The majority of Self Assessment customers will have been affected in some way by the pandemic last year, which is why your tax return for the 2020/21 tax year may seem a bit different than in previous years. Whether you are new to Self Assessment or have been completing your
British Gas has become the latest organisation to sign up to the UK’s main F-Gas register REFCOM as it seeks to keep pace with growing demand for heat pump installations. The energy giant’s social housing subsidiary PH Jones maintains more than 195,000 homes across the UK. It supports 23 social
North West Leicestershire District Council Leaders visit to see employment and skills initiatives in action Following the launch of the on-site ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre at Mercia Park, Winvic Construction Ltd – a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering
The Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Mrs Terri Beer, was among those celebrating the achievements of a group of veterans who have retrained in construction thanks to a partnership between City College Plymouth, Sherford Skills Training Centre, and Building Heroes. The veterans were joined by College staff and local dignitaries
In the Czech Republic, refurbishment of family houses dating from the 1970s is often not worthwhile and a good number of these properties are demolished. This was the case with a house in Rudná near Prague, which the owner had decided to demolish. However, quotes from companies to do the
Europe’s leading provider of low carbon cement solutions, Ecocem, has opened a world-class innovation centre in Paris to accelerate the development of new technology and products that will help the cement and construction industries decarbonise more quickly. The dedicated centre, known as the Centre of Excellence, will enable Ecocem’s innovation
Daniel May, Director at Consort Architectural Hardware, discusses the role door hardware plays in improving hygiene within public building environments. Health and hygiene are delicate themes, particularly in today’s settings. Both our homes and public building environments can have a huge impact on our wellbeing, and over the past few
SEGRO V-Park Grand Union will deliver 134,500 sq ft of light industrial space over six storeys The development forms part of Grand Union, a vibrant new canalside neighbourhood of over 3,000 homes being delivered by St George located in Alperton, close to Park Royal St George, a leading mixed use
In line with the Paris Agreement, the organisation previously set a goal of cutting its carbon footprint by 34% by 2025, however – having exceeded that target already this year – Sodexo has today laid out its comprehensive roadmap to net zero and decarbonisation of its UK and Ireland business
Industrious, the highest-rated workplace provider in the industry, and Barings, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, today announce the opening of Hana by Industrious St. Peter’s Square. The 32,000 square foot flexible workplace is located across the ground, second and third floors of Landmark, Barings’ award-winning
The majority of Self Assessment customers will have been affected in some way by the pandemic last year, which is why your tax return for the 2020/21 tax year may seem a bit different than in previous years. Whether you are new to Self Assessment or have been completing your tax return for many years, preparing your paperwork now can help avoid the unnecessary stress of leaving it until the last minute and will prevent you making mistakes or forgetting to include your allowances. If you’re self-employed and have earned more than £1,000 between 6 April 2020 and 5 April 2021, you will need to file your paper tax return by 31 October 2021 or 31 January 2022 for online returns. If you’re new to Self Assessment, you must ensure you leave enough time to register for Self Assessment first via GOV.UK in order to receive your Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and activate your account. Self-employed individuals must also register for Class 2 National Insurance. By registering early, you’ll be able to access guidance to help you to understand your tax obligations such as record keeping, filing and payments deadlines, and the potential for a first tax payment to include a payment on account. Thousands of people chose to get ahead of the game this year – more than 63,500 customers filed their tax return on 6 April 2021, the first day of the tax year. Filing early means you know what tax you owe. The sooner you file, the more time you have to plan and budget for the tax you need to pay. And it doesn’t mean you have to pay your tax any earlier, you still have until the deadline on 31 January 2022 to pay your tax. For those worried about paying their tax bill, make sure you access the support and advice that’s available to you as we may be able to help by arranging an affordable payment plan. Visit GOV.UK and search ‘time to pay’. If you have been affected by COVID-19 and reached out for financial support, it is important to remember that you will have to declare any grants or payments you received from COVID-19 support schemes up to 5 April as these are taxable. This includes: Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) Other COVID-19 grants and support payments such as self-isolation payments, local authority grants and Eat Out to Help Out However, the £500 one off payment for working households receiving tax credits does not need to be reported in your Self Assessment. To find out which COVID-19 grant or support payments to include on your tax return, you can visit Reporting coronavirus (COVID-19) grants and support payments on GOV.UK for more information. So, start preparing for your Self Assessment now and leave yourself enough time to get the relevant documents together. Check your information is correct and set aside time to enter your details. The easiest way to file your tax return is online. You can do it at a time that suits you and it doesn’t even have to be completed all in one sitting. You can work around your busy schedule and your business by saving your progress in stages and coming back to it again and again. To find out more visit Self Assessment on GOV.UK.
