The £50 million new Oakfield community being built in Swindon by Mi-space was today showcased by the Nationwide Building Society as a potential national blueprint for housebuilders on how to create-energy efficient homes and communities for the future. The brainchild of the Society, the Oakfield scheme aims to be one
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has become the first trade body to adopt a new industry agreed prequalification standard that promises to cut expensive and time consuming ‘red tape’ for contractors. The new Common Assessment Standard, developed by Build UK and endorsed by the Construction Leadership Council, means suppliers
BPC Land and New Homes (part of the BPC Group) is celebrating its 25th year of successful trading and would like to thank all clients, both old and new, for their continued support over the years. Established in 1996 by Managing Director Steve Blight, previous years have seen many changes
Paints and coatings expert, AkzoNobel, has partnered with Alcumus SafeContractor, to manage contractor compliance and support its Health, Safety, Environment and Security (HSE&S) ambitions to deliver zero injuries, reduce carbon emissions and move towards zero waste through operational excellence. Akzonobel is a leading paints and coatings manufacturer, its world class
Verdion has completed the final letting in its current round of speculative development at its iPort multimodal logistics hub in Doncaster. A luxury homeware retailer has taken the 119,060 sq ft (11,061 sq m) warehouse iP2g, which offers space for up to 12,194 pallets with 12.5 m clear headroom and
FirstPort has achieved a five-star grading in the British Safety Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Audit for the fifth year running. The organisation received a score of 95.88%, demonstrating its commitment towards the continual improvement of health and safety management systems and processes and recognising it as a best practice organisation.
Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has commenced works at Barr’s Hill School in Coventry to expand and remodel existing buildings and create a new teaching block for year seven pupils. The school, which has some of the strongest academic results in the midlands and was rated ‘Good’ in its most
The Fire Safety Bill clarifies where responsibility for fire safety lies in multi-occupied buildings in England and Wales and is set to receive Royal Assent today, 29 April. The Bill has gone through many rounds of votes as the House of Lords and some MPs tabled amendments in attempts to
Corksol UK, the Yorkshire-based company that exclusively distributes Corksol SprayCork to approved applicators across the UK, has announced the launch of a new, innovative spray solution, Protesol Anitviral, which is scientifically proven to protect treated surfaces against 99.99% of harmful bacteria and viruses, including SARS and Coronavirus. With COVID-19 dominating
PLANS for the latest stage of The Island Quarter development will feature accommodation for Nottingham’s growing student population, with the developer behind the scheme submitting plans to Nottingham City Council today (DATE). The designs – drawn up by DAY Architects and submitted by The Conygar Investment Company PLC – show
The £50 million new Oakfield community being built in Swindon by Mi-space was today showcased by the Nationwide Building Society as a potential national blueprint for housebuilders on how to create-energy efficient homes and communities for the future. The brainchild of the Society, the Oakfield scheme aims to be one of Britain’s largest energy-efficient communities – a development where homes are built to leading environmental standards and future-proofed with a host of green innovations to help people live sustainably. Nationwide, the world’s biggest building society, pledged to share all of its learnings and plans from the development in order to help create positive change and has called on Government, housebuilders and lenders to outline a roadmap which will help deliver homes that are more sustainable. Mi-space, part of the Midas Group, one of the UK’s largest independent construction and property services providers, started work in 2020 on the project, which will create a thriving new community at the brownfield site, with 239 new homes to be developed, including 71 available for affordable housing. Steve Hart, Divisional Director at Midas, said: “We are incredibly proud to be part of this trailblazing scheme and to be partnering with Nationwide as it looks to re-write the rule book on how to create sustainable homes and communities for the future. “Every aspect of the Oakfield project is being considered in the finest detail and as a project team we are continually challenging ourselves as to how we can do things differently and better. It is a unique and exciting process which is drawing on our and our project partners’ experience of good practice, driving innovation and creating a knowledge base from which the wider industry can benefit,” From the outset, Nationwide set out for Oakfield to be an exemplar scheme and to challenge the way housebuilding has traditionally been done. It will see all 239 homes hitting the EPC-A rating, the top level of energy efficiency, compared to a just a fraction of new properties built nationally currently meeting these standards. It is also set to be one of Britain’s biggest off-gas housing developments, with all properties, including affordable housing, having