GRAHAM has completed the £45m restoration and refurbishment of The Grand Hotel in Birmingham. The privately-owned contractor finalised the project in the Autumn of 2020, following a complex 30-month construction programme, which has since been labelled as a stunning transformation and shortlisted in the 2021 Building Awards, in the ‘Project
Following a detailed assessment by the Buildings Research Establishment (BRE), Mixergy’s smart hot water tank is now featured in the exclusive Appendix Q product database. This allows designers and landlords to factor additional carbon savings into the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), upon which Environmental Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Dwelling Emission rates are based. Mixergy’s smart hot water tank only heats what
Places for People Group has today launched a new initiative which will help young women establish careers in construction. The Group is actively encouraging applications onto its Women into Trades programme – an initiative born out of a commitment to diversity and inclusion. It will offer currently unemployed women aged 18-24 in
TODD Architects has submitted a planning application for 780 new homes at Queen’s Island in the heart of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. On approval, the multi-million-pound scheme known as The Loft Lines would become one of the largest new residential construction projects in the UK and forms part of Belfast’s wider
The development worth close to EUR 50 million is the first phase of one of the largest megaparks in the country and can be handed over in Q1 2022 The first column has been placed of the first 45,000 sq m warehouse in Fót, which is an important milestone in
Following Highways England’s rebrand to National Highways and its recent announcement to change its current contract mechanisms, Winvic Construction Ltd has been awarded two Lot contracts across four regions within the new Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF). Winvic is one of 50 contractors to deliver £3.6 billion of road renewal works
There is never a better time to build your own house than right now. It doesn’t matter whether the market is better for sellers or buyers, the timing will always be right to plan a house build. It takes time to work on a design with the right building company,
Tritax Symmetry has marked the start of work on site to develop 190,000 sq ft logistics / warehouse accommodation with an official ground-breaking ceremony at MA6NITUDE in Middlewich, Cheshire. Main contractor GMI Construction has commenced the construction of units 11 and 12, which will offer 149,000 sq ft and 41,000
More than 50 organisations operating within the property sector have penned an open letter to the Government to use Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) to create a database for the public and private sectors. The idea is to allow UPRN data available at a large scale so that organisations can
With a 450% increase in buyer enquiries for properties in Devon since the start of the pandemic, housing market activity in the South West is strong for Burrington Estates. Thanks to excellent sales, the Exeter based residential and commercial property business had a turnover of £70m in 2020. Building on
GRAHAM has completed the £45m restoration and refurbishment of The Grand Hotel in Birmingham. The privately-owned contractor finalised the project in the Autumn of 2020, following a complex 30-month construction programme, which has since been labelled as a stunning transformation and shortlisted in the 2021 Building Awards, in the ‘Project of the Year category’. Core elements of the scheme included stripping out the property, renovation works, installations and defect rectifications, and the interior fit-out of approximately 15,254m2 of internal floor space. The iconic Grade II listed building, which was originally built in 1879, overlooks the city’s prestigious Colmore Row and, in the past, it welcomed guests including The Prince of Wales and Winston Churchill. In a nod to the building’s rich history, the illustrious heritage has been sensitively retained, including the French Renaissance exterior, while its elaborate internal decoration pays homage to Birmingham’s rich history, but with a modern twist. GRAHAM has constructed 185 opulent rooms, including a variety of grand suites with stunning views across St Phillip’s Cathedral, a garden terrace, a Victorian style Grand Ballroom, and an eye-catching grand staircase. The renovation project also made provision for two bars and a destination restaurant, a hotel gym, and state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces. Commenting on the return of the hotel back to its former glory, Ronan Hughes, GRAHAM Regional Director – Midlands, said: “It is a stunning transformation, and GRAHAM is proud of our meaningful contribution in making it a reality. The attention to detail, finish and quality of work are exceptional, and reflect the ambitious vision behind the restoration of The Grand Hotel. This was a complex project for many reasons, with challenges throughout the programme. But the technical expertise, hard work and dedication of our team ensured that we were able to find intelligent solutions at every stage. We continue to expand our presence in Birmingham, and this exemplar project will be a touchpoint for us across the Midlands region. Undoubtedly, The Grand Hotel will be one of the city’s most in-demand destinations.” Darrel Owens, Development Director for The Grand Hotel, said: “The Grand Hotel was five years in the making, with the added complication of Covid-19 thrown into the mix. The final product is breath-taking. My congratulations and respect go to the people who made this project happen, including all of the team at GRAHAM.” The Grand Hotel’s opening was delayed due to COVID restrictions but it recently opened to visitors on 18th May 2021. The winners of the 2021 Building Awards will be announced at the awards ceremony on the 2nd November, at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.
