The Rt Hon Damian Green MP visited one of Kent’s best builders last week in the market town of Tenterden. Mr Green visited the Three Fields development in the town to personally congratulate Taylor Wimpey site manager Neil Johnson for his achievement in winning a prestigious NHBC Pride in the
Viridian Solar is celebrating the announcement of the RIBA Grand Designs House of the Year 2018. The stunning Lochside House in the Scottish Highlands that won the accolade features roof integrated solar panels from the UK manufacturer. The house was designed by Cambridge Architects, Haysom Ward Miller and with its
Leading rapid-build home manufacturer FastHouse has today announced the completion of its contract to provide and erect the timber frames for 466 lodges at the highly anticipated Center Parcs in Longford in under nine months. This comes as FastHouse confirms significant investment to bring its full range of services to
One of the most prestigious residential development projects in the UK has recently been completed using a number of different products from Sto. StoTherm Classic external wall insulation and StoDeco profiles have been used to provide high levels of thermal insulation and an outstanding external appearance for the 11 new
Wates Residential is to deliver a new £27 million housing development at Shuttleworth Road in Wandsworth. The project includes 71 affordable new homes in the borough, supporting Wandsworth Council’s target to build 1,000 homes for local residents. At the ground breaking ceremony Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential, said:
Demand for housing in the UK’s capital has never been higher, as such there are a number of development projects underway. A major development project taking place along the River Thames will see a collection of high-quality and it is PRS & affordable rent built incorporating modern mechanical, electrical and
An architecturally designed new build home completed recently in County Cork utilises high performance weberend MT multi-coat render system by Saint-Gobain Weber. Designed by award-winning practice Simply Architecture, of Cork City, this contemporary property is a timber frame construction manufactured by ECO Timber Frame, Carrigaline, Cork. Gareth Sullivan, who is
Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has signed its largest Planning Promotional Agreement (PPA) to date. The agreement relates to a proposed major urban extension which aims to deliver some 2000 homes, employment, community facilities, the Featherstone bypass and open space
200 new homes will be delivered by Wates Residential on the south coast. The contractor has already started work on its Daedalus Village scheme, marking this occasion with a time capsule burial in Lee-on-the-Solent. The site will see the rise of a mix of housing consisting of 120 private homes
A new study has revealed the shocking extent of England’s empty homes crisis, with more than 600,000 homes remaining vacant. The study, conducted by Good Move, has found that a third of empty homes are classed as long-term vacant, after being empty for more than six months. The city of
The Rt Hon Damian Green MP visited one of Kent’s best builders last week in the market town of Tenterden. Mr Green visited the Three Fields development in the town to personally congratulate Taylor Wimpey site manager Neil Johnson for his achievement in winning a prestigious NHBC Pride in the Job Regional Award in the Large Builder category. Pride in the Job is the most highly regarded competition in the house-building industry, dedicated to recognising site managers who achieve the highest standards in house-building. The visit, organised by NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty provider for new homes, and hosted by Taylor Wimpey, showcased the high quality new homes which have recently been built to fit in with the aesthetics of the local area. Mr Green congratulated Neil, on his win and dedication to his role and spoke about the importance of increasing skills in construction, inspiring the next generation of builders and how developers can make contributions to the local area. Damian Green MP said “I am always pleased to see building developments striving for the highest standards, to help future residents enjoy their new homes.” Site manager Neil said: “It’s fantastic to have received a Pride in the Job Quality award; it’s an honour not just for me, but for the whole team at Three Fields who work so hard to build high-quality homes for our customers. We were delighted to welcome Damian Green MP to Three Fields and hope that he enjoyed the visit.” Steve Catt, NHBC Senior Regional Director, added: “We were very pleased to be able to show Mr Green around this outstanding development. The site, which has already received one of the highest industry accolades as well as benefiting from NHBC’s market-leading 10 year warranty, will be a fantastic addition to the region. “As the UK’s leading warranty provider of new homes, NHBC works closely with house builders to support the delivery of high quality homes for homebuyers.” For further information please visit www.nhbc.co.uk
