Leading UK construction company Willmott Dixon has strengthened its presence in Sussex with a new office. The firm held an event to celebrate the opening of the Gatwick office, welcoming leaders and representatives from both Crawley and Surrey County Council. The new base expands the company’s presence as it looks
Cladding work to Stephen George + Partners’ £7.3 million office building, now named No1 Great Central Square, at the old Stibbe factory site in Leicester is nearly 90% complete. Part of a £45 million masterplan designed by Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) for Charles Street Buildings Group, No1 Great
Reposit, the InsurTech company bringing tenancy deposit alternatives to the forefront of the residential lettings market, has announced its new partnership with Pattinson, the largest independent agency network in the North East of England and its large base of landlord clients. Reposit helps landlords attract new renters by reducing upfront
Godwin Group, the UK property development investment firm, has expanded its network with a new office in London. The company, which has recently announced a number of new high profile appointments, already has existing bases in Nottingham and Birmingham. “As a leading international financial centre, London is a key location
GODWIN Group, the UK-based property development and investment company, has continued its growth, recently opening a London office to add to its existing bases in Nottingham and Birmingham. The new London outpost, based in the heart of the capital in prestigious Mayfair, provides a new base of operations for both
London’s St James’s district benefits from new office, retail and restaurant space with the completion of a multi-use development. 35,000 sq ft of office space was delivered over the first to sixth floors, with 11,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space at ground and basement levels. The Marq project
A new office development in Leicester city centre, located next to two newly constructed hotels and public realm areas, is set for early completion in July 2019. “No.1 Great Central Square is such a key development for Leicester; the site exceeds occupiers demands in terms of office accommodation in a modern
A 1960s tower block in Manchester is to be transformed by Willmott Dixon as part of a £22.5 million residential scheme. The contractor has been appointed by Salix Homes to deliver over 100 affordable homes at the Salford Canon Green Campus development on Canon Green Drive in Trinity. New kitchens,
Two new offices in Leeds and Birmingham have been announced by consulting engineers practice Brentwood, as part of its progressing national growth plans. This follows on from the delivery of new office bases in Manchester last year, and supports the company’s UK growth strategy. “We are delighted to announce our
Rallying against the ongoing economic and political uncertainties the UK faces ahead of our departure from the European Union, office investment volume in Central London in 2018 is expected to come close to £20 billion, according to international real estate advisor Savills. Performance is in line with 2017 activity London
Leading UK construction company Willmott Dixon has strengthened its presence in Sussex with a new office. The firm held an event to celebrate the opening of the Gatwick office, welcoming leaders and representatives from both Crawley and Surrey County Council. The new base expands the company’s presence as it looks to deliver more projects that play a key role in the county’s future. The opening comes shortly after the successful completion of L3 Technologies’ new flight simulator production and training facility on Gatwick Road in Crawley. It was designed to promote an agile, collaborative, project-led working approach, and will accommodate both pre-construction and operations staff, with partners and customers also encouraged to utilise the space. “Willmott Dixon has been well established in the county since 1930 when we built Bailiffscourt at Climping near Littlehampton for Lord Moyne. Since then we’ve grown across Sussex and opening our new Gatwick hub, close to where many of our people live, is a natural evolution,” explained Russell Miller, Willmott Dixon Director for Delivery in Sussex. “Gatwick is a thriving area and has, along with Sussex, a really bright future with many bold and imaginative initiatives to encourage growth and investment. We want to be part of shaping that by basing ourselves in an area close to our partners and customers,” Russell added. The event also saw Chestnut Tree House – the children’s hospice for Sussex –presented with a cheque for £7,104.12 which was raised by the team at Willmott Dixon following a sponsored skydive.