Following a detailed assessment by the Buildings Research Establishment (BRE), Mixergy’s smart hot water tank is now featured in the exclusive Appendix Q product database. This allows designers and landlords to factor additional carbon savings into the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), upon which Environmental Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Dwelling Emission rates are based. Mixergy’s smart hot water tank only heats what is needed, unlike a conventional cylinder which heats the whole contents. This minimises the primary carbon used to generate a dwelling’s hot water, while maximising the availability of cold water for storing renewably generated energy; from Solar PV, for example. This uniquely stratified method of heating water is now factored into the SAP Appendix Q database, allowing social landlords (under RdSAP) and new developers (under SAP 2012 and SAP 10) to recognise the full benefit of using Mixergy in their projects; whether new build or retrofit. Not only will the user experience be enhanced by the smartest cylinder on the market, but asset managers and developers can also benefit from more energy efficient SAP certified properties. In short, developers or homeowners that choose to install the Mixergy tank will now be able to accurately calculate and report its effect on the energy efficiency of a heating and hot water system – and include that information in the dwelling’s overall EPC rating. For simplistic systems using a standalone Mixergy cylinder, the SAP assessor can now factor a partial state of charge, rather than standing heat losses at 100% of the heated volume. While this offers a modest carbon saving itself, the maximum benefit is achieved when the dwelling uses Mixergy’s solar PV embedded cylinder. This product variant allows maximum local storage of solar PV in the cylinder, offsetting a considerable amount of primary carbon. Depending on factors such as property age, size, and construction – and cylinder heat source (direct or indirect) –installing a Mixergy tank can reduce hot water bills by £160 per year (e.g. 3 bed semi, direct electric with 4kWp solar array), and lower carbon by >135kg/CO2/annum (e.g. 3 bed semi, indirect with 4kWp solar array). David White, Business Development Director, Mixergy, explains: ‘’Official recognition, within the SAP process, of Mixergy’s lower running costs and carbon footprint is a significant step-change. This special listing allows house designers and developers to take full advantage of Mixergy’s adaptive ‘top up’ heating methodology in their calculations. More specifically: for developers, this means they can offer a better hot water product to their customers, while also demonstrating the carbon savings in their properties’ EPCs; while for social landlords the investment in a Mixergy cylinder not only addresses fuel poverty and the low carbon transition, but can now contribute to their RdSAP calculations – clearly demonstrating the financial benefits of Mixergy.’’ The Mixergy tank can be tailored and purchased via a wide range of channels, including national distributors City Plumbing, Midsummer Energy, Bublshop and more. It has already been successfully deployed across the UK by leading developers such as: Cala Homes (Queenswood, Cammo Meadows); Sero Homes (Parc Eirin); and retrofitted by Ocean Housing and East Devon Council. “Inclusion on Appendix Q is a real milestone for Mixergy,” concludes Martin Allman, Chief Commercial Officer. “It will make the Mixergy tank much more appealing to developers and installers, as they will be able to include it in their SAP calculations – potentially improving EPC ratings and helping them meet new government targets. That’s good for us, great for home owners, and even better for the planet.”