photovoltaic solar panels and air source heat pumps, instead of a traditional gas boiler. And the project is designed with future green innovations in mind too, enabling residents to further green their homes, for example with batteries for surplus energy storage. The development will also be ready for electric cars – charging points will be provided on the street, and homes with on-plot parking will be wired to allow residents to install their own charging points. Sara Bennison, Chief Product and Marketing Officer, Nationwide Building Society, said the Society hoped this new approach to creating community-focused, more environmentally-friendly homes would be the start of a blueprint for newbuild homes across the UK. She said: “Just a fraction of new homes in the UK are built to an EPC-A rated standard. Creating homes today which aren’t fit for the future and will need to be retrofitted in a matter of years is simply not right. We will be calling for Government, house builders and lenders to work together to tackle any remaining barriers to improving the environmental standards of new homes. “Buildings are the second largest source of emissions in the UK. Creating sustainable communities is possible and we are demonstrating this through our Oakfield development – delivering one of the greenest communities in the UK at scale. We all need to play our part in delivering high quality homes that are fit for the future. We will be sharing all our learnings and plans helping developers commit to a clear roadmap for more a sustainable future. “In addition, with more than 1.5 million homes on our mortgage balance sheet, we are also developing new products to help our members make a real difference to the environment by making improvements to existing properties. Together we can tackle the climate crisis and we are committed to helping our members to create greener and more sustainable homes.” Work on the Oakfield development began on site in April 2020. Construction is expected to take about three and a half years, with the first phase of new homes being completed in Spring 2022.
The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has become the first trade body to adopt a new industry agreed prequalification standard that promises to cut expensive and time consuming ‘red tape’ for contractors. The new Common Assessment Standard, developed by Build UK and endorsed by the Construction Leadership Council, means suppliers will only need to be certified once a year by a single recognised assessment body before tendering for work with contractors and clients who specify it. This is a significant improvement on the current system where different clients insist on their own prequalification questionnaires being completed meaning contractors are forced to duplicate time and effort. Build UK estimates this wasteful process costs the construction industry as much as £1bn every year. BESA chief executive David Frise said the new approach would transform the prequalification process and make it work better for both suppliers and clients. “By streamlining the process and linking it to a pan-industry agreed standard, it will be quicker and simpler for good quality firms to demonstrate their business credentials and clients will get the reassurance they need,” he said. Build UK deputy chief executive Jo Fautley said the new system was “a huge step towards more efficient working, which is more important than ever in the current challenging economic climate”. Collaborative “Developing the Common Assessment Standard has been a collaborative effort, involving companies across the whole sector. There are already 10 major contractors and clients specifying it and we are delighted that BESA has become our first Trade Association member to adopt it as a part of its membership process,” she added. The standard has been made possible thanks to a data-sharing agreement with the three recognised assessment bodies: Achilles, CHAS and Constructionline. The building engineering alliance Actuate UK has also put its weight behind the new standard, which it said was an example of how cross-industry collaboration could deliver efficiency improvements for the whole construction supply chain. Build UK is also working with the government on having it adopted for public sector projects. “The introduction of data sharing means the long-awaited industry-wide solution to prequalification waste is now in sight,” said BESA’s director of certification Rachel Davidson. “Having an industry approved, single standard will also make it more appealing to main contractors and end clients. We encourage all public sector and commercial clients to embrace this ground-breaking development.” BESA has also recognised the new standard as a way of deeming to satisfy the business management section of its own Competence Assessment Standard (CAS), which companies must achieve to join the Association or remain in membership. Any company that deems to satisfy business assurance by reaching the new standard will save a significant amount of time and duplication of effort because they will also be meeting BESA’s requirements. However, the Association stressed that it would continue to assess the technical competence of its members. “It is important that individual trade bodies continue to take responsibility for the specialist technical aspects of assessing competence,” said Frise. “Our organisations are best placed to oversee whether companies are keeping up with advances in technology and working practices while also investing in training to ensure their workforces are properly equipped to carry out high quality work. “Being able to streamline the business assurance element of pre-qualification will have the added benefit of giving them more time and resource to focus on these technical aspects. This should lead to even more improvements, including better productivity, for clients.”www.theBESA.com
