BLOCWORK, the partnership between Network Rail and property developer bloc Group has completed its first build-to-rent scheme for Grainger plc in Nottingham.   The Barnum – a 348-home scheme situated adjacent to the city’s railway station – was delivered in partnership between blocwork and Grainger, the UK’s largest listed residential landlord, and marks the regeneration of a significant area of brownfield land.  The scheme is the first delivered in partnership between blocwork and Grainger, and follows the recent announcement that they will partner again with the potential to deliver some 2,000 new purpose-built BTR homes across sites in major cities across the UK.  Richard Thomas, development director at bloc Group, said: “blocwork was created with the aim of repurposing railway land and buildings into sustainable long-term assets, and The Barnum has been a great project to kick the partnership off.  “As well as the partnership with Network Rail, we’ve worked very closely with Grainger and the contractor Graham to create a development that not only brings much-needed new homes to Nottingham, but also brings life to an area of the city that had previously been restricted to railway infrastructure.”  blocwork specialises in bringing forward sites owned by Network Rail, making use of under-used land and buildings adjacent to railway infrastructure.  Robin Dobson, group property director at Network Rail said: “Combining Network Rail’s infrastructure experience with the private sector development expertise of bloc Group has proved to be a fruitful partnership, which is clear by the successful launch of The Barnum.   “Delivering developments through Partnerships like blocwork are important for Network Rail Property as we look to build housing and mixed-use regeneration across our brownfield estate in a way that can be accelerated and scaled across our portfolio.”  blocwork is one of several partnerships bloc Group is undertaking, with the aim of sustainably and sensitively regenerating challenging sites for residential development. Alongside the work it is doing with Network Rail, bloc Group has a long-term partnership with the Canal & River Trust, which has delivered hundreds of new homes while providing funds for the upkeep of the nation’s historic rivers and canals.  Richard said: “Our success has been down to our partnership approach with occupiers, property and infrastructure owners. By working closely with the right partners, we can deliver impactful developments that maximise economic and social value from sites that were previously underperforming or underutilised.  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Contractor Clegg Construction has held a topping out ceremony at an 11-storey apartment complex being built for property developer Rise Homes in Leeds. Spinners Yard is a 185-apartment, U-shaped, build-to-rent scheme in Regent Street in the Mabgate area of Leeds City Centre. It is the second build-to-rent project Clegg Construction has undertaken in partnership with Rise Homes and follows the recent completion of The Ironworks – a £28.7m, 11-storey apartment development in Sheffield. Featuring a mix of studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, Spinners Yard is due to be completed in 2025. Clegg Construction operations director, Darren Chapman, said: “We are very pleased to have reached the key topping out stage for this development. This will allow us to continue adding the external walls and glazing up the building, followed by the internal fit-out. “Spinners Yard is regenerating brownfield land and will breathe new life into the area, providing a desirable residential development with a range of properties to rent.” The ground floor of Spinners Yard will incorporate a plant room, enclosed parking for cars, motor bikes and cycles to one half with the other containing the entrance lobby and reception, the centre management office, a lounge, break out and work spaces, and a gym. Two staircases/lift areas provide access to upper residential floors. The first floor will incorporate a residents’ garden space with another spacious roof garden on the tenth floor. Once completed, the development will feed into the Leeds PIPES District Heat Network. Nigel Rawlings, CEO of Rise Homes, added: “We are delighted with Clegg’s progress at Spinner’s Yard and we are very much looking forward to the completion of this sustainable development linked to the Leeds City energy from waste plant offering high-quality, spacious apartments at both affordable and market rents featuring many other environmental benefits.” During construction work on the Spinners Yard site, Clegg Construction has been hosting groups of Leeds College of Building Trade and Management students, aged 16 to 19, to provide them with valuable insight into the sector. The students have also been visiting the site next door, where Clegg Construction is building The Fabric Works, a 402-bed student accommodation scheme. In addition, Clegg Construction is sponsoring a local Army Reserve (formerly the Territorial Army) squadron in Leeds by providing T-shirts worn as part of the uniform and during physical training, and is currently collecting food, toiletries and other items for the Blessed of the Father Food Bank, part of Leeds Food Aid Network, at its Spinners Yard and The Fabric Works sites. The company is very familiar with Leeds, having delivered the external recladding of the Premier Inn Leeds City Centre Arena hotel in 2021, the replacement of flammable cladding on the high-rise Waterside Apartments development during the same year, and the design and build of the Premier Inn Leeds Headingly Hotel (constructed on top of the Arndale shopping centre) in 2017. More recently, Clegg Construction started working on a multi-million-pound refurbishment of the Cosmopolitan Hotel in the city. Clegg Construction is a Midlands, East Anglia, and Yorkshire-based construction firm specialising in the delivery of public and private sector projects.   