LEADING developer Lovell Partnerships has opened the doors to its new North East base, following its recent expansion into the North East region. Located at Alexandra House on Mandarin Road at Rainton Bridge Business Park in Houghton-le-Spring, the new premises spans 5,133 square foot. Following the move from the team’s
To align with the plans for regional growth Keepmoat has set for the company, Matt, who was previously Land and Planning Director at Persimmon Homes, Linden Homes and Redrow Homes, has been appointed to support the existing land teams in the housebuilder’s East Midlands and Yorkshire East regions. Based in
Contractor Henry Brothers Construction has appointed experienced industry professional Peter Commins as director for the company’s Northern region. The move follows the opening of a Henry Brothers office in Manchester after a number of recent successful contract wins in the region including the refurbishment of The University of Manchester’s Chemistry
LEADING digital procurement platform The Build Chain has reinforced its plan for rapid growth through two senior level appointments, bolstering its approach of providing solutions for the trade from experts within the industry. The Build Chain, developed to revolutionise the construction procurement process, is an online platform that connects contractors
A new Director of Research is set to take Lancaster University’s School of Architecture in an international direction and to help build a leading global destination for aspiring architects. Having spent the last 15 years at Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), Professor Richard Brook, a registered architect and architectural historian,
Property industry heavyweight Paul Millington has become the new Non-Executive Chair of leading Yorkshire commercial developer Wykeland Group. Mr Millington, who has held senior Board positions with the Evans Property Group for 27 years, has been appointed to Chair the Wykeland Board as the business delivers a series of major
GLP, the leading global investment manager and business builder in logistics, digital infrastructure, renewable energy, and related technologies, today announces that it has appointed Jens Müller as Sales Director for GRS in Germany and CEE. GRS (Global Robotics Services) is the robotics arm of GLP; a new innovative platform for
National firm Excello Law has announced the appointment of real estate specialist Amanda Hurst, who has joined from Hill Dickinson. Qualifying in 2002, she has a wide range of commercial property experience as well as specialisms in healthcare and education. “I am really excited to join other like-minded, experienced consultants
Construction company Urbanise has strengthened the leadership of its delivery team with a new senior appointment. Shaun Boylan, who has been appointed as Construction Lead, will play a principal role in the delivery of construction projects and will be responsible for health and safety compliance. He will also draw on
COMPLETE construction partner, Stepnell, has announced two new strategic hires with the appointment of Lewis Archibald as framework director and Sheona Macmillan as sustainability manager. Both roles will support Stepnell’s framework performance growth and bolster its sustainable commitments to project delivery for customers. Lewis joins with nearly 30 years of
LEADING developer Lovell Partnerships has opened the doors to its new North East base, following its recent expansion into the North East region. Located at Alexandra House on Mandarin Road at Rainton Bridge Business Park in Houghton-le-Spring, the new premises spans 5,133 square foot. Following the move from the team’s previous office in Gateshead, the new space will provide a much larger, modern working environment for Lovell’s North East team. Bringing Lovell Partnerships’ total offices to 12, the new location forms an integral part of the North East region’s ambitious expansion plans. Since the region’s launch, the team has made a number of new appointments, with further recruits due over the coming months. Situated on the A690, with easy access to main roads such as the A1 and A19, the new location offers a central base for Lovell Partnership sites across the region. Paul Devaney, area director of Lovell Partnerships’ North East team, said: “It’s great to open the doors to our new office. The new site really establishes the North East region for Lovell Partnerships and I couldn’t be more thrilled to get the team together under one roof. “The North East team is growing fast, with five recent additions. We have already set the foundations with multiple developments across the region too, with more still to come.” The new office launch follows hot on the heels of a number of successes for the new region. Works have already begun at its first two sites, Sandcastles in Scarborough which has been developed in partnership with sister company, Lovell Later Living, and Northshore, a brownfield regeneration site located in Stockton-on-Tees, set to deliver 113 affordable homes to the area. The region has also recently completed on a Homes England brownfield site in Spennymoor. The site will deliver 124 