More than 60 construction jobs will be safeguarded or created by Keepmoat Homes which has started work on a new £14m housing scheme in West Denton, Newcastle. The deal to acquire the site from Newcastle City Council was completed last month – it is the latest in a line of
J2 Innovations’ FIN Framework sits at the heart of many smart building, smart equipment and IoT projects which gives the management team a deep insight into industry trends. How we use and interact with buildings is changing. Now the rate of change has been dramatically accelerated by the experience of
HS2’s first two giant Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) have arrived in the UK and will be ready to start work on the UK’s largest infrastructure project early next year. The two enormous 2,000 tonne machines – named Florence and Cecilia – will now be meticulously reassembled, tested and commissioned, by an
David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association responds to Ofgem’s settlements for the RIIO-2 price control period. Ofgem has published their settlements for the next network price control, known as RIIO-2. For the transmission and gas distribution networks and system operator, RIIO-2 will come into effect next year and
The employee-owned packaging business has 7 sites located across the UK with a team of dedicated in-house specialists in the fields of load retention, in-the-box, packaging technologists and aerospace and automotive packaging design engineers. Kites packaging specialists are supported by best-in-class technology, systems, design capability and their Mobile Testing facility
One of the most effective strategies for promoting your website is implementing backlinks. Most likely, today, there is not a single site owner left who does not know about this strategy. Also, everyone is well aware that a mistake with backlinks’ implementation can lead to search engines’ penalties. How to
A joint venture (JV) between a fund managed by Credit Suisse Asset Management Global Real Estate, Chancerygate and the international real estate firm Hines has acquired a six-acre site in Dagenham, East London. The JV intends to speculatively develop a new 165,000 sq ft industrial scheme on the site with
MENTAL health provision in the North East is set for a boost following the award of contracts to deliver an extension to the Sunniside Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead. Procured through national framework provider Pagabo’s Professional Services Framework, national project and programme management consultancy Faithful+Gould and leading construction firm Morris & Spottiswood – who
Wildlife Trust unveils ambitious post-Covid wildscape to replace notoriously bleak shopping mall Today sees the launch of a bold vision to rewild the heart of Nottingham and green-up the historic city centre following the decision to demolish the much-derided Broadmarsh shopping centre. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has worked with landscape architects
NATIONAL specialists in the construction of food and drink manufacturing facilities Clegg Food Projects has completed a new state-of-the-art HQ for Wells & Co – an independent, family-owned business with a 190-strong portfolio of award-winning pubs. Clegg Food Projects, as the principal contractor, was responsible for delivering the multi-million-pound purpose-built headquarters
More than 60 construction jobs will be safeguarded or created by Keepmoat Homes which has started work on a new £14m housing scheme in West Denton, Newcastle. The deal to acquire the site from Newcastle City Council was completed last month – it is the latest in a line of projects delivered by Keepmoat Homes working in partnership with the local authority, which has so far produced 774 new homes at eight developments in the last five years. The top 10 UK home builder will create 96 two, three and four-bedroom houses and bungalows at the Thornley Road site alongside partners Leazes Homes, who will create five specialist learning disability bungalows, and Riverside who will create 27 dwellings for affordable rent and shared ownership. Ian Prescott, North East Land and Partnerships Director at Keepmoat Homes, said: “We’re delighted to have started work on our latest development in Newcastle which is the latest in a long list of already successful sites we have created in association with Newcastle City Council. “As well as building a community, we are safeguarding employment in the region for at least the next three years whilst we are on site. “Working again with Newcastle Futures and Generation North East we will also be creating work placement, pre-apprentice and apprentice opportunities for people in the city.” Councillor Linda Hobson, Cabinet Member for Housing at Newcastle City Council, said “Housing is a priority for the council and we are committed to offering a range of homes to meet the diverse needs of residents in our city. Mixed tenure developments like this one don’t just provide good quality housing they also promote social inclusion and bring a real sense of community to the area. I look forward to seeing the work progress and residents move in when the properties are completed.” In recent years Keepmoat Homes has won a series of awards in the North East, including a North East Equality Award for its work in the community and a ‘Heart of The Community’ award at the North East Business Awards.
