Falling material, tools, or debris are a considerable risk on construction sites. While existing systems on the market require time-consuming assembly, Doka provides a safe, high-quality catch fan system, which can be deployed and re-positioned in just a few simple steps and in significantly reduced time. Maximum flexibilityTwo particularly clever
A state-of-the-art faience-tiled dining hall has been completed at University of Cambridge’s Homerton College. The new building has a capacity of up to 336 and heating designed to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 40%. Ingleton Wood, a Cambridge-based property and construction consultancy, was appointed as Project Manager and Principal Designer
The fastest-growing security company in the UK has once again been recognised for its industry-leading standards with a gold accreditation from Constructionline, the country’s most connected and progressive provider of procurement and supply chain management services. Swindon-based SSGC was awarded with the highest honour from the coveted platform following a
A leading construction company in the South-east has secured £25million worth of building contracts.Multi-award-winning Anderson Group announced news of two new major contracts, both at housebuilding sites in Essex.The firm, based in Chelmsford, has secured the first phase of Vistry’s Coggeshall Mill, a collection two, three, four and five-bedroom homes.Anderson’s
Construction works have been completed on a new first school on the Bramshall Meadows estate on Ivinson Way in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. Midlands-based main contractor G F Tomlinson has been leading the construction of the school since works started on the 12,000 sq. metre site last year. The school will offer
Benefiting from both a culturally rich London district and one of the most striking developments on the capital’s skyline, The Quarto Group, Inc. has agreed to a 12-year lease at the game changing Triptych Bankside development on London’s Southbank. The Quarto Group, an established publishing house, is taking all of
Devonshire Homes has increased its existing revolving credit facility (RCF) from Lloyds Bank to £20 million to facilitate the housebuilder’s future growth plans. The privately-owned housebuilder is currently active on five West Country sites, with a further four additional sites in the region acquired within the last three months.
Electric vans are increasing in popularity, but should you buy one for your business? Dan Powell from Desperate Seller reveals the top five things every electrician needs to check before going electric. With the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel vans looming large over the horizon, you may be wondering
SPORT and leisure specialist GT3 Architects has completed a new gateway leisure centre in Coalville, Leicestershire, allowing residents to access the centre’s state-of-the-art facilities five months earlier than anticipated. Replacing the former Heritage Leisure Centre in neighbouring Whitwick, this leisure destination has been completed ahead of schedule after seamless collaboration with contractor
Commercial property developer Stoford has secured funding for the construction of a new warehouse for British Salt, the UK’s leading salt manufacturer and part of Tata Chemicals Europe. It has signed a funding agreement with ICG, the global alternative asset manager, for the 184,493 sq ft state-of-the-art warehouse in Middlewich,
Falling material, tools, or debris are a considerable risk on construction sites. While existing systems on the market require time-consuming assembly, Doka provides a safe, high-quality catch fan system, which can be deployed and re-positioned in just a few simple steps and in significantly reduced time. Maximum flexibilityTwo particularly clever mechanisms are at the heart of Doka’s development. In combination with the innovative suspension of nets, the easy-lock system enables efficient installation via a snap mechanism of the floor shoe: A safety lever swiftly secures the vertical tube of the Xsafe Catch Fan in place; previously, this had to be done by fastening couplers. With the quick-folding mechanism, the net is folded from the upper slab by simply pulling on a rope. This now no longer requires two workers working simultaneously on two levels, but only one. Doka’s new folding rope enables the net to be folded by just one user, saving manpower and crane time during re-positioning and cleaning. All-round winnerThe vertical extensions of the Xsafe Catch Fan are specifically designed to meet the customer’s needs: Compared to common round tube-in-tube designs, the square tubes no longer require strenuous hole alignment when securing with bolts. Once assembled on the ground, the Xsafe Catch Fan can easily be lifted as well as quickly re-positioned from floor to floor without adjustment to the vertical extensions. “With the development of the Xsafe Catch Fan, we identified the potential to provide more safety on construction sites. Customers benefit from efficient and simple workflows, allowing them to focus fully on the essentials of day-to-day construction site operations,” says Thomas Lattacher, Product Manager, Xsafe Catch Fan. The official sales launch of the product will start in September 2022.
