The industry’s first property management franchising scheme, SDL Property Partners, refreshes its offering for Spring 2019, making it even easier to join. Training has been given a revamp, giving its franchisees more control by providing different training routes that are applicable to either property managers and non-property managers. As well
Employee-owned business, Kite Packaging, supply a wide range of engineered packaging solutions and systems across the UK. The company has announced that they have increased the warehouse capacity at their Swindon regional distribution centre with the installation of a 4,000sq.ft mezzanine floor. Servicing large customers in the South West of
Fusion Building Systems, the offsite manufacturer of light gauge steel frames has been awarded a contract by Solus Homes to provide a two-storey superstructure for the renovation of Morley Street Mill in Loughborough, Leicestershire. The former home of the Morley hosiery factory is being sympathetically redeveloped by the Loughborough housebuilder
On 5 April, British Safety Council announced the winners of the 2019 International Safety Awards, which recognise exceptional commitment to workplace health, safety and wellbeing. Hundreds of health, safety and wellbeing experts gathered at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel. Each was eager to find out if they would take home
Vinyl vs. Fiberglass Windows: The Comparison Windows are one of the most important parts of any home that we have. These windows are the ways by which you can actually see what is going on outside your home and they also provide a means for light to enter the house
Leading independent construction, property and management consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall UK (RLB UK) has announced today Liverpool based cost management consultants, Todd & Ledson will join RLB as part of its UK growth strategy. Consolidating RLB’s presence in Liverpool and strengthening its expertise in the North where it already has
Martin Scambler joins from Goodman where for 12 years he was responsible for large infrastructure and build projects. St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration is pleased to announce the addition of a new Construction Director to their
Property guardians must have a “bedrock of rights” so that their legal rights are adequately protected, according to a discussion in the House of Lords last month. Baroness Grender posed the question of “what steps they are taking to ensure that property guardians are legally protected” to the House. Property
The Hard Rock brand is stretching its arms from Atlantic City to Japan. It’s main inspiration? Music. Most of their designs are based on rhythms and structures of sound by interpreting them into physical forms and materials. Designing for Hard Rock means adding the music inspiration through cafe’s to hotels
Since the 1925 Land Registration Act in the UK, which was replaced by an updated Land Registration Act in 2002, it’s been compulsory to register unregistered property and land. However, according to the HM Land Registry, there is still 14% of land in the UK that remains unregistered or unclaimed.
The industry’s first property management franchising scheme, SDL Property Partners, refreshes its offering for Spring 2019, making it even easier to join. Training has been given a revamp, giving its franchisees more control by providing different training routes that are applicable to either property managers and non-property managers. As well as training on industry related matters, SDL Property Partners will be training its franchises on its company values. All of this will be delivered at an even lower cost to its franchisees. In addition to this, franchisees now have the opportunity to choose their own area without the restriction of territories. This comes as the scheme is going from strength-to-strength and currently has 17 franchise territories, with 3000 units under its management throughout the network. With its ongoing support from SDL Property Partners, franchisees are seeing their businesses blossom, with two franchises securing in excess of 700 units within the last 12 months and another having over 1000 units. Furthermore, only a year into the new venture, SDL Property Partners was shortlisted as Innovator of the Year at the Property Week Management All Star Awards 2018. With all this achieved in a mere 18 months, there is certainly a promising future for the company that is passionate about revolutionising the customer’s experience of property services. Chris Summers, head of franchising at SDL Group comments: “We are over the moon with how the business is growing and how it has given our partners the opportunity to develop their own businesses. As a result, we are in the position to be able to provide this offering to more people. “This proposition does not cost as much as you think and with some of our franchisees earning over £100,000, there couldn’t be a better time to become an SDL Property Partner.” To find out more on becoming an SDL Property Partner, please visit – http://bit.do/SDLPropertyPartnersSpring2019 www.sdlpropertypartners.co.uk
Employee-owned business, Kite Packaging, supply a wide range of engineered packaging solutions and systems across the UK. The company has announced that they have increased the warehouse capacity at their Swindon regional distribution centre with the installation of a 4,000sq.ft mezzanine floor. Servicing large customers in the South West of the country as well as South Wales, the sales growth at Kite’s Swindon RDC has required the expansion of their facility out to a total new warehouse capacity of 40,000sq.ft. This latest investment follows several years of continued growth for Kite’s Swindon RDC since moving to their current location in June 2015. A Kite spokesperson commented: “As well as helping to maintain 100% OTIF to our existing customer base, the expansion of our warehouse capacity gives us additional space for new business customers trading with us from 2019.” Mezzanine constructions can be used for storing a wide range of products or even provide another designated pick and pack area, giving businesses more room to grow rather than having to face costly relocation measures. If your company is looking for a service and solutions based offering in the South West or South Wales area please contact Kite’s team at Swindon who can arrange a visit to help you find savings on your total packaging costs. For more information, please visit thamesvalley@kitepackaging.co.uk.
Fusion Building Systems, the offsite manufacturer of light gauge steel frames has been awarded a contract by Solus Homes to provide a two-storey superstructure for the renovation of Morley Street Mill in Loughborough, Leicestershire. The former home of the Morley hosiery factory is being sympathetically redeveloped by the Loughborough housebuilder to provide luxury apartment accommodation across six storeys, for sale on the open market. Northampton-based Fusion Building Systems’ contract is to design and manufacture offsite, the light gauge steel superstructure which will form the upper two floors of the development, to be positioned on top of the existing 18th century structure. The low weight of Fusion’s light gauge steel panelised system was one of the primary reasons it was chosen by Solus Homes, enabling the developer to retain as much of the original building construction without compromise. With individual exterior wall panels weighing up to 80% less than the same area in traditional building materials, the benefits of using a light gauge steel system are significant. This will be the first time the two companies have worked together and Solus Homes Managing Director Mark Hornsall, said: “I was aware of Fusion through industry connections and had seen some of their work locally. We discussed a similar mill restoration project they’d worked on in Leeds and after touring their manufacturing facility and reviewing their design and engineering capabilities, I was eager to see how their system could work for us.” Stewart Hackney, Fusion Building Systems Business Development Manager, added: “It’s been a pleasure to work through the plans for Morley Street with Solus Homes and as this project progresses, we hope they’ll see the benefits of working with our offsite system for themselves – through the predictability of cost, timelines and accuracy of construction.” Mark continued: “While lightweight materials are a driving factor in this project, I’m interested to see how offsite construction might speed up our site process – ultimately influencing the build quality of our developments and their commercial viability.” Demolition works at Morley Street started back in July 2018, followed by construction work in November. Fusion has an eight week build programme planned for the site and will shortly start on the design element of its work, before moving to production and then on to site in May. Solus Homes plans to reach completion by April 2020. www.fusionbuild.com www.solushomes.co.uk @FusionBuildLGS
On 5 April, British Safety Council announced the winners of the 2019 International Safety Awards, which recognise exceptional commitment to workplace health, safety and wellbeing. Hundreds of health, safety and wellbeing experts gathered at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel. Each was eager to find out if they would take home the ultimate category awards. The 2019 winners were presented awards by celebrity wellbeing campaigner and journalist, Alastair Campbell. THE ISA 2019 WINNERS IN KEY CATEGORIES Now in their seventh year, the Health and Safety Champion and Young Health and Safety Champion Awards recognise exceptional individual performance. These are people who, although not health and safety professionals, have played a significant role in keeping their work colleagues safe and healthy. For the Health and Safety Champion of the Year Award, organisations nominate employees aged 25 or over. The Young Health and Safety Champion of the Year Award is given to a worker aged 16-24. This year, the Health and Safety Champion award went to Dave Renshaw, Workshop and Warehouse Supervisor, Allied Infrastructure Management ltd, UK. The winner of the Young Health and Safety Champion award was Himanshu Yadav, Engineer, Subros Ltd, India. The International Safety Award winning organisations that were considered by the panel of judges as outstanding in their respective sectors were honoured with the Sector Awards. This year, the Sector Awards went to the following companies: Construction and property activities – MMC Gamuda KVMRT (T) SDN BHD, Malaysia Education – Kingston University, UK Financial, IT, legal, scientific, technical services and media – Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP, UK Health and Social Care – ISS Facility Services – Healthcare, UK Leisure, sport clubs, hospitality and catering – Arsenal Football Club, UK Local government, defence and public services – Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Manufacturing – Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Oil, gas, mining and quarrying – Mina Abdullah Refinery, Kuwait National Petroleum Corporation, Kuwait Onshore major hazard – Malaysian Refining Company SDN BHD, Malaysia Power and utilities – Larsen & Toubro Limited, Power Transmission & Distribution Independent Company, India Transportation, distribution and storage – Unipart Logistics, UK Wholesale and retail services – Arcadia Group Ltd, Leeds, UK The recipient of the 2019 Chief Adjudicator’s Award, which recognises an outstanding approach to risk management and employee engagement, was Sharkey SE, UK. The award also acknowledged Sharkey SE’s impressive leadership philosophy and demonstration of ‘safety first’ principles. Last year, the British Safety Council introduced two new award categories which reflect the changing nature of workplace health and safety. The winner of the Wellbeing Initiative Award was A. Schulman Inc Limited, UK, while the winner of the Innovation in Occupational Health and Safety Award category was L&T Construction, India. Also for the second time, British Safety Council granted the Outstanding Bravery Award. Its recipient was Fazal Ahmad, HSE supervisor, at PakArab Fertilizers Ltd, Pakistan. He was identified in the adjudication process as deserving a special recognition for his selfless act of bravery in the face of great danger. Congratulating all the winners of the 2019 International Safety Awards, Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of British Safety Council, said: “We are here tonight to celebrate the achievements of 507 winning organisations and our joint efforts to improve health and safety standards around the world. “The British Safety Council is continuously striving to increase its impact. Last month, working closely with King’s College London, we launched Canairy. This unique app provides outdoor workers with information to help them reduce their exposure to air pollution and employers with intelligence to protect the health of their workers. Together with the app, the British Safety Council launched a UK-wide Time to Breathe campaign with a publicity event staged in Oxford Circus, central London, on 12 March. This event has demonstrated our campaigning zeal, reminiscent of the times of our founder James Tye. We are now calling on London-based employers to trial Canairy and help us build an accurate picture of the exposure faced by outdoor workers. “Last year saw a significant investment in our new range of mental health training and digital learning products. This year, mental health training will account for almost one quarter of all the training we deliver. We have also introduced both virtual and augmented reality into almost all of our courses delivered from our office in Hammersmith. “In November 2017, we opened our first non-UK office in Mumbai, and our Indian business is going from strength to strength. This year, nearly one third of all International Safety Award applications came from Indian companies. We’ll continue to expand our international reach, and later this year, we hope to launch our first charitable initiative outside the UK. It will be aimed at improving safety awareness of Indian schoolchildren.” Lawrence Waterman, Chairman of British Safety Council, concluded: “At the time when our country, communities and families are divided by political events and hostile attitudes of groups and individuals with entrenched views, it is important to focus on what can draw us together. The principal role of health and safety is ensuring the welfare of people, all people, while the aim of environmental management is to protect our planet. “We’re now hearing less about a race to the bottom and reducing health and safety standards after Brexit. But we need to stay on our guard since there are politicians and executives who think worker protection is worth sacrificing for trade deals. That’s why we need to stay focused and keep improving our workplaces to make them healthy, safe and productive. That’s why we also need to keep campaigning. “Creating safe and healthy workplaces can be profitable, effective and productive. That’s why whole organisations, from directors to the shop floor, celebrate the International Safety Awards.”
Vinyl vs. Fiberglass Windows: The Comparison Windows are one of the most important parts of any home that we have. These windows are the ways by which you can actually see what is going on outside your home and they also provide a means for light to enter the house as well. So, there is no doubt that choosing the perfect type of windows is really important. You need to weight your choices in order to come to a decision. Both fiberglass and vinyl windows are very popular choices amongst the builders and homeowners. Here we are going to build a comparison between these two materials. Appearance When it comes to window frames, vinyl and fiberglass might seem a bit similar. However, the vinyl windows come along with a proper join line which is situated in the corners. But then fiberglass has more of a wooden window look and appeal. The vinyl windows are mostly plain looking. When it comes to fiberglass, the color and style options are plenty as well. Installation The material vinyl is a pretty flexible one which can easily contract and expand as well. So, due to the flexibility, they are much easier to install and can be done quickly. Fiberglass tends to be a bit rigid and hence the installation is a bit difficult and it takes more time as well. You can choose Legacy Windows Service in New Jersey for the installation of windows in your home. Costs When it comes to the cost comparison, vinyl tends to be a little cheaper than the fiberglass material. So, most builders and homeowners who are in a tight budget can choose the vinyl windows for installation purposes. Durability And Strength Fiberglass is about 8 times stronger than the material vinyl. So, there is no doubt that it will be able to last a bit longer than vinyl. While vinyl windows can last until 30 years, fiberglass windows go up to 50 years and even more if necessary. The makeup of fiberglass windows is the reason for the strength. The fiberglass windows have glass fibers and that is what provides the strength to the material. Energy efficiency We have already established the fact that fiberglass has glass fibers in it which means that the material will not be able to expand or contract. So, it doesn’t conduct cold and heat. So, it is a better form of insulation than vinyl. Vinyl Windows Pros and Cons Pros Cheaper material No need to paint Doesn’t fade in sunlight Installation is easier Easily available Increase the value of the home Cons It will warp in the hot temperature Temperature fluctuations may cause expansion and contraction Poor air sealing Less insulation Fiberglass Windows Pros And Cons Pros The frames are thinner and have more glass fibers The insulation is a lot better for noise and energy control Doesn’t warp, expand, or contract Appearance is a lot better Increases the value of the home Cons It is an expensive material The installation process is difficult and takes more time Needs frequent painting Can fade in the sunlight So, that is all that you need to know about fiberglass and vinyl windows. Make your choice wisely!
Leading independent construction, property and management consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall UK (RLB UK) has announced today Liverpool based cost management consultants, Todd & Ledson will join RLB as part of its UK growth strategy. Consolidating RLB’s presence in Liverpool and strengthening its expertise in the North where it already has offices in Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Cumbria and Warrington, the Liverpool company, led by Partners Phil Waring, Stuart Wands and Chris Balshaw, will join forces with RLB from 1 May 2019. A well established cost consultancy, Todd & Ledson has operated in Liverpool for over 60 years with a long-standing customer base, across a range of sectors aligned with those that RLB operates in, and has a strong track record in both healthcare and education specifically. The existing team of 25 will be joined by RLB Liverpool colleagues and work out of Todd & Ledson’s Princes Dock offices in the heart of the Liverpool business district. Russell Bolton, Managing Partner responsible for the region, “We are delighted to be joined by the fantastic team at Todd & Ledson. This is a company that shares the same business values, culture and professional standards as us at RLB. The RLB | Todd & Ledson venture in Liverpool creates a destination consultancy for those looking for innovative solutions within the built environment by offering them the full portfolio of professional services as well as a wealth of expertise and experience.” Stuart Wands from Todd & Ledson continues, “The integration of our two organisations made perfect sense as it expands the services we offer locally but also broadens the opportunities for us to offer our services to clients on a regional and national basis.” Todd & Ledson will officially join forces with RLB from 1 May 2019 with the Liverpool office trading as RLB |Todd & Ledson until May 2020.
Martin Scambler joins from Goodman where for 12 years he was responsible for large infrastructure and build projects. St Francis Group, a leading UK-based property development and investment group and an expert in brownfield development and regeneration is pleased to announce the addition of a new Construction Director to their Management Team. Martin Scambler has been recruited from Goodman where for 12 years he was responsible for large infrastructure and build projects. Speaking about the appointment Gareth Williams, Development Director St Francis Group said, “Martin joins us at a time when we are developing a significant landbank. Working with a variety of funding partners we have the ability to deliver over 5 million sq ft of warehouse space over the next 2 to 3 years and our residential sites are being prepared for onward sale as serviced and consented sites.” Also commenting Rob Braid, Chief Executive Officer St Francis Group said “We quietly embarked on a site sale programme a couple of years ago with the intention of retaining a core of high-quality employment and residential sites. Delivering on these and acquiring new sites will be our strategy over the coming years and Martin will play a big part in that. We are very pleased that he has joined the Team” Over the last 2 years St Francis Group has developed three industrial warehouse sites and well over 1 million sq ft of new space in locations such as Bristol, Kettering and Redditch. With a landbank of over 300 acres it is rapidly establishing itself as one of the largest and most successful developers of new space based in the West Midlands. With an appetite for complex brownfield sites it also targets land where it can add value as a specialist developer of brownfield sites.
Property guardians must have a “bedrock of rights” so that their legal rights are adequately protected, according to a discussion in the House of Lords last month. Baroness Grender posed the question of “what steps they are taking to ensure that property guardians are legally protected” to the House. Property guardians have some legal protections – but depending on the arrangements in place, these protections are often fewer than those of tenants. Lord Best, who is the chair of a Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government working group for the regulation of property agents, said he “would be very happy to look at the regulation of property guardian providers, alongside his current portfolio of estate agents, letting agents and managers of leasehold properties”. Lord Bourne added that there had to be a drive “ensuring that property guardians have a bedrock of rights in all situations so that people are properly protected. That is the key.” The issues often encountered include disrepair including penetrating damp or condensation mould growth, through to unmanaged compliance issues such asbestos, faults with fire alarm panels, lack of electrical and gas safety certificates. Suggestions put forward include a ‘kite-marking’ scheme and non-disclosure agreements in contracts.
The Hard Rock brand is stretching its arms from Atlantic City to Japan. It’s main inspiration? Music. Most of their designs are based on rhythms and structures of sound by interpreting them into physical forms and materials. Designing for Hard Rock means adding the music inspiration through cafe’s to hotels and casinos. Hard Rock International and Rivals Hard Rock International from Atlantic City is one of the fine examples of adding the sound structures of Hard Rock brand. Before the building passed to Hard Rock, it once belonged to Trump. The failing building used to be called Trump Taj Mahal. Hard Rock was able to change the whole structure of the building, giving an aspect of guitar chords. The commitment from Hard Rock was so big that they redone the property from minarets on the roof to the plumbing in the hotel rooms. Jim Allen, CEO of Hard Rock International mentioned that when people arrive at the property, they will notice that there are no ties that lead to the previous owner. Now, Hard Rock International is fitted out with traditional Hard Rock musical souvenirs and the venue is organising live entertainment almost every night. The casino is also making a presence with its slots and table games. Jim Allen also added that Hard Rock International is the second largest gaming zone from the U.S. He also added that the new Gov. Phil Murphy and the new Atlantic City Mayor Frank Gilliam were a pleasure to work with, as well as with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and the former Gov. Chris Christie. On the Boardwalk, Hard Rock’s rival is Ocean Resort, which opened around the same time like Hard Rock. However, Ocean Resorts doesn’t have the spectacular performance like the music-themed casino. In addition, Ocean Resort is another property that demonstrates how important it is to impressively design a property. Ocean Resort is a revamped building from the former Revel Casino Hotel. The main design aspect of Ocean Resort seems to be one of the seas, the venue is covered in full glass that reflects the blue sky. In addition, both megaresorts affects the viability of the Atlantic City area, although Hard Rock may be considered one of the strongest approvals in gaming. The company stays firmly as an entertainment firm. Thus, Hard Rock International had in its first year over 300 events, all of them achieving everyone’s taste. Jim Allen said that the venue had over 28 million, of social media impressions. The hotel was packed with entertaining events like Kelly Clarkson concert, country acts, rock ‘n roll acts, Sugar Factory, and of course, the world-famous Hard Rock Cafe. Even though the CEO of Hard Rock International praises the hotel, it is unlike to surpass the MGM Resorts International Borgata. Borgata is not only known because of MGM’s name. The casino was heavily involved in art exhibitions, like Pop-Up art gallery, Contemporary Glass Art and others. Today, the hotel has a music venue, which can be converted in Borgata Ballroom, a special event for diners, training or business presentation. The hotel also has a Festival Park, used during summer, a music box which can also be Borgata Theatre, designed for meetings and presentations. At Borgata Theatre, the comedian Lewis Black performed his ninth stand-up comedy in 2013. The remaining artistic event that the hotel continues is based on martial arts. The design of the hotel consists of a main tower, which is the third tallest building in Atlantic City, visible from many miles due to its facade of reflective gold glass. The architectural firms, Marnell Corrao Associates of Las Vegas, Philadelphia’s Bower Lewis and