J2 Innovations’ FIN Framework sits at the heart of many smart building, smart equipment and IoT projects which gives the management team a deep insight into industry trends. How we use and interact with buildings is changing. Now the rate of change has been dramatically accelerated by the experience of the COVID-19 virus and its repercussions, both good and bad. Industries across the board have been affected and have had to adapt how they operate. In building controls, the drive is towards remote work and management, digital processes, and increased automation. Remote work and management Many people are becoming familiar with working remotely and managers are realising that they need, or might want, to expand remote working to more people within their organisation. To keep up with the needs of occupants, building operators need the capability to manage buildings remotely at a macro level and through applications at a micro or personal level. This is true for large buildings but applicable to smaller buildings and portfolios. With technology like J2’s new FIN microBMS enabling plug ‘n’ play solutions for the small to mid-sized buildings market, it is becoming easier for multi-site organisations to efficiently manage buildings remotely. “The COVID crisis is accelerating building portfolio operators’ realisation that they need to be able to remotely manage their buildings more effectively, so the need for easier and more secure connectivity technologies will increase. The climate crisis is accelerating the transition to greener technologies, both in terms of renewable energy generation and a focus on reducing the carbon emissions from existing buildings by optimising the way they are controlled. In many buildings, the need to increase air change rates to reduce the risk of COVID transmission, has temporarily been prioritised over energy efficiency. But once the immediate crisis has passed, the HVAC industry will deepen its commitment to developing more advanced ways of maintaining good indoor air quality, while simultaneously minimising energy use. Air ionisation and mechanical heat recovery solutions are therefore likely to grow in popularity.” says Chris Irwin, VP of Sales EMEA, J2 Innovations An interesting aspect of working more remotely can be seen in the prefabricated buildings market. Because modular or prefab construction is more efficient and cost effective than building on-site, building off-site and delivering completed pieces of a building has become a growing trend in the construction industry. J2 Innovations is already seeing this trend extending to include controls, with more pre-installation during the off-site construction phase. Flexible spaces Building owners, particularly those operating in retail, will need to make their buildings more flexible and adaptable – victory and profits will go to the nimble. Despite the growing demand for on-line shopping, bricks and mortar spaces are still needed to service market needs that cannot be met on-line: cafés; gyms; hairdressers; entertainment and cultural venues; click and collect places, where customers can find services to rewrap returns, postal or delivery counters, instant clothing alterations, etc. These market demands cannot be delivered to your door and need safe and smart spaces. As retailers and hospitality companies adapt to these changes and consider omni-channel experiences, building owners need to rethink their offering. In-person shopping isn’t dead, it’s just different. “I expect an increase in demand for warehouses as many businesses will move from brick-and-mortar stores to the Internet where much of it will remain” says Michal Lom, Sales Manager Northern & CEE. “There is likely to be a shift from open plan to fewer offices with a higher quality of indoor environment as one of the lasting effects of coronavirus. This will result in the re-modelling of the interior and the overall upgrade of technology in the building”. There will be an increase in localized, shared workspaces as many people will work in home office mode, but not everyone has the conditions for it at home. Also, people are sociable creatures and need contact with others, which shared offices can offer them. Digital Processes If it can be and hasn’t already been transformed, 2021 will see ever more processes becoming digital: IoT, blockchain, big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning are the future. We must consider what this means for our own businesses and how quickly we can adapt, adopt, and apply to keep ahead of the market and the competition. For building operations, space must adapt and so must the services a building provides for comfort, safety, health, and security. Automation play an increasingly important role; bringing in machine learning, data management and analytics, cloud, and edge computing, IoT and, probably we will find applications for blockchain and AI too. “I believe we will continue to see a concerted and continued push to integrate and leverage the vast amounts of valuable data derived from Operational Technologies (OT) (i.e. manufacturing floor, building systems) into the Information Technology (IT) side of the enterprise. Most mature IT infrastructures already possess and maintain existing computing resources (servers, storage, networking, security) either deployed on premise or in the cloud. This infrastructure supports traditional mission critical IT enterprise applications. Use of existing IT infrastructure assets and the associated enterprise applications layer (e.g. SAP ERP, IBM Maximo for asset management, analytics platforms) enables OT data to be more seamlessly consumed, resulting in streamlined business processes, reduced cost, increased productivity and optimization of existing and future enterprise assets.” – Steve Glymph, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships, J2 Innovations Investment in Interoperability VP of Engineering, Hisham Ennarah sees a greater focus on solving interoperability issues between devices and protocols. This issue has, for many years now, been of growing significance for the industry, but in 2021 big investments and more progress can be expected to solve it. “There are a bunch of initiatives to resolve the inter-connectivity problems we have in the building automation industry. I see investment from multiple organizations in this area of inter-connectivity between different protocols and frameworks. A good example of that is The Web of Things (WoT), an exciting initiative which is an open source standard being pioneered by Siemens.”
