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WILLMOTT DIXON TO DELIVER LATEST GT3-DESIGNED PASSIVHAUS LEISURE PROJECT FOR SPELTHORNE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Kenneth Booth August 5, 2022

ONE of the UK’s leading contractors has been appointed to deliver a pioneering Passivhaus leisure centre, designed by the sports and leisure experts at GT3 Architects. Willmott Dixon has been named by Spelthorne Borough Council as main contractor on the £43.5m project in Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, which is targeting a Passivhaus certification for low

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Barberry nears completion of £35m speculative development

Kenneth Booth August 4, 2022

Leading property developer and investor Barberry Industrial is closing in on completion of its £35 million speculative development of three market leading mid-box manufacturing/logistics units at a prime West Midlands business park. Construction at Hilton Cross Business Park, near Wolverhampton, where Barberry is delivering warehouse units of 47,750 sq ft,

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Willmott Dixon Interiors delivers LSBU’s £47.35m campus transformation

Kenneth Booth July 22, 2022

Willmott Dixon Interiors has completed the £47.35 million refurbishment of London South Bank University’s (LSBU) London Road Building. The national fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor has redeveloped the university’s learning environments as part of one of the biggest transformation programmes in its history. The new learning hub features modern workspaces,

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New £16M council hub handed over in Ellesmere port

Kenneth Booth July 15, 2022

CHESHIRE West and Chester Council, together with its partners, has taken possession of a new transformational £16m public services hub to complete the first phase of redevelopment in Ellesmere Port town centre. The building, named The Portal, was designed by leading independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard. The

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FIRETHORN TRUST HITS STRUCTURAL MILESTONE AT PETERBOROUGH DEVELOPMENT

Kenneth Booth July 14, 2022

Firethorn Trust’s 21-acre logistics scheme, Peterborough South, is rapidly taking shape, with structural steelwork now erected across the site.  Located at Kingston Park in Hampton, the Grade-A industrial development comprises of three units spanning 94,225 sq ft, 130,015 sq ft and 240,830 sq ft, all of which will be delivered

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TATE CONSULTING ENGINEERS BELFAST EXPANSION

Kenneth Booth June 27, 2022

One of the UK’s leading building services engineering practices, Tate Consulting, has expanded into Belfast, initially creating five jobs in the city. The firm now plans to continue growing the team following a string of high-profile contract wins. Yorkshire headquartered Tate Consulting’s recently opened new Belfast office is located close

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Latest Issue

BDC 319 : Aug 2024

BREEAM

WILLMOTT DIXON TO DELIVER LATEST GT3-DESIGNED PASSIVHAUS LEISURE PROJECT FOR SPELTHORNE BOROUGH COUNCIL

Kenneth Booth August 5, 2022

ONE of the UK’s leading contractors has been appointed to deliver a pioneering Passivhaus leisure centre, designed by the sports and leisure experts at GT3 Architects. Willmott Dixon has been named by Spelthorne Borough Council as main contractor on the £43.5m project in Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey, which is targeting a Passivhaus certification for low carbon buildings.  The firm has been appointed alongside Passivhaus expert Gale & Snowden and will work collaboratively with GT3 to ensure sustainability is prioritised in line with the UK’s targets for reaching net zero. Spelthorne Borough Council have decided to adopt the Passivhaus approach, due to our net zero commitment, which will be the first wet and dry Passivhaus leisure centre in the UK. The centre will feature modern facilities such as a rooftop 3G pitch, sports hall, gym and competitive, learner and splash swimming pools. Alongside the core features, the design also includes a mini spa, flexible studio space, soft play, Clip n Climb and a community café, ensuring community-wide benefit for the project. Mark Gowdridge, director at GT3 Architects, said: “It’s great to see the progression of this fantastic project, and especially to have the team at Willmott Dixon now joining us with their wealth of knowledge in sustainable construction. “We are working ever closer to the Passivhaus certification for our design, which will save up to 60% in energy costs and ensure the building is futureproofed. We’re very happy with how the project is moving and having the input of Willmott Dixon will only enhance this. We are very much looking forward to bringing a fundamental space for health and wellbeing to the surrounding community.” Willmott Dixon is currently the only carbon neutral construction company and has set several further challenging targets to meet by 2030. Its ‘Now or Never’ strategy, launched in 2020, focuses on achieving operational net zero across all new build and refurbishment projects, being a zero-carbon company without any offsetting, and improving more than 100,000 lives through its social value commitments. Willmott Dixon has also shown its commitment to the environment by establishing the only dedicated in-house sustainability consultancy. Roger Forsdyke, managing director of London and the South, said: “We are hugely excited to be working alongside Spelthorne Borough Council, GT3 and Gale and Snowden on what will be a landmark project. Spelthorne Borough Council’s choice to adopt the Passivhaus approach is a testament to their commitment to carbon reduction. Within Willmott Dixon, we are putting maximum efforts in to supporting our customers to address the climate emergency, with projects like this ensuring we can continue in adopting our expertise to suit the ambitions of our partners.  We are looking forward to working alongside both GT3 and Gale and Snowden again ensuring the project’s success will be realised.” Passivhaus methodology was established in the early 1990s and has since become the world-leading standard in energy-efficient design and construction. Passivhaus buildings provide users with a high level of comfort, while also using very little energy by optimising the design of the building and all its systems. Daniel Mouawad, Chief Executive of Spelthorne Borough Council, said: “We are delighted to be a pioneering authority, demonstrating our commitment to net zero by building an ultra-low Passivhaus leisure centre. Having declared a climate emergency, we recognise the need to lead by example to achieve cleaner and greener lifestyles and a sustainable borough for all to enjoy. This centre is a great example of partnership working and will provide the right infrastructure to meet our communities’ changing needs and will enable residents to stay active in a healthy environment, with low chemical pools and a dementia friendly design.” For further information visit www.gt3architects.com or join the conversation over on Twitter @_GT3Architects

