AB Glass, the award-winning architectural aluminium and access control specialist, has completed a significant investment that will increase its production capacity by 35% as it gears up for a boom in new work and projects. The Swansea-based company has made a six-figure investment in building a new 3,000 sq ft
For some people, working for someone else just doesn’t fit them, and it can make for a much nicer experience to run things yourself. You have multiple choices when it comes to this in the construction industry – being a freelancer, or starting your own company. While being a freelancer
Technological innovation advances every field, taking it a step further in simplifying the process with which a product is made or a service is provided. It’s progress and it’s a continuous occurrence, one that cannot be stopped. While you might think that the casino industry has it all figured out
As we approach the next step in the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, including the reopening of indoor entertainment venues from 17 May, it’s an opportunity for many to reflect on the changes life has thrown at us since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. Whilst almost every industry
Salford housing association Salix Homes is celebrating a double win in the prestigious Northern Housing Awards. Salix Homes, which owns 8,000 homes across Salford, won the Best Resident Involvement Initiative and the Best Digital Transformation categories in the awards, which celebrate the achievements of the housing sector in the North.
Construction works on a new multi-million-pound neighbourhood centre have now completed at Blythe Valley Park (BVP) in Solihull, and the finished scheme was marked with a socially distanced handover ceremony on 16 April. The £7.5million project, which was led by Midlands-based contractor G F Tomlinson on behalf of client IM
Scarborough Group International (SGI) has commenced works on site to deliver a significant exemplary office building at Thorpe Park Leeds. The 133,118 sq ft building, which is pre-let to leading credit management company, Lowell, sets a new benchmark in workplace design at the park and has a gross development value
Ayr Grammar Primary School pupils are enjoying their new school following the full refurbishment of a Grade B Listed building that was originally home to Ayr Academy. Designed by BDP’s Glasgow studio, the sensitive restoration of the historic building located on the edge of the 17th Century Citadel of Ayr offers
Work has begun on the infrastructure to transform the iconic 75 acre West Works site at West Longbridge. The £20m infrastructure investment is the next step in the £1 billion regeneration of Longbridge which will see the derelict West Works site transformed into the high quality Longbridge Business Park with
Brock Carmichael has worked with C. Gars Ltd. for over six years as it expanded operations across the UK to now six locations. Its latest location is in the heart of London offering one of the World’s best selection of luxury cigars and spirits to a discerning clientele. Situated within
AB Glass, the award-winning architectural aluminium and access control specialist, has completed a significant investment that will increase its production capacity by 35% as it gears up for a boom in new work and projects. The Swansea-based company has made a six-figure investment in building a new 3,000 sq ft storage unit that will release 35% more floor space in its production unit, enabling it to increase and to further grow its order book. The construction of a state-of-the-art five-bay storage unit has now been completed. It will allow the business to cope with an increase in demand it has experienced as lockdown measures have eased and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit has lessened. The business works with blue chip private sector clients across the UK, as well as many universities, schools and public sector bodies. In addition to its architectural aluminium services, its access control offering has also experienced a surge in demand as workplaces adjust to post-pandemic safety recommendations as staff return. It also boasts a specially trained team with the specific skills needed when working with Passivhaus developments, a type of structure designed with energy-efficiency at its heart. It worked on the first Passivhaus leisure centre in the world and is seeing growing demand for this type of building. Alan Brayley, Managing Director of AB Glass and President of Swansea Bay Business Club, said: “We are delighted to have completed a structure that means quite a lot to the business. It frees up capacity in the main production space, which we need because of demand. But we feel it is also somewhat symbolic that we have achieved this despite one of the most challenging 12 months the business has endured. “Clearly, 2020 threw some severe challenges at us but I am very proud of the resilience we showed in how we quickly adjusted our working practices and worked very hard all year to ensure we weathered the storms. In addition to expanding our premises, we also welcomed a new generation of talent to the business. We now through into 2021 in a bullish frame of mind – and with much-need extra capacity at our disposal.”
