• Politicians in Planning will enable better sharing of best practice and access to information • Network to be launched at free online event next week • Launch event will feature Jackie Weaver and Housing Minister Christopher Pincher A new network will be launched next week by the Royal Town
Construction works to build a new Urgent Treatment Centre at a Lincolnshire hospital – an emergency-funded project which was fast-tracked to help ease COVID-19 pressure – has now been completed by Midlands-based contractor G F Tomlinson. The £2.4m project involved the construction of a single storey extension at Lincoln County
HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson is hosting an online event for small and medium sized businesses in the East Midlands to demonstrate just how simple it is to register an interest in joining HS2’s supply chain. Construction of the first phase of Britain’s new railway, between Birmingham and London, is expected
Pure Polyurea is a new fast-track waterproofing system from TN International. A next-generation, solvent-free roof waterproofing system with excellent crack-bridging performance has been launched by global waterproofing specialists TN International (TNi). Pure Polyurea is the latest enhancement to TNi’s DacoShield PU cost-effective range of liquid roofing and waterproofing systems which
Nottinghamshire and London-based landscape architect Influence has bolstered its team with the appointment of Olli Wheeler as senior landscape architect. Influence provides specialist landscape architecture, urban design, environment planning and expert witness – and alongside the Wildlife Trust – is the practice behind the bold green vision for Nottingham’s now
The Internet has become a necessity among people. Technology is taking over the world not only in offices but also in agricultural practices. Today, you can sprinkle water on your lawns and kitchen garden using a sprinkler with a wifi hose timer. It’s a new technology that is intended to help
You will have read a lot about modern methods of construction (MMC). You may have even investigated where you can incorporate it into your plans. But if you haven’t introduced it to any of your projects yet, now’s the time, thanks to a significant development in government policy, says John
The total pipeline of Futureal Group’s industrial and logistics property development company, HelloParks, has now reached 900,000 sq m of GLA around Budapest. HelloParks continues its development in the western agglomeration of the Hungarian capital, next to the M1 motorway, in Páty. This is the largest project in the history
GLP, a leading investor and developer of logistics buildings and warehouses, has announced that it has secured planning permission for the development of up to 736,000 SQ FT of warehouse space at G-Park Ashby. The planning consent allows for the development of either one or two units depending on customer
Hart District Council took delivery of 41 new homes at an official event held on Thursday 13 May between representatives of the Council and Berkeley Homes. The collection of new apartments will be let by Bridges, on behalf of the Council, at affordable rents to people from the local area.
• Politicians in Planning will enable better sharing of best practice and access to information • Network to be launched at free online event next week • Launch event will feature Jackie Weaver and Housing Minister Christopher Pincher A new network will be launched next week by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) to bring together politicians involved in planning and planning decisions. The RTPI’s Politicians in Planning network will enable local authority and parliamentary politicians across all UK and Ireland planning systems to share best practice, access information and receive a regular newsletter on planning matters free of charge. RTPI Chief Executive Victoria Hills said: “Local politicians play a pivotal role in ensuring the communities they represent have the access to the right homes and infrastructure for their needs. “Through this new network, we’ll seek to bridge the gap between planning professionals and politicians to support shared ambitions for vibrant, healthy and sustainable places for communities to live and work in, particularly as we start to recover from the global pandemic.” The network will be officially launched at a special free online event on 14 June, organised in partnership with communications agency Cratus. The keynote speech at the event will be given by viral Zoom star Jackie Weaver from the Cheshire Association of Local Councils, with other speakers including Housing Minister Christopher Pincher and councillors Anna Richardson, Linda Haysey and Angeliki Stogia. Jackie Weaver said: “Planning is and always has been central to the cohesion and development of every community. Planning is much more than plans and building materials. Good planning enhances the quality of life for people living in those communities and bad planning helps create environments and situations that we all then try to dig our way out of. So planning for our communities has to be a partnership between the planners, developers and the elected members of those communities. This conversation is part of that partnership.” Other leading figures from the planning community have also given the launch their support. Former England Chief Planner Steve Quartermain said: “Planning is about people and places but it is also about politics. The best planning authorities strike a balance between all three and work as a team to deliver outcomes that make peoples’ lives better. That’s why the RTPI’s Politicians