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Barberry nears completion of £35m speculative development

Kenneth Booth August 4, 2022

Leading property developer and investor Barberry Industrial is closing in on completion of its £35 million speculative development of three market leading mid-box manufacturing/logistics units at a prime West Midlands business park. Construction at Hilton Cross Business Park, near Wolverhampton, where Barberry is delivering warehouse units of 47,750 sq ft, 62,000 sq ft and 113,000 sq ft on a 12-acre site, is expected to reach practical completion later this summer. South Staffordshire District Council approved the company’s detailed planning application for the development, which bring much-needed investment and jobs to the region. The development, known as Wolf Pack, is located at junction one of the M54 motorway. Barberry joined by Councillor Roger Lees, Leader of the Council, and Grant Mitchell, the council’s assistant director of enterprise and growth, at the site to check on progress. The development is being delivered by main contractor Benniman. Barberry was selected by the local authority as the preferred purchaser of the last two remaining plots on the business park. The units are being built to exacting energy efficiency and sustainability levels, to include photovoltaic cells on the south facing slopes of the roof and provisions for electric vehicle charging points and will achieve EPC A and BREEAM Excellent ratings. Development director Jon Robinson said: “This is a fantastic example of the private and public sector working hand-in-hand to deliver an outstanding development which will generate economic benefits and create new jobs for the region. Barberry has an excellent relationship with South Staffordshire District Council and it is great to be working with them to deliver this prime, motorway-connected logistics scheme of more than 222,750 sq ft of self-contained, high quality accommodation.” “We are excited to see the excellent progress being made at Wolf Pack. These three market-leading mid-box industrial/logistics units will help to address the ongoing pent-up demand for high quality mid-box warehouse and manufacturing units in the region.” He added: “Wolf Pack is being delivered with due consideration for many of the environmental, social and corporate governance ratings measuring the sustainability and social impact of new buildings. Barberry is using some of the latest environmental technologies to reduce the cost of occupation and cut the carbon footprint of our buildings. “Our market leading development is already generating a great deal of interest from potential occupiers in both the e-commerce and manufacturing sectors, providing an outstanding logistics location particularly for those supplying into i54 on Junction 2 of the M54 and those looking for proximity to an excellent labour demographic ” Councillor Roger Lees, Leader of South Staffordshire Council said: “The Council are delighted to see the progress Barberry have made in bringing the Wolf Pack site forward for development. When we sold the plots to Barberry, one of our key drivers was seeing the much-needed local jobs and benefits to the local economy as quickly as possible and it’s great to see that coming to fruition. I’m also very pleased with the high sustainability standards Barberry are bringing to the development to minimize its impact, which are very much in tune with the Council’s aspirations for climate change and future growth.” The Wolf Pack development includes eco-friendly features such as high efficiency air source heat pumps, an EPC A rating, LED lighting, photovoltaic cells and electric vehicle charging points, designed to reduce CO2 emissions and costs of occupation. Local occupiers include Tarmac, Moog, Jaguar Land Rover, DHL and Kuehne + Nagel. Barberry has a 4.6 million sq ft industrial and logistics development pipeline with a Gross Development Value of in excess of £800 million. It is developing a £40 million state-of-the-art manufacturing and design facility for a global leader in engine and flight controls systems in Gloucestershire. The 209,000 sq ft centre of excellence for Moog’s Aircraft Controls Segment is being built on a 10-acre site at Ashchurch, Tewkesbury.