BPC Land and New Homes (part of the BPC Group) is celebrating its 25th year of successful trading and would like to thank all clients, both old and new, for their continued support over the years. Established in 1996 by Managing Director Steve Blight, previous years have seen many changes to the business and the housebuilding industry, and the organisation is enormously proud to have grown from one business to five over the past three years. Despite numerous recessions, property crashes, Brexit and of course COVID-19, the company has evolved to emerge bigger, better and stronger than ever. Every challenge has brought opportunity and the expansion of the original Land & New Homes company has given the business a fresh image. In contrast to its humble beginnings with a small team, the Group now employs almost 40 members of staff and has 2 office locations in Hertfordshire and London. Company founder, Steve Blight prides himself on a transparent, honest and consultative approach and the carefully crafted businesses that all serve the housebuilding industry have a strong team working ethos he is extremely proud of. Tracey Reece – “Group Marketing and Operations Director” “We’ve created a new identity with a clean professional image that takes pride in our past, but with an expansive vision for the future. We intend to continue to strengthen our position within the industry, and work in close partnerships with our house builder clients to offer value added, multi-faceted solutions.” A quarter of a century in business is an amazing achievement for any company and the exciting thing is, this journey has really just began! All details of the brands and services can be accessed through the BPC Group website: www.bpcgroup.co.uk.
Paints and coatings expert, AkzoNobel, has partnered with Alcumus SafeContractor, to manage contractor compliance and support its Health, Safety, Environment and Security (HSE&S) ambitions to deliver zero injuries, reduce carbon emissions and move towards zero waste through operational excellence. Akzonobel is a leading paints and coatings manufacturer, its world class portfolio of brands includes Dulux, International, Sikkens and is active in more than 150 countries across 130 sites. With a strong focus on sustainability through its People Planet Paint programme, AkzoNobel has implemented a global people, process and product safety management programme, to ensure that the highest safety standards are applied to its activities and sites. In addition, its Life-Saving Rules programme embeds eight key safety rules that must be applied with zero tolerance, along with a golden rule that all employees are empowered to stop work that they recognise as being unsafe. SafeContractor is a leading provider of technology-led risk management solutions for both contractor safety management and accreditation. The online portal will help AkzoNobel to streamline its vetting and compliance checks across all sites, reduce administration time by up to 50 to 60 hours per month and source local contractors. The SafeContractor accreditation scheme will also provide AkzoNobel with valuable insight to make sure they’re working with contractors who meet their rigorous standards in health, safety and environment management. Nick Turnbull, UK HSES&S Manager at AkzoNobel, commented: “Health and safety are an integral part of how we operate. Being a manufacturing company, this is one of our core values so that we have effective and suitable controls in place for our own employees and contractors to manage health and safety risks across our value chain.” “In our role as a responsible employer, our strategic HSE&S priorities are focused on continuous improvement of standardised company-wide processes. To maintain our strong safety record, SafeContrator will help us to monitor contractor safety and provides clear insight that the contractors we work with have the correct procedures in place and that they are meeting our environmental obligations too.” Helen Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Enterprise at Alcumus, commented: “Compliance assurance is a key HSE&S priority, particularly in such a fast-changing regulatory environment like AkzoNobel operates in. SafeContractor plays a vital role in supporting our clients so they have the confidence that they’re working with prequalified accredited contractors who have the same high standards.” “We’re thrilled that AkzoNobel has joined our community and we wish them every success. More than 480 leading organisations and 35,000 contractors have selected SafeContractor to help create better workplaces, keep people safe, reduce risks and simplify processes.” About Alcumus SafeContractor For organisations that need to demonstrate compliance with increasingly stringent legislation, Alcumus SafeContractor, acts as a Supply Chain and EHSQ+ risk partner. We verify the compliance of your contractors and suppliers and make them available through an easy-to-use online portal. This provides vital insight into your supply chain, enabling you to effectively monitor, manage, and make informed decisions about who you work with.
Verdion has completed the final letting in its current round of speculative development at its iPort multimodal logistics hub in Doncaster. A luxury homeware retailer has taken the 119,060 sq ft (11,061 sq m) warehouse iP2g, which offers space for up to 12,194 pallets with 12.5 m clear headroom and a 55 m deep yard. This deal is the third and final unit in Verdion’s most recent tranche of speculative development at iPort. iP2c was let to local printing specialists Kingsbury Press, while iP2e was let to one of the UK’s largest, privately owned logistics companies Woodland Group. Other occupiers that also call the logistics hub home include CEVA, Fellowes, Lidl, Maritime Group and Amazon. iPort is the UK’s most advanced multimodal facility, spanning 800 acres with 52 MVA power, close to junction 3 of the M18 in Doncaster. iPort Rail, its on-site rail freight terminal, takes daily services to/from Southampton, Felixstowe and Teesport, with more routes across the UK being planned. Alongside its programme of speculatively developed space at iPort, Verdion’s masterplan also includes development-ready sites for units of up to 800,000 sq ft that can be built to suit specific occupier requirements. John Clements, Executive Director at Verdion, said: “We’re pleased to welcome our newest tenant to iPort and mark the completion of our latest phase of speculative development. With demand for space continuing to increase, driven by our demographics as well as widespread demand for logistics, we’re also seeing much greater interest in build to suit opportunities too. Demand for our phase two development-ready sites is increasing which means we can offer speed to market as well as opportunities for specialist uses including ecommerce.” www.iportuk.com www.iportrail.com
FirstPort has achieved a five-star grading in the British Safety Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Audit for the fifth year running. The organisation received a score of 95.88%, demonstrating its commitment towards the continual improvement of health and safety management systems and processes and recognising it as a best practice organisation. The audit recognised FirstPort’s continued efforts to implement the highest standards of health and safety management, a clear commitment from senior management, and an enthusiastic health and safety team. It also highlighted that FirstPort has an extensive occupational health and safety management system, with good processes for stakeholder engagement, compliance monitoring and building management. Mark Varley, Director of Health and Safety at FirstPort, said: “To have achieved five stars in all five years that we have been audited is a tremendous achievement. We have developed a robust health and safety culture at FirstPort amongst our colleagues and contractors – one that we are very proud of. We work hard to make sure our customers see the benefits too, so that they feel safe in their homes.” Roni Kotecha, Managing Director of Audits, British Safety Council, said: “The award of a five-star grading following our occupational best practice Health and Safety Audit is an outstanding achievement and is reflective of a proactive organisation which is committed to continual improvement in its health and safety arrangements and managing risks to workers’ health, safety and welfare. FirstPort should be very proud of this achievement.” To achieve the grading, FirstPort underwent a comprehensive, quantified and robust evaluation of its occupational health and safety policies, processes and practices. The audit process included documentation review, interviews with senior management, employees and other key stakeholders, together with sampling of operational activities. The audit measured performance against key health and safety management best practice indicators and a detailed review of over sixty component elements. About the Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit The Five Star Audit is a comprehensive, contemporary and quantified process which benchmarks health and safety management performance against the latest best practice techniques. The audit process is carried out through documentation review, management and other stakeholder interviews, as well as operational sampling. Those organisations who achieve a five-star grading following the audit become eligible to enter the British Safety Council Sword of Honour Awards which recognise excellence in the management of health and safety. The award scheme is an independently adjudicated process which requires five star achievers to build upon the audit findings and provide a written submission on their continual improvement planning. About the British Safety Council The British Safety Council believes that no-one should be injured or made ill at work. Since its foundation in 1957, the British Safety Council has campaigned tirelessly to protect workers from accidents, hazards and unsafe conditions, and played a decisive role in the political process that has led to the adoption of landmark safety legislation in the UK. Its members in more than 60 countries are committed to protecting and improving the wellbeing of workers, believing that a healthy and safe work environment is also good for business.
Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has commenced works at Barr’s Hill School in Coventry to expand and remodel existing buildings and create a new teaching block for year seven pupils. The school, which has some of the strongest academic results in the midlands and was rated ‘Good’ in its most recent Ofsted report, currently offers 655 places for children aged 11-16, plus sixth form students, and has an expansion plan to ensure it provides a total of 900 places in five years’ time. G F Tomlinson is delivering the £6.5million scheme on behalf of Coventry City Council, which comprises the construction of a new two-storey, seven classroom teaching block known as ‘The Bridge’ for January 2022 – a dedicated space for year seven pupils, which will be designed to help 11 and 12-year-olds benefit from a smooth transition into secondary education. Expected for completion in September, works will also see the school’s science department extended and refurbished, new classroom spaces created in existing blocks, improved facilities added to the sports changing/multi gym and external play spaces and additional dining space to accommodate the school’s expansion over the coming years. Procured through Pagabo’s National Framework for Medium Works, this is the second scheme G F Tomlinson has been awarded through Pagabo in the West Midlands region – the first being the £3.7million development of Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Coventry, also for Coventry City Council, which is due for completion this summer. Andy Sewards, managing director of G F Tomlinson, said: “We are pleased to be working on a second project through Pagabo’s National Framework for Medium Works, and with Coventry City Council once again, to provide Barr’s Hill School with the expansion and improvement works necessary to meet growth plans to offer 245 additional places. “The school is dedicating space to year seven pupils to help them prepare for and adjust to secondary education and the new teaching block complete with seven classrooms and high-quality facilities will enable them to do just that. Other important extensions and renovations, including works to the ICT suite, science department, dining facilities and gym – will provide new and improved learning and activity spaces for all pupils and staff members, and will accommodate a significant increase in the number of places available to children in the future. We look forward to seeing works progress on site this year.” Emma Hesbrook, Midlands regional relationship manager at Pagabo, said: “We’re really pleased to see work in motion for Barr’s Hill School to provide all-important additional pupil places for the area and a dedicated space for students to comfortably transition into the secondary education environment. Creating environments that benefit all users – in this case pupils and staff – is central to what we do at Pagabo, so we’re exceptionally happy to be playing a part in delivering excellent facilities for the education of the professionals of tomorrow. “We are delighted that we have been able to appoint the right delivery partner for the scheme. Procuring services from G F Tomlinson ensures that the client is in a safe pair of hands, something that is incredibly important given the constraints and complexities of the existing site. “This is the second appointment in the West Midlands for G F Tomlinson via our frameworks, with the first also being a school for the same client in Coventry. We look forward to seeing work progress on both of these sites, ultimately adding to the education provision for the City.” Headteacher Chris Jupp said: “We are delighted and excited to be embarking on this project with GF Tomlinson. Coventry Local Authority have asked the school to expand slightly our pupil numbers due to our recent successes and popularity with parents, alongside the need for more pupil places locally in the coming years. “The investment will give our students some fantastic new facilities including a brand-new bespoke building for ‘The Bridge’ – our mini school just for Year 7 pupils which ensures a smooth transition to secondary school.” G F Tomlinson is delivering the project alongside Seymour Harris Architects, BWB Consulting Ltd and ABA Consulting.
