Commercial real estate investor and developer, Firethorn Trust, has now completed work at Ascent Logistics Park, with three units let to occupiers. The 25.5-acre industrial development in Leighton Buzzard has been constructed to net-zero carbon and comprises eight highly specified units, offering 466,860 sq. ft. of Grade A logistics accommodation.
With a strong focus on three core challenges for construction, CITB published its Business Plan today (18 May), announcing it will be investing over £233m across Britain to support construction throughout 2022/23. CITB’s investment plan responds to the estimated demand for an additional 50,000 workers every year and is primarily
As London’s residents continue to face fire safety risks, industry experts are looking at how the Internet of Things (IoT) can transform fire safety for those most at risk in our communities The chief of London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned that more than 1,000 residential buildings in the capital still
The Belfast region’s world-class cleantech sector and strong talent pool will allow Wrightbus to flourish, the company’s chief executive officer has said. Speaking at UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), Buta Atwal also said Northern Ireland’s unique position in the wake of Brexit makes his and other companies
Ground has been broken on the development being marketed as Parallel 113 with the Grade A specification warehouse logistics unit expected to be complete and available by January 2023. St Francis Group a leading UK-based property development and investment group, and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration, today announced
Aver, a joint venture between NFU Mutual and Ergo Real Estate, has agreed to fund the development of 330,000 sq ft at Novus Point on a speculative basis. The agreement to fund 330,000 sq ft of logistics space at Novus Point in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire will increase Aver’s logistics portfolio to
HS2 Ltd has reached an agreement with Bruntwood, one of the UK’s leading property providers, to purchase Square One on Travis Street in readiness for construction of Manchester’s brand new high speed railway station. The sale marks HS2’s second major property acquisition in the city centre in just over 12
One of Europe’s largest new logistics development sites, West Midlands Interchange (WMI), the 734 acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) at M6 Junction 12, has appointed Winvic Construction Ltd as its design stage delivery partner. The £1bn project will offer over 8m sq ft of commercial space, with state of
The last piece of concrete has been laid at Dandara Living’s brand-new build-to-rent development, U&A (Unity & Armouries) on Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham. U&A will bring 162 one, two, and three bedroom apartments to central Birmingham alongside co-working spaces, lounges, a gym and fitness studio, as well as outdoor spaces for
CITB Chief Executive Tim Balcon is one of 15 construction industry leaders on a new Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce. The aim of the taskforce, which will meet for the first time in May, is to look at addressing skills gaps around the construction, retrofit and maintenance of low
Commercial real estate investor and developer, Firethorn Trust, has now completed work at Ascent Logistics Park, with three units let to occupiers. The 25.5-acre industrial development in Leighton Buzzard has been constructed to net-zero carbon and comprises eight highly specified units, offering 466,860 sq. ft. of Grade A logistics accommodation. Ascent’s largest warehouse, spanning 125,510 sq. ft., will be accommodated by e-commerce experts Spreetail, whilst the fulfilment house Airbox UK Ltd has taken an 85,480 sq. ft. unit, and children’s product specialists, Solution EU, will occupy a 35,583 sq. ft. space. The development has been accredited by the UK Green Building Council for its net-zero construction, which was delivered by Winvic Construction Ltd. Designed to attract a diverse range of occupiers, Ascent is set to create approximately 150 jobs and bring significant economic benefits to the wider region. Chris Webb, Partner at Firethorn Trust, said: “This is an exciting milestone for Firethorn, as we continue to meet the growing market demand for modern Grade A logistics spaces. Ascent is a bold and ambitious development, with sustainability and employee wellbeing placed at the heart of its design. As a responsible developer, we’re committed to ensuring that all Firethorn developments meet the highest sustainability criteria, and Ascent is designed to support both the immediate operational needs and future ESG requirements of every business.” Chris Beer, Asset Manager at Firethorn Trust, said: “We’re delighted to have already let three of the eight units, with an additional space currently under offer. Occupiers will benefit from market-leading renewable technologies, high-quality specification and excellent connectivity.” Mehmet Kalay, CEO, EU at Spreetail said: “Spreetail is one of the fastest-growing ecommerce companies in history and we are excited to continue our expansion by launching in the UK. Joining the Leighton Buzzard community aligns with our mission of accelerating brands and channels by providing the best service and shipping capabilities for our online customers. We appreciate