For some people, working for someone else just doesn’t fit them, and it can make for a much nicer experience to run things yourself. You have multiple choices when it comes to this in the construction industry – being a freelancer, or starting your own company. While being a freelancer is great, it doesn’t open up for expansion later on, and you won’t be able to grow as much as you would if you started your own company. That said, if you’re planning on starting up your own construction company, you have a lot more to consider on a daily basis. Connections matter With any construction company, it’s the networking that matters the most. The more people who know who you are, the more business you’re going to get. You want people to know what services you offer, and the quality you offer them at. A lot of people working in the construction industry rely on recommendations and hearsay, so making sure to leave a good impression is key whenever you’re dealing with customers. Getting yourself heard Marketing is something that’s difficult to do as a construction company, as it’s not something that people are going to need every day. You need to find ways to get your name and number out there, and you can do that in a number of ways. Many people have their own business cards, which makes it much easier for your contact information to be passed around. Convenience is important when it comes to customers, and it can land you a job over your competitors. You should also consider putting your contact information online. If you can’t afford a website, there are sites like Yelp that can help you put your name on the map, and that way customers can find out more about you when they’re looking to have work done. Health and safety concerns Construction work is often considered much more dangerous than different industries, which is why it’s important to put a heavy focus on health and safety in the workplace. If you’re going to have people working under you, you’re responsible for making sure they’re safe while they’re working. This means making sure they know what they’re doing, and how to properly operate machinery, making sure they’re not acting reckless, and that the machinery itself is safe to use. If you don’t ensure that the health and safety are up to scratch, your business can face legal consequences. If there were to be any legal issues that arise, you should also be aware that there are solicitors that can help you, and are trained in that area. Proper training Due to the nature of the work, it’s very important that you make sure both you and the people that work for you receive the proper training before they’re allowed to work on the site. You can’t have people who are untrained putting them and others at risk while they’re working. If you need the training to work with certain machinery, then make sure that your employees receive that before they come into contact with it. Without the proper training, they themselves are a health and safety risk, and they could become injured while working. It’s up to you to make sure that they’re properly trained and the rules are enforced.
Technological innovation advances every field, taking it a step further in simplifying the process with which a product is made or a service is provided. It’s progress and it’s a continuous occurrence, one that cannot be stopped. While you might think that the casino industry has it all figured out and they’re already making enough bank, like everyone, they are trying to implement technology and bring ease of use to the customer while maximizing profits. They’ve always been on the forefront of the economy, so they’re keeping up with the times so things stay that way. The industry’s shift into the digital sphere began back in the mid-90s. Today, online casinos are chipping away at their land-based equivalents, with annual revenues projected to reach $88 billion by 2024. When you look at the options these casinos offer, it’s easy to see why business is booming. After all, they have tons of quality games that players can choose once they register. Roulette is among the most popular categories and the Casimba roulette games are supplied by some of the world’s most reputable game providers. A pleasant gaming experience is guaranteed, but you must remember to play for entertainment purposes only. In just a couple of years, new technology will unmeasurably improve the games even the best online casino has to offer, but it will enhance their real-life versions in different ways as well. Analytics and Data Modeling While on the surface the word data doesn’t sound too exciting, there is no doubt that data is invaluable. The whole online sector is fighting over it. And with so many people playing games online, there are more than enough sources from which data can be mined. These services can track your history, when you played, how much you bet, at what time, what games do you gravitate towards and so on. Remember, they have your info, so they know your gender, age, and location, and they can build models for certain demographics. Concierge Apps This is truly a brilliant idea. You check into a casino and download their app, from then on it serves as your virtual guide and assistant. You can make dinner reservations through it, schedule a massage, or see what shows you can check out. Taking it a step further, you can even be allowed to control your room’s temperature, part the curtains, set the alarm or order room service. The casino can even provide slot games on the app, and if you’re a preferred customer, they might throw a few free spins your way. Today, these apps are the norm in some luxury residential buildings. Facial Recognition While you may think that your laptop and phone have this ability too, you have to understand that there are levels to everything. There’s always been an eye in the sky on the casino floor, but modern advances have brought forward scanners that can identify perps before they even commit a crime. And, it’s not just their faces they can recognize, and records they can access, they can spot license plates and alert authorities as suspicious cars enter the premises. It won’t be long before they neutralize things like counterfeit-chips and card switching as well.
