New research among more than 2,000 UK adults has revealed how many people are planning to buy a new home or property investment in 2022: 18% of UK adults intend to buy a property this year – rising to 34% among 18–34-year-olds 14% of renters plan to buy their first
Ministry of Furniture, the company which emerged from Remploy Furniture, has made a further investment in its workforce, creating seven new positions, six of them new hires, as it enjoys further growth on the back of its enhancement of its offering during the pandemic. The new appointments, which span design,
Dame Judith Hackitt has stressed the need for competency, accountability, and responsibility to be at the heart of the new building safety system at an event at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, in order to rebuild the public’s trust in providing safe homes for people to live in. As
A Greater Manchester waste management business that works with the construction industry has unveiled a major rebrand as it expands to build on its net-zero mission. Newtral, formerly known as Wastesure, is revolutionising the waste management industry using technology to help customers save money, time and carbon. The business, based
GMI Construction Group PLC has announced the key appointment of Andrew Hurcomb as Divisional Managing Director (DMD) for Yorkshire. He succeeds Lee Powell, recently promoted to the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer, who is tasked with delivering sustained growth across its four core regions of Yorkshire, the North
Office Principles North has reinvigorated the Doncaster headquarters of furniture retailer, DFS into a flexible and collaborative workspace inspired by its Yorkshire roots. The leading interior design consultancy has modernised the interior of the traditional three-storey office building on Adwick le Street following a 16 week refurbishment. The project has
Chameleon Business Interiors – a Yorkshire-based interior design, fit-out and furnishing business, specialising in commercial buildings – has been operating internationally for over 20 years. The interior design and fit-out industry has experienced a lot of challenges during this time, but none more so than in the last two years.
Chestnut Homes has released the first homes at its latest development in Wyberton onto the market. The houses at The Farmstead are part of a wider neighbourhood of up to 200 homes, called Heron Park, being built off Wyberton Low Road. Heron Park will include public open space covering almost
Exclusive opinion poll finds key political background seats backing hydrogen heating as a means of hitting Net Zero targets, avoiding unaffordable, upfront costs of the alternatives, saving the UK £35 billion. The YouGov poll was commissioned by not-for-profit trade body Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), to examine a range of
Gripple is delighted to be exhibiting alongside colleagues from the construction industry at Futurebuild 2022 where it will showcase its unique prefabricated suspension system, Fast Trak which reduces installation times, reduces waste, and supports Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Taking place at ExCeL London between 1st and 3rd March 2022,
New research among more than 2,000 UK adults has revealed how many people are planning to buy a new home or property investment in 2022: 18% of UK adults intend to buy a property this year – rising to 34% among 18–34-year-olds 14% of renters plan to buy their first home in 2022 14% of existing homeowners plan to move property, while 6% plan to purchase an additional investment property 63% expect house prices to rise in 2022, compared to 8% who predict they will decline One in five UK adults plan to buy a property in 2022, new research from Market Financial Solutions(MFS) has revealed. The bridging lender commissioned an independent survey among more than 2,000 UK adults. It found that 18% intend to purchase property this year, including 34% of those aged 18-34. Among renters, 14% plan to buy their first home. Among existing homeowners, 14% plan to sell up and move home in 2022, while 6% hope to purchase an additional investment property. Of those planning to buy a property this year, 43% say they will look in a different area to where they currently live because the rise of remote working means they do not need to be in the same location. Half (50%) want a property that has more space as the pandemic means they spend more time at home. Two thirds (66%) of prospective homebuyers are worried about inflation and rising house prices, which they say will hinder their chances to buy in 2022. Further, 38% said that the complexities and long waiting times involved in getting a mortgage are a major challenge when looking to buy a property. MFS’ research also revealed how UK adults expect house prices to perform over the coming 12 months. The vast majority (63%) believe they will rise, with 29% predicting they will stay roughly the same and 8% thinking they will fall. More generally, the study showed that 40% of UK adults say the pandemic has changed what matters to them in a home – this is particularly true among those aged 18-34 (53%). Paresh Raja, CEO of MFS, said: “After a frenetic year for the property market in 2021, in which house prices rose sharply, there is a great deal of speculation as to how 2022 will unfold. Our new research shows we should not expect any sudden slowdown; the fact that 18% of UK adults – over 9 million people – intend to buy a property in the coming 12 months shows that demand remains sky high. “Yet our research also underlines the challenges that stand in front of prospective buyers. The so-called ‘race for space’ means that competition for certain properties – such as houses with gardens and spare rooms for home offices – will be fierce. Meanwhile, rising inflation, the potential for further interest rates hikes, and delays in securing mortgages, could also act as stumbling blocks for those looking to buy property. “Forward planning will be crucial for anyone looking to buy a new home or invest in property. Having their finances in order and, if required, a lender in place will ensure they can act with speed and confidence, which will improve their chances of being successful in a competitive market.”