Cladding work to Stephen George + Partners’ £7.3 million office building, now named No1 Great Central Square, at the old Stibbe factory site in Leicester is nearly 90% complete. Part of a £45 million masterplan designed by Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) for Charles Street Buildings Group, No1 Great Central Square is the latest component in the transformation of the 1.89 hectare site into the wider Great Central Square redevelopment, which is set within the Waterside Strategic Regeneration Area. The building will offer up to 33,000sq.ft of Grade A offices whilst the scheme will also feature two new hotels, the refurbishment of the Great Central Railway Station and a new public plaza, all of which are overseen by SGP. Adjacent to the All Saints conservation area and flanked by several listed buildings, the five-storey office’s V-shaped form evolved with the design of SGP’s masterplan. Double storey height curtain walling at ground and high level achieves a critical lightness whilst the twisting roof parapet adds further visual interest to the building, creating an attractive and aspirational place for future tenants to work and do business. The slanting element in the façade was a conscious design decision to reduce the building’s scale in respect of its neighbours, creating street harmony and bringing forward the once neglected Great Central Railway Station. To further emphasise the sleek modern design, joints were kept to a minimum. This was achieved through large cladding panels up to 5m long together with specially constructed 3D pre-formed corner panels. SGP’s meticulous detail is crucial to give a quality edge to the building. Explains Hing Ow, Associate at SGP: “Due to the twisting form and building tolerance, precision is of utmost importance to ensure correct installation can be achieved. Furthermore, there are nearly 250 individual aluminium panels and up to 270 different sizes of ceramic panels used in the building. To avoid errors, we had to use a 3D modelling tool to draw up each panel, so each panel can be precisely cut in the factory and correctly installed on site.” For the cladding, aluminium with a natural muted colour was chosen to give a light contemporary feel that contrasts and highlights the softer finishes of the hotel. On at the bottom level, ceramic panels were specified in a similar colour tone to ground the building, as well as giving a visual connection between No1 Great Central Square and the hotels. Continues Hing: “We worked closely with the client and the contractor through a number of design reviews and cost analysis exercises to uphold the essence of the design while meeting the budget constraints.” Explains Ian Yallop, Chairman at SGP: “The new development is a key piece in the central Leicester jigsaw, transforming a neglected site into a vibrant and engaging destination as well as a safe and welcoming link between the city centre and the City Council’s ambitious Waterside development.” Work started on site in March 2018 and is expected to complete in December 2019. Morgan Sindall is the contractor for the highway works, hotels, and new office building, and the contractor for the refurbishment of the station is Charles Street Buildings (the client’s construction arm).
Reposit, the InsurTech company bringing tenancy deposit alternatives to the forefront of the residential lettings market, has announced its new partnership with Pattinson, the largest independent agency network in the North East of England and its large base of landlord clients. Reposit helps landlords attract new renters by reducing upfront costs, therefore opening up properties to a wider demographic of potential tenants. The pioneering cover protects landlords from those same issues covered by a traditional deposit, such as rent arrears, damages and cleaning costs. According to a 2017 House of Commons briefing study, between 1996 and 2006, the North East area saw an increase in private renting of 212%. This rise in the private rental share of the housing market continues in the area, meaning it is an important area for solutions like Reposit, democratising the rental market for agents, landlords and tenants alike. The InsurTech solution saves money and stress for tenants; its security deposit alternative requires only one week’s rent as a service fee upfront. For Pattinson’s tenants, this would average at £119, compared to £595 in a traditional deposit scheme. The landlord is added to a group insurance policy that is FCA approved and protected by FSCS, demonstrating the care and extensive range of safeguards the modern user expects from financial services and security providers. The tenant remains responsible for any breach of the tenancy agreement and any respective costs at the end, as they are with a traditional deposit. Pattinson is offering Reposit to all new tenants that pass referencing. Rents with the agency range from £275pcm to £2000pcm across the region. Although Reposit might be seen as a solution for the lower end of the renting market, pound for pound, those paying higher rents have more to save upfront, given the higher deposits paid for those properties at the top end of the market, making it an effective option for virtually all renters. With this announcement, Reposit continues its efforts to provide a more cost-effective solution for tenants, whilst driving forward with creating a fair system that offers agents, tenants and landlords an attractive, legal and safe alternative to the traditional systems and processes. Jonathan Parker, Pattinson’s Head of Residential Lettings (MNAEA MARLA) stated: “As a company it is important that we are at the forefront of change and embrace new solutions to existing issues. The 8 weeks of cover for our landlords was a key consideration, especially with traditional monetary deposits being capped at 5 week’s worth of rent come the 1st of June. Reducing move in costs will naturally be an attractive option for tenants when it comes to selecting a property. With FCA regulation and FSCS protection at the heart of Reposit’s product and a similar mindset to client care, our clients have the assurances they need. We are pleased to offer Reposit as an optional alternative to the traditional monetary deposit, therefore providing potential tenants with an informed choice over what route suits their circumstances best.” Jude Greer, CEO, Reposit said: “It is great to partner with another major residential lettings agency. Pattinson has an amazing agency network across the North East. We are proud to be able to extend our offering to the North East. We have been impressed with the attention to detail driven approach of Jonathan and the team at Pattinson when it came to selecting us as a partner. We look forward to working with them for many years to come.” Reposit offers market leading cover of eight weeks rent and the InsurTech firm makes sure that any fees owed to the landlords are paid quickly prior to handling the collection of any owed money from the tenant via its platform.