Places for People Group has today launched a new initiative which will help young women establish careers in construction. The Group is actively encouraging applications onto its Women into Trades programme – an initiative born out of a commitment to diversity and inclusion. It will offer currently unemployed women aged 18-24 in six geographical locations, career opportunities within the Group’s affordable housing businesses. The initiative is being delivered by Places for People in partnership with not-for-profit training company Ixion, the Positive Transformation Group – which connects ethical businesses together – and Women into Construction (WiC). Cohorts will undertake an initial seven-week course, during which they will join Q&A sessions with female industry leaders, secure work experience, undertake online training, and be given a free toolkit to help them in their career pursuits. Debi Marriott-Lavery is Group Executive Director – Affordable Housing for Places for People and said: “The UK construction sector is still incredibly male-dominated, with females making up less than 16% of the workforce. I believe that through positive action we can redress the balance, giving young women the skills and training they need to start their career in construction. “This is an incredible sector to be a part of; within our Group we are creating and maintaining affordable homes in exciting new communities across the country. This is a great opportunity for young women to come and be a part of our journey, while also laying solid foundations for their future.” Upon their completion of the initial training programme, 12 graduates will be offered a two-year Level 2 Apprenticeship, working with Places for People Group’s construction repairs and maintenance departments. Following a performance-based review at the end of their apprenticeship, each candidate will then be offered a permanent position with Places for People. Trainees not moving onto the apprenticeship programme will also be supported long-term by Positive Transformation Group, which will help them find alternative training programmes. Kath Moore MBE, Managing Director of WiC said: “We are delighted to work alongside Places for People, a Group which shares our values and commitment to increase female representation in the construction sector. WiC is dedicated to changing the face of construction and is committed to developing new ways to support construction contractors to create lasting change in their businesses – this initiative is a great example of our work in action.” Dan Brown, Founder of Positive Transformation Group added: “Positive Transformation Group is committed to systemic positive change in society with a meritocratic, inclusive and diverse workforce being at the forefront of our vision for the future. Having the opportunity to create powerful collaborations for change with forward thinking industry leaders such as Places for People, HACT and Ixion, really brings this vision of the future to life.” The news comes as Places for People also announced it has signed the Plentific Women’s Trade Network Pledge to further demonstrate its commitment to women in the industry, by removing barriers and providing access to job opportunities, support and training. Debi concluded: “Our Group is committed to establishing a more inclusive organisation, and these are just some of the initiatives we are undertaking right now to help underrepresented groups establish careers. I am proud to announce the programme and look forward to welcoming our trainees in the coming weeks.” The Women into Trades programme will be offered to applicants in Leeds, Derby, Edinburgh, Preston, Huntingdon and Milton Keynes. Applications can be made now by visiting https://www.ixionholdings.com/current-opportunities/women-into-trades-traineeship-for-18-24-year-olds/
TODD Architects has submitted a planning application for 780 new homes at Queen’s Island in the heart of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter. On approval, the multi-million-pound scheme known as The Loft Lines would become one of the largest new residential construction projects in the UK and forms part of Belfast’s wider ambition to deliver over 31,500 new homes in the city by 2035. The Loft Lines is being delivered by Lacuna Developments and Watkin Jones Group in partnership with Titanic Quarter Limited and Belfast Harbour and will comprise an integrated mix of private rented, social and affordable apartment homes. A generous 20 percent will be housing association homes. The accommodation aims to deliver a level of residential amenities unseen in Belfast to date, with proposals including resident lounges, sports and recreational spaces, gyms, flexible working space, private dining spaces, games rooms, cinema rooms and children’s play areas. The development will be fully managed with wi-fi, amenities, gym and other