The Fire Safety Bill clarifies where responsibility for fire safety lies in multi-occupied buildings in England and Wales and is set to receive Royal Assent today, 29 April. The Bill has gone through many rounds of votes as the House of Lords and some MPs tabled amendments in attempts to try and ensure leaseholders would not have to pay for required safety works. As the Bill becomes law it is important that agents understand the implications for building owners and residents with regards to any additional checks and costs. What it means The Fire Safety Bill amends the Fire Safety Order 2005, and along with the draft Building Safety Bill, is part of a collection of new legislation that aims to tackle the recommendations within the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. The Fire Safety Order 2005 brings together different pieces of fire legislation and designates those in control of premises as the responsible person for fire safety and managing risks. The Bill clarifies that for any building containing two or more sets of domestic premises the Order applies to the building’s structure and external walls and any common parts, including the front doors of residential areas. It also clarifies that references to external walls in the Order include “doors or windows in those walls” and “anything attached to the exterior of those walls (including balconies).” This now means that building owners or managers in multi-occupied residential buildings must include an assessment of risk related to fire and take precautions to reduce the risk of fire spreading in respect of these parts of the relevant premises. As a result, Fire and Rescue Authorities have the relevant enforcement powers to hold owners or managers to account. Following the disaster of the 2017 Grenfell fire, it is promising news that the Fire Safety Bill will finally receive Royal Assent today. It’s a significant step to ensuring that everyone feels safe in their own homes. The Bill will clarify who is responsible for fire safety in multi-occupied buildings. There will now likely be a more joined-up approach between owners and authorities, providing greater enforcement to prevent any further tragedy. Agents must now ensure they understand the implications put onto owners and residents with regards to any additional checks and costs. Mark Hayward – Propertymark Chief Policy Advisor Propertymark campaigning In September last year, Propertymark provided written evidence to the Housing Committee’s pre-legislative scrutiny of the Draft Building Safety Bill highlighting a number of concerns. These include the recruitment, training, and the role of Accountable Persons and Building Safety Managers as well as gaps between the new Building Safety regime and legacy stock. We also highlighted the impact on material information and the remediation of any unsafe cladding because there is a huge lack of awareness amongst letting agents and estate agents who buy, sell, and rent property that falls within the scope of the new regulatory regime. To this end, we are working with other professional bodies in the sector and the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team to update guidance relating to the Consumer Protection Regulations and ensure agents provide the correct information to consumers.
Corksol UK, the Yorkshire-based company that exclusively distributes Corksol SprayCork to approved applicators across the UK, has announced the launch of a new, innovative spray solution, Protesol Anitviral, which is scientifically proven to protect treated surfaces against 99.99% of harmful bacteria and viruses, including SARS and Coronavirus. With COVID-19 dominating the health agenda, Corksol took matters into its own hands sourcing an antiviral solution that seeks to reduce transmission of Coronavirus between individuals by protecting surfaces. The ground-breaking new spray solution, developed and certified in Spain, can be retro applied to surfaces in a wide range of settings from healthcare facilities and public transport, through to educational establishments and leisure spaces in a bid to provide extra protection when it comes to hygiene and sanitation measures. Not only does this coating help to eliminate 99.99% of harmful bacteria and viruses from surfaces, including COVID-19, applying Protesol Antiviral Spray will also cut down on time spent cleaning as well as provide a more eco-friendly solution as it eliminates the need for single use wipes and bleach-based products. Effective for use on a variety of materials including plastic, ceramic, metal, laminate and some painted surfaces, Protesol Antiviral Spray can be applied to most nonporous surfaces and is suitable for both commercial and domestic use. The coating works to destroys any harmful bacteria and viruses currently cultivating on the surface, before creating a barrier-effect which eliminates any opportunity for bacteria or viruses to grow. Most viruses, including Coronavirus, have a fatty surround and in order to kill the virus effectively, a cleaning agent must get through this robust fatty layer to get to the virus itself. This is what sets Protesol Antiviral apart from other shop-bought cleaning products. Joff Ward, director of Corksol UK comments: “Last Autumn when we realised the extent of this pandemic and how long we would be facing this invisible battle, we searched for a solution that could protect surfaces and individuals against harmful viruses. Our Spanish manufacturer has developed a validated, accredited