A state-of-the-art faience-tiled dining hall has been completed at University of Cambridge’s Homerton College. The new building has a capacity of up to 336 and heating designed to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 40%. Ingleton Wood, a Cambridge-based property and construction consultancy, was appointed as Project Manager and Principal Designer for the two-year project. The project comprised a dining hall, buttery, kitchens and other staff amenities, and provides daily dining facilities as well as a formal venue for evening events. A balcony located in the buttery offers students an alternative setting for socialising or quiet study. The hall has been designed and detailed robustly for a minimum 100-year lifespan, applying a set of sustainability standards that exceed best practice. It is all-electric and passively ventilated, with a ground source heat pump that reduces CO2 emissions from heating and hot water by approximately 40%. Nick Bryant, Project Manager at Ingleton Wood, said: “Homerton College has been a client of ours for many years, and we were delighted to utilise our extensive experience within the campus to support this project. “In 2014 we prepared an overall College Masterplan which identified the Dining Hall’s construction as one phase of the implementation process. We have worked with the College and contractors to carry out all of the previous phases, including new post-graduate accommodation, refurbishment of the Queens Wing building, a new college bar, the provision of new guest bedrooms, an auditorium and music practice rooms.” Previously the College’s dining facilities were housed in its historical buildings, but additional capacity and modernisation were required. The new build achieves this while maintaining the site’s heritage, with the faience tiles echoing the formal motifs of its neighbouring buildings. Lord Simon Woolley, Principal of Homerton College, said: “Our new dining hall is a beautiful beacon which from the outside speaks to our ambition and values, and on the inside provides space for our students, Fellows, staff and guests to have conversations, debates, music, theatre and of course, fine dining, all under this magical roof.” Ingleton Wood is one of the largest property and construction consultancies covering Central England, East Anglia, London and the South East, with offices in Cambridge, Oxford, London, Colchester, Billericay and Norwich. Its services include architecture, building surveying, building services engineering, planning, interior design, civil and structural engineering, quantity surveying, project management and health and safety. For more information about Ingleton Wood, visit www.ingletonwood.co.uk.
The fastest-growing security company in the UK has once again been recognised for its industry-leading standards with a gold accreditation from Constructionline, the country’s most connected and progressive provider of procurement and supply chain management services. Swindon-based SSGC was awarded with the highest honour from the coveted platform following a deep dive examination into its policies and procedures. The gold status demonstrates to potential buyers on the platform that the organisation has been subjected to increased scrutiny around governance and risk management. David Stubbs, CEO of SSGC, said: “The gold status really demonstrates our commitment to carry out all facets of work to the highest standards and our dedication towards the industry and its clients. “Quality management, the best possible terms of employment for our staff and ensuring our suppliers adopt to our inclusive culture is something we take great pride in here at SSGC, so we are thrilled that our practices and procedures are being recognised on such a national scale.” To secure the accreditation, the team had to demonstrate excellence through a rigorous process of validation checks, within environmental management, quality management, equal opportunities, modern slavery act adherence and anti-bribery and corruption policies. SSGC was also able to showcase the business and its team met the requirements of an extended verified pre-qualification questionnaire including equalities and diversity, environmental management and quality management. Constructionline is a leading platform that allows buyers and suppliers to optimise performance, minimise risk and realise opportunities. Through it, buyers can expect to simplify and speed up their search, validation and purchasing decision processes considerably, improving resource and cost efficiency. For more information about SSGC, visit www.ssgc-net.com or search for SSGC on social media.