extras included in residents’ rent. The 3.8-acre site has been configured into three blocks of apartments enclosing a one-acre public park and has been designed by TODD Architects to create a new community; a place for residents and visitors to enjoy, with green space, the water’s edge promenade and urban walkways prioritised over cars and roads. The buildings draw reference from Belfast’s industrial past and distinctive docklands rooflines to reflect the history of ship building and fabrication that once resonated on the site. Andrew Murray, Director, TODD Architects said: “Whilst our design for The Loft Lines respects the important industrial heritage of the site, it also looks to the future of urban living, creating a vibrant lifestyle-first community that encourages sustainable and healthy living. This new riverside community says everything about Belfast’s confidence and ambition and we are proud to play a continuing role in the development of this evolving city. Thanks to our clients Lacuna Developments and Watkin Jones Group for their vision and the exciting brief, as well as the constructive support from Belfast City Council during pre-application discussions for this important regeneration project.” Alex Pease, Chief Investment Officer of Watkin Jones Group, said: “The Loft Lines will be a fantastic place to live and a major draw for people to the Titanic Quarter, as well as help to cement Belfast’s fast-growing reputation as one of the world’s most dynamic cities. “The places we build are designed to generate long-term value for the community over many decades and I’m thrilled at the prospect of seeing people make their home here.” The starting point for the design proposals was an ambition to create buildings that engage with the heritage of the Titanic Quarter as it transitions to a vibrant mixed-use community. A palette of clay-based materials has been specified with tones of reds, pinks and browns creating three distinct urban blocks that will be named after the technical skills of those who planned out the life-sized plate patterns of ships on floor of the shipyard’s mould loft, which once stood on the site of the proposed scheme. The three residential buildings have been designed to maximise views to the waterfront and increase natural light levels. Each block has a distinctive communal courtyard, designated as private residential amenity space, with room for informal seating and planted gardens, high-quality paving and materials and spill-out areas for gym classes. The ground and first floors have been planned to create ample space for community-based shops, a creche, local cafes and restaurants, a gym, startups, young companies and local community innovation. The entirety of the waterfront promenade will benefit from active frontages, not only providing useful services and businesses, but also helping to ensure that public areas are welcoming and safe for people of all ages. At the heart of The Loft Lines site is South Yard Square, a one-acre public area and urban woodland with a vibrant blend of smaller active spaces. The Square will be set at a lower level to provide additional shelter and a safe setting for all ages, with different seat areas for play or to take a break, surrounded by formal and informal planting, grass lawns and paths. Perfect for exercise classes and outdoor events, the aim is for the space to become a night-and-day location for everyone to share and enjoy. The proposals include a new 12m-wide 1km long waterfront promenade and a safe, shared pedestrian and cycleway running along the quayside. The promenade has been designed to link the site and the wider area around the Titanic Quarter, helping to create a more accessible location. The developers are working with Maritime Belfast to ensure The Loft Lines section of the Maritime Mile is enriched by art, nature and history, celebrating the area’s industrial heritage and connecting to other features across Queen’s Island and into the city. Connecting South Yard Square and the waterfront promenade, is a central boulevard. This pedestrian-prioritised walkway celebrates The Loft Line’s distinctive historic layout lines. This unique pattern is embedded in the fabric of the boulevard, and repeated in the walkways and spaces between buildings across the site. The developers have also committed to delivering a sustainable, low-carbon development with each building installed with the latest heat pump technology to reduce the site’s reliance on fossil fuels and helping to future proof the development. In line with the Belfast Agenda, which has set a target of a 15% increase in the use of sustainable transport by 2035, The Loft Lines will offer several sustainable travel measures, including ground-floor bike stores with wash down and repair facilities and will aim to reduce the reliance on car-parking with the promotion of other active travel measures.