in Planning network will be so important in providing support and training, tailored to the needs of elected members.” Brendan Walsh, former Executive Director of Regeneration, Economic Development and Environment at London Borough of Hounslow, said: “I’m really excited to hear about this new network. Politicians often face challenging decisions, having to balance the needs and wants of their local community against the merits or otherwise of new development. Having others to talk to will undoubtedly help improve the quality and timeliness of their decisions.” Cratus Chief Executive Nick Kilby said: “Cratus is thrilled to be working in partnership with RTPI to help launch Politicians in Planning. It is an initiative that will deliver real value for local government, both supporting and upskilling politicians. “As a specialist local government communications agency with a national reach, we know first-hand the power that planning has to change the lives of those in the local community. Working directly with developers, residents, and councils, we believe that it is vitally importance for planning committees to have the necessary knowledge and expertise to carry out their role. “Both RTPI and Cratus believe passionately in empowering and supporting local government and I am incredibly proud of our partnership.”
Construction works to build a new Urgent Treatment Centre at a Lincolnshire hospital – an emergency-funded project which was fast-tracked to help ease COVID-19 pressure – has now been completed by Midlands-based contractor G F Tomlinson. The £2.4m project involved the construction of a single storey extension at Lincoln County Hospital, expanding the facility’s existing accident and emergency department, to create an urgent treatment centre, which also includes a new entrance into the accident and emergency department. Secured through Pagabo’s National Framework for Medium Works, which covers schemes between the value of £1m-£5m in the Midlands – the project was completed over a period of 24 weeks following planning approval, with the official handover taking place at the end of April. United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust submitted plans to City of Lincoln Council last year, after receiving a £7million national funding boost from the Department of Health and Social Care, which is part of a £150million capital funding programme to expand and upgrade 25 A&Es across the UK, to reduce overcrowding and improve infection prevention control in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospital remained operational while the Urgent Treatment Centre was being built and through further phased construction work which includes additional spaces and facilities, it is now able to increase its capacity and services. Further phased works across the department include; a bigger resus area with twice as many bays for the emergency patients, a new paediatrics area with its own dedicated waiting room, and treatment cubicles and a sensory area for the youngest patients and their families. Additional treatment rooms for mental health patients, and an ambulance drop-off point and new bays were also created outside the front of the department with entrances directly into the resus and major areas. The extra clinical space will ensure that the emergency department will be able to accept patients from ambulance crews with improved speed and safety. Given the urgent need for such a scheme, G F Tomlinson fast-tracked the project, carrying out the works seven days a week with extended hours to ensure completion was delivered on time. Under a variation of the contract, G F Tomlinson also undertook £1m infrastructure works at the hospital, for a new Specialist Respiratory Unit. The Derby-headquartered contractor provided value engineering and design services, which were also fast-tracked to assist with minimising timings and costs. Chris Flint, director at G F Tomlinson, said: “This was a vital project completed under Pagabo’s National Framework for Medium Works, to provide much-needed additional space at Lincoln County Hospital, in order to cope with the influx of patients requiring treatment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Ensuring that we worked as quickly, efficiently and safely as possible on site was our number one priority, given the challenges of working at an extremely busy hospital that remained fully operational whilst building works took place. We are delighted to have delivered this project within a very short space of time, to improve the services and capacity the hospital can offer patients.” Emma Hesbrook, regional relationship manager for the Midlands at Pagabo, said:“Due to the importance of the scheme, the Trust required a quick procurement route that also offered them full compliance. By procuring through our Medium Works Framework, they were able to appoint G F Tomlinson within days of making initial contact with Pagabo, which was hugely beneficial for them. “I’d like to say a massive well done to the whole delivery team involved who have gone above and beyond to ensure that the project was delivered on time.” United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust’s director of finance and digital, Paul Matthew, said: “These developments will help us to see and treat our patients more quickly and ensure that everyone is getting the level of care that they require. A massive thank you to G F Tomlinson who have completed this first phase on schedule, despite all of the challenges of a global pandemic. “Work will now begin on the next phases to make sure the department is not only fit for today, but also for the future.”
HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson is hosting an online event for small and medium sized businesses in the East Midlands to demonstrate just how simple it is to register an interest in joining HS2’s supply chain. Construction of the first phase of Britain’s new railway, between Birmingham and London, is expected to generate around 400,000 contract opportunities. And as part of the Government’s drive to build back better from the pandemic, it wants to see British businesses capitalise on the £25bn worth of opportunities that are expected to flow out into the wider supply chain over the coming years. The one-hour business webinar, which will be held on Tuesday, 22nd June at 3.00pm, will include an opening address from the Minister, as well as the opportunity to hear from local firms who are already working on the project. They will share their personal experiences of how HS2 has helped their business to grow, along with tips and advice on how to stand out as a winning bidder. HS2 Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “HS2 is at the heart of the Government’s commitments to build back better after the Covid-19 pandemic, level up communities and drive economic growth across the country. “The vast majority of contracts on HS2 have gone to British businesses, so I’d encourage businesses to get involved and take the opportunities offered by this once in a generation investment in our country’s transport infrastructure.” Sitting at the heart of the HS2 network, businesses in the Midlands are well placed to bid for work and secure their place in HS2’s supply chain, which already includes over 2,000 businesses – 97% of which are UK-based. The East Midlands is home to some of the UK’s most recognised talent pools and leads the way in the manufacturing, automotive and rolling stock sectors. But HS2’s supply chain team is eager to spread the word that the share of opportunity extends far beyond the products and services you might traditionally associate with major infrastructure projects. Robin Lapish, HS2’s supply chain manager explains: “The scale of work that will be delivered to construct HS2 into the next decade and beyond presents a vast opportunity. “In the current climate, local businesses are looking for confidence and assurance in the supply chain and a contract with HS2 provides that. My advice to small businesses is to invest an hour of your time – HS2 isn’t just about track and trains, and that’s exactly what this webinar will demonstrate.” The business webinar is free to attend. To register your attendance, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hs2-how-can-east-midlands-businesses-get-involved-tickets-158133486515
Pure Polyurea is a new fast-track waterproofing system from TN International. A next-generation, solvent-free roof waterproofing system with excellent crack-bridging performance has been launched by global waterproofing specialists TN International (TNi). Pure Polyurea is the latest enhancement to TNi’s DacoShield PU cost-effective range of liquid roofing and waterproofing systems which have recently been introduced into the manufacturer’s extensive portfolio. DacoShield Pure Polyurea is a two-component, extra fast-curing system that is applied by hot mechanical spraying equipment to waterproof concrete structures such as roofs, podiums, balconies and terraces. More than 800m2 can be applied in a single day, providing an extremely fast-track solution, even in areas difficult to access. The elastomeric membrane is BBA approved and has a Broof T4 fire classification, with a life expectancy of up to 60 years. As well as being solvent free and low-odour, it is also free of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). DacoShield PU liquid waterproofing systems have been specially designed to offer specifiers, contractors and clients a fast-curing, highly durable waterproofing solution for both new-build and refurbishment applications. With a choice of finishes and a full range of accessories, the DacoShield PU range provides a highly flexible, aesthetically pleasing waterproofing option for Modern Methods of Construction.
