Cushman & Wakefield has launched Indego, a new white label service for office landlords and investors looking to create bespoke flexible workspaces in the UK. Indego is a customisable service that encompasses design & build, marketing, sales and on-site operations offered under a management agreement with Cushman & Wakefield. The
Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has been appointed as a partner for the Pagabo Major Works Framework, which is due to launch this week on 19 April. In its second iteration, the Major Works Framework is open to all public and private sector organisations and will see the delivery of projects
Construction work on the huge new tower in the city centre is continuing despite the coronavirus lockdown Work on the soon-to-be tallest building in Newcastle is continuing despite the Covid-19 outbreak. The Hadrian’s Tower development, a 27-storey tower which looms over the city centre, is due to be completed later this
GMI Construction Group has today announced that it has secured projects valued at in excess of £95 million across the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands. The projects awarded to GMI by a combination of new and existing clients come from across a range of high profile industrial/warehouse, retail, office
Construction work on the long-awaited Tower Gardens Pavilion is now complete, bringing new inclusive community facilities to Skegness. Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson delivered the design and construction of the building via the Scape Regional Construction framework, for Skegness Town Council. Works to transform the disused site began in May
A tenant has been found for a roadside site currently in development in Rushden. Godwin Developments reached a deal with British based retailer Euro Garages Limited as their tenant for the site. The companies have since worked together to amend the design to be sympathetic with the planners and councillors’
Leading UK contractor GRAHAM has begun work on the €9.3 million revamp of Ireland’s largest retail development, Blanchardstown Centre. This project will see the centre welcome eight new stores and unveil a modern, reimagined space upon completion in November 2020. GRAHAM was appointed to take on the ambitious project by
The new iteration of the former Galliford Try Partnerships has landed its first contract. Now known as Vistry Partnerships following its acquisition from Vistry Group, the business has won a contract for a £66 million project at the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark. This will see the company build new high
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire-based construction firm Hobson & Porter has completed the £12 million construction of the Aura Innovation Centre at the Bridgehead Business Park in Hessle, East Yorkshire. The centre will deliver ground-breaking low-carbon projects and accelerate new ideas by bringing together experts at the University of Hull with businesses
Everton Football Club will submit its planning application for a state-of-the-art, 52-000-seater stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, within Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters development, on Monday, December 23, the Club has revealed. In a blog post today (December 13) updating fans on progress with the People’s Project, Stadium Development Director Colin Chong
Cushman & Wakefield has launched Indego, a new white label service for office landlords and investors looking to create bespoke flexible workspaces in the UK. Indego is a customisable service that encompasses design & build, marketing, sales and on-site operations offered under a management agreement with Cushman & Wakefield. The proposition is new for the office market but follows principles which are already well established in the hotel industry. It will meet the demand from office owners to create a flexible workspace solution without operational complexities. “Indego enables our clients to meet the rapidly growing demand for flexible workspace and the improved returns it offers – on their terms.” – Emma Swinnerton Head of Flexible Workspace EMEA, Cushman & Wakefield Indego lead Indego is led by flexible office sector expert, Emma Swinnerton, who joined Cushman & Wakefield in April 2018 to provide strategic advice to operators, landlords, investors and new entrants on how to respond to the changing dynamics of the flexible office market. Prior to this position, Swinnerton held the role of Global Commercial Director for Spaces & New Formats at serviced office giant, Regus. Swinnerton said: “Cushman & Wakefield has been at the forefront of the evolving office market for many years and our investment in Indego demonstrates where we believe this exciting sector is heading next.”
Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has been appointed as a partner for the Pagabo Major Works Framework, which is due to launch this week on 19 April. In its second iteration, the Major Works Framework is open to all public and private sector organisations and will see the delivery of projects in sectors such as education, healthcare, government and leisure. 28 contractors have been appointed to the framework to deliver projects starting from £5million across the UK. G F Tomlinson has been assigned to deliver projects from £5million to £15million across the East and West Midlands and is one of only four SME’s chosen for the framework – as part of Pagabo’s ongoing commitment to supporting SMEs and ensuring access to major projects. In order to be successful, G F Tomlinson’s bid demonstrated strong finances, relevant experience and echoed Pagabo’s passion for social value, supporting SMEs and innovative technology. Ability to provide value for money for clients through quality, timely and on-budget delivery and solid supply chain management was also assessed and rated at the highest standard. G F Tomlinson is also partnered with Pagabo through three other frameworks – the National Framework for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions, the Dynamic Purchasing System for Small Works and the National Framework for Medium Construction Works. Most recently, the contractor delivered the £1.2million Thythorn Hill Community and Sports Centre for Oadby and Wigston Borough Council under Pagabo’s Dynamic Purchasing System framework. Carl Wiltshire, Pagabo Framework Lead at G F Tomlinson said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to the Major Works Framework, our fourth framework agreement with Pagabo and we look forward to working on significant projects in the years to come. “Now, more than ever, it is important that public sector procurement is efficient in bringing together contractors and clients to deliver projects which provide vital services in the region. Pagabo offer clients EU/UK compliant framework agreements to make public sector procurement quicker, simpler and more effective. With our experienced management team, commitment to high-quality project delivery and provision of social, economic, environmental and sustainable benefits for local communities, we are ideally placed to serve public sector clients across the Midlands region on projects between £5million and £15million. “G F Tomlinson has delivered in excess of £500million projects through public sector frameworks to date and we embrace the opportunities this provides in leaving a positive legacy in our local communities. We are looking forward to building on these achievements in the East and West Midlands through this framework to increase the community benefits we provide.” The Pagabo frameworks provide simplicity, transparency, flexibility, support and stability, supporting the public sector to achieve value for money and added social value for local communities. Simon Toplass, chief executive at Pagabo, said: “We were delighted by the quality of the responses to tender last year, and we’re really excited to see the second iteration of our Major Works framework going live. The first iteration of this framework saw the delivery of £833m worth of construction projects for the public sector in 2019 alone, and to date we have enabled the delivery of more than £2.6 billion of social value through works procured via our frameworks. “We’ve made it our mission to simplify procurement process with technology and innovation, and we place social value at the heart of everything we do. We truly believe the framework’s success is down to our customer-focused approach – and we’re pleased to see that this is something that G F Tomlinson has recognised and responded to. We’re looking forward to working with the team over the coming years.”
Construction work on the huge new tower in the city centre is continuing despite the coronavirus lockdown Work on the soon-to-be tallest building in Newcastle is continuing despite the Covid-19 outbreak. The Hadrian’s Tower development, a 27-storey tower which looms over the city centre, is due to be completed later this year. Restrictions on construction projects were not included in Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s stark address to the nation last Monday evening announcing the lockdown. Halting work on Hadrian’s Tower would mean an unfinished skyscraper on the city’s skyline which could become a poignant image of a North East stopped in its tracks by the global pandemic. The firm carrying out the building work – Tolent – have confirmed that work is continuing for now but conceded that could change. A spokesperson for Tolent said: “The health and wellbeing of our colleagues and supply chain partners continue to be our number one priority throughout this highly dynamic situation. “All welfare procedures and systems on sites that remain open are fully compliant with the guidelines issued by the Government via the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, to ensure that all teams can and are adhering to the 2m social distancing rule. “We continue to monitor the situation diligently and will adapt accordingly to any subsequent advice from the Government.’