The development worth close to EUR 50 million is the first phase of one of the largest megaparks in the country and can be handed over in Q1 2022 The first column has been placed of the first 45,000 sq m warehouse in Fót, which is an important milestone in launching one of Hungary’s largest industrial and logistic developments by HelloParks, member of Futureal Group, after the first tenants started to move into another megapark of the company in Maglód. For this energy efficient, BREEAM sustainability standard compliant facility that is developed as a part of a greenfield investment close to the Hungarian capital, the composition of the tenants is already outlined: negotiations are at an advanced stage, mainly with e-commerce, parcel logistics and courier businesses, as well as logistics companies serving a single manufacturing company. Located in the vicinity of Budapest, next to the junction of M0 ringroad and M3 motorway, the work has begun on the 76-ha site in Fót to build one of the largest industrial and logistics centers in the country. In the first phase, HelloParks, member of Europe’s leading real estate development and investment group Futureal, will build a 45,000 sq m warehouse with an investment value of close to EUR 50 million. The first phase is expected to be handed over in Q1 2022 by constructor company Goldbeck Hungaria. With the 76-ha plot, where a total of 330,000 sq m of warehouse and industrial space can be developed, HelloParks Fót is targeting logistics service providers, light industry manufacturers, assembly companies as well as tenants with special requirements. Due to the immediacy of Budapest, the park is also ideal for service providers performing urban distribution, but the industrial and logistics property developer also offers commercial industrial lands for sale with utilities and road connections, available from 1 ha. HelloParks is already conducting advanced negotiations with several companies, mainly with e-commerce, parcel logistics and courier companies, as well as logistics companies serving a single manufacturing company for the first phase of HelloParks Fót, while a webshop company has already signed the rental contract. HelloParks has recently announced another two large developments close to the capital of Hungary, a 100-ha industrial and logistics centre in Páty and a similar development on a 46-ha plot in Maglód where the first big tenant has already moved in. All of the three highly competitive, efficient and sustainable megapark developments that have been launched in just over a year by HelloParks have been driven by the company’s aim to become a key player of the industry, as a first step in Hungary, later on in the whole CEE market, and contribute to the improvement of Hungary’s position in the international logistics market. „In order to improve Hungary’s competitiveness, the construction industry must also change. Logistics companies typically like to move into facilities within a year, which is cannot be properly implemented in such a short time unless the area has already been set. This trend is again something that HelloParks developments can respond to. Keeping the deadline, we recently handed over a 46,000 sq m warehouse building as the first phase of the Maglod industrial and logistics megapark, where the first tenant has already moved in just five months after construction started. We are experiencing strong interest from prospective tenants, we are in advanced negotiations for all our free space, and in Maglód, our next tenant will move in soon. Parallel with the lease, we have already started planning and permitting the next phases so that we can serve existing and future needs as quickly as possible,” said Rudolf Nemes, CEO of HelloParks. “The primary need of logistics operators to meet a sufficiently fast and secure execution lead time can only be met by a well thought-out and clear concept. We would like to support HelloParks in realising this business model, using our entire Central European human and equipment infrastructure,” – said Pavol Čarný, Managing Director of Goldbeck Hungaria. HelloParks can build on Futureal Group’s decade-long property development and investment experience. Futureal is one of the leading real estate developers and investors in Central and Eastern Europe and is among the top 10 largest real estate developers in Europe. Since its foundation Futureal Group’s portfolio has included more than 180 real estate projects with a total value of over EUR 5 billion and an area of 3 million square meters. Goldbeck Hungaria in its role as general contractor, has been implementing industrial real estate projects on the Hungarian market for almost a decade, relying on the five decades of experience of its parent company, Goldbeck GmbH, and its design, production and financial infrastructure. The Goldbeck Group, under the umbrella of the Bratislava-based organisation, has completed more than 2 million m2 of gross floor area of industrial real estate in the region over the past decade and a half.
