Recent delivery of three Electric Vehicles (EVs) takes global EV fleet to 69 Kingspan to install Electric Vehicle charging station at IKON innovation centre Company aims to only acquire zero emission company cars by 2025 Transport targets part of wider Planet Passionate commitment Kingspan, the maker of high-performance insulation and
Pagabo announce that Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £13.4m contract for the second phase of the £62m redevelopment at Oaklands College in St Albans. It comes after they successfully handed over the first phase in the summer, the Homestead building, which provides residential accommodation for up to 80 students
Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has been selected by the Department for Education (DfE) to design and build a brand-new facility for the modernisation of Oscott Manor School in Birmingham, as part of the DfE’s Priority School Building Programme. Oscott Manor School, located in Old Oscott Hill, Birmingham, is a
We are celebrating hitting our latest social value milestone, marking £3bn in social value being enabled by works procured through our frameworks since 2017. Continuing Success This marks another milestone in a hugely successful year for our firm, which saw the launch of our new Major Works and Professional Services
Leading independent recycling and waste management company, Powerday, has created over £9millon social value for the second consecutive year with every pound that clients spent with the company contributing £0.22 to the local community. Powerday’s social value is focused around four goals: reducing the environmental impact of the UK’s waste,
After a comprehensive spending review earlier this week, the Chancellor confirmed that a new Help to Build scheme would be made available for the sector. The review included two significant announcements for the sector: £2.2 billion of new loan finance to support house builders, which includes delivering a new Help
NORTH NOTTS BID has announced its support for the Bounce Back Better campaign which calls for special measures to be introduced to support struggling hospitality businesses amid the new tier lockdown system. On Wednesday 2 December 2020, England will fall back into a tiered system, placing irrevocable pressure on hospitality businesses
Sensational Monaco buildings 1 -Odeon Tower This iconic Monaco new building pierces the city-state’s skyline offering its residents limitless luxury. The double skyscraper is located in the prestigious district of Monte-Carlo. It soars some 49 stories into the sky and was Monaco’s first skyscraper to be built since the 1980s.
Belgian logistics, real estate and motor-racing company Weerts Group has chosen Suffolk Park at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, for its first UK warehouse location and has secured just over 42-acres from developer JAYNIC for a new 870,000 sq ft logistics unit to be delivered by JAYNIC in summer 2021. This
Initiative to ensure registered providers don’t miss out on mountain of ‘ethical’ investment cash A group of more than 60 housing associations, lenders and investors have come together to launch a standard designed to help the housing sector harness the £2 trillion ethical investment market. The Sustainability Reporting Standard for Social
Recent delivery of three Electric Vehicles (EVs) takes global EV fleet to 69 Kingspan to install Electric Vehicle charging station at IKON innovation centre Company aims to only acquire zero emission company cars by 2025 Transport targets part of wider Planet Passionate commitment Kingspan, the maker of high-performance insulation and building envelope solutions, is transitioning its entire company fleet to electric vehicles, targeting to only acquire zero emissions cars by 2025. The company has recently taken delivery of three Tesla EV vehicles, taking its global EV fleet to 69. Kingspan is also installing a new six-bay Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station at its recently opened IKON global innovation centre in Kingscourt, Cavan, which will help ensure that each car’s charge can be derived from 100% renewable energy. The EVs will replace older, petrol and diesel models, and will be used by the company for visits to clients, contractors, architects, and sites. The push towards zero emission cars is part of Kingspan’s Planet Passionate programme, an ambitious 10-year global sustainability strategy that aims to impact on three big global issues: climate change, circularity and protection of our natural world. Specific commitments the company strives to reach by 2030 as part of its Planet Passionate Programme include: Energy: powering 60% of all Kingspan operations directly from renewable energy while generating the equivalent of 20% of its energy demand on manufacturing sites Carbon: achieving net zero carbon manufacturing and a 50% reduction in product C02 intensity from primary supply partners Circularity: upcycling of 1 billion PET bottles per annum into insulation products plus zero company waste to landfill across all sites Water: harvesting 100 million litres of Kingspan’s water usage from rainwater Bianca Wong, Global Head of Sustainability at Kingspan, commented: “As a company, we have committed to reduce significantly our carbon footprint across our value chain by 2030. The acquisition of these state-of-the-art vehicles and installation of the charging station supports our broader Planet Passionate vision and our target to acquire only zero emission company cars by 2025. By leveraging the latest in innovation in the motor industry and striving to be Planet Passionate in everything we do, we are confident we can achieve the goals we have set our business.” Marci Bonham, Managing Director of Kingspan Insulated Panels in Ireland and Kingspan Energy, commented: “Implementing our mission to reduce our impact on the planet is progressing rapidly. This latest delivery brings the total number of electric vehicles in our global fleet to 69, and our Irish teams are pleased to be among the first in the company to make this move to zero emissions cars. There is a strong commitment by Kingspan to incorporate carbon reductions into all areas of the business. This is one more step towards our net zero targets.”