Ministry of Furniture, the company which emerged from Remploy Furniture, has made a further investment in its workforce, creating seven new positions, six of them new hires, as it enjoys further growth on the back of its enhancement of its offering during the pandemic. The new appointments, which span design, production and operations, have been made by the firm on the back of an expansion and diversification of its services, a move prompted initially by the COVID-19 pandemic. Terry Mortimer has joined as a technical designer and estimator. He has more than 20 years’ experience in bespoke design. Qualified in Revit, Autocad, and 3D Studio Max, he has a technical background with the ability to carry out surveys, produce detailed technical plans and product drawings. He will work alongside Whitney Harris who has joined as an interior designer. Whitney is a graduate interior designer with Revit and 3D visualisation experience who joins from Do Digital. David Bond joins as a production operator through the Government’s Kickstart programme. David, a blacksmith in his spare time, previously worked as an observation assistant at Hawkeswood Ecology. He will also benefit from a rigorous training programme at the company in line with the company’s social aims. Ministry has also recruited Adrian Badcock as a production operator. Jake Webb joins the sales team as a fitted furniture sales specialist. Jake, who will be responsible for developing vector sales across the education sector, brings a depth of experience in the construction sector where he has worked as a sales estimator. He can use CAD and Revit and has Graphic Design qualifications. Samantha Garnett joins as purchasing manager. Samantha is an experienced procurement and product manager with an extensive background working across a range of sectors in both the retail and automotive industries. Reporting to the operations director, Samantha will manage strategic procurement activities across multiple category spends negotiating the best deals and managing the suppliers. Finally, Kay Wood has been promoted to project coordinator. She has a wealth of customer service experience having worked for Remploy for 22 years and Ministry for five years in sales and customer service roles. She will be responsible for ensuring that projects are delivered to the highest standard. Ministry is enjoying a period of sustained growth, partly on the back of changes it made in the business prompted by COVID-19. Now, it is eyeing growth and diversification in line with its values and aims as a company in 2021 – and is investing in the people, systems and skills to allow it to leverage that. This also includes anticipated growth in the commercial, construction and education sectors over the next 12 months. Having realigned the company’s working practices and offering in the past 12 months, it now offers clients a seamless journey over the timeline of a big project – from concept to completion. In Wales, as a framework supplier for The National Procurement Service (NPS) for Wales, it can offer its suite of services to all public sector bodies. Graham Hirst, Managing Director, Ministry of Furniture, said: “We are delighted to see five new faces join the company as we consolidate some of the changes we made through the pandemic and realign our values to ensure we are always offering the best possible customer service. The appointments will help to strengthen and improve departments throughout the business as we gear up for 2022.”
Dame Judith Hackitt has stressed the need for competency, accountability, and responsibility to be at the heart of the new building safety system at an event at the Institution of Engineering and Technology, in order to rebuild the public’s trust in providing safe homes for people to live in. As keynote speaker at the IET National Conference for Electrotechnical and Building Safety Competence on Monday (31 Jan), Dame Judith Hackitt also reiterated the importance of a culture change in the whole built environment sector ahead of regulatory change – to incentivise good building practices, with disciplinary sanctions for those who exploit the system. She explained how legislation will incentivise the take up of professional registration, which in turn will help to demonstrate competency, and stressed how the focus must be on delivering quality buildings that are safe, with genuine engagement with residents needed to rebuild trust. She explained how there is currently a very fragmented way of looking at buildings, e.g., separate walls, separate electrics, separate foundations, when in fact we need these things to work and be addressed in totality. Linking this to competency and quality assurance, Hackitt explained: “It is not good enough for people to simply say ‘my bit’s ok, it’s the other people who got it wrong, not me’. We need to start getting people to work together, to collaborate, and recognise that it is the overall outcome that matters.” She continued: “What matters is that everyone should be able to feel safe in their home, that is everyone’s right, irrespective of the type of dwelling that they live in. And that’s why we need to have this risk-based approach, and why competence and quality assurance must become part of the new culture across the whole of construction.” The IET National Conference for Electrotechnical and Building Safety Competence, which is being delivered virtually across two dates, aims to bring experts together, working with or within the electrotechnical sector and in building services/safety related roles with a key focus on individual competence, accountability and continuing professional development. Sir Julian Young, IET President, said: “Professional registration is an important milestone for any engineer or technician, as it demonstrates professionalism, competence and personal commitment to the engineering and technology sectors. I encourage all our members and beyond to adhere to our Knowledge Network and Rules of Conduct, which provide guidance and informational sources to support people to make good decisions and act ethically. “I assure you that the IET is working with appropriate trade associations and Trades Unions to help bring about a step-change in the level of relevant training, upskilling and professionalism of those working in the industry: it will not be easy or quick, but we are determined to make a positive difference and, ultimately, to raise the status of engineers and technicians across the UK.” Part 2 of the conference is taking place virtually on Monday 21 February 2022 at 10am. To find out more, please visit IET Events (theiet.org).
A Greater Manchester waste management business that works with the construction industry has unveiled a major rebrand as it expands to build on its net-zero mission. Newtral, formerly known as Wastesure, is revolutionising the waste management industry using technology to help customers save money, time and carbon. The business, based in Bury, has restructured to build on the success of its work in helping customers achieve net-zero targets when it comes to their waste. Newtral, founded in 2018, began as a hire business with just one skip and now operates nationwide, offering waste management services to a variety of customers including construction companies and the water industry. Its innovative approach helps customers achieve a 99 per cent recycling rate before using its technology to calculate and offset the remaining carbon emissions. The rebrand, which includes a brand-new website, comes a year after the business increased staff and invested £1m in new offices to accommodate its swift growth. Director Mark Dunne, who founded the business, said Newtral’s sustainable approach guarantees compliance and helps customers meet and exceed their corporate social responsibility targets. He said: “Wastesure began as a skip-hire business but we have grown to offer much more than waste removal. The Newtral name aims to shake-up a waste management industry that has, until now, failed to evolve and reflects our continued focus on helping customers achieve sustainability. “Businesses today must drive down their carbon emissions in every part of their organisation and Newtral assists them in doing this. Our unique technology, combined with a workforce dedicated to problem solving, means we surpass expectations every time. “We work tirelessly to offset carbon emissions on behalf of our customers, planning shorter routes and reducing the amount of trips their waste travels to vastly reduce its impact on the environment. We then go further to offset emissions by planting trees to result in waste that has zero impact on the environment. “We are excited to reveal our rebrand with our customers and look forward to sharing the benefits of our transformational approach to waste management.”