Following Highways England’s rebrand to National Highways and its recent announcement to change its current contract mechanisms, Winvic Construction Ltd has been awarded two Lot contracts across four regions within the new Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF). Winvic is one of 50 contractors to deliver £3.6 billion of road renewal works on England’s motorways and trunk roads over the next six years. The leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects,has worked closely alongside and for National Highways on a number of occasions. This includes extensive liaison relating to the construction of a new railway bridge over the A5 at Prologis’ DIRFT III, delivering S278 agreement works that facilitated IM Properties’ Hinckley Park and working collaboratively on two Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) for SEGRO, where delivery of the Strategic Rail Freight Interchanges (SRFIs) and highways improvements works ran concurrently and adjacently to the M1 Smart Motorway Project (SMP). However, this six-year appointment which started on 21 September marks the start of an even stronger working relationship where Winvic will be helping to keep England’s major A roads and motorways running safely and smoothly. The two lots awarded to Winvic within Band C are Lot 8 Structures, Waterproofing and Expansion Joints and Lot 10 Structures, Structural Services & Concrete Repairs. Winvic will be undertaking works in these programme areas across the south east, east, north west and north east. Social value was inherent throughout the procurement process, ensuring that suppliers are measured on their contribution and impact socially within each region. Plus, the SDF supports the delivery of National Highways’ decarbonisation, sustainability and environmental ambitions across its renewals programme. Winvic – with its robust environmental credentials and commitment to making positive and long-lasting changes to communities in which it works – was therefore in a strong position during tender process and now the main contractor has been selected, it is not only looking forward to delivering works, but also supporting local people and being a part of a greener highways strategy. Critically, Winvic will be promoting its one team working approach in the SDF and aligning with National Highways Key imperatives, Safety, Customer and Delivery. Rob Cook, Winvic’s Civils and Infrastructure Director, said: “Winvic has built a strong relationship with National Highways over a number of years, not least through the complex collaborations at SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway and then SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton, where we remain on site and undertake weekly, if not daily interfaces. Therefore, working on more significant National Highways renewal projects is a natural progression for us due to our expertise in highways works involving structures, through both S278 agreement works and on vast industrial and infrastructure schemes. We couldn’t be more pleased that National Highways has the utmost confidence in Winvic to deliver over the six-year period, aligning with its key imperatives and focusing on building a one-team collaborative working relationship in the SDF. Whether it’s going above and beyond to reduce disruption to road users, getting involved in local initiatives that make a difference to local people’s lives or simply ‘Doing It Right’, our visions are aligned, and we look forward to delivering the first programme of works safely and swiftly.” For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn.
There is never a better time to build your own house than right now. It doesn’t matter whether the market is better for sellers or buyers, the timing will always be right to plan a house build. It takes time to work on a design with the right building company, and if you have a dream house in mind you can make it come true with the right amount of planning. Some people choose to buy a house that’s already been built, but others choose the fun of building their own home. When you build, you can choose it all from the 100mm Insulation Board materials to the fascia that you put on the house on the outside. Below, we’ve got ten reasons you should go ahead and build a house of your own! You have more cash than you need. There are some lucky enough to have a surplus of cash that gives them a good reason to build a house of their dreams. If you have a surplus and you want to get rid of it, get some quotes together for a house build that matches the one you’ve been dreaming of. You want to stay loyal to your community. If you love the community in which you currently live, what better way to support it than with a new house? Building a new house can help to stimulate the economy and help you to get into a neighbourhood that will support you and be there for your family. You love the idea of being “first”. When you enter into a contract to build a house, you have teams of contractors, plumbers, electricians and more working with you to bring your vision to life. All of those people will be creating a home for you in which you are the first ever one to live there. You get to be the very first ones in and the first to use all of the appliances and the first to use the plot to build a home. You have no idea what a 100mm Insulation Board is. You aren’t a builder or a tradie and so you have no idea what it takes to build a house. You know it’s more than bricks, but you are way more interested in furnishing the house rather than building it. You don’t have to be knowledgeable about what it takes to build a house, either, not when you can hire an expert to help and do it for you. You want to leave your mark. Having a house that has been built especially for you is a way for you to leave your mark on the local community. As the build progresses