The company works with organisations of all sizes and specialties across a range of different sectors. For more information visit www.cleggconstruction.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Dorset-headquartered housebuilder and developer AJC Group has completed its £10m Sonnet development, located on the iconic West Cliff in Bournemouth.  Boasting uninterrupted views of the sea, the five-storey scheme comprises 14 two and three-bedroom luxury apartments, with over half already sold. Construction started on the site in December 2021 and was finished this November. The completion event for the development was marked by a ribbon cutting and a speech from managing director of AJC Group, Sebastian Janes. The event was attended by residents, estate agents Winkworth Westbourne and Frost & Co. Bournemouth, and solicitors Trethowans.   The £10m development is in one of the town’s most sought-after locations, with expansive coastal views and easy access to Bournemouth’s award-winning beaches. 50% of the apartments have now been sold, with only seven apartments still available. Prices for the remaining apartments range from £555,000 to £825,000, with the largest apartment being over 1000 sq ft.  Seb Janes, managing director of AJC Group, said: “It was a fantastic event to celebrate the completion of this scheme and an opportunity to recognise all the teams that were involved in the construction and delivery of this development. This luxury apartment building has been sensitively designed to be in keeping with the historic local surroundings, and is one of the first new developments on the West Cliff, with easy access to seven miles of white sandy beaches as well as the newly refurbished The Nici Hotel.  “In a year that has proved extremely challenging for many housebuilders and developers, we’re proud to have delivered this outstanding beachfront development on time and within budget.  As a business, we are committed to supporting the local economy and this project enabled us to work with 26 contractors and created 150 jobs.” All the apartments have been constructed to a high EPC-C or B rated specification, including air source heat pumps for each dwelling, enabling purchasers and residents to lower their carbon footprint and ultimately reduce their energy bills. Designed by ARC Architects, the striking traditional building with contemporary interiors has professionally landscaped communal gardens, secure underground parking and bike storage, as well as private outdoor space in the form of either a terrace or balcony.  Each apartment is fitted with herringbone LVT flooring, quartz worktops, shaker style matt kitchen units, with premium appliances throughout. The hotel style bathrooms feature luxury sanitaryware. All homes have access to a communal lift from the basement parking level to the top floor. AJC Group will provide all new purchasers with a £1,500 voucher for custom-fitted wardrobes by Haroys. Several popular bars and restaurants are walkable from the development, while many popular south coast landmarks are also within easy reach including Durdle Door and The New Forest National Park. The Nici Hotel, which is just along from the Sonnet apartments, recently had a £27m refurbishment and offers an array of leisure facilities to local residents via a membership.  Poole-headquartered AJC Group was crowned Fast Rising Property Business of the Year and Housebuilder of the Year at the 2022 South Coast Property Awards, and was shortlisted in 2023 for a record five categories. The developer also recently scooped Affordable Housing Development of the Year for its Herbert Avenue scheme in Bournemouth at the 2023 Insider South West Property Awards.  AJC Group currently has three sites under construction including Lindsay Road and The Sloop, which are located in Poole. In Dorchester a partnership project with Aster to deliver 57 affordable homes is well underway. AJC Group is on track to deliver over 200 mixed-tenure homes by Spring 2024, reflecting a total construction value in excess of £100m. The firm has become one of the most active residential development specialists across the Wessex region and has made a commitment to build 500 affordable homes by 2028.   To make an appointment to view the Sonnet apartments, or for further details, contact: Winkworth Westbourne, tel: 01202 76763, or visit: https://www.winkworth.co.uk/properties/sales/west-cliff-gardens-bournemouth-dorset-bh2/WBN220250 Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals