IMPORTANT plans for the future supply of homes in Edinburgh have been given the go-ahead by Councillors at a hearing on the 22 MAY 2019. The 655-home development at Cammo Estate is a consortium project by CALA Homes and David Wilson Homes and includes 164 much-needed affordable homes. The development
The Government has announced today that it has committed an additional £6m to the community led housing sector, supplementing the £163m Community Housing Fund which was launched last year. Hundreds of community-run housing organisations will benefit from this brand new Government-funded community led housing programme which will provide funding, training
Manchester City Council joined UK construction union Unite’s Construction Charter and now they have announced a new partnership. Both institutions will work together to stand up for the city’s construction workers and outlaw poor construction practices on building projects under its control. “By signing up to Unite’s Construction Charter, Manchester
External Wall Insulation (EWI) by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified for the thermal and aesthetic upgrade of Weir properties owned by East Ayrshire District Council. The webertherm XM EWI system is being applied in a two-phase programme of over 350 homes, a mix of tenancy and owner occupancy. Phase one
LIVERPOOL City Council has appointed a fab team to produce a landmark vision and investment strategy for the epicentre of Liverpool’s musical heritage. A team led by P-IE (Planit Intelligent Environments) has been chosen to deliver a Spatial Regeneration Framework (SRF) for the area around Mathew Street – home of
The Government has announced a new plan to tackle homelessness with the help of Totally Modular. The number of people sleeping rough in the UK has risen every year for the last seven years and now stands at over 4,500 each night, with many more individuals and families in hotel
A group of highly influential Kent Ambassadors visited Ashford to find out about the dynamic developments that Ashford Borough Council (ABC) and its partners have been taking forward within the borough over the last few years, and the exciting plans for the future. As a finalist in this year’s Local
A multi-million pound plan to revamp a Shoreham yacht club and open up the riverside to the public has been backed by Adur District Council. Sussex Yacht Club (SYC) applied for permission to create a new premises in Brighton Road. The project will see the riverside opened up to the
David Pratt has been appointed as Building Control Manager of Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP). He brings nearly 30 years of experience to the role, having previously held building inspector roles at Chesterfield Borough Council and most recently Mansfield District Council. David is the latest new appointment for DBCP which
Plans have been submitted by Rushbond, the property development company, for a new ‘garden village’ scheme, comprising 126 new and converted homes. The plans will see the transformation of a historic mill complex in West Leeds. Stonebridge Mills is one of a few mill complexes in Leeds that are considered
IMPORTANT plans for the future supply of homes in Edinburgh have been given the go-ahead by Councillors at a hearing on the 22 MAY 2019. The 655-home development at Cammo Estate is a consortium project by CALA Homes and David Wilson Homes and includes 164 much-needed affordable homes. The development will provide a unique mix of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, terraced homes, colonies as well as detached family homes. A spokesperson on behalf of the consortium, said: “We must thank the local community first and foremost for engaging with us throughout, helping us to shape the final proposals which have evolved over the past two years. “We fully understand how important the junctions at Maybury and Barnton are and traffic was a key concern for many people at the outset. “We feel the improvements made through Planning Gain contributions will benefit the wider community and those commuting in or out the city. “Following yesterday’s decision our focus now turns to assisting the City of Edinburgh Council to ensure a timely delivery of these improvements” A key component of the site is the extent of publicly accessible green space – which totals over a third of the entire development and includes linear parks, a seven-hectare park, and over 700 new specimen trees. In addition, a half kilometre 20-metre wide green corridor at Maybury Avenue will feature a much-needed cycle and footpath detached from Maybury Road. Further improvements to the walking and cycling network will be made from Planning Gain contributions the developments will make. In line with the Local Development Plan these routes will connect to the land at West Craigs, and as part of that development connect onwards to the Gyle and Edinburgh Park. The spokesperson added: “At the heart of the design solution has been the delivery of an outstanding landscape environment along with significant investment to improve public transport, education and health care and the delivery of an excellent pedestrian and cycle network. “Within the development site we will deliver new bus infrastructure in addition to making contributions to public transport connections to the site. “In addition, there is an exceptionally wide range of homes that will help to ease the supply shortfall that features throughout the market.” As part of the 655 homes, 25% of the development units will be of affordable tenure delivered with our Registered Social Landlord partner; comprising a wide range of 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and terraced homes. The affordable housing will commence as part of the initial phase of development.