HS2’s first two giant Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) have arrived in the UK and will be ready to start work on the UK’s largest infrastructure project early next year. The two enormous 2,000 tonne machines – named Florence and Cecilia – will now be meticulously reassembled, tested and commissioned, by an expert team of tunnelling engineers, before they start work on the high speed rail project’s first tunnels. The 10-mile-long ‘twin bore’ Chiltern tunnel will be the longest on the project, the first to start construction, with the TBMs set to be underground, working 24/7 for more than three years. Welcoming the news, HS2 Ltd Chief Executive Mark Thurston said: “The launch of our first tunnelling machines will be a defining moment in the history of HS2 – and our work to deliver a high speed railway that will offer a low-carbon alternative for journeys across the UK. “Construction is now well underway, with more than 13,000 jobs supported by the project, both directly and in our UK-wide supply chain. The arrival of Florence and Cecilia is a major step forward and our expert team will now work to assemble, test and commission them before their launch next year.” Designed specifically for the mix of chalk and flints under the Chilterns, the two identical TBMs will dig separate tunnels for north and southbound trains, with Florence set to launch first and Cecilia to follow a few weeks behind. Each machine operates as a self-contained underground factory, which as well as digging the tunnel, will also line it with concrete wall segments and grout them into place as it moves forward at a speed of 15 meters a day. Each tunnel will require 56,000 segments – which will all be made on site. A crew of 17 people will operate each TBM, working in shifts to keep the machines running 24/7. They will be supported by over 100 people on the surface, managing the logistics and maintaining the smooth progress of the tunnelling operation. These first two TBMs will be operated by HS2’s main works contractor, Align – a joint venture formed of three international infrastructure companies: Bouygues Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine, and VolkerFitzpatrick. Align Project Director Daniel Altier commented: “Now that the parts have arrived the detailed job of assembling and commissioning the machines has begun. “There are also considerable other activities continuing on our site to prepare for the launch of Florence and Cecilia next year. This includes the construction of a factory that will manufacture the concrete segments to be used to line the tunnel and a slurry treatment plant that will process material from the tunnels.” The Align Joint Venture expects to recruit 1,200 vacancies, with over 100 opportunities for apprentices. They plan to target their recruitment and investment in upskilling local people who are currently unemployed, with a particular focus on women, under 25s and those with disabilities. This is another great example of the vital role HS2 continues to play in the UK Government’s Plan for Jobs to protect, support and create employment, which has helped millions of people to continue to provide for their families over the past eight months of the COVID-19 crisis. Built by Herrenknecht, a world leader in TBM manufacturing, at its factory in south-west Germany, the two 170m long machines were transported to the UK in more than 300 separate shipments over the course of two months, with the parts now safely delivered to the Align Chiltern tunnel site, to the west of London just inside the M25. The names of the two TBMs were suggested by students at Meadow High School in Hillingdon and The Chalfonts Community College, Buckinghamshire, which are close to the tunnel launch site. They were inspired by Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern medicine, and pioneering astronomer and astrophysicist, Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin. Around 4,500 people from across the UK took part in the poll to select the final names, with Florence taking 40% of the vote and Cecilia a close second with 32%.
David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association responds to Ofgem’s settlements for the RIIO-2 price control period. Ofgem has published their settlements for the next network price control, known as RIIO-2. For the transmission and gas distribution networks and system operator, RIIO-2 will come into effect next year and run for five years until 2026. Speaking on behalf of electricity transmission and gas network operators, David Smith, Chief Executive of Energy Networks Association said: “Delivering the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, keeping energy flowing to homes and businesses, and achieving Net Zero emissions requires sustained investment, innovation and a supportive and forward-looking regulatory regime. We will be studying the detail of Ofgem’s determination over the coming weeks to ensure it stands up to these challenges.”