our partnership with Firethorn, which enabled our team to achieve our growth goals by efficiently executing a lease in a new country.” Jeremy Tan, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Airbox UK Ltd said: “We are delighted to be taking occupation of Ascent 86. The scheme’s net-carbon construction aligns well with our drive for sustainable fulfilment and will play a huge role in the next stage of Airbox’s expansion. It was refreshing to see Firethorn’s desire to form a personal and long-term partnership and we look forward to continuing working together on future potential projects.” David Watts, Operations Manager at Solution EU said: “We’re so pleased to be establishing a new Headquarters at Ascent Logistics Park. The scheme’s specification and location will allow us to expand and improve our operations and provide our industry knowledge and technical expertise to new customers, which is key to our continued growth as a business.” Strategically located off the Leighton Road, Ascent Logistics Park offers excellent connectivity to London Luton airport, Milton Keynes Central station and the M1/M25 motorways, which lie within a 30-minute drive time. All enquiries regarding Ascent Logistics Park should be directed to the scheme’s retained agents, Knight Frank and Brasier Freeth. For more information, visit www.ascentlogisticspark.co.uk Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
With a strong focus on three core challenges for construction, CITB published its Business Plan today (18 May), announcing it will be investing over £233m across Britain to support construction throughout 2022/23. CITB’s investment plan responds to the estimated demand for an additional 50,000 workers every year and is primarily focused on securing construction’s talent pipeline. This year, the organisation will run and support a whole host of initiatives aimed not only at inspiring people outside of the industry to choose construction as their career, but also upskilling and retaining existing talent. The three challenges set out by CITB are: Responding to the skills demands Developing the capacity and capability of construction training provision Addressing future skills needs. Responding to the skills demands Following the findings of the recent Rethinking Recruitment report, CITB’s plan details how it will invest in supporting apprenticeships and building bridges between further education and work to get more learners into construction. Initiatives such as SkillBuild, work experience, taster events, and the 350-strong STEM Ambassador network, aim to inspire more young people than ever to consider construction. In addition, CITB will collaborate with employers on the Go Construct website and promote the wide range of careers construction has to offer. Coinciding with efforts to get more people to think again about a construction career, CITB will create even more accessible routes into construction, focusing on apprenticeships, alongside on-site experiences, and future rollout of occupational traineeships. A total of £60.3m in direct grants will be available to employers who take on apprentices, supporting the industry to address its current and future need for a skilled workforce. Developing the capacity and capability of construction training provision As the industry recovers from the pandemic and demand for construction projects increases, CITB will make it easier to access the right training at a time and place that is right for them. CITB will: Invest £25.9m in direct training delivery to enable the continuation of core skills training and training provision in niche and at-risk skills through CITB’s National Construction Colleges Support more than 300,000 Health Safety & Environment tests over the next year, ensuring there is good availability of tests in as many locations as possible, bringing assurance to employers that their workforce can keep themselves and those around them safe Offer enhanced grant support for priority skills such as Drylining apprentices and rainscreen cladding achievements. Addressing future skills needs Looking to the future, CITB’s plan sets out how it will address long-term challenges. The construction landscape is changing and issues such as net zero, digitisation and modern methods of construction are becoming increasingly important. CITB is investing £2.1m into research to better understand construction’s changing environment. This research will help focus CITB’s work on interventions that have the greatest impact, helping shape new training and standards development. Tim Balcon, CITB Chief Executive, said: “I am proud to be sharing my first business plan as Chief Executive at CITB, which sets out how CITB will approach its role in supporting industry going forwards. “While progress has been made, the construction industry has faced significant challenges in recent years, including inflation, rising fuel prices, the pandemic and Brexit, to name a few. In many ways the industry is still experiencing and feeling the impact of these events, which we know has shifted priorities greatly and pushed the demand for skills to the forefront. It’s essential now more than ever that efforts are focused on helping to alleviate those pressures and address the key needs of industry.” Read the full plan here. There are two case studies used within the Business Plan: – Career changer, Sabrina Robertson had a background in admin and degree in Education and Community Development. Having expressed an interest in construction opportunities at the Barking and Dagenham Construction Skills Fund (CSF) Hub, they were able to support Sabrina in securing the role of Community Liaison Officer for McLaren. – Daniel Jeffries Carpentry accessed CITB funding to help with taking on an apprentice and support the upskilling of the company’s existing employees. Daniel was supported through the application process by CITB Engagement Advisor, Darren Lawrence. For further enquiries relating to the Business Plan, please contact: press.office@citb.co.uk Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