The Government has announced today that it has committed an additional £6m to the community led housing sector, supplementing the £163m Community Housing Fund which was launched last year. Hundreds of community-run housing organisations will benefit from this brand new Government-funded community led housing programme which will provide funding, training and specialist advice. Community led housing is a way that communities can come together to solve their own housing challenges and provide high quality and affordable homes. It is estimated that over 5,000 community led homes will be built in the next five years. Through the Community Led Homes Programme, which is managed by a consortium of four housing charities, community groups can apply for up to £10,000 seed-corn grants to cover start-up costs including legal incorporation fees. Over £3.5m will also be invested into the growing network of community led housing enabling hubs that provide groups with technical advice and support. This latest funding comes just weeks after the Mayor of London announced his own £38m Community Housing Fund. Sadiq Khan has pledged to support 1,000 community led homes in the capital by 2021. More information about community led housing, including how to apply for a grant, can be found at www.communityledhomes..org.uk Samantha Jones, Head of Community Led Homes, said: “Communities want to play their part in tackling the country’s affordable housing crisis and many are forming community led housing groups to do so. In the next five years the movement will build over 5,000 affordable homes. We’ve created the Community Led Homes programme to help this figure increase further still, and in time, for community led housing to become a mainstream housing option. “This programme is the culmination of a huge amount of work from the four organisations involved and demonstrates our belief that in partnership we can support more communities to imagine and realise the affordable housing they so desperately need. Together we are committed to building a lasting legacy for community led housing.”
Manchester City Council joined UK construction union Unite’s Construction Charter and now they have announced a new partnership. Both institutions will work together to stand up for the city’s construction workers and outlaw poor construction practices on building projects under its control. “By signing up to Unite’s Construction Charter, Manchester City Council is making a serious commitment to securing the best employment standards for construction workers. The Charter will protect workers from poor industry practices which result in the loss of employment rights, it stops blacklisting and means workers can raise health and safety issues without fear,” said Unite’s regional coordinating officer for construction, Andy Fisher. “It’s fantastic news that one of the UK’s major cities has pledged to lead the way and demand the highest standards in construction. It means that projects across the city including the ongoing work at Manchester Airport will need to meet the highest employment standards. Unite representatives at Manchester City Council deserve a special thanks for the work they did to help get the Charter up and running,” Andy Fisher added. Manchester City Council is the latest local authority to sign up to Unite’s Construction Charter, which ensures building contractors and sub-contractors under the control of the local authority provide good jobs, good apprentice training, excellent health and safety and that they ensure workers are paid the going rate for the industry. “Manchester City Council has ambitious plans for the city and we are delighted to work with Unite to ensure that our construction projects meet the highest standards for workers and for residents. The council has a number of important development projects in progress including the renovation of Manchester Town Hall and the Factory project. The Charter means that workers and residents can be confident that these projects will move forward with ethical construction practices,” commented Councillor Carl Ollerhead.
