Business : BDC Blog News

How X-Ray Inspections Improve Food Packaging Safety

When you’re in a food manufacturing setup, nothing is more significant than maintaining and keeping every food product safe for consumption. For this to be successful, you must implement the principles of food safety and sanitation in every process.  In a medium to large manufacturing setup, checking every product one

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Selco unveils new charity partner for 2022

Selco Builders Warehouse has announced Cancer Research UK as its new charity partner for 2022. The nationwide builders’ merchant will stage a range of fundraising events in support of Cancer Research UK, which funds doctors, nurses and scientists to carry out pioneering research to help provide a solution to defeating

Read More »

5 Things To Consider When Choosing A Commercial Overhead Door

Commercial overhead doors are essential across different industries and are used by retail stores, garages, and warehouses. But despite their importance, most business owners downplay their significance and instead only concentrate on other matters such as inventory, buying equipment, and creating a suitable interior décor. However, it would help if

Read More »

5 Common Types of Construction Waste

Waste production is inevitable in any construction site. In the United Kingdom, contractors are legally required to dispose and manage their wastes properly to help the government minimise and reduce its environmental impact. It is also the best way to maintain the standard in landfills if businesses learn to reduce,

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ACE RESPONDS TO “MISSED OPPORTUNITY” OF LEVELLING UP WHITE PAPER

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) represents the companies, large and small, that design, deliver and manage our built environment. Its members are the delivery partners of choice for government on “levelling up” projects and programmes. Commenting on the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, Guto Davies, Head

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LCR, Peter Hawthorne – Levelling Up White Paper Reaction

LCR delivered the regeneration of Kings Cross and is currently working to deliver regeneration in Sheffield, one of the 20 beneficiaries of the Levelling Up Fund. Peter says that it’s crucial the Fund is used to realise the untapped potential of brownfield land around railway stations. Peter Hawthorne, CEO, LCR

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4 Benefits of Getting a Home Warranty Plan

Buying or building a home is a significant undertaking. You will have to save and invest a lot of time and money to obtain your dream home. Once you get over the hurdle of acquiring a home, the other challenge is maintaining that home. There will always be damages that

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How to Protect Your Garden From Unwanted Wildlife

Gardening can have a hoard of unexpected benefits, both for your physical and your mental welfare. And then of course, there’s the most obvious upside to gardening – getting a lot of great, healthy produce. But gardening also comes with its own set of drawbacks and worries, one of which

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Latest Issue
Issue 326 : Mar 2025