As London’s residents continue to face fire safety risks, industry experts are looking at how the Internet of Things (IoT) can transform fire safety for those most at risk in our communities The chief of London Fire Brigade (LFB) has warned that more than 1,000 residential buildings in the capital still have serious fire safety failings almost five years after Grenfell. The LFB Commissioner, Andy Roe, welcomed new Government legislation based on recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, but said more needs to be done to tackle dangerous structures and ensure residents know how to escape in the event of a fire. The phase one report of the Grenfell inquiry recommended that the owner and manager of every residential high‑rise should be legally required to prepare personal emergency evacuation plans for all residents whose ability to self‑evacuate may be compromised. Additionally, Dame Judith Hackitt’s independent Building a Safer Future report recognised the need for provisions for disabled and potentially vulnerable people. Cognitive and physical impairments are factors that can influence the ability to evacuate a property and, in the UK, over 14 million people have a disability. As COVID‑19 continues to cause a surgery backlog, six million people are on the waiting list for NHS hospital care, including more than 23,000 who have waited more than two years, leaving potentially millions more people vulnerable to fire safety risks. “Fire safety for disabled residents is not a minority issue. Disabilities affect more than one in five people in the UK, and half of those who died in the Grenfell Tower Fire were disabled or children,” says Fazilet Hadi, Head of Policy at Disability Rights UK. In multiple‑occupancy houses, terraced homes, and high‑rise buildings, a major fire does not just put a single household in danger but potentially hundreds of lives. Sakina Afrasehabi, who had severe arthritis and walked with a frame, died on the 18th floor in the Grenfell fire at the age of 65. She was unable to negotiate steps but was housed in the tower because it had a lift, which stopped working on the night of the fire. Afrasehabi’s family believe she would still be alive if the council landlord had made a personal‑emergency evacuation plan (PEEP). “It is not necessarily the disability that makes us vulnerable. Being ignored and left and made to feel invisible is what makes us vulnerable,” adds Fazilet Hadi. Whilst evacuation plans are critical in the event of tenants needing to leave the building, there are also new, intelligent ways to help cut fire risks for the estimated 43% of social housing residents who live with a long‑term disability. Using technology to prevent fire risks managing fire safety risks for vulnerable social housing residents Cutting‑edge technology that remotely monitors the home environment 24/7 has the potential to prevent life‑threatening events. FireAngel Connected is a purpose-built cloud solution for fire detection and prevention. Built on 15 years of the Internet of Things (IoT) expertise, FireAngel’s unique Predict™ technology, patented in application, can highlight trends and patterns of high-risk behaviour to pinpoint properties at risk, enabling social housing providers to arrange successful interventions to help prevent a fire. “The technology developed by FireAngel can give us a much better understanding of risk in the community, helping us to identify vulnerable tenants and adapt our response accordingly to foster their needs,” comments Jason Avery, Assistant Director for Prevention and Protection, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Services. Predict™ analyses real-time data to identify patterns of potential fire risk within properties – giving an instant risk level without a manual data trawl. This enables prioritised interventions and increased fire prevention measures to residents who need it most. The combination of IoT and AI technologies also provides an overview of buildings and their changing fire risks, allowing landlords to carry out maintenance checks or repairs at the point of need, ensuring costly problems are prevented and tenant safety is protected. Ian Moore, CEO of the Fire Industry Association, says: “The IoT promises to transform the fire industry. When making informed decisions, data is everything. The more data we have, the more robust the decision can be. I will always support industry developments that help make people safer from fire risks”. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