A leading construction company in the South-east has secured £25million worth of building contracts.Multi-award-winning Anderson Group announced news of two new major contracts, both at housebuilding sites in Essex.The firm, based in Chelmsford, has secured the first phase of Vistry’s Coggeshall Mill, a collection two, three, four and five-bedroom homes.Anderson’s Associate Commercial Director of Construction, Andrew Nowosad, said: “Unbelievably, the tendering process for the Coggeshall Mill contract started back in December 2021.“Anderson’s pre contract team showed great tenacity and diligence, working closely with the Vistry project delivery team, to ensure our final submission was not only robust and compliant, but also successful. “The securing of this site is so strategically important to the business, as not only does it ensure continuity of work, but it also falls in line with our time proven approach of targeting and securing multi-phase sites.”Regional Finance Director for Vistry Eastern, Peter Kemmann-Lane said: “Vistry Group is delighted to be partnering with Anderson on another high-profile location in East Anglia. It is a pleasure working with Anderson, which promotes the same philosophy in delivering high-standard and award-winning developments for our customers. We are looking forward to providing a quality development in Coggeshall, Essex.”Anderson has also secured the second phase of groundworks at Wycke Place, Maldon, after successfully delivering phase one of the three, four and five-bedroom home development.The work forms the second half of the £25million worth of new deals and will involve groundworks to 183 units over 87 weeks at the Crest Nicholson site.Mr Nowasad said: “The fantastic work and achievement by the project delivery team in delivering, not only the first phase of works but also a complex S278 works package, helped ensure we were in a position of strength to tender and go on to secure the second phase of this development. “Sales and Marketing Director at Crest Nicholson Eastern, Karen Coulson, said: “After launching a successful first phase at Wycke Place in Maldon, we are pleased to be working with Anderson again, completing the groundworks on the second phase of the development.“Wycke Place has already proven popular with many buyers, from first time buyers to families and working professionals and this next phase will help us continue to respond to local demand for high quality housing.”Mr Nowasad added: “The securing of both sites demonstrates the fantastic work being undertaken by all team members involved from estimating and programming to the buying department and those on-site where our excellent reputation for health and safety as well as quality and delivery is recognised by all our clients.”
Construction works have been completed on a new first school on the Bramshall Meadows estate on Ivinson Way in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. Midlands-based main contractor G F Tomlinson has been leading the construction of the school since works started on the 12,000 sq. metre site last year. The school will offer places for pupils from four to nine-year-olds, as well as nursery placements and looks forward to welcoming the first cohort of pupils at the start of the academic year in September. An official opening ceremony will be held in October. The £4.3 million scheme has been completed through Staffordshire County Council’s Capital Framework and has been designed and project managed by Entrust. Now complete, the school will be led and managed by The Uttoxeter Learning Trust. The new, single storey 1 form entry (1FE) first school has been developed as part of a wider plan to expand first school provision in Uttoxeter in response to an increased demand for places generated from new housing in the local area, such as the Bramshall Meadows housing development. It represents the first school to be constructed in Uttoxeter in response to growth, comprising a nursery, classrooms, a multi-use hall, catering space, outdoor sports pitch, play areas and car parking. G F Tomlinson has been entrusted to deliver five schools to date for Staffordshire County Council with Bramshall Meadows First School being the latest, following the recently completed Fradley Park Primary School in Lichfield. Chris Flint, Managing Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We feel very privileged to have been able to deliver this brand-new, high-quality school building for Staffordshire County Council which will create much-needed school places for children in the local area. The project is the first to be completed in response to the rise in demand for places within Uttoxeter and we feel very proud. “We very much look forward to seeing the school welcome pupils in September as the children take their first steps to embark on their academic journeys. The school has been designed with future growth and expansion very much in mind to provide an excellent learning environment for the growing community.” Jonathan Price, Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education said: “Bramshall Meadows has been built in response to increased housing in the area, which has meant there will be more demand for school places. Whenever there is new housing in an area, we always work with developers, local schools and the Department for Education to put plans in place to meet increased demand for school places. “It’s fantastic that local children will be able to learn in a brand-new school with lots of amazing facilities, and I am sure they are looking forward to starting school life in September.” Andrea Cairns, Executive Headteacher at Bramshall Meadows First School, commented: “We are absolutely delighted with the new school and the high quality of the build project with all of its amazing facilities. We are very excited to welcome the first children into school in September!” To find out more about the school and further information about student places, visit: https://www.bramshallmeadows.org.uk/