Godwin Group, the UK property development investment firm, has expanded its network with a new office in London. The company, which has recently announced a number of new high profile appointments, already has existing bases in Nottingham and Birmingham. “As a leading international financial centre, London is a key location for Godwin Capital to enhance its corporate profile, provide expansion opportunities and access to one of the world’s deepest pools of capital,” said Andrew Mitchell, group investment director of Godwin Group. “The build-to-rent (BTR) sector continues to grow apace; operators are looking to take advantage of improved yields and a wider selection of sites across the UK as infrastructures improve and lower land prices make development lucrative. Many of the key players in this market are based out of head offices in London. Godwin Group’s new London office is strategically located to provide this vital link, local contact and expertise for its regional businesses,” Andrew added. The new London office provides a new base of operations for both arms of the business, Godwin Developments and Godwin Capital. “Godwin Group has seen huge growth over the past months. Our new London office will allow us to accommodate further expansion plans and look to reach new markets in our key sectors. These are exciting times for Godwin Group and we are looking forward to expanding our network even further with the opening of our London office,” commented Stephen Pratt, group land director of Godwin Group. Godwin’s recent successes include a proposed new BTR scheme of 201 apartments at The Landmark development in Derby, Godwin Capital’s launch of innovative new investment products and the launch of the group’s BTR brand called Core Living – which plans to build up to 2,500 new homes over the next four years.
GODWIN Group, the UK-based property development and investment company, has continued its growth, recently opening a London office to add to its existing bases in Nottingham and Birmingham. The new London outpost, based in the heart of the capital in prestigious Mayfair, provides a new base of operations for both arms of the business, Godwin Developments and Godwin Capital. Godwin is already creating links to Greater London, the South East and South West of the UK and further expanding the geographical scope of Godwin Developments’ commercial and residential portfolios. The new location will also provide important access to London’s financial network and wealth-raising opportunities for Godwin Capital, the investment arm of the business. Andrew Mitchell, group investment director of Godwin Group, said: “As a leading international financial centre, London is a key location for Godwin Capital to enhance its corporate profile, provide expansion opportunities and access to one of the world’s deepest pools of capital. “The build-to-rent (BTR) sector continues to grow apace; operators are looking to take advantage of improved yields and a wider selection of sites across the UK as infrastructures improve and lower land prices make development lucrative. “Many of the key players in this market are based out of head offices in London. Godwin Group’s new London office is strategically located to provide this vital link, local contact and expertise for its regional businesses.” The London office launch comes after a number of high-profile new hires at Godwin Group. Staff numbers have increased by 60% as the firm’s growing number of regional projects has expanded. Recent successes include planning approval for Godwin’s proposed new BTR scheme of 201 apartments at The Landmark development in Derby, Godwin Capital’s launch of innovative new investment products and the launch of the group’s BTR brand called Core Living – which plans to build up to 2,500 new homes over the next four years. Stephen Pratt, group land director of Godwin Group, said: “Godwin Group has seen huge growth over the past months. Our new London office will allow us to accommodate further expansion plans and look to reach new markets in our key sectors. “These are exciting times for Godwin Group and we are looking forward to expanding our network even further with the opening of our London office.” Visit Godwin Group on https://www.godwingroup.co.uk/