Business : BDC Blog News

How X-Ray Inspections Improve Food Packaging Safety

When you’re in a food manufacturing setup, nothing is more significant than maintaining and keeping every food product safe for consumption. For this to be successful, you must implement the principles of food safety and sanitation in every process.  In a medium to large manufacturing setup, checking every product one by one is time-consuming, inefficient, and unproductive. So, it’s essential to adapt the application of advanced inspection systems you can find, specifically the use of X-rays. X-ray is one of the most efficient ways to implement food safety appropriately. A new era of food packaging and safety began when it was introduced. It significantly improved the quality of every product by thoroughly inspecting each product, boosting overall production, reducing company losses, and increasing market value and consumer trust. However, foreign materials still exist even with this technology. But there’s nothing to worry about as X-ray systems continue to evolve and develop over time. If you’re looking for an X-ray inspection system, you may visit tdipacksys.com/inspection-systems/x-ray or your local specialized and advanced equipment provider.  Furthermore, here are the ways X-rays improve food packaging safety:  Improves Contaminant Detection  Before X-ray solutions were introduced, most food companies implemented a stricter detection process. Each product passes through different professional inspectors, who used traditional screening methods back then. However, humans are prone to errors, which often result in recalls, affecting the company’s reputation and revenue.  But when X-ray inspection was introduced, contaminant detection was improved effectively and efficiently using the level of technology that previously wasn’t accessible. Also, it reduces product recalls almost to nothing due to the automated screening method. Thus, promoting a new level of security and safety to the food industry. Since X-ray inspection is based on the intensity of variations, it can detect more foreign objects from food than other equipment, such as metal detectors. It can detect various physical contaminants, such as metals, stones, bones, glass debris, rubber, and wood. Checks Item Count Per Box Before Distribution  Even in this advanced technology, many companies still use manual processes to put finished items in the box before distribution. Unfortunately, people may neglect to count the products in each box, especially if the conveyor line moves at speeds. So, there are chances that they may not notice if one of these lacks a piece.  X-ray inspections prevent this from happening. These ensure that all boxes contain the right amount of goods, depending on your clients’ orders. If it has missing pieces, there’s a chance that other products in the box bump on each other and cause leaks and damage, compromising food safety.  Monitors Fill Levels Of Every Product  In the automatic packaging line, not all products may be filled appropriately. There are instances when the system that controls and oversees the entire production process may fail. Unfortunately, humans can’t manage the whole packaging line looking for possible errors. X-ray inspections may help you prevent such cases from happening. They can be programmed to detect items that lack the appropriate amount or volume based on their appearance and weight. So, how can it affect the safety of the product?  Some products have added components to prolong and secure the shelf-life of the food. For example, a bag of potato chips is half-filled with nitrogen gas to maintain a stable shelf-life and prevent the growth of spoilage bacteria. If such items are released without thorough checking, people may consume defective products and may cause harm. Checks Damaged And Broken Goods Damaged goods are a big no-no in the food industry. It’s of the common causes of contamination that may affect other goods near them. For example, a slightly dented canned good may have a tiny leak that is not visible to the naked eye but is beneficial for germs to thrive and cause spoilage. Also, these small leaks may damage other canned goods and cause chemical reactions, such as rusting.  However, not all consumers are vigilant about what they see in the market. Many of them don’t even try to check the condition of what they purchase. If this happens, people might probably consume those that are already contaminated. If they got sick and found out its cause, they would likely file a lawsuit against your company, which is one of the things you’d want to avoid at all costs. Fortunately, an advanced X-ray inspection system can detect damaged and defective items. In addition, it can see even the most minor mishaps in your product and separate it from those in good condition. This will help you secure that all products you release in the market are safe for consumption and away from any possible causes of contamination.  Inspects Product Seal Product sealing in the food industry can be challenging in many different ways, especially if a product needs to undergo high pressure and temperature treatment. However, some products may not be adequately sealed, and the problem begins once they reach your customers.  Improper sealing is another common cause of contamination. It allows air from the outside to seep inside, contaminating the food. Therefore, it’s crucial to identify products that failed to seal correctly and prevent them from being distributed to other places. And the best way to achieve this is with the use of advanced X-ray solutions. X-ray inspections will help you detect products that are not appropriately sealed automatically. As mentioned before, X-ray inspection can see even minor details. So, even the tiny scratch and opening will be detected and removed from the line.  Final Words Packaging occurs in many phases in a food production system. So, it’s only essential to ensure that each process is done correctly based on many standards to be followed. To be successful, you might need an advanced X-ray inspection system. X-ray inspections help improve the safety of your packaging by detecting contaminants, ensuring product count, checking damaged and broken pieces, monitoring filling levels, and checking proper sealing. If this discussion opens up your mind and interest, contact the local specialty equipment provider in your area

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Selco unveils new charity partner for 2022