Viridian Solar is celebrating the announcement of the RIBA Grand Designs House of the Year 2018. The stunning Lochside House in the Scottish Highlands that won the accolade features roof integrated solar panels from the UK manufacturer. The house was designed by Cambridge Architects, Haysom Ward Miller and with its remote rural setting, sustainability and energy efficiency were extremely important. The house has its own water supply, sewage treatment and an off-grid solar energy system installed by AES Solar. The external cladding is of burnt Scottish larch and is used as a roof covering as well as for the walls. Dry stone walling surrounds the house and the low-profile roof integrated solar panels complement the other high-quality materials and form a prominent part of the overall design. The RIBA judges were impressed by the sustainability and energy efficiency of the building, the choice of materials, and its integration into its wild setting. Ben Derbyshire, RIBA president, described it as ‘truly breath-taking’. “With a highly sustainable, off-grid approach to energy and water, it leaves the surrounding environment as undisturbed as possible. Every detail has been fine-tuned to create an exceptional home and studio that meets the needs and wishes of its artist owner. Lochside House is the perfect addition to this dream landscape.” Kevin McCloud, presenter of Grand Designs was also impressed: “This building has been tailored to its site. It’s been stitched and woven…seamed into the tapestry of this place and it is so much the better for it,” he said. “It’s the kind of architecture that we can all easily love, the kind of architecture we can all easily learn from; and it’s a way of building that we, in Britain, are getting really very good at.” Stuart Elmes, CEO of Viridian Solar said: “The Lochside House is a deserved winner and a great example of how solar can be brought into the heart of building design. “
Leading rapid-build home manufacturer FastHouse has today announced the completion of its contract to provide and erect the timber frames for 466 lodges at the highly anticipated Center Parcs in Longford in under nine months. This comes as FastHouse confirms significant investment to bring its full range of services to the Irish housebuilding market. In 2019 FastHouse will be in position to deliver 1,500 units annually with significantly lower costs and reduced construction time. The Limavady-based business, owned by Kevin Lagan, has invested heavily with the aim of becoming the largest producer of offsite panelised wall systems in Ireland and the UK. It began work at the €233m leisure attraction in January in what was the company’s first venture into the Irish market. It included the delivery of ten different types of homes, ranging in size from 865 sq ft to 2,045 sq ft – the equivalent of two to four-bedroom homes. The contract was awarded by John Sisk & Son – the main contractor of the 400-acre Longford Forest site – and saw FastHouse’s Installation Team install the lodges at a rate of three per day to the highest global standards. Typically, FastHouse homes take two days from factory production to watertight and weatherproof installation on-site. Center Parcs Longford Forest is set to open in the Summer of 2019 with capacity for 2,500 guests. It will feature 30 apartments, more than 100 indoor and outdoor family activities, state-of-the-art restaurants, shops, an award-winning Aqua Sana Spa and Center Parcs’ iconic Subtropical Swimming Paradise. Speaking after the completion of the contract Sean Fox, FastHouse Sales and Installations Director, said: “It shows the progression we have made in a short time that we are showcasing the quality of our rapid-build homes at a high-profile location like Center Parcs. It’s an attraction renowned for its high standards and thousands of holidaymakers will be able to see first-hand the first-class quality of our homes. Rapid-build, which involves bespoke precision work in the factory and less time and cost on-site, can make a huge contribution to the needs of the Irish residential market. We’re delighted to be involved in such an exciting new venture for the country.” FastHouse’s expert team was able to install 466 homes in as little as 34 weeks with the company’s factory producing an average of five houses per day. In total 14,000 wall panels were crafted for the contract with lodges taking just two weeks to produce from inception. Cormac Fitzpatrick, Sisk Senior Contracts Manager, added: “To deliver a resort of this size required strong partnerships and we’re very pleased with the completion of this phase of what will be one of Ireland’s premier destinations. With FastHouse manufacturing the lodges offsite it was a case of the panels and trusses being delivered to location and installing them in a kit format. This allowed the construction process to be lean, resulting in the productive and efficient development of the Center Parcs project.” Paul Kent, Center Parcs Construction and Development Director, said: “Our lodges are a key component of the Center Parcs experience and it is essential they are of the highest quality. FastHouse has provided top-class craftmanship that will allow thousands of families to enjoy a short break at Center Parcs Longford Forest each year.” Center Parcs is FastHouse’s largest project to date with previous work including a range of residential developments across Northern Ireland and the UK and a number of holiday lodges at the award-winning Killyhevlin Lakeside Hotel & Spa in Enniskillen. The demand has seen the company install a third production line leading it to double the size of its workforce to 100 this year.