The employee-owned packaging business has 7 sites located across the UK with a team of dedicated in-house specialists in the fields of load retention, in-the-box, packaging technologists and aerospace and automotive packaging design engineers. Kites packaging specialists are supported by best-in-class technology, systems, design capability and their Mobile Testing facility Unit – home to some of the industries leading technology and testing equipment. This was the first year the employee-owned business entered the prestigious UK Packaging Awards. Entering 5 submissions, 4 of which were shortlisted, was a great achievement. The announcement that Kite are winners in the supply chain solution of the year category, was a fantastic success for the whole team. The winning solution was a complete packaging re-design for a leading manufacturer of cookers, kitchen appliances and interior furnishings. The client approached Kite as their existing packaging did not sit correct with their philosophy, was taking too long to pack and was not actually doing the job it was meant to – protecting their items. The packaging technologists worked together with the in house specialist divisions and came up with a packaging solution that not only gave them a re-usable, highly protective solution, but achieved the following great results :- reduced packaging weight, damages, plastic content, cost, packing time and packing space. For more information on Kite Packaging please visit kitepackaging.co.uk.
One of the most effective strategies for promoting your website is implementing backlinks. Most likely, today, there is not a single site owner left who does not know about this strategy. Also, everyone is well aware that a mistake with backlinks’ implementation can lead to search engines’ penalties. How to avoid fines and get high-quality results? In this article, you will find the legal ways to get more backlinks, strengthen your SERP positions, and attract live and convertible traffic. Besides this, you can visit this link to learn more about how to buy backlinks for seo. Backlinks and Their Role in Attracting Traffic The essence of a backlink is that your link is referenced on another site with relevant and unique content. Often, blogs and sites with similar topics cooperate in exchanging such backlinks and thus, target audiences. Also, the backlinks from websites with a high domain authority are a vital component for effective SEO promotion. Accordingly, the goal of each site is to create all the conditions to get included in the list of authoritative sites. The authority of a web resource means that you have something useful to offer to users. However, your site’s authority score is not just about the availability, quality, and quantity of backlinks. User behavior, social sharing, and some technical aspects of your site are also important. But there is one caveat when it comes to backlinks. No matter how much you work on other factors in the context of SEO, you cannot achieve top results without them. The Thin Line Between SEO Optimization Success and Failure The pitfall in the backlink case is that you can quickly aggravate your situation by doing the wrong thing. Google is focused on providing a good user experience. For this reason, they will not allow those sites to reach the top that simply has links without real usefulness. This will work against the site owner by getting bad results with the search engines. It’s not a secret for search engines how SEO specialists work, so it’s effortless for them to track down so-called illegal actions. How can you get backlinks without the risk of getting banned? Let’s look at this further. What Links Should You Use? Before we start analyzing the ways to get backlinks, let’s talk about their essential characteristics. Here are a few points that a “working” link should have. The usefulness of content: Every link you create should offer a great user experience. The content should be useful for the link to pass as a trustworthy one. Authority: If you post backlinks on a “dead” site, your link will not carry any usefulness. If you post your link on authoritative sites, the link will accordingly be considered useful. For example, Google highly values links from Forbes. This example allows you to understand the importance of choosing the right place for content placement. Relevance to the target audience: If you are selling bridal bouquets, it is unlikely that a link surrounded by content on the topic of medical services will be useful. Opt for a web resource about preparing for the wedding, and such an approach will make a difference. Correct link placement: The search engine should find your link without obstacles. If it isn’t surrounded by the necessary content, it will not carry value. But if it is placed either at the beginning or at the end of the text with relevant keywords – it will be effective. Your page with a link must be indexed by search engines; otherwise, it will not play any positive role. How to Get Started Backlink Building Now that you get an idea of what links should look like, it’s time to talk and how to create them legally. You have several ways to solve this issue. Manual Link Building You can find sites that match your target audience and have a good reputation with the search engines. Next, you need to agree on the terms of content placement and create content that will meet not only the requirements of the partner’s site but also the passing criteria of search engines. Next, you will need to do this with at least ten reputable sites. This method is legal and efficient, but very time consuming and even expensive. Many problems can arise here. For example, you have to wait for your content to be published, which can take a long time. There is also a risk that you will face scammers who will not publish your content at all or release it on some dead sites with no traffic flow. Professionals-Assisted Backlinks Strategy Development Today there are no barriers to use paid backlinks. Such companies offer to take algorithms, as mentioned above, into their own hands. The advantage of this method lies in that you do not waste your time but still get links to relevant and quality resources. Usually, companies have a base of quality resources that will provide live traffic, and they will be able to negotiate with a large number of sites. It will be much faster and cheaper than doing it yourself if you have no experience. Which method to choose depends on you. It is easier for someone to work independently, while for others, cooperation with professionals seems a more attractive option. If you decide to deal with this issue on your own, do not forget to count in all the search engines’ relevant requirements. The Final Words Once you know the backlinks’ base building specifics, little is left. Decide how you will implement this part of the SEO strategy and start promoting your site to increase your rankings and the number of sales. Of course, implementing this strategy with the help of professionals is an excellent option. But if you trust yourself, it makes sense to try to do it, relying on your own expertise.