Pagabo announce that Willmott Dixon has been awarded a £13.4m contract for the second phase of the £62m redevelopment at Oaklands College in St Albans. It comes after they successfully handed over the first phase in the summer, the Homestead building, which provides residential accommodation for up to 80 students as well as two on-site wardens. Phase two was again procured through our Major Works Framework and will be known as The Evolution Centre to represent the importance it will have in the development of the College’s staff and students. The new facility will be the core learning building on campus and contains a mix of classrooms and support spaces for teaching staff, with seven classrooms forming a dedicated wing for Oaklands College’s Pathway 4 special needs provision. A sustainable build: Now or Never To support Willmott Dixon’s ambition to be net zero carbon by 2030, the site team have created early electrical connections to the grid so that the tower crane, site and welfare facilities do not need diesel generators. The project is also utilising the local St Albans based community wood recycling to ensure that all timber not required is reused rather than sent away as waste. Chris Tredget, managing director at Willmott Dixon in London and East, said: “After delivering the Homestead Building, the team is delighted to be back on site with the Evolution Centre and look forward to creating a new teaching space that will benefit the college and students for years to come.” Zoe Hancock, principal of Oaklands College said: “The Evolution Centre will house 49 classrooms and will be a centre for technical, academic and vocational education. It will transform the learning experience for our students, and we are really looking forward to its completion in Autumn 2021.” Jonathan Parker, national framework manager at Pagabo, said: “We’re delighted to be continuing our close working relationship with Willmott Dixon, and are really pleased to see the second phase of work in motion at Oaklands College following the handover of the first phase earlier this year. This next phase of work, which was awarded via a single stage procurement process through a programme of works, made it quicker and simpler to get work underway on delivering teaching facilities and a dedicated wing for special needs provision that are set to have a hugely positive impact on both the college and the wider community.” After the successful handover of the first phase, we’re all delighted to see phase two in motion and wish Willmott Dixon the best of luck in delivering this fantastic scheme.
Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has been selected by the Department for Education (DfE) to design and build a brand-new facility for the modernisation of Oscott Manor School in Birmingham, as part of the DfE’s Priority School Building Programme. Oscott Manor School, located in Old Oscott Hill, Birmingham, is a SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disability) secondary school supporting pupils with autism. Rated ‘Good’ in the most recent Ofsted inspection, the school has outgrown its current building following an increase in the demand for places, and due to site constraints which has meant the current site is too small to develop. This has resulted in the relocation and the construction of a new school at nearby Reservoir Road in Erdington, Birmingham. Due for completion in winter 2021, the new educational facility will be a community school for 120 young people aged 11-19, with autism as their primary diagnosis. The school will provide educational, health and care plans for each student. Construction works will involve the demolition of existing buildings at the 2.8 acre Reservoir Road site; the former Bridge SEND School, Fairfield Children’s Home and the Children’s Bungalow, followed by the construction of the new 29,923 sq. ft two-storey modern educational facility with a range of versatile teaching spaces for ICT, design and technology, science and music, as well as general staff facilities, external play areas and associated access roads. It will also include a multi-use games area (MUGA), a forest school with associated lighting and secure boundaries, staff parking and safe drop off and pick up areas for pupils. As you enter the site, the school is adjacent to the Elwood Day Centre which will remain open throughout the works, and G F Tomlinson has worked closely with the centre to ensure access will be maintained at all times and there is minimum disruption to service users. Network Rail is situated on the left and residential properties are located to the right and to the rear. This project will mark the 13th scheme delivered by G F Tomlinson under the DfE framework since 2014 and in line with the organisation’s commitment to social value, the scheme will maximise opportunities for work experience and employment, partnering with local schools, colleges, universities and unemployed residents, through an Employment and Skills Plan, developed in consultation with Birmingham City Council. Chris Flint, director of G F Tomlinson, said: “We are delighted to be managing the design and build of the new Oscott Manor SEND School, under the DfE framework. “The building replacement is part of the DfE’s Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) that considers applications from Local Authorities and other agencies to rebuild and refurbish school buildings in the greatest need of repair across the country, and the new building will be constructed by the DfE’s Capital team, which includes G F Tomlinson. “This scheme adds to our strategic portfolio of projects in the education sector throughout the West Midlands region where we have an established reputation for delivering high quality SEND schools, providing safe and inspiring places for young people to learn and thrive. “As always, we have focused on the social value of this project, ensuring our dedicated Employment and Skills Plan provides tangible benefits to the community of Erdington and the surrounding areas.” Head teacher of Oscott Manor School, Victoria Miller, said: “The completion of this carefully designed project will provide a wealth of opportunities for our pupils and enhance their curriculum access, community connections and ability to develop the independent skills that will prepare them for adulthood. We are delighted to be working so closely with the DfE, Bond Bryan Architects and G F Tomlinson to ensure that this project meets the needs of our cohort.” G F Tomlinson’s design team include Bond Bryan Architects, BSP Consulting for structural and civil engineering services and Anderson Green for mechanical and electrical services.
We are celebrating hitting our latest social value milestone, marking £3bn in social value being enabled by works procured through our frameworks since 2017. Continuing Success This marks another milestone in a hugely successful year for our firm, which saw the launch of our new Major Works and Professional Services frameworks go live in April, the appointment of several members of staff and the announcement of a transformational research collaboration with The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre to name but a few. The figures have been enabled through our full suite of frameworks. As well as figures relating to the financial benefit to local economies, the measurement includes the creation of more than 2,750 jobs and the safeguarding of more than 11,000 jobs, as well as 900 work placements and more than 700 apprentice roles. Simon Toplass, chief executive officer at Pagabo, said: “Driving positive social impact for individuals, communities and businesses up and down the country is one of our core business values at Pagabo, so hitting this landmark £3bn enabled figure is a really proud moment for us. “Social value is firmly at the heart of everything we do, and we make a conscious effort to be as directly involved as possible in order to help our clients generate the best social return possible from their projects. And there is of course no doubt that social value is set to play a bigger part than ever in the future following COVID-19 – especially when it comes to job safeguarding, job creation and the development of employment opportunities in the immediate future.” How Social Value is generated We generate our figures using Social Profit Calculator (SPC) – the market-leading online tool accredited by Social Value UK and Social Value International. SPC uses robust government data and methodologies to help organisations understand, evidence and measure the social impact of their work. Simon said: “Most organisations will already be delivering some form of social value through their employment of staff, skills development programmes and through working with local supply chains. The important next step is knowing how to measure these things and how they equate to true benefit for local communities. This is something that SPC is perfectly placed to do, accurately calculating the financial value of social, economic and environment impact of work. “It’s highly likely that we are going to see a significant push over the coming years regarding industry standards of data collection for social value – especially when it comes to regional differences. Tools like SPC will continue to grow in importance – as will the need for cross-industry collaboration to build a picture of what good social value looks like around the country for clients.” We are set to announce the successful applicants for our brand-new developer-led framework – worth £47bn – in December. For more information on how we enable social value, click below: Social Value Social Profit Calculator
Leading independent recycling and waste management company, Powerday, has created over £9millon social value for the second consecutive year with every pound that clients spent with the company contributing £0.22 to the local community. Powerday’s social value is focused around four goals: reducing the environmental impact of the UK’s waste, improving lives through education and employment, improving lives through sport and supporting the wider community where they need it. The company believes strongly in the power of sport to ensure mental and physical wellbeing, providing young people with confidence and self-discipline that will help them throughout their lives. This belief has seen Powerday partner with London Boxing since 2011, an initiative which has improved health and mental well-being for 10,000 young people in some of the most marginalised areas of the Capital. In January this year, the company launched the Powerday Academy to deliver career opportunities for the local community, including existing employees and school leavers that might be struggling to find work. Under this scheme, Powerday has already provided full time employment to three 16 to 24 year olds who would otherwise be classed at NEETs (not in education, employment or training). The Academy has also enabled Powerday to deliver over 1,130 apprenticeship weeks with 15 employees undertaking apprenticeship courses through the company’s training partners. Joint Managing Director, Liam Kearney says: “With 77% of our staff from within a 15-mile radius of Old Oak Sidings, we are proud to be a significant local employer. We believe that as such we have a responsibility to provide secure and rewarding employment whilst giving opportunities to those in our community who might be struggling to find work. We also want to ensure we have the best trained and motivated team within our sector. To help us deliver against all of this, we were proud to launch the Powerday Academy earlier this year”. When Covid-19 struck, wanting to continue to support the health and wellbeing of Londoners during lockdown, Powerday helped NHS workers working round the clock by providing nutritious meals. The company teamed up with London Irish Rugby Club, preparing and delivering over 50,000 free meals to frontline workers in 19 different hospitals during eleven weeks. Edward Crossan, Vice Chairman, Powerday says: “We are committed to using our sustained growth to support our local communities and are very pleased to be able to contribute so significantly, particularly this year given the challenges we have all faced. I believe the coronavirus outbreak has highlighted the need for businesses to contribute to society and it’s vitally important to us at Powerday that we can and do play our part. Our work in this area is now as important to us as our waste management services and we are proud of our contributions”. The family business has always provided extensive social value through its operations and community work. Last year, Powerday signed up to the Social Value Portal. An initial report for the company’s financial year 2018/19 showed that Powerday created £9.2million of social value in that period. This was followed by £9million in 2019/20, a significant achievement given the challenges in delivering social value projects during the pandemic. This included £1.3million in social value through the 869,000 miles driven in the company’s Euro 6 fleet which emit under 75mg of carbon dioxide per kilometre, and the recycling of 14,500 tonnes of hard-to-recycle wastes including road barriers, mattresses and mixed plastics. Every pound that clients spent with Powerday in 2019/20 contributed £0.22 to the local community. Powerday’s latest report can be downloaded from Powerday-CSR-2019-2020-Social-Value-Report.pdf
After a comprehensive spending review earlier this week, the Chancellor confirmed that a new Help to Build scheme would be made available for the sector. The review included two significant announcements for the sector: £2.2 billion of new loan finance to support house builders, which includes delivering a new Help to Build scheme for custom and self builders, as well as funding for SME housebuilders and Modern Methods of Construction. £100 million of funding to support, among other things, the release of public sector land, including for serviced plots for self and custom builders. BuildStore, which is an Appointed Representative of Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB), is the leading finance partner for custom and self-build clients. MAB is the UK’s most recognised mortgage broker*, with over 1,400 mortgage advisers offering advice on a local level. Here, Raymond Connor, CEO at BuildStore, offers his reaction to the news. He said: “Both MAB and BuildStore jointly welcome the government’s introduction of the new Help to Build scheme. We started working with MAB seven years ago specifically to offer products and solutions for people with aspirations to build their own homes. “This announcement has been a while in the making. At times, it’s felt as though self and custom build has been on the sidelines, but this news shows the strength of this government’s commitment to diversification in the housing sector. “Unfortunately, we turn away a large number of potential customers every month who are interested in self or custom build, but they simply don’t have the cash deposit required. Although we await further details and a formal timeline for the scheme, we hope it will make building your own home much more achievable. “In terms of the wider market, the scheme will provide a major boost to the emerging custom build sector in the UK. SME developer are the lifeblood of this industry who day-to-day are the ones with the ability to divide up land into plots and sell on to the end consumer. We know that planning legislation is being strengthened all the time in this area to ensure local authorities offer serviced plots for people with a desire to custom build.”
NORTH NOTTS BID has announced its support for the Bounce Back Better campaign which calls for special measures to be introduced to support struggling hospitality businesses amid the new tier lockdown system. On Wednesday 2 December 2020, England will fall back into a tiered system, placing irrevocable pressure on hospitality businesses in North Nottinghamshire but also those in retail and leisure sectors. UKHospitality has already warned that the new Tier 3 system will result in 94% of hospitality businesses becoming unviable by March 2021. In Tier 2 it is 75% and even at Tier 1 it is 25%. The campaign centres around a manifesto, created alongside other nationwide Business Improvement Districts [BIDs], local authorities, destinations and industry bodies. It outlines a range of packages which would provide a vital lifeline for hospitality, retail and leisure businesses alike. Sally Gillborn, chief executive at North Notts BID, said: “Additional action is essential to ensure the towns of North Nottinghamshire, and the businesses that operate within them, are able to survive and recover from the new tier restrictions. This is vital to protect the future of our high streets and to prevent further unemployment. “Retail and hospitality businesses are at the heart of nearly every community, forming high streets that are a hub of activity across our region. We understand the importance of keeping these businesses afloat and we want to do everything we can to get behind them and provide an essential lifeline.” Matthew Sims, founder of the Bounce Back Better campaign and CEO of Croydon Business Improvement District, said: “The government has provided assurances it will do whatever it takes to support British businesses and help them to bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses are approaching a cliff edge and need the government to provide a parachute in sector specific measures to stave off mass closure and job losses. Now, more than ever, we need the Chancellor to stand by his promise to do whatever it takes.” The Bounce Back Manifesto consists of four essential elements: A one-off grant for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses Local Authorities lack the administrative and payments infrastructure required to facilitate monthly financial support model proposed by government for eligible businesses in Tier 2 and Tier 3 – many businesses are receiving funds too late, or worse, not at all. We ask the government to provide a one-off ‘Bounce Back’ grant of up to £15,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in Tier 2 and Tier 3 across England and Wales with a rateable value of up to and including £150,000. This would support 137,000 business’ vital funds delivered in a manner that local authorities are equipped to distribute at a total maximum cost of £2.05bn. 2. Pause for national insurance employer contributions for furloughed employees For the furlough scheme investment to date of £47m to be fully effective, business support must reflect short and long term challenges. While employees receive 80% of their salary through the extension of the furlough scheme, businesses are still paying out for National Insurance, placing greater strain on survival. At an average wage of £9.50 per hour, working 7.5 hours per day, 5 days a week, the National Insurance cost to a business in hospitality with 10 staff is £491.60 per week. Every month, on top of all the other costs, businesses will be paying out £1,966.50 – nearly two thirds of the upper limit of funding provided by the government currently. We ask the government to remove the burden of National Insurance from employers whose staff are on furlough, saving the average business £2,000 per month until 31st March 2021. 3. An extension of 100% business rates holiday for 2021/22 The ‘payment holiday’ for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value less than £51,000 earlier this year was an extraordinary and critical measure saving each business up to £25,000, a total tax cut worth over £1bn. We ask the government to extend the 100% business rates holiday into 2021/2022 for businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sector. Every pound saved is a pound to help businesses stay trading and retain staff. 4. An extension of the VAT reduction scheme The cut in VAT from 20% to 5% is a major boost for the hospitality sector enabling businesses to pass on a £4.1 billion saving onto consumers. With a vaccine becoming a reality in the coming months, our bed and breakfasts, hotels and restaurants could be a vital catalyst to local economic recovery. Research by CGA for UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association and the British Institute of Inn keeping found support on VAT and business rates are top of hospitality’s essential business support needs. Four in 10 affected businesses have stated that the government needs to extend its VAT cut to remain viable. We ask the government to extend the VAT reduction from 1 April 2021 up to and including 31 March 2022. To find out more about the campaign, visit www.raisethebarcampaign.com. To find out more about North Notts BID, visit northnottsbid.co.uk.
Sensational Monaco buildings 1 -Odeon Tower This iconic Monaco new building pierces the city-state’s skyline offering its residents limitless luxury. The double skyscraper is located in the prestigious district of Monte-Carlo. It soars some 49 stories into the sky and was Monaco’s first skyscraper to be built since the 1980s. Tour Odeon includes 60 serviced apartments, duplexes, and a penthouse. Tour Odeon’s 31,500 square foot penthouse has grabbed headlines across the world for its outlandish facilities. Occupying the 45th through to the 49th floor, this voluminous space includes a cinema, billiard room, fitness room, and water slide, which descends directly from the dance floor into the penthouse’s private infinity pool. Residents of Tour Odeon apartments enjoy a host of amenities, including access to a private chauffeur, 24/7 concierge service, multiple swimming pools, and in house caterer. 2 – Parc Saint Roman Parc Saint Roman is a highly sought-after Monaco building, known for its luxury amenities, including swimming pool, pool house, fitness room, sauna, and 24-hour security and concierge services. Located in the popular district of La Rousse, Parc Saint Roman has long appealed to discerning investors who seek refined elegance. Parc Saint Roman is conveniently positioned, within striking distance of the Larvotto beaches and the Monte Carlo Country Club. Designed by renowned Italian architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni, this Monaco building is split into two blocks, La Tour, and Les Terrasses, totalling some 390 apartments. Many boast superb views of the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the coast from Italy to Cap Ferrat. 3 – Le Mirabeau Formerly a luxury hotel, this Monaco building was converted into residential apartments in 2007 and is now considered one the principality’s jewels in the crown when it comes to elegant Monaco real estate. Located in Monte-Carlo, Mirabeau is situated close to the famed Carre d’Or, the most prestigious address in Monaco. The Carre d’Or, or Golden Square, is home to the legendary Monte Carlo Casino, the Hotel de Paris, and the chic Café de Paris, known as the place to see and be seen. Of course, it is also home to some of the world’s most desired designer boutiques and award-winning restaurants. Another key selling point of this famed high-rise Monaco building is its location right on the Grand Prix circuit, directly overlooking the famous hairpin of the Sun Casino. Residents of this Monaco building enjoy a host of amenities, including a 24/7 concierge service, fitness centre, and outdoor swimming pool. There is no doubt that those seeking a luxury residence with world-class facilities will find just what they are looking for in Monaco, the home of limitless luxury! What other prestigious Monaco buildings would you add to our guide?
Belgian logistics, real estate and motor-racing company Weerts Group has chosen Suffolk Park at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, for its first UK warehouse location and has secured just over 42-acres from developer JAYNIC for a new 870,000 sq ft logistics unit to be delivered by JAYNIC in summer 2021. This is the largest ever warehouse transaction to be undertaken in Bury St Edmunds and the West Suffolk region bringing major new investment and jobs to the region. The 870,000 sq ft logistics facility will be developed in two phases with a first phase of 476,000 sq ft to be completed in Summer 2021 and the second phase following immediately. A detailed planning application has just been submitted to West Suffolk Council. Weerts Group is renowned across Europe for its buildings where sustainability is an important feature. Weerts Group has chosen Suffolk Park because of its proximity to the Felixstowe ferry connection with the European continent and its proximity to Junction 45 of the A14 providing fast links into the UK motorway network. Ben Oughton, development director of JAYNIC, said: “This is a very significant deal for Suffolk Park, Suffolk and East Anglia. This transaction with Weerts Group comes swiftly on the heels of the sale of our SP206 unit to Chinese consumer goods importer M H Star and re-affirms the rapidly increasing popularity of the A14 as a logistics location. In under six months these two transactions amount to 1.1m sq ft of warehousing and the creation of around 700 jobs for the local economy,” Weerts Group is headquartered in Liège, Belgium and has operations in Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Hungary and Romania. Its General Logistics Services division offers its clients comprehensive solutions for warehousing, transport and value-add logistics services, with a strong focus on innovative solutions and engaging in continuous improvement projects with its clients. In 2017, it significantly expanded its operations through the acquisition of the in-house logistics of the Audi manufacturing plant in Brussels (65,000 sqm), where it operates all in-house logistics activities for the Brussels plant and is actively involved in preparing for the construction of the first full electric vehicle of the Audi group. Cllr John Griffiths, Leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “We welcome this new investment and the creation of new jobs here in West Suffolk helping to deliver the vision that the Council worked so hard to achieve when it set out to create the Suffolk Business Park.” Richard Pyatt, a director of Hazells Chartered Surveyors, comments: “Acting on behalf of JAYNIC we were delighted to introduce Weerts Group to Suffolk Park and assist in the negotiations for this transaction. This is a stellar example of the increasing demand from major logistics companies who see Felixstowe and the A14 as an alternative to the Kent ports for their links to the European continent. Securing a major occupier of this nature represents a significant boost for the local economy in Bury St Edmunds and underlines Suffolk Park as the pre-eminent logistics park in the region.” Elsewhere at Suffolk Park the 112,000 sq ft first phase of Treatt Plc’s new global headquarters, being developed by Jaynic is due for completion imminently. The 114-acre Suffolk Park has outline planning consent for 2 million sq ft of business, distribution, and industrial space. Suffolk Park agents are Bury St Edmunds based Hazells Chartered Surveyors, Cambridge agents Bidwells and Savills London’s logistics department. www.suffolk-park.uk
Initiative to ensure registered providers don’t miss out on mountain of ‘ethical’ investment cash A group of more than 60 housing associations, lenders and investors have come together to launch a standard designed to help the housing sector harness the £2 trillion ethical investment market. The Sustainability Reporting Standard for Social Housing has been set up to ensure housing associations are able to prove their ethical credentials to institutions looking to invest in so-called ESG – Environmental, Social and Governance – assets. The market for ESG investments is thought to be worth £2 trillion in the UK, money which housing associations are increasingly being asked to justify their ethical credentials to access. The new standard, published for consultation today, has been pulled together with the support of 34 housing associations and 27 lenders and investors, including Lloyds, NatWest, LGIM and M&G. Housing associations backing the project include a number of the biggest in the sector, including Peabody, Clarion, Optivo, Sovereign, the Guinness Partnership, and Home Group. The standard has been drawn up by consultants Centrus and the Good Economy following a consultation in May this year. The social housing sector is thought to be the first to organise itself to create a standard of this kind to make ethical investing easier. If it is widely taken up, the standard should mean that housing associations will know what information any ESG investor will ask from them in order to ensure they meet ESG criteria. Housing associations currently use loans from banks and bonds raised on the capital markets to finance their activities, including homebuilding. Gareth Francis, director of treasury and corporate finance at the UK’s largest housing association, Clarion, said the initiative had the potential to allow housing associations to borrow more money at cheaper rates to finance the construction of new homes. He said: “Without a doubt more capital will be interested in housing associations if they can see how the sector is organised along ESG principles. This could be huge.” However, Francis warned the initiative would also reduce the risk housing associations could see current sources of funding dry up as ethical investing increasingly becomes the mainstream. “If you’re not engaged with this,” he said, “Over time you’re likely to find it more difficult to raise money.” Mark Davie, head of social housing at fund manager M&G said: “Social housing has always been seen as an ethical investment, because it’s housing. But that’s no longer good enough for ESG investors. Increasingly they’re answering more searching questions about what exactly your business does. “This initiative can make the process easier for both housing associations and investors,” he said. The Standard covers 48 criteria across ESG considerations such as affordability, fire safety and net zero carbon emissions, and will be overseen by a new Sustainability Reporting Standards Board, to be established in early 2021. Susan Hickey, a former chief financial officer at Peabody Trust, will oversee the setting up of the board. Lord Bob Kerslake, Chair of Peabody Trust, said: “This sector-wide reporting standard makes a significant contribution to the aim of increasing private capital flows into social housing, and will help a better and fairer economy and society to emerge after Covid-19.”