ASW Property Services, a property services specialist covering Wales, the Midlands and the South West of England, has signed an agreement with Family Housing Association, a registered social landlord in Swansea, to maintain its 2,800 properties over the next four years. The deal creates job security for more than 100
Proposals to build a new public leisure centre in Egham in Surrey have been approved. The designs for the project were put forward by Watson Batty Architects and they have received full planning approval. The project has been valued at £19 million. Watson Batty Architects worked closely with their client,
The construction on the former site of Smithfield Primary School in Aberdeen is taking a step forward. Phase 1 of the work has been completed at the site for the primary school which will be located in the Middlefield area of Aberdeen and a part of one of the largest
Essential Projects, a Nottingham based bespoke metal and glass manufacturer has been awarded a contract for work to be carried out at the Westgate Shopping Centre in Oxford. The business will install a range of glass and metal work that has been crafted especially for the Next Retail store in
Last month saw John Brells take the helm of the Driver Group operations across the Asia Pacific region. Based in Perth Australia, John is a highly regarded delay and disruption expert with an impressive CV and an eye on the future. John shared his thoughts whilst talking about the biggest
Charter Walk Shopping Centre in Burnley is to have a new Shopping Centre Manager. Debbie Hernon has been appointed into this role by Addington Capital, the property investment and asset management company. Debbie has been appointed by Addington for the Burnley Shopping Centre amidst a number of other changes that
There have been a number of reports of a drop in construction industry revenue. However Besblock has announced that they have gone against this downward trend, releasing news of their improved turnover. The leading Midlands producer of concrete blocks have announced that year on year, their revenue has seen a
A new Chief Executive has been appointed for The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, or SFHA. Stepping into the role is Sally Thomas, who will be replacing the former Chief Executive, Mary Taylor as she retires after seven years working for the Federation. Before her appointment to the lead role
Owning a listed building is literally owning a piece of British history. The National Heritage list details over 376,000 sites in the UK, each with a unique character and special value to the local, regional or national community. The drawback of living in a heritage home is that traditional building
The annual Wood Awards have released their shortlist of contestants. This year, the best structures around Britain entered with the hope of being shortlisted and taking the title for the different categories that form the awards ceremony. This year the judging panel of the Wood Awards will be led by
ASW Property Services, a property services specialist covering Wales, the Midlands and the South West of England, has signed an agreement with Family Housing Association, a registered social landlord in Swansea, to maintain its 2,800 properties over the next four years. The deal creates job security for more than 100 staff employed by ASW, will enable the company to invest in apprenticeships and provides certainty and a quality service for the tenants of properties managed by Family Housing Association. The deal was signed this week by Anthony Thomas, managing director of ASW, and Karen Dusgate, chief executive of Family Housing Association, which develops and manages homes for thousands of people across South West Wales from Pembrokeshire in the west to Neath Port Talbot in the east. As a result of the agreement, tenants will be able to access a responsive, emergency hotline available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which they can call if they have problems in their homes. Emergencies will be attended within 2 hours by ASW. ASW will also be responsible for refurbishing void properties when tenants have moved out, making them available as quickly as possible to the next residents. Its target in terms of turnaround time is just ten days – significantly faster than the industry average. The agreement also means that ASW can invest in training a new generation of apprentices. ASW’s Thomas estimates that in the duration of the four-year deal, up to 16 apprentices will work on properties owned by Family Housing Association. He stresses that such schemes are critical when it comes to being able to invest in training a new generation of workers. ASW will also engage with the local communities providing work experience placements and supporting local community projects. Anthony Thomas said: “Agreements such as this are important to both organisations for several reasons. It gives the tenants of Family Housing Association a reliable and high quality service they can call on at any time and know they will receive good service. “For us, it allows us to plan over the next four years in terms of our workforce and training. We will be able to invest in training apprentices while offering job security to our existing staff. On top of that, all our staff live locally and therefore also spend their wages locally, keeping wealth in the area and boosting the local economy in a way that does not happen if larger companies from further afield are awarded such work.” Karen Dusgate, Chief Executive at Family Housing Association, said: “We went through a very comprehensive tender process, working closely with our tenants at all stages and are delighted to have appointed ASW Property Services to provide our day to day repairs service and empty homes repairs management. “We look forward to building on our strong existing relationship with ASW to deliver a repairs service that makes a positive difference to the lives of our tenants and the communities they live in.”
