Investors in the gaming industry are increasingly moving their focus away from traditional centers like Las Vegas and Monte Carlo in favor of far eastern equivalents like Macau and Singapore. Signs show that the market is shifting in response to the growth of Asian economies. The Las Vegas Sands Company
When it comes to health and safety hazards in the workplace, the construction industry is right up there. Whether building a brand-new development or renovating an existing property, construction is a challenging but rewarding sector to work across. However, no matter the project’s size, you should always take every suitable
Tiny homes are fast rising in popularity and for good reasons. After all, young singles and empty-nesters need a smaller space for themselves as it makes no sense for spending money on spaces and utilities you really don’t need. However, it is not common to come across the perfect home
Contractor Henry Brothers has reached a key point in the construction of the new £13.2m Alfreton Park Community Special School with the completion of the steel frame. It marks an important stage in the development of the new Derbyshire school, which will provide a modern, larger purpose-built facility for pupils
Construction of roads, bridges, cycle lanes, water, gas and communications to service the 10,000 homes set to be built at Meridian Water in Edmonton will start later this month. Enfield council has entered a framework agreement with Vinci Taylor Woodrow, BamNuttall and VolkerFitzpatrick to deliver the £90m works. Council leader
Safety training across manufacturing and processing sectors is integral to ensure employees are as safe as possible within workplaces where a host of potential hazards are present. 2020 saw search volumes for lockout training services rapidly increase, with the search term ‘lockout tagout training’ increasing by 33% from July to December 2020, and ‘lototo training’ by 25% from September to December 2020, showing a rise in demand for specialist safety training
Spectrum Properties, one of Scotland’s largest family-owned property businesses, has scooped a prize industrial facility in Glasgow to add to its portfolio of more than 700 commercial units in the city. It has taken on a 25,000 sq ft former factory on the Dixon’s Blazes Industrial Estate in the South
Having a good team on board will transform your business as you will receive better results. More than likely you will need to do certain things to ensure that knowledge and morale is high so everything runs smoothly. Once you have a stronger team you will notice your productivity levels
Unique approach to solutions provision with unrivalled proposition from industry experts A unique firm to assist businesses and help them prosper in the ‘new normal’ with an innovative approach to property and finance-based services has launched today. ARMCo is the brainchild of Birmingham-based business founder and investor Russell Martin, and
The parliamentary Suburban Taskforce has today unveiled an Update Report summarising its workstreams and emerging considerations since it formed in March 2020. This includes key feedback from its public “Call for Evidence” and initial data analysis. The cross-party Taskforce was established, with the backing of the Government, to shine a
Investors in the gaming industry are increasingly moving their focus away from traditional centers like Las Vegas and Monte Carlo in favor of far eastern equivalents like Macau and Singapore. Signs show that the market is shifting in response to the growth of Asian economies. The Las Vegas Sands Company (LVS), headed up by CEO Robert Goldstein, just finalized the historic sale of The Venetian Hotel and its adjoining Palazzo complex, one of the most characteristic and glamorous venues on the Las Vegas strip, for the princely sum of $6.25 billion. In recent years the glamour of the Las Vegas casino experience has moved online, as many people prefer to play online variants of traditional casino games like roulette or slots. Attractive features such as welcome bonuses and free spins appeal to existing and newcomer players, boosting customer take-up and therefore increasing total revenue. With the number of online gamers set to exceed 57 million people in 2021, and the PC gaming market alone worth over $33 billion, it’s reasonable to raise the question of what relevance the brick-and-mortar casino has in the 21st century. Still, the global gaming industry continues to grow, with physical locations in Macau posting yearly revenue in excess of $50 billion. The sale of the Venetian resort to real estate investment trust Vici Properties and Apollo Global Management is set to be finalized in Q4 2021. Vici Properties are said to be buying the land beneath the complex and will be leasing the operations to Apollo Global Management for a $2.25 billion agreement. The properties are expected to continue in much the same way as before, albeit under the new management. This does little to lessen the historical import of the sale, as LVS have been a major force in shaping the direction and global brand of Nevada city. In 1989, partners Sheldon Adelson, Ted Cutler, Irwin Chafetz, Jordan Shapiro and Richard Katzeff’s purchased the struggling Sands Casino and Hotel, and the Las Vegas Sands corporation was born. The resort was originally founded in 1952 and had been a fixture of the Las Vegas strip through its golden age, but was having difficulty competing against newer mega casinos and hotels populating the strip. In 1997, Adelson and co. made the decision to demolish the Sands and