Although the premises are pretty similar, truck accidents are different from your typical car accidents. They have a higher mortality rate and can lead to more catastrophic damages to the surroundings. As such, the compensation will be relatively higher than usual, so dealing with a truck accident is much different
FireArrest surveyed experts to shine a light on the biggest fire risks Prominent fire stopping business, FireArrest, recently performed a study with a range of fire professionals to understand what, in their experience, are the most common fire risks. As we all know the management of fire risks within a
PROPERTY, construction, and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle has taken new steps in further integrating its extensive supply chain – announcing global industry heavyweights Stantec and WT Partnership as part of its expanded “PrimeCore” team. Perfect Circle achieved unprecedented success in leading SCAPE’s former Built Environment Consultancy Services (BECS) framework, delivering
Trinova and Europi snap up Cuprum and The Stamp Office in £44m office acquisition swoop A joint venture between TREOS (the discretionary fund vehicle of Trinova Real Estate) and Swedish real estate investor, Europi Property Group, has purchased two major Scottish office investment assets in Glasgow and Edinburgh over the
United Living Group is delighted to announce that Conor Bray has been appointed as Group Chief Operating Officer. Conor has extensive operational experience in various sectors and is currently Managing Director, Property Services at United Living Group. He will take up the new role from 1 May 2021. His promotion
A freestanding luffing jib tower crane has been increased in height to 105 metres by Bennetts Cranes on a luxury residential development in Fulham, London. This is understood to be the tallest freestanding luffing jib crane in operation in the UK currently, meaning it is not tied to the building.
Network Homes has received planning permission for the next stage of a major development at Northwick Park Hospital in Northwest London. Brent Council’s planning committee granted outline permission for the scheme on 29 March, which will see a total of up to 1,600 new homes, as well as the student
To boost the confidence of professionals installing energy efficient heating and hot water products for residential new build developments, Baxi has continued to prioritise training with bespoke virtual learning modules. Throughout the pandemic, Baxi has supported housing providers, developers and their contractors with virtual training opportunities. This approach has allowed
Timber frame construction brings many benefits to the housebuilding industry, including quicker build times, quieter assembly, fewer deliveries to site, cost savings and a reduction in defects. Underpinning these advantages, Norbord’s engineered wood-based panel products are an integral part of many timber frame systems. They are regularly seen as the
An MP and a prominent local councillor have visited a soon-to-be-opened Liverpool builders merchant to learn more about regeneration and job creation in the city. Peter Dowd, Member of Parliament for Bootle, and Councillor Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, were welcomed to Selco Builders Warehouse,
Although the premises are pretty similar, truck accidents are different from your typical car accidents. They have a higher mortality rate and can lead to more catastrophic damages to the surroundings. As such, the compensation will be relatively higher than usual, so dealing with a truck accident is much different than when you’re involved in a typical car accident. This guide will discuss the things you need to do when you’re involved in truck accident cases so you don’t get the short end of the stick. 1. Get To Safety The first thing you need to do after a truck accident is to get to safety. You can start by driving to the side of the road since your vehicle may become an obstacle to emergency services that will arrive on the scene and cars that pass through the road. If the accident happened at night, it’s advisable to turn on your hazard lights for passersby to see. 2. Call Emergency Services After getting to safety, it should be safe to start calling emergency services, such as 000 or 911. If you don’t have a phone with you at the moment, try asking a passerby to make the call instead. Furthermore, if you think the truck is carrying hazardous materials, make sure to inform the dispatcher of this since they might need to prepare extra equipment. This step is also essential when there is a truck accident in a work site. 3. Document The Scene Emergency services typically arrive one hour after the call, depending on the distance between the accident scene and the nearby station. In the meantime, you can document the scene. You can start by taking pictures of your vehicle, preferably the areas showing the damage. Make sure to take photos of your injuries as well. If there are people who witnessed the accident, you can try to get testimonies from them. But, if they don’t have time at the moment, you can simply get their contact information and names. By documenting the scene, you can gather enough information to ensure that you’ll get compensation from the truck driver. It may also serve as a great tool to convince your insurance company to cover the expenses on repairs. 4. Exchange Information With The Other Party Once the emergency services arrive, they’ll be busy filing an accident report, so you should exchange information with the other party (the truck driver) in the meantime. At the very least, you need to collect the following information: With these pieces of information, it should be difficult for the other party to get away from their mistake if they’re at fault, and this will help greatly in the settlement process. 5. Seek Medical Attention Even if you feel like you’re completely fine, it should still be in your best interest to seek medical attention along with other parties involved in the accident since there’s a chance the injuries are internal and have no immediate signs. Since there are already emergency services on the scene, you don’t have to trouble yourself by going to a nearby hospital. But, just in case, make sure you also go to a hospital after getting checked by the responding officers so you can get a medical record from the doctor. This will come in handy during negotiations later on. 6. Check Your Vehicle Just like your body, your vehicle might’ve sustained internal damage that you’re not aware of, so it’s a good idea to get your vehicle appraised before settling the truck accident claim. That way, you can minimize the compensation for your vehicle’s repairs. Take note, however, that when getting your vehicle appraised on a body shop, you need to remind them that it’s not up for repairs, at least not until you’ve settled the claim. 7. Call Your Insurance Company Call your insurance company immediately to inform them of the accident. However, remember that they will aim to cut on their losses, so they’ll push you to settle immediately so the compensation will be as little as possible. On that note, you need to take control of the call. Here are some tips for pulling this off: Wrapping Up Truck accidents cause 5000 deaths every year, and if you’re not careful, you might become a part of such numbers. Hence, it’s only natural to panic after getting involved in a truck accident, but that will only be counter-productive. If you want to achieve a favorable outcome from this incident, your best bet would be to follow the tips above.
FireArrest surveyed experts to shine a light on the biggest fire risks Prominent fire stopping business, FireArrest, recently performed a study with a range of fire professionals to understand what, in their experience, are the most common fire risks. As we all know the management of fire risks within a property is the single most important factor when it comes to saving lives, protecting properties and the contents within them. The survey looked at three key areas of fire safety: Buildings. Liabilities. Hidden risks. When FireArrest asked what kind of building was at most risk of fire, seven out of ten said that the most fire risks were present within private homes. FireArrest then asked what the biggest fire risks were in terms of materials, 39% said combustible materials, 35% said electrical materials and 23% said vulnerable infrastructure. Finally, they asked the experts about the most common hidden risks, 31% of the responses agreed that walls and ceilings present the biggest dangers since they aren’t immediately visible. 23% said that entranceways were the biggest hidden fire risk within a property. Managing and mitigating the risk of fire within a building is key in not only saving lives but preventing severe damage to the structure of the building and the contents within. For our latest research project, we surveyed a range of active and passive fire industry professionals to shine a light on some of the most common, and often hidden, risks they see on a daily basis. In our survey, we based our questions around three core areas of fire safety… Risky Buildings When we asked fire professionals what kind of buildings presented the biggest fire risk, 7 out of 10 stated that most fire risks are present within residential properties. Conversely, the safest kinds of buildings appear to be restaurants with only 1 in 10 choosing this kind of building as high-risk. Biggest Fire Liabilities The skills of fire professionals are used to inspect properties and assess their vulnerabilities and the risk of fire. In our survey, we asked what the most common outcomes of these inspections are: 39% said combustible materials. 35% said electrical materials. 23% said vulnerable infrastructure. Other liabilities included kitchen exhaust systems and grease-laden vapours. Hidden Fire Risks When asked about hidden fire risks in a building, walls and ceilings were the most common answer, with 31% of our survey audience concurring that hidden risks are usually in these areas as they aren’t immediately visible. Secondly, 23% of our survey said that entrance ways were the biggest hidden fire risk within a premises.
PROPERTY, construction, and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle has taken new steps in further integrating its extensive supply chain – announcing global industry heavyweights Stantec and WT Partnership as part of its expanded “PrimeCore” team. Perfect Circle achieved unprecedented success in leading SCAPE’s former Built Environment Consultancy Services (BECS) framework, delivering more than 2,600 contracts across a public sector spend of £500m in the past four years. As a result, in January 2021, Perfect Circle was awarded the new Built Environment and Infrastructure lots of the SCAPE Consultancy framework for England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Along with Perfect Circle’s principal partners Pick Everard, Gleeds, and AECOM, new preferred partners are joining its PrimeCore team – delivering project management and quantity surveying services to continue growth in providing service excellence to more than 300 public sector organisations. They join together as part of the consultancy’s already vast market of approved suppliers, with more than 600 supply chain partners creating better integration and collaboration in dynamic service delivery teams. The new preferred partners will help to drive the framework into new sectors, making significant contributions to the government’s build back better programme. Stantec and WT Partnership are the first of several firms in the expanded PrimeCore team to be announced. Victoria Brambini, managing director at Perfect Circle, said: “Since Perfect Circle was set up in 2016, we have been strengthening our collaborations between our shareholders, SCAPE framework partners and our supply chain. Our ethos is deep-rooted in partnership, working and bringing the strongest integrated team together to deliver the best services to clients, with embedded creation of community benefits right across the UK. “This is because we know that effective collaboration not only brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise into the group, but also a collective passion and drive for improvement – making a real difference to clients, communities, employees, and supply chain partners. “The scale and success of leading SCAPE’s former BECS framework has been recognised by the enthusiasm and commitment from suppliers to become part of our PrimeCore team. As we continue to be selected by public sector clients to deliver their projects via the new SCAPE Consultancy framework, we will further bolster our mission to deliver procurement value by connecting the public sector and its projects to the best talent and integrated team. “We are delighted to have added further expertise to our already expansive supply chain and engaged Stantec and WT Partnership into our PrimeCore team. Stantec will bolster and support our delivery of infrastructure projects, while WT Partnership will bring the benefit of 70 years’ experience within the property and construction industry across a full range of projects for public sector clients.” Perfect Circle delivers the broadest range of consultancy services available to the public sector via SCAPE Consultancy, a direct award framework that drives collaboration, speed and efficiency, social value, and value for money. The services are categorised as prime core (project management and quantity surveying), core (including building surveying, architecture, and the engineering disciplines), and non-core services, with principal partners Pick Everard, Gleeds, and AECOM and the new preferred partners able to deliver all services, and suppliers being engaged to deliver any core and non-core services. James Morgan, framework director at Stantec, said: “Stantec is delighted to join Perfect Circle as a preferred partner on the SCAPE Consultancy framework, delivering the Built Environment and Infrastructure lots. Together, we have a shared commitment to delivering community enrichment, social value, sustainability, and economic growth. “We look forward to providing expert consultancy and innovative solutions to our public sector clients through both framework appointments, with a particularly prominent role on lot 2 – Infrastructure – providing key schemes for environmental protection and transport such as, for example, the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford corridor (CaMKOx).” Dean Smith, joint managing director at WT Partnership, added: “We are thrilled to be designated one of Perfect Circle’s preferred partners, providing built environment and infrastructure consultancy services across the SCAPE Consultancy framework. “This will allow us to maximise upon our key business objectives of supporting the wider public sector, providing excellent value for money, and promoting social value to enhance local communities throughout the UK.” The SCAPE Consultancy framework runs from January 2021 until 2025. Accessible to any public sector organisation, the framework offers the broadest range of professional services available in the construction and infrastructure industry, with each lot providing experts in each sector. The fully OJEU-compliant procurement route brings together the strongest collaborative team with value for money, while contributing substantially to local social value. Mark Robinson, chief executive of SCAPE, said: “By extending its ‘PrimeCore’ dedicated supply chain, Perfect Circle is ensuring it has access to a wide range of specialist expertise. This means that clients can be confident that through SCAPE Consultancy, their projects will be ready to be accelerated by having the right team in place from the very outset.” Since its inception, Perfect Circle has assembled a supply chain of more than 680 firms that have access to work with a diverse range of public sector organisations. More than £74m has been spent across the supply chain on public sector projects over the past four years. For more information on Perfect Circle, please visit www.perfectcircle.co.uk.
Trinova and Europi snap up Cuprum and The Stamp Office in £44m office acquisition swoop A joint venture between TREOS (the discretionary fund vehicle of Trinova Real Estate) and Swedish real estate investor, Europi Property Group, has purchased two major Scottish office investment assets in Glasgow and Edinburgh over the past few weeks. Cuprum was built in 2010 and is of Grade A quality, offering excellent floorplates, extending to 96,267 sq.ft over eight floors, plus 37 car parking spaces. It is fully occupied, with the headline tenants being AXA Insurance (UK) plc and Teleperformance Ltd. It is also home to SAS Software Ltd and Citres Ltd. Set on Argyll Street, in the western edge of Glasgow’s International Financial Services District (IFSD), Cuprum is very well connected to key city centre amenities and transport links. The Stamp Office was originally built in 1819 and comprises a 52,177 sq.ft, seven storey classical Georgian building with four floors situated above Waterloo Place and three lower floors overlooking Calton Road to the rear, and adjacent to Edinburgh’s Waverley station. Located in the heart of Edinburgh, the Category A listed building has been comprehensively redeveloped behind a retained facade to provide Grade A open plan office accommodation on all levels. It is 85% occupied and tenants include Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, The Scottish Ministers, Covance, Queryclick and Senvion. Colin Finlayson, Director of Lismore, who advised Credit Suisse on the sale of Cuprum and a UK institutional owner on the sale of The Stamp Office, said: “We are seeing increased activity in the Scottish market, with investors like Trinova and Europi being drawn by renewed occupier activity, attractive yields and favourable exchange rates, along with the potential to add value. “Cuprum attracted significant interest from both overseas and UK investors. It offers excellent tenant covenants and secure income. The Stamp Office offers an opportunity to reposition a quality office building adjacent to the St James Quarter.” Martyn Brown, Director of CBRE, who advised the purchaser on Cuprum said: “We are pleased to have secured this quality, ‘value add’ office investment for Europi and Trinova. The asset offers clear asset management initiatives over the next few years, which will be implemented by our client, whilst taking advantage of the strong fundamentals that the Glasgow office market has to offer.” Alasdair Steele, Partner of Knight Frank, who advised the purchaser on The Stamp Office said: “The Stamp Office is in a prime office location, with exceptional nearby amenities and easy access to public transport. As organisations move towards a return to the office, with the right strategy and refurbishment programme the building can be turned into exactly the type of offering that occupiers are looking for: good quality, accessible and affordable accommodation in a prime city centre location. It is very rare to find a building like this in Edinburgh and we are delighted that it is now part of Europi and Trinova’s portfolio.” Lismore Real Estate Advisors represented Credit Suisse and the UK institutional owner on the sale of Cuprum and The Stamp Office respectively. CBRE advised the purchaser on Cuprum and Knight Frank advised the purchaser on The Stamp Office.
United Living Group is delighted to announce that Conor Bray has been appointed as Group Chief Operating Officer. Conor has extensive operational experience in various sectors and is currently Managing Director, Property Services at United Living Group. He will take up the new role from 1 May 2021. His promotion follows a series of key appointments at United Living Group as it moves into the next stage of its strategic development and ensures a best in class service for its customers in 2021 and beyond. Neil Armstrong, United Living Group Chief Executive and Chairman, said: “I am delighted that Conor is to become our new Group Chief Operating Officer. He has strong operational leadership and takes over the reins at an exciting time for United Living Group as we continue to innovate and drive forward our ambitious growth strategy. “As well as an understanding of the company’s history, Conor has experience and knowledge of United Living Group’s people, values and ethos, which will be instrumental for us as we go forward as a business”. Conor Bray, Managing Director, Property Services, said: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to take up the role of Group Chief Operating Officer at United Living Group. Leading a business that is rich with diverse and creative talent and the expertise to consistently deliver better for our clients is incredibly exciting. “It is genuinely inspirational to see the passion, commitment and pride that is shown delivering projects that are transformational for communities, businesses and individuals. The ability to cross share expertise, knowledge and best practice will help to ensure that our business goes from strength to strength, as we undertake the next phase of growth and expansion”.
A freestanding luffing jib tower crane has been increased in height to 105 metres by Bennetts Cranes on a luxury residential development in Fulham, London. This is understood to be the tallest freestanding luffing jib crane in operation in the UK currently, meaning it is not tied to the building. Bennetts, a specialist tower crane company based in Gloucestershire, erected the Raimondi LR 213 tower crane in August 2020 at Chelsea Creek, where a selection of Manhattan, one-, two- and three-bedroom homes is being built by St George, part of Berkeley Group. The height is not extraordinary for a crane, with tower cranes that are tied to buildings going to much greater heights than this. However, the crane is unique at this height because it is freestanding and a luffing jib crane. Typical freestanding luffing jib cranes would be between 30 – 60 metres tall for residential developments, with some occasionally reaching 70 metres or more. There are currently none known to be operating in the UK freestanding at over 100 metres. Between 3 – 4 April, a team from Bennetts Cranes used a 1,000 tonne mobile crane to add mast sections and increase the height of the LR 213 from 55 metres to 105 metres. The crane has base towers that are 4.6 metres square (more than double the typical freestanding crane tower of around 2 metres) to withstand the forces at such a height. Edward Seager, Managing Director of Bennetts Cranes, said: “When you double the height of a tower crane, the forces don’t just double, they square, so one of the ways to counteract that is to use a much wider tower base to spread the forces and make it more stable. This base, which is concreted into the ground, is extremely strong and has been brought in specifically for this job. He added: “We were pleased to increase the height of the crane to its final height of 105 metres over the Easter weekend, with good weather, enabling us to complete it within two days.” There has been a steady trend towards using taller freestanding cranes in recent years, driven by changes in cladding systems. Tying cranes to buildings can obstruct cladding being applied and some developers want to attach them during the build without having crane ties in the way. Mr Seager said: “Freestanding cranes can also provide more flexibility on site, and result in a quicker build time because you don’t need to climb the crane and tie it to the building. There are positives and negatives on both sides, because freestanding cranes are typically more expensive as they need to be reinforced to withstand forces, but the hire time can be reduced with a more efficient build.” The LR 213 is working on site with two further cranes including a LR 273, one of Raimondi’s newest luffing jib cranes with an 18 tonne maximum load capacity, and a 10 tonne capacity hydraulic Raimondi LRH174.
Network Homes has received planning permission for the next stage of a major development at Northwick Park Hospital in Northwest London. Brent Council’s planning committee granted outline permission for the scheme on 29 March, which will see a total of up to 1,600 new homes, as well as the student facilities, commercial space, and a replacement nursery across 19 buildings on the site. 40 per cent of the homes are for affordable tenures including Shared Ownership, London Living Rent, Intermediate Rent and London Affordable Rent. Planning for a new access road and for phase one of development for 654 homes was granted in December. The overall transformation of Northwick park is being delivered through a partnership between Network Homes, London North West Hospitals NHS Trust, Brent Council and the University of Westminster through a One Public Estate (OPE) project. This is an established national programme delivered by the Cabinet Office and the Local Government Association (LGA), which encourages public sector organisations to use their property assets together to create economic growth, deliver new jobs and homes, improve public services and operate more efficiently. The plans will see Northwick Park turned into a landmark destination with new high-quality homes, a modernised university hospital, improved infrastructure, and transport connections, as well as improved public spaces and enhanced facilities for education and employment. David Gooch, Network Homes Executive Director of Development, said “We’re delighted to have received outline planning permission from Brent Council and we are working hard with our Project Partners to get the development at Northwick Park underway starting with the new road. Our Development will bring much needed affordable homes, jobs and improved infrastructure. Network look forward to continuing our partnership with Brent Council, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust and the University of Westminster to develop the area and deliver new high-quality homes.” Bhupinder Singh Chawla, Partner at architects PRP, said: “The overall transformation of the collective sites at Northwick Park demonstrates the success that can be achieved through good and meaningful collaboration between different landholders and a motivated design team. This collective and collaborative approach together with placemaking as the focus of the design proposals has meant a shared and strategic vision for the entire area. The masterplan is made up of different character areas that respond to the varying edges and contexts of the site. A variety of typologies from apartments, maisonettes, key worker homes and mews houses add further diversity. The masterplan also provides educational, sports leisure and commercial facilities and is supported further by a strong approach to the public realm and amenity on the site which all help to create an individual identity for this new place and destination.”
To boost the confidence of professionals installing energy efficient heating and hot water products for residential new build developments, Baxi has continued to prioritise training with bespoke virtual learning modules. Throughout the pandemic, Baxi has supported housing providers, developers and their contractors with virtual training opportunities. This approach has allowed for more valuable training to continue, covering the installation, commissioning and maintenance of the Baxi Assure complete home service range of boilers, hot water cylinders, air source heat pumps, energy saving accessories and controls. The virtual training programme has proven so successful that Baxi will continue to offer it as an option, even when nationwide training centres re-open later in the year following government guidelines. Tom Murray, Specification Director Commercial and Residential at Baxi Heating, said: “With the energy transition to a net-zero future at the forefront of the residential specification market place, being able to train customers on new technologies and products that will aid the industry to meet the carbon challenge is really important. For the residential new-build market, this will mean a greater emphasis on the importance of technologies such as air source heat pumps. However, our training valuably covers the complete range of our products including our gas and electric boilers, hot water cylinders, energy saving accessories including the SHRU, FGHR and heating controls.” As part of the complete home service, advice from qualified Baxi SAP assessors to help boost efficiency and a Baxi Design service is provided for accurate sizing and specification. Projects benefit further from support at every stage from a dedicated team of specification managers, and a Project Hub to manage project product registrations, in addition to technical support and advice from installation to legislation. To find more information about Baxi Assure Bespoke Training services and to register your interest please visit http://www.baxi.co.uk/assuretraining and follow Baxi Assure on social media linkedin/baxiassure
Timber frame construction brings many benefits to the housebuilding industry, including quicker build times, quieter assembly, fewer deliveries to site, cost savings and a reduction in defects. Underpinning these advantages, Norbord’s engineered wood-based panel products are an integral part of many timber frame systems. They are regularly seen as the number one choice for all aspects of home building, be it the structure, flooring or interior. Norbord’s high quality boards are available in a wide range of grades and, with minimal finishing required, speed up construction. The products are incredibly versatile, offer value for money and have good environmental credentials with a low carbon footprint as all are made in the UK. In fact, all Norbord panel products are net carbon negative and so can help the builder achieve sustainability targets. Ideal for structural applications and offering great value, Norbord’s SterlingOSB Zero is stronger and tougher than ply, with no knots, voids or de-lamination. It is the first OSB product to be made in the UK with zero added formaldehyde, so it is a ‘greener’ board that meets all standards with ease. The range comprises panels specifically designed to fulfil the full range of timber frame applications, including structural use in dry or humid load-bearing conditions. When it comes to dry lining applications, SterlingOSB Zero StrongFix is precision engineered with a custom groove for metal C-studs at 600mm centres. The consistent density of OSB means fixtures and fittings of up to 400kg can be attached anywhere on the panel and achieve secure anchorage. Fire protection during the construction phase is a crucial area where Norbord products can help. SterlingOSB Zero Fire Solutions builds on the inherent benefits of the company’s other OSB products. Its development was in response to the Structural Timber Association’s guidelines for reducing fire spread in large timber frame buildings when fire resistant dry lining finishes are not yet in place. For flat roof decking and flooring applications, SterlingOSB Zero Tongue & Groove is the go-to solution. Advanced, high-strength flooring is provided by the CaberFloor system, the most specified moisture-resistant P5 flooring. Versatile, stable, durable and designed to be easy to lay, the CaberFloor range includes CaberShield+ and CaberDek. CaberShield+ offers a permanent waterproof coating on both sides while CaberDek has a strong, waterproof and slip-resistant peelable film that, when removed, leaves a clean, finished floor. They are enhanced by CaberFix, a range of specially developed powerful sealing and fixing systems. When it comes to quality finishing and architectural details, CaberWood MDF is the ideal solution. This versatile range is designed as an economical alternative to hardwood but without the inherent defects of knots or grains. The boards are engineered with consistent density for multiple uses, including mouldings. As with other Norbord ranges, there are products for all applications. Norbord strives to offer the panel products required to meet the exacting needs of timber frame construction. Support on a product and technical basis is provided as and when required through dedicated product support and technical advice teams. Samples of SterlingOSB Zero, and Norbord’s other construction panels, can be ordered on the website, www.norbord.co.uk. Head to the housebuilder page on the website to download a selection of tools including a fully-interactive guide to all Norbord products and a checklist to make sure you have everything you need for your build. For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit www.norbord.co.uk.
An MP and a prominent local councillor have visited a soon-to-be-opened Liverpool builders merchant to learn more about regeneration and job creation in the city. Peter Dowd, Member of Parliament for Bootle, and Councillor Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Skills, were welcomed to Selco Builders Warehouse, based on Mersey Reach Park. The new branch is due to open on Monday, April 12 and will create at least 30 jobs in the local area. The politicians were keen to visit the new Mersey Reach Park, which promises to breathe fresh life into the former home of the Peerless Edible Oils factory on Galgate Drive in Bootle. The site is made up of six industrial units, a filing station and a drive-thru coffee shop, with plans for further units in the pipeline. Selco, one of the country’s leading builders merchants, occupies a 36,000 sq ft unit which will represent its 70th UK branch. Mr Dowd said: “I was pleased to look around the new Selco branch and see how it will operate. “I also managed to have a chat with a number of the staff who have been working in the warehouse since January in preparation for its opening in April. It was great to hear that most of the staff live within a short distance of the new warehouse, which is good for local employment opportunities.” Councillor Atkinson said: “It was a pleasure visiting Mersey Reach Park, especially seeing the end result of many years of planning and hard work with partners and Sefton Council. “Meeting the representatives of Selco and hearing them speak with such passion and determination, gave a real sense of confidence about the recovery journey ahead here in Sefton.” Once complete, the Mersey Reach Logistics Park will create up to 350 jobs and is estimated to have a £5.5m positive impact on the area. The Liverpool opening strengthens Selco’s presence in the north west, with the business already having four branches in Manchester and one in Warrington. Howard Luft, CEO of Selco, said: “It was a privilege to welcome our two guests to what will soon be our 70th branch. “We have been hard at work and we are now very close to cutting the ribbon and welcoming tradespeople to branch to help them with the materials and products they need for their day-to-day jobs. “Mersey Reach as a whole is a fantastic project creating hundreds of jobs and opportunities for people in the local area, which is needed now more than ever.” Mersey Reach Park was recently acquired by Northwood Investors. With hundreds of trade brands always in stock, Selco’s UK branches are firmly focused on helping tradespeople complete their jobs as quickly and effectively as possible. As well as offering trade services, Selco also has a strong digital presence including Click & Deliver, a Click & Collect service and a new website. For more information on Selco visit www.selcobw.com