Proposals to build a new public leisure centre in Egham in Surrey have been approved. The designs for the project were put forward by Watson Batty Architects and they have received full planning approval. The project has been valued at £19 million. Watson Batty Architects worked closely with their client, Places for People, in order to come up with plans that would transform the 23,400 sq ft facility already on the proposed site, into a purpose built 41,000 sq. ft. space with state of the art facilities. The proposal is to demolish the existing building and before creating the new leisure centre on the same site. This project will create the town’s first public swimming pool which will feature eight 25 metre lanes as well as a moveable floor and spectator seating. There will also be a 10 meter x 10 meter learner pool that will also have a moveable floor. The leisure facilities will also include a 4-court sports hall and a fitness suite with 110 different stations and an indoor cycling studio. As part of the designs there is also four flexible studios indoor health studio with a sauna, steam rooms, wet and dry treatment rooms. Watson Batty has been working to devise the project with Places for People, Runnymede Borough Council and Active Lifestyle which is the centre’s operators. Also involved in the drafting of the proposal were a number of other consultants in order to make the most out of the developments. The consultation took over a year and a public consultation was also held in order to make sure that they deliver facilities for the local communities and make sure that they receive the optimum capital investment for the project. There are also a range of external facilities included as part of the leisure centre plans, including six 3G five-a-side football pitches and a full sized synthetic turf pitch and a full-sized football grass pitch.
The construction on the former site of Smithfield Primary School in Aberdeen is taking a step forward. Phase 1 of the work has been completed at the site for the primary school which will be located in the Middlefield area of Aberdeen and a part of one of the largest council house developments to take place in well over a decade. The Smithfield development is expected to be finished next year and will offer 99 different sized homes that will range from two-bedroomed apartments to four-bedroomed houses. Lippe Architects, a firm that is based in the North East and CHAP Construction set out strict requirements in regards to the materials used on the construction of the homes and the school for the council estate. Because of this, when the contractor and architect came to tendering the bids on the project, Duncryne was selected. The company is known for being the only supplier of Econic Boards in the UK. Econic Boards are well known for being robust and fire resistant as well as being adaptable and able to be used for a wide range of purposes. One of the uses for Econic board is as an excellent substrate to be used for the application of render as the product is known or being adherent and able to cope with the strength required for render applications. Econic Boards can also be used for the curving designs as well, demonstrating an excellent bending strength. These boards were used on the Smithfield project for the complete external board requirements of the larger buildings as well as for some of the internal flooring. By the time the development is finished it is thought that more than 7,000 sq. m. of Econic product will have been used. The Smithfield project will be a much needed addition to the housing available in Aberdeen when the development is finished in 2018.
Essential Projects, a Nottingham based bespoke metal and glass manufacturer has been awarded a contract for work to be carried out at the Westgate Shopping Centre in Oxford. The business will install a range of glass and metal work that has been crafted especially for the Next Retail store in the newly constructed Shopping Centre. Westgate Shopping Centre is located in the middle of Oxford city centre and is thought to have cost £440 million. The Westgate development has gone ahead in order to rejuvenate and transform the already established shopping centre. The construction work will create a retail and leisure destination that will be spread across 800,000 sq. ft. and include a range of different facilities. There are plans for 100 new retail stores as well as 25 different restaurants and cafés and a boutique cinema. There will also be a rooftop dining space and a wealth of new public spaces to be enjoyed by visitors to the city. In order to fund the over £400 million pound planned work, the Westgate Oxford Alliance has had to acquire investments through a joint venture between Land Securities and the Crown Estate. This joint venture has also seen Laing O’Rourke nominated as the principal contractor for the Oxford project. The plans for the Westgate development were approved by Oxford City Council, and the preparatory works first began at the site in February 2015. The the extension of the shopping and leisure centre is expected to be complete in Autumn this year. Essential Projects has been contracted by Laing O’Rourke as part of the ongoing work on the site to design, manufacture and install a range of tailor made metal and glass staircases as well as make some structural alterations. Essential Projects has also been tasked with the manufacture of a range of unique features that are needed for the new Next Plc store is being built as part of the development.
Last month saw John Brells take the helm of the Driver Group operations across the Asia Pacific region. Based in Perth Australia, John is a highly regarded delay and disruption expert with an impressive CV and an eye on the future. John shared his thoughts whilst talking about the biggest challenge facing the construction dispute industry over the next decade: “From my perspective, I think it is staying on the cutting edge of technology in all aspects. We are now working in a world of “big data” and shorter delivery periods. In order to maintain quality deliverables for our clients, we need to do it better, faster and more cost efficiently.” John joins Driver Group and its global Expert Witness team, Diales, from Turner and Townsend where he led the contract services team in the delivery of commercial, contractual, and Expert Witness advisory services. His move to Driver was influenced by various elements including the calibre of the Asia Pacific team, many of whom he worked with previously, and the ethos and operational approach of the management team. John added: “Driver and Diales have a strong reputation as a premier Expert Witness service provider. The management approach and vision for the future is refreshing and it sits well with my own viewpoint and approaches of always adding value and delivering solutions for clients.” He continues: “The people at Driver are world class and I’m enjoying getting involved in the business, renewing old relationships and discovering the new treasures that the Asia Pacific team yields.”