build the new Venetian hotel. This was followed by the construction of the Palazzo hotel in 2005, the second largest hotel in the world. The Venetian, Sands Expo center and Palazzo, as well as their adjoining entertainment facilities, are the world’s largest integrated resort. With the Sands Expo center’s expansion in 2008, the resort features 2.3 million square feet of convention space, 7100 all-suite rooms, and employs over 11,000 staff. As LVS’ decision to part with the Venetian Las Vegas will knock-off over $1.6 billion from their yearly revenue, they must believe they can recover those losses in Asia. As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, Asia’s GDP is expected to overtake the overall GDP of all other world economies combined, and projections suggest that by 2030 the region, known for its manufacturing and technology exports, will account for 60% of global economic growth. In 2020, Fortune’s Global 500 list counted 124 Chinese companies among its ranks, topping the United States for the first time. When questioned about the strategy underlying the sale of the Las Vegas portfolio, Goldstein stated that he believes the world is changing in a way that benefits LVS. On Macau he says, “We believe Macau is a big growth market for us, far beyond what we were doing previously”. He also disclosed that over 90% of the LVS’ earnings are already coming from its Macau and Singapore resorts. The Venetian Macau is no poor relative of the Las Vegas resort. It features the seventh largest building in the world by overall floor area, the largest free-standing hotel in Asia, and is home to the second largest casino in the world. Macau, with its ease-of-access to financial powerhouse Hong Kong, is well situated to grow in concert with the Asian business centers. Goldstein has also confirmed that some of the proceeds from the sale will go towards investing in new potential markets across Asia in the future.
When it comes to health and safety hazards in the workplace, the construction industry is right up there. Whether building a brand-new development or renovating an existing property, construction is a challenging but rewarding sector to work across. However, no matter the project’s size, you should always take every suitable measure possible to ensure paramount health and safety. The consequences of failing health and safety can be severe, with the potential of serious injury or death and punishments such as heavy fines and imprisonment. In this article, we will talk a bit about why effective health and safety practices are of utmost importance for construction companies. In particular, we will explain how safety correlates with the use of lifting equipment, including how this is enforced via the LOLER regulations. Why Is Safety an Important Issue in Construction? First and foremost, it should be clear why health and safety is a vitally important issue, and this is the case in any working environment – not just construction. The number one priority is to keep everyone within the area safe, from employees to site visitors and the general public. The immediate concern that arises from safety failings is the potential impact that it can have on a person’s health. Hazards and dangerous or negligent actions can cause serious injury. These injuries can significantly impact a person’s life, whether in the short-term or the long-term. Injuries may cause long lasting damage that affects capability as well as physical pain, emotional trauma, and financial stress, especially if the victim is unable to work. In the most serious of cases, accidents can lead to the loss of a life, a repercussion that no one wants to have hanging over their shoulder. An accident is exactly that, it is an accident and not a purposeful intent to harm another person. However, that is no excuse. The UK operates a Health and Safety at Work Act which defines responsibility and regulation for keeping people safe in a working environment. If a company or individual fails to follow health and safety regulations, then their actions may be deemed to be negligent or reckless, even if there is no malicious or intent. In the construction industry, this is even more important. Out of any sector, working in construction is considered to be one of the most dangerous. There are several factors that influence construction hazards, including heavy materials, complex equipment and environmental dangers such as asbestos. When working on a construction project, steps should be taken to safeguard people against any potential hazard that they may encounter. Below are the steps that construction companies should take to safeguard everyone against potential safety hazards in a worksite or project: Create A Safety Policy An important step to ascertain the safety of workers in the construction site is to keep them well-informed about the safety protocols they need to follow. For example, handling heavy machinery should only be the job of a highly trained operator. Other workers shouldn’t get involved in the operation of any equipment they were not trained to handle. Creating a safety policy and standard operating procedure keeps everyone in the same page. It avoids legal issues arising from untoward accidents due to equipment mishandling. Invest In Good Quality Safety Supplies And Equipment One of the crucial steps for construction company owners to take is to invest in high-quality safety equipment. When it comes to safety measures, construction companies must use the proper safety supplies and equipment. Using poor quality safety supplies can compromise