London’s St James’s district benefits from new office, retail and restaurant space with the completion of a multi-use development. 35,000 sq ft of office space was delivered over the first to sixth floors, with 11,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space at ground and basement levels. The Marq project has been completed by Skanska for its client The Crown Estate. “Handing this project over on time, within budget and to such a high standard is a fantastic achievement. Working together with all of our stakeholders has created a strong working ethic that has delivered our customer’s requirements and it’s a building that they can be proud of,” said Richard Kirkpatrick, Project Director. The development features three pieces of bespoke artwork by Jacqueline Poncelet, with two external elements – splay corner and gates – being complemented by an interior wall-based artwork. Moreover, the building is on target to achieve a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating for the office space and a WELL Building Core and Shell Gold certification. On this project Skanska was also supported by Rolfe Judd (architects), Waterman Group (structural engineers) and Watkins Payne Partnership (services engineers). “This has been a complex project at a busy location with several constraints on the site. It has been an exciting project for us, involving creative engineering in close proximity to nearby buildings and busy streets. The structural works have gone very smoothly thanks to close collaboration between all parties. The project is a great credit to all involved,” commented Richard Whitehead, Board Director of Structures at Waterman.
A new office development in Leicester city centre, located next to two newly constructed hotels and public realm areas, is set for early completion in July 2019. “No.1 Great Central Square is such a key development for Leicester; the site exceeds occupiers demands in terms of office accommodation in a modern thriving city centre. Construction is ahead of schedule and the completion date has moved forward. This is great news given the overwhelmingly positive response and strong interest from potential occupiers received to date. Interested parties are reacting to the clear advantages this location offers, not to mention the fantastic facilities and working environment offered,” said Reg Pollock from property consultants APB Leicester LLP. “Great Central Square is a significant regeneration scheme so it’s no surprise that people are keen to be a part of it. Its completion will create a gateway between the city and the waterside, tenants will benefit from the nearby Highcross shopping centre and fantastic transport links to the rail station, motorway network, and nearby airports,” Reg Pollock added. As well as offering up to 33,000 sq ft of Grade A offices, the Great Central Square mixed-use development will also see the listed Great Central Railway Station brought back to its former glory and converted into retail/leisure space. “It’s great to see speculative development within Leicester City Centre reflecting the confidence our clients Charles Street Buildings have in the market. No.1 Great Central raises the bar in terms of specification and design of offices delivered in Leicester to date and, when combined with the high-profile city centre location, really does offer office occupiers looking for space within the Leicester market something quite special,” commented James Keeton of joint agents JLL.
A 1960s tower block in Manchester is to be transformed by Willmott Dixon as part of a £22.5 million residential scheme. The contractor has been appointed by Salix Homes to deliver over 100 affordable homes at the Salford Canon Green Campus development on Canon Green Drive in Trinity. New kitchens, bathrooms, heating systems, sprinkler systems and exterior re-facing and insulation will be included in the Canon Green Court tower block’s redevelopment plans. A new 11-storey apartment block within the grounds of the site, as well as complete external works on the neighbouring Westminster House apartment block will also be delivered by Willmott Dixon. “The start of work on our Canon Green Campus development marks a pivotal moment for Salix Homes and for Salford, and we look forward to seeing work progress on site over the next two years. This is the largest affordable housing development in the area and we are confident that this ambitious scheme will make a valuable contribution to delivering the high quality, affordable homes that Salford desperately needs. Canon Green Court is an iconic building on the city’s skyline, but it has suffered from lack of investment over the years. We are proud that we can now deliver on our promise to the existing residents to refurbish their homes and create modern apartments fit for the future,” said Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes. This project adds to Willmott Dixon’s success in Greater Manchester, with recent schemes delivered in Wythenshawe and Old Trafford. “With our track-record for creating new homes in Manchester, we’re proud to be working alongside Salix Homes on what is a much-needed, exciting and transformational investment for the Salford community. Together, we share a commitment to leaving a lasting legacy for existing and future residents who will continue to play a central role in shaping these plans,” added Anthony Dillon, managing director of Willmott Dixon in the North.