Selco Builders Warehouse has announced Cancer Research UK as its new charity partner for 2022. The nationwide builders’ merchant will stage a range of fundraising events in support of Cancer Research UK, which funds doctors, nurses and scientists to carry out pioneering research to help provide a solution to defeating cancer. Selco has a strong reputation for its fundraising exploits and, despite the pandemic, raised in excess of £100,000 for its previous charity partner Global’s Make Some Noise in each of the last two years. Selco’s charity coffers have already been boosted for Cancer Research UK with a donation of £5,861.78 being made from sales of carrier bags over recent months. Carine Jessamine, marketing director of Selco Builders Warehouse, said: “We are thrilled to be supporting Cancer Research UK in its fantastic work to try and find the answers to an illness which touches the lives of each and every one of us in some way. “Every pound we raise will help fund vital research and that will be the huge motivation behind our fundraising during what will be a busy year of charity activity. “Cancer Research UK was selected by a vote from our colleagues and we are excited by our new charity partnership. Along with the support from our generous customers and suppliers, we hope to raise a significant amount of money and play our part in supporting vital medical research.” Georgia McCormack, divisional manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Selco staff for voting for us and helping achieve our ambition of seeing three in four people survive their cancer by 2034. “Our progress relies on the incredible dedication and commitment of volunteers and supporters like this – without whom we would not be able to fund our life-saving work. One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime. All of us can support the research that will beat it.” With hundreds of trade brands always in stock, Selco’s 72 branches are firmly focused on helping tradespeople complete their jobs as quickly and effectively as possible. As well as offering trade services, Selco also has a strong digital presence including Click & Deliver, a Click & Collect services.

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Renovation Nation: UK Homeowners Spend £21 Billion On Renovations in 2021

Three-quarters (77%) of UK homeowners have invested in their property this year Over half (51%) of UK homeowners said COVID-19 has played a role their decision to invest in their property One in five UK homeowners have spent the majority of their home improvement money on their garden The annual Renovation Nation Report by the consumer spending experts at money.co.uk has found the average UK homeowner has spent £1,473 on home renovations, furnishing and DIY projects this year. What part of the home have UK homeowners spent the most money on? After almost a year of being confined to our homes, it’s perhaps unsurprising that one in five (20%) of UK homeowners have spent the majority of their home improvement money on their garden. Area of the home UK homeowners have spent the most money on Percentage Garden 20% Living room 17% Bedroom 14% Kitchen 14% Bathroom 9% Dining Room 3% Study/office 3% Roof 3% Conservatory 2% Garage/garage conversion 2% Loft/attic 2% Balcony 1% Basement 1% Annexe 1% Our love of gardening has blossomed during and following the pandemic. When asked what home projects they’d invest in if money were no object, a third (32%) of respondents said a garden summer house or work studio and almost a fifth (18%) said a greenhouse or vegetable patch. This green-fingered trend could be seen across the age groups, with the exception of Gen Z who claimed their kitchen was the room they’d spent the most on in 2021, and a home gym would be the top priority if money were no object. Which area of the home would Brits invest in if money were no object? If money was no object, which home projects would you consider investing in, as a direct result of the pandemic, if any?  Area of the home Percentage of respondents Garden summer house/work studio 31.62% Greenhouse/vegetable patch 17.86% Indoor gym 17.21% Leisure room 15.76% Office 12.52% Outdoor/indoor pub or bar 12.07% More walls/rooms for more privacy 8.28% Other, please specify 8.18% Bike storage 7.28% Classroom 3.39% Top home furnishing purchases in 2021 Furniture / Home Accessory Percentage of respondents Lamps/Lighting 41% Cushions 40% Curtains/Blinds 39% Mattress 30% Artwork 29% Sofa/Armchair 28% Bookcases/shelving 28% Bed 28% Vases 27% Clocks 26% Storage cabinet 26% Office chair 24% Top 5 retailers to purchase furniture in 2021 Retailer Percentage of respondents Ikea 27.03% Dunelm 27.03% Next 17.13% The Range 17.13% John Lewis 16.47% How have UK homeowners funded their renovation projects? The majority of UK homeowners have used some form of savings as a way of funding their home improvements, with 20% using money originally intended for holidays. Seven percent of UK homeowners have used funds originally intended to purchase a car, and 5% using cash originally intended for an engagement ring. Why are UK homeowners investing in their properties? While over half of UK homeowners may have cited the pandemic playing a significant role in their decision to dabble with DIY, money.co.uk were also interested in finding out the reason why so many of us are spending time and money on our homes in 2021. Over a quarter (27%) of those asked said that spending less money on going out had given them more money to spend on their homes and over a fifth (22%) cited wanting to increase the value of their home. Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert at money.co.uk comments on the study: “DIY and home renovations was a trend that boomed during the pandemic – a way for many of us to pass the time and spruce up the space we were living in when we were confined to our homes.  “Although restrictions have eased and normal life has almost fully resumed, our research shows that many UK homeowners are still continuing to renovate and invest in their properties. We found that despite a relatively rainy summer, gardens have taken the top spot on many people’s DIY to-do list – which is potentially a long-term knock-on effect of the months in lockdown. “While some renovations like a fresh coat of paint can be relatively cheap, some larger home makeover projects can cost several thousands of pounds. One potential way to finance your home renovation project is by securing a loan. However, it’s important to consider if you can afford the loan, how you intend to repay it and the implications on your credit score if you can’t keep up the repayments.”