GMI Construction Group has today announced that it has secured projects valued at in excess of £95 million across the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands. The projects awarded to GMI by a combination of new and existing clients come from across a range of high profile industrial/warehouse, retail, office and hotel scheme developments which include: Plot A, Goole 36. A new 238,710 sq. ft. warehouse/industrial unit for new customer Tritax Symmetry pre-let to Croda Europe Ltd. Kirkby Retail Development. A new 94,000 sq. ft. retail park development featuring a new 42,000 sq. ft Morrisons Store and Petrol Station for long standing customer St Modwen. Booths Park, Knutsford. A new two storey 70,676 sq. ft. office building development for repeat customer Bruntwood in Cheshire with the end occupier being Portswigger Web Security. Hampton by Hilton York. A new 143-bedroom hotel in the heart of York City Centre awarded by Avantis Hotels and with a value of £25 million. Harrier Park, Hucknall. A new 195,840 sq. ft. UK headquarters for leading educational resource supplier RM Educational Resources on behalf of Muse Developments and Rolls-Royce within the heart of a 70-acre mixed use site in Hucknall. Park Lane, Leeds. A 188-bed student accommodation scheme on Park Lane, Leeds for Waypoint with a project value of £20 million Speaking about the announcement, Andy Bruce, GMI’s Group Managing Director said: “2019 was a record-breaking year for GMI in all aspects but particularly in terms of new client wins, expansion into new sectors and the growth of our order book. To open things up in the same fashion so early into 2020 is a very encouraging sign, a solid endorsement of our credentials and a strong indication of further growth to come this year. It’s also very encouraging to see GMI securing such high-quality repeat business from several of its most valued and long-standing customers together with picking up new project instructions from new customers including some of the market’s biggest operators. We will continue to strengthen our offering in the sectors we are strongest in together with our unswerving commitment to the highest levels of customer service, quality and innovation. Our expanding divisional operations in the Midlands, North West, Yorkshire and the North East continue to reap strong rewards and fully justify our commitments to grow our capacity in those areas in the face of strong demand” Andy Bruce is GMI’s Group Managing Director responsible for the day to day running of the business and expansion into the Midlands. GMI’s Manchester Office is presided over by Marc Banks in the role of Divisional Managing Director. Marc has worked on many of GMI’s prestigious projects, developing relationships with a number of clients and securing repeat business. GMI’s Yorkshire/North East Office is led by Lee Powell also as Divisional Managing Director. Lee brings 25 years’ service in the construction industry, with a wealth of experience across all industry sectors and a background based in a regional contracting
Construction work on the long-awaited Tower Gardens Pavilion is now complete, bringing new inclusive community facilities to Skegness. Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson delivered the design and construction of the building via the Scape Regional Construction framework, for Skegness Town Council. Works to transform the disused site began in May 2019 following the demolition of the existing Tower Gardens Pavilion, most recently occupied as the Inn on the Park public house – which closed in 2007. The original pavilion dates back to 1879, and historically provided the town’s largest dance, party and concert accommodation. Now a mixed-use community building, the development features a multi-purpose function room and event space, a changing places hygiene suite, Council offices and a café. The new facilities will be enjoyed by the local community and tourists alike – as part of the Council’s ambition to transform Skegness into an inclusive environment and workplace, as well as a vibrant place to visit. The £1.6million project led by Skegness Town Council has been supported by the community who have been involved throughout the project. This included the design and naming process, which was chosen by a local resident thanks to a competition organised by the Council. A 100-year time capsule containing modern-day items also lies at the site, provided by G F Tomlinson and buried by local school children during the build. The Council offices will open in the Tower Gardens Pavilion in April, following the setup of the community Café – Café Dansant, which is expected to open to the general public in May. The name ‘Café Dansant’ dates back to the 1920s and has a known history in Skegness, having originally been a café on Tower Esplanade. The name was chosen following a suggestion by a member of the public who presented an interest in its historic origins. Skegness Town Council is currently looking to recruit a café manager and over the coming months will be working to deliver the Council’s Café Business Plan, develop menus, build the café team and develop community engagement. The café will be an intrinsic part of the new Pavilion and gardens, with revenue helping to offset the costs of the new building and maintain the gardens for all to enjoy. Craig Stopper, framework construction manager at G F Tomlinson, said: “We’re thrilled that works on the Tower Gardens Pavilion are now complete, giving a once neglected space in the heart of Skegness a revival. “Throughout the project, we have seen a positive response from the community who have played a huge part in bringing the site back to life. Now complete, we hope it will provide an enjoyable and inclusive space for both local residents and visitors to the seaside town.” Town clerk Steve Larner said: “It is so exciting to actually have the building and know the Council’s plans are coming to life. For us though, it is where the hard work begins as we have to turn plans and visions into reality. This building is simply a fantastic resource for the community, with the café and hall looking amazing. Everyone here is thrilled to be taking this forward and can’t wait to get the building open later this year.” Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, said: “The way we use public spaces has significantly changed in the recent past. By replacing the derelict Tower Gardens Pavilion, Skegness Town Council is creating a community space that will meet the needs of many and bring investment to the local area. By procuring through the Scape framework the project was effectively delivered with speed, efficiency and socio-economics at its heart.” G F Tomlinson delivered the Tower Gardens Pavilion project alongside Gleeds and Core Architects.