GMI Construction Group PLC has announced the key appointment of Andrew Hurcomb as Divisional Managing Director (DMD) for Yorkshire. He succeeds Lee Powell, recently promoted to the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer, who is tasked with delivering sustained growth across its four core regions of Yorkshire, the North West, Midlands and North East. Hurcomb’s arrival represents a real coup for GMI, given his outstanding track record at Willmott Dixon where he spent five years as Operations Director. There he oversaw the company’s growth across Yorkshire and the North and was responsible for delivering several high-profile projects. With more than 30 years’ experience within the construction industry, he has gained skills and practical experience at every level. Originally from Dewsbury, he studied at Huddersfield Technical College, Leeds College of Building, and Leeds Becket University. He began his career in 1984 with M.Harrison & Co before moving to Miller Construction in Yorkshire in 1989, gaining experience in a variety of roles from Site Engineer to Senior Project Manager before progressing to Regional Technical Director for the North of England. When Galliford Try acquired Miller in 2014 Andrew took up the position of Operations Director for Yorkshire, before moving to Willmott Dixon in 2017. Lee Powell, CEO of GMI Construction Group PLC, said: “Following my appointment as CEO, we required someone with the right skills, dedication and drive to fulfil this key role within the business. “His knowledge and experience of the Yorkshire construction market is second to none. He is highly respected in the region, making him an exceptional appointment and someone who can build upon GMI’s first rate reputation and its success in delivering major developments across three decades. “He has GMI values at heart and the business acumen to make a real impact by taking our Yorkshire business portfolio to an even greater level. I’m delighted to welcome him onboard.” Andrew Hurcomb, Divisional Managing Director – Yorkshire, said: “I’m extremely proud to join a forward-thinking company like GMI, which is a business that is going places. It’s my intention to continue the excellent work Lee has already achieved as DMD in the region. “I will spearhead GMI Construction Group’s ongoing expansion in Yorkshire as part of its UK strategy to levelling up in key regions. This follows several high-profile projects wins this year and next. “We are onsite currently with a workbook of 11 live projects across Yorkshire, with a further 4 projects due to commence in Q1 2022 with a combined total value of more than £250M, and we’re looking to expand that significantly in the coming 12 months. I’m relishing the opportunity and the hard work starts now.” One of the UK’s largest independent construction companies in the North of England and The Midlands, with offices in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, and Teesside, GMI Construction Group PLC is forecasting an annual turnover in excess of £350m for 2022 and has already secured £300m worth of opportunities.
Office Principles North has reinvigorated the Doncaster headquarters of furniture retailer, DFS into a flexible and collaborative workspace inspired by its Yorkshire roots. The leading interior design consultancy has modernised the interior of the traditional three-storey office building on Adwick le Street following a 16 week refurbishment. The project has created a comfortable, socially-oriented environment, with a fully inclusive design that reflects and celebrates the retailer’s heritage and craftsmanship. It features a new accessible, open plan layout that promotes employee collaboration through a series of purpose-built office, catering, event and activity-based spaces. Its centrepiece is a new coworking cafe bar and deli that delivers a ‘grab and go’ style food and beverage offering, with seating arrangements to encourage small informal meetings and larger ‘family-style’ gatherings. A new welcoming reception area flows into a ground floor virtual store and touchdown space that can be reconfigured for events, launches or town hall gatherings, with seating for more than 80 people. A wide range of furniture options increases the choice of places to meet and work, with high tables, a giant extendable sofa, couple seats, family gathering table, cosy club bench seats, wheelchair accessible meeting booths and a collection of DFS breakout furniture. Wellness is at the heart of the design and is promoted through the addition of a new landscaped community garden. The space connects employees to the outdoors, with decked seating and house frame structures for meetings and social events, as well as an outdoor chef station. The first, second and third floors all benefit from a workspace refresh, including a new Group Ops hub and reconfigured furniture, as well as breakout, meeting and additional activity-based workspaces. A new platform lift has been installed to improve connectivity from the ground floor to the first floor. Office Principles has deconstructed and reimagined DFS’s product range, applying a naturally-derived colour palette, tactile surfaces, patterns and comfort throughout the space. They include warm fabrics and timber flooring, a handcrafted slatted feature wall and large scale wall and window branding, with lighting and materials selected according to their sustainability credentials. Tina Batham, joint managing director of Office Principles North, said that the new workplace had created a ‘work life’ experience for DFS employees. She said: “DFS is a brand based on great people, which is why this workplace refurbishment promotes collaboration and fosters a real sense of wellbeing and togetherness. We have placed a large emphasis on delivering well balanced floor plates that contain several distinct spaces, each with a deliberate function. They are unified by a design that reinforces the quality of craftsmanship that is a hallmark of DFS and allows employees to immerse themselves in the materials that underpin its product range. It’s an inviting and inclusive coworking space that will positively shape the way that the company’s employees eat, meet and work together for years to come.” Office Principles North was chosen to deliver the refurbishment of DFS in Doncaster, following a competitive tendering process.