on, you can watch your home grow up on the plot. You can leave your mark and then pass that to the children (if you have them) and they can pass it to their kids, too. You want to have responsibility. Owning your own home gives you responsibility for a mortgage of your own. You are the one in charge and if things go wrong, you don’t have to call anyone to fix it for you. You are the person that the buck stops with and you can ensure that you are confident in the new house you’ve built because it’s brand new! You find it hard to make a choice. Trawling around houses is exhausting and boring and you will always find something to pick on! The best thing that you can do here is to build a house that is exact to your specifications. You get to be in charge of the whole thing, and that means that you don’t have to be picky about what someone else once chose. Some choices will be expensive and others won’t be, but the point is that you are in charge of all of those choices and you can feel satisfied about them all. You’ve done it before. If you have built a house before, you already know what it is to build and what the processes are. It’s only then that you will know what you’re doing for your next build. The first time you build it’s exciting but doing it again becomes a project. If you have built before, you know the way to build again and you could build on the same or almost the same land. This way, you can end up with a neighbourhood that you’ve built! You want to show off a little. There is nothing wrong with showcasing a home that you have designed and built for yourself. It’s absolutely the thing to brag over from time to time. You want to live in a big house. Who doesn’t? Building your own home allows you complete control over the size, shape, layout and more and if you want to own the dreamhouse you’ve always had in mind, here it is. You can build it to be bigger and if you buy a plot of land that’s big enough, you can build more on that land, too. Before you go ahead and build that new house you’ve been dreaming of, make sure that you know the commitment it’s going to take. Building a home takes time and sometimes, you’re going to have to cut down on things in your life to make room for the build to take place. It will take up your spare time and that means from the planning to the dreaming stage, you need to be in charge of it. Next, you should make sure that you employ an architect and a designer. The right designers will help you to plan your home from the ground up, inside and out. The best architect will draw the designs and the features for you and you get to watch your new build home come to life. Taking the time to interview the right architects and designers will ensure that this house build is the best decisions that you could have made.
Tritax Symmetry has marked the start of work on site to develop 190,000 sq ft logistics / warehouse accommodation with an official ground-breaking ceremony at MA6NITUDE in Middlewich, Cheshire. Main contractor GMI Construction has commenced the construction of units 11 and 12, which will offer 149,000 sq ft and 41,000 sq ft respectively. The units will be built to net zero carbon in construction; will include 15% PV roof coverage as standard and the capacity to accommodate 100% PV roof coverage. Speaking about the start on site at MA6NITUDE, Development Director David Nuttall, commented: “We are excited to see spades go in the ground here at MA6NITUDE and bring forward high quality facilities at a time when demand for space is at record levels. There is a huge amount of activity happening across the site, with Swizzels’ facility also due to complete next year and detailed planning submitted for 238,000 sq ft of space at unit 41 which could also be delivered before the end of 2022.” Jonathan Atherton, Director at Savills, joint letting agents for the scheme with B8RE and Legat Owen, continued: “The development at Ma6nitude will provide much needed floor space to a market when supply is falling at its fastest ever rate. The location and quality of the units are expected to attract strong occupier interest.” Marc Banks, Divisional Managing Director at GMI Construction said: “We are delighted to be working with Tritax Symmetry to deliver the new facilities in Middlewich. Our team has made an excellent start and the site is already taking shape to what will eventually be a first-class sustainable building that will be a huge business asset to the area.”
More than 50 organisations operating within the property sector have penned an open letter to the Government to use Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) to create a database for the public and private sectors. The idea is to allow UPRN data available at a large scale so that organisations can adopt them without cost, and allows an accurate record of any changes to the property. Housing secretary The letter, addressed to at the time, housing secretary Robert Jenrick, comes addressed from the The Lettings Industry Council (TLIC) and the Institute of Residential Property Management (IRMP). The letter is also backed by many estate agents and industry organisations including the NRLA, Propertymark and TDS. The idea of a UPRN involves a digital database with all the information and a full history of the property, including repairs and remodelling. This would speed up the process of property sales, with completions not beholden to lengthy searches and possible inaccuracies. Andrew Bulmer, CEO of the IRPM, commented: “The UPRN is like attaching a number plate to a car, instead we [will] attach a unique number to all things related to properties so that each property can be uniquely identified with unparalleled accuracy.”He added: “If all the conditions outlined in the letter were to be met, we could proactively work towards the wholesale adoption of the UPRN.” Benefits of UPRN’s The letter outlines