Benefiting from both a culturally rich London district and one of the most striking developments on the capital’s skyline, The Quarto Group, Inc. has agreed to a 12-year lease at the game changing Triptych Bankside development on London’s Southbank. The Quarto Group, an established publishing house, is taking all of the 9,000 sq ft second floor. As a result, JTRE London, the developer of the architecturally-inspiring scheme, has let more than 50,000 sq ft of commercial space in the building since launch in March. Alison Goff, Group Chief Executive Officer of The Quarto Group, said: “Our new office will provide the opportunity to widen our creative horizons, foster the creativity of our talented teams, adopt a more meaningful, flexible and future-proof way of working and enhancing the collaboration of our partners worldwide.” The Triptych Bankside development is a short walk from London Bridge station. The new scheme is next to Tate Modern art gallery, Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, the renowned culinary hotspot at Borough Market and the Millennium Bridge. Designed by internationally acclaimed architects Squire & Partners, the 68,000 sq ft, prime grade A commercial building at One Triptych Place is part of a £450 million mixed-use development. The scheme is made up of three distinctive sweeping towers, with 169 luxury apartments in two blocks, offices in a third, plus 14,800 sq ft of retail and 14,000 sq ft of cultural space. Its close proximity to the City of London and the West End makes it ideally situated for both residential and commercial interests. Nigel Fleming, Sales & Marketing Director of JTRE London, said: “We’ve seen unprecedented demand for space at One Triptych Place reflecting its position as one of London’s premier and most sought after mixed-use developments. As a result, we’re ahead of schedule on leasing with an exciting mix of major international and growing organisations already signed up from different sectors and regions, emphasising the far-reaching appeal of the buildings. The combination of global appeal, exceptional architecture and design and a spectrum of imaginative leisure offerings makes the Triptych Bankside estate one of the foremost schemes currently available.” Additionally, Triptych Bankside is the first development in the UK to use Real Estate Digital from Grandpano. This virtual property viewing system for the residential sales is more detailed than alternatives with considerably greater functionality. Like a fully controllable flythrough of an architect’s perspective, but in significantly more detail, it features every flat and every room individually. This means, for example, a potential buyer can stand on the balcony of a specific apartment and enjoy that view. Since Triptych Bankside is still being built, this makes off-plan purchases more risk free for the buyer and developer. The BREEAM ‘Excellent’ commercial building is at the forefront of ‘smart building’ capabilities with a WiredScore Platinum certification achieved, one of the few buildings in Europe to reach that standard. Agents for the commercial space are Bh2 and Savills; Kinney Green acted for The Quarto Group. In addition, the retail leasing agents are Savills and BNP PRE; and residential agents are Savills and Strutt & Parker. www.triptychbankside.com
Devonshire Homes has increased its existing revolving credit facility (RCF) from Lloyds Bank to £20 million to facilitate the housebuilder’s future growth plans. The privately-owned housebuilder is currently active on five West Country sites, with a further four additional sites in the region acquired within the last three months. Devonshire Homes has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Lloyds Bank since 2016 and this newly extended finance facility supersedes its previous arrangement with Lloyds Bank that was announced in February 2022. Devonshire Homes has been building homes across the West Country since 1992 and the new RCF will accelerate the housebuilder’s expansion plans to double turnover and deliver 400 homes per annum by 2026. Angus Cook, Managing Director at Devonshire Homes, commented: “This marks another important milestone for Devonshire Homes and we are delighted to have agreed this new £20million facility with our long-term and supportive banking partners at Lloyds Bank. “Devonshire Homes is on a significant growth trajectory and this new RCF helps cement our position as an established and ambitious developer in the South West. It provides us with the flexibility to continue to acquire and establish new sites to deliver high-quality homes to people who need them. “This new agreement comes at the perfect time. As a privately-owned housebuilder, our ability to make swift decisions with landowners has been the cornerstone of a string of recent land acquisitions in this last quarter. And now with this extended financing secured to support our business growth objectives, we are keen to build on the momentum; to build our land bank, further strengthen all areas of the business and are very much looking forward to the future.” Paul Collings, Relationship Director at Lloyds Banking Group, commented: “Sustainability has become more of a priority than ever for homeowners, so it’s great to see Devonshire Homes bring forward greener homes, provide energy solutions to help reduce household costs and ultimately help futureproof properties for generations to come. “We’re proud to back Devonshire Homes and its long-term commitment to providing sustainable housing for the West Country. We will continue to be by the side of local businesses as they accelerate their environmental ambitions and help the South West to reach its net zero goals.” Independent housebuilder Devonshire Homes has been creating new homes and communities in towns and rural areas across the South West for 30 years. The housebuilder specialises in providing homes which reflect the traditional characteristics and building styles of the region combined with high specification, contemporary interiors. Current developments include: Tarka View, Crediton; Applegate Park, Kingsbridge; Longston Cross, Bovey Tracey and Gwallon Keas, St. Austell with The Grange, Bideford, launching this autumn. For more information, visit www.devonshirehomes.co.uk.