A joint venture (JV) between a fund managed by Credit Suisse Asset Management Global Real Estate, Chancerygate and the international real estate firm Hines has acquired a six-acre site in Dagenham, East London. The JV intends to speculatively develop a new 165,000 sq ft industrial scheme on the site with a gross development value of £50m. Plans will be submitted to deliver up to 20 units ranging from 3,000 sq ft to 33,000 sq ft for warehousing and trade counter use. Units will be available freehold or leasehold. The Rainham Road site, which was previously owned by wholesale electrical distributor Rexel UK Ltd, currently comprises warehouse buildings with ancillary trade counters and offices. Situated between the A12 and A13, the scheme is located less than half a mile from Hackman Capital Partners and Dagenham Council’s proposed £300m film and TV studios. Commenting on the acquisition, Chancerygate development manager, Tom Faulkner, said: “We are very pleased to have secured this exciting development opportunity in such a prominent London location. Our proposals for the scheme will address a shortage of high quality, new build warehousing supply in the area.” The Dagenham scheme will be the second acquired by the JV between the three parties following the 350,000 sq ft Network West development in Bracknell, Berkshire, which is currently subject to planning approval. Greg Cooper, Hines UK director of industrial and logistics, continued: “In developing a range of units speculatively, we aim to attract a variety of different businesses to Dagenham that are either expanding or relocating. “Given the site’s proximity to what will be a world-class film studio, we also expect our development to be an attractive option for businesses serving the TV and film industry. This serves as yet another example of our creative transformation of urban environments with leading edge logistics developments.” CBRE advised the JV on the site’s acquisition whilst Colliers International acted on behalf of Rexel. Len Rosso, head of industrial & logistics at Colliers International, said: “This year has shown the need for good quality industrial space across the country as supply logistics have been tested like never before. We have a historic issue of low-supply of industrial stock, so the development of speculative, modern industrial space in this east London location will help to meet the growing needs of the industry.”
MENTAL health provision in the North East is set for a boost following the award of contracts to deliver an extension to the Sunniside Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead. Procured through national framework provider Pagabo’s Professional Services Framework, national project and programme management consultancy Faithful+Gould and leading construction firm Morris & Spottiswood – who were appointed through Pagabo’s Medium Works Framework – will deliver an extension to the mental health facility, which is run by Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust. The project – which has been valued at almost £1.8m – will see Faithful+Gould provide multidisciplinary services including initial design, and Morris & Spottiswood lead on the extension’s construction. Karen Carter, regional relationship manager for the North at Pagabo, said: “We’re delighted to have been involved in the administration of this vitally important development of the Sunniside Unit’s mental health facility – a service that will help to support members of the surrounding community for years to come. “We are incredibly pleased that Faithful+Gould and Morris & Spottiswood have both been appointed for this project via our frameworks and that they will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with us to further cement Pagabo as a viable route to market for healthcare organisations and NHS Trusts.” The Sunniside Unit provides inpatient admission, assessment, treatment and discharge planning to any patient within the Gateshead area who either has a diagnosis of a functional mental health illness (over the age of 65), are presenting symptoms of acute psychiatric distress and require assessment for diagnosis or are presenting acute psychiatric distress and are in crisis where there are risk indicators of danger to themselves or others. Lawrence Inkster, director of Faithful+Gould, said: “I am thrilled that we have been appointed to provide multidisciplinary services for this much-needed development in Gateshead. Time was very much the essence on the project and our position as Pagabo’s multidisciplinary framework provider has allowed us to assemble the team to hit the ground running. Our expertise within the healthcare sector and experienced team will help to bring to life the building’s extension and provide a space in which people feel happy, safe and supported.” Matthew Wall, frameworks manager at Morris & Spottiswood, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working in partnership with NHS Gateshead to deliver this new and much-needed mental health facility within the local area. The turf cutting ceremony really is a milestone moment for not only the client but the full delivery team, all of whom have shown amazing commitment to getting the project up and running in record time. “This is our first