One of the most prestigious residential development projects in the UK has recently been completed using a number of different products from Sto. StoTherm Classic external wall insulation and StoDeco profiles have been used to provide high levels of thermal insulation and an outstanding external appearance for the 11 new properties which make up the development in St John’s Wood, London, close to the world-famous Abbey Road Recording Studios. Created by the Dwyer Property development group, the Hamilton Drive scheme includes a terrace of 10 homes – each with three storeys above ground and two below – plus a separate larger property. The houses were required to achieve a very high standard of architectural finish and detailing, plus a BREEAM Excellent rating for construction sustainability. Sto solutions were selected for this project as they offered a unique combination of speedy construction and outstanding quality of finish. “Building the properties with traditional methods and using stone detailing for the façades would have taken considerably longer, and the client was looking for a fast-track solution,” explains Sto’s Regional Sales Manager, Pete Bishop. “Our StoTherm Classic system was specified as it provides outstanding thermal performance and can be installed quickly and easily. StoDeco Profiles were chosen for the intricate ‘stone’ architectural detailing, providing the same look as stone, but in a material that is both lightweight and easy to cut and shape.” The StoTherm Classic external wall insulation used on the 70,000sq ft project was installed onto an NHBC-compliant pvc rail system, using a drained cavity designed to ensure that water and moisture is excluded from the main wall structure. The cement-free StoTherm Classic EWI System offers market-leading impact resistance, being able to withstand impacts of up to 60 joules – up to 10 times more than a cementitious system – and as it needs no additional expansion joints the system allows greater freedom of façade design. For this project the system was finished with a 1.5mm coat of StoSilco silicone resin render to provide a high degree of water repellence and resistance to the effects of weathering. “The architectural detailing on the building façades was created using StoDeco Profiles,” explains John Tehan of Smallwood Architects of London. The range of profiles, manufactured using the remarkable Verolith material, are weather resistant, durable, lightweight and easy to work and install. Available in a wide range of standard designs, including sills, cornices, and many other decorative architectural elements, StoDeco Profiles can also be custom made to provide a unique visual appearance. “At Hamilton Drive the profiles were used to create cornice, window and chimney detailing, plus a wealth of columns, arches, dentil courses and other features that were required to enhance the building’s classically-inspired design,” adds John Tehan. “Sto were closely involved with this project, and many of the individual StoDeco Profiles were manufactured to bespoke sizes and designs, to allow the required detailing to be created.” “There was an enormous quantity of detailing required on this project and the standard of finish had to be the very best,” comments John Bishop of Kennet Construction, a Sto authorised applicator who completed the installation work. “Fortunately, the Sto products were very easy to work with. Many of the StoDeco Profiles were pre-cut prior to delivery, and they proved to be very easy to work, shape and sand on-site so that we could achieve a perfect finish.” Picture caption: One of the most prestigious residential development projects in the UK has recently been completed using a number of different products from Sto. StoTherm Classic external wall insulation and StoDeco profiles were used on the project in St John’s Wood, London.
Wates Residential is to deliver a new £27 million housing development at Shuttleworth Road in Wandsworth. The project includes 71 affordable new homes in the borough, supporting Wandsworth Council’s target to build 1,000 homes for local residents. At the ground breaking ceremony Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential, said: “Today’s ground breaking event marks an exciting milestone in our delivery of much-needed affordable new homes for local people at Shuttleworth Road. It follows months of collaboration with the Council, members of the community and other local stakeholders to really understand their vision for the area and how we can realise this, both through the design and construction of these homes and looking at ways we can create wider local economic and social value. We look forward to strengthening these relationships as we continue to progress on site.” Wates has been undertaking preparatory works on the site since May 2018. This latest development marks the official beginning of the site’s main construction phase, with completion of the scheme due in the Summer of 2020. “This is another demonstration of our commitment to build 1,000 new homes on our larger development sites, which will help people in the borough buy or rent a home that is right for them. We’re delighted to partner with Wates Residential on this scheme and look forward to strengthening our relationship with them to provide quality housing for local people,” added Wandsworth Council Leader, Ravi Govindia. All social housing that is demolished as part of the regeneration will also be replaced with affordable homes. The completion of these new homes will directly support the borough’s wider Winstanley and York Road Estates regeneration programme by providing affordable homes for those needing to move.
Demand for housing in the UK’s capital has never been higher, as such there are a number of development projects underway. A major development project taking place along the River Thames will see a collection of high-quality and it is PRS & affordable rent built incorporating modern mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) services. Parker Bromley, the building services contractor on the site, has specified Spelsberg’s innovative IBT system of junction boxes. Parker Bromley is a well established, family owned business specialising in MEP systems. As part of the London development project it has been tasked to deliver embedded MEP solutions including heat recovery (MVHR), smoke ventilation and fire alarm systems as well as an ‘Energy Centre’ to service each apartment block. It was tasked with minimizing installation time to help keep the overall development project to deadline. Jody Parker, Director at Parker Bromley, explains the challenges involved: “Concrete construction is a fast, effective and aesthetic method for building apartment blocks such as the ones being built here. However, when casting panels onsite it is important that considerations are made for the necessary wiring and electrical connections. We chose to specify Spelsberg’s IBT system of junction boxes, which fit to the metal formwork before the concrete is poured. When the concrete is set and the formwork removed, the face of the IBT housing is visible. All the required housings and conduits are then in place, ready for cabling and installation.” A key element of the IBT system is the integral sealing, which prevents concrete fines from getting inside the electrical components. This uses a patented diaphragm system which, after the conduit is inserted, returns to its original position and provides strain relief and sealing without the need for special grommets. Conventional housings do not have such a seal, a sealing arrangement would have to be fitted in-situ, a difficult and costly process. The IBT products are made from halogen-free, high-temperature resistant material which is designed for a long, trouble-free life. The range is available in a wide range of sizes. With more and more projects now requiring extra low voltage (ELV) transformers for LED lighting, loudspeakers and network communications cables, Spelsberg has also developed the complementary IBTronic range. ’Jody continues: “We first approached Spelsberg at the recommendation of another one of their customers. We knew the solutions we were looking for, we just needed to find a supplier that we could trust to deliver quality housings to the right time frame. The customer service from Spelsberg has been perfect, helping us to stick our company ethos of total customer satisfaction.”