workers’ health and lives. Hence, it’s important to only invest in high-quality construction safety supplies and equipment. Construction workers need to wear the proper safety gear, such as good quality boots, and use the appropriate lighting, ladder size, and other safety devices and supplies necessary to complete a project. There are many dealers and distributors of safety supplies, tools, machines, and equipment in the market today, such as safetysourcellc.com and other online and offline channels. Do You Know What LOLER Is? For the scope of this article, we would like to focus on one area in particular: heavy lifting. For most construction jobs, you will usually require the use of specialist equipment to aid in lifting tasks. However, lifting equipment itself can pose a danger to employees and people within the area. Accidents can occur as a result of failing equipment or improper use, such as people being crushed or having their body trapped in a machine. This is where LOLER is extremely important. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) were introduced to the Health and Safety at Work Act in 1998 to combat the amount of workplace accidents and the seriousness of injuries. The regulations are applicable where lifting equipment is used in a working environment and covers a wide range of equipment such as cranes, ropes, hooks and forklift trucks. The ultimate aim of the regulations are to make sure that equipment is safe to use and is being used correctly. LOLER makes clear where responsibility lies when it comes to using lifting equipment and carrying out lifting operations in a safe way. The rules state that lifting equipment should be used by trained and competent personnel, and that operations should be planned and supervised in detail. The equipment itself should be strong and stable and up to the required standards. There should be clear and accurate markings on the equipment that show the safe working loads. If equipment works correctly and is used in a safe manner, then the chances of an accident occurring is significantly reduced. If companies and their employees don’t follow LOLER to the letter of the law, then they may face serious consequences, especially if someone is injured or dies. Previous punishments have included heavy fines, suspension from owning or managing a company, and even imprisonment. A significant element of LOLER is the requirement of frequent testing and inspections. It is this element in particular that ensures equipment is up to standard and is
Tiny homes are fast rising in popularity and for good reasons. After all, young singles and empty-nesters need a smaller space for themselves as it makes no sense for spending money on spaces and utilities you really don’t need. However, it is not common to come across the perfect home design plans for tiny homes with one or two bedrooms. Tiny house plan designs follow small square footage and are a great option for budget-friendly house hunters. Sometimes, these house plans cover less than 1000 sq ft and thus are a lot more affordable and easier to maintain. It is seen that most tiny house plans offer open floors and outdoor living spaces. Go ahead and browse through some great ideas and flexible plans for tiny houses. Live in a shipping container- Design your own tiny house in a modern shipping container and maximize space and connection to lead a luxurious and comfortable life. Go ahead and make room for optimal efficiency and cover those floors with quality carpets. Incorporate a full-size bathroom and kitchen with a flexible layout. Ideas for large families- Who said that couples with large families could not live-in tiny homes? Well, new designs and ideas ensure that each family member has privacy, and there is even private space for mom and dad in a master bedroom in the loft. Having the bedroom upstairs means more lounging space downstairs. A cottage plan and façade- If you like the idea of a fairytale-style life, then opt for the cottage plan for your tiny house. You could use the house as a stand-alone home or your office or art studio. The cottage looks sure looks adorable, and one can customize the plan as they like. A multi-functional tiny house- Many people prefer a flexible and portable house that is multi-functional too. All you need to do is make sure you have a separate office and a trailer chassis. Incorporate all the green technologies in the house that allows in natural light with skylights. The minimalist look- If you are the minimalist kind who prefers a tiny house interior design with a clean, sleek look, well, you can go for it! This is a great option for homes of all shapes and sizes, and the minimalist look makes the tiny home look larger and less cluttered. The simplistic yet sophisticated design indeed looks attractive and spacious. For the creative types- If you are an artist or a writer or are involved in any kind of creativity, the tiny house can be your haven and give you the freedom to follow your dreams. You could stay alone and let those creative juices flow with a tiny house plan that is just perfect for you. Spend time with nature and create art or music or write a book in your tiny house with a dedicated space for your creativity. The modern tiny homes- If you are a modern millennial, there are plenty of simplistic innovative design plans that add efficiency for minimalist living. Still, living in a tiny house doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on comfort or luxury. You can place all your attention on the details and get more out of every inch of the space.
