North Lincolnshire’s economy is to receive a £4.3m boost thanks to the £25.8million awarded to Lincolnshire as part of the Government’s Getting Building Fund. The fund supports the delivery of shovel-ready infrastructure projects to boost economic growth, fuel local recovery and create jobs. The money will be used for drainage
NATIONAL framework provider Pagabo has announced that developers are now able to download the tender documentation for the organisation’s brand-new £47bn developer-led framework. The framework will run for four years, with the option to extend to a further 16 months to April 2026, and will be open to all public
What makes a business great? Is it the products and services it offers? Is it the employees that carry out their duties with aplomb and bring the company’s mission statement to life every day? Is it the branding that resonates with the target market. It goes without saying that all
Your business is one of the most essential things in your life, and you need to do everything you can to keep it moving forward. There are some super simple things that you can to propel your business forward without causing much of a hassle, it’s just a case of
A Tristan Capital Partners fund has bought a £68m UK logistics portfolio from the Richardson family which includes Cransley Park, Kettering and Velocity 42, Redditch developed in partnership with St Francis Group. The portfolio which also includes a unit of 105,000 sq. ft in Avonmouth developed by Curtis Hall, consists
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been appointed by IM Properties to construct Mercia Park. The 238-acre employment park is located in north west Leicestershire, adjacent to junction 11 of the M42, and will
Caddick Construction has won a contract to help Leeds United Football Club expand its coach park and upgrade its broadcasting facilities as they prepare for their first premiership season in the top flight. The Knottingley-based company will start work next month to create a new £1.3m coach park on the
Overall level of insolvent business debt across UK drops by 10.7% during last quarter Insolvent debt in construction and property sectors rises by 2.2% to £371m* Construction and property sectors account for highest levels of insolvent debt in the UK The impact of COVID-19 has seen a sharp drop
Yourkeys and ContactBuilder have announced an alliance which enables housebuilders to put their lead management and sales progression ‘on autopilot’. Yourkeys is the first platform to fully digitise the new homes sales process, from onboarding and reservation through to exchange and completion. It recently introduced a function which allows sales
Stewart Milne Homes has secured an additional £13million from Homes England to accelerate the delivery of new homes across a number of its developments in North West England. This funding announcement, which follows on from a 2018 award of £11.5million, brings the total number of new homes to be delivered
North Lincolnshire’s economy is to receive a £4.3m boost thanks to the £25.8million awarded to Lincolnshire as part of the Government’s Getting Building Fund. The fund supports the delivery of shovel-ready infrastructure projects to boost economic growth, fuel local recovery and create jobs. The money will be used for drainage and flood defences on the South Humber Bank, unlocking a large area of land enabling the development of the Able Marine Energy Park. It will also protect current businesses in the area. The Government have announced £100bn of offshore wind projects and the new Able Marine Energy Park aims to be a major player in the massive growth sector. The development will see thousands of jobs created that will transform the area’s economy creating a world-class engineering industry on which the area’s long-term prosperity can be based. “A vital part of the jigsaw and great example of local support, the comment used by ABLE UK Executive Chairman, Peter Stephenson, to describe the grant support for the pumping station as a means of progressing the development of the Able Marine Energy Park (AMEP). He explains, “The offshore wind sector is potentially on the cusp of something very special. We have clear and unambiguous policy from Whitehall – through the Sector Deal, and the increasingly demanding targets for both power generation and the extent of UK context – there is an unparalleled level of market visibility. Combine this with the sectors extraordinary efforts in terms of developing new products and significantly reducing costs and the sector is set to become a dominant factor in a post Covid 19 UK economy. “Confirmation of this Government funding is very much a step in the right direction. We believe that the Able Marine Energy Park can and will play a vital role in this process to, first and foremost, provide purpose-built heavy-duty deep-water quays and, just as crucially, a large expanse of adjacent supporting hinterland. Without those key building blocks in place the status quo will prevail and the aspirations to maximise UK activity will be further diminished”. The pumping station, which is also being funded with £2.4 million from ABLE and other beneficiaries, will deliver extensive surface drainage across a large area of the South Humber Bank with a wide range of benefitting businesses and landowners. It will replace temporary arrangements and provide a permanent solution that will be adopted by the North Easy Lindsey Drainage Board. Cllr Rob Waltham. Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, added: “This is a significant commitment from the Government towards delivering a new port facility in North Lincolnshire.” “We have been working closely with ABLE over the last few months, to understand the new market opportunities that are opening up in this sector in order to secure the prospective development of a new marine energy park. This is hopefully just the beginning, we, and the Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership are fully committed to supporting the process of economic development and, potential that could come from a off-shore marine energy park in our area. This project delivers business investment on a significant site that could unlock skills, jobs and investment here in the North’. Helping to transform the local economy, whilst also bringing jobs to local residents from the Scunthorpe and Grimsby area. “ “The Able Marine Energy Park has the potential to unlock the renewables sector in North Lincolnshire, supporting the Governments ambitions for clean growth, providing a much needed, more resilient sustainable economic future for North Lincolnshire. “The pumping station and drainage works are vital for the scheme’s success and the wider development and sustainability of businesses on the South Humber Bank too. The plans were ready to go and I am delighted that the Government has recognised the ability to deliver on this transformational development will have a major impact local, regionally and nationally. “This project provides a significant opportunity towards attracting and retaining highly skilled jobs to the area and will be a key driver for economic growth and prosperity for decades to come.” Pat Doody, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: “Today’s announcement is very welcome and is reflective of the excellent collaborative working between the LEP and its partners. “As we reshape our Local Industrial Strategy and recovery plans to reflect the impact of the pandemic, it is important that we help build an economy that it is more resilient in the long term and which responds to the needs of our businesses and communities. “We will continue to work with the Government on future funding for investments to support our ambitions and look forward to delivering this transformative programme for Greater Lincolnshire.”
NATIONAL framework provider Pagabo has announced that developers are now able to download the tender documentation for the organisation’s brand-new £47bn developer-led framework. The framework will run for four years, with the option to extend to a further 16 months to April 2026, and will be open to all public sector bodies including schools, universities, local authorities, police and emergency services, NHS organisations, health and social care providers, housing associations and central government departments. Jason Stapley, managing director at Pagabo, said: “We are really pleased to be bringing the first developer-led framework to the market at this time to help public sector bodies procure work with developers that is critical to building a better future. “It’s of course been a worrying time for the sector with construction output dropping, but despite the exceptional circumstances we have seen a tremendous amount of access agreements coming through from clients wanting to access our existing frameworks.” The framework features three lots: Property Development via Joint Venture (JV) and Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), Long Income Lease and Lease Back, and Property Development Single Site by Development Agreement. These three lots will cover a huge variety of works including, but not limited to, social housing, commercial buildings, student accommodation, health, education and mixed-use schemes. Jason added: “In everything we do, we consider how it will create positive change for the industry as a whole. We are listening to clients and understanding which projects our public sector clients are looking to procure and when. We are sharing that information with our partners, where and when we can – to instil confidence and help them plan for the COVID recovery phase and beyond.” For more information about Pagabo’s new public-led framework or to download the tender documentation, visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/news/find-out-more-about-our-new-l47bn-developer-led-framework.
What makes a business great? Is it the products and services it offers? Is it the employees that carry out their duties with aplomb and bring the company’s mission statement to life every day? Is it the branding that resonates with the target market. It goes without saying that all of these elements play a part in how successful a business is (or isn’t). But a business lives or dies by its operational efficacy and expediency. And those in the realms of architecture and construction understand that the physical and data infrastructure that they build into the workspace can either hello nascent businesses to hit the ground running or hobble ambitious startups at the first hurdle. Office architecture has always been intrinsic to operational success. Indeed, we’ve seen a recent example where a “touch free” architecture can also help to keep employees safe and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases which can be communicable in the workplace. But there’s often a disparity between what’s trendy, chic and desirable in the startup world and what’s conducive to productivity and collaboration. So, when a client comes to you and says “we’re thinking open plan”, there are a few reasons why this should give you pause. While it might make for easy data cabling and offer some cool design opportunities, there are also some caveats. You should discuss these with the client… Open plan offices inhibit face to face interactions Ambitious startups invariably want to create an atmosphere of dynamic collaboration. But while it may seem like the openness and space of an open plan office are conducive to this, studies by the Harvard Business Review actually actually suggest that face to face interactions fall by as much as 70% in open plan offices. It’s hard to be truly collaborative in a wide open space. Not only does it make us feel smaller and more vulnerable, the acoustics make clear communication in groups challenging. Confidentiality is difficult in open plan offices If your client’s company deals in confidential or sensitive information which needs to be communicated verbally, this creates complications in open plan offices. As hard as everyone may try to exercise discretion, sound can travel far in open spaces. While it’s relatively easy to assign a separate space to confidential communications, this can disrupt the operational flow of the workplace. Employees have less autonomy over their space Every employee has their own personal sweet spot in terms of natural and artificial light and ambient temperature that’s most conducive for their productivity. But when the workspace is open plan, it’s virtually impossible for individual team members to make the space their own in this way. And while they may be able to decorate their desks with personal baubles and trinkets, this can still prevent team members from feeling truly comfortable at work. Sickness and infection can be more apt to spread Finally, while it may be easier to socially distance in an open plan office space, fewer physical barriers to infection mean that virus-laden droplets of moisture can be transmitted between employees. Especially if they have to raise their voices to be heard over the hum of background chatter. Something that’s particularly resonant in the post-COVID age.
Your business is one of the most essential things in your life, and you need to do everything you can to keep it moving forward. There are some super simple things that you can to propel your business forward without causing much of a hassle, it’s just a case of knowing what they are. But, luckily for you, we know what they are, and we’re going to share them with you in this article. As such, if you want to know more about how to move your business forward easily, keep reading down below. Expand The first and arguably one of the best things that you can do is to expand your business. Depending on how much experience you have on the market, expanding your business doesn’t have to be a difficult thing. You can even hire someone to help you by planning the expansion if you don’t think that you’re going to get through it without the help. Don’t forget that when you expand your business you’re also going to need to hire more staff, so make sure that you are advertising this right as you start the expansion. Go through all of the departments and see what you’re going to need to cover all the new customers that you’re going to have. With more customers comes more staff, and you don’t want to forget about this, keeping your staff happy as they aren’t going to be overworked. Keep in mind that the financial side of the expansion has got to be managed as well. If you have no experience with finances, then you need someone who does and soon. Different Payment Options Another thing that you’ve got to think about is different payment options. People want to pay in a way that suits them, and you’ve got to make sure that you’re offering an array of solutions. For example, you need to look into the best international money transfer services and see what one is best. People want to be able to pay in their own currency, as this will help to entice them to buy. When you can buy in a way that suits your needs, you are more likely to buy from a business, which is what you want your customers to think. You don’t want to only offer the standard credit or debit card options because then you are limiting most people who can buy your product. If they don’t have a credit or debit card handy, you want to be able to pay with an app such as PayPal or something. When you add more options, you will find more people are willing to buy from your business. Invest In The Right Tech You’re also going to need to invest in the right tech. There is so much tech on the market right now that if you’re not investing in it, you’re doing something wrong. There is no business right now that is going to be able to survive without certain pieces of equipment. That’s right, we’re talking about baseline survival, not even propelling the business forward. You’re going to need the standard tech, such as up to date computers and tablets, depending on what your business does. Then on top of this, you’re going to need the more advanced and specific tech that relates to your industry. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you don’t need them, because you are never going to get your business high on the market this way. Go through what you think you’re going to need, and make the purchases when you’re ready to expand. You should make this list a couple of months before so you know how much you’re likely to spend on new tech, meaning you can budget it in. Keep in mind that if you don’t have the right tech, you’re going to make your employees slower than they should be. You can’t then blame them when they aren’t doing what you wanted of them, and your business will lack. Instead, if you want your business to move forward, then tech is going to be your best friend. Hotel management software is a prime example of how investing in the right technology can propel your business forward. By streamlining operations such as reservations, billing, and customer service, the software eliminates time-consuming manual processes and reduces the risk of human error. This kind of technology not only boosts productivity but also frees up valuable time for staff to focus on delivering exceptional service, ultimately driving business growth and profitability. It might seem like a lot of money to spend right now, but trust us when we say it’s going to be worth it when your business is running better than ever, providing you with more customers. We hope that you have found this article helpful and now understand some of the simple solutions that you need to propel your business forward. Good luck, and hopefully, you’re going to see results sooner rather than later when you implement these solutions.
A Tristan Capital Partners fund has bought a £68m UK logistics portfolio from the Richardson family which includes Cransley Park, Kettering and Velocity 42, Redditch developed in partnership with St Francis Group. The portfolio which also includes a unit of 105,000 sq. ft in Avonmouth developed by Curtis Hall, consists of 11 new-build logistics buildings. St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in brownfield development sold development ready sites to the Richardson family in December 2017 and have since worked in partnership to deliver an ambitious speculative development programme. At the time of sale 145,000 sq. ft of space was either occupied or under offer. Talking about the deal Gareth Williams, Director at St Francis Group said: “During difficult times we are delighted to have been able to capitalise on continued investor appetite for high quality and well-located industrial warehouse stock. The St Francis Group building specification has evolved into a superior yet economical product and having regenerated both former brown field sites, we are delighted to see them sold into long term ownership.” For further information visit : www.cransley-park.co.uk and www.velocity-42.co.uk
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been appointed by IM Properties to construct Mercia Park. The 238-acre employment park is located in north west Leicestershire, adjacent to junction 11 of the M42, and will be home to leading international businesses Jaguar Land Rover and DSV Group. Winvic’s £21 million civils and infrastructure contract comprises an extensive earthworks programme, where over 1 million m3 of material will be excavated and remodelled to accommodate the development plateaux and 3000m of screening bunds. The earthworks have been designed to transport as little excavated earth from the site to reduce HGV traffic in the local community and highways network. Currently, a Volvo EC950 Crawler Excavator is being utilised on site to carry out a large proportion of the vast earth moving task; it is the very first of its kind and the largest crawler excavator to be used in the UK. The 90-tonne machine is capable of excavating 7m3 of material – and lift up to 39,900kg – in each bucketload, facilitating fast and efficient movement of earth. Additionally, 7,500m of underground drainage will be installed also by Winvic, three areas of highway improvements and footpaths throughout the park will be constructed and extensive landscaping works – including up to 30 acres of new woodland – will be undertaken. The civils and infrastructure works began on 2 June and are due be complete in December 2021. Rob Cook, Winvic’s Director of Civils and Infrastructure, commented: “Having completed some vast earthworks programmes in the last few years, Winvic’s reputation in this area is becoming ever more robust. Our clients understand that we deliver schemes of any scale in a safe, expeditious and commercially viable way. Having worked with IM Properties on many other projects, it’s rewarding to know their team have confidence in everything we deliver; utilising the specialist trimble based machines and remodelling the plateaux intelligently to avoid disposing of excesses of material off-site illustrates our strategic outlook to design, regardless of the sector or size.” Jason Jasper UK Project Director, from IM Properties, added: “When developing a scheme of this scale, it’s important to partner with trusted suppliers who not only have the resources and skills to deliver the project, but share in our commitment to create a best in class scheme, working with the local community and creating a positive lasting legacy we can all be proud of.” For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn.
Caddick Construction has won a contract to help Leeds United Football Club expand its coach park and upgrade its broadcasting facilities as they prepare for their first premiership season in the top flight. The Knottingley-based company will start work next month to create a new £1.3m coach park on the Fullerton Park and West Stand car park, a Sky Compound and a pedestrian walkway for fans to make their way safely to the Elland Road stadium. The improvements are expected to be completed in December this year and will help the Club manage the anticipated increase in away coaches for the Premiership fixtures, when spectators are once again allowed in to watch live matches. This isn’t the first time Caddick Construction has worked for Leeds United. Over the years Caddick has been involved in various projects with Leeds United including the design and construction of its 27,000 sq. ft. 1200-seat banquet, conferencing and exhibition facility. Caddick also refurbished the Elland Road East Stand which included new hospitality areas and kitchens, improvements to terrace seating and the construction of 28 new executive boxes. The company also built the club’s training facility at Thorp Arch, north of Leeds. “The new coach park, pedestrian walkway and broadcasting compound will help ensure that Elland Road will be worthy of its Premiership status,” said Caddick Senior Contracts Manager Chris Allott “It’s great that we are once again working with the Club to improve the ground’s facilities and make sure it is fit for purpose to welcome back fans when the time is right.” Mark Broadley, Head of IT and Facilities at LUFC added: “We are delighted to be working with Caddick Construction again, and we are looking forward to seeing the upgraded ground facilities completed and in use for our first Premiership season for 16 years.”
Overall level of insolvent business debt across UK drops by 10.7% during last quarter Insolvent debt in construction and property sectors rises by 2.2% to £371m* Construction and property sectors account for highest levels of insolvent debt in the UK The impact of COVID-19 has seen a sharp drop of £189 million in the UK’s insolvent business debt during the last quarter, according to corporate distress data analysts Red Flag Alert. The firm’s ‘Write Off Report’ shows that total levels of insolvent business debt at 30thJune 2020 were £1.577billion, down 10.7% from £1.766bn at the end of March. At the same time, the construction and property sectors saw bad debt rise from £363million at the end of April to £371million at 30thJune 2020. The 2.2% rise in the last quarter compares to a decline of 5.3% in insolvent debt during the same period last year. Despite the contrasting year-on-year changes in construction and property, data analysts that compiled the Write Off Report caution that the financial effects of COVID-19 can’t be fully seen yet. Mark Halstead, a partner at Red Flag Alert, explains: “This quarter’s Write Off figures have been skewed by the COVID-19 measures introduced by Government and positive steps quickly taken by companies during lockdown. “This means the impact of the pandemic hasn’t yet been that pronounced on the construction and property sectors because struggling companies have been able to draw on financial support from the Government and provided with more breathing space by businesses they owe money to. “Our financial modelling since we started records in 2004 shows that the construction and property sectors typically operate with some of the highest levels of insolvent debt. The biggest risk these sectors are now facing is uncertainty around office-based working caused by the pandemic. If home working trends cause a significant long-term dip in demand for commercial property, it could burst this debt bubble.” Other sectors that saw rises in insolvent debt include retail, where levels during the last quarter increased by £6million (12.6%), while the manufacturing sector saw a 17.4% increase from £89.6m to £105.2m. Logistics saw a marginal change of +0.84%, taking debt levels to £62.3m at the end of June. Mark Halstead concludes: “We’re now coming to the end of the Government’s COVID-19 support and can expect businesses to enter a more protectionist mode as they fight for survival. With this in mind, it’s likely that overall insolvent debt in the UK will see a sharp upwards trajectory over the next six months.” DownloadThe Write Off Report. *£371million debt based on debt (12 months to 30th June 2020) in ‘construction’ and ‘real estate and property services’ sectors (see appendix). Appendix Total insolvent debt by sector for the 12 months to 30thJune 2020, compared to 12 months to 30thJune 2019 and 12 months to 31stMarch 2020. Sector 12 months to 30th June 2020 change vs 12 months to 31st March 2020 (%) change vs 12 months to 30th June 2019 (%) Automotive 26,207,165.29 -2.27 42.06 Bars & Restaurants 32,566,532.57 -12.63 37.02 Construction 258,992,969.50 0.57 37.97 Financial Services 199,404,178.41 14.19 10.67 Food & Beverages 32,042,123.25 4.25 -3.98 Food & Drug Retailers 8,636,733.89 3.27 -41.14 General Retailers 58,736,055.67 12.65 -37.06 Health & Education 21,151,409.40 8.87 4.70 Hotels & Accommodation 12,398,472.23 108.42 268.73 Industrial Transportation & Logistics 62,303,920.75 0.84 -21.47 Leisure & Cultural Activities 14,385,935.16 -12.74 8.47 Media 32,347,949.51 3.92 0.35 Not Available 44,146,572.93 9.54 -21.83 Other Manufacturing 105,273,016.29 17.43 30.52 Others – not reported 25,768,057.87 5.63 39.44 Printing and Packaging 10,156,207.78 -27.67 -30.34 Professional Services 57,414,715.53 -4.51 -13.78 Real Estate & Property Services 111,584,416.48 6.21 2.87 Sport & Health Clubs 6,043,245.90 -1.06 -56.13 Support Services 245,905,077.29 -47.55 -49.49 Telecommunications & Information Technology 71,717,398.52 -8.33 1.99 Travel & Tourism 9,101,343.55 79.05 175.23 Utilities 34,708,379.41 -10.94 34.54 Wholesale – not reported 96,153,240.38 -15.12 -30.02 TOTAL: 1,577,145,117.56 -10.71 -11.52
Yourkeys and ContactBuilder have announced an alliance which enables housebuilders to put their lead management and sales progression ‘on autopilot’. Yourkeys is the first platform to fully digitise the new homes sales process, from onboarding and reservation through to exchange and completion. It recently introduced a function which allows sales proceed without the customer being present in response to the COVID-19 crisis. ContactBuilder is the gold-standard customer relationship management (CRM) package specifically designed for housebuilders. The alliance means that housebuilders will be able to take reservations using the Yourkeys platform from inside ContactBuilder’s CRM system. This will help them to retain house buyers, reduce the time to exchange contracts by around half, and save many hours currently spent by sales staff on progression. Yourkeys CEO Riccardo Iannucci-Dawson said: “This marks a significant moment for Yourkeys. ContactBuilder is one of the leading CRM suppliers to housebuilders and, by integrating our platform, we have immediately made it accessible to ContactBuilder’s sizeable client base. “Many of our clients have adopted ContactBuilder’s CRM ahead of the launch of our collaboration, so together we have created a ready-made audience who will immediately benefit from the two systems working together. “Managing leads and progressing sales are functions which have caused many a headache for housebuilders. Now they can switch both functions to autopilot and focus their efforts on selling more homes, supporting the wider economic recovery.” Yourkeys will automatically create documents to manage ID checks, deposit payments and mortgage updates. This information is securely held in a document store within ContactBuilder. Yourkeys will then link to one of 1,100 law firms and 1,400 mortgage brokers to progress the sale, with real-time updates visible to all parties. Danielle Mitton, operations director of ContactBuilder, said: “ContactBuilder’s fundamental strength is its ability to streamline a housebuilder’s sales process by collating leads from multiple sources and empowering users to efficiently manage the sales process through to reservation. Our alliance with Yourkeys provides the next logical step and allows the sale to be managed right through to completion.” Yourkeys launched in January and already has 46 clients, as housebuilders increasingly seek to digitise their entire sales process. June had been a record month for new home sales activity through the platform. The numbers were six times higher than April and showed a 50 per cent increase since May, demonstrating pent-up demand. July’s figures were higher again. With the government announcement about the Stamp Duty holiday, this is set to increase transactions significantly. ContactBuilder was established in 2008 and currently provides a CRM platform for over 50 of the UK’s most forward-thinking housebuilders, ranging from small, local developers through to top 10 PLCs. Throughout the recent lockdown period, interest in ContactBuilder has increased dramatically due to it being the perfect solution for home-workers, with access to the system available from any internet-connected PC, tablet or smartphone. For more information or for a free demonstration, go to Yourkeys.com. To find out more about ContactBuilder’s lead-management platform and to arrange a free demonstration, see Contact-Builder.co.uk.
Stewart Milne Homes has secured an additional £13million from Homes England to accelerate the delivery of new homes across a number of its developments in North West England. This funding announcement, which follows on from a 2018 award of £11.5million, brings the total number of new homes to be delivered by this ongoing partnership to almost 1,000, boosting the economy, adding to community infrastructure and supporting the creation of new jobs. The funding will support the Scottish independent, award-wining housebuilder in delivering the new homes across eight developments in Alsager, Broughton, Chester, Congleton, Hooton, Prescot, Warton and Willaston. These developments, which will create desirable communities with a balanced mix of family homes, around 30% of which will be affordable, will help meet the country’s housing shortfall. The developments are at various stages, with Callenders Green in Prescot due to complete this month and Broughton Park due to commence in the next few weeks. Working in partnership with Homes England, Stewart Milne Homes secured the loan from the £3billion Home Building Fund which aims to increase the number of new homes being built across the country with a target of delivering 300,000 new homes per annum. Paul Challinor, managing director of Stewart Milne Homes North West England, believes the fund, which was already helping to address the country’s long-term housing challenge pre-COVID, is more important than ever as the country embarks on the road to recovery following lockdown. He said: “The construction industry can play a major role in getting the economy back on its feet after lockdown. It’s crucial in terms of supporting jobs and the supply chain as well as closing the gap between supply and demand for homes. “As we emerge from lockdown, private, independent developers, like ourselves, will find it even more challenging to make the up-front investment required to close that gap. “The Homes England funding enables us to accelerate the delivery of outstanding new communities for local residents and help the UK Government meet its housing targets. “Securing the funds is testament to the strong relationship we’ve built with Homes England over a number of years, demonstrates the confidence they place in us to deliver and underlines our commitment to investing in the North West.” Terry Errington, head of structured real estate finance, Homes England, said: “Our relationship with Stewart Milne Group continues to strengthen and we are pleased to advance additional loan funding to deliver much needed open market and affordable homes across the region. We are supportive of building capacity and productivity in the construction sector, and Stewart Milne Group’s off site manufacturing model is a key element of this focus.”. Stewart Milne Homes North West, a division of Stewart Milne Group, was established in 2006. Since then it has been on a steep upward growth trajectory. This exceptional growth, along with its high levels of customer service, has been recognised by several awards, most recently three winners in the NHBC Pride in the Job awards for construction quality on site. Mr Challinor added: “Having experienced rapid growth in the North West in recent years, we have become a recognised brand in the region with a reputation for delivering quality, family homes in desirable new communities with a focus on craftsmanship and very high design specifications. “We will continue to invest in the region through our strategy of acquisition of sites in prime residential locations, to create communities where demand is strongest for our new mix of family homes.”