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5 Things To Consider When Choosing A Commercial Overhead Door

Commercial overhead doors are essential across different industries and are used by retail stores, garages, and warehouses. But despite their importance, most business owners downplay their significance and instead only concentrate on other matters such as inventory, buying equipment, and creating a suitable interior décor. However, it would help if you never did this, or else you risk compromising certain aspects of your business, such as security, convenience, and workflow.   For that reason, identifying the perfect commercial overhead door takes time, extensive research, and patience. This makes this process a lot more exhausting for you, as the business owner, due to the many factors you need to consider. To help ease this process, find more here on the vital things that’ll help you pick out a suitable commercial overhead door.   1. Usage  It would be best to start by first understanding your business needs to know which commercial overhead door to buy. This means examining your company’s traffic to identify the best commercial overhead door depending on your needs. For instance, if you run a warehouse or body shop, you’ll only need to open the door several times during the day. A heavy-duty commercial overhead door is an excellent pick in such a case.  In contrast, you should get a lighter commercial overhead door ideally made from aluminum if it’s to be placed in a high-traffic area such as the security gate. With this in mind, it’s always best to examine the commercial overhead door’s operational frequency to determine which model best suits your business needs.   2. Security Features   The last thing you want a business owner is a fragile door, as this compromises the safety of your company’s equipment and inventory. After all, losing such inventory and equipment can result in a significant financial loss for your business, and recovering from such a setback can be a challenge. This is why you need to invest in a commercial overhead door with a robust build quality to be able to capably withstand any attempts by burglars to break into your business. Moreover, this is crucial because this door will be exposed to your company’s outside.   Besides robust build quality, the commercial overhead door should also incorporate other safety features to enhance security further, and this includes;  Automatic deadlocks  Inclusion of outdoor and indoor locks  Coded keypads  Preprogrammed mechanisms  With all these security features, you’ll enjoy peace of mind knowing that your commercial overhead door can capably withstand any breaking in attempts.   3. Materials  Another thing you must consider is the choice of material for your commercial overhead door. After all, you want your entry to be robust and resilient enough to withstand daily usage, as well as guarantee the safety of your valuables inside. The choice of material also impacts your company’s exterior aesthetics, with the most common picks being aluminum, steel, and vinyl.  If you want a commercial overhead door that’ll last for an extended period, steel and aluminum are the perfect picks. This is because steel’s robust nature makes it resistant to dents and corrosion. You can also customize it depending on your unique preferences. In contrast, aluminum is equally resistant to corrosion but is softer than steel, thus dents easily but lightweight making it easy to open and close.      4. Insulation  You want all your employees and customers to feel comfortable during the day while inside your business premises. This is why you should invest in an insulated commercial overhead door that boosts the energy efficiency inside the building. As a result, you’ll manage to keep winter cold and summer heat, thus creating a more energy-efficient environment.   When shopping for an insulated overhead door, it’s best to choose one with a higher R-value rating. In the long run, this will help you lower your energy consumption, hence cutting down your business expenses. An insulated overhead door will also help protect your business premises from extreme weather elements such as snow, ice, wind, and rain.  5. Fire Safety  Many business facilities have possible fire hazards due to open flames or chemicals, materials, or commercial infrastructure that can quickly catch fire. Because of this, it’s best to take preventive fire safety measures to guarantee everyone’s safety in the event fire breaks out in the business facility. One such preventive measure is installing a fire-resistant commercial overhead door to enhance fire safety.  Takeaway  A highly functional commercial overhead door is crucial in promoting operational flow, ensuring productivity, and safeguarding all your company’s assets. But identifying the right commercial overhead door for your needs due to the many options makes it challenging to determine which one best satisfies your business needs. This shouldn’t be an issue anymore after this guide has detailed insights on the things to look for to help you pick the best commercial overhead door. 