A tenant has been found for a roadside site currently in development in Rushden. Godwin Developments reached a deal with British based retailer Euro Garages Limited as their tenant for the site. The companies have since worked together to amend the design to be sympathetic with the planners and councillors’ aspirations. The updated reserved matters application was submitted to the council in mid-December 2019. These plans will see a new Euro Garages petrol filling station and complimentary coffee operator drive-thru constructed on the site located adjacent to the A6 roundabout on John Clark Way. Matt Chandler, associate director at Godwin Group said: “We are pleased to have secured Euro Garages Limited as our end occupier for our site in Rushden. “Godwin Developments, in conjunction with Euro Garages Limited have worked closely with the council to create a scheme which will complement the surrounding area, whilst also delivering a quality commercial offering. This project is an exciting expansion to Godwin Developments’ growing portfolio in the roadside sector.” Tom Jeremiah, group planning director at Euro Garages Limited added: “We are excited to be working alongside Godwin Developments for the development of this site. Given the deficiency of roadside facilities in this location, we know there is strong demand for such in this area and our proposals will act to fill this gap in the market. Our scheme provides for a bespoke designed petrol filling station and drive-thru coffee shop, which will give motorists a place to rest and relax before continuing their onward journey. “In addition, the development will create employment opportunities to which Euro Garages Limited are committed to resourcing from the local area. Most of our customers are taken from passing traffic but the facilities will also be available to residents, who may like to use our services to purchase small top-up shops or enjoy a coffee.”
Leading UK contractor GRAHAM has begun work on the €9.3 million revamp of Ireland’s largest retail development, Blanchardstown Centre. This project will see the centre welcome eight new stores and unveil a modern, reimagined space upon completion in November 2020. GRAHAM was appointed to take on the ambitious project by Multi Ireland Ltd, which manages the centre for Blackstone who acquired the Dublin outlet in 2016. Over 65 GRAHAM employees and subcontractors will be working on the project. It will help elevate the layout of the centre, which welcomes 16 million shoppers annually, by replacing and upgrading floor finishes, improving accessibility and utilising formerly unused space. The scheme aims to enhance the internal appearance and functioning of the existing mall areas which cover some 1,100,000 sq ft or retail space with a further 200,000 sq ft of leisure space occupied by cinemas, a theatre and arts centre as well as Ireland’s largest public library. Blanchardstown, which sits on the outskirts of Dublin, will continue trading as normal while works are ongoing. GRAHAM Contracts Director Neill Gillespie said: “The GRAHAM team are pleased that Multi Ireland has trusted us to be their delivery partner for this project. Given our recent experience in shopping centre refurbishments of this scale we are confident we have the right team to overcome the challenges this type of project bring and successfully deliver a project everyone will be proud of, handing over a modernised shopping and leisure environment that will benefit both the tenants and visitors of Blanchardstown Centre.” The contract for Blanchardstown follows on from GRAHAM’s newest retail agreement with Primark to revamp four of its UK stores in a £25m deal. Mr Gillespie continued: “We will be bringing Blanchardstown into the new generation of retail and conclude with a space that provides a more streamlined, modern shopping experience. “This will include new floors at level one and two, replacement of bulkheads and shopfronts and revised signage as well as the replacement of internal suspended ceilings at level one. There will also be alterations made to the central mall area with travellators replaced with escalators and two lifts, the removal of a water feature and the addition of a children’s play area. “To deliver this project over 52 weeks we will work alongside Lafferty architects and project managers, KSN surveyors, ARUP and Ethos Engineering to ensure work is delivered on time and with the expertise needed to reimagine a retail environment as we know it.” When complete Blanchardstown, which counts Dunnes Stores, M&S, Debenhams and Penny’s among its anchor tenants will welcome JD Sports, ALDI and other top name retailers to the centre.