British Gas has become the latest organisation to sign up to the UK’s main F-Gas register REFCOM as it seeks to keep pace with growing demand for heat pump installations. The energy giant’s social housing subsidiary PH Jones maintains more than 195,000 homes across the UK. It supports 23 social housing providers, has carried out almost half a million service calls and installs more than 11,000 heating systems and 850 renewable projects annually. A growing number of these installations now involve renewable systems with noticeable growth in heat pumps. It is actively recruiting to increase its team of skilled engineers and grow installation work backed up by ongoing expert service and maintenance. With the social housing sector moving more quickly towards low and zero carbon targets than other parts of the residential market, British Gas said upskilling the PH Jones workforce was a priority. “The industry is clearly suffering from an acute skills shortage, and it is crucial that large employers like us step up to address it,” said PH Jones director Matt Isherwood. “As well as bringing new engineers into the sector, we also need to upskill our existing workforce, particularly those already involved in boiler installations and other ‘traditional’ heating projects. “They will be crucial to delivering high performing heat pump systems in line with the government’s ambitions, but the technology does require specialist skills. We recognise the importance of making sure everyone working for us is properly trained, accredited, and able to comply with legislation. Credentials “That is why we were very keen to become REFCOM members as it is the best way to demonstrate our credentials and support higher standards across the sector,” he added. The government has set the industry the challenge of installing 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028 – an almost ten-fold increase on current rates – and the Climate Change Committee believes 19 million will have to be installed to meet the country’s net zero carbon emissions target by 2050. PH Jones already has 11 F-gas qualified engineers and a larger team specialising in its renewables work. The agreement it has signed with REFCOM will allow it to eventually register many more certified operatives in line with its plans to expand its workforce. Founded in 1963, it now employs around 600 staff. Its social housing and facilities management business was acquired by British Gas in 2011. It received a ROSPA gold medal in 2019 following five successive years of receiving the prestigious health & safety initiative’s gold award. REFCOM is celebrating 25 years of helping refrigeration and air conditioning companies demonstrate their business and technical credentials and promoting higher professional standards of refrigerant management. Originally set up as a voluntary scheme in 1996 by a group of contractors who wanted to demonstrate their commitment to high professional standards and responsible refrigerant handling, it became the mandatory register for compliance with the European F-Gas regulation in 2009. It recently recorded its 7,000th company membership, which represents an estimated 90% of the total number of firms operating in the refrigeration and air conditioning sectors. The UK continues to ‘mirror’ the F-Gas Regulation despite its departure from the EU, which means that all personnel carrying out installation, commissioning, decommissioning, repairing, maintenance, or servicing of stationary refrigeration, air-conditioning or heat pump equipment that contains or is designed to contain F-Gas refrigerants must hold the relevant designated qualifications.www.phjones.co.uk/www.refcom.org.uk
North West Leicestershire District Council Leaders visit to see employment and skills initiatives in action Following the launch of the on-site ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre at Mercia Park, Winvic Construction Ltd – a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects – and its client, IM Properties (IMP), has unveiled a Sustainability and Innovation Hub (SIH) at the same Leicestershire site. The Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC), Richard Blunt, Deputy Leader, Richard Ashman, and Chief Executive, Bev Smith, visited the site to see first-hand the progress of the 238-acre employment park, and experience some of the training taking place as part of the scheme’s employment and skills commitments. The visit included the impressive civils and infrastructure works that Winvic has delivered, the recently handed-over 550,000 sq ft facility for DSV and the progress of Jaguar Land Rover’s 2.94 million sq ft global parts logistics centre, as well as Winvic and IM Properties’ commitment to sustainability and innovation that has culminated in the opening of the first satellite Sustainability and Innovation Hub. The Hub comprises three zones – Sustainability, Innovation and Learning – which provide areas to showcase Mercia Park’s sustainability credentials, demonstrate Winvic’s digital advancements, train Winvic’s staff and supply chain more creatively than ever and inspire young people through educational visits. Its proximity to the ‘Future of Construction’ Training Centre also means both facilities can be used for linked training activities. One key feature of the SIH is a 360-degree BIM CAVE area, which will aid the BIM design process in a real-time scenario by facilitating design team meetings and workshops and help develop VR imagery for health and safety training. Unlike the BIM CAVE located at Winvic’s Centre for Innovative Construction, it is a 360-degree resource where Virtual Reality (VR) 3D design models can be viewed as an immersive room experience, without a headset. Members of Winvic’s supply chain have partnered with the main contractor to bring the SIH to life, while IMP has provided the land. Carter Accommodation has supplied the cabins, Bespoke Construction the internal partitions and glazing; the PV and battery storage has been provided by Ivegate and the interactive screens by Walter Miles Electrical, while A & L Block Paving has undertaken all works to the external areas. Winvic has also sourced all the internal and external wall graphics and signage for the Hub through local social enterprise Nuneaton Signs. Also found within the SIH, there is an interactive meeting room, training and learning space and an area with a 3D printer. Visitors, such as school, college and university students, can also get hands on with Winvic’s digital Operation and Maintenance Manuals, whereby they can access sections of a design manual, maintenance guidance or 360-degree photos by using QR codes, in the same way end-users can within their finished building. Not only did the visiting party from NWLDC get hands-on, enjoy a demonstration of the BIM CAVE and see the facilities, but they also witnessed PGL Midlands delivering Face-fit training for Bespoke Construction, onsite and classroom IPAF Training being delivered onsite by Nationwide. Activities also included an interactive demonstration at the Sika Concrete Mobile Training Laboratory and a tour of the on-site concrete batching plant as part of Hanson’s concrete sustainability CPD training. To end the visit, Winvic and IMP took the NWLDC Leader, Deputy Leader and Chief Executive on a Mercia Park site tour where they saw the progress of the Jaguar Land Rover project. Winvic’s Technical Director, Tim Reeve, who sits on the company’s Sustainability Leadership Team, commented: “The Sustainability and Innovation Hub – the second facility we have launched with IM Properties at Mercia Park in a matter of weeks – is testament to both company’s commitment to the future of construction, which has sustainability and innovation at its very heart. We can’t thank IM Properties – and our suppliers – enough for their willingness to drive this initiative in partnership with us. “Mercia Park’s green and state-of-the-art digital credentials make it the ideal location for the facility. It’s not only an operational digital design centre for Winvic, IM Properties, consultants and suppliers to utilise, but it also showcases the scheme and our team’s innovative initiatives and acts as an education and training centre for young people in the community. The value of such a facility and the broader was clearly seen by the visitors from North West Leicestershire District Council who were enthused all day, and we’re now looking forward to welcoming schools, college and universities, as well as more companies in our supply chain, to the Hub.” David Smith, planning director for IM Properties added: “It is great to see the commitments we made at the planning stage of the project, being turned into reality. It has been an incredibly difficult period in which to mobilise these activities, however our creative thinking, partnership approach, persistence and passion to maximise the employment and skills outcomes associated with the project, is beginning to yield some very positive outcomes. “Winvic is particularly proactive and we are delighted to be able to host their first Sustainability and Innovation Hub to showcase our joint ambitions to deliver net zero in construction on site as part of our overall commitments as a business to achieve new targets for improving our carbon footprint over the next decade.” Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council said it was great to see first-hand the approach to zero carbon and sustainable development Mercia Park was championing. “Mercia Park is an example of how a development can make a range of significant contributions to an area, both in terms of employment and community infrastructure. The green credentials of the development are very positive. As a council we are committed to being Zero Carbon by 2030 and we want others to follow our lead. To see the sustainability at Mercia Park is very inspiring.” For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news
The Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Mrs Terri Beer, was among those celebrating the achievements of a group of veterans who have retrained in construction thanks to a partnership between City College Plymouth, Sherford Skills Training Centre, and Building Heroes. The veterans were joined by College staff and local dignitaries for the Building Heroes graduation ceremony on Friday 15 October. The ceremony took place at Sherford’s revolutionary £370,000 Skills Training Centre, which was created to address the region’s skills shortage. It was funded by the Sherford Consortium – a partnership between Taylor Wimpey and Vistry Partnerships – and opened its doors in 2018. The centre has supported the training and development of hundreds of apprentices and armed service leavers, created hundreds of jobs, and enabled users to retrain and upskill across trades. The Building Heroes course teaches construction skills to veterans, service leavers and direct family members, offering them the training they need to start new careers whilst also providing new talent to an industry that is experiencing a shortage in new workers. Steven Ricketts, Sherford Skills Training Coordinator, said: “I would first like to congratulate all of the students who have worked extremely hard to complete their course. It is never easy to start over, especially for those whose previous careers were in the Armed Forces as it can sometimes be challenging to adjust to civilian life. “They have all excelled in their training and shown real dedication to learning the skills that will help them start new careers. I’m pleased they are able to mark their achievements with their families as it is the first graduation ceremony we have been able to hold since the COVID-19 pandemic.” The students – a combination of military personnel in a resettlement period and unemployed veterans – took part in the fully-funded construction skills course over five weeks, with the aim of securing future careers in construction. They received tuition and hands-on instruction in various areas of construction and safety and can now progress to a higher level of study or find employment working on construction sites. The Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Councillor