Charter Walk Shopping Centre in Burnley is to have a new Shopping Centre Manager. Debbie Hernon has been appointed into this role by Addington Capital, the property investment and asset management company. Debbie has been appointed by Addington for the Burnley Shopping Centre amidst a number of other changes that are taking place at the Centre. Debbie is expected to be a great asset to Charter Walk and with all of the other activity taking place, Debbie’s appointment is timed well in order to make maximum impact. The 250,000 sq. ft. shopping centre in Burnley has already seen a flurry of activity this year. The Shopping Centre are making preparations for a new 40,000 sq. ft. Primark Store. The popular clothing chin is expected to be trading from their new store at Charter Walk in the Spring of next year. In order to prepare for this move and to make the most out of the space at Charter Walk, the asset managers at Addington have also managed to successfully move the popular high street brand Wilko’s into the unit previously occupied by the 99p store on the mall. In order to welcome Primark in the Spring of 2018, the contractors are already on site stripping the allocated unit and carrying out the structural alterations that are required before the successful Primark fit out can go ahead. The contractors that have been working in the unit so far have been Lambert Smith Hampton and the Project Manager, Gayle Taylor has said that a number of investigations in the unit have gone ahead successfully and the construction work is moving ahead as planned. It is good news for Burnley that a large high street store such as Primark is opening. The new addition will bring an economic boost to the town centre as well as attracting shoppers to the area.
There have been a number of reports of a drop in construction industry revenue. However Besblock has announced that they have gone against this downward trend, releasing news of their improved turnover. The leading Midlands producer of concrete blocks have announced that year on year, their revenue has seen a huge increase of 65%. This significant increase is great news as it is the highest level of turnover that the company has ever recorded. This data couldn’t much further from the national slump in construction revenue that has been seen across the UK. This drop of revenue in the industry has been labelled as partly to blame for the drop in growth for the second quarter of this year. Besblock has been working hard to make their operations more efficient, implementing new shift patterns and the successful bid for a high-profile contract all also helping towards the record level turnover this year. Making the company more efficient and managing to win and deliver on high-profile contracts has led to an increased level on output for the company. A statement has been released by Besblock, praising those that work for the company for the hard work that has been put in over the course of the last 12 months. The company has managed to break all of their targets and has been able to come together in order to bring about changes to systems and approaches that have. The construction industry is well known for being tough, and at the moment there are challenges expected on the horizon. However Besblock appear to be doing well despite this bleak forecast. The concrete block producer has managed to establish relationships with some of the largest house builders in the industry, which has helped the company thrive due to the increased number of new homes projects being carried out to fulfill Government pledges reduce the housing deficit.
A new Chief Executive has been appointed for The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, or SFHA. Stepping into the role is Sally Thomas, who will be replacing the former Chief Executive, Mary Taylor as she retires after seven years working for the Federation. Before her appointment to the lead role at the SFHA, Sally was working in the position of Head of Community Investment at the North Star Housing Group, which is located in the north east of England. In this role, Sally was seconded between April 2016 and April2-017 to the Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust, where she filled the role of Director of Communities. In this position, Sally had the responsibility of developing and delivering a range of community investment as well as a selection of social purpose programmes. Sally Thomas will bring a wealth of experience to her new role as Chief Executive of the SFHA and will no doubt get involved with tackling the challenges ahead. The housing sector in Scotland has a number of hurdles ahead; the Scottish Government has set a target to create 50,000 affordable homes, Brexit an uncertainty that sits in the horizon, the impact on tenants and landlords from the ongoing welfare reforms and a more fluid political climate at the moment. The challenges ahead also offer the industry a range of valuable opportunities, creating trade apprenticeships and housing more of the poorest in Scotland. Sally Thomas will be working closely to make sure that the next generation of affordable housing can be delivered. The new Chief Executive has said that the Federation will work to make sure that its members will be in the position to respond and react to the challenges that the housing industry face as well as being in a position to make the most of the opportunities on offer.