An architecturally designed new build home completed recently in County Cork utilises high performance weberend MT multi-coat render system by Saint-Gobain Weber. Designed by award-winning practice Simply Architecture, of Cork City, this contemporary property is a timber frame construction manufactured by ECO Timber Frame, Carrigaline, Cork. Gareth Sullivan, who is principal architect at Simply Architecture, designed the property for his own family and project managed the build. The brief was to design an energy efficient family home that incorporated innovative construction methods to overcome the challenges of a problematic site. Simply Architecture is an RIAI and RIBA accredited practice excelling in well-crafted bespoke projects. Gareth is also a Certified Passive House Designer. Gareth comments: “Our family home (1900sq ft) is set into a very difficult small and steeply sloping site in Douglas. The site is compromised by three existing wayleaves which allows access to service pipes that restrict the area available to a small wedge-shaped space. As a result, there were many failed planning applications by a previous owner. The solution proposed maximising the unconventional shaped footprint with a split-level form.” Essentially the property had to be energy efficient and use systems that made it easier to build on this challenging site. As a result, a timber frame construction was chosen with a cement board and a multi-coat render system. The Passive House certified timber frame system created by ECO Timber Frame, which typically uses 90% less energy than conventional construction designs, includes key features of high thermal insulation and very low U-values with almost no thermal bridging. A very high level of air-tightness, passive gains utilising solar panels, and a MHRV – mechanical heat recovery ventilation system – are incorporated in the design. Walls are insulated within the timber structure with much of the fabrication work carried out off-site helping to reduce time and costs during the early build programme. Overall this contributes to greater project efficiencies, easier access, a cleaner and tidier site, and a substantially reduced on-site build programme. “Much of our work is with the one off and self-build sector,” says Stephen Spillane, joint owner of ECO Timber Frame. “It was clear from the beginning that Gareth was committed to building to Passive House standards which worked out nicely as our system was awarded certification at around the time the order was placed. “We use only eco-friendly building materials resulting in high quality, extremely well insulated, air-tight timber frame homes. Our system is designed for clients who want to build a low-energy property, or to Passive House standards.” A construction system using an EPS insulated foundation with a timber frame structure proved to be the most efficient method. The timber frame is a certified Passive House system with an overall thickness of 362mm to the external walls which have a U-value of 0.12 W/m²K. Stephen continues: “Working with any architect requires close attention to detail, even more so when the architect is also the client. The shape of the house certainly posed some challenges which led to a bit of head scratching in both the design office and the factory, but when the frame went to site it all fitted like a glove.” The weberend MT multi-coat system by Weber, the leading manufacturer of innovative materials, systems and solutions for the construction industry, has BBA certification. This accreditation meets NHBC requirements for new build housing where builders and developers are constantly seeking modern methods of construction for speed and cost efficiency. The weberend MT system is designed to rapidly finish buildings of frame and panel construction. weberend MT is a light-weight render system which incorporates glass-fibre meshcloth reinforcement with a resin-rich adhesive coat that can carry a choice of finishes in a wide range of colours. This modern render system is designed for large areas of stable render carrier boards without the need for expressed joints to create smooth, modern design aesthetics. weberend MT is also suitable for application to uneven masonry or mixed substrates where a high level of crack resistance is required. Application onto a panel background requires an initial 3mm pass of weberend LAC. The glass fibre reinforcing mesh is laid in as this coat takes up and a second 3mm of weberend LAC is applied. Sponge finish achieves a flat surface. When fully dry, weber PR310 primer is applied prior to the selected finish. A variety of textured finishes in a wide selection of colours can be used to produce weatherproof, vapour permeable protection. The weberend MT application was carried out by Michal Sasinowski of M S Plastering, Glanmire, Co. Cork who found it interesting to see this unique design and the fast build program achieved with off-site construction. weberend MT system was hand applied to achieve uniform colour and texture using the colour Welsh Slate for this contemporary and attractive home. Weber products are manufactured in the UK at sites in Bedfordshire, Shropshire and Co Antrim, ensuring efficient availability and lead times, adding to the company’s sustainability policy, reduced CO₂ emissions and transportation costs. For more information about this project, or for technical support including award winning training courses, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.uk.weber. A free download of the Weber App 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.