Thrower Architects (BLT) worked on the project. The main tower stands 431 ft. tall and contains up to almost 2000 guest rooms and suites. MGM Resorts International Borgata is twice as Hard Rock and Tropicana. Hard Rock is a newcomer and is sitting pretty on the charts, while the Ocean Resort has slipped into last place. Jim Allen explains that Hard Rock tries to position itself as an entertainment destination and that has certainly worked very well for them. Hard Rock Hollywood Together with the power of Hard Rock, Florida’s Seminole Tribe has been drastically redoing two of its Hard Rock properties in the Sunshine State. Hard Rock Hollywood is one of the properties that has a massive expansion. The property is already iconic with its 638 hotel rooms tower, which is in a shape of a guitar body. The Hard Rock locations are known on a global level, for their guitar element, whatever it’s a part of a facade or the design itself. The desired design theme is still going strong after 40 years. Hard Rock Hollywood is expanding the gambling capacity, with 3000 slot machines, 192 table games and a poker room with 46 seats. In addition, 30 new additional restaurants, bars, and lounges are added, together with a new entertainment venue, a full-service spa and a three pool aquacade. The top beam of the hotel is the signature of the Seminole tribe from Brighton, Immokalee, Big Cypress and Hollywood. The new convention space will also characterize the revamped casino. The dramatically refashioned look will debut in autumn 2019. Hard Rock Tampa Another project that doesn’t have to be overlooked is the Hard Rock Tampa. Hard Rock Tampa is a massive casino overhaul. It has 5000 slot machines and 200 table games. The tribe behind this casino pride themselves with the idea that Tampa is for economic investment and during and after its development, it will offer around 6000 jobs. In other terms, Hard Rock Tampa will have a 15-story tower added. The tower will handle 564 hotel rooms with private elevators for rock-star suites. Like at Hard Rock Hollywood, Tampa will also have three ultra-lavish pools, the area is the size of a football terrain which will be covered and will also feature a dedicated restaurant. The existing spa will be replaced by a more extravagante one, the restaurants will
Since the 1925 Land Registration Act in the UK, which was replaced by an updated Land Registration Act in 2002, it’s been compulsory to register unregistered property and land. However, according to the HM Land Registry, there is still 14% of land in the UK that remains unregistered or unclaimed. Along with complying with the law, there are numerous benefits to registering land. But, firstly, let’s discuss how you go through the process of registering unregistered land in the first place. What is an unregistered property? This could be land or a building such as a house, garage or even something as small as a shed. Basically, it’s any property that is legally owned but is yet to be registered with the Land Registry in the true owner’s name. The owner will usually have Title Deeds that explain how they came to own the property. But simply having these Title Deeds doesn’t mean the property is registered, so to reap the benefits of having a registered property and to protect it from encroachment by others, it’s advised that you register the land as soon as you can. The two ways of registering unregistered property There are two types of registration, compulsory and voluntary. Here’s what you need to know about both. Compulsory registration Since 1925, a property that is ‘dealt with’ has the change of ownership officially registered and the new owner will receive a Title Register and Title Plan to confirm their ownership of the property. But what does ‘dealt with’ actually mean? It means that some activity has happened with the property that will trigger the compulsory registration. Some of these activities are as follows: A new lease of 7 years or over is granted. The first legal mortgage on an unregistered property is granted. A Freehold Estate is transferred in a sale of purchase. A Leasehold Estate is transferred with over 7 years remaining (this is known as assignment). In all these cases, it’s a legal requirement for the land or property to be compulsorily registered. You can do this by registering online with the HM Land Registry Voluntary registration You don’t have to wait for the property to become ‘dealt with’ in order to register it. You can simply make a voluntary first registration application in the same place where you would compulsory register it. While you can do this yourself, you can also instruct a land registry solicitor to do it if you want to make sure everything is done smoothly and legally. The solicitor can take your Title Deeds to find out how you came to own the property and submit an application to the Land Registry on your behalf, passing a copy of the Title Register onto you.