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Choosing Between the Architecture and Construction Professions

There are millions of different jobs from which you can choose and thousands of industries or niches. Some people seem to know from a very young age what they want to do when they grow up. Others get to adulthood and still have no clue what they want to do for money. If you are close to the time when you have to choose a career, you’ll need to think about whether you have an aptitude or skill set that qualifies you for a particular profession. You must also consider whether you’re able or willing to go to school to get a degree from an accredited university. You need a college degree, at a minimum, if you want an entry-level position in certain industries. Today, we’ll talk about two industries, architecture and construction. They’re related in some ways, but there are also distinct differences between them. Consider Safety Safety is one of the first things you’ll probably want to consider if you’re looking into either construction or architecture as possible career fields. There’s no denying that, on the whole, architecture is safer than construction work. OSHA says that in 2019, 5,333 on-the-job deaths occurred. It probably will not surprise you all that much to hear that construction workers made up one out of every five of these deaths.   If you think about what you do on a construction site, it makes sense that injuries and deaths should result at a much higher rate than lots of other professions. If you’re working construction, you might be up on the high steel if you’re erecting a building. If you’re not careful, you can fall. You might have to work with open flames on construction sites if you’re welding something. You can burn yourself. You might hit someone when you’re driving a construction vehicle if you did not receive the proper training. Crushing injuries can occur if a vehicle smashes someone between it and a building or another hard object. If you get into construction, you need to have your head on a swivel at all times to watch for danger. If you work as an architect, you’re probably spending most of your time drawing up plans in an office environment. You might have to visit a job site occasionally to check on a building’s progress, but that’s about it. Additional Schooling Most individuals who get into construction do so without going to college. Some of them might go to a trade school instead, though some get into the profession without even doing that. That might appeal to you if you never liked school very much. You can often start construction jobs right after high school, though going to a trade school will look better on an application. At least that way, you can point to formal training you received that should better prepare you for construction-related tasks. Architects need to go to school to study architecture. That includes theory as well as modern industry practices. If you have the money to do this, architecture becomes a viable option. If you don’t have the money to pay for it yourself, and you don’t have relatives who might help you, you will probably have to look into student loans. The Money It is also true that, on average, if you go to school and study architecture, you can make more money than if you get into construction. There are always exceptions to that rule. You can get a Master’s degree in a construction-related field. For instance, you might become an engineer and work overseeing a construction company or crew. Most architects, though, make more money than someone in construction who’s low on a company’s totem pole. An architect can easily make six figures or more, especially if they rise quickly within the industry and become a respected name. Architects are superstars if they get plum jobs like designing football stadiums, opera halls, museums, hospitals, and so forth. You command respect as an architect because most people feel that it’s a white-collar job. Construction is a blue-collar job. Fair or not, people might look at you differently if you say you work in construction or if you say you’re an architect. It’s a Different Lifestyle Ultimately, if you want to choose between these two professions, you should look at how much money you can spend on your education or how much you’ll likely make while on the job. You might choose between them based on how you think people will perceive you. All of that matters, but you should also think about how you like to spend your days. A working architect sometimes works long hours, but they do so from an office. If you work construction, it’s a hands-on industry, with you driving vehicles around a construction site, putting your sweat and muscle into hauling materials around, etc. These two professions seem like they would attract two different types of people. If you really enjoy working with your hands and seeing a building come up because you helped to do it, construction might seem like the best profession for you. Also, construction work seems like a legacy job in a lot of instances. If you have family members who work construction, you might feel like you want to get into it for that reason. Architects also help erect buildings, but they do it in an entirely different way. They might envision how something will look: a shopping mall, a restaurant, or a medical facility. They can figure out where windows and doors should go, how to add ramps for disabled individuals, or a dining hall or classroom’s location. They will never physically help erect any of it, though. That’s the fundamental difference between the two industries. They connect with each other, but they often seem to attract different personality types. One is no better than the other. The average architect and construction worker simply want to spend their time doing different things, even if their goals essentially coincide. 