Contractor Henry Brothers has reached a key point in the construction of the new £13.2m Alfreton Park Community Special School with the completion of the steel frame. It marks an important stage in the development of the new Derbyshire school, which will provide a modern, larger purpose-built facility for pupils with special needs. This is the second project that Henry Brothers has delivered for Alfreton Park Community Special School and the latest in a number of schemes that the company has worked on for Derbyshire County Council. Henry Brothers Midlands managing director Ian Taylor said: “We are excited to see the steel frame up on this development. It’s an impressive structure and we look forward to continuing building work on site to create a first-class new facility for Alfreton Park Community Special School.” The new single-storey building is being constructed on a site adjacent to Alfreton Park, known as Highfield Plantation. It will replace out-dated and unsuitable teaching facilities at the school’s existing site. These will be demolished once the new site is up and running. The new school will expand the teaching and other facilities available at Alfreton Park Community Special School. Featuring 12 classrooms, six group rooms, including specialist therapy rooms and soft play areas, and a combined hall and dining area, it will have space for 100 students. The building is expected to be completed by late 2021, with the school opening early in 2022. The Henry Brothers team building the new facility includes Maber architects and structural engineer HWA. Faithful + Gould is carrying out project management and quantity surveying roles for the client. Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Young People Councillor Alex Dale said: “I’m always excited to see progress like this and seeing plans and investment turn into recognizable buildings that will have such a positive impact in the future.” Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Midlands is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors. For more information, visit www.henrybrothers.co.uk
Construction of roads, bridges, cycle lanes, water, gas and communications to service the 10,000 homes set to be built at Meridian Water in Edmonton will start later this month. Enfield council has entered a framework agreement with Vinci Taylor Woodrow, BamNuttall and VolkerFitzpatrick to deliver the £90m works. Council leader Cllr Nesil Caliskan said: “Successfully delivering the infrastructure on the site will be a major step forward in what will be a transformational plan for the area, providing homes, jobs and parkland for the lasting benefit of our borough’s residents.” The work is expected to generate 150 jobs supporting ten skilled apprenticeships with at least £4m of contracts going to local construction companies. So far, the council has won £170m in infrastructure funding from the government. Vistry Partnerships is overseeing phase one of the project which includes 950 new homes of which half will be affordable. Work on the first 300 homes will start later this year with the first completions due in 2022. Creative hub ambitions underway The former Vehicle and Operator Services Agency building is already being converted to create workspace for thousands of freelance designers, artisans and small businesses. The workshops will provide 30,000sq ft of workspace for up to 1,000 makers and creators across engineering, wood, metal, digital and additive technology plus a fashion studio. A new station was built last year to service the 210-acre site next to the Ikea store and close to Lea Valley Park. Hank Zarihs Associates said the 25-year regeneration scheme was just the type of innovative property development finance lenders were keen to support. In January, the council struck a deal with Troubadour Theatres to build film and television studios at the development which are expected to open this spring. It’s hoped they will enhance Meridian Water’s ambitions to be a creative hub offering jobs and cultural activities. Meridian Water has suffered a series of setbacks since the council unveiled the masterplan in 2013. Talks with master developer Barratt Homes collapsed in 2017 with the council claiming the firm’s plans offered a ‘poor deal’ for locals. After discussions with the reserve bidder, Pacific Century Premium Developments fell through the council decided to work with several smaller developers to deliver the scheme.