The Belfast region’s world-class cleantech sector and strong talent pool will allow Wrightbus to flourish, the company’s chief executive officer has said. Speaking at UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF), Buta Atwal also said Northern Ireland’s unique position in the wake of Brexit makes his and other companies in the region ideally positioned to trade across both the UK and EU. Combined with a flourishing cleantech sector, which has the support of partner companies, local government and academia, he said the Belfast region has created an environment which will nurture innovation in the space and help companies like his become world leading. Mr Atwal said: “It is no coincidence that Wrightbus is regarded as a leader in hydrogen bus technology. Since first entering passenger service in 2020, our StreetDeck Hydroliners have clocked up a million miles, preventing 1,700 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere on those bus journeys. “We have been able to lead the field in hydrogen bus technology in large part as a result of our location in Ballymena. It has afforded us access to a world-class cleantech skills base, one which will be further enhanced by the Hydrogen Training Academy planned under the Belfast Region City Deal, and the i4C Innovation & Cleantech Centre. “And, as our orders grow around the world, our unique position here in Northern Ireland, with a foot in both the UK and EU markets, offers us the chance grow exponentially.” Mr Atwal was speaking during the Belfast Region – A £1bn Decade of Opportunity session at the inaugural built environment conference held in Leeds. The session was organised by Renewed Ambition, a partnership focused on positioning Belfast and the wider city region to take advantage of the opportunity to drive residential and commercial real estate investment and support inclusive economic recovery. Also speaking at the event was founder of HemingwayDesign, Wayne Hemingway, who said that the Belfast region has a wealth of untapped regeneration and tourism potential. He underscored the importance of regeneration in creating a region where people want to live, work in and visit, highlighting the Bangor Waterfront project and his vision to make it to Belfast what Brighton is to London. Both Mr Atwal and Mr Hemingway also took part in two respective panel discussions, along with senior leaders from councils within the Belfast region, focusing on the significant potential for the cleantech and innovation sector and for tourism and regeneration. The session also focused on the two major initiatives which will rubber stamp the Belfast region’s potential; the Belfast Agenda with its target of attracting 66,000 people to live and work in the city and 31,600 homes by 2035 – and the £1 billion Belfast Region City Deal, which will deliver innovation and jobs for a new economic era. John Walsh, Chief Executive of Belfast City Council, said: “We have come to UKREiiF with a very clear message: the Belfast region is primed for investment and offers a unique set of opportunities which are unmatched the world over. Through the £1 billion Belfast Region City Deal and the Belfast Agenda, we have set out the pathways for inclusive growth across all areas of our economy and are intent on creating the conditions for businesses to flourish. “As a standalone opportunity, the Belfast region’s offer is impressive. Combined with the support of initiatives, such as the Belfast Region City Deal and other funding opportunities, it offers a compelling investment proposition which has and will draw international attention.” UKREiiF was attended by senior leaders from global investment funds and property companies, UK public sector bodies, government and the third sector. The event focuses on levelling up across the UK and in particular cultivating the development of greener, smarter, healthier places while driving inward investment; how the built environment can play its part in creating net zero UK; and facilitating shared learning across the real estate industry on how to embed social value within the private sector. The Renewed Ambition partnership – including local government, occupiers, developers, the supply chain and more – will deliver a collaborative programme of activity to help ensure strong recovery and growth in Belfast and across the wider region by highlighting its compelling investment proposition globally. It is made up of the councils of Belfast, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Ards and North Down, Mid and East Antrim, Newry, Mourne and Down and Lisburn and Castlereagh City. It aims to shape how the future of the city is reimagined and will act together to deliver that ambition in the months and years ahead. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Ground has been broken on the development being marketed as Parallel 113 with the Grade A specification warehouse logistics unit expected to be complete and available by January 2023. St Francis Group a leading UK-based property development and investment group, and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration, today announced that it has broken ground and commenced construction of a new 113,000 sq ft unit – branded as Parallel 113 – being developed speculatively in Walsall. Parallel 113 will create a high-quality warehouse/logistics unit which will be available for occupation from January 2023. The development will remediate a brownfield site of just over 2.5 hectares close to Junction 10 of the M6 which is currently undergoing a £78 million enhancement by Highways England to increase capacity and reduce congestion. When occupied the scheme will provide up to 200 new jobs. MCS Construction has been appointed as the main building contractor. St Francis Group also acknowledges the support of the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership and Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council in bringing this development forward. Speaking about the start of construction St Francis Group Development Director Gareth Williams said: “We are delighted to be on site with the construction of another high-quality unit, and to be developing in such a prominent location adjoining the M6 motorway. There remains a distinct shortage of warehouse/industrial space across the Midlands and now that we have started on site, we expect a high level of interest from potential occupiers. The new unit will be extremely well connected being just under a mile from junction 9 of the M6, offering unrivalled connectivity and built to a high specification. We look forward to watching construction as it happens and seeing the progress on site” Also Speaking about the project, MCS Group Managing Director, Keir Edmonds said: “MCS are pleased to continue their partnership with St Francis Group to deliver premium industrial space in the West Midlands. The project demonstrates how brownfield sites can be remediated utilising ground improvement techniques and put back into use, whilst retaining and enhancing the local environment and ecology.” For further information visit: www.parallel113.co.uk Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Aver, a joint venture between NFU Mutual and Ergo Real Estate, has agreed to fund the development of 330,000 sq ft at Novus Point on a speculative basis. The agreement to fund 330,000 sq ft of logistics space at Novus Point in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire will increase Aver’s logistics portfolio to 2.5 million square feet. Martin Jepson, Founding Partner at Ergo Real Estate commented: “We are delighted to be working with investment and development company Cole Waterhouse and Peveril Securities on what promises to be an impressive scheme which adds another strategic development to our growing logistics platform.” Outline planning consent was granted unanimously in July 2020 for the development of a 15-acre light industrial scheme and a reserved matters application has now been submitted for the single build facility. Once a decision is made on the application, work is scheduled to start on site in April with practical completion due for December 2022. The project team includes MHA Architects, Lichfields, Renaissance, Henry Riley and Novo. Located off the A34 and close to the M6 motorway, Novus Point forms an extension to the well-established Lymedale Business Park. The development will support over 130 full-time employees during construction and approximately 500 full-time roles once the site is in operation. Speaking about the agreement, Damian Flood, CEO at Cole Waterhouse, commented: “There is a strong appetite from institutional funds looking to invest in potentially high-yielding, long-term income-producing assets, offering a secure return for their investors. Staffordshire acts as a gateway between the north and south and, as such, is already an established distribution location with ASDA, New Look, Parcelforce and TK Maxx all based here. These factors made the decision to build speculatively relatively straightforward.” Ralph Jones, Managing Director at Peveril Securities, continued: “This is a significant step forward in the development of Novus Point, made possible by the collaborative way in which all stakeholders have worked together. Securing Aver as a funding partner further strengthens our ability to deliver the scheme and, subject to a positive planning outcome, we look forward to building out this new facility next year.” Metis Real Estate advised Cole Waterhouse and Peveril Securities on the funding deal with Sixteen Real Estate acting as the marketing agent for the scheme. Burbage Realty represented Aver. Novus Point is projected to generate up to £37.3million GVA for the local economy. In addition to the creation of permanent jobs through the operation of the industrial units, it is anticipated that around 144 construction and 169 supply chain jobs will be supported during the two-year build programme with a total investment in the region of £19.9m. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
HS2 Ltd has reached an agreement with Bruntwood, one of the UK’s leading property providers, to purchase Square One on Travis Street in readiness for construction of Manchester’s brand new high speed railway station. The sale marks HS2’s second major property acquisition in the city centre in just over 12 months, following its purchase of the Store Street site in April 2021. Both sites have been purchased by HS2, on behalf of the Department for Transport, and are pivotal to the creation of the new high speed station that will be built adjacent to the existing Piccadilly Station. Manchester’s new station is forecast to open between 2035 and 2040 and includes six platforms at surface level, allowing passengers to access both HS2 and future NPR services. The plans also include provision for a new four platform Metrolink station beneath the HS2 station. Ruth Todd, Chief Commercial Officer at HS2 said: “Following submission of the Bill earlier this year, seeking powers to construct and