Nottinghamshire and London-based landscape architect Influence has bolstered its team with the appointment of Olli Wheeler as senior landscape architect. Influence provides specialist landscape architecture, urban design, environment planning and expert witness – and alongside the Wildlife Trust – is the practice behind the bold green vision for Nottingham’s now redundant Broadmarsh which was shared last year and achieved national acclaim. A chartered member of the Landscape Institute, Olli will work alongside the established team delivering landscape planning and design projects at the Newark practice and will undertake Landscape and Visual Impact Assessments (LVIA) and produce technical planning reports. Previously based at a large multi-disciplinary environmental planning consultancy, Olli brings seven years of industry experience to Influence, having started as a landscape designer in Sydney, Australia. Since then, he has completed an MA in Landscape Architecture, gained professional Chartership (CMLI) status and worked for several respected firms in the industry. At Influence, Olli will be delivering a wide range of projects from strategic land developments through to single dwellings in the countryside. Olli will increase Influence’s ability to deliver projects from pre-planning right through to construction and maintenance. On his new appointment, Olli said: “I’m really pleased to start my new role at Influence and have the opportunity to continue my career at such a well-respected and popular practice. “Its strong reputation locally and nationally appealed to me greatly and its healthy mix of public and private work was of interest as I enjoy the variety. “I look forward to bringing both my planning and design skillset to this very friendly, and skilled team and gain more experience within the Midlands.” Sara Boland, managing director at Influence, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Olli to our team. His unique expertise and specialised knowledge make him a great asset to our practice. “Olli joins us at an exciting time and will work alongside myself and the senior team on landscape design and planning projects here in Nottinghamshire and around the country.” Influence covers a wide scope of services including tall building assessment work in London and has recently worked alongside teams of highly experienced industry professionals to bring about the Boston Barrier tidal flood risk management project in Lincolnshire and provide landscape and concept design services to the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone.
The Internet has become a necessity among people. Technology is taking over the world not only in offices but also in agricultural practices. Today, you can sprinkle water on your lawns and kitchen garden using a sprinkler with a wifi hose timer. It’s a new technology that is intended to help you control your sprinkler automatically. You don’t have to be present and make adjustments. However, the gadget uses an internet connection which needs to be strong enough to cover the entire household. For efficiency, it’s necessary to look for a good internet service provider. The following are factors to consider. Internet Dependability Internet frustrations are common among people. You don’t want to experience such issues. It’s necessary to look for a dependable and consistent Internet that will serve you effectively. It will depend on the ISP you choose. You should inquire from reliable and trustworthy persons who can help select the most dependable ISP in your area to avoid such frustrations. Therefore, you will be assured of having an efficient internet connection throughout. Speed The super-fast Internet is everything. No one wants an internet that slows down operations. It means you have to search for the most efficient internet provider who can guarantee to provide high-speed Internet. As technology is improving and advancing, many internet providers are emerging and improving their services. Know those internet providers with the best offers. It will be a good chance for you to get the most convenient, super-fast internet connection you ever wanted. Customer care services Your internet service provider needs to be reliable and available to address clients’ problems. If the problem requires an expert to manage it manually, you needn’t wait for long until the service provider steps in. With the advancement in technology, the majority of the repair and maintenance is done automatically. Your internet service provider should have an effective program working 24/7 to address clients’ issues promptly. Low installation cost Today, there are many internet service providers. Each ISP is coming up with unique offers to outdo the opponents and get the attention of prospective clients. The high competition in the industry has helped to reduce the installation costs and other charges like bundle packages. Some ISPs will offer internet upgrading services free of charge, while others at a low cost. Therefore, search for an ISP with the best offers, reliable internet connection, and reasonable installation price. Internet efficiency It’s obvious that you’re changing your old internet connection due to its unreliability. Be at peace with an efficient internet that will make your work easy. Look for internet providers with the most appealing offers, like super-fast Internet, backup programs to ensure you have connected all along, and so on. Your ISP should be updated with better ways to improve the Internet to meet clients’ demands. Expertise and legit There is a need to consider an internet service provider with enough experience. Such an expert will have a vast knowledge of what you need in your home to meet your needs. You don’t need to worry that the internet connection will have issues thereafter since your ISP has all it takes to manage the task professionally. Additionally, make sure you confirm whether your internet service provider is operating on legal grounds. The installation should meet the set standards and regulations. Internet offers and extras Technology is changing at a super-fast speed. Today’s new and advanced technologies are outdoing those that were invented yesterday. This means that everyone is going for the best offer the internet market is providing. With the high-speed Internet, it is easy to have better operations using the Internet without experiencing problems. Your service provider needs to provide offers that meet your needs by all means possible.