Electric vans are increasing in popularity, but should you buy one for your business? Dan Powell from Desperate Seller reveals the top five things every electrician needs to check before going electric. With the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel vans looming large over the horizon, you may be wondering if now is the right time to make the switch to electric. Electric vans are more expensive to buy than their diesel counterparts but they offer significant long-term savings when it comes to fuel, tax, and maintenance costs. Electric vans are easier to drive and more refined than their diesel rivals too, which means they tend to be more comfortable over a long journey. The latest crop of electric cargo carriers from Ford, Vauxhall and Peugeot will also deliver heavy-duty load carrying capacity that will easily match the latest diesel panel vans. However, before you ditch your diesel, there are some important things you should be aware of. Dan Powell, editor at the online van marketplace Desperate Seller, reveals the top five things you need to know before joining the electric revolution. Work out your mileage How many miles do you drive a week? Does your daily commute involve long motorway trips or are you a local electrican who covers lots of short journeys? Before you set foot in a van showroom, you’ll need to work out what your daily and weekly mileage is (then add 20% to cover those unexpected site visits and trips to the local wholesaler). Once you have an idea of your mileage, you can start shortlisting vans. The Ford E-Transit will cover between 166 and 196 miles on a full charge, while the Vauxhall Vivaro-E is advertised with a maximum range of 205 miles. It’s important to note the real world range may be slightly lower than the advised figure as things like air conditioning and heating will require power from the van’s EV battery. Do the maths An electric van could save your business thousands every year. Charging the 75kWh version of the Vivaro-E will cost around 28p/kwh and give you around 200 miles of range. A diesel van that returns 47mpg will cost at least £37 to fill (at 191p-per-litre) and you could save even more if you charge your van at home on an overnight tariff. Electric vans are more expensive to buy than their diesel rivals, however. The Vivaro-E, for example, is around £5000 dearer than the standard diesel model. But road tax is free and electric vans also have fewer moving parts than diesel vehicles, which means maintenance and servicing costs tend to be lower. Many supermarkets and public car parks will also let you charge your van for free while electric vans are exempt from clean air zone charges, like the London ULEZ. Take charge Obviously, if you buy an electric van then you’ll need somewhere to charge it. And a home charger is the cheapest and most convenient way for your business to operate an electric van. Charging your van via a three-pint plug will take all day, so invest in a home wallbox if you have a driveway as this will cut the charging time to six or seven hours. There are more than 33,000 public EV charging points in the UK. And more are being added to this figure every day. Some public charging stations are free to use. Rapid charging is the most expensive way to charge your van but is useful if you get caught short, boosting your battery from 10% to 80% in around 30 minutes. Check your weight Electric vans tend to have lower towing capacities than their diesel counterparts. The Vivaro-E, for example, will tow a braked trailer up to 1,000kg – so always check the spec if you need your electric vehicle to tow tools or equipment. Payload capacity and loadspace is generally the same as diesel and petrol vans. In 2018, the Government changed licensing laws to make it easier for people to drive electric vans. This means you can operate an electric van weighing up to 4,250kg with a standard driving licence (instead of the 3,500kg you’d normally be limited to with a petrol or diesel vehicle). Take a test drive Have you ever driven an electric van before? If you haven’t, you’ll probably find the experience a little strange at first because electric vans are silent and don’t have a manual gearbox. Electric vans also use regenerative braking, which recovers energy to top up the battery when you slow down. This means the van will lose speed when you lift your foot off of the accelerator much quicker than a standard diesel vehicle. As a result, we’d recommend taking an electric van for a lengthy test drive so you can see if it is something you feel comfortable with.