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5 Common Types of Construction Waste

Waste production is inevitable in any construction site. In the United Kingdom, contractors are legally required to dispose and manage their wastes properly to help the government minimise and reduce its environmental impact. It is also the best way to maintain the standard in landfills if businesses learn to reduce, reuse, recycle, and ‘not waste’ the wastes altogether. Construction, excavation, and demolition sites produce different types of wastes, covered with regulations to be disposed of and managed properly. If you are in this business, you have to develop an effective management protocol to limit how much you send to landfills while keeping track of your costs. Check out mini skip hire costs to find the most practical partner in proper waste disposal and management that can help you maximise your budget. To get you started, here are some of the everyday waste types produced in construction sites and what you can do with them: 1. Pile of rubble and concrete Since most construction projects may involve demolition of some form, rubbles are part of the wastes they create at different stages. Therefore, before you easily decide at taking them into the landfills, you may want to explore working with concrete producers who have recycling procedures to repurpose such materials. Some would even offer to pick up your rubbles and unload them into their location free of charge. 2. Wood materials Depending on their state, there are various ways you can reuse and recycle wood materials from your construction projects. If they are in good condition, leftover wood may be used for other projects. In the case of used wood, they may be generated into shavings for use as a filler. Of course, high-grade wood has the best value when you resell them, but low-grade wood may still be profitable if you sell them to pallet producers and the like. 3. Plastic waste Plastic is another waste material that construction sites may produce in huge amounts. Good thing you may recycle them through companies that melt and reproduce them into different materials. However, if you cannot reuse your plastic waste for your future projects, sending them to recycling companies is your best resort. 4. Glass Like what you can do with plastic, you may turn over glass wastes to recycling companies, where they may be melted and formed into another material. Or they may be crushed and aggregated to be used in producing fibreglass. Glass wastes are often picked from old windows or from trimmings where the material is used. 5. Hazardous materials Asbestos, foams, fibreglass, and insulation materials may contain hazardous chemicals and should be disposed of according to the existing regulations. The most convenient way is to hire skips that will safely remove the materials from your construction site. Otherwise, exposure to the chemicals may endanger your workers’ health as they could easily contract lung disease. One of the best ways to develop an effective waste management plan is to understand what type of waste you are dealing with. Various wastes have different recommended methods of disposal. You have to learn them to know what to do.

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ACE RESPONDS TO “MISSED OPPORTUNITY” OF LEVELLING UP WHITE PAPER

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) represents the companies, large and small, that design, deliver and manage our built environment. Its members are the delivery partners of choice for government on “levelling up” projects and programmes. Commenting on the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, Guto Davies, Head of Policy at ACE said:“While the ‘12 national missions’ are welcome to drive activity and ensure spending remains both targeted and on track, they are nothing without properly structured long-term financing for local government to realise these political ambitions. Our concern is that the current approach remains too compartmentalised to be truly effective. “We do, however, welcome the longer-term view on levelling up. The truth is there is no panacea and only sustained investment over the longer-term will address systemic and chronic issues.” “ACE is looking forward to continuing its role as a practical partner on levelling up, and will engage with the Government on the forthcoming Levelling up and regeneration bill which was previewed in the White Paper.” Commenting on the release of the Levelling Up White Paper, Peter Hogg chair of ACE’s places group, and UK cities director at Arcadis, said: “Our own proposals shared last November outlined a practical five-step process to deliver levelling up. While the White Paper has gone some way to enabling this, we still feel it is a missed opportunity for a rounded financial framework which allows all local communities to truly flourish. “The headline announcement around the 20 cities earmarked for investment, as well as the range of funds mentioned in the paper, demonstrate the core issue. While welcome for the areas lucky enough to have ‘won’, replacing competition and ring-fenced funds with consolidated longer-term funding for local government would enable a joined-up approach – crucial if we are to meet the significant challenges of building more prosperous, healthy and productive communities, while delivering a Net Zero built environment. “Additionally, smaller towns and rural areas often lack the in-house planning, placemaking and design expertise to pull together compelling strategies, build business cases, and put forward viable regeneration projects. As such, the current approach unfortunately still runs the risk of creating winners and losers, when we should be spreading opportunity more equally.” For more information, please contact James Ketchell, Head of Communications at ACE at jketchell@acenet.co.uk or 07904 276 249. Read ACE’s Five Principles for Levelling Up Success.