Chameleon Business Interiors – a Yorkshire-based interior design, fit-out and furnishing business, specialising in commercial buildings – has been operating internationally for over 20 years. The interior design and fit-out industry has experienced a lot of challenges during this time, but none more so than in the last two years. As the sector continues to negotiate supply chain delays, inflated material costs and a national labour shortage, Shaun Watts – chairman of Chameleon – shares his reflections from the last 12 months, makes his predictions for the year ahead, and offers insight into the plans to secure continued growth. It has certainly been a challenging time for our industry, and it’s incredibly sad to see firms in our sector close their doors recently. No one knew what to expect as we entered 2021. If you believed everything you heard at the time, you’d think that the office working model was dead and that we’d all be working from home permanently. Indeed, 2021 saw a slow-down in our Canadian business, despite delivering several projects successfully due to our strong management based in Toronto. But, overall, I’m very grateful and humbled that we have bucked the trend, starting 2021 on the back of the growth and success of 2020. We secured a number of large and complex contracts early on, with clients that took a long-term view to workspaces: they wanted to think creatively, design spaces their employees wanted to return to, and prioritise collaborative and safe working. As a result, we doubled our turnover and we have our innovative and hard-working team to thank for that. I also saw clients’ confidence in us grow because we’ve continued to invest and recruit. But I do recognise that we represent a small proportion of companies that emerged from 2021 in a strong position. 2022: industry predictions As we look ahead to 2022, I believe that: Sustainability will continue to influence everything we do. Carbon neutral buildings will become more important to occupiers and we’re even seeing projects that are aiming to be carbon negative. It’s a phenomenal purchasing mindset shift. Employee wellbeing is absolutely front-of-mind; the pandemic has focused everyone on this and they’re now investing significantly in their workspaces. It should be about putting people first and really considering how existing spaces can be maximised for the people that use it. Safe yet sociable hubs that enable collaborative working is essential for the return to office-based working. The workplace has changed forever and we have seen this new model work well in 2021. Reducing the office footprint is not the right approach – you can’t expect employees to live their whole career in their bedroom. There’s limited personal development opportunities with this model and it’s short-termism, in my view. British manufacturing has an opportunity to really thrive – with all of the delays and inflated costs we’re experiencing importing materials and furniture into the UK, now is the time for British manufacturing to make its mark. 2022: industry challenges In terms of challenges this year, I predict we’ll be looking at: The skills gap presenting us with ongoing difficulties – recruitment across the sector has been very difficult and there isn’t a large talent pool out there. To combat this, we need to be offering more opportunities to those entering the industry and enabling them to develop long-lasting and fulfilling careers not just ‘jobs’. Cost continuing to impact our sustainability goals – unfortunately, doing the right thing comes at a price. If we’re ever going to move the needle, we need to find some way to appease both clients’ budgets and the sustainability agenda. Motivating staff after a very busy few years becoming a bigger challenge – this is a challenge faced by businesses all over the world. The last two years have been stressful and we’ve all been working very hard. So this year will be the ‘Year of Fun’ for the team at Chameleon to give the team the opportunity to bond and have fun together again. It’s been well overdue! Chameleon’s 2022 The year has begun well, with a number prestigious projects already on site across country that we’re all very excited about and new projects in design stage. With the addition of new talent and expertise to the business, we anticipate the size and complexity of our projects continuing to grow. Acquisition will be part of our growth strategy in 2022, and I am actively looking for the right opportunity. We have some ambitious targets to meet that will stretch us all but we are up for the challenge. The infrastructure and talent we now have in place gives us the strength in depth to support our growth ambitions over the coming year.
Chestnut Homes has released the first homes at its latest development in Wyberton onto the market. The houses at The Farmstead are part of a wider neighbourhood of up to 200 homes, called Heron Park, being built off Wyberton Low Road. Heron Park will include public open space covering almost a third of the 19-acre site. Helene Key, Sales Manager for Chestnut Homes, said: “Four of the nine spacious, detached homes at The Farmstead have now been released for sale. “This development includes an exclusive range of large four-bedroom homes, all of which feature garages and spacious rear gardens offering plenty of outdoor space. “Chestnut Homes has a proud track record of delivering new housing in Lincolnshire for more than three decades, and these nine homes at The Farmstead are a continuation of that commitment. The homes will be built in a traditional style that complements the character of the local area and the rural setting. “Construction work is progressing well at the site, with the first homes due to be completed and ready for buyers to move in by August. “The Farmstead is ideally located in a peaceful village location, just three miles from Boston town centre and its wide range of shops and other amenities. Given the exclusive nature of the development, there has been a great deal of interest in these new homes, and I would encourage anyone interested to get in touch with us as soon as they can.” Four homes are currently available to purchase at The Farmstead, with prices from £289,950. For more information about the homes available, visit chestnuthomes.co.uk.