homes, offering a selection of two, three and four-bedroom properties, 71 of which will be available on the open market and the remaining 53 as affordable housing. Work commenced in December 2022, with an estimated construction completion date of February 2025. The fit-out was completed by fellow Morgan Sindall sister company, Overbury, which offers design and build services to businesses across the UK. The leading commercial renovation designers supported the Lovell Partnerships team in creating a robust office environment to support its ongoing expansion. Paul added: “We’d like to thank the Overbury team for all their support throughout the process. They did a great job in transforming the space and helping us create an inviting environment for all our staff to enjoy.” Richard Walker, design and build manager at Overbury said: “It was a pleasure to support the Lovell Partnerships team on the fit-out of their new North East office. We were able to provide a quick turnaround, completing the project in just over nine weeks from start to finish. “Over the years, we’ve supported a wide range of businesses across the UK, but this project was particularly special for us as it allowed us to support our sister company Lovell Partnerships. We wish the new North East team the very best as they embark on this exciting new chapter in their brand new office.” To find out more about Lovell Partnerships, please visit: https://corporate.lovell.co.uk/. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
To align with the plans for regional growth Keepmoat has set for the company, Matt, who was previously Land and Planning Director at Persimmon Homes, Linden Homes and Redrow Homes, has been appointed to support the existing land teams in the housebuilder’s East Midlands and Yorkshire East regions. Based in Lincoln, Matt will be looking to fill gaps within the business’ development portfolio as the new Land and Partnerships Director, and secure land opportunities to ensure Keepmoat reaches its targets and fulfils its growth plans. His main focus will be to expand Keepmoat’s operations into the Lincolnshire area, covering towns such as Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Stamford, Grantham, and others, with a view to delivering much needed, energy-efficient homes that are fit for the future. “The East of the country, most specifically Lincolnshire and the East Riding, are areas of great potential for housebuilding, with some booming industries adding to the appeal, such as large-scale agriculture, engineering, and manufacturing. The region is also fantastically placed with towns such as York, Grantham, Newark and Retford having convenient rail and motorway connections, and there are some exciting developments proposed in North and North East Lincolnshire, which is also driving housing growth in the area,” said Marc when asked about his ambitions for the region. “I am keen to continue Keepmoat’s previous success of providing regenerated sites and thriving communities through our relationships with landowners, local authorities, land agents, and partners such as Homes England. Key to my role will be identifying and securing opportunities in the eastern corridor to push Keepmoat’s operational boundaries into Lincolnshire and strengthen its presence in East Yorkshire,” he added. Keepmoat is one of the UK’s leading partnership homebuilders and a leading brownfield builder. To align with the housebuilder’s aims, Matt will be leading on the negotiation and application for new land to regenerate into new communities. Together with local authorities and housing associations, he will continue to work towards the delivery of affordable, high-quality housing, as well as homes available for first-time buyers. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Contractor Henry Brothers Construction has appointed experienced industry professional Peter Commins as director for the company’s Northern region. The move follows the opening of a Henry Brothers office in Manchester after a number of recent successful contract wins in the region including the refurbishment of The University of Manchester’s Chemistry Building, Glossopdale School and work for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO). Peter has a wealth of experience in both construction and civil engineering and has previously worked for a number of leading tier one contractors including Mansell, Balfour Beatty and Kier. He has been a director or regional managing director for some 30 years, predominantly working in the North, and is a past chairman of the Construction Confederation. Managing Director of Henry Brothers Construction, Ian Taylor, said: “Peter is very well known and hugely respected in the industry. We are delighted to have appointed him to spearhead the growth of Henry Brothers in the North of England. “Peter has worked with numerous high-profile clients over many years. He knows the industry inside out, is extremely familiar with the region, and is perfectly placed to help us to continue to deliver the excellent service to clients that Henry Brothers is known for. We are pleased to welcome him to the team.” Peter, who began his industry career