External Wall Insulation (EWI) by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified for the thermal and aesthetic upgrade of Weir properties owned by East Ayrshire District Council. The webertherm XM EWI system is being applied in a two-phase programme of over 350 homes, a mix of tenancy and owner occupancy. Phase one is now complete and phase two, some 248 properties, is now underway. Many new construction methods were introduced to alleviate the chronic housing shortage immediately after World War II and in Scotland one of the most active design teams was that of the Weir Housing Corporation. Challenged to deliver significant quantities of housing, they introduced a variety of ‘prefab’ system buildings. The Weir system initially utilised steel and concrete sections to provide fast-assembly build programmes but when the material supply issues restricted capacity they moved toward timber buildings, many of which survive today. The timber-frame Weir properties are poorly insulated and expensive to heat. East Ayrshire District Council’s project has been led by senior architect Ernie Tew, who not only managed the technical elements of the scheme but also produced and managed the financial grant submission. “We wanted a cost effective solution for externally refurbishing these houses that would enable the upgrade to be carried out without having to temporarily relocate our residents. The system had to create a watertight and thermally efficient building envelope, reduce CO₂ emissions, cut fuel consumption and change the external appearance of the properties,” said Mr Tew. Saint-Gobain Weber calculated a greatly improved target U-value of 0.29 W/m²K from a pre-application value of 2.1 W/m²K. Funding for this programme has been delivered through the HEEPS private/public partnership between the Council and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), the UK’s broadest-based energy company. Skyform Specialist Contracts Limited, Glasgow, a multi-discipline structural repair and construction company, and a Weber recommended EWI installer, has been appointed by East Ayrshire District Council to carry out the application work. Andy Calder, production construction manager, SSE, praises the webertherm XM EWI system: “This high performance Weber system is excellent; it’s easy to deliver and ticks all the boxes for us. There really is a remarkable improvement in the aesthetics of these properties which has changed the community’s outlook, character and atmosphere for the better. We have had a very positive response from the residents who have already noticed reductions in their heating bills. Weber EWI is making cash savings for these residents which is very welcome.” Each property requires 84m² of webertherm XM EWI. Gary Meredith, Skyform’s project manager, is an enthusiastic supporter of this EWI system. “Bringing the wall surfaces up to the same level with the insulation not only makes it easier to apply the render coats but makes a substantial improvement in the appearance of the properties; they become more ‘modern’ almost overnight and the residents really appreciate living in a ‘new’ home which will be warmer, less expensive to run and attractive. The webertherm XM system is straight forward and reliable and we look forward to making continued progress with this project.” The webertherm XM EWI system chosen for these Weir properties features expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulation which is mechanically fixed to the timber structure. The main insulation thickness is 90mm but 110mm has also been applied to level some façades whilst in the gable ends 70mm EPS has been used to achieve a level consistency. The render process requires two passes of weberend LAC cementitious render into which the fibreglass reinforcement meshcloth is embedded to give a robust render coat. The second render coat used in this project is weberend PTC, a polymer-modified, cement-based mortar which acts as the dry dash colour-base and adhesive on which the selected aggregate blends are carried. The dry-dash stones are then applied to give the very best weather and impact protection to this multi-layered process. For more information about this project, or for technical support, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.uk.weber A free download of the new WeberApp for iPhone and iPad users is also available from iTunes and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates. www.uk.weber/facades
LIVERPOOL City Council has appointed a fab team to produce a landmark vision and investment strategy for the epicentre of Liverpool’s musical heritage. A team led by P-IE (Planit Intelligent Environments) has been chosen to deliver a Spatial Regeneration Framework (SRF) for the area around Mathew Street – home of the world famous music venues the Cavern Club and Eric’s. Also encompassing the adjacent Williamson Square area, the framework will enable the council to steer the future use of existing buildings and identify opportunities to attract new investment. P-IE, which has more than two decades experience working on some of the UK’s largest regeneration projects, will deploy their team – comprising urban designers; music historians; destination economists; space-programmers and Planners – to