solution that can be retro sprayed on to a huge range of surfaces to help cut down transmission. We have worked with them to develop ways of applying it using our skillset, and have launched an easy to use solution that be used in a wide variety of settings. “We have trialled it on numerous surfaces from desks to rugby balls and have seen for ourselves that the solution remains after cleaning and everyday use.” When it comes to rolling this product out, places with high traffic footfall and urgency will take priority. Hospitals and doctors surgeries, schools, colleges, universities, supermarkets will be protected first, with sports stadiums, clubs and gyms and pools following suit. Protesol Antiviral has already seen successful trials in Spain, most recently with furniture giant IKEA. The coating was applied to serving trays in restaurants and trialled over a four week period, with the solution remaining intact and active even when put through the dishwasher repeatedly. Protesol is also running a trail period with Aldi for use on their basket handles, and a number of other large companies in Spain, including a train and furniture manufacturer. The first company to trial the use of Protesol Antiviral was Ofita, manufacturers of designer furniture. CEO of the Spanish company, Camilo Agromayor added: “The virus-safe desks are a unique milestone in the challenge of achieving safer offices, particularly against Coronavirus. This protection is a guarantee of greater safety to our customers, both in individual workstations and in common spaces shared by multiple people.” Application of the coating is simple and straightforward, making it a viable option for any maintenance team who can easily apply it. The solution is sprayed onto a non-porous surface using a spray gun for large scale coverage, or simply add drops of the solution onto the surface and apply by hand with a microfibre cloth for smaller areas. To set the coating, using a paint stripping heat gun will help seal the resin in place, but it can be left to cure naturally in some circumstances, like in a school over the summer holidays. Protesol Antiviral will be available to purchase through Hardgear Healthcare, specialist provider of protective equipment. For further information about Protesol Antiviral, please visit www.protesol.co.uk
PLANS for the latest stage of The Island Quarter development will feature accommodation for Nottingham’s growing student population, with the developer behind the scheme submitting plans to Nottingham City Council today (DATE). The designs – drawn up by DAY Architects and submitted by The Conygar Investment Company PLC – show a 702-bed purpose-built student development, featuring a range of accommodation types including studios and cluster living. Amenities for the students in this latest phase of The Island Quarter – which is set to be available from September 2023 – include high-level sky lounges that offer projected views across the city and a pavilion with views onto a private courtyard space that will provide the opportunity for working, socialising, dining and exercising. The student accommodation will support The Island Quarter’s plans for intergenerational living across the site, with rental apartments forming part of phase 1B – which is currently in for planning – and future plans for family housing. Christopher Ware, property director at Conygar, said: “The plans submitted today are an exciting step for The Island Quarter development. Nottingham has a fantastic reputation as a university city, and the growth of the student population over the last few years reflects that. Purpose built student accommodation means more choice for students and less on them to live in traditional houses in residential areas of the city. “Our aim for The Island Quarter is true intergenerational living, with housing and accommodation that works for all. One of the biggest impacts of the pandemic has been that people of all ages are reassessing their relationship with where they live, and we want to create places and spaces where people can live, work and thrive.” The Island Quarter masterplan, which received outline planning approval in April 2019, has been designed with a full lifecycle of uses, including hotels and hospitality, office space and community living. It will introduce a network of public realm and access routes for pedestrians and cyclists, with green spaces at the heart of the plans. Tom Exell, director of architecture at DAY Architects, said: “It’s fantastic to see the scheme reach this significant milestone. This will be truly high-end student accommodation, offering exceptional living and amenity spaces whilst providing unparalleled, immediate access to public and private external space, something we feel will be key to the health and wellbeing of residents, particularly as we emerge from the pandemic. We’re extremely proud to be part of this flagship development for Nottingham and feel phase two will be another example of Conygar’s commitment to quality design across the entire masterplan.” Alex Jones, director at engineering consultancy Couch Perry Wilkes, which will be providing mechanical and engineering services for phase two of the development, said: “The Island Quarter is a significant development for Nottingham and the Midlands as a whole. We’re delighted to be working with the team for the student accommodation phase of the site, which will bring much needed residential capacity to support the city’s growing universities.”