Safety training across manufacturing and processing sectors is integral to ensure employees are as safe as possible within workplaces where a host of potential hazards are present. 2020 saw search volumes for lockout training services rapidly increase, with the search term ‘lockout tagout training’ increasing by 33% from July to December 2020, and ‘lototo training’ by 25% from September to December 2020, showing a rise in demand for specialist safety training services within the trade sector. To meet such demand, businesses must adapt and develop ways to safely train staff through the pandemic to ensure that staff are receiving the tuition that they require to stay safe at work. Keeping up to date with training is important for all workforces, but none more so than that of workers within the most dangerous industries in the UK[1] including aggregates, waste and recycling and construction. It is imperative that Health and Safety training within these industries remains up to date, yet current restrictions mean that in person training is limited, meaning less people can currently attend each course at once due to social distancing rules. Different levels of training courses are also important to cater for, with everyone from general operators to management and supervision requiring differing aspects to be understood. If a workforce fails to keep up with industry standards, they could be in danger of falling behind within their specialist area due to sector changes and newly introduced regulations. Continuing to train throughout the pandemic allows companies to emerge from the Covid-19 crisis with their employees in a stronger professional position and working safely. To meet the demand for such training services, safety product specialists Reece Safety has expanded its business to offer training on safe isolation, ladder use & inspection, working at height and permit to work, in addition to the City Guilds confined space training already offered by the business. To accommodate the current restrictions due to the pandemic, the company is offering restricted groups of five for Covid-safe face-to-face training based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and a very well received live stream training package, with each course lasting half a day. Andy Graham, Managing Director at Reece Safety had this to say: “The MineralProducts Association identified that failure to safely lockout was one of the top three in the “Fatal 6”, and we wanted to meet the growing demand for training and bringing Mark Wright Training into Reece was a great way to do this. We have also expanded our specialist training and consulting team with highly experienced safety trainers such as Ben Fytche. We strive to only deliver the highest quality of training and to make it relevant to all learners in attendance.” For more information and booking enquiries for safety training courses, including confined space training, visit: https://www.reecesafety.co.uk/training-and-consultancy
Spectrum Properties, one of Scotland’s largest family-owned property businesses, has scooped a prize industrial facility in Glasgow to add to its portfolio of more than 700 commercial units in the city. It has taken on a 25,000 sq ft former factory on the Dixon’s Blazes Industrial Estate in the South Side for a sum in the region of £800,000, and the company now plans to spend up to £500,000 on a comprehensive refurbishment. Spectrum Properties, which operates all over Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirlingshire, acquired the property from the Matthew Clark Group, a national drinks wholesaler which supplies thousands of premises across the UK. The group was disposing of the property following a reorganisation. Dixon’s Blazes estate – named after the iron works blast furnaces which lit up the night sky in the 19th century – is a prime industrial area offering high quality industrial, warehouse and office space. Bill Roddie, Managing Director of Spectrum Properties, said: “The estate is located in the Gorbals area and is within walking distance of the city centre. It has enviable transport connections and is only a short distance from the M74. “We intend to carry out a major renovation, including re-roofing, re-cladding, re-plumbing and re-wiring. The unit will be sub-divided into four new facilities, ranging in size from 10,000 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft. Planning applications are already in, and we expect work this month (March 2021) and to last four months.” Mr Roddie said that there was a noticeable shortage of good industrial property in the Glasgow area as markets continue to evolve to accommodate changing consumer patterns and demands. He said: “There is a significant appetite for space for parcel delivery businesses, which are expanding rapidly to deal with the enormous upsurge in online retail, especially since March last year when the pandemic changed everything. “Similarly, because so many people are spending so much of their time at home, there has been a huge increase in companies looking for space to provide products such as replacement windows and doors, garden furniture, sheds and home improvement. “This facility will be a very attractive prospect when we have finished with it, creating a large amount of valuable space in line with all the current regulations and situated in a well-established industrial estate.” Although Spectrum Properties has moved into residential development in the last 10 years, its primary focus remains on commercial property, which comprises some 70% of its group holdings. The company directly employs 75 people and the same number of sub-contractors. It is actively recruiting to cope with rapid expansion. Established by Mr Roddie in 1988, the company now has a portfolio valuation of £60 million and a turnover in excess of £5 million.
Having a good team on board will transform your business as you will receive better results. More than likely you will need to do certain things to ensure that knowledge and morale is high so everything runs smoothly. Once you have a stronger team you will notice your productivity levels will rise to improve quality of work and completion of projects. Training your staff members Providing training to your staff members will ensure that they give you the best quality of work at a rapid pace. It may be an investment now, but it will help you massively in the future by saving you time and money. Workplace training companies such as https://kallibr.com.au/ will provide the training for you so you can have the peace of mind that no key information is missed. They have loads of courses that you and your team members can enroll on to further your knowledge. Whether you have a business that requires training on-site or off-site there are courses for everyone so it is well worth putting your time and money into to allow your team to thrive in your business. When a team member has the knowledge they need, they will often work faster and more confidently. Often it can really bring out the personality in someone which can improve their overall growth within the company. Using strengths to your advantage When it comes to delegating your daily tasks it is best to use strengths and weaknesses to your advantages. Any weaknesses that your team have should be spoken about and resolved by providing the option to enroll onto a course to maximize their confidence. This will allow them to gain confidence in the activity and it will be easier to place them on any department or task. Noting people’s strengths will make it easier to delegate your team members when you need a job doing well in a timely manner. In addition when team members get to do their favourite task they will keep the overall environment up as well as doing it correctly. If you are struggling then pair up someone who is confident in that area with someone who is unsure as they will be able to work with one another to complete it in a non intimidating way. Good working environment Keeping the overall environment a happy and motivating space will ensure that your team keeps their passion for their roles. Hold regular team activities and bonding sessions such as paintballing or go karting and you will notice how your team will work better together afterwards. Often it will loosen up and relax the relationships between your team which will make them more confident to ask one another for assistance. Even holding a film night or a game of UNO at lunchtimes will eliminate stress and tension which will reduce the cause for mental health problems. It does not need to cost lots of money but even bringing in a box of donuts will improve everyone’s mood and will enjoy their jobs more.
Unique approach to solutions provision with unrivalled proposition from industry experts A unique firm to assist businesses and help them prosper in the ‘new normal’ with an innovative approach to property and finance-based services has launched today. ARMCo is the brainchild of Birmingham-based business founder and investor Russell Martin, and combines specialist lending, corporate support, land procurement and development, and insurance services – catering for a rapidly evolving business landscape – to benefit clients with truly holistic and tailored solutions. ARMCo is based in the heart of Birmingham’s finance district, where its HQ is the base from which the firm delivers its local, regional and national offering. It has a strong foundation: Russell formed Finance 4 Business, a specialist broker for finance transactions, 15 years ago – and used his experience, expertise and connections to form four further businesses which have grown strategically year on year, offering agile and integrated solutions to clients. With four new firms offering synergistic services added to the group, this forms the complete ARMCo offering. Jon Preston has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer at ARMCo. Jon brings a wealth of experience, having worked at a UK-based lender which underwent a £26m MBO last year with Foresight Group, a leading independent infrastructure and private equity investment manager. ARMCo founder Russell Martin explains: “We are living in uncertain times and a post-pandemic world looks very different for a lot of businesses. Overcoming challenges such as access to business finance, sourcing sector-based specialist risk and insurance solutions or navigating land procurement and development opportunities will have presented complexity before Covid, but the ‘new normal’ will be more challenging for many. “The combination of expertise at ARMCo means we can deliver bespoke solutions for our clients to help them maximise growth opportunities and give them an exceptional experience. Our adept approach ensures that even the most complex of transactions are navigated with integrity, proficiency and pace. The combination of a human approach, passion and commitment of strong leaders and highly collaborative partnerships, combined with a central services approach, presents an unrivalled proposition in the UK – particularly with Jon at the helm, leading and propelling the group,” he added. The ARMCo group comprises Finance 4 Business, Liquidity Club, Innovation 4 Business and Walker Doble – as well as new firms Atlas Land & Planning, Midshore Partners, Chordis Capital and Cape Insurance. These are operated by industry experts Russell Martin, David Pinnington, David Totney, Philip Moore, Rebecca Doble, Marc Walker, James England and Rob Lankey and Henry Gallacher. The group offers expertise on financial solutions including asset, bridging and development finance, tax solutions and MBOs – helping SMEs in a range of sectors, property developers (including allied trades and professionals) and investors. One such business benefitting from ARMCo’s expertise is Fitzpatrick Group Ltd – a housing delivery service provider with a requirement for finance provision to aid its expansion into a number of specialist sub sectors. The firm’s Managing Director, Mark Fitzpatrick, explains: “I have worked with Russell for more than a decade, initially through Finance 4 Business (F4B), through which I have had in excess of 25 loans arranged for me, across many disciplines and through a multitude of different lenders, from commercial mortgages, Buy-To-Let and bridging loans, to development and asset finance. The attention to detail, end-to-end service and dedication has been a staple feature of the service. “The evolution of ARMCo has seen the inception of some great businesses led by fantastic people, with whom I have transacted on many occasions, with great satisfaction and results. The launch of ARMCo makes absolute sense and I have no doubt Russell and his team will go from strength to strength.” Russell concluded: “Success in any business involves being able to navigate a market, identify business opportunities and be agile enough to be able to plug gaps in the market. I have applied that formula to my businesses, and the ARMCo offering can now support businesses in realising their ambitions, as we all try to navigate our way through these turbulent times. We are a group of companies built on strong relationships, not transactions, and I’m delighted to have such robust and proven expertise on board at ARMCo. We have ambitious expansion plans, and will be adding more companies to provide further synergy within the group.” For further information about ARMCo visit www.ARMCo.partners.
The parliamentary Suburban Taskforce has today unveiled an Update Report summarising its workstreams and emerging considerations since it formed in March 2020. This includes key feedback from its public “Call for Evidence” and initial data analysis. The cross-party Taskforce was established, with the backing of the Government, to shine a light on the suburbs in order to identify and secure the clear, long-term and properly resourced policies needed to support thriving, sustainable and inclusive suburban areas. The Taskforce has spent the past twelve months reviewing evidence on the state of Britain’s suburbs in order to make recommendations to the Government on policy initiatives to enhance them. It is co-chaired by Dr Rupa Huq MP and David Simmonds MP, assisted by UCL as Knowledge Partner and with an expert Advisory Board chaired by leading British urbanist Jonathan Manns, Executive Director at Rockwell. The