devise a spatial plan which will also embody a new vision document aimed at enhancing the quality of attractions in the area and expanding on the city’s £90m a year music heritage industry – focused around the Beatles – which currently supports over 2,000 jobs. P-IE’s previous work includes the Anfield SRF alongside the design and delivery of the restoration of Stanley Park and the public spaces surrounding Liverpool Football Club’s Anfield Stadium. Outside of Liverpool they were design lead for the award-winning Manchester Residential Quality Guidance and the city’s newest public square – Sadler’s Yard – at the heart of the Cooperative Group’s historic NOMA estate. They are currently involved in strategic and delivery projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The SRF masterplan, which will include consultation with stakeholders, local businesses and residents will explore: A more diverse mix of complimentary building uses that could operate throughout the day and evening An enhanced and more coordinated music tourism offer, focused on Liverpool’s recently awarded UNESCO World City of Music status, with enhanced visitor attractions and interpretation The redevelopment of derelict, under-used and undesirable buildings and sites A diverse and inclusive programme for Williamson Square and the Playhouse Theatre A comprehensive public art strategy, building upon the significant investment LCC has made in the public realm over the last decade A way-finding strategy to make the neighbourhood more legible and permeable Active ground floor uses to create a more vibrant and inviting environment – with an equitable focus on the citizens of Liverpool alongside our international visitors Defining a clearer network of streets and squares – focused on the pedestrian experience The report comes as figures show Liverpool’s hotel sector is also booming, with occupancy levels at record breaking levels, and the number of hotel rooms across the city set to grow by 14% to more than 9,300 over the next two years. A recent economic impact report found that the city’s Beatles related industry has been growing at 5-15% a year following the city’s year as European Capital of Culture in 2008 with Cavern City Tours and the Cavern Club alone now attracting 800,000 visitors per annum and 80% of the Hard Day’s Night Hotel guests classed as international. But a tourism report has found visitors are increasingly looking for a quality experiential visit and there is a clear need to curate not just a Beatles Heritage offer, but a clearer proposition around Liverpool’s status as a city with a pivotal role in the story of popular and contemporary music. Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool, who has also created a Beatles Legacy group, said: “Liverpool’s musical heritage is known around the world but we can and must do more to showcase it to visitors who travel thousands of miles from all corners of the globe because of it. “This is about enhancing and expanding what we already have, particularly around Mathew Street which has been at the heart of the city’s music scene for decades, with venues such as Eric’s and the Iron Door being as influential as the Cavern Club. “This is a unique opportunity to establish an experience no other city can offer, with high quality design which will sustain thousands of jobs in the hotel, retail and hospitality sectors for generations to come. “P-IE have a first class track record in delivering quality design and I am delighted that we have been able to secure their services to carry out this crucial piece of work.” Peter Hooton, Chair of The Beatles Legacy Group, said: “Carl Jung famously said that Liverpool is the pool of life, and it is fitting that he is immortalized on Mathew Street, which has been the beating heart of the city’s music scene for generations. “There is a huge amount of untapped potential around the city’s pivotal role in music, which is why it is vital we seize this opportunity to make the most of it.” Bill Addy, Chief Executive of Liverpool BID Company, which represents 1,500 businesses in Liverpool city centre, added: “Mathew Street is one of the city’s key assets and without doubt one of the world’s most iconic music heritage sites. “The Cavern Quarter sits within the Retail & Leisure BID. Our levy payers located there are determined to improve the visitor offer in the area and I know there has been a concerted effort over the years by the private sector to invest in projects and initiatives to achieve this. “We welcome the SRF and the opportunity it presents in working together to maximise the area’s potential for the good of businesses and visitors alike.” Pete Swift, Managing Director at P-IE, added: “We picked our team not just on their experience in producing design and planning guidance but on their knowledge and passion for Liverpool and its wider musical heritage. “We are local and global – as is the appeal of the Beatles and the immense cannon of Liverpool bands, singers and their music. For us then, this is no ordinary planning project, where we might focus on what a place will look like at the end, but rather how to control the journey along which Liverpool will showcase its rightful status as the most influential music city on the planet.
The Government has announced a new plan to tackle homelessness with the help of Totally Modular. The number of people sleeping rough in the UK has risen every year for the last seven years and now stands at over 4,500 each night, with many more individuals and families in hotel and B&B accommodation. A solution to the need for suitable housing has been pioneered by innovative construction company Totally Modular. The company has developed a new method of construction in which complete homes, designed around a steel frame, are built in a factory then simply transported to site, craned into position and quickly connected up to water, waste and utility supplies. Houses can be created in a range of sizes and formats, from single occupancy units to large family homes. Houses can be detached, semi detached or terraced, while the units can also be used to form multi-storey blocks for multiple occupancy. Totally Modular’s single-person micro home is an ideal solution for both homelessness recovery projects and the lack of low cost housing in general. This is the smallest unit Totally Modular manufactures, built from the same high-quality materials as the larger houses, it has a range of roof and cladding options, allowing each one to be matched to its surroundings. Significantly, they can be delivered and installed using a lorry-mounted crane and can also be stacked to make apartment buildings. Internally the Totally Modular micro home is light and airy. It has a double bedroom at one end, kitchenette/living room at the other and a fully fitted bathroom in the middle. Like all Totally Modular solutions, it is Eco Pack ready, meaning you can easily add electric eco heating, solar PV and battery, so can be heated and run for about £30 a year. Designed to help address the housing crisis via affordable housing, Totally Modular’s Micro Living Modular homes are fast to build and, because they do not require conventional foundations, they work well on brownfield sites. They can also be located on sloping sites, in back gardens, inner-city infill opportunities and other sites that would not be suitable for conventional construction. They are also suitable for use by on-site workers, in remote locations and even off-grid.
A group of highly influential Kent Ambassadors visited Ashford to find out about the dynamic developments that Ashford Borough Council (ABC) and its partners have been taking forward within the borough over the last few years, and the exciting plans for the future. As a finalist in this year’s Local Government Chronicle awards in the categories of Council of the Year and Entrepreneurial Council of the Year, ABC representatives showcased our innovative approach to becoming a commercial council, whilst delivering high performing services for our residents. Cllr Gerry Clarkson, Leader of Ashford Borough Council, said: “The Kent Ambassadors visit to Ashford gave us an opportunity to update some very influential people in the county on the successes we have achieved and our general approach to getting things done. “They were very impressed by the breadth of investment we have seen, the amount of schemes which are currently underway and the projects which are on the horizon.” The trip involved a tour of some of the £590 million worth of developments that are currently being delivered in Ashford town centre, including the Commercial Quarter, Elwick Place, Ashford College, Curious Brewery, The Coachworks and Ashford Designer Outlet. Kent Ambassadors are a grouping of highly successful and experienced people who either live or work in Kent and who have come together, by invitation, in a voluntary arrangement to help all aspects of life in Kent. Each year the Kent Ambassadors undertake a visit to a district/borough to learn more about an area and champion their findings around the County, as well as exploring other ways they could help, encourage and support projects. This year the Kent Ambassadors visited Ashford on Thursday 23rd August. Richard Collins, Chairman of Kent Ambassadors, said: “The Ambassadors had a very interesting and well organised visit to Ashford as part of their annual programme. “It was a great insight into the fantastic development that is going on in Ashford. The passion that everyone displayed was inspiring. We will definitely be watching with interest the progress of this very forward-thinking council.”