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LCR, Peter Hawthorne – Levelling Up White Paper Reaction

LCR delivered the regeneration of Kings Cross and is currently working to deliver regeneration in Sheffield, one of the 20 beneficiaries of the Levelling Up Fund. Peter says that it’s crucial the Fund is used to realise the untapped potential of brownfield land around railway stations. Peter Hawthorne, CEO, LCR said: “The recognition of the vast untapped potential of the under-used land surrounding our railway stations is exciting, because this is so crucial to unlocking the regeneration of place that is a cornerstone of this Levelling Up strategy. “We’ve seen this potential realised at Kings Cross, as Michael Gove has mentioned before. And will soon see it in cities like Sheffield, where the Levelling Up Fund’s investment into maximising the potential of reduced rail travel times to London will help to bring forward the Sheffield Midland and Sheaf Valley Regeneration Framework, which we have worked on alongside our partners in the city and the wider region.   “While funding is one part of the puzzle and no doubt the focus of much of the feedback on today’s announcement, the other critical element is collaboration between devolved authorities, councils, transport executives, government agencies and landowners. This strategy provides the framework and impetus for this to take place.”

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4 Benefits of Getting a Home Warranty Plan

Buying or building a home is a significant undertaking. You will have to save and invest a lot of time and money to obtain your dream home. Once you get over the hurdle of acquiring a home, the other challenge is maintaining that home. There will always be damages that you will need to repair now and then. Considering the many appliances and systems that modern homes come with, it would be good to have a home warranty so that you can have some peace of mind. Home repairs can be very costly. Since some damages arise unexpectedly, it is always good to stay prepared to avoid sudden shocks that can set you back thousands of dollars in repairs. You can get coverage for major home systems and then deal with minor repairs that do not cost a lot. Here are a few benefits of getting such a warranty. 1.    Save on Costs of Unexpected Repairs A home warranty covers repairs that occur to your appliances due to wear and tear. When using some appliances such as air conditioning, heating, electrical appliances, kitchen appliances and others, we never think about them getting damaged. Over time, these appliances will need servicing due to wear and tear. You might also need to replace some entirely. The appliances and systems never give any warnings that they need to get serviced or replaced. Most of them stop working. If a major appliance like a refrigerator or a cooling system suddenly stops working, you will be forced to dig deep in your pocket to repair it or get a replacement. A home warranty plan saves you such hustles by helping you cover a significant part of the bill, if not the entire cost. If you compare the premiums you pay annually vis-a-vis the amount you would save in case of a significant repair, you will see that it is worth investing in such a warranty.   2.    Get Connected to a Network of Professionals Whether you take a home warranty or not, you will need to get the services of home appliances professionals when you need to repair your systems. Many companies and individuals offer these services, but very few have the needed skills and experience to do a good job. Hunting for a trusted local operator can cost you time and money before you finally find one that will deal with your issues effectively. You may end up spending a lot more trying out several service providers. When you get a home warranty, you forget about such hustles since your warranty provider already has a connection with trusted and tried professionals. You need not make any inquiries or spend time looking for a reliable service provider. All you need to do is inform your warranty provider of the needed repairs, and they will have everything sorted out. You do not need to look for professionals from multiple websites since the warranty provider will simply send you one. 3.    Makes it Easy to Sell Your Home If you need to move to another place and sell your existing home, a home warranty may come in handy. Having a home warranty reassures new buyers that you have taken care of your appliances. Most warranties have a clause that warns of misuse of appliances to avoid malicious damages. When buyers see that your home has a warranty, they know that your systems must be in order since you, as the homeowner, have to comply with that clause if you make a claim later. The warranty can also suit a home buyer who has just depleted their funds and wishes to avoid any extra unforeseen expenses soon. 4.    Saves you Time Considering that time is money, a home warranty can save you valuable time. Home appliances seem to break down at the most unexpected times. In most cases, the breakdown is when you least expect them and the least prepared. You may not have money at the time to call for an emergency service provider or even have the time to look for one that is reliable. A home warranty will come in handy in such dire circumstances. Home warranty providers always have reliable service providers on their dials since this is their daily activity. They always know the best service providers and will find you one as soon as you contact them with an emergency. They save you the time you would have spent looking for a good service provider and save you the agony of having a failed appliance when you do not have money.