operate the railway between Crewe and Manchester, this acquisition represents another major milestone in our programme to bring high speed rail to the North. “HS2’s purchase of Square One is a vote of confidence for investors locally and internationally to leverage the wider regeneration potential of the surrounding area, knowing that Manchester is set to become so brilliantly connected.” A large proportion of the area surrounding Piccadilly station is underdeveloped, making it a prime location for investment in new commercial space, housing and public realm. Investment would see businesses, residents and visitors benefit from a 41 minute connection to Birmingham on HS2 (a 46-minute saving), with direct services from London Euston set to more than halve, cutting one hour and 12 minutes off the current fastest journey time. Bruntwood, who sold the Square One site to HS2, has already set out its ambition to use the proceeds to continue investing in the UK’s regional centres. Pete Bearpark, Asset Management Director at Bruntwood, said: “We are committed to creating thriving places and communities, and after 15 years under Bruntwood stewardship, we have agreed to the sale of Square One and the land surrounding it to HS2 in advance of a formal compulsory purchase process. “We will use the proceeds to continue to reinvest into regional cities to drive economic growth and have a positive impact on businesses and communities.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
One of Europe’s largest new logistics development sites, West Midlands Interchange (WMI), the 734 acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) at M6 Junction 12, has appointed Winvic Construction Ltd as its design stage delivery partner. The £1bn project will offer over 8m sq ft of commercial space, with state of the art units ranging from 200,000 to 1.2m sq ft, all supported by its own dedicated rail hub enabling multi-modal movement of goods around the UK. The Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) role is the first of four phases of the development programme, followed by early enabling works, infrastructure works and vertical unit delivery. The site is one of a number of new SRFIs around the UK designed to enable occupiers to move increasing volumes of freight off our roads onto the rail network, with one rail freight carriage capable of replacing 44 to 72 HGV, and generating up to 70% less carbon. The site also boasts a range of other sustainability credentials, including providing 109 acres of country park to protect and promote biodiversity, and a wide range of renewable energy features, as well as providing 8,500 new jobs for the region during its development, construction and operation. The project is being financed and delivered by Oxford Properties, the property arm of Canadian pension fund OMERS, in partnership with European developer Logistics Capital Partners (LCP), who are already working on a 15 acre scheme at Heathrow together. They acquired the WMI site in July 2021. Andy Busby, UK Construction Director at LCP commented on this key milestone for the project; “We are pleased to welcome Winvic to the delivery team. They bring extensive experience of constructing large-scale complex logistics projects like this, and demonstrated a clear understanding of the leading approach we want to take to sustainable design, cutting edge automation, and lasting economic and social impact for the region. James Boadle, Head of Logistics and Residential, Europe at Oxford Properties, commented; It’s an important milestone for the project as we begin delivery in earnest, having spent Q3 and Q4 of 2021 preparing the site and building a collaborative approach with key partners including the local community, South Staffordshire District Council and Staffordshire County Council. With huge demand in the logistics market, we are keen to have a first offering ready in 2023.” Rob Cook, Winvic’s Director of Civils and Infrastructure added; “We’re thrilled that Oxford Properties and LCP values Winvic’s sustainability credentials and experience in designing and constructing similar schemes, as well as our commitment to community and stakeholder collaboration. As the leading main contractor in the UK for delivering complex Strategic Rail freight Interchange (SRFI) projects, we’re able to draw on our extensive project knowledge and assemble a skilful team to meet requirements, find innovative efficiencies and ultimately deliver the design stage output in a considered and forward-thinking way.” For more information on the project visit www.westmidlandsinterchange.co.uk Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