Two new offices in Leeds and Birmingham have been announced by consulting engineers practice Brentwood, as part of its progressing national growth plans. This follows on from the delivery of new office bases in Manchester last year, and supports the company’s UK growth strategy. “We are delighted to announce our expansion into Leeds and Birmingham. With a presence now in the three core business cities outside of London we can provide more physical connectivity with our local markets and indeed nationally. With this physical growth we are also expanding our team and capabilities having recently announced new principal specialists in lighting and building physics,” said Mark Johnson, Director at Brentwood. An ambitious three-year strategy has been set out by Brentwood, who aims to achieve 50% annual growth in both team members and turnover. It is currently on target to achieve an 80% increase in just one year as it works towards year end in March 2019. “Mechanical, electrical and public health design services are at the heart of buildings, providing sustainable, controllable and appropriate environments. As a single disciplinary consulting practice, we are gearing the business to be better placed for market growth and our longer-term business plan is to increase our UK and international presence,” added Mark Johnson. The new offices will be located in the Grade I-listed Leeming Building in Leeds city centre and the Historic Alpha Building in Birmingham City Centre. Brentwood provide Mechanical, Electrical & Public Health (MEP) design services, including low and zero carbon solutions. Working across all sectors of the construction industry, the company provides leading expertise at all stages of the project, from inception through to commissioning and post occupancy. All projects are undertaken in accordance with the company’s mandatory QA procedures which are certified to ISO 9001:2008.
Rallying against the ongoing economic and political uncertainties the UK faces ahead of our departure from the European Union, office investment volume in Central London in 2018 is expected to come close to £20 billion, according to international real estate advisor Savills. Performance is in line with 2017 activity London has witnessed notably above average levels of office take-up in 2018, Savills explains, and achieved the best ever City of London rent (£80 per sq ft). The list of global businesses committing to long term leases has continued to grow with announcements in the last 12 months from Facebook, LinkedIn and Sidley Austin amongst others. The constrained development pipeline has seen more office pre-lets over 50,000 sq ft agreed in 2018 than ever before and of late, Savills says, the shortage of available Grade A options has matured into a greater number of value add/ development opportunities trading. This has seen the return of UK REITS to the market, now the second biggest investor group in the City, and established global investors such as Brookfield and Tishman Speyer. Stephen Down, head of Central London investment at Savills, comments: “Commercial property investment volumes in London have exceeded expectation since the EU referendum as the city has remained the leading destination for global capital. Asian investors lead the way, and the pool of investor appetite has continued to spread to other parts of Asia, most notably in 2018 to South Korea (Savills advised on five of the nine deals to complete to South Korean investors in London in 2018), and elsewhere. The return of UK buyers and the appetite from global developers for London has enriched the argument that there is no better city to invest in the world today.” Savills says the level of demand for London offices offers investors liquidity in the ability to buy and sell assets when other property sectors, such as retail, are struggling. Compared to Tier One cities in mainland Europe London also appears good value with prime yields in the City (4.0%) and West End (3.25%) considerably softer than other European tier one cities (Berlin 2.9%, Munich 2.9%, Frankfurt 3.0%, Hamburg 3.0% and Paris 3.0%). Savills believes a greater number of value-add and development opportunities coming to the market and trading in London will insure the ongoing creation of the world’s best office buildings in a city where people will continue to want to work. This in turn creates new investment opportunities for global investors searching for prime assets. Rasheed Hassan, head of the cross border investment team at Savills comments: “ There is appetite from across the globe for London. Looking ahead, the correlation between the UK’s yields, currency and interest rates will remain a key driver to London’s investment market. Given where sterling is today we are seeing increased enquiries from our private investor clients in particular, who seem poised to invest in 2019. We believe that once there is more clarity on the direction of Brexit there will be more activity from many and would highlight there being a particular pent up demand from mainland European investors, who have been cautious. We are seeing demand for assets across the risk spectrum from core income to development projects.” Savills concludes that while we continue to operate in uncertain times the full health of London’s offices market should be able to absorb most shocks felt in the run up to Brexit and thereafter.