A multi-million pound plan to revamp a Shoreham yacht club and open up the riverside to the public has been backed by Adur District Council. Sussex Yacht Club (SYC) applied for permission to create a new premises in Brighton Road. The project will see the riverside opened up to the wider public, flood defences improved and lead to the creation of pedestrian and cycle access along the southern section of the A259 coast road for the first time. “These are exciting plans which first and foremost will see a stunning new building created for the members of the Sussex Yacht Club. Committee members were unanimous in the view that the proposal will go beyond a recreational use; it will have a big impact on the wider community too with the improved transport links and new riverside public space a major boost to the area,” said Councillor Carol Albury, chairman of the planning committee. The approved plans are part of a wider project to revamp the Brighton Road site and surrounding area. As part of the project, Adur District Council has been transforming Shoreham Harbour from industrial units into new homes and workspaces with an expansive waterfront promenade. Meanwhile, the Environment Agency has been installing more than seven kilometres of tidal walls defences on the River Adur, reducing the risk of flooding to thousands of residential and business properties in Shoreham and Lancing. “I’m delighted we have been able to work with Sussex Yacht Club, the wider community and partners to bring forward the first stage of this development,” said Councillor Neil Parkin, Leader of Adur District Council. “Not only does it feed into our wider vision of regenerating the harbour arm but it will plug the gap in the flood defences and open up the southern section of the coast road to cyclists and pedestrians. I look forward to seeing construction work progress in the coming months and am certain that, when complete, the project will have a tremendous impact on the thousands of residents and visitors to our district,” he concluded.
David Pratt has been appointed as Building Control Manager of Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP). He brings nearly 30 years of experience to the role, having previously held building inspector roles at Chesterfield Borough Council and most recently Mansfield District Council. David is the latest new appointment for DBCP which was formed last year following the merger of six established Local Authority Building Control Services from Derby City Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council, North East Derbyshire District Council, Bolsover District Council and Amber Valley Borough Council. Within the role, David will be active in marketing DBCP’s services and offering to builders, property owners and architects throughout the region. He will also be implementing the industry-recognised ISO:9001 quality management system across the organisation’s offices at Friar Gate in Derby and Chesterfield. Commenting on his new role, David said: “I am excited to join such a forward thinking organisation. DBCP is really going places and the implementation of ISO:9001 will further streamline processes and services across both of DBCP’s offices to deliver greater efficiency to our customers. “DBCP is very much a customer-centric organisation, committed to doing things the right way and looking after the customer. It was these values that attracted me to both the role and DBCP. “There is a great team here and we have a very exciting journey ahead of us to achieve our aim of being the number one choice for building control in the region.” Prior to becoming a building inspector, David began his career as an apprentice site joiner, progressing to the role of bench joiner and kitchen fitter before making the move to building control after 10 years. He added: “I have had experience of building control on the other side of the fence, so I understand the importance of building good relationships with builders, architects and property owners. I share DBCP’s focus in ensuring the best possible outcome for all parties involved in a project – it’s why I love what I do so much.” Outside work, David enjoys gardening and is soon to be a grandad. To learn more about DBCP or to book an inspection, please visit www.dbcp.co.uk or call 0333 880 2000.
Plans have been submitted by Rushbond, the property development company, for a new ‘garden village’ scheme, comprising 126 new and converted homes. The plans will see the transformation of a historic mill complex in West Leeds. Stonebridge Mills is one of a few mill complexes in Leeds that are considered to be ‘at risk’ because dome of its parts date as far as 1805. The buildings have been empty for more than 20 years and the new plan will transform the historic buildings into 28 character homes, alongside 98 new contemporary designed homes. They will provide a mix of two, three and four bedroom houses for sale. “Stonebridge Mills is steeped in history and once played an active and vibrant role in the local community,” said Richard Baker from Rushbond. “It is sad that the site has been unused for so many years, but many of the key features of the original Mills remain and it has huge potential to be given that vibrancy again, this time as a place to live.” Moreover, the plan also includes public spaces such as a new public park running along the Wortley Beck, a heritage garden zone alongside the Mills and gardens for the proposed new build properties. “Our experience in developing new homes in Wortley demonstrates that there is a huge pent up demand for high quality realistically priced design-led homes on characterful sites,” Richard added. “By bringing that experience to bear at Stonebridge Mills we hope to be able to deliver, subject to the satisfactory outcome of our recently submitted planning application, a great selection of family homes, including starter homes, surrounded by new greenspace, breathing new life into a local landmark.”