Owning a listed building is literally owning a piece of British history. The National Heritage list details over 376,000 sites in the UK, each with a unique character and special value to the local, regional or national community. The drawback of living in a heritage home is that traditional building techniques do not always hold up in the modern world, and often simply by their nature of being hundreds of years old, become vulnerable to a number of issues over the years. Maintenance and repairs are often a constant requirement, and while you’re not obliged to improve the condition of a listed building during your tenancy, it is necessary to preserve it at the level at which you took ownership. Here are some of the most common problems found in historic buildings, and what measures you should take to look after an ailing property. Damp Fortunately, damp issues are often the simplest to resolve in a period property. Once an experienced surveyor has confirmed the source of the damp, you will likely be left with one of three scenarios. In many situations, damp can be remedied by repairing roof timbers or tiles, emptying and adjusting gutters or removing non-porous materials, such as concrete, that are preventing older elements from breathing. Other cases may need the external landscape to be adjusted, as it may have bridged your home’s damp proof course (DPC), allowing moisture from the ground into the walls. Timber Frames Timber frames are a stunning feature in any home, but they do require significant attention to keep them healthy and functional over the generations. Poorly-planned structural changes often cause timbers – particularly those hidden between floors or behind render – to succumb to damp, rot and distortion due to heavy loads. When cleaning your beams, use a damp cloth or soft brush; don’t be tempted to reach for a harsher cleaning agent, which can strip away generations of delicate patina. A light coat of beeswax polish will keep beams glowing, and won’t stay sticky like linseed oil. If you notice softness in the wood, or clean, light-coloured bore holes from insects, call a professional timber surveyors for a proper diagnosis and sensitive treatment plan. Insulation Although their character is woven into the fabric of our community, the construction of listed buildings does not always mesh so well with modern energy bills. Where most homeowners add an extra layer of wool into the loft, or another pane of glazing into the windows, with a listed building it is not always to simple. Adding wall insulation can prevent the house from “breathing”, causing moisture to get trapped and create damp. Suspended timber floors have space for padding between the joists, but the installation process can easily damage old floorboards. For double glazing, windows should be considered on a pane by pane basis. Do they contain the original glass, or otherwise contribute to the historic interest of your home? If not, you can probably obtain permission for new windows with relative ease, providing your new frames are sensitive to the style of the property. Consulting with a specialist surveyor, or your Conservation Officer, should shed some light on the possible changes for your home. Further details about your options for insulating a period home can be found on the Historic England website. Unauthorised Alterations Any work on a listed building, including repairs and maintenance, must be sanctioned by the local Conservation Officer. They may advise particular materials or techniques to preserve the integrity of the original building, and not soliciting their approval can have severe penalties. Currently, anyone convicted by the Crown Court for completing work without Listed Building Consent can face unlimited fines and up to 2 years imprisonment. If previous owners have taken their chances and made changes to a building without Listed Building Consent, the liability for taking corrective action becomes yours upon taking ownership. There is no time limit on these corrections being enforced, so it’s vital that a Listed Building Survey is conducted before you move in. Wear and Tear The simple passing of time may be all that creates a need for repairs to be made to the property, whether it be a fresh coat of render or the replacement of damaged roof tiles. Regular inspections are recommended to minimise the need for extensive work on a historic building, and put the focus on routine maintenance instead. Conservation is advocated by Historic England, and homeowners are encouraged to restore their homes using historic fabrics and techniques wherever possible. If authentic materials are no longer available, the most comparable modern alternative is required, to maintain the function and aesthetic of the original building. While they certainly take a bit of care, few homeowners are willing to give up the character and uniqueness of their heritage building, and with a little bit of effort they can provide truly wonderful homes for your family.
The annual Wood Awards have released their shortlist of contestants. This year, the best structures around Britain entered with the hope of being shortlisted and taking the title for the different categories that form the awards ceremony. This year the judging panel of the Wood Awards will be led by Michael Morrison. Michael is an architect from Purcell and will be visiting all of the shortlisted projects personally in order to make sure that this year’s competition in uniquely rigorous. The shortlist for this years awards event will be showcased as part of the London Design Fair which will take place at the Old Truman Brewery between September the 21st and 24th. The winners of the awards will be announced as part of the annual Wood Awards ceremony which is to take place at Carpenters Hall two months later on November the 21st. The ceremony will be hosted by Johanna Agerman Ross who is the Founder of Disegno Magazine as well as the Curator of Twentieth Century and Contemporary Furniture and Product Design and the Victoria and Albert, or V&A Museum which is in London. The Wood Awards were first started in 1971, beginning as the Carpenter Awards before being renamed the Wood Awards in 2003. This annual event has had a significant impact on the progress that has been made on the architecture and design industry. The judging panel for this accolade is made up of experts form the architecture and design industry. The Awards take place every year and are entirely dependant on support and sponsorship from the industry. This not for profit competition does however generate a level of media coverage, allowing the shortlisted projects and winners a promotional boost. Arnold Laver will be sponsoring the Arnold Laver Gold Award, the pinnacle of the awards handed out on the night. This award is thought to celebrate the best of all of the winners in the different categories.