almost 50 years ago, and has been responsible for the delivery of numerous high-profile industry award-winning projects, said: “I am delighted to be joining Henry Brothers at this exciting time. The company is on an impressive sustainable growth trajectory, and I am looking forward to supporting the business with its continued expansion. I’ve been impressed with the number of frameworks that Henry Brothers has been appointed to, including Crown Commercial Services, Pagabo, YORbuild and Procure 23 and their approach to Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG).” Henry Brothers Construction is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit out. In partnership with its valued clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors. For more information, visit henrybrothers.co.uk/ Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
LEADING digital procurement platform The Build Chain has reinforced its plan for rapid growth through two senior level appointments, bolstering its approach of providing solutions for the trade from experts within the industry. The Build Chain, developed to revolutionise the construction procurement process, is an online platform that connects contractors nationally to suppliers locally. It helps its users to solve long-standing supply chain issues by giving instant competitive quotes for hire equipment or purchased building materials. The appointment of Keith Wright as non-executive director, and Phil Sheldon as sales director, further strengthens the growing team with a combined industry experience of more than 65 years. Keith said: “I love the business model and ethos of The Build Chain, as well as the energy and enthusiasm of the team for the product they’re offering. It felt like an exciting prospect just to hear about the solution they’ve created, let alone being a part of its direction. It’s important to help to continue modernising the way the construction industry works, allowing contractors and merchants to become more efficient and streamlined in the digital era of doing business. I’m excited to have a hand in establishing The Build Chain as a leading digital procurement platform.” Phil Sheldon has more than 35-years’ experience at previous roles at leading contractors, major manufacturers, and national merchants. Phil said: “Despite significant progress in recent years, the construction industry continues to lag when it comes to digital solutions. This role presents a fantastic opportunity to help solve that industry-wide challenge. Over the next year my focus will be on building a solid and sustainable base for the business while bringing procurement into the modern digital world. Beyond that, I want The Build Chain to become a heavyweight name in the industry, and to expand upon its digital offering into areas that will enhance the customer experience even further.” Matthew McClune, co-founder of The Build Chain, added: “These two key appointments mark a step change for the company’s growth plans and progression. We’re really excited about Keith and Phil joining the team at this pivotal time – they both bring fantastic experience to the team, and the ideas they have brought to the table are avenues we’re excited to explore.” To learn more about The Build Chain visit its website here: www.thebuildchain.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new Director of Research is set to take Lancaster University’s School of Architecture in an international direction and to help build a leading global destination for aspiring architects. Having spent the last 15 years at Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), Professor Richard Brook, a registered architect and architectural historian, sees his new role at Lancaster as a commitment and investment in the School’s culture, its external relations and its international standing, as well as providing stimulating new challenges and opportunities. Hailing from Chorley, award-winning Professor Brook is a great advocate for the region. “I really believe in the North West as a cultural force and an economic power,” he says. “And, within that, Lancaster University’s School of Architecture is a very different place with a very specific offer. Its proximity to the Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Park, offers incredible possibilities to explore novel material technologies amidst highly protected landscapes. “The openness of campus and its spacious, green environment presents wonderful opportunities for live building projects already developed through the Summer School events of the past few years.” At Lancaster Professor Brook, is responsible for authoring and leading the architectural history and theory programmes and directing the development of the School’s research. “I view this role as Director of Research as an opportunity to make a serious and lasting commitment, building on the national and international networks I have established, as one that is enticing and energising,” he says. Building on the School’s already strong research culture, with a full complement of research active staff, Professor Brook will lead the development of multi-disciplinary special interest