direct award via the Pagabo framework, and it has demonstrated what a valuable and time saving mechanism this procurement route can be when the full team commit to working collaboratively.” Paul Swansbury, development and commercial works manager at QE Facilities Ltd, added: “This investment into local health services, such as what is provided by The Sunniside Unit, is a testament to our commitment to support surrounding communities as much as possible with both their physical and mental health. In what has been a turbulent year for so many, it’s never been more vital to support one another and so we hope that this brand-new extension will provide hope to so many for the foreseeable future and beyond.” Kelly Chequer, nurse consultant in older persons’ mental health at the Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust, said: This investment in older people’s mental health is extremely positive for the residents of Gateshead who need admission to hospital. We are pleased that our clinical staff and patients have been able to influence the design of this modern facility which will eradicate all dormitory accommodation and provide mental health modern facilities with single ensuite bedrooms.” Joann Crowder, ward manager at the Sunniside Unit, said: The patients and families have been closely involved in designing the new environment and I know the experience and safety of someone in hospital will be greatly improved with the high standards of the new environment. The design team have listened to every request from the patients and the nursing team and we are all looking forward to seeing the new ward.” Work is now underway on site, with the extension due to complete by Spring 2021. For more information, please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/.
Wildlife Trust unveils ambitious post-Covid wildscape to replace notoriously bleak shopping mall Today sees the launch of a bold vision to rewild the heart of Nottingham and green-up the historic city centre following the decision to demolish the much-derided Broadmarsh shopping centre. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust has worked with landscape architects to reimagine the imposing grey urban jungle and replace the concrete with 100% natural greenspace – the start of a big idea to reconnect the city to Sherwood Forest and invoke the spirit of Robin Hood – bringing wildlife to nature-poor city dwellers and the millions of visitors it attracts every year. Paul Wilkinson, CEO of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trusts says: “Transforming the Broadmarsh into a natural greenspace would bring people together and start putting the city’s nature into recovery at a time when natural greenspace has never been more valued or needed. It could also act as a springboard to securing investment in green growth and green infrastructure and deliver the long term aspiration of reconnect our city to the ancient Sherwood Forest landscape and we’re calling on people to back our vision.” Since the site was handed back to the Council in the summer, there has been much talk locally over the site’s future. A change.org petition1 calling for the area to be transformed into public greenspace secured almost 11,000 signatures and other polls have also supported calls for a new greenspace. As Nottingham seeks to recover from the human and economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust believes that everyone should have the opportunity to live in a healthy, wildlife rich natural world, and that we all depend on contact with nature for our wellbeing. Paul Wilkinson, continues: “By putting people and nature at the heart of plans for the Broadmarsh site Nottingham City Council could grasp a once in a generation opportunity to carve out a green future for the city centre. As well as signalling the City’s commitment to helping secure 30% of land across the UK for nature by 2030, this new vision would support Nottingham’s ambition to be the UK’s first carbon neutral city, boost tourism and ensure that Nottingham stands out from the crowd as city’s across the UK compete for investment to rebuild their economies after the impact of Covid-19.” The charity has worked with Influence Landscape Architects to reimagine the space transformed with wildlife habitats reflecting the site’s history as a wetland alongside the ancient course of the River Leen and long lost gardens. The inspiring vision for the site includes accessible walkways based on a centuries-old city street plan to reconnect key parts of the city. Despite the City’s stated ambition to be the UK’s first carbon neutral city it was recently ranked at number 18 in a list of the UK’s green cities2 following an assessment taking into account measures including emission, transport, waste and nature. Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust believes that a statement natural greenspace in the heart of the city would build climate change resilience, improve connectivity for people and provide an attractive backdrop for existing businesses as well as drawing in new investors – and is calling on people living and working in the City to back its vision The charity is calling on people to back its vision here: wtru.st/wilder-broadmarsh As new development has replaced old, fragments of remaining greenspace and areas of ephemeral habitat, close to the former Broadmarsh Centre have disappeared and opportunities to recreate vital new green areas have been lost. The Trust believes the location of Broadmarsh is the ideal site for the City to demonstrate its commitment to its flagship Wellbeing Design Guide published by the Council in January – taking a truly ‘nature first’ approach which would be viewed as a statement of intent that it wishes to take a lead on the environment and build a greener future. Speaking on behalf of Influence Landscape Architects, Managing Director Sara Boland said: “It has become critically important for people, especially city centre dwellers to have positive, well designed, and diverse easily accessible public open spaces to visit. It became apparent in the first lockdown that as more people sought enjoyment from outdoor spaces to provide regular exercise, our role in the provision of such spaces, and our understanding of the social and spatial implications of COVID-19 were only just being realised. Open space in cities is often formal, structured and in pockets and this presented the opportunity for a completely unfettered and wild approach to a substantial space. A chance to make a fundamental difference and influence the landscape of our closest city Nottingham. “Combine that with the fact that rewilding of urban spaces is now an identified and real opportunity in landscape design and that money is in short supply for extensive aftercare strategies of heavily designed landscapes, the opportunities to think outside the box presented itself in a unique way with this partnership approach to the unique space of Broadmarsh.” Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust also believes the vison presents exciting opportunities to explore the potential for sustainable urban farming in the remaining structures of the former shopping centre beneath the ground level – replicating the productive use of the city’s famous cave system. Following the announcement of the Government’s new ten-point plan for a green industrial revolution backed by a package of at least £12bn of funding for green growth, the Wildlife Trust believes that the vision for the Broadmarsh should be seen as one of a range of opportunities for Nottingham to secure its fair share of funds earmarked for green recovery and green growth. Further details of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s vision for the Broadmarsh site as natural greenspace can be found at www.nottinghamshirewildlife.org/Broadmarsh-reimagined.
NATIONAL specialists in the construction of food and drink manufacturing facilities Clegg Food Projects has completed a new state-of-the-art HQ for Wells & Co – an independent, family-owned business with a 190-strong portfolio of award-winning pubs. Clegg Food Projects, as the principal contractor, was responsible for delivering the multi-million-pound purpose-built headquarters – named Brewpoint – for Wells & Co. The project started on site in summer 2019 and continued to progress throughout lockdown. The 20,000 sq ft Bedfordshire-based facility brings Wells & Co’s new home together under one roof, focusing on the creation of exceptional beer together with a pub-restaurant, retail shop, coffee roastery, offices, and a visitor centre that will offer guided tours. While trading restrictions imposed on the hospitality sector mean Brewpoint’s full launch must wait until Spring 2021, Wells & Co. opened ‘A Taste of Brewpoint’ on 8 November to the public, a pop-up outside bar that ensures customers can get a flavour of its offering. The construction of the site and installation of its brewing facilities has meant that the business has been able to launch its online shop, allowing beer lovers the chance to order and collect Brewpoint’s brand-new beer and merchandise offering. “Being involved in all aspects of project– from the site’s electric through to the fitting of specialist brewing equipment – has been something that the whole team has been proud to be a part of and we couldn’t be more pleased to now see the project come to life.” The main brewing plant has been designed with solar cells on the roof, solar shading, air source heating and cooling, will be capable of producing 30,000 hectolitres of beer each year equivalent to five million pints. Brewpoint also hosts a smaller 100 litre brewing facility, which will provide a continual stream of new beers to try at the site’s bar every week. Peter Wells, managing director at Wells & Co., commented: “After 143 years and five generations of family involvement, we didn’t embark on this lightly, but Brewpoint embodies the change of direction we have taken as a business and we couldn’t be happier with the businesses’ new home. It’s expertly designed and allows us to produce a range of beer styles that we would not have dreamed of ten years ago.” Clegg Food Projects – part of the Clegg Group – has more than 40 years’ experience in the food and drink sector. Headquartered in Nottingham, the firm works nationally and internationally with household brands to deliver top quality manufacturing facilities. For further information visit www.cleggfoodprojects.co.uk or follow @CleggFoodP on Twitter.