Taskforce has collated and reviewed quantitative data, such as those related to land use, built form, population, transport and infrastructure. It also held a public “Call for Evidence” which ran from August to October 2020 in addition to hosting a range of workshops and meetings with Government Ministers. The emerging analysis suggests that suburban areas can be seen as distinct from urban or rural locations but cautions against a one-size-fits-all approach and indicates that it may be more appropriate to understand them against a spectrum of characteristics. It also highlights the continued relevance of long-established ‘suburban debates’ about their relationship to urban centres and management of growth pressures, in addition to the potentially transformative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Commenting on the recent update, Dr Rupa Huq MP stated: “Almost exactly to the day, a year ago a bunch of MPs from three parties met to start the ball rolling with the Suburban Taskforce. Since then, suburban society has changed in ways unimaginable at the time with working from home for white collar staff, a new appreciation of space, and lockdown all subsequently normalised. “As this interim report shows densification, sustainability, decline of pubs, all bracketed under need for renaissance and anticipation of the new normal were all identified. This provides a solid basis for the next phase of this groundbreaking work to build on… and I personally can’t wait.” Jonathan Manns, Executive Director at Rockwell and Chair of the Suburban Taskforce’s Advisory Board added:“England’s suburbs are long-overlooked and the potentially transformative impacts of Covid-19 on the way we live and work make this cross-party review yet more pressing and relevant. There has been strong engagement to-date, supported by fresh new data, which is shining a light on the importance of managing change in a way that is both contextual and popular. The next steps will be to focus on the implications of the evidence-gathering stage for policy-makers and decision-takers.” www.suburban-taskforce.org About the Suburban Taskforce The Suburban Taskforce is an independent inquiry into the state of the suburbs and charting a course “Towards a Suburban Renaissance”. It is a cross-party parliamentary taskforce, comprising representatives of both Houses of Parliament, from all political backgrounds. It seeksto set out an agreed agenda for change. Its goals are: To illuminate the nature of social and economic activity in the suburbs. This is to include patterns of work, life and play and associated conditions in terms of investment, expenditure, built and natural environment. To illustrate the potential differences between suburban areas and those which are either more central or more rural, in addition to wider spatial distinctions which may exist, for example between larger and smaller settlements. In doing so, to inform our understanding of what constitutes a “suburb” in 21st Century Britain. To identify policy mechanisms and interventions which may assist in supporting the long-term sustainability of suburban areas. This will have particular regard to supporting polycentric centres, not least through fiscal considerations such as taxation and investment and the management of change through the planning system. The Taskforce currently comprises the following members: Co-Chairs: Rupa Huq MP (Labour) and David Simmonds MP (Conservative) Vice-Chairs: Jon Cruddas MP (Labour) and Gareth Bacon MP (Conservative) Lords Liaison: Baroness Susan Kramer (Liberal Democrat) Current Members Karen Buck MP Seema Malhotra MP James Murray MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP Steve Reed MP Sam Tarry MP About the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for London’s Planning and Built Environment The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for London’s Planning and Built Environment will act as the Secretariat to the Suburban Taskforce. It was inaugurated in October 2015 to provide a cross-party forum for consideration of planning and development matters in London. It has been Chaired since inception by Dr Rupa Huq, MP for Ealing Central and Acton. It was convened by Jonathan Manns, Executive Director at real-estate developer Rockwell and widely recognised as one of the country’s leading urbanists, as an important step in helping develop a coherent political voice on key issues affecting the future shape of London. About UCL UCL is the number one London university for Research Strength, recognised for its academic excellence and global impact. The Bartlett School of Planning is one of the leading research-led planning schools within Europe. As Knowledge Partner to the Suburban Taskforce, UCL’s support will be coordinated by Dr Lucy Natarajan and assisted by Dr Dimitrios Panayotopoulos-Tsiros. About the Advisory Board An independent Advisory Board has been assembled to assist the Suburban Taskforce in its work. The Advisory Board is Chaired by Jonathan Manns; Board Director at Rockwell, Visiting Associate Professor at UCL and Convenor of the APPG. Representatives from both professional built environment organisations and civil society include: Richard Blyth, Royal Town Planning Institute; Nicholas Falk, URBED Trust; Katie Perrior, InHouse Communications; Will Tanner, Onward; Tony Mulhall, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors; Peter Murray, New London Architecture; Phineas Harper, Director of Open City, and Prof. Laura Vaughan, Professor of Urban Form and Society and the Director of the Space Syntax Laboratory at the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL.