Northern Ireland architecture practice Hamilton Architects have landed the contract for the delivery of a £42m project which will help transform the City Campus for Canterbury Christ Church University. Hamilton will carry out the design and enabling works for an 18,000 sqm state of the art Science, Engineering, Technology and
A young house building site manager for well-established civil engineering and building firm, Britcon, has scooped a top national award at “The Bricks”, the prestigious LABC Warranty event celebrating the very best businesses and individuals in the UK housebuilding industry. At the tender age of just 22 Declan Hunt is
A record number of independent merchants are set to take part in the National Buying Group’s annual conference in Liverpool next month. NBG partners, suppliers and special guests will take part in two days of networking, fundraising and celebrations in the sold-out event at Albert Docks on 12-14 November. The
Ian Smallman has been named as the third former colleague to join Principle Estate Management in Birmingham. He joins Principle founder Brett Williams and fellow director Joe Jobson who joined in the summer, and has been appointed as a board level director at the managing agent which opened for business
NBS, the leading provider of technical information, specification and BIM tools, has released a new survey looking into the use of digital technologies across the industry. Available to complete now, the survey aims to understand the current attitudes and adoption of various technologies as well as predicted use and trends
Residential Property Experts Say Consultation ‘A Welcome Move’ But the Devil Will be in the Detail Leading national law firm Irwin Mitchell’s property experts are calling the Ministry of Housing’s latest consultation on implementing leasehold reforms a welcome move overall, but retain some caution over implementation. The consultation,
The new LS1219 305mm Slide Compound Mitre Saw joins the family of Makita saws that benefit from the new design of the sliding motor head layout allowing it to be operated close to a wall making it ideal for bench mounted applications. The twin slide rails are set at an
A flagship housing development exclusively for clinical staff in Salford has been honoured at a national awards ceremony. Alexander Gardens in Broughton was Highly Commended in the Affordable Housing Scheme of the Year category in the prestigious 24 Housing Awards. The project by housing association Salix Homes, has seen an
Develop Training Ltd (DTL), a leading training provider to the construction sector, is working with Ridgewood Environmental Ltd to stress the need to prepare workers against the threat posed by asbestos in the ground. Ridgewood Environmental Ltd and third-party provider, DTL, have recently been approved by UKATA to deliver a
Staticus has been appointed as the façade contractor for Royal Mint Gardens, one of the most prestigious new luxury residential developments in London, located next to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It incorporates 263 high-specification apartments and facilities including a concierge lounge, pool, cinema and gym. Staticus is
Northern Ireland architecture practice Hamilton Architects have landed the contract for the delivery of a £42m project which will help transform the City Campus for Canterbury Christ Church University. Hamilton will carry out the design and enabling works for an 18,000 sqm state of the art Science, Engineering, Technology and Health teaching facility, one of three new buildings planned for the old Prison Quarter site. Building work on the STEM facility, currently known as Building 2, is currently onsite with a delivery date of 2020, but the overall redevelopment of the university estate will take up to 15 years to complete at a cost of over £150m. “Hamilton Architects are delighted to have won the contract to deliver this prestigious project against stiff national competition,” said Mark Haslett, Partner and Project Lead. “It is one of 18 education projects, valued at over £150m, which are currently on our books. “We are very happy with how the project is progressing following the significant development of a design we inherited which has appreciably increased the amount of usable teaching space. “With all approvals now in place our team is on site one to two days a week and we have forged a partnership with architecture practice Hazle McCormack Young to act as our representatives in Canterbury.” As well as Belfast and Derry, Hamilton also have offices in London, where the practice is on five design frameworks – for the Metropolitan Police, Metropolitan Housing, North River Alliance, Orbit Housing and the Central and North West London NHS Trust. “We are very pleased at how well the expansion of the practice into London and the south-east is going,” Mark added. “We are nearing completion of a social housing project for Ealing Council and are currently carrying out a refurbishment of six police stations for the Metropolitan police.” While education projects of all sizes are a speciality of the practice, Hamilton also handle a broad portfolio in projects in the health, sports, commercial, social housing and conservation sectors, including work for DAERA’s new headquarters in Ballykelly. Other live education projects include the new £29m South West College, on the site of the former Erne Hospital in Enniskillen, a £7m redevelopment for Methodist College Belfast, a £25m new school for Holy Trinity College, Cookstown, an Irish language primary school in Omagh and a 600 pupil secondary school in Crossmaglen.
A young house building site manager for well-established civil engineering and building firm, Britcon, has scooped a top national award at “The Bricks”, the prestigious LABC Warranty event celebrating the very best businesses and individuals in the UK housebuilding industry. At the tender age of just 22 Declan Hunt is already overseeing the construction and delivery of 68 new family houses for H.G. Homes at Yaddlethorpe Grange, Scunthorpe. This becomes even more remarkable when you consider this being H.G. Homes’ first venture into the world of residential development. Declan was nominated for “The Bricks” and more particularly the “Rising Star” award by his work colleagues and the regional warranty inspector. They described Declan as ‘a most caring and conscientious employee who has gained the respect of his peers, contractors and new home purchasers.’ Keen to expand his knowledge and gain experience Declan “juggles” quality house building with his part time degree studies at Sheffield Hallam University where he is due to qualify during 2019. “The Bricks” is a top industry event hosted by LABC Warranty at a glittering annual ceremony in London and recognises the exceptional work of developers, builders, contractors and individuals who go the extra mile to deliver the highest quality and standards in house building. Working alongside Local Authority Building Control and the housebuilders, LABC Warranty provide full warranties across this industry, with over 3,000 developments or individuals being eligible at the start of the nomination process. On winning the award Declan said, “Not only am I extremely proud to have won the ‘Rising Star’ trophy, I feel humbled that my colleagues recognised this and put me forward for such a prestigious award. This is a fantastic way to “kick” off my career in the housebuilding industry. “Since being very young I have always wanted to be involved in house building and I hope that my dedication and commitment is reflected in the very high-quality standards we aim to achieve on the builds and with customer care. To be recognised for my work within the Hunt family business makes it even more rewarding.” Declan Hunt is employed by Britcon which is a subsidiary of the Hunt Group business. Established for almost 30 years, Britcon is now a £45 million turnover business headquartered in Scunthorpe directly employing 110 people on its many project sites across the UK. Britcon’s Managing Director, Paul Clarkson said, “We are very proud that Declan has won this prestigious UK industry award. It is fantastic achievement for Declan given that he’s been in our industry for less than 5 years. As a business we are committed to support and recognise our talented individuals at every opportunity. The fact that he’s a Hunt family member makes it even more special and truly reflects the continuing family ethos and values running through our business today”. Hunt Group CEO and Declan’s Dad, Shaun Hunt, added, “I’m very proud of Declan’s achievements to date and the maturity he displays for such a young man. He’s certainly striving forward in our new business venture and it’s most pleasing to see this being supported by his peers and already recognised by industry professionals. I, the wider family and all those within the Group businesses wish him every success and all the very best in the future”. @Britcon_Limited https://www.britcon.co.uk/
A record number of independent merchants are set to take part in the National Buying Group’s annual conference in Liverpool next month. NBG partners, suppliers and special guests will take part in two days of networking, fundraising and celebrations in the sold-out event at Albert Docks on 12-14 November. The conference marks the organisation’s 15th anniversary and this year’s theme, Building Stronger Brands, will highlight NBG’s focus on creating lasting relationships throughout the industry. Delegates will have access to an exhibition hosting 165 supplier stands, live demonstrations and the launch of new products. Also taking place will be the Annual General Meeting and Supplier Summit, where keynote speakers will take to the stage and NBG will be making announcements. The gala dinner will see the announcement of the annual NBG Supplier Award winners. Categories include everything from Brand and Account Manager of the Year to awards for each of NBG’s Category Management Teams. This year’s conference will support two great causes, with donations being split between construction industry charity The Rainy-Day Trust and Alder Hey Children’s Charity. The Rainy-Day Trust has been providing support for 175 years through financial assistance, training and counselling for those in the industry. Alder Hey Children’s Hospital care for more than 275,000 patients and their families each year. As a new initiative this year, for every £10,000 of orders placed, NBG will also add £5 to the charity pot, a donation that will be matched by suppliers attending the conference. Fundraising will kick-off with the annual charity football match where partners and suppliers will go head to head. NBG Managing Director Nick Oates said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming all our partners, suppliers and special guests to the conference once again. It promises to be a fantastic two days, especially with the surprises we have up our sleeve. “We’re especially excited for the charity football match. Last year’s final ended in a draw, so it will be interesting to see who will take the glory this year. “Of course, the main thing is that we’re supporting two fantastic charities that are close to our hearts, so we hope everyone will give generously.”
Ian Smallman has been named as the third former colleague to join Principle Estate Management in Birmingham. He joins Principle founder Brett Williams and fellow director Joe Jobson who joined in the summer, and has been appointed as a board level director at the managing agent which opened for business in Spring 2018. He will focus on the operations side for Principle’s growing client list of residential and mixed use property investors. All three directors were formerly in the residential estate management division of CPBigwood. Mr Smallman has specialised in private sector residential service charge management, ground rent collection and portfolio management nationally for nearly 30 years. Brett Williams said: “Ian is a senior figure in the property management industry and is well known and well respected in the sector. “I recruited him previously to head our property management operations and I am delighted to be able to do so again. Ian has a wealth of experience and will be a major asset to the business. “He strengthens our team and will be integral to our future progress.” His appointment comes as Principle approaches 1,000 units under management in just six months since the firm opened for business. Mr Williams said: “With the number of instructions already secured in less than six months, we are delighted with the positive feedback we are receiving and our growing pipeline of instructions from clients who want a managing agent they can trust and rely on. “Our portfolio now stretches from Blackpool through Bristol to Portsmouth, across to Crawley to Basildon, and up to Peterborough and Manchester. We are also acting for a growing number of properties in London.” Ian Smallman said: “This is a new challenge in a sector I know very well. It is important for me to be working within an organisation where the core values of integrity, transparency, professionalism, honesty and responsiveness are not just words on a strapline but embraced by all who work with the organisation. “I have worked with Brett and Joe previously and I am looking forward to playing my part in driving the business forward.” Ian Smallman is actively involved in the Institute of Residential Property Managers and sits on the Leasehold Working Group.
NBS, the leading provider of technical information, specification and BIM tools, has released a new survey looking into the use of digital technologies across the industry. Available to complete now, the survey aims to understand the current attitudes and adoption of various technologies as well as predicted use and trends in the future. “As we develop and lead on our own digital transformation within the industry, we also see the need for different technologies to work together within the same process,” said NBS CEO, Richard Waterhouse. “In the past few years, we’ve highlighted and progressed a number of partnerships with technology vendors such as Autodesk, Graphisoft, and Vectorworks and developed a number of plug-ins to compliment various NBS tools with other leading technology platforms in order for our customers to be able to access and collaborate across different tools, getting the results they need and not limited by technology. “With our customers in mind, we want to be able to see what technologies the industry is using day-to-day, understand the attitudes and adoption process when it comes to new technology and perhaps look at what the industry is currently missing.” The survey looks into how digital technology is changing how you work, business processes, specification writing, using documents and spreadsheets, design tools, models and objects, project extranets and common data environments. Educating yourself with technologiy is important and visiting chad kimball maps is worthwhile. NBS will also be looking for case studies to promote as part of the report. The survey closes at the end of November and those interested can access the form by visiting www.theNBS.com/construction-technology-survey. NBS will make the findings available before the end of the year NBS’ research team recently released NBS’s fourth National Construction Contracts and Law Report and completed a report on behalf of Microsoft and the RIBA, Digital Transformation in Architecture, which explores the benefits and challenges of the innovative technologies that are changing the way architects work. To find out more about NBS visit www.theNBS.com
Residential Property Experts Say Consultation ‘A Welcome Move’ But the Devil Will be in the Detail Leading national law firm Irwin Mitchell’s property experts are calling the Ministry of Housing’s latest consultation on implementing leasehold reforms a welcome move overall, but retain some caution over implementation. The consultation, announced this week follows the recommendations made by the Law Commission’s earlier call for evidence to address a number of significant issues that buyers and sellers face in the housing market. In particular it focuses on: the use of leasehold houses in new developments, the impact of high ground rents and the fees linked with getting information when properties are sold. The consultation proposes that future ground rents are capped at a nominal £10 per annum. On one hand this will ease the buying and selling process and remove the current problems facing lenders where Assured Shorthold Tenancies have been unwittingly created by exceeding the rent limits. However, as Brian Dowling, Senior Associate at Irwin Mitchell pointed out, “A properly administered ground rent can often incentivise effective management of leasehold property. There is an attraction to having a stable, indexed long-term income from an asset and it is arguably more transparent to describe this as a rent than try and recover a profit element from providing services under a service charge”. “It does not seem that a compelling argument has yet been made to justify ground rents or argue that the rate of increase should be capped. This consultation seems like the last chance for developers and investors to do that.” A second aspect of the consultation indicates that the sale of leasehold houses will not be banned altogether as there are some justifiable circumstances where the use of the leasehold system will be necessary to ensure management of common facilities on a new development. Shared ownership properties, community-led housing and certain sites on Crown and National Trust land will be exempt from any ban on new-build leasehold houses. This may also be extended to retirement housing and sites with complex infrastructure. Brian Dowling commented, “If the democratic decision is made that ground rents should no longer be chargeable on long residential leases then the only reason for having long leasehold houses is when it is essential to ensure that a shared structure or infrastructure is effectively maintained, or to secure the long-term use of a house in accordance with charitable purposes. This view seems to have registered, which is encouraging. In particular, retirement living developers, community land trusts, and co-housing groups will be encouraged, as they all have their own reasons for wanting to sell leasehold houses.” “The devil is in the detail though and it is important that developers and investors make the case for using leasehold when the structure of a development scheme demands it. Examples including having duplex homes above shops or commercial space, or having houses above shared underground car parks. One further element of the Government proposals which will be welcomed by house owners, is the proposal for equivalent rights to be given to freeholders to challenge reasonableness of freehold service charges or estate rent charges for maintenance of common areas which are currently only available to leaseholders. Dowling commented, “It is not clear though that freehold house owners on new or recently built estates face the same problems with escalating or opaque charges that a number of leaseholders have faced. In particular, the service charges are typically low because few services need to be provided- often just minor roads and planted areas. It is also common practice for the house owners to eventually control the management company following the sale of the last house on the estate. “If these rights were introduced, they may impact more on groups of neighbouring owners who need to keep their estates looking smart and have to negotiate amongst themselves, rather than on consumers dealing with management companies, as at present.” The consultation further seeks to ensure that information packs required for the transfer of ownership of leasehold properties is provided in a timely manner by managing agents and freeholders. This is move welcomed by Irwin Mitchell. Marcelle Turner, Associate and specialist residential leasehold lawyer in Irwin Mitchell’s Leasehold Enfranchisement Team said, “Investing in leasehold property can be risky for those who are not properly informed. Many buyers are unaware and often confused as to their rights and the correct legislation which applies to their property. The consultation seeks to align some of the procedures which will benefit both freehold and leasehold owners although current owners will not see any change to their existing leases.” The consultation will run for six weeks and closes on the 26th November; Irwin Mitchell will be submitting a response.
The new LS1219 305mm Slide Compound Mitre Saw joins the family of Makita saws that benefit from the new design of the sliding motor head layout allowing it to be operated close to a wall making it ideal for bench mounted applications. The twin slide rails are set at an angle in the rigid aluminium alloy chassis frame, while the rear chassis fixing is positioned right at the rear of the saw assembly. The robust rails allow the saw head to move forward to cover the total sawing zone without the wasted movement of the motor head passing back behind the sawing zone. The new LS1219 mitre saw has a no load speed of 3,200rpm and features a bigger mitre and bevel range than its predecessor the LS1216. This new mitre saw has class leading mitre and bevel capacities – 60° L to 60° R mitre, and 48° L to 48° R bevel. A front knob enables easy bevel adjustment with easy-to-operate mitre angle lock and one-touch sliding head lock. The LS1219 benefits from DXT – Deep and Exact Cutting Technology – and the 12” blade has an impressive 72 tooth count which has been developed to dampen vibration and be super quiet to enhance the work environment. This also improves both durability and reliability of the saw blade and equipment. A lower vibrating blade produces greater cut accuracy, and also reduces wobble, giving a beautifully cut surface. The robust aluminium alloy main bed is fully machined for accuracy giving a large turning base. The rear fence has adjustable material locks and side holders to support a wide workpiece. The new LS1219 can also be connected to a dust extractor for operator safety. The electronic controls feature soft start for machine and operator safety; constant speed control; electric brake; double insulation and a laser marker system on the LS1219L model. 110v and 240v versions of this new mitre saw are available. For more news and product information about Makita UK please visit www.makitauk.com. Follow us on Twitter @MakitaUK, Facebook.com/makitauk and google.com/+makitauk. About the LS1219 305mm Slide Compound Mitre Saw Maximum 3,200rpm Maximum mitre range 60° to 60° left/right; bevel range 48° to 48° left/right Sliding arm can be operated close to a wall Laser marker version also available
A flagship housing development exclusively for clinical staff in Salford has been honoured at a national awards ceremony. Alexander Gardens in Broughton was Highly Commended in the Affordable Housing Scheme of the Year category in the prestigious 24 Housing Awards. The project by housing association Salix Homes, has seen an empty sheltered housing complex completely remodelled and transformed to provide 26-apartments for doctors, nurses and other clinical staff who work at Salford Royal Hospital. Salix Homes teamed up with Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust to provide affordable homes for its workers after it emerged the hospital was struggling to fill 200 vacancies, with the lack of affordable accommodation cited as one of the barriers to attracting people to the area. Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “Our Alexander Gardens development is a fantastic success story for Salix Homes, providing much-needed affordable accommodation for doctors, nurses and clinical staff at our local hospital. “We are incredibly proud of this project which demonstrates just what can be achieved when the health and housing industries work in partnership to improve the lives of people living and working in our communities. “As a nation in the grips of a housing crisis, we are very proud to be leading the way in providing affordable accommodation for key workers, so to be recognised for our work in this area in such prestigious industry awards is a real honour.” Alexander Gardens on Gorton Street has stood empty since the Boxing Day 2015 floods after the former residents were re-housed when their homes were damaged by the worst flooding to hit Salford in decades. Salix Homes has spent more than £2million converting the building into modern one and two bedroom apartments, working alongside its partner contractor A Connolly Ltd. The project was partially funded thanks to a £780,000 grant from Homes England Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme. Salford Royal is letting the homes to new recruits in a bid to encourage more medical professionals to come to Salford to work, and reduce its reliance on agency staff. The first residents are expected to move in over the coming weeks.
