Marley Eternit. Tarmac, the UK’s leading sustainable building materials and construction solutions business, sponsors the RSAW Project Architect of the Year Award. www.tarmac.com Sika, a speciality chemicals company which pioneers sustainable solutions to global challenges, sponsors the RSAW Sustainabilty Award. www.sika.co.uk/sustainability Marley Eternit, a leading roofing and facades manufacturer, sponsor the RSAW Building of the Year Award. www.marleyeternit.co.uk 3. RIBA Awards history The RIBA Awards were set up 50 years ago to champion and celebrate the best of architecture in the UK and around the world, no matter the form, size or budget of the project. The Welsh Architecture Awards were introduced in 2012, to form the first stage of the RIBA Awards process. Winners of Welsh Architecture Awards may go on to be shortlisted for the RIBA National Awards, which in turn lead to the RIBA Stirling Prize. Named after British architect Sir James Stirling and launched in 1996, the prize is awarded to the building which has made the greatest contribution to the evolution of architecture in the last year. In 2016 the Stirling Prize is sponsored by Almacantar. 4. Royal Society of Architects in Wales The Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) represents and supports 700 Chartered Architect members of the Royal Incorporation of British Architects (RIBA). Through our members’ expertise and our advocacy work in government, public and private sectors, we champion well-designed buildings and places across Wales. Contact:Mary Wrenn, Director RSAWT: 029 2022 8987 E: rsaw@riba.orgwww.architecture.com/wales Posted on Wednesday 27th April 2016 Source link