SPORT and leisure specialist GT3 Architects has completed a new gateway leisure centre in Coalville, Leicestershire, allowing residents to access the centre’s state-of-the-art facilities five months earlier than anticipated. Replacing the former Heritage Leisure Centre in neighbouring Whitwick, this leisure destination has been completed ahead of schedule after seamless collaboration with contractor Metnor, project manager Paragon, landscape architect OOBE and M&E and BREEAM consultant Envision. The project, delivered on behalf of Everyone Active and North West Leicestershire District Council, includes an eight-lane, 25m pool, teaching pool with movable floor, eight-court sports hall, three squash courts and a 120-station fitness suite with spin and dance studios. Clare Noble, senior architectural technologist at GT3, said: “We were delighted to deliver this leisure centre so efficiently in collaboration with a host of great firms and contractors. We’ve worked with Everyone Active, Metnor and Paragon on a variety of leisure schemes and have a brilliant working relationship – this communication and transparency (combined with a lot of individuals putting in hard work) is what allowed us to accelerate the completion of the Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre. “A good working relationship is exceptionally important to GT3. We aim to create beautiful spaces while delivering transparency, inclusivity, and added value – which is why collaborating seamlessly with our partners is central to our work. Our ‘people architecture’ ethos extends beyond the people we’re designing for to the people we’re designing with, too.” One of the themes central to the site’s design was the sensitivity to its setting. Situated opposite an existing further education college, the new pool hall gives the appearance of pre-patinated copper cladding on its overhanging roof to reflect the design of the college. External glulam timber columns were carefully chosen to mirror the National Forest setting, and full-height glazing in the café opens up the centre to its surroundings. The bricks incorporated into the design have been locally sourced from nearby Ibstock, just 3.5 miles away, linking Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre further to its surroundings. The scheme has already seen great interest, with impressive engagement from the local community. Paul Sanders, head of community services at North West Leicestershire District Council, said: “Our state-of-the-art Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre is a fabulous facility for the district which, fits well into its National Forest setting. It’s a building we hope will get people excited about getting fit and active, and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring high-quality design.” The centre opened its doors to the public on 14 February and will facilitate a healthy lifestyle for the local community, with memberships to the former Hermitage Leisure Centre automatically transferring to the new state-of-the-art scheme. For further information visit www.gt3architects.com or join the conversation over on Twitter @_GT3Architects
Commercial property developer Stoford has secured funding for the construction of a new warehouse for British Salt, the UK’s leading salt manufacturer and part of Tata Chemicals Europe. It has signed a funding agreement with ICG, the global alternative asset manager, for the 184,493 sq ft state-of-the-art warehouse in Middlewich, Cheshire, which will enable British Salt and Tata Chemicals Europe to store the high purity salt and sodium bicarbonate products manufactured at its three sites in Cheshire and streamline its packaging and supply chain operations. The funding agreement, the first between Stoford and ICG, comes as Cheshire East Borough Council granted planning permission for the unit, which will be built at the British Salt manufacturing site on Faulkner Drive, Middlewich. The new warehouse will support Tata Chemicals Europe’s existing operations, storing products destined for the food and pharmaceutical markets and support its future business plans in Cheshire. Edward Peel, Stoford’s Development Manager, said: “Securing funding for this strategically important warehouse for British Salt is great news. The business has ambitious plans to invest in the region it has called home for more than 50 years. Now that funding and planning approval have been agreed, we’re putting plans in place to start construction work as soon as possible and are looking forward to delivering this warehouse.” Building begins in August with a projected completion date by July 2023. Angus Vause, Sales & Marketing Director of Tata Chemicals Europe, said: “We are delighted that Cheshire East Borough Council has granted planning permission for our new warehouse, which is a key part in the delivery of our future growth plans for the business in Cheshire and will enable British Salt to deliver enhanced customer service and supply chain excellence.” Chad Brown, Managing Director at ICG Real Estate, added: “We’re pleased to be partnering with Stoford on the forward funding of this well located and mission critical asset. This is an attractive deal for ICG, underpinned by strong real estate fundamentals and favourable lease dynamics, with the firm eager to deploy further capital in the sector across the UK and Europe.” Stoford and British Salt were both advised by DTRE on the sale and Avison Young were the appointed planning consultants.