Develop Training Ltd (DTL), a leading training provider to the construction sector, is working with Ridgewood Environmental Ltd to stress the need to prepare workers against the threat posed by asbestos in the ground. Ridgewood Environmental Ltd and third-party provider, DTL, have recently been approved by UKATA to deliver a brand new Asbestos in Soils training course. In order to launch the training they are inviting employers to attend one of two free seminars on Thursday 8th November at DTL’s Derby centre. The seminars will allow employers to view some of the course content, meet the training team and ultimately find out if the training is suitable for their employees. Several external speakers will also be in attendance, including representatives from Tanglewood Environment and Dyne Solicitors who will be discussing legislation and duty of care for asbestos contaminated soil. Jim Donnelly, a training delivery manager at DTL, said: “The menace from asbestos in buildings is well known but it can also be hazardous when disturbed in the soil. Finding it beforehand is a challenge for construction site managers. The substance may be present as fragments of insulation materials visible to the naked eye or as micro fibres requiring scientific tests to confirm their presence.” He added: “People need the skills to conduct proper risk assessment and to implement a range of other steps depending on the nature and scale of the problem.” Those steps could include ensuring licensed personnel carry out remediation work, informing the Health and Safety Executive of the incident and providing protective equipment including respirators. Disposing of waste and decontaminating operatives may also be required, and air monitoring might be set up on site or near to neighbouring homes. At the seminars, representatives from Ridgewood Environmental and DTL will unveil their latest training course, UKATA Asbestos in Soils. The course, delivered by third-party provider DTL, is tailored towards supervisors, managers and CDM duty holders who may work on sites where asbestos is present. Attendees will be able to see course content first-hand, and ask questions of DTL’s expert trainers and delivery team. Date: Thursday 8th November 2018 Location: Develop Training, Derby Training Centre, Ascot Drive, DE24 8GW Seminar 1: 9:30 – 12:00 Seminar 2: 13:00 – 15:30 Both seminars will contain the same content. The seminars have already attracted attention from DTL’s existing high profile customer list that includes leading construction and utility firms, private companies and public sector organisations, with the morning session already almost fully booked. To book a free space, go to http://resources.developtraining.co.uk/asbestos_in_soils_seminars_nov2018
Staticus has been appointed as the façade contractor for Royal Mint Gardens, one of the most prestigious new luxury residential developments in London, located next to Tower Bridge and the Tower of London. It incorporates 263 high-specification apartments and facilities including a concierge lounge, pool, cinema and gym. Staticus is one of the largest façade contractors in Northern Europe and responsible for the iconic look of several new builds in London, Manchester and Liverpool. Over the next six months, the company will install more than 13,000 square metres of unitised façade Panels across the building. Unitised façade comprises pre-fabricated panels, designed and manufactured to order and delivered direct to site for faster installation; a cost-efficient method, and factory quality control, makes it increasingly popular in the UK. Established 20 years ago in Lithuania, Staticus owns a 14,000 square metre factory that can operate up to 12 production lines at the same time. The company is therefore ideally positioned to deliver the Royal Mint Gardens contract as a ‘one-stop-shop’ for façade engineering from initial concept and design to manufacture and installation. “We are both excited and deeply proud to be part of the development of this historic area in London, which is close to The Royal Mint, the origin of British coin production,” said Staticus’ UK MD Paulius Gurksnys. “We love to innovate and will realise this project with a number of unique solutions including frameless façade elements hanging on tension rods with horizontal glass fins and a spider glass fixing system. It is going to look very special indeed.” With offices in Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and now London, Staticus is growing its presence in the UK, with recent projects including the X1 Media City towers in Manchester and the Aspire Point Tower in Stratford, East London. Paulius continued: “We utilise advanced research, methods and technology to help create visually stunning smart buildings, where people can live and work in harmony with the environment. This latest project at Royal Mint Gardens is a real coup for Staticus and strengthens our position in the UK façade market.” For more information, please visit www.staticus.com.