the benefits from the wider adoption of a single number for properties including: Improve building, consumer and market safety More targeted and cost-effective enforcement of legislation Increase protection for tenants and a reduction of rogue landlords Speed up and make more certain the home buying and selling process Reduce waste, save time and empower the consumer Increase income for the Treasury If this was to be a success in the residential market, the collective organisations are hopeful the system would work across the whole market. One of the biggest conditions the letter outlines is: “The UPRN must be in a clear and useable format that allows the UPRN to be widely identified, used and shared at no cost on an individual or market level basis. As far as is possible, this must include the tools, the support materials and the explanation needed by the whole sector for adoption, not just the solution providers” This last point, identifying that it would be more widely accepted if it was without cost, may be a stumbling block for this proposal. Not necessarily a radical idea to identify properties, it is hard to replicate on a country-wide scale without someone incurring a cost along the way. Landlords would not want further costs adding to their property purchases, and tenants would be keen to avoid further premiums being passed onto rental prices. Transparent and compliant One landlord praised the idea of UPRN’s, highlighting that it would make for a completely transparent and compliant market, as it would allow for more focus on rogue landlords. It may also provide the tools necessary for local councils to enforce some of the property regulations they have been armed with in the last 5 years. Beverley Kennard, associate and operations manager at Knight Frank, commented: “A Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) is allocated to a property by local authorities and means that a full history of the property is available, regardless of if the address changes. The use of UPRNs will bring real benefits to the residential property sector and landlords and tenants.” Not only would the centralisation of this data hopefully speed up conveyancing times and therefore completion windows, it could also offer tenants access to more information about properties they are enquiring about.
With a 450% increase in buyer enquiries for properties in Devon since the start of the pandemic, housing market activity in the South West is strong for Burrington Estates. Thanks to excellent sales, the Exeter based residential and commercial property business had a turnover of £70m in 2020. Building on this success in the South West, the company aims to triple its turnover over the next five years, as it embarks on ambitious plans to expand into other regions. It has twelve new developments launching in the next year and the vision to become a national company. Founded in 2013, Burrington Estates has grown rapidly into a thriving business that has made its mark across the West Country. Its landmark developments include the flagship mixed-use scheme Winslade Park near Exeter, which incorporates the company’s corporate head office. It has completed over 500 new homes to date, with a portfolio worth £300m currently in development. Burrington Estates’ aspirations for growth are supported by the positive outlook for the housing market, with huge demand for properties in Devon and Cornwall. There has been a surge in buyers moving to the South West over the past 18 months seeking a better quality of life, made possible by the rise in remote working. At Harbour Reach in Fowey, Burrington Estates sold 80% of the properties to buyers from outside of Cornwall and all were sold off-plan. In Devon, around half of Burrington Estates’ buyers are from out of county, compared to just 10% pre-pandemic. Using this success in the South West as a springboard, Burrington Estates has already kickstarted its expansion plan by opening a new division, the Central region. It has a pipeline of new developments in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, launching its first site in Binfield in September. Mark Edworthy, Managing Director at Burrington Estates, said: “We were already in a strong position with good forward sales, but there is no doubt that the pandemic has prompted a step change in peoples’ lives and their aspirations, driving many more buyers to the South West. Technology has enabled people to work from anywhere so there is huge demand for high quality, well-designed homes not just in Devon and Cornwall, but across the regions as people continue to move out of the cities in search of more space and healthier lifestyle. Our success in the South West has given us a solid platform to expand into other counties where there is also a strong potential market for our homes.” Burrington Estates has built its reputation on creating high quality homes and attractive, enduring communities with a strong sense of place. From medium to large scale developments, high-quality mixed-use schemes, luxury individual homes and careful renovations, Burrington Estates developments span a wide range of property types. It carefully tailors its designs to the needs of buyers to suit evolving lifestyles and make properties more functional, for example vegetable patches constructed with railway sleepers are often included as an option in gardens, as well as spaces to accommodate working from home. The Heaths, a new development near Portreath, offers a range of bungalows designed with older people in mind for those with more limited mobility. As a people led business, Burrington Estates prioritises the highest standards of customer service and attributes its success to its growing team. Reflecting the growth of the company, it has made many key hires recently, increasing its staff by 45% in the past year to a total of 85 employees.