Terri Beer, said: “It was a real joy to preside over today’s celebrations and acknowledge the achievements of a group who have a genuine determination to learn new skills. “Construction is such a vital industry for Plymouth and a pillar of resurgam; all those who complete a Building Heroes course will be essential to our city’s development and growth. I wish them all every success in the future.” Karen Jefford, Chief Operations Officer of Building Heroes, said: “The charity’s focus has always been to support these men and women by offering them new opportunities for successful, long-term careers. “Building Heroes is also helping to meet the local skills shortage in construction, so it is great to know we are also supporting this essential industry.” Building Heroes first started delivering the courses at Sherford in 2019 and it was the first in the country to run on a live construction site. City College joined the partnership in 2020 when its staff took over teaching the students, in line with the College’s strategic plans for supporting the local construction industry through training new tradespeople, and also improving health and wellbeing by providing routes into fulfilling careers. The charity reports that there are around 120,000 unemployed military veterans of working age in Britain today. Figures also reveal the UK construction industry is facing a massive skills shortage, with 217,000 new construction workers needed by 2025. With Plymouth known for its considerable military population; this is an especially appropriate place for veterans to be given a new opportunity. For more information about Building Heroes and how to register for a Building Heroes course, please visit www.buildingheroes.org.uk.
In the Czech Republic, refurbishment of family houses dating from the 1970s is often not worthwhile and a good number of these properties are demolished. This was the case with a house in Rudná near Prague, which the owner had decided to demolish. However, quotes from companies to do the work were very expensive, so the owner decided to investigate other methods for carrying out the project. Other factors to consider included the relatively small plot of land on which the house was built, with the neighbour’s fence in close proximity and also the presence of a beautiful walnut tree, which needed to be protected during the work. In the end, the owner chose to carry out the work themselves with the help of a friend, Jiří Vrzáček, who is an industry expert, who regularly reviews machines and methods for this type of work and has carried out other demolition projects of this sort in the past. Jiří approached the project very analytically and found out which demolition solution would be the most effective, in terms of speed, overall costs and the lowest possible risk of damage to the environment. He considered three approaches – comparing the use of a large 22 tonne excavator, a classic backhoe loader or a combination of a compact excavator and a compact loader. Compact Demolition Solution Wins Out Demolition with a large excavator would be very fast, but spatially, this solution proved unrealistic and working with a backhoe loader would take too long. In the end, they chose to use a pair of machines with precisely divided tasks: the demolition work was undertaken using a new Bobcat E55z mini-excavator and the loading of debris by a new Bobcat T76 compact track loader. This combination, together with the use of specialized attachments, proved to be very effective: in just six hours, the house was completely demolished to ground level. Overall, the demolition and complete removal of debris was completed in a record two days and it was only the delays in trucks arriving at the site to take away the spoil that meant a second day was needed. Jiří Vrzáček said: “We started the demolition very carefully – we tore down the chimneys and gables by hand, due to the proximity of the neighbour. This was followed by lightning-fast demolition, which we actually had done in six hours. Next in line was the loading of 400 tonne of material, where we were mainly limited by the speed of debris removal from the site. “Here the power of specialized technology was fully demonstrated: the E55z excavator with a hydraulic grab gradually dismantled the house and piled the debris to one side at the same time as sorting through the material rather than by hand. The T76 compact track loader was then able to load 32 tonne of debris in 15 minutes. Thanks to quality planning and a really careful selection of equipment, including the attachments, we managed to reduce costs by almost half.” The Bobcat Machines Used in the House Demolition An E55z mini-excavator, which features Bobcat’s unique Zero House Swing (ZHS) feature, adding another level of protection to the standard zero tail swing design, providing full peace of mind when operating the machine near walls and other obstacles. The E55z has an operating weight of 5346 kg and offers a maximum reach at ground level of 5843 mm. The T76 is the largest of the new R-Series compact track loaders that Bobcat began manufacturing at the end of 2020. The T76 has a tipping load of 4050 kg. It can lift a load to a maximum height of 3.20 m. Attachments – they included a hydraulic sorting grab, hydraulic hammers, grapple buckets and standard buckets and others. For more information about Bobcat and Bobcat products, visit www.bobcat.com