Exclusive opinion poll finds key political background seats backing hydrogen heating as a means of hitting Net Zero targets, avoiding unaffordable, upfront costs of the alternatives, saving the UK £35 billion. The YouGov poll was commissioned by not-for-profit trade body Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), to examine a range of questions about the UK’s energy future. Excluding ‘Don’t Knows’, 85 per cent of the 1600 residents across 18 Red Wall seats in the north of England back Government plans to allow hydrogen to be blended with natural gas to reduce carbon emissions in the home, from 2023. This figure rises to 92 per cent of Labour voters. These findings support the recent publication by the Energy Networks Association of their “Hydrogen Blending Delivery Plan” launched last week. Hydrogen can be safely blended into the natural gas network at levels up to 20 per cent without any changes required to gas boilers, cookers or fires, meaning consumers can reduce their carbon footprint automatically. Across the UK, this offers the potential of a 6 million tonnes a year carbon saving. Commenting on these findings, Mike Foster, CEO of EUA said: “We have always believed the great British public want to do their bit on reducing carbon but are worried about the costs and don’t trust some new technologies. Blending hydrogen into the gas network has been given a huge thumbs up from voters.” “They can continue to use their gas boilers, cookers and fires as they do now, and their carbon emissions will be cut, with them doing nothing. It’s a real win-win situation that is recognised by voters, already struggling with energy bills and having no spare cash for expensive alternatives to gas boilers.” “And the impact is huge. Across the UK’s 23 million homes, it amounts to 6 million tonnes a year saved – the same as taking 2.5 million cars off our roads. Instead of switching 3.5[1] million homes from gas to heat pumps, to save the same amount of carbon, at a cost of £35 billion[2], consumers can simply keep warm knowing that the switch to hydrogen is helping to save the planet.” For more information, visit www.eua.org.uk [1] A gas boiler typically emits 1.58 tonnes of carbon dioxide more than an Air Source Heat Pump. [2] The Prime Minister and BEIS calculate the cost of buying and installing a heat pump is £10,000 per household.
Gripple is delighted to be exhibiting alongside colleagues from the construction industry at Futurebuild 2022 where it will showcase its unique prefabricated suspension system, Fast Trak which reduces installation times, reduces waste, and supports Modern Methods of Construction (MMC). Taking place at ExCeL London between 1st and 3rd March 2022, the Gripple team will be on Stand H32 and will be able to demonstrate the sustainable qualities of the system that make it ideal for installations where economies of time and money are a priority. “The new Fast Trak system launched in 2021 and has been enhanced to support our customers’ needs which has resulted in a product that is so easy to install and negates the need for hot works permits on-site.” said Alex Smith, Marketing Manager – UK & Ireland at Gripple. “Sales of the Fast Trak system have increased globally thanks to the unique end cap that allows for easy and tool-free adjustment when working at height, bringing greater flexibility and speed to installations without compromising performance and strength – Fast Trak is proving to be a real hit in the M&E sector.” Futurebuild has sustainability at the heart of the event and is pioneering the drive to net zero in the construction sector, something which Gripple is firmly committed to. Gripple will aim to reach a carbon neutral position across its UK operations in 2022 and achieve carbon neutrality across the global business in 2023. Furthermore, its Fast Trak range supports other businesses to reduce their own carbon footprint too. “We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors to our stand and it’s an ideal opportunity to meet our team who deliver expert support at every stage of a project,” said Alex. “This includes installation design services, on-site technical consultations and after sales support to allow customers and installers to truly reap the benefits of a suspension system that is fit for 21st century construction projects.” Click here to register for your free ticket. Click here to discover more about the Gripple Fast Trak range online. Click here to learn about Gripple’s journey to climate positive. Fast Trak has applications in construction and renovation projects such as high-rise residential, data centres, industrial, retail, office space, healthcare settings, and educational facilities. To find out more visit https://www.gripple.com.