National housebuilder Keepmoat has completed a Santa signposting initiative to ensure that families who have moved home since last Christmas will receive presents at their new address. The national homebuilder, founded in Doncaster, has created a list and, after checking it twice, has updated the Santa Sat Nav database with
Yorkshire-based high voltage electrical engineering and contracting firm Smith Brothers has expanded its workforce with the appointment of two key hires and a pair of promotions. The onboarding coincides with promotions for existing colleagues too, as the business focuses on continuing to build its industry-leading engineering capabilities and innovative sustainable energy
Peter McHugh, a Liverpool-based real estate partner at national firm Excello Law, has advised Caldeira, the UK’s leading cushion company, on the acquisition of a new headquarters on the Knowsley Industrial Park in Merseyside in a £3 million investment project. “Caldeira’s acquisition and redevelopment of their new HQ will bring
Hollaway Studio has designed a pioneering inland surfing lagoon creating Kent’s first surfing “wave garden”, alongside a 120-bed luxury spa hotel on land at former colliery, Betteshanger Country Park, near Deal SE England. Subject to planning approval in early 2023, the combined £50 million project, known as The Seahive, is
Plans to create an affordable housing community in Cheddar are officially underway, following a confirmed partnership between Keepmoat Homes and Alliance Homes. Looking to bring much-needed homes into the area, partnership housebuilder Keepmoat, along with community based social housing provider, Alliance Homes, will transform the 5.8-acre site into a high-quality
Manchester City Council is to refresh regeneration proposals for the former Central Retail Park. A report updating on the strategic redevelopment of the former Central Retail Park site will be heard on 14 December requesting approval for a new consultation to start in the New Year. The Council has refreshed
To align with the plans for regional growth Keepmoat has set for the company, Matt, who was previously Land and Planning Director at Persimmon Homes, Linden Homes and Redrow Homes, has been appointed to support the existing land teams in the housebuilder’s East Midlands and Yorkshire East regions. Based in
Pave Aways, a successful privately owned construction business with a dedicated team of construction professionals, has announced it is to start construction work on a new Staffordshire History Centre in January. The £5.4 million centre will be formed by extending the existing Staffordshire Record Office on Eastgate Street in Stafford
Industry expert CBRE has warned commercial property investors of the financial risks they might be experiencing due to increased building inefficiency and slow implementation of sustainable practices and digitisation strategies across portfolios. In a recent publication, it revealed that while positive strides have been made, property managers are moving too
Modular housing firm ilke Homes has raised a record-breaking £100 million from new and existing shareholders following successive years of triple-digit growth. The round is being led by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC (“Fortress”), a leading global investment manager with approximately $46 billion of assets under
National housebuilder Keepmoat has completed a Santa signposting initiative to ensure that families who have moved home since last Christmas will receive presents at their new address. The national homebuilder, founded in Doncaster, has created a list and, after checking it twice, has updated the Santa Sat Nav database with details of families at 91 of its developments across the UK that have seen new homeowners move in since last Christmas. To ensure that Santa doesn’t deliver presents to the wrong home this year, as well as the digital data upload, Keepmoat is doubling down on directions by installing Santa signposts for homes with the latest occupiers. And – as most modern homes are built without real fires – the company, which employs more than 1,100 people across the UK, has also created a downloadable fireplace that families can print out and colour in. “We know that families who have moved into one of our homes since last Christmas are keen to ensure their new house is on Santa’s delivery schedule. Whilst we’re confident Santa knows what he’s doing, to absolutely ensure there’s no mix-ups we’ve designed a digital map showing the location of every Keepmoat development in the UK that has had a new occupant since last Christmas,” said Amanda Bishop, Group Head of Sales at Keepmoat. “And, as well as updating the details of 91 of our developments on the master Santa Sat Nav database, we have installed ‘Santa this home is now occupied’ signs in the front garden of our newest homeowners. Finally, to make sure we’ve got Christmas fully covered, we have created a downloadable fireplace for families to print out, decorate for Christmas and use in their home in time for the big day,” she added. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Yorkshire-based high voltage electrical engineering and contracting firm Smith Brothers has expanded its workforce with the appointment of two key hires and a pair of promotions. The onboarding coincides with promotions for existing colleagues too, as the business focuses on continuing to build its industry-leading engineering capabilities and innovative sustainable energy solutions for public and private sector customers. Joining as SHEQ manager, Mark Bush will oversee health and safety within the organisation, to ensure the welfare of colleagues on-site and in the offices – protecting both mental and physical health. An experienced Safety Health Environment and Quality specialist, Mark has a wealth of experience in the electrical transmission sector – notably with Morrison Energy Services, Babcock International Group, and Siemens Wind Power. Elsewhere, Jerry Connolly has been appointed as a quantity surveyor, to manage the commercial elements of projects. Most recently having worked on the delivery team for Morrison Delivery Services, Jerry brings 41 years of experience on a wealth of builds, such as the Qatar airport extension, Mersey Gateway Bridge, and Eagles Meadow, Wrexham. Meanwhile, Liam Smith has moved into the position of operations manager – having first joined the company as an apprentice in 2006. In his new role, Liam will support on the delivery of all design projects, services, and infrastructure – orchestrating the day-to-day running of all the site staff. And finally, Alex Dixon has been promoted to tendering manager, and will oversee all incoming and outgoing project bids – with the aim of filling Smith Brothers’ order book for 2023 and beyond. Speaking about the organisation’s growing workforce, Dave Ogden, Smith Brothers commercial director, said: “At a time when sustainable power generation is a topic at the forefront of many minds, we are incredibly proud of the business we have – and central to that is our people and our culture. “Our new colleagues will prove critical to building our reputation in the high voltage power electrical engineering sector, and build on already impressive customer retention levels. In terms of the promotions within the team, they are thoroughly deserved and, from our point of view, it is important we recognise our colleagues and consistently provide an environment where they can continue to develop.” Established in 1999, Smith Brothers has bases in Elland and Sheffield and has worked with a vast range of organisations ranging from major nationwide utilities providers and blue chip brands, to local SMEs and construction partners. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Peter McHugh, a Liverpool-based real estate partner at national firm Excello Law, has advised Caldeira, the UK’s leading cushion company, on the acquisition of a new headquarters on the Knowsley Industrial Park in Merseyside in a £3 million investment project. “Caldeira’s acquisition and redevelopment of their new HQ will bring additional investment and job opportunities into Knowsley. It’s also testament to a strong partnership and funding approach across the City which ensures successful local companies are able to grow their businesses in the heart of Merseyside,” said Peter. The 85,000 sq. ft. factory on a three-acre site, at 29 Lees Road, will contain manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, office and showroom facilities. The surplus space at the site, not yet required by Caldeira, is being developed and will be rented to other companies. “We’ve been working with Peter over the last year on our property needs and we find in him, and Excello Law, a very knowledgeable and responsive real estate team. Peter’s advice was key to ensuring a property that meets all our needs for future expansion of the business,” added Tony Caldeira, Founder and Managing Director of Caldeira, The significant renovation of the site has involved a full refurbishment of the property. In addition, there have been adaptations to the factory, warehouse, offices and showroom space to enable the company to increase production to over a million cushions per year. As part of the project, the company is investing in solar energy making Caldeira carbon negative in 2023. Caldeira’s purchase of the building has been supported by HSBC Bank in Liverpool, while the building renovation has been assisted by the Liverpool City Region Flexible Growth Fund via MSIF, and the Liverpool City Region Capital Grant Fund, which is delivered by St.Helens Chamber of Commerce. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hollaway Studio has designed a pioneering inland surfing lagoon creating Kent’s first surfing “wave garden”, alongside a 120-bed luxury spa hotel on land at former colliery, Betteshanger Country Park, near Deal SE England. Subject to planning approval in early 2023, the combined £50 million project, known as The Seahive, is scheduled to open in April 2025. Hollaway Studio, the award-winning architecture practice which has studios in both London and Kent, has created the designs for the 15-acre site which will feature a Wavegarden Cove technology surf lagoon at its centre, which would be the second of its kind in England and the seventh of its kind in the world following facilities in Melbourne, South Korea, Switzerland, Brazil, Wales and Bristol. The revolutionary Wavegarden Cove technology featured in the lagoon, which can be used by up to 80 people at a time, offers up to 1000 perfect waves per hour similar to those in the