The new iteration of the former Galliford Try Partnerships has landed its first contract. Now known as Vistry Partnerships following its acquisition from Vistry Group, the business has won a contract for a £66 million project at the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark. This will see the company build new high quality community spaces in the area, including a brand new public library, health and early years’ facilities plus commercial space as well as more than 120 new homes for rent. A new civic square has been designed to serve as a central hub for the neighbourhood, with improved public space and a water feature acting as its centrepiece. Notting Hill Genesis has appointed Vistry Partnerships to deliver the project, with work expected to begin in early 2020. Ken Baikie, interim director of regeneration (Aylesbury Estate) for Notting Hill Genesis, said: “We are pleased to appoint Vistry Partnerships to build the new homes and community facilities on Plot 18, the next phase of the Aylesbury regeneration to be built. Their experience and high standards will help to ensure that this neighbourhood hub will be a real asset for the community.” Ray Toft, managing director for Vistry Partnerships, London, added: “Our business has an excellent track record in delivering mixed-use regeneration schemes, combining the delivery of high quality community facilities, alongside much needed affordable housing throughout London, and we are delighted that Notting Hill Genesis has entrusted us, once again, with delivering this next phase of construction works at their site within the Aylesbury Estate. “We look forward to working with both Notting Hill Genesis and their partner Southwark Council to support the ongoing regeneration within this area.”
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire-based construction firm Hobson & Porter has completed the £12 million construction of the Aura Innovation Centre at the Bridgehead Business Park in Hessle, East Yorkshire. The centre will deliver ground-breaking low-carbon projects and accelerate new ideas by bringing together experts at the University of Hull with businesses in the Humber region and beyond. The aim is to provide a ‘front door’ for the university, giving businesses easy access to advanced facilities, specialist funded support and a space to innovate and collaborate with academic and industry experts. Despite not being officially launched until early next year, the university’s Programme Manager Sarah Clark says there’s been a lot of interest in the building. She said: “As the global economy shifts towards a low-carbon future, the green energy transition opens up a myriad of challenges and opportunities for businesses of all shapes and sizes. “More than 200 dynamic, high growth businesses have already engaged with the Aura Innovation Centre to find out how the University of Hull and Aura can help them accelerate their sustainable innovation projects. “13 funded projects are currently live and are being delivered with colleagues across the University of Hull, with over 26 more in the pipeline before the centre has even opened.” From the very outset of the project, Hobson & Porter and University of Hull set out to create a sustainable building, which exceeds environmentally-friendly standards. The centre has already been recognised for its excellence in sustainability. It is positioned within the top 10% of sustainable UK new non-domestic buildings, thanks to its clever design, and construction, sustainable materials sourced and local supply chain used where possible – achieving an ‘excellent’ standard in BREEAM, the world’s leading sustainability assessment for buildings. The AIC was also awarded an A-rated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of 18, considerably higher than most new buildings of a similar scale (which would expect to achieve a rating of 31). The ten-month project is the latest in Hobson & Porter’s growing portfolio in the renewables sector. In the last five years the firm has seen a total revenue from the sector totalling more than £22 million. This also includes: New onshore operations base and warehouses for Ørsted to service its Westermost Rough Wind Farm. The creation of the East Coast Hub – the UK’s largest offshore wind operations and maintenance facility. Richard Hunter, managing director for Hobson & Porter, said: “We’re delighted to have completed the construction of the Aura Innovation Centre, which will play a huge role in strengthening the region’s reputation as a leader in offshore wind innovation, bringing together the major players in the industry. “The construction has gone very well, with our team completing the project on time, on budget and to an extremely high standard. “It’s been a real team effort and down to the hard work of everyone involved – from the onsite team, planners, the consultants and the supply chain partners who supported the project. This building will have a really positive impact, not just on this area, but nationally, so we are proud to have played our part in it.” Whilst carrying out the construction work, Hobson & Porter also made time to engage with local school children. Pupils from All Saints’ CE Federation in Hessle were taken around the site, with students also designing posters which were put up around the Aura. Staff also went into schools to teach them about the work and the construction industry. Mr Hunter said: “We’ve really enjoyed engaging with local school children. They are our future and it hasn’t just taught them about the construction industry, but also about the renewables’ sector.”