You will have read a lot about modern methods of construction (MMC). You may have even investigated where you can incorporate it into your plans. But if you haven’t introduced it to any of your projects yet, now’s the time, thanks to a significant development in government policy, says John Skivington, Group Director of LHC, the contracting authority for SWPA. As part of the Affordable Homes Programme, Homes England is currently seeking applications for strategic partnerships for the delivery of up to 130,000 homes. One of the requirements for successful bids is that 25% of projects must be delivered using MMC. All of this points to a big push for developers and housing providers to be using modular, panelised and other MMC solutions, as the economic, social and environmental benefits become more widely realised. However, the most interesting development has been the Government’s use of pre-manufactured value (PMV) calculations as part of the Affordable Homes Programme. This is a weighted calculation that rewards the proportion of a home that has been constructed offsite, measured as a percentage of the total. Under the programme, a building will only pass the MMC test if it has a PMV of 55% or more. The Government’s adoption of PMV for the programme is interesting. It gives a clear framework for measuring progress, and I suspect we will start to see its usage across more policy development in the future, perhaps akin to the way we see energy efficiency goals defined using EPC bandings. It’s therefore vital that housing providers start to get to grips with MMC and PMV now. At LHC we know from experience that a PMV of 55% is not hard to achieve. As mentioned, use of MMC is already growing across the country, and through our Offsite Construction of New Homes (NH2) and Offsite Project Integrator (OPI1) frameworks we’ve already been helping housing providers to deliver projects that would achieve up to 80% and more. The key is to start with structural systems, such as timber frame, steel frame, SIPS and panellised systems, or full-blown volumetric ‘pods’, and build up from there with a range of offsite-manufactured components. These solutions provide by far the highest PMV (take a look here to find out more about the different categories of MMC) and our NH2 framework gives access to suppliers that are experts in all of these options. The suppliers are also SMEs, helping to meet another of the Affordable Homes Programme requirements.
The total pipeline of Futureal Group’s industrial and logistics property development company, HelloParks, has now reached 900,000 sq m of GLA around Budapest. HelloParks continues its development in the western agglomeration of the Hungarian capital, next to the M1 motorway, in Páty. This is the largest project in the history of the company and will complement HelloParks Fót in the North and HelloParks Maglód in the East, next to the airport. As a member of Futureal Group, HelloParks continues its development in one of the most developed industrial and commercial zones in the western agglomeration of Budapest, Páty, which is an ideal location for production companies and logistics service providers. Located along the M1 motorway with direct connection and excellent visibility, 6 km from the M0 ring road and 10 km from the M7 motorway, HelloParks Páty is easily accessible also from the downtown of Budapest. The 100 ha site will feature modern warehouse and production space in a total of 400,000 sq m of GLA, which will be developed in several phases. Preparations for the first phase have already begun. The first building will offer 55,000 sq m of modern warehouse space and is expected to be handed over in Q3 2022. The value of this investment exceeds EUR 50 million. HelloParks has recently announced the development of one of the largest industrial and logistics centres in the country on a 76 ha site in Fót and a similar development on a 46 ha plot in Maglód. 33.000 sq m of warehouse and industrial space can be set up in Fót and 193,000 sq m in Maglód. “HelloParks has reached another milestone by investing in the western agglomeration of Budapest, and so far this promises to be our largest development, both in terms of plot size and total facilities.” said Rudolf Nemes, CEO of HelloParks. The minimum rentable area for the so-called Big Box type halls will be 3.300 sq m, while the Flexi Box buildings with a more flexible rental scheme can offer rental properties up to 500, 1,000 or 2,000 sq m for smaller tenants. Like the megaparks in Fót and Maglód, facilities to be built in Páty will also meet the requirements of the BREEAM sustainability standard, thanks to smart solutions that ensure energy efficiency and environmentally friendly operation. Short-term offices, Hello Café and conference rooms with catering services and long-term A-category offices also will be available for the convenience of tenants. 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.