As we approach the next step in the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, including the reopening of indoor entertainment venues from 17 May, it’s an opportunity for many to reflect on the changes life has thrown at us since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. Whilst almost every industry was affected when lockdown pressed pause on daily life, the UK construction industry was ground to a complete halt for nearly 2 months when workers were ordered to stay at home. Not only did 80% of construction businesses have to cancel or postpone projects (The Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme, 2020), but when construction eventually resumed in the spring, supply chain disruptions caused further issues, with many goods and services becoming unavailable. Trade and travel restrictions continued throughout 2020, as did increased operating costs, decreased demand and mandatory legislation that required employees to social distance and wear PPE on site. But with light finally at the end of the tunnel and reports showing a positive trajectory for the future of construction, attention turns to the aftermath and what is considered the new ‘normal’. Has the working landscape changed forever, and what positives can we take from these new ways of working? Employees from professional tool manufacturer Hilti share their thoughts. Michaela Hunter, Training Officer “When Covid hit, I had to work out how to deliver effective training to Hilti employees in a format that I never thought was possible. We were faced with the challenge of converting all of our material into a digital format, meaning we lost a key element of the training which was hands-on experience with the tools. It’s also more difficult to engage people digitally, so we had to get creative with activities and group work to encourage participation and help increase knowledge retention. We had a recruitment freeze in the UK too, so some of the team were redeployed to support other areas of the business, as there were less new employees to train. “Adapting to this new way of working has been a struggle for me and made me appreciate the small things in life. It’s been really tough not having that social interaction in the office, where we could have a chat over a coffee. Not to mention the technical issues that come with working digitally. On the flip side, it’s shown how people have the resilience to adapt to dramatic changes. It’s created opportunities which we can utilise even when the pandemic is over, although I’m really looking forward to running sessions in person again.” Charlie Ashworth, Implementation & Care Manager for Tool Services “My team is national based so before the pandemic, I would usually spend 2-3 nights a week away from home. Over the past year, that hasn’t been possible and I haven’t been able to join my colleagues in their cars during field rides. I’ve had to adapt the way I coach and support the team – remote field rides via Teams has meant I’m in more regular contact with each team member. “I’ve really enjoyed spending more time at home and hardly any nights in hotels, which has been great from a work-life balance perspective. Being able to join customer meetings via Teams has allowed me to be more productive too. But coaching and supporting is the best part of my role, so I’ve missed the human contact, as you don’t get the same experience with a Teams call compared to a full day in the field. “I don’t think work will ever return to normal. Teams meetings will continue and there’ll definitely be less travelling in my role, but I still intend to get back out in the field once or twice a week.” Emma Ross, Regional Head of Warehousing “Working in Logistics during the pandemic has hugely challenged us as a team, as we simply can’t do our job remotely. The biggest impact it had for me personally was the greater focus of putting people first. I have always looked to do this, but the stress and pressure the team were under gave greater emphasis to keeping them safe – both physically and mentally. Those people working in warehousing across the country are the hidden key workers. Being unable to work from home and having to go in everyday takes its toll. “We’ve really missed working alongside our office-based colleagues. Less formal communication is difficult to get right over Teams, so I’m certainly looking forward to meetings in person. We’re a very hands-on operation and like to physically show people the challenge, which isn’t as easy over a video call. “On a positive note, the small team left on site have become much stronger and closer. The worry that you might make a loved one sick isn’t easy to face every day, so we’ve been able to support each other. But, the realisation that we’ve helped keep businesses moving, and even contributed to the construction of the Nightingale hospitals, has made it a very rewarding year.” Chris Butters, Internal Sales Account Manager for Building Construction “The past year has been a weird experience. I definitely never thought I’d do an interview sat in my kitchen wearing a pair of shorts. I’ve started in a new team too, so it’s been interesting meeting new team members and doing training via Teams rather than getting hands-on with the tools. I’ve also missed the banter of being in the office, and just seeing people in general. “Despite the weirdness, I’ve loved being at home. I got to experience all of my son’s “firsts” like crawling, walking and talking – which is something I missed out on with my little girl. Luckily, I’m now back in the office twice a week, so it’s nice being able to see people and get support face to face.” Has COVID-19 forced your business to adopt new ways of working? And has jobsite productivity fallen as a result? Get back on track with Hilti’s free productivity guide > References:https://www.chas.co.uk/blog/covid-impact-on-construction-industry/
Salford housing association Salix Homes is celebrating a double win in the prestigious Northern Housing Awards. Salix Homes, which owns 8,000 homes across Salford, won the Best Resident Involvement Initiative and the Best Digital Transformation categories in the awards, which celebrate the achievements of the housing sector in the North. The landlord scooped Best Resident Involvement Initiative in recognition of its pioneering Customer Committee, which was set up last year in a bid to give tenants a greater say in how its housing services are run. The Customer Committee has seen Salix Homes trailblazing a new approach to customer engagement, which was established ahead of national calls for greater transparency and for tenant’s voices to be better heard following the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The Customer Committee is made up of 12 residents in a paid-for role, on a par with the organisation’s board members, who can commission a piece of scrutiny work into any area of the organisation. The judges commended Salix Homes for its commitment to putting tenants first. They said: “Salix Homes have reacted to the Grenfell disaster by putting tenants at the heart of what they do, ensuring they have a strong voice and are able to participate. A very well done to all of you.” Salix Homes was also recognised for its digital innovation, which has seen the landlord launch a ground-breaking digital repairs service incorporating innovative chatbot technology; and becoming the first housing provider in the UK to fully embrace the public cloud. Judges were also impressed with the MySalix customer portal – an online platform which enables residents to manage their tenancy at the touch of a button or tap of a phone. Jim Battle, Chair of the Board at Salix Homes, said: “We’re an organisation that prides itself on being progressive and forward-thinking, with a bold vision to rethink the way our housing services are provided in order to meet the demands of a modern and digital world. “Despite the challenges of the past year posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve pushed on with our plans to establish our Customer Committee and become a truly digital organisation, so to be recognised for our efforts for both these areas is a real honour and is testament to all the hard work of our colleagues and partners. “We’re particularly proud that our Customer Committee has been recognised for the impact it’s having on both our organisation and the wider social housing sector. Never has it been more important for social landlords to listen to the voices of tenants and we firmly believe our modern approach to customer engagement echoes the recommendations made in the Government’s Social Housing White Paper, calling for greater accountability, transparency and engagement with customers, so we’re very proud to be leading the way.” Salix Homes is no stranger to awards, having already been named Digital Landlord of the Year in the UK Housing Awards 2020, and coming in at number four in the recent Top 30 Digital Housing Providers roll of honour, organised by Housing Digital.
Construction works on a new multi-million-pound neighbourhood centre have now completed at Blythe Valley Park (BVP) in Solihull, and the finished scheme was marked with a socially distanced handover ceremony on 16 April. The £7.5million project, which was led by Midlands-based contractor G F Tomlinson on behalf of client IM Properties, involved the construction of four mixed-use, high quality apartment buildings to act as a new hub for BVP. The 1.2million sq. ft. park employs 3,500 people and is occupied by more than 25 businesses, including a range of high-profile brands such as Gymshark, Lounge, Cooper Parry, Siemens and Zenith. Bloor Homes and Crest Nicholson are also on site building 750 new homes. BVP also features a number of amenities for people who live and work within the development, including Java Lounge Coffee House, Busy Bees Nursery & Pre-School and Virgin Active Gym, as well as 122 acres of surrounding parkland. The new neighbourhood centre helps to seamlessly blend the growing residential and commercial communities at the development – providing 48 one and two-bed apartments, 36 of which are being retained and let by IM Properties. The affordable housing element is being managed by Bromford Homes. Modern retail spaces make up two of the ground floor buildings, which are available for a convenience store and a further retail unit, creating additional jobs in the area. All four of the new apartment buildings provide level access to accommodate disabled members of the community and renewable green technology has been installed to provide power to apartments and communal areas. There is also cycle storage, a number of electric car charging points, and an onsite electric pool car for short journeys. Andy Sewards, managing director at G F Tomlinson said: “It has been a pleasure to work with IM Properties to create the new neighbourhood centre at Blythe Valley Park, which has delivered a significant number of new homes, complete with retail and food outlets, that will boost the local economy and employment. “Blythe Valley Park is a well-established business hub that offers great investment, employment and residential opportunities and we’re extremely pleased to have handed over this exciting project this spring, which has helped to further expand the park’s residential community. “As a Midlands-based contractor, we are always proud to work on schemes that deliver investment into the region and this is another significant residential project to add to our portfolio.” Richard Knight, technical director of IM Properties said: “We’re pleased to have worked in partnership with G F Tomlinson as a part of our trusted supply chain to create the new neighbourhood centre as part of our ambition to create one of the Midlands’ first truly mixed-use schemes. “The new neighbourhood centre helps to connect the commercial and residential phases and add to the buzz of community life at the heart of the scheme, with people living, working and enjoying leisure time alongside.” Chris Hill, project manager at Novus, said: “A fantastic project, delivered via a solid and collective team ethic, within extremely challenging circumstances; yet with programme and quality maintained. We are delighted to have been provided the opportunity to work with G F Tomlinson and the role of driving this scheme on behalf of our key client.” An 80-bed care facility is also under construction by Macc Care Group.
Scarborough Group International (SGI) has commenced works on site to deliver a significant exemplary office building at Thorpe Park Leeds. The 133,118 sq ft building, which is pre-let to leading credit management company, Lowell, sets a new benchmark in workplace design at the park and has a gross development value of £52 million. Representatives from both SGI and Lowell met on site to mark the official ground-breaking with GMI Construction, principal contractor for the project, just a matter of weeks after funding was secured for the project through OakNorth Bank. GMI expects to complete the building by September 2022, ready for the tenant to commence their CAT-B fit-out works before they relocate in 2023. The pre-let to Lowell was announced earlier this year and represents the largest single out of town office deal ever recorded in West Yorkshire and the biggest property transaction in the Northern Powerhouse region over the last twelve months. Lowell has agreed a 15-year lease to occupy the building and will relocate its UK headquarters from two sites at Leeds Valley Park. The building, which will extend over seven floors with two levels of underground podium parking and amenity below, marks the evolution in the design of out of town office space and is being constructed in line with the very latest human health and wellbeing standards. Its location and adjacent landscaped courtyard will create an anchor point for the next development plots that will be largely pedestrianised, providing easy access to The Springs retail and leisure park and new green park. Designed by award-winning architects, Carey Jones Chapman Tolcher, the building is to represent a new benchmark for future development at Thorpe Park Leeds, with an environmental performance target rating of BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and principles set out in the WELL Standard to provide an exemplar environment for users. Kevin McCabe, Chairman at SGI, said: “We are pleased to be able to start on site so quickly after securing planning consent, funding and of course concluding the landmark letting with our new neighbours Lowell. The transaction is excellent news for the region and a huge vote of confidence in the existing & future environment at Thorpe Park as well an indicator that the office market remains strong, despite the pandemic. “We continue to engage with businesses seeking to locate at Thorpe Park Leeds, some of which are existing occupiers looking to expand, and we remain committed to our ambition to deliver further phases of office development to ensure that Thorpe Park maintains and advances its position within the Northern Powerhouse as the flagship location for business, employment and quality of life.” Lee Powell, Divisional Managing Director of GMI Construction Group, said: “We are delighted to start on site with our next significant project at Thorpe Park Leeds as we maintain our long-term and trusted partnership with SGI to deliver phase two. The scale of delivery is considerable and as principal contractor we are excited to be working closely with the entire delivery team to build the biggest single office building in Leeds out of town history. It really is exciting to see how Thorpe Park Leeds has excelled in recent years to become a thriving business and leisure destination and we are proud to be a part of it.” Lisa Wragg, Head of Office Services at Lowell said: “This building is the culmination of many months of tireless work by all involved to get it to this stage. We’re really excited to see the construction of our new home finally starting to take shape and look forward to celebrating the next milestone in due course.” In recognition of the hard work that has gone into getting the project to this stage, while simultaneously observing social distancing guidelines in place, SGI staged a virtual ground breaking ‘Pass the Poster’ challenge. The TikTok-style video, which can be viewed here, features a 30-strong team involved in the project, including contractors, engineers, architects, landscape architects, agents, planners, lenders and sustainable transport consultants alongside the SGI and Lowell teams sharing key messages about the HQ building and wider Thorpe Park Leeds development. Thorpe Park Leeds is an already well-established business location, strategically located with its own dedicated access at Junction 46 of the M1. More than 900,000 sq ft of office space is already built supporting over 5,500 jobs and The Springs retail and leisure park sits at the core of the mixed-use business community with a line-up of major high street brands including Next, M&S, ODEON Luxe, Pure Gym, Boots, H&M and TK Maxx along with a growing range of smaller, independent, niche retail and leisure businesses. Further development plans include the delivery of a 113-acre public park with sports and wellbeing facilities for the community of the Leeds City Region and beyond. The phase two development at Thorpe Park Leeds was enabled following a unique investment deal with Legal & General Capital in 2015. Since then a transformational 1.35 million sq ft mixed-use expansion has progressed bringing exceptional new business opportunities to the Leeds City Region. It has also enabled the delivery of the first section of the ‘East Leeds Orbital Route’ (ELOR), a key piece of transport infrastructure connecting north and east Leeds to Junction 46 of the M1. This road also unlocks land for the future construction of over 7,000 new homes on the East Leeds area. The Award-winning development has been chosen for the new railway station ‘East Leeds Parkway’ and associated Park and Ride, connecting directly to Leeds City Centre in less than eight minutes. This forms part of a £270 million infrastructure investment into Leeds by the Department of Transport.
Ayr Grammar Primary School pupils are enjoying their new school following the full refurbishment of a Grade B Listed building that was originally home to Ayr Academy. Designed by BDP’s Glasgow studio, the sensitive restoration of the historic building located on the edge of the 17th Century Citadel of Ayr offers a contemporary learning environment in an historic setting. Following full consultation with parents, pupils, staff, South Ayrshire Council, and the wider community, the new education hub has been created to offer a nursery, a primary school, a Community Arts Centre, and a new home for the Ayrshire Archives and Registry which houses the repositories for historical records and the Ayrshire fine art collection. Lindsey Mitchell, Architect Director at BDP, said: “This project is an exemplar of how the re-use of historic buildings is relevant to contemporary education. We are hopeful that this fantastic refurbishment will be the catalyst for further regeneration of this important historic area in the town of Ayr.” “This new education hub is a great example of how to bring the community together in one facility. The creation of a new public amenity that overlooks the river Ayr, and offers active frontage to South Harbour Street, provides the town with a real multi-generational offer that breathes new life into a fantastic historic building.” The full refurbishment was carried out following the move of Ayr Academy to the new BDP designed school at the Craigie Campus in Ayr in 2017.
Work has begun on the infrastructure to transform the iconic 75 acre West Works site at West Longbridge. The £20m infrastructure investment is the next step in the £1 billion regeneration of Longbridge which will see the derelict West Works site transformed into the high quality Longbridge Business Park with 900,000 sq ft of commercial space creating up to 5,000 jobs and an attractive new residential neighbourhood of 350 homes. St. Modwen is working in partnership with West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and this key milestone follows the recent announcement of a £6m grant funding contribution from the WMCA to unlock the West Works scheme. Longbridge Business Park will provide a home for advanced manufacturing, high tech, research and development, health and science uses. The first phase of works is expected to be complete by the end of the year. Rob Flavell, Senior Director for Regeneration in the Midlands and North for St. Modwen, said: “The West Works site is a vital piece of the ongoing regeneration of Longbridge Town Centre and to see the first spades in the ground is a huge milestone for the area. “Our plans for West Longbridge signify our key objectives for the wider redevelopment of Longbridge – creating an amazing place with modern working environments, high-quality homes and attractive public spaces which will bring wide ranging benefits to those who live, work or visit the area. “This first phase of infrastructure works will help us to accelerate the delivery of the site. We’ve already been receiving strong enquiries from high-quality, renowned businesses for the commercial spaces and we’re looking forward to working with prospective occupiers to create environments which will produce jobs for local people and contributions to the local economy.” Andy Street, who was re-elected Mayor of the West Midlands last weekend (Saturday May 8), added: “One of my election pledges was to create 100,000 new jobs for the region over the next two years, and regeneration of derelict industrial sites is going to be critical to achieving that. “That’s why we are using the money we have secured from Government to transform sites like Longbridge West Works into thriving new workplaces and communities. “The regeneration of this once iconic site is a first-class example of how we are bringing brownfield sites back into use, creating thousands of jobs and homes as well as new, modern industrial spaces. “The pandemic has hit this region hard but by investing in our future in this way and in the type of hi-tech, green industries that will be based at the new Longbridge Business Park, I am confident we can recapture our pre-pandemic success and drive an economic recovery that benefits all our communities and the environment.” St. Modwen is offering design and build opportunities on freehold and leasehold terms and has seen strong demand from the market over the past year. Occupiers will benefit from the established town centre amenities, beautiful green spaces, a wide range of modern homes and excellent sustainable transport links. Improvement works include a new green way along a one mile stretch of the River Rea, allowing the river to be opened up to the public via new footpaths and cycle routes connecting West Longbridge and Rubery to Longbridge Town Centre. West Longbridge will also feature 27 acres of open green space connected to the nearby Austin Park, in a drive to increase biodiversity and promote health and wellbeing across Longbridge. The West Works investment is the latest in a series of key milestones at Longbridge as momentum increases in 2021. It follows recent announcements including a new green heart in the Town Centre, public realm improvements on Longbridge Lane and a new link from Austin Park to West Longbridge along with a unique public art installation. So far St. Modwen has overseen the regeneration of around half of the wider Longbridge works which it bought in 2003. Once complete, it is expected to create up to 4,000 new homes, two million sq ft of commercial development and 10,000 jobs, transforming Longbridge into a modern, attractive environment in which to live and work. For more information about the ongoing regeneration of Longbridge, go to www.longbridgebirmingham.co.uk.
Brock Carmichael has worked with C. Gars Ltd. for over six years as it expanded operations across the UK to now six locations. Its latest location is in the heart of London offering one of the World’s best selection of luxury cigars and spirits to a discerning clientele. Situated within the Smithson’s listed Economist Building this retail unit, on the ground floor of the Bank Building in Smithson’s Plaza, suffered all the challenges a Grade II* listed building can offer. The design needed to remain sensitive to its Brutalist origins, whilst appealing to visitors, and functional, whilst being compact and multi-facetted. Additionally, the restrictions on the sale of tobacco meant most of the products could not be displayed to entice entry. The site chosen for the new retail unit, which was formerly an estate agent, had a considerable number of challenges for Brock Carmichael who were responsible for the design, planning and licensing applications, coordination and delivery to a tight timescale, during lockdown. Alterations to 23a St James’s Street included: • External improvements and restorations to the original features, • The installation of chrome feature display shelving that encased the perimeter of the unit, that integrated a sales point, stock storage, ventilation and 12 personal cigar lockers, • The creation of a glass fronted walk-in Humidor that allows for nearly 360 degrees of stunning product displays, with climate and humidity controls, • A new sales floor and sampling area, • An illuminated glass feature light within the retail space and a new lighting design. Both the humidor and the retail floor area have an impressive and very quiet smoke filtration system. This involved the addition of a very high specification HVAC ventilation system and associated ducting, concealed in perimeter boxing at a high level, with nothing visible or audible from the street. Externally, along with the restoration work, new window displays were created, which needed to serve a dual function, display product and attract customers, but also, in accordance with SSI 2013/85, prevent any display of the tobacco products inside. This was achieved by layering displays of Spirits and Cigar accessories. Additional internal improvements included improved access, new flooring, new lighting, new security systems and an entirely new WC and storage area design. Tobias Bachra, the Lead Designer from Brock Carmichael responsible for the project added; “It was important for us to pay homage to Alison and Peter Smithson who designed the 1964 Economist Plaza ‘a milestone in the canon of modern architecture’. The plaza has stood the test of time and is rightly Grade II* listed. Interior designs for 23a St James’s Street are also reminiscent of their 1956 ‘House of the Future’ for the Ideal Home Exhibition at Olympia with its curves, bold shapes and efficient use of the space available.” He added; “We all really enjoyed working on this project and as part of a team too, with the client, the contractors and engineers.” Managing Partner at Brock Carmichael, Chis Bolland added; “We’re delighted to have now completed our fifth successful project for C. Gars Ltd. now Dominique London, they are a business we love working with. From being early pioneers in internet retail they continue to push the boundaries in luxury retail and hospitality, with innovation as standard.” Client Mitchell Orchant, managing director of C. Gars Ltd. and CCO of Dominique London said; “Two things impress us most about Brock Carmichael, the ability for us to relax knowing they will improve on our vision and get the work done with the minimum of fuss. The second is the people. Our reputation is built on quality and they don’t let us down. For this project, most impressive were their illustrations and images and how they were brought to life exactly as we’d approved.” Plans for the future at St James’s include cigar sampling, whisky tastings and events to add to retail which means the space has to work hard and be flexible. Other work for C. Gars by Brock Carmichael continues.