groups allied to the design research laboratory ImaginationLancaster. “In my own research I partner with heritage organisations, charities and statutory bodies, using novel digital means to bring history to life through a strong record of public engagement,” he explains. “As an architectural historian, my work focusses on the post-war period, of which I take a holistic view. “As such, my work examines the architecture, landscape, planning, urbanism and infrastructure of the period, their interwoven ideas and how they were influenced by successive government administrations and their policies. “I want to connect teaching and research in ways that capitalise on Lancaster’s quality as a research-intensive university to create unique programmes that respond to the global challenges of our times. “The School’s existing focus on future practice, digital crafts and the climate emergency are perfectly aligned with its geographical location, research expertise and international networks.” Professor Brook, who qualified whilst working for BDP, an international firm of architects and engineers with their roots in Preston, entered academia as a lecturer at the University of Liverpool. At the MSA he held a succession of leadership roles before his appointment as Professor of Architecture and Urbanism – experience that he is keen to apply to the young School at Lancaster as he joins this month. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Property industry heavyweight Paul Millington has become the new Non-Executive Chair of leading Yorkshire commercial developer Wykeland Group. Mr Millington, who has held senior Board positions with the Evans Property Group for 27 years, has been appointed to Chair the Wykeland Board as the business delivers a series of major developments vital to regeneration and economic growth across Yorkshire and the Humber. He is joined on the Wykeland Board by a new Non-Executive Director, Richard Dawson, who brings to the business more than 30 years’ experience in senior financial, commercial and strategic roles. The new appointments bring further experience and expertise to the Wykeland Board as the business delivers some of the biggest and most ambitious developments in its history of more than 50 years. They include a £150m retail logistics fulfilment centre, for which Wykeland secured planning approval, and a £100m research and development and manufacturing facility for global medical technology business Smith+Nephew, which is going through the planning process. Both of these developments are at Wykeland’s Melton West business park, west of Hull, which is one of Yorkshire’s premier locations for large-scale investments. As well as Melton West, Wykeland’s flagship developments include the Bridgehead business park close to the Humber Bridge; the £100m-plus Fruit Market urban village in Hull, in partnership with Beal Homes; the £20m Treadmills mixed-use scheme on the site of the former Northallerton Prison in North Yorkshire; Hull’s @TheDock tech campus; the Flemingate retail and leisure destination in Beverley, East Yorkshire; and Europarc, the premier business location on the south bank of the Humber. Wykeland Managing Director Dominic Gibbons said: “We’re delighted that two such highly-respected property industry leaders have joined our Board. “Paul and Richard are well-known figures on the North of England property scene and bring to the Board decades of high-level experience which will support our next phase of growth. “Their expertise will reinforce our excellent executive team and will be important as we deliver existing developments and capitalise upon the many exciting new opportunities we have identified.” Mr Millington has held a series of senior Board level positions with Leeds-based Evans Property Group, one of the UK’s leading privately-owned property investment and development companies, with net assets of over £600m. His roles have included Group Finance Director, Overseas Investment Director and Executive Director responsible for overseeing the growth of the Dakota Hotels business. Mr Dawson became Finance Director of Highstone Group in 2001 and then became Head of Family Office for the Moore Family in 2007. This position included a key role in the growth of Wilton Developments, the Leeds-based property development business within the Moore Group. Mr Millington succeeds former William Jackson Food Group Chairman Christopher Oughtred as Chair of Wykeland Group, while Mr Dawson replaces Neil Stothard, Chief Executive of construction products and services specialist Vp PLC, as Non-Executive Director. Mr Millington said: “I’m delighted to be joining one of the region’s leading property developers. Wykeland is a fantastic business, underpinned by strong core values, and its engagement with community stakeholders has enabled it to consistently deliver first-class developments. “I’m really looking forward to working with Dominic and the executive team and to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.” Mr Dawson said: “Wykeland Group has an outstanding reputation for delivering high-quality projects and combining excellent financial results with a strong ethical code and values. With a healthy balance sheet and an enviable development pipeline, Wykeland is in a great position to build for the future.’’ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GLP, the leading global investment manager and business builder in logistics, digital infrastructure, renewable energy, and related technologies, today announces that it has appointed Jens Müller as Sales Director for GRS in Germany and CEE. GRS (Global Robotics Services) is the robotics arm of GLP; a new innovative platform for customers and tenants seeking to optimise the productivity of their logistics operations throughout the warehouse, through the utilisation of robotic services. GRS offers collaborative robotics as a service (RaaS) solutions which provide customers with access to the benefits of robotics through an innovative subscription model, offering pay-as-you-go flexibility and avoiding CAPEX expenditure. GRS launched its first European project with GXO in Italy this year and has completed more than 30 robotics projects across Asia, with installations completed in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Based in Frankfurt, Jens will be responsible for developing new client relationships and supporting existing GRS customers across the region. He will also oversee commercial negotiation, working with project managers to ensure the ultimate success of projects. Jens brings over 10 years of specialised experience in logistics, automation, robotics, and sales to GRS. Prior to GLP, Jens served as the Technical Sales Representative for Adlatus Robotics GmbH, a manufacturer and distributer of service robotics, where he led sales for Central Germany. Prior to this, Jens held a variety of positions across different industrial and automation companies, leading the establishment of sales operations in his role as Head of Sales at both Albert Pielhau GmbH and Herchenbach Industrial Buildings GmbH. Hongming Chen, CEO of GRS remarked: “This is an exciting time for GRS’ expansion into Europe and we’re delighted to welcome Jens as we continue to build out our team. His extensive sectoral knowledge and prior experience leading and developing sales teams in the region will be invaluable as we roll out robotics solutions to more clients across Europe. The integration of automated solutions is only going to become more widespread in logistics; we are already experiencing huge demand for our services and see significant opportunity ahead in the European market.” Jens Müller added: “GLP is a pioneer in warehouse robotics and is leading the way in making automation more accessible for companies across Europe with its innovative subscription model. The demand for efficient, safe robotics solutions in logistics continues to surge, and the GRS team possess a wealth of expertise when it comes to optimising the functionality of the warehouse. I’m proud to be joining the team and look forward to the journey ahead.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
National firm Excello Law has announced the appointment of real estate specialist Amanda Hurst, who has joined from Hill Dickinson. Qualifying in 2002, she has a wide range of commercial property experience as well as specialisms in healthcare and education. “I am really excited to join other like-minded, experienced consultants and continue to provide an excellent service to clients whilst working flexibly,” commented on her appointment at Excello Amanda. Having moved from Hill Dickinson, where she headed up the national healthcare property commercial team, Amanda will be focusing on commercial landlord and tenant matters, as well as property acquisitions and disposals. “We are delighted to welcome Amanda to our real estate team in the north west. She is highly valued by her clients and joins at an exciting time in the firm’s history in Liverpool, with a growing team across the region and the launch of our new office facilities in Derby Square. It’s great to have her on board,” said Julie Mogan, Regional Director at Excello. Recently, Amanda was listed in the Legal 500 2023 directory for both commercial property and public sector (health) in Liverpool as a ‘Next-Generation Partner’. “Amanda joins a successful national real estate team and her expertise is a valuable addition to the services we provide. We’re always pleased to hear from lawyers looking to enjoy greater freedom to build their practice with all the infrastructure and regulatory support from an established consultant model firm like Excello,” added Jo Losty, Director at Excello. Founded in 2009 as one of the first law practices to adopt a limited liability company structure, Excello Law is a national, new-model law firm providing a more dynamic, forward-thinking and independent environment in which to practise for senior lawyers, underpinned by unparalleled administrative, compliance and technological support. The firm has grown to a team of 200 partner-level lawyers, with year-on-year growth averaging 20%. The firm has ten UK offices in London (x3), Birmingham, Leicester, Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and Leeds. Excello Law was one of the first law firms in the UK to pioneer true agile or flexible working. The model reduces overhead costs and uses leading-edge technology to give freedom to lawyers and provide better value legal services to clients. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction company Urbanise has strengthened the leadership of its delivery team with a new senior appointment. Shaun Boylan, who has been appointed as Construction Lead, will play a principal role in the delivery of construction projects and will be responsible for health and safety compliance. He will also draw on his wealth of experience in the industry to mentor and support Urbanise’s employees and supply chain. Shaun’s appointment comes at a time of significant growth for Urbanise, with plans to double turnover and increase headcount to 25 in the next three years. His role not only enables greater capacity and the ability to take on bigger projects, but it also frees up time in the senior leadership team, allowing a stronger focus on business strategy. Shaun brings over 20 years’ experience in construction, starting with Laing O’Rourke before moving on to ISG and Wates. During his career, Shaun has led the delivery of many multimillion-pound projects, including AstraZeneca’s SPP6 project in Macclesfield, the Lime Street Regeneration project in Liverpool and Chester Zoo’s Islands development. Shaun said, “I feel really fortunate to be joining Urbanise at such an exciting time for the business. It’s great to finally get started and I am looking forward to integrating myself into the team and working hard to realise the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.” Louise Hobson, Urbanise’s Co-founder and Project Services Director, said, “Finding the right person for this role has taken a few years of planning. We identified Shaun due to his great industry experience working across the country on a variety of projects for significant clients. Plus, having worked together previously, we were sure that he would fit well into our growing team. “With Shaun now joining Urbanise as Construction Lead, we believe that his appointment clearly illustrates our intent to continue delivering projects with a relationship led focus for our clients, whilst firmly remembering that ultimately it is all about the build.”
COMPLETE construction partner, Stepnell, has announced two new strategic hires with the appointment of Lewis Archibald as framework director and Sheona Macmillan as sustainability manager. Both roles will support Stepnell’s framework performance growth and bolster its sustainable commitments to project delivery for customers. Lewis joins with nearly 30 years of industry experience, having spent his career working across a variety of preconstruction and estimating roles. At Stepnell, Lewis will continue to add to the complete construction partner’s 15-strong portfolio of both regional and national frameworks. Lewis will also be responsible for increasing the number of framework projects, so that Stepnell can continue to provide better service, earlier contractor involvement and more certainty of delivery. Lewis said: “I’m delighted to be taking on this role during a time of significant growth for Stepnell. Our work to deliver construction excellence – via an increasing number of framework projects – is crucial to our service proposition and the success of the business. “I’m looking forward to accelerating delivery and efficiencies at project and programme level, as well as driving forward innovation for projects, helping to ensure they are on time and within budget. This is an excellent time to be joining Stepnell, with a huge amount of potential to enhance our position, which I hope to achieve.” Stepnell’s new sustainability manager, Sheona, brings seven years of environmental management experience to the role from across rail, construction and military sectors. Sheona will be instrumental to the implementation of sustainability solutions for projects across the entire business. Sheona said: “Supporting Stepnell to achieve and increase our sustainability goals is vital for success. I am therefore very much looking forward to leading the business on its sustainability journey and developing and driving forward new initiatives. By prioritising early engagement with our customers, and through using the most effective sustainable resources and technologies, Stepnell will further minimise waste, reduce carbon emissions, prioritise renewable energy and encourage biodiversity across our sites.” Tom Wakeford, joint managing director at Stepnell, added: “We are pleased to welcome Lewis and Sheona, who will both play an integral part in the continued growth and success of Stepnell. Investing in new talent helps our teams to unlock new and exciting opportunities, while expanding and strengthening our service offering. As they both develop in their roles, we are certain that Lewis and Sheona will make a significant and positive impact to the business, and we look forward to supporting them to do this.” To find out more about Stepnell, visit: www.stepnell.co.uk and for information about Stepnell’s framework partnerships visit www.stepnell.co.uk/frameworks . Join the conversation at @Stepnellltd.