The last piece of concrete has been laid at Dandara Living’s brand-new build-to-rent development, U&A (Unity & Armouries) on Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham. U&A will bring 162 one, two, and three bedroom apartments to central Birmingham alongside co-working spaces, lounges, a gym and fitness studio, as well as outdoor spaces for relaxation and socialising. Part of Dandara Living’s work at U&A involves giving a new lease of life to Unity House, a building dating back to the 19th century. The restored façade of Unity House will sit alongside a brand-new building, together allowing U&A to be a true combination of old and new. Construction of the concrete frame began in July 2021, with the development expected to be ready for resident occupation in Summer 2023. Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “I’m delighted to see the scale of progress being made at Dandara Living’s landmark U&A development. They are making great use of the Unity House site, which has been vacant for many years. “The regeneration of this brownfield site contributes to the wider urban revival of the area. It represents a significant investment into Birmingham’s City Centre while offering a different choice for residents who are keen to live in purpose-built rented accommodation at the heart of a vibrant community. I look forward to seeing residents moving to the development next year.” U&A is situated just south of Birmingham City Centre, near to the popular Gay Village and Chinese Quarter, home to a large number of vibrant restaurants, bars and other amenities. Jim Davies, Managing Director BTR at Dandara Living, said: “Dandara Living was born out of our ambition to deliver excellent places to live that reflect the way people want to live today, and U&A perfectly embodies this. “Birmingham is an ideal fit for us – as the UK’s second largest city, it is home to the largest number of start-ups outside of London, and a unique and exciting cultural offering which makes it one of the UK’s most popular places to live and work. “U&A will be a vibrant and inclusive community for residents to work, live and play and we look forward to welcoming residents to the development next year.” U&A has environmental sustainability at its core. The former brownfield site has been fully remediated – effectively recycling the land and contributing to the delivery of new high-quality homes in Birmingham without the need to build on greenfield land elsewhere. From its Local Growth Fund programme, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) provided a £855,000 Unlocking Stalled Housing Sites grant for land remediation, arrangement, security & monitoring costs. Henriette Breukelaar, Acting CEO, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) commented: “Over the last 11 years, GBSLEP has supported local councils and businesses to unlock and revitalise commercial and residential development sites across the city-region. This has been critical to delivering our mission to deliver inclusive economic growth. “This latest project is another example of how our triple helix structure of public, private and education partners is creating better places for our local communities to visit, work and importantly live in. Combining this with wider investments like our £8.7 million Enterprise Zone funding, Southside is continuing to transform into a vibrant, welcoming area of our city.” The development’s concrete construction reduces the building’s embodied energy and carbon footprint by shortening the overall build programme and reducing the number of deliveries to site, saving transport miles. The development exceeds current building regulations by approximately 10%, and features energy efficient windows fitted throughout; dual flush toilets, flow reducing taps and shower heads to help reduce water usage; low energy lighting in all apartments and PIR motion sensor lighting in all communal areas to reduce energy usage. U&A expands Dandara Living’s residential offer in Birmingham, which already includes Aston Place – completed in 2020. Looking to the future, Dandara Living’s emerging Warners Fields development will be one of the greenest neighbourhoods in Birmingham, comprising 3,000 homes with construction works scheduled to begin in 2023. For more information and to register your interest, please visit: U&A · Dandara Living (dandarabtr.com).
CITB Chief Executive Tim Balcon is one of 15 construction industry leaders on a new Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce. The aim of the taskforce, which will meet for the first time in May, is to look at addressing skills gaps around the construction, retrofit and maintenance of low carbon commercial buildings in Central London boroughs. Commenting on his new role Tim said: “CITB is in the business of skills and training which is why I am pleased to be part of the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce’s Strategy Steering Board. “Decarbonisation is a major challenge – and opportunity – for the construction industry. A green-skilled workforce will be vital as the UK strives to achieve the government’s net zero targets. “CITB has conducted extensive work on skills and sustainability, most recently in our Net Zero and Construction: Perspectives and Pathways report. “The report examined the skills and training needed to deliver retrofit work. It shows how training and recruitment must move with the times. This means new methods of working and the need to diversify the workforce. Construction must encourage and welcome under-represented groups, like women and people from ethnic minorities, into industry. “CITB is working with stakeholders to promote construction careers in a variety of ways, our Go Construct website is a good example. We want to see new, diverse recruits raring to use their green skills, for the good of everyone, from day one of their careers. “For this to happen governments, employers, the training sector and businesses must collaborate effectively on green skills. I’m looking forward to making progress on the challenges ahead with the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce’s Strategy Steering Board.”