Europe’s leading provider of low carbon cement solutions, Ecocem, has opened a world-class innovation centre in Paris to accelerate the development of new technology and products that will help the cement and construction industries decarbonise more quickly. The dedicated centre, known as the Centre of Excellence, will enable Ecocem’s innovation team to focus on testing, evaluating, and improving its new ultra-low carbon solutions which reduce the carbon footprint of the traditional cement manufacturing process by half. Ecocem has always been a first mover. For more than 20 years, the company has led the development of cement which emits just 200kg of CO2 per tonne, compared to the more than 600kg of traditional cement. It currently provides the lowest carbon cement ever used in Europe at scale, reducing the CO2 footprint by over a factor of eight. At the new Centre of Excellence, the Ecocem innovation team will run industrial-sized trials in collaboration with trusted industry partners and universities including Paris-Saclay University and The University of Toulouse. Located in France’s largest research cluster, the Centre’s opening follows recent backing of Ecocem from Breakthrough Energy Ventures – a coalition of private investors led by Bill Gates, supporting innovations that will lead the world to net zero emissions. Laurent Frouin, Ecocem’s Innovation Director, said: “Ecocem is committed to the deep and rapid decarbonisation of the global cement industry. It is essential for the planet and future generations, and it can be achieved through innovation and technology. “The cement and construction industries are developing and deploying a range of emission reduction technologies – Ecocem and our new Centre of Excellence will add a further dimension to these efforts.”
Daniel May, Director at Consort Architectural Hardware, discusses the role door hardware plays in improving hygiene within public building environments. Health and hygiene are delicate themes, particularly in today’s settings. Both our homes and public building environments can have a huge impact on our wellbeing, and over the past few years, this fact has only been exemplified. Eighty percent of common infections are spread by touch and every 30 minutes, the average person is said to touch surfaces that expose them to 840,000 germs. These germs are prevalent in buildings too, where touchpoints are areas or items that are used by several individuals. Within workplace environments for example, door handles are the most touched surface and can be associated with cross-contamination and health risks. At present, the need to improve hygiene within our building environments, understandably, carries a greater significance than it maybe once did. But in truth, when it comes to building design, the process of protecting occupants and visitors against infection – especially those most vulnerable – should never be overlooked. Design for Bacteria Control Over the past two years, we’ve seen building environments closed, reopened and the process repeated. The idea of reducing footfall in facilities was key in fighting the rising infection rates associated with the coronavirus. But now, that footfall has returned. Once again, those critical touchpoints such as door handles are harbouring germs. In fact, research has shown that the coronavirus can survive on surfaces for hours, and even days on metal door handles – and the same can be said for the common flu. In response, we’ve seen government campaigns promoting hand washing, sanitising and distance-making in the wake of a return to public facilities. Undoubtedly, infection control methods such as hand washing and systematic cleaning are the most guaranteed way of controlling cross-contamination – yet, still these methods can become redundant when faced with human error or relaxed conventions within public buildings. Building design can play an important role here. Daniel May, Director at Consort explains: “We’re at a point where decision makers are under pressure to keep building hygiene standards as high as ever before. And outside of the clear-cut hygiene measures, it’s understood that more can be done throughout the building design process, with architectural hardware selection at the core of decisions. “Door hardware is the first touchpoint when entering, exiting or navigating a building, and can be one of the most bacteria-ridden. Yet, the latest in hardware advancements could give facility managers an edge in the fight against infection, especially in healthcare facilities, such as hospitals for example, where footfall is high and the need to maintain strict sterile environments already exists. “For added protection against bacteria, facilities can implement tailored anti-microbial hardware and finishes. Anti-microbial coatings applied to door handles are precisely formulated to prevent bacteria build-up upon the surface by interrupting cell multiplication. Some door seal solutions also make use of modern anti-bacterial technology, embedding it within the aluminium and silicone of the door seal during production, further reducing the spread of bacteria in high traffic areas.” The Care Quality Commission (CQC) sets a regulation that cleanliness and effective infection control is a necessity for care and hospital locations. As well as best practice methods, healthcare environments are encouraged to introduce innovative infection control methods where possible. Similarly, under The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, decision makers have an active duty to keep inhabitants safe and their environments clean. And aside from the use of antimicrobial solutions, many are challenged to provide hygienically maintained environments without sacrificing fire or safety standards. Daniel adds: “Facilities with high footfall must also consider ventilation and ease of movement. Whether in healthcare, commercial or public environments, both are key elements of efficient building management and when done effectively, can further help inhibit the spread of infection by ensuring fresh air is consistently making its way through halls and rooms. “The most effective way to improve ventilation throughout a building is by opening its windows and doors. This creates an inlet for fresh air and an outlet for the old air, and with access points open, minimises the need to touch door handles. Yet, when focusing on airflow, it’s inopportune to disregard fire safety. Too many times, we’ve seen facilities fall foul of leaving fire doors propped open in favour of improving ventilation and ease of access – but simply put, it’s illegal to do so and leaves fire doors wholly ineffective in a fire situation. “Modern exit systems are purpose built to ensure fire doors can be left open safely and securely. Automatic door controls make use of sensors which activate the operator devices connected to the main access doors. In turn, this aids access and egress when required and closes the doors shut when necessary. In the event of a fire, the alarm is sounded, and the doors close automatically – ensuring safety is never compromised. What’s more, these systems can be integrated with the external building security, reducing risk on all fronts. “Ultimately, when paired with regular cleaning practices, these modern solutions can play an assist role in the fight against infection, helping to maintain building hygiene as well as the obligatory standards associated with building and fire safety.” Infection Control at Consort Consort’s bespoke specification services extend to hygienic solutions, offering users tailored products to suit the needs of any building infrastructure. Antimicrobial finishes can be applied to any touch products and door seals, of which are already supplied to large complex hospitals around the world including Pamela Youde in Hong Kong and the Metropolitan Hospital in Birmingham. Find out more here: https://www.consortme.com/hygienic-solutions
SEGRO V-Park Grand Union will deliver 134,500 sq ft of light industrial space over six storeys The development forms part of Grand Union, a vibrant new canalside neighbourhood of over 3,000 homes being delivered by St George located in Alperton, close to Park Royal St George, a leading mixed use developer in London and member of the Berkeley Group, and SEGRO, the leading owner and developer of warehouse space, have formed a 50:50 joint venture to bring forward their first urban multi-storey industrial development in the UK as part of a major mixed use neighbourhood at Grand Union being delivered by St George in Brent, North West London. The pioneering development will provide 134,500 sq ft of flexible light industrial space over six storeys and support up to 500 jobs and apprenticeships. The industrial development, to be called SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, is an innovative new concept for delivering multi-storey light industrial property and is designed to maximise employment space and accessibility on the 1.7-acre plot. The concept fully supports the aspirations in the GLA’s new London Plan to intensify industrial land, delivering jobs and homes as part of the regeneration of a wider brownfield site. It forms part of Grand Union, a new canal-side destination which is being delivered by St George. The 22-acre former derelict Northfields Industrial Estate is being transformed into a vibrant new mixed-use neighbourhood in Alperton compromising 3,350 homes, 35% of which will be affordable with first residents being welcomed later this year, delivering much needed homes and jobs to the London Borough of Brent. Grand Union will provide 10.2 acres of publicly accessible landscaped gardens, a net biodiversity gain of 240%, community centre, health centre, local supermarket and a range of onsite amenities. The new neighbourhood will also open up previously inaccessible parts of the Grand Union Canal and River Brent to the local community, creating improved routes around Grand Union and to nearby Stonebridge Park Station. Within SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, the ground and first floors will be utilised to provide over 100 parking spaces, with electric vehicle charging points also being incorporated. The flexible industrial space is arranged over four upper levels which can be configured as up to 20 individual units offering a range of sizes, supported by shared meeting rooms, breakout areas and wellness spaces, including a green roof terrace. The development will incorporate sustainability features such as photovoltaic cells and an internal green wall. Construction is expected to begin in Summer 2022. SEGRO V-Park Grand Union expands SEGRO’s footprint in North West London. It is located close to Tudor Estate and Premier Park at Park Royal and will front onto the North Circular (A406), providing excellent connectivity to the M1 and M25. Piers Clanford, Managing Director, St George Plc, said: “Grand Union has been carefully designed with the local community to create an exciting new canalside neighbourhood, delivering high quality homes and vital jobs offering a wealth of amenities and uses within beautiful public spaces. SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is a key part of the redevelopment of this complex brownfield regeneration site in bringing even further opportunity for job creation, aligning with the Borough of Brent and the GLA’s ambitions. We look forward to working with SEGRO on this exciting project.” Alan Holland, Managing Director, Greater London at SEGRO, said: “SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is a new model for delivering much-needed light industrial space as part of mixed-use communities. “We are strong advocates for multi-storey warehousing in some urban settings given the pressure on land supply and the need to create space that supports different types of employment. We have successfully delivered multi-storey logistics at scale in Paris and now have the opportunity at Grand Union to adapt this format for a smaller urban site. “This regeneration project is a template for how to revitalise under-utilised industrial land to deliver much needed housing and jobs and we look forward to working with the GLA, London Borough of Brent and St George to bring forward these exciting plans.” Councillor Shama Tatler, Lead Member for Regeneration, Property and Planning at London Borough of Brent, said: “SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is a welcome addition to the borough. Not only will it support hundreds of new jobs during its creation, but it will also provide high quality industrial floorspace suitable for operating in the light industrial industry. V-Park will attract a range of occupiers – from start-up to more established businesses. “Later this year we will be welcoming our first residents to Grand Union as part of our partnership with St George and we look forward to seeing them settle into their new homes as the development transforms into a thriving place to live, work and connect.” Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills at the Greater London Authority, said: “SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is a very welcome, innovative approach to industrial intensification that will form part of an exciting new mixed-use development in London. The development will provide high quality homes, whilst creating much needed industrial workspace for a rich variety of small businesses that will create hundreds of jobs in the community. We are looking forward to SEGRO and St George delivering a new, vibrant, mixed-use scheme that will bring affordable homes and jobs to Brent”.