Keyland Developments Ltd, the property trading arm of Kelda Group and sister-company to Yorkshire Water, has signed its largest Planning Promotional Agreement (PPA) to date. The agreement relates to a proposed major urban extension which aims to deliver some 2000 homes, employment, community facilities, the Featherstone bypass and open space on a 300 acre site in Wakefield. A masterplan has been developed for the transformational project which incorporates a new strategic highway to relieve congestion in the area, market facing employment with good transport links to the nearby motorways, approximately 2,000 new homes addressing the housing deficit of the district, community facilities including a new primary school, a new retail offer to complement the existing town centre and accessible green space with a link to the proposed nine lakes. The development of the site represents a significant opportunity to enable housing-led regeneration to create a critical mass of population to reinforce the facilitate the delivery of the bypass, whilst improving the setting of the existing settlement itself. The development will also act as a catalyst for enhancing local services, encourage further expenditure within the local economy and attract future inward investment into the area. Having developed the masterplan, the landowners have now entered into an agreement with Keyland Developments who will take on the promotion of the scheme through Wakefield Council’s forthcoming Local Plan Review. The agreement represents Keyland’s sixth West Yorkshire PPA, with previous agreements in Leeds, Calderdale and Kirklees. The PPA’s involve Keyland working with independent landowners, corporates or regulated bodies to overcome obstacles to development on strategic sites to facilitate regeneration by securing planning consent for future use. Peter Garrett, Managing Director of Keyland Developments Ltd, said; “Keyland’s PPA agreements enable landowners within the region to derive the maximum potential from their sites with no financial risk, whilst unlocking much-needed land to assist the local authorities in meeting their long-term housing needs. The project, which aims to deliver multiple and far-reaching social, economic and transport benefits is ideally suited to our expertise of facilitating the future regeneration of strategic land. It will be a major transformational project and we are delighted to lead the dedicated team to bring the vision to life.” Keyland will now continue to positively engage with the Council and other stakeholders to maximise the regenerative potential of this strategically located site. The project team includes Spawforths as planning consultant, Carter Jonas for residential development advice and i-Transport for highways advice.
200 new homes will be delivered by Wates Residential on the south coast. The contractor has already started work on its Daedalus Village scheme, marking this occasion with a time capsule burial in Lee-on-the-Solent. The site will see the rise of a mix of housing consisting of 120 private homes and 80 affordable homes. Part of the Accelerated Construction Model together with four other national pilot sites, the Homes England initiative was designed to enable the Government to fast-track the building of homes on publicly owned land and diversify housing delivery. “We are very proud to have started work on the Daedalus Village site, which has a rich history and a very promising future, and are pleased that so many people from the local community joined us to celebrate this significant moment with a time capsule burial,” said Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential South. “Through our work, we will not only deliver 200 new high quality homes for local people but will also increase opportunities in the area through our investment in education, training and skills,” he added. Local suppliers will be appointed for the new homes on the south coast, while residents will benefit from the creation of training and educational opportunities, which aim to boost the local economy. This includes 10 apprenticeships, work experience placements for local students and courses aimed at unemployed adults. The homes are expected to be completed in late 2020. Wates Residential is responding to the needs of its customers by developing mixed tenure housing schemes in partnership with both public and private sector organisations. The business covers new-build and partnership housing development activities, reaffirming its long-term commitment to deliver new homes and to help address the UK’s urgent need for new housing. Its partnership housing offer includes building and selling homes to the public, as well as providing affordable homes for social landlords.
A new study has revealed the shocking extent of England’s empty homes crisis, with more than 600,000 homes remaining vacant. The study, conducted by Good Move, has found that a third of empty homes are classed as long-term vacant, after being empty for more than six months. The city of Liverpool takes the crown for the most vacant properties, with a staggering 10,512 properties laying empty last year. The data comes despite efforts by Liverpool City Council to reduce the amount of unused homes with a free matchmaking service to introduce buyers and sellers of empty homes, in a bid to bring more empty homes into use. Birmingham follows closely behind, with 10,386 empty homes. The city famous for its Bullring accounts for 17% of West Midlands’ total number of unoccupied homes. The Yorkshire city of Leeds has the third highest number of empty homes throughout the country, with 10,263 properties vacant. Leeds’ empty homes equates to 14% of Yorkshire and the Humber’s empty homes. The North West has the most unoccupied properties, with 102,847 homes laying empty across the region, and 38% of those being vacant for longer than six months. Liverpool has the most empty homes in the North West, and the country as a whole, with 10,512 properties that are not in use in 2017. Following closely behind the North West is the South East, with a staggering 86,693 vacant properties last year. Of the 86,000 empty homes, 29% of those have been unoccupied for longer than six months.