Owning a property isn’t just about having a place to live — it’s also a significant investment into your future. Whether putting your home on the market is already in the works, or climbing the property ladder remains a distant spot on the horizon, making changes that increase the potential
The HALO Urban Regeneration Company today (14th May 2020) announces the joint appointment of two Marketing Agents for its Enterprise & Innovation Hub in Kilmarnock as the HALO enters its next phase. A £63m urban regeneration project on a 23-acre site, the HALO Kilmarnock, formerly the home of Johnnie Walker,
It has now been over eight weeks since restrictions on movement in the UK were put in place. Here we explore what effect these restrictions have had on the Construction and Engineering industry, and how it might influence how we work in the future. On 30th March, The Secretary of
HOME STAGING company Lemon and Lime Interiors has seen great success with the first trials of its new virtual service after partnering with an East Midlands-based property developer on two new homes. The Lemon and Lime Interiors team are experts in presenting houses to make a memorable first impression for potential buyers. Elaine
Decorative lighting design company Imagin has partnered with hospitality design expert Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) to launch the world’s first decorative wall-mounted touch free hand sanitiser dispensers, the Imagin CleansePoint Collection. Comprising four bespoke finished designs, The Windsor and The Richmond in collaboration with Dexter Moren; The Henley and The
Sheet metal is very important in construction. It is widely used and is very common. Sheet metal is formed through an industrial process. The goal is to make a thin and flat piece of metal for a variety of purposes. Sheet metal is one of the basics of metalworking. It
With Homes England – the government’s housing accelerator – being tasked with generating a significant hike in the number of new homes of all kinds nationwide, notable beneficiaries of their Building Fund include off-site fabricators of modular buildings whose use is set to boom as the production of new homes
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has launched the IOSH Career Hub to provide much needed support at this difficult time for members who are looking for a new job or worried about their job security and keen to keep their development on track. The Career Hub is packed
Leading commercial real estate developer Network Space has completed the industrial scheme Central 23 located on the northern fringe of Liverpool City Centre. Constructed on behalf of global investors Infrared Capital Partners, the 1.75-acre brownfield site provides a single 23,500 sq. ft industrial unit complete with substantial office provision, significant
The construction industry in the UK is facing some unprecedented challenges. Whilst that might not be surprising given the global health pandemic that has consumed the planet in recent months, for the UK’s construction industry COVID-19 is just one more burden to bear. With a shrinking skills base, increasingly older
Owning a property isn’t just about having a place to live — it’s also a significant investment into your future. Whether putting your home on the market is already in the works, or climbing the property ladder remains a distant spot on the horizon, making changes that increase the potential for profit should be on everyone’s radar. There are many ways you can upscale the value of your house before selling. One effective method is to install new flooring for the property. Not only can new floors significantly increase the value of your home, but they can also increase its aesthetic appeal. Solid wood floors stand out as a fantastic choice for homeowners hoping to maximise their return now, or in the future. Read more to find out why. 1) They are Attractive Floors are one of the first things you notice when entering a new home, even if you are not aware of yourself doing it. They can truly make or break a room, and transform any space from tacky to luxurious, or lacklustre to modern. Solid hardwood flooring is classic yet understated, bringing a certain elegance to your home and, in turn, increasing its future value. 2) They are Versatile There is nothing more off-putting for potential buyers than home furnishings that tie them into certain colour schemes or aesthetics. A bold, coloured carpet, for instance, is incredibly limiting from an interior design perspective. Hardwood flooring, on the other hand, harmonises with anything and everything. So, not only does it look better, but it also makes the property more appealing to buyers, as it gives them creative liberty. As a result, the value of your home is increased. 3) They are Practical Solid wood floors are also a popular choice because they are easy to clean, and non-allergenic. Other floorings like carpet will absorb spillages, leading to staining and possibly bacteria cultures. Moreover, carpet fibres can trap dust motes or pollen particles, which can result in allergic reactions. Wood floorings do not have this problem, as spillages remain and easy to mop up, and anything else can be brushed away. This level of practicality and ease of upkeep means they look better for longer, boosting the overall value of your home. 4) They are Durable Perhaps the most notable selling point of solid hardwood flooring is its hardwearing nature. It’s made from a sturdy block of wood and a simple lacquer coating to improve its water resistance and prevent scratching. This makes it ideal where there’s high foot traffic, such as in hallways and kitchens, and in areas where furniture is moved around a lot, such as the dining room. On the other hand, carpet and laminate flooring are more susceptible to wear and tear. If your flooring is durable, it lasts longer and doesn’t lose its lustre. This boosts the overall appeal, and the value of your property. So, invest in some solid hardwood flooring to see the benefits yourself. “Hardwood floors are a typical redesign that can enhance the worth of a home. Tragically, they can not exclusively be costly to place, yet expensive to supplant. Individuals usually think that they’ll have the option to submit a claim on their homeowner insurance policy if their cherished hardwood flooring gets harmed. Actually, it relies a great deal upon the type of home insurance they have, and how much inclusion they bought. When you put in new hardwood flooring in your house, It’s imperative to check your current home insurance features. On the off chance that current house insurance doesn’t come as of now, have flood and water damage coverage. At that point, redesign insurance quickly to make sure you can claim for your hardwood flooring in future without any problem. ” Solid hardwood flooring brings a luxurious feel to any home, harmonises with all kinds of aesthetics and colour schemes, is easy to maintain and lasts for twenty-five years on average. It’s a cost-effective investment that’s bound to turn a profit.
The HALO Urban Regeneration Company today (14th May 2020) announces the joint appointment of two Marketing Agents for its Enterprise & Innovation Hub in Kilmarnock as the HALO enters its next phase. A £63m urban regeneration project on a 23-acre site, the HALO Kilmarnock, formerly the home of Johnnie Walker, will be the first town centre net zero carbon energy project in Scotland, setting the standard for low carbon energy sites across the UK. The ultimate vision is for a net zero dynamic commercial, educational, cultural, leisure and lifestyle quarter where people can ‘Live, Work, Learn and Play’. Leading agents Graham + Sibbald and CBRE have been appointed to lease out the 48,000 ft2 Grade A building set to open in Spring 2021. Upon completion, the HALO Kilmarnock will feature Gold score comms connectivity accreditation, a Breeam excellent rating alongside other state of the art technology and a diverse resilient comms detection system. Through a platinum partnership with Scottish Power the site will be fully powered by energy from the nearby Scottish Power Whitelee Wind farm. The HALO Enterprise and Innovation Hub will also feature an industry-leading digital, data and cyber training and learning facility within an exciting and digitally connected work space, establishing the HALO at the forefront of the “Fourth Industrial Revolution” – the digital revolution. Drew Macklin, Development Director at the HALO Urban Regeneration Company, said: “Both Graham + Sibbald and CBRE have world class credentials and, as joint marketing agents for the HALO’s Enterprise & Innovation Hub, are perfectly placed to showcase our exciting project nationally and globally. “Their role will be to partner the HALO with dynamic, high growth young businesses who will benefit from the HALO’s unique ability to harness the latest digital technology in a net zero carbon energy environment.” Fraser Lang, Partner – Head of Ayrshire at Graham + Sibbald said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to lead the marketing of the HALO Enterprise and Innovation in Kilmarnock, a prestigious development which boasts net zero carbon energy credentials to take the property sector to the next level in Scotland at a time when Green Energy, Enterprise and Innovation has never mattered so much.” Andy Cunningham, Senior Director at CBRE, said: “We’re very excited to have been instructed to help expose the HALO Enterprise and Innovation Hub to a wider audience. It is an exceptionally innovative office development that will bring significant benefits to the local community. Speculative funding in the UK regional office markets is notoriously difficult to achieve, so it’s fantastic news to see this investment being made in Kilmarnock where the economic and social opportunities will be warmly welcomed. “The unique first-class facilities at the HALO Hub and the further amenities on offer in the wider development will undoubtedly spark significant interest among local, national and international occupiers and we look forward to sharing the opportunities with our extensive network.”
It has now been over eight weeks since restrictions on movement in the UK were put in place. Here we explore what effect these restrictions have had on the Construction and Engineering industry, and how it might influence how we work in the future. On 30th March, The Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy, issued a letter to everyone in the UK construction sector. It detailed that, while those who could work from home should, construction workers were ‘advised’ to continue to travel to their place of work – where safe to do so. If only it had been that easy… With supply chains up and down the country unable to source materials from overseas, building sites were forced to shut down, with some evidence suggesting that over 85% of construction businesses have been impacted. For those sites that have remained open, significant modifications have had to be implemented to ensure safe working practices on site. More recently, industry leaders and the government have formed a taskforce to develop sensible Site Operating procedures to provide guidance. On a number of schemes, both those under construction and those still at the planning stage, architects, civil and structural engineers are having to go back to the drawing board and redesign plans to reflect the current shortage of materials and blockages in the supply chain. With social distancing becoming the new normal, consideration now has to be given to the redesigning concepts, to minimise site construction, with more emphasis on off-site construction. Gemma Cattell from East Northamptonshire Council has spoken about how the council has adapted to the new conditions “Building Control at ENC is still open for business, although we have had to modify some practices to ensure that everyone adheres to social distancing rules during inspections and all inspections are risk assessed before a visit is made to ensure that no one is placed at risk. The Structural Auditing Survey team at JMS, supports some of the largest companies in the world, such as aggregate supplier Hanson. Business continuity for these sites is a priority and, whilst non-urgent surveys have been rescheduled, ‘absolutely essential’ surveys still need to be undertaken on active sites. In these cases, JMS has liaised with the client to identify the best course of action. As the UK starts looking ahead to opening businesses, many in the industry believe that social distancing will remain a daily practice, at least for the remainder of the year. The industry needs to be prepared and employee ‘monitoring’ may have to become compulsory within this sector. Meanwhile, in the US, trials are underway with construction workers wearing a device on their hard hats that sounds an alarm if anyone comes within 2 metres of another worker. It will also track ‘roadmap’ data, so should a construction worker be found to be infected with Covid-19, the data will trace who the worker has come into contact with while on site. Daniel Staines, Managing Director of JMS Civil and Structural Engineers commented “Although we did see a slowdown in appointments on new work at the beginning of the crisis, there has already been a noticeable bounce back and the cloud based systems that JMS has invested in over the past years has meant that we have been able to quickly adapt our working practices to match the work flow whilst maintaining the necessary social distancing and home-working requirements. This investment has allowed us to deliver a continuous, top quality service to our clients. Our number one priority will always be the safety of our staff and we have implemented robust measures, including site specific assessments for every site.” It remains to be seen how severe the long-term impact of COVID-19 will have on the industry, it certainly brings with it a lot of risk, however, there will also be opportunities and, unlike the recession of 2008, bankers are now financially robust, and the hope is that banks and lenders across the UK, with opportunities to invest, will become part of the solution.
HOME STAGING company Lemon and Lime Interiors has seen great success with the first trials of its new virtual service after partnering with an East Midlands-based property developer on two new homes. The Lemon and Lime Interiors team are experts in presenting houses to make a memorable first impression for potential buyers. Elaine Penhaul, the owner of Lemon and Lime Interiors, quickly adapted the business to continue to operate throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and has introduced two new services – virtual home staging and remote staging. Elaine, who began staging homes in 2012 and set up the company in 2015, said: “With the lockdown and social distancing measures still in place, buyers have never had more time on their hands to browse on apps like Rightmove. Viewing on property portals has gone up by 500% since the country effectively went into lockdown and despite the difficult circumstances, buyers are still expecting to see beautifully staged properties.” The first two properties on the market that used Lemon and Lime Interiors new virtual staging service were both built by developer Hereward Homes and are for sale, one through Richardson Estate Agents and the other through Newton Fallowell. The four-bedroom barn conversion in Stamford and the five-bedroom detached house in Oakham have both been virtually staged to help appeal to buyers during this challenging time. Elaine added: “This new service is really important to the property market – during these unprecedented times estate agents needs to ensure their properties are catching the eye of buyers. With viewings all over the country being put on hold or not taking place, beautiful home staging has never been so important in the market.” Peter Ledger, director at Newton Fallowell, said: “When it comes to Lemon & Lime Interior’s new virtual staging service, the results really speak for themselves – the images have massively helped in the hit rate for the Oakham property already. In these difficult times, we must do everything we can to elevate the online profiles of our properties and virtual staging is the perfect way to do this.” The virtual home staging service requires vendors or the agent to take a high- resolution picture of an empty room, which is then sent to Lemon and Lime Interiors. The team use this photo and virtually fill the room with an interior design scheme and luxury furnishings to make the property looked lived in, which in turn, helps people to visualise themselves living in the property. Even better, all the furniture used is available to purchase, so the whole scheme can be bought with the house upon request. Elaine is even working with a videographer to create video including the virtually staged photos to attract more buyers. Home staging has been proven to help generate faster sales for more money and the team are experts in how to furnish a property in order to secure the best sale price. In the year 2018/19 the occupied properties that Lemon and Lime Interiors staged sold – on average – four times faster after staging. Elaine added: “We are offering this service because it means that developers and estate agents can still get advice and top-quality service without having to leave their homes. We can also give guidance on how to dress their homes, which will help them to get a quick sale for more money when they do come to put it on the market.”
Decorative lighting design company Imagin has partnered with hospitality design expert Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) to launch the world’s first decorative wall-mounted touch free hand sanitiser dispensers, the Imagin CleansePoint Collection. Comprising four bespoke finished designs, The Windsor and The Richmond in collaboration with Dexter Moren; The Henley and The Marlow by Imagin’s designers, the CleansePoint decorative wall-mounted automatic hand sanitiser collection was conceived in response to the expected far reaching impact of Covid-19 on hotels. Produced to order, design features include optional finishes, colours and materials; motion sensing technology; optional room numbers for use in hotel corridors; easily refillable, with an optional light. The hospitality industry has seen new coronavirus safety guidelines emerging globally, so with guest’s peace of mind and employee confidence in cleaning standards at the heart of this innovative idea, the launch of the stylish and functional CleansePoint Collection offers to complement these new stringent ‘safe stay’ cleaning practices, as well as the most lavish interiors with its unique decorative designs. Terry Hibbert, Imagin founder and managing director says: “Our vision is to inspire design excellence for unforgettable Interiors and that doesn’t stop at decorative lighting. We’re honoured to have partnered with world famous architect Dexter Moren to introduce our stunning CleansePoint Collection – a world first!” Dexter Moren, partner at Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) comments: “Asked by Hospitality Insights to consider the immediate impact of Covid-19 on hotels I postulated that we are all going to be insanely conscious of ‘touch’ and ‘cleanliness’ as we venture out from our home isolation. I predicted that hand sanitisers would become a ubiquitous feature within hotels and knowing that hotels will need more than a bottle of gel here and there, DMA have collaborated with Imagin to create a bespoke product that can stand on its own or double as a room entry identification for guests, before entering the sanctuary of their own room.” Terry Hibbert concludes: “Whilst there is a huge shift in priorities for hotels to adopt the world of ‘clean’, it should not need to negatively impact the interior beauty of these spaces. There is now a huge emphasis on sanitising hotels to ensure guests feel safe and comfortable, but this shouldn’t need to come at the expense of beautiful interiors.” With a six to eight-week lead time, the competitively priced CleansePoint Collection is produced to order. Please contact us about the Imagin CleansePoint Collection in partnership with Dexter Moren Associates (DMA), or for more information about our decorative lighting products. T: +44 (0)203 0110 444 E: hello@imaginlighting.com W: imaginlighting.com/cleansepoint
Sheet metal is very important in construction. It is widely used and is very common. Sheet metal is formed through an industrial process. The goal is to make a thin and flat piece of metal for a variety of purposes. Sheet metal is one of the basics of metalworking. It can be cut and bent further to make different shapes as needed for whatever application needs it. From cars to housing to machines and even some forms of art. Experts such as Bend-tech can help with any questions you may have about it. Sheet Metal Bending Bending sheet metal is done through the application of force or exerting pressure on certain points or linear. In bending, metal is manufactured to a point along a straight axis. It produces V-shape, U-shape, and channel shape. This can be done with press breaks, roll bending machines, or embossing/coining machines. The most common way used for bending are box and pan brakes or other break processes. Process During the process of press brake forming, the metal is positioned over a die block. The die block presses the sheet to form a shape. What happens is that the bending has to overcome the stresses. After bending, the residual stresses cause the material to spring back to its original position. The sheet should be over-bent in order to get the desired angle. Factors that come into play are the material and the type of forming. When a metal sheet is bent, the length is also stretched. Bend Deduction This refers to the amount the metal sheet will stretch as it bends and measured from the outside edges. Bend Radius Bend radius refers to the inside radius. It describes the radius of the inside curvature of a bent sheet metal. It is the minimum radius wherein a pipe, tube, sheet, cable, or hose can be bent without being kinked or damage or shortening its life. The formed radius depends on the dies and material used. It also depends on the thickness of the material. The formed bend radius is dependent upon the dies used, the material properties, and the material thickness The smaller the bend radius is, the greater the material flexibility will be. This is because the radius of the curvature decreases as the curvature increases. Minimum and Maximum Bend Radius The minimum bend radius is the smallest allowable radius a cable is allowed to be bent. Maximum Bend Radius is the determinant on how tight the cable can be bent. This is done with the intent not to add a lot of stress on the cable that can cause damages like kinks and cracks. Calculating Bend Radius The minimum or maximum bend radius can be calculated with a mathematical formula. Minimum bend radius: Step 1: Divide 50 by the material’s tensile reduction percentage. Step 2: Subtract 1 from that answer. Step 3: Multiply that answer by the plate thickness. Maximum bend radius: Step 1: Add the minimum bend radius to the part thickness Step 2: Multiply the result by 2 Common Bending Methods There are many bending methods. Below are some of the more common methods V-Bending This is the most common bending method. V-bending uses a punch and die. The three sub-grouping of this is bottoming, air bending, and coining. From these, about 90% of the most commonly used V-bending methods are air bending and bottoming. Air Bending This refers to partial bending. In this method, the working piece is not totally touching the tooling parts. The workpiece lies on two points. The punch pushes the bend. This process is often done through a press brake without the need for a sided die. A punch tool and a V-shaped bottom die is used in air bending. Air bending allows the sheet material to be bent to an arbitrary angle even without replacing the die or punch tools. Bottoming This is also referred to as bottom pressing or bottom striking. This means the punch presses the metal sheet onto the die. The die’s angle then determines the angle of the workpiece. The inner radius of the angled sheet depends on the radius of the die. Coining In this method, the workpiece is stamped between the punch and die. These penetrate into the metal past a neutral axis with pressure. This used to be a very popular method since it can get accurate results. However, today, machinery can be well-controlled and precise. Hence, coining is not as widely used as before. U-bending This is similar to V-bending. It also uses a die and a punch. However, in U-bending they are both U-shaped, which results in a similar bend. Roll Bending This is often used during the production of cones and tubes into different shapes. This is also bending with a large radius. The most common machine used for this method is a press or hydraulic brake. The reason for this is that other machines result in flat instead of a well-rounded edge. Folding Clamping beams hold the longer side of the sheet. In this method the beam rises. Then it folds the sheet around a bend profile. Wiping In this method, the longest end of the sheet is clamped. The tool then goes up and down, resulting in the bending of the sheet around the bend profile. Wiping, however, has a higher risk for scratches or damages since the tools are hovering over the sheet. Rotary Bending This method uses a freely rotating cylinder. The final formed shape is cut into it and matching the bottom die. Upon contact with the sheet, the roll contacts on the two points. It then rotates while the forming process bends the sheet. Rotary bending is referred to as a ‘non-marking’ process which is suitable to pre-painted or marred surfaces.
With Homes England – the government’s housing accelerator – being tasked with generating a significant hike in the number of new homes of all kinds nationwide, notable beneficiaries of their Building Fund include off-site fabricators of modular buildings whose use is set to boom as the production of new homes ramps up when the UK eases its way out of lockdown. But specialist development lawyer Zoe Stollard warns those involved all along the design, production and installation chain that because the number of variables involved in modular projects will be very different to traditional build projects they should seek expert legal advice at the outset, to avoid getting their fingers burnt further down the line. Zoe Stollard, who is a partner in Clarke Willmott LLP’s construction team, said: “Modular homes have been around for some time, but new technologies and the UK’s growing housing need are resulting in a boom in demand which is likely to change building methods across the board. “This will impact on the way the various parties work with each other, on build times, repairs and maintenance programmes, contract models, cooperation with utility providers and statutory undertakers to name but a few. “And so the increase in the use of modular buildings is likely to have a noticeable impact not just on building methods but on the required workforce, design control, contractual mechanism and cross-party interactions across the sector as a whole. “For this reason it is crucial that the parties involved do not rush into a modular build project before considering bespoke amendments to the agreements they use. “Modular projects are exciting, innovative and really promising if used on the right development in the right way but – particularly given the likely rapid pace once works commence – a well thought-out contract from the outset will assist in the ’low cost, high speed’ approach being a success.” Modular homes producer Ilke Homes, which received a £30m injection from Homes England at the end of 2019, recently welcomed Simone Protheroe who leads Clarke Willmott’s construction cases for Homes England, and members of the wider Clarke Willmott Construction Team to their factory in Flaxby, Yorkshire, for a tour of live modular operations which illustrated the issues and potential challenges surrounding the method of construction involved in modular building. The factory is expected to deliver 2,000 homes next year, and the recent investment is intended to help boost its annual capacity to 5,000 homes within the next five years. Following the visit, Simone Protheroe said: “There are most impressive steps forward being demonstrated in the sector but advance planning is key to modular contracting and solutions need to be found at pre-tender, not just before start on site or whilst on site as too much of the works will, in effect, be complete by this stage.” Parties involved in any part of the modular design, build and installation process can find a useful free analysis by Simone and Zoe of the most prominent benefits and challenges for modular homes and what this is likely to mean for construction contract and project relationships on Clarke Willmott’s website at https://www.clarkewillmott.com/news/modular-homes-rethinking-the-industry-means-rethinking-your-contracts/ Clarke Willmott is a national law firm with seven offices across the country in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton. For more information visit www.clarkewillmott.com .
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has launched the IOSH Career Hub to provide much needed support at this difficult time for members who are looking for a new job or worried about their job security and keen to keep their development on track. The Career Hub is packed with interactive tools and resources to help users write a standout CV or cover letter, practice aptitude tests and prepare for interview or an assessment centre. In addition, the huge library of e-learning content and resources helps users get ahead of the competition by boosting their business skills and keeping their professional development on track. Each item of content is accompanied by an estimated time for completion, making it easy for users to capture in their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) record. Bev Messenger, Chief Executive, IOSH explains: “We understand how challenging this pandemic is for our members and as the professional body for occupational safety and health, we want to support them as much as we can, whether they are looking for a new job, furloughed and worried about job security or wanting to boost their development. “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to bring forward the launch of the Career Hub and add value to IOSH membership during this difficult time.” Chris Kurylec, Membership Engagement Manager, IOSH highlights the importance of professional development during the current climate: “Whilst working professionals across the globe find themselves at different stages of lockdown, e-learning has played a vital role in uniting like-minded individuals, to progress their professional development during these uncertain times. With tools and resources aimed at enhancing employability and professional development, the Career Hub offers something for all our members during this difficult time.” As well as e-learning and CPD course, The Career Hub also features a company directory of top employers. This unique feature enables users to filter job searches by location and industry sector, allowing you to move between searches as well as the IOSH jobs board with ease. To find out more about the IOSH Career Hub please visit www.iosh.com/careerhub To access official advice and guidance on Covid-19 from IOSH, The World Health Organisation and the ILO please visit www.iosh.com/covid-19
Leading commercial real estate developer Network Space has completed the industrial scheme Central 23 located on the northern fringe of Liverpool City Centre. Constructed on behalf of global investors Infrared Capital Partners, the 1.75-acre brownfield site provides a single 23,500 sq. ft industrial unit complete with substantial office provision, significant power capacity, fibre broadband and generous on-site car parking provision within a self-contained and secure yard. The site benefits from an additional service area to the rear offering rare additional parking and storage capacity. Ideally located for easy access to the City centre and surrounds, it sits off the junction with the A5038 Vauxhall Road and Leeds Street, adjacent to the City’s new creative district of Ten Streets and in close proximity to Liverpool Docks & L2 deep port to the north. Network Space Senior Development Manager Catherine Chilvers said: “Provision of prominent and accessible industrial warehouse space of this size and quality, so close to the city centre is a rarity. The scheme’s position on the fringe of the City Centre means the development is perfectly placed to appeal to a wide range of businesses and urban logistic operators who require access into the City and wider conurbation. “There is a known shortage of modern, high quality, self-contained and accessible industrial accommodation across the Liverpool City Region and the level of interest already been shown in Central 23 is extremely encouraging.” Dean Harrison, Investment Director from Infrared Capital Partners, added: “Upon completion of Central 23, its ownership transferred to InfraRed Capital Partners which acquired the site as part of a £93 million deal with Network Space in 2018. Since 2018, the portfolio has been materially expanded through a selective acquisition strategy targeting last mile delivery occupiers. The portfolio, located within the Northern Powerhouse cities of Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield, now extends to 1.4m sq ft in 32 urban logistics assets with construction having commenced on an additional two multi-let industrial estates.” Construction partners on Central 23 were Caddick Construction, Architectural and Engineering services were provided by WYG, with Quantity Surveyors Walker Sime. Agents for the scheme are CBRE and DTRE.
The construction industry in the UK is facing some unprecedented challenges. Whilst that might not be surprising given the global health pandemic that has consumed the planet in recent months, for the UK’s construction industry COVID-19 is just one more burden to bear. With a shrinking skills base, increasingly older workers and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Brexit, is it really any wonder that the construction industry is weathering out its worst slump in living memory? Coronavirus is not going to disappear anytime soon and it is yet another invisible risk to front line workers in the building trade. Whilst the physical risks of the job are often abundantly clear, other personal and mental risks can be harder to spot. For example, suicide rates in the UK construction industry are an astonishing ten times higher than the national average, with the pressures of COVID-19 presenting additional dangers and further worsening the crisis. In these somewhat tumultuous times, the UK government has reiterated on multiple occasions how keen they are to reignite the construction, housing and infrastructure industries as soon as practically possible. However, it would be nonsensical and indeed dangerous for the government to overlook the fact that workers in the construction industry are among those worst affected by the virus and all of its implications. According to the Office of National Statistics, in a study of 2,500 deaths, builders were identified as most at risk of death from COVID-19, alongside taxi drivers, security guards and public transport drivers. Whilst the construction industry needs to get back on its feet sooner rather than later, that revival simply cannot come at the cost of so many lives. Well accustomed to spearheading pioneering solutions under pressure, the construction industry is one of the most innovative employment sectors in the UK. With worker safety consistently paramount anyway, Coronavirus is further complicating matters by limiting levels of interaction between workers on site. One of the key methods in tackling COVID-19 head on is through tracking technologies. In addition to this, Bluetooth device tags could also be making their way onto construction sites across the country, attached to ID badges or pieces of equipment. The hope being that these tags and trackers would be able to alert workers and trigger warnings when too many people were in one vicinity at a time, as well as monitoring worker interactions. Understanding these interactions could play a pivotal part in reducing the level of face to face contact actually required on each construction project. A number of existing innovations in the construction sector could be advantageous in tackling COVID-19 and its associated risks. Off site and modular construction techniques could help to facilitate the deployment of prefabricated critical care facilities. This would, in turn, increase the capacity of the healthcare industry, which has been under immense additional pressures; one of the largest challenges the pandemic has inflicted upon the UK and many other countries thus far. It is important to note that in order for something to be an innovative solution, it does not necessarily need to be newly invented. Often, research and developmental work focuses on progressing existing ideologies and procedures. Establishing ways for employees to interact with one another safely, or limiting their need to do so entirely could be highly beneficial long after the threat of COVID-19 dissipates. New processes and procedures to ensure all surfaces and tools are safe for workers are key in minimizing the risks facing people in the construction sector on a daily basis. In addition to this, access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is also essential, raising additional challenges to be solved with provision and distribution. “Innovative ideas always present some sort of risk, which is why it is vital to understand and utilise all of the support available,” says Sarah Collins, Head of R&D at RIFT Research & Development. “About more than just problem solving, financial incentives such as R&D tax credits work to encourage long term success, rather than merely surviving a business issue or challenge. The main objective is to make innovation less of a risk and more productive, with the hope that benefits of such actions will extend beyond any one sector or individual firm. Innovation can help everyone, and that is only becoming more apparent in the wake of COVID-19, which is why an emphasis on R&D financials in sectors like construction or engineering is more important now than ever.”