In line with the Paris Agreement, the organisation previously set a goal of cutting its carbon footprint by 34% by 2025, however – having exceeded that target already this year – Sodexo has today laid out its comprehensive roadmap to net zero and decarbonisation of its UK and Ireland business Sodexo has today announced a comprehensive roadmap to net zero and decarbonisation of the business in the UK and Ireland. The organisation, which provides a diverse range of services to large business and public sector clients, has been working with international experts, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), to ensure that its net zero strategy is thorough, impactful and transparent. Sodexo has been working with SBTi as one of 80 companies chosen to road test the target validation criteria and guidance for SBTi’s upcoming Net-Zero Standard. This road test was set up to ensure the criteria, guidance and net-zero target setting tools, that SBTi will give to companies once the Standard launches in October, are robust, clear and practical. The SBTi drives ambitious climate action by enabling companies to set science-based emissions reduction targets, in line with a 1.5-degree future. Sodexo’s original Group target – validated by SBTi – to reduce carbon emissions* by 34% by 2025 (against a 2017 baseline) formed part of Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow commitment. Having already exceeded this, the UK&I business – which employs in excess of 30,000 people – will now set its sights on becoming Carbon Neutral*** in its direct operations by 2025. The next step on Sodexo UK&I’s roadmap will be to reduce carbon emissions** across all three scopes by 55% by 2030. The inclusion of every single component of the business’ operations across scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions has enabled Sodexo UK&I to achieve SBTi validation once again for this near-term target. The final step announced today is a decarbonisation of the entire business, with 90% of all carbon emissions**** cut across all three scopes – accounting for suppliers and client sites, not just direct operations. This long-term target – to be achieved no later than 2045 – will be submitted for review by the SBTi with validation to be confirmed and announced in early 2022. Sean Haley, Chairman, Sodexo UK and Ireland said: “The commitments we make today are the culmination of an extraordinary amount of work from our world-class team of sustainability experts. Their unswerving dedication to developing, not just a set of targets, but a detailed action plan to achieve them, gives me absolute confidence in our future ability to not just meet but to exceed our net zero goals. This will enable us to continue to support and improve the communities in which we live, work and serve.” Claire Atkins-Morris Director of Corporate Responsibility, Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “Not all net zero commitments are created equal. This is a hugely complex topic, and it has been critically important to us throughout the process of creating this carbon reduction roadmap that we are committing to something that is truly meaningful, and that we are absolutely transparent in this. “It may seem cautious, but we want to be crystal clear in how we are tackling climate change, setting an achievable target that we can be confident we can monitor and measure. We would rather be conservative today and exceed our goals tomorrow – and this is what our roadmap ensures.” Alex Lankester, Director of Partnerships, WWF-UK said: “As a long-term partner to Sodexo, we are delighted to see them take this extremely thorough approach to their net zero goals. Given the scope and scale of the business, the magnitude of this commitment to decarbonisation across all components of all three scopes should not be underestimated. We would strongly urge more businesses to set a science-based target in line with a 1.5-degree future. This is exactly what’s needed to move the dial.” At the heart of Sodexo’s roadmap to net zero is the aim to reduce its own carbon footprint, leaving a maximum of 10% emissions, before neutralising the impact of any source of residual emissions that cannot be eliminated through permanent carbon dioxide removals. Sodexo’s carbon reduction plan, which will enable the organisation to achieve these goals, includes: The launch of a 100% hybrid and electric vehicle company car policy. Ongoing membership of the Climate Group’s RE100 initiative and procuring 100% renewable electricity by 2022. Switching to 100% reusable, recyclable and compostable packaging by 2025. Increasing the number of plant-based meals and recipes to 33% by 2025 Tackling food waste at all appropriate sites through our WasteWatch powered by LeanPath programme and reducing food waste by 50% by 2025. A thorough responsible sourcing strategy that facilities better working with suppliers Working with clients to achieve net zero collaboratively. As a corporate citizen, Sodexo has for over 50 years placed the responsibility to protect the planet at the forefront of our operational strategy; mindfully conducting our business to create a positive impact on the planet. Visit our website to learn more about our social impact pledge and the planet impact pathway.
Industrious, the highest-rated workplace provider in the industry, and Barings, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, today announce the opening of Hana by Industrious St. Peter’s Square. The 32,000 square foot flexible workplace is located across the ground, second and third floors of Landmark, Barings’ award-winning 180,000 square-foot development in the heart of Manchester City Centre. Hana by Industrious St. Peter’s Square marks Industrious’ second location in Manchester, growing the brand’s regional network to four locations across the U.K. The new flexible workplace is easily accessible via public transportation, and is just steps from Piccadilly Station and St. Peter’s Square. “As we continue to experience significant demand from global occupiers to incorporate greater flexibility into their workplace strategies, the opening of our St. Peter’s Square location couldn’t come at a more opportune moment,” said Ralph Dorey, Managing Director, UK at Industrious. “We’re thrilled to expand our reach in this thriving metro area, and provide an ideal flexible workplace solution for companies looking to either enter Manchester for the first time, or grow their current footprint, in an incredible destination building like Landmark.” Hana by Industrious St. Peter’s Square features 23 private offices accommodating one – 300+ people (Hana Team), multiple conference rooms with state-of-the-art technology to accommodate in-person and hybrid work (Hana Meet), and coworking spaces for individual workers (Hana Share). Private offices come with an array of branding options for occupiers, enterprise-grade technology and customisable layouts. The space also features a cafe, multiple lounge and seating areas perfectly suited for group meetings and collaboration. In a commitment to providing an engaging workplace experience, members can expect complimentary daily breakfast, coffee, tea and snacks, and a weekly calendar of virtual and in-person programming. Additional services include high-speed and secure Wi-Fi, mailing and printing capabilities, on-site support from a dedicated Community Manager, access to a global network of workspace and more. Hana by Industrious will also support Landmark tenants with overflow meeting and coworking space, and the ability for direct lease occupiers of the building to expand into flexible private offices as needed. Further information including additional amenities, how to book a tour and pricing can be found here. Ian Mayhew, Managing Director at Barings, said: “The Hana by Industrious centre is a key component of the inclusive offering we have at Landmark and is launching at a time when flex space plays an increasingly integral role in business strategy. Not only does the space provide opportunities for businesses and individuals to take advantage of the benefits of a world-class building, it also offers additional options to the global occupiers we have in the other floors of the building.” Completed in 2020, the 180,000 sq ft award-winning Landmark development offers 14 floors of BREEAM Excellent and Wired Score Platinum certified, office space in Manchester City Centre. Barings’ focus on well-being, customer experience, sustainability and technological infrastructure at Landmark has delivered a world-class office building with the capacity to support the implementation of Hana by Industrious’ high-quality and hospitality-driven operations. Landmark also provides all-important facilities for existing and future tenants, including the introduction of contactless technologies enabling touch-free movement within the building, access to secured bike spaces, an eleventh-floor terrace, a fully equipped locker room with showers, electric car charging stations and more. Landmark has received overwhelming support from Manchester City Council as the concluding project for the prime St Peter’s Square business district, where substantial private and public sector capital has transformed the area and attracted high-profile occupiers in recent years. Leasing agents on Landmark are CBRE, Colliers and JLL. For more information, please visit www.industriousoffice.com or www.landmarkmanchester.co.uk.