Everton Football Club will submit its planning application for a state-of-the-art, 52-000-seater stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, within Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters development, on Monday, December 23, the Club has revealed. In a blog post today (December 13) updating fans on progress with the People’s Project, Stadium Development Director Colin Chong thanks the public for their contribution to the consultation process and confirms the date on which its detailed application will be formally lodged with Liverpool City Council. Combined with Everton’s plans for a community-led legacy project at Goodison Park, the transformational proposals have the potential to deliver a £1bn boost to the city’s economy, create up to 15,000 new jobs and deliver £237m of additional societal value. The stadium plans will be followed by a separate outline planning application for Goodison Park, with the intention for both applications to be determined by Liverpool City Council at the same time. The planning milestone follows more than two years of consultation with the general public, city stakeholders and fans, which has revealed widespread support for the proposals. Writing in the blog post, Colin Chong, Stadium Development Director at Everton Football Club, said: “I’m pleased to confirm that our detailed planning application for a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock will be submitted on Monday 23 December. “Working alongside our design consultants, we have analysed the feedback to enhance the concepts we’ve already shared for the look, feel and layout of a stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, including our plans to not only preserve but to also celebrate the site’s heritage. “It is a case of evolution rather than any major changes to the design presented during the second stage consultation. The results of that consultation made it clear Dan Meis’ design was incredibly well received. The elements that the feedback told us people really loved about the design – the use of brick, the steepness of the stands, the respect to the area’s heritage and nod to Archibald Leitch’s architecture in the brickwork as well as the blending of new and old – will all be present within our final proposals.” The blog also provides more details of the technical assessments which have gone into the final proposals. These have included using fluid dynamics software to map how fans, staff and visitors will move around the stadium, Fan Plaza and public areas, and detailed studies of the acoustics at Goodison Park, which have been used to help create a “sense of intimacy in a larger space” and to “maximise the atmosphere” within new stadium. The Club has confirmed it will be releasing new images of the final designs, as well as updating its app and flythrough video, on evertonfc.com and peoples-project.co.uk from the afternoon of Monday, December 23. In November, the Club revealed the results of its record-breaking public consultation for the People’s Project, which generated more than 63,000 responses across two stages of public engagement. Analysis of the data revealed that 96 per cent of the 43,039 respondents to the second stage of consultation wanted The People’s Project to continue, and that eight out of 10 non-Evertonians also support the progression of the plans. In what is believed to be the largest commercial public consultation in Liverpool’s history, the results showed near universal support (98 per cent) for Dan Meis’ design of the Club’s 52,000-seater stadium, which will form part of Peel L&P’s £5.5bn Liverpool Waters development, and 92 per cent support for Everton’s outline design for the redevelopment of Goodison Park. The Club’s first stage public consultation, carried out in November and December 2018, was also met with overwhelming support with 94 per cent of the 20,168 respondents backing the principle of a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock and 95 per cent supporting Everton’s plans for a community-led regeneration at Goodison Park. To be kept up to date with activity on the project, please visit the campaign website www.peoples-project.co.uk or follow The People’s Project social media channels.