GLP, a leading investor and developer of logistics buildings and warehouses, has announced that it has secured planning permission for the development of up to 736,000 SQ FT of warehouse space at G-Park Ashby. The planning consent allows for the development of either one or two units depending on customer requirements. The 66-acre development site at G-Park Ashby is centrally located in North West Leicestershire at the heart of the Golden Triangle for logistics. The site was formerly occupied by ‘The Lounge Coal Preparation and Disposal Point’ and will now be re-developed to provide Grade A modern logistics space in a prime location. The park benefits from excellent access being directly adjacent to the A42 and A511 with links to the M42 to the South, and M1 and East Midlands Airport 10 miles to the North East. The new unit(s) will be built to GLP’s enhanced specification including an 18 M clear internal height. In line with GLP’s sustainability commitment, the development will be built to BREEAM UK Excellent level standards and will include a range of innovative environmental features, such as rainwater harvesting and an online energy dashboard to help customers proactively manage their energy consumption. Gwyn Stubbings, Planning Director, GLP, said: “The proposals to redevelop a brownfield site will deliver significant economic benefits to the area including improved local infrastructure and creating almost 1,000 new jobs, at a time when the need for logistics has never been greater. The logistics industry will continue to play a vital and important role in supporting the economic recovery in the UK and this development will respond to the significant outstanding demand for modern and sustainable warehouse space.” Planning and development consultancy Turley provided planning, strategic communications, EIA, and sustainability services for the scheme.
Hart District Council took delivery of 41 new homes at an official event held on Thursday 13 May between representatives of the Council and Berkeley Homes. The collection of new apartments will be let by Bridges, on behalf of the Council, at affordable rents to people from the local area. The affordable apartments come in a range of one and two-bedroom layouts set in two attractive buildings. Residents will become part of the thriving new community at Edenbrook Village, which includes the 82-acre country park, a brand new leisure centre, sports pitches, BMX track and other recreational facilities. All homes come with the high-quality interior specification that Berkeley is known for as well as dedicated car parking. Throughout the development of Edenbrook Village, Berkeley has worked very closely with Hart District Council to create an outstanding place to live with a wide range of valuable amenities for existing and future communities, with a strong emphasis on the natural environment. Cllr John Kennett, Chairman of Hart District Council said: “There is growing demand for affordable rental homes in the district especially among young people, so it is great to have this range of apartments at Edenbrook Village completed and ready to move into. With the popular country park and other amenities already up and running, it is a fantastic place to live and we are pleased to take ownership of these new homes.” Harry Lewis, Managing Director of Berkeley Homes (Southern), commented: “We are delighted to have completed these homes for Hart District Council. We shared a vision with the Council to deliver homes for local keyworkers and today that vision has been realised. As a well-balanced new community, Edenbrook now provides homes for all comers, from large private family houses to tenure blind affordable apartments for local young people and everything in between.” When complete, Edenbrook Village will have a total of 600 new homes in a wide range of designs and sizes to appeal to all residents. Built to the highest architectural standards and designed to blend in with the natural surroundings, all of the homes at Edenbrook Village are carefully crafted to suit modern lifestyles. The country park, green open spaces and leisure facilities have improved the quality of life for residents and the wider community, while making a significant contribution to nature and biodiversity. Living at Edenbrook Village is convenient and well-connected. Fleet town centre is just two miles away, offering a wide range of shops and amenities. Rail connections are easy with Fleet station just a five-minute drive away, from where journeys into London Waterloo take around 40 minutes. Guildford, Reading and Woking are all around half an hour away by car. The new affordable rented homes at Edenbrook Village will be available from Hart District Council through Bridges – see www.bridges.co.uk. For further information about Edenbrook Village and other homes currently available, please visit www.edenbrookvillage.co.uk.