ocean. It can create more than 20 different wave types ranging from 50 cm to 2m in height, providing rides of up to 15 seconds long for all ages and abilities. Overlooking the surfing lagoon is the ‘Lagoon Surf Hub’ with 15 accommodation lodges; a wellness centre with yoga and fitness zones, cold water therapy, meditation pavilions and a splash pool; a clubhouse with a surf academy as well as a restaurant and bar; conference facility; retail outlet; chill out spaces; dedicated work area; and immersive balcony. A dedicated learning hive will run a full-time schedule of courses for children via surf therapy and educational intervention programmes to enhance and protect their mental health. In addition to the hub, there is a separate design for the destination 120-bed hotel, spa and gym. The inclusion of the hotel will work to readdress the lack of hotel rooms available in the surrounding area and welcome visitors from outside of the area. While Kent may have easy access to the sea, the inclusion of the surf lagoon at The Seahive is an exciting one as the local sea conditions are not suitable for surfing. The Seahive project is part of the Betteshanger Country Park’s wider plans to expand, reflected by the recent additions in 2022 of a Mining Museum, café and restaurant as well as cycling tracks and play areas. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Plans to create an affordable housing community in Cheddar are officially underway, following a confirmed partnership between Keepmoat Homes and Alliance Homes. Looking to bring much-needed homes into the area, partnership housebuilder Keepmoat, along with community based social housing provider, Alliance Homes, will transform the 5.8-acre site into a high-quality sustainable housing community. “We’re incredibly pleased to be working with Alliance Homes to help bring affordable housing to the village of Cheddar, which offers excellent transport links and open green spaces. In keeping with our positive environmental practices, the Steart Farm community will be created with sustainability in mind and will be a gas-free development which uses air source heat pumps throughout. Over the coming months we look forward to working with the local community and welcoming new residents to the area,” commented Charlotte Goode, Divisional Chairman at Keepmoat. Bringing affordable housing to the Somerset area, Steart Farm will offer 29 homes under shared ownership, and 29 as affordable rent. Well positioned to local transport links, the development lies 10 miles south-east of J21 off the M5 motorway and 11 miles south of Bristol Airport via the A371 and A38, and the new community will feature a local play area, wildlife zone and public open space. “We’re really pleased to be involved with Keepmoat on this development in Cheddar. Not only will these 58 homes be a big step on our way to developing 2,000 homes over 10 years, but the environmental credentials of the homes meet our plans to be a green and ethical business. This site will be 100% affordable and that has been made possible thanks to a grant from Homes England,” said Iain Lock, Director of Investment at Alliance Homes. The Reserved Matters planning application was approved in September 2022, and first completions are expected mid-2024. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Manchester City Council is to refresh regeneration proposals for the former Central Retail Park. A report updating on the strategic redevelopment of the former Central Retail Park site will be heard on 14 December requesting approval for a new consultation to start in the New Year. The Council has refreshed a Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) for the former retail site that was previously agreed by the Council in 2020. The commitment remains to develop a flagship, highly sustainable commercial district that can attract new business and talent to the city, that will also promote social value and well-being. The Government Property Agency (GPA) is exploring options for delivering office solutions in Manchester, to meet the needs of various civil servant departments, which supports the Government’s commitment to locate more civil servants outside of London and support levelling up. Therefore, the new framework also responds to potential interest from the GPA to locate government offices on the site. “The former Central Retail Park is a key site and one of the final pieces of the puzzle in the long-term regeneration story of New Islington, which has the potential to create thousands of new jobs in the city. For decades the site has created a physical barrier between Great Ancoats Street and the growing community around New Islington Marina. Developing this site will create a new public link through to the existing Cotton Field Park behind and create a green space at the heart of the low-carbon commercial district,” said Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council. “We have a real opportunity to create a flagship, highly sustainable development of renown – and we would encourage people to take part in the consultation. A six-week consultation will begin in early January and we invite feedback around the proposals for site.” The overall vision of the refreshed Former Central Retail SRF is: • Create a high-quality, sustainable office district to bring the currently vacant former retail park back into use. • Create a range of new employment opportunities, including through the construction phase of the development project. Thousands of jobs are expected to be located at the site, many of which will be new employment opportunities to the city. • A new high-quality, green public space will be at the heart of the former retail site, creating a link between Great Ancoats Street to Cottonfield Park and the growing New Islington community behind. • New connections and routes will be created through the site from adjacent neighbourhoods. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