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How to Protect Your Garden From Unwanted Wildlife

Gardening can have a hoard of unexpected benefits, both for your physical and your mental welfare. And then of course, there’s the most obvious upside to gardening – getting a lot of great, healthy produce. But gardening also comes with its own set of drawbacks and worries, one of which is the appearance of unwanted wildlife on your property. Naturally, these critters are attracted to your garden as an obvious and free source of food, but that’s not great news for you. So what might you do to deter these critters from approaching? 1.  Fence up! Honestly, this shouldn’t even be on the list as it’s so obvious. Ideally, you should put up a fence around your garden from day one, so as to protect it against unwanted wildlife, but in case you fail to do that, the sooner, the better, honestly. What type of fence will depend on which type of wildlife worries you most. A basic fence that’s a few feet tall will keep bunnies at bay, but you may also want to cover it in chicken wire mesh or some other similar material that’s difficult to chew through, to keep rodents away. Make sure you run the fence a few feet into the ground, as well, to keep at bay diggers. 2.  Call a professional. If you’re unsure how you can protect your garden, you may want to bring in a qualified professional like Norcal Wildlife Removal.They’ll know what to look for, and how to best protect your property from the most worrisome pests. Speaking of which, you’ll want to identify the animal that’s most likely to bother you, based on region. Based on that, you’ll want to do your research. For instance, you can visitopossumpestcontrol.com to learn more about opossum control. 3.  Opt for less appetizing plants. Sure, you might have your heart set on a particular plant, but let’s face it, if that plant is particularly appealing to wild intruders, this might just not be practical. So a good idea would be to opt for less tasty plants, instead, so as to decrease the risk of attracting unwanted attention. Of course, some animals will be harder to deter than others. For instance, raccoons are particularly well-known for their broad palate, so keeping them at bay may be trickier, even if you do opt for the less tasty plants. In that case, you may want to look into subjects like raccoon trapping, to ensure the safety of your garden. 4.  Protect weaker and newer plants. Trunk wraps and other types of protectors are available for protecting new plants that are fresh from the store. Think about it, just like you’re more attracted to freshly bought food than to an apple that’s been sitting on the counter for a week, so will wildlife be attracted to your new plants. So take special care to protect these new, and particularly vulnerable plants, in the nursery stage, or else be prepared for a full-out invasion. 5.  Trim your grass. This works well for deterring unwanted wildlife from your property in general, but may also help your growing garden. If you have a naturally trimmed and tidy yard, this will pose a problem for a wild animal. It’s less safe for them to go into open fields, or neat lawns, because this means they have a higher chance of being exposed, and thus harmed. By keeping a tidy backyard, you’re less likely to attract unwanted wildlife to your garden, than if your backyard was messy and unkempt. These may seem like small details, but put together, they can really make a difference.

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