To align with the plans for regional growth Keepmoat has set for the company, Matt, who was previously Land and Planning Director at Persimmon Homes, Linden Homes and Redrow Homes, has been appointed to support the existing land teams in the housebuilder’s East Midlands and Yorkshire East regions. Based in Lincoln, Matt will be looking to fill gaps within the business’ development portfolio as the new Land and Partnerships Director, and secure land opportunities to ensure Keepmoat reaches its targets and fulfils its growth plans. His main focus will be to expand Keepmoat’s operations into the Lincolnshire area, covering towns such as Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Stamford, Grantham, and others, with a view to delivering much needed, energy-efficient homes that are fit for the future. “The East of the country, most specifically Lincolnshire and the East Riding, are areas of great potential for housebuilding, with some booming industries adding to the appeal, such as large-scale agriculture, engineering, and manufacturing. The region is also fantastically placed with towns such as York, Grantham, Newark and Retford having convenient rail and motorway connections, and there are some exciting developments proposed in North and North East Lincolnshire, which is also driving housing growth in the area,” said Marc when asked about his ambitions for the region. “I am keen to continue Keepmoat’s previous success of providing regenerated sites and thriving communities through our relationships with landowners, local authorities, land agents, and partners such as Homes England. Key to my role will be identifying and securing opportunities in the eastern corridor to push Keepmoat’s operational boundaries into Lincolnshire and strengthen its presence in East Yorkshire,” he added. Keepmoat is one of the UK’s leading partnership homebuilders and a leading brownfield builder. To align with the housebuilder’s aims, Matt will be leading on the negotiation and application for new land to regenerate into new communities. Together with local authorities and housing associations, he will continue to work towards the delivery of affordable, high-quality housing, as well as homes available for first-time buyers. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Pave Aways, a successful privately owned construction business with a dedicated team of construction professionals, has announced it is to start construction work on a new Staffordshire History Centre in January. The £5.4 million centre will be formed by extending the existing Staffordshire Record Office on Eastgate Street in Stafford to incorporate the William Salt Library. A modern glazed entrance will link both buildings, creating exhibition space to showcase museum, archive and library collections with additional strong rooms installed to build space for a further 55 years of collections. “We are very pleased to be working with the council to deliver this flagship building that will play an important role in the preservation and development of Staffordshire’s history. Having previously built a records and archives centre in Mid Wales, we are well placed to meet the stringent conditions that are required to house these historic collections. We can’t wait to get started,” said Managing Director of Pave Aways Steven Owen. The total cost of the project, which includes a four-year programme of activities, is £8,780,239. The project has been made possible thanks to a grant of £4,858,699 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Additional match funding of £3,921,540 was raised by the partnership, including Staffordshire County Council funding, grants, donations from local organisations and friends and in-kind contributions from volunteers. “We’re justifiably proud of our history and wonderful collections and we want to be able to share them and be able to protect them for future generations to enjoy. We’re all incredibly excited about the project and it’s great to have the start confirmed for the new year. Not only will the project give us a brand-new heritage attraction for the county but it will bring together three amazing collections from the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service, the County Museum and the William Salt Library,” added Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture at Staffordshire County Council. “In addition to the new centre, a dedicated programme of touring exhibitions will also help take the Staffordshire story out into local communities, helping to get more people interested in our fascinating history. We are grateful to National Lottery Players for making this funding possible,” she concluded. Image: PRS Architects Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Industry expert CBRE has warned commercial property investors of the financial risks they might be experiencing due to increased building inefficiency and slow implementation of sustainable practices and digitisation strategies across portfolios. In a recent publication, it revealed that while positive strides have been made, property managers are moving too slowly to adopt greener practices. Despite evidence showing green strategies have significant commercial benefits, such as driving higher rents and occupant retention, the industry seems to have trouble developing a better portfolio sustainability. With this in mind, Cillian Casey, Regional Vice-President EMEA at CIM, is calling for decisive action to improve portfolio sustainability. “The fact that two separate reports, published a year apart and to different regions, have come to the same conclusion about sustainability’s appeal to tenants clearly sends a strong message that decisive action is needed. Commercial property investors and managers need to accelerate the adoption of greener practices and equipment, especially given the property sector’s vital role in achieving net zero by 2050,” he said. “Promptly ensuring operational efficiency across portfolios will be key to immediate emissions reduction, with data analytics technology set to play a pivotal role in this, especially as energy demand continues to grow. However, untangling the sheer volume of data to determine priority actions remains a major challenge for facilities managers given the overstretched nature of many facilities and operational teams.” With property operations accounting for 28% of global carbon operations and the fact that 80% of 2050’s buildings have already been built, the need for immediate steps is crucial. According to Mr Casey, optimising operations with data offers a more financially prudent route than alternatives such as carbon offsetting, given predictions offsetting prices will rise exponentially in the near future. “The current external cost of carbon offset purchasing undoubtedly has an appeal for building owners and investors, but priority should be given to driving everyday efficiencies and optimisations in the way buildings are run. Organisations may leave themselves in a precarious position as costs rise, and by not prioritising or considering alternative options, they could be vulnerable to an ever-worsening financial situation that could have been avoided. “By digitising operations across portfolios through the use of data-driven detection and diagnostics software such as CIM’s PEAK platform, stakeholders can take immediate steps toward more efficient and sustainable building performance. As this latest CBRE report shows, greener buildings are very attractive to prospective tenants, and therefore command higher rental yields. By embracing change now, commercial property owners and managers can create immediate additional value for businesses while emissions are lowered,” Cillian concluded. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Modular housing firm ilke Homes has raised a record-breaking £100 million from new and existing shareholders following successive years of triple-digit growth. The round is being led by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC (“Fortress”), a leading global investment manager with approximately $46 billion of assets under management. Existing investors TDR Capital and Sun Capital also subscribed to ilke Homes’ latest fundraising round, which was arranged by investment bank Citigroup and acts as a rare example of a company increasing its valuation as global stocks remain under pressure from the continued macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. The new funding will be transformational for ilke Homes. It will help the company to significantly scale-up its operations and open a new manufacturing facility that, once operational, will increase the company’s output capacity to 4,000 homes a year, creating over 1,000 new jobs in the UK. “We are excited about our investment in ilke Homes. We see ilke Homes as the UK market leader in the manufacturing of modular housing and believe the company is uniquely positioned to increase the availability of high quality affordable housing in the UK while accelerating the transition to net zero,” said Rahul Ahuja, Co-head of European Credit at Fortress Investment Group. The investment will also allow the company to invest heavily in automating more of its manufacturing processes to further drive productivity. This will in turn enable ilke to secure more sites and expand its ‘package deal’ strategy, which offers full development service of land, infrastructure and homes in a rapidly growing market. The company, which has seen revenue grow by over 150 percent year-on-year, is already working with some of the UK’s biggest developers and investors, including global asset manager Man Group, FTSE 250-listed housebuilder Vistry Group, and housing association Places for People. Despite being founded just five years ago, ilke Homes is now delivering over 1,000 homes a year and has secured a pipeline of over 4,000 homes, putting it on par with some of the UK’s biggest housebuilders. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