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Willmott Dixon Interiors delivers LSBU’s £47.35m campus transformation

Kenneth Booth July 22, 2022

Willmott Dixon Interiors has completed the £47.35 million refurbishment of London South Bank University’s (LSBU) London Road Building. The national fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor has redeveloped the university’s learning environments as part of one of the biggest transformation programmes in its history. The new learning hub features modern workspaces, amenities and technology, designed to support individual learning needs and create new and different ways of engaging students. LSBU staff and students will benefit from 191,000 sq ft of dedicated learning spaces, including a new state-of-the-art library and learning resource, as well as improved Academy of Sport facilities, with a fully equipped gymnasium. There are new open access computer rooms with updated equipment, private rooms for group work and study, additional lecture capacity and new and improved places to eat. The transformation has also completely overhauled the arrival experience at the London Road Building, with a new entrance lobby, staircases and lifts greatly improving accessibility. Willmott Dixon Interiors has delivered the BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rated space to maximise natural daylight, removing existing facades and installing skylights in the library and concourse areas. It features a new building management system to support the efficient use of energy and uses LED lighting throughout. Sustainably sourced natural materials are a feature of the design, including a birch plywood feature wall showcasing a large fabric artwork, which injects colour and vibrancy into the building. Externally a new blue roof system and rain attenuation tank have been installed to attenuate and manage stormwater.   The project used BIM Level 2 methodology, with works delivered by Willmott Dixon Interiors and its supply chain partners during the pandemic and within a live campus environment. It is a key part of LSBU’s wider redevelopment project at its campus at Elephant and Castle, which aims to consolidate its position as a leading modern university, and provide benefits to students, staff and the wider community. Graham Shaw, managing director of Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “This is a bold and exciting project that realises LSBU’s vision for revolutionising the student experience. It has made best use of space across the entire campus, delivering dedicated learning zones and the capacity and facilities to serve students, staff and the wider community for many years to come. “We have a substantial presence in the university sector and have built a deeply collaborative relationship with LSBU during the course of the project. It has provided us with the opportunity to showcase our full range of capabilities in structural refurbishment, interior fit out and working in a busy campus environment.” The project was delivered by Willmott Dixon Interiors and a team including Wilkinson Eyre Architects, Eckersley O’Callaghan as structural engineers, BDP as services engineer and Fulkers LLP as project manager and cost consultant.

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New £16M council hub handed over in Ellesmere port

Kenneth Booth July 15, 2022

CHESHIRE West and Chester Council, together with its partners, has taken possession of a new transformational £16m public services hub to complete the first phase of redevelopment in Ellesmere Port town centre. The building, named The Portal, was designed by leading independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard. The three-storey building provides a range of services to the public from several different agencies, as well as providing accommodation that meets the demands of the council’s modern workforce strategy. The new space will be home for 580 staff employed by the council, DWP and other service providers. The scheme also incorporated a new bus facility and extensive public realm works to improve transport links and facilities for the public. Pick Everard – operating under Perfect Circle’s unique collaboration – was appointed to provide architecture, interior design and landscape services through SCAPE’s Built Environment Consultancy Services (BECS) framework.  Andy Robinson, director at Pick Everard, said: “Cheshire West and Chester Council has a fantastic new facility in the heart of Ellesmere Port. We promised to deliver a scheme that places greater emphasis on the use of the space and The Portal’s 4,000 square metres and surrounding external areas truly accomplish this. “Value for money is essential for our public sector clients and this has been achieved to great effect on this project. Through close collaboration and consultancy, we’ve been able to ensure that the completed scheme represents the priorities identified by the council.” The Portal is a single shared hub that facilitates agile working, therefore reducing the demand for space and enabling the council and other agencies to consolidate their presence into a smaller footprint. As a result of this, money is being saved and carbon emissions are being reduced while also providing a much-improved work environment. With the intention to improve access to public services and bring all the disparate arms and services of local government into a single shared hub, The Portal is a regeneration project that serves its practical purpose and acts as the catalyst for regeneration in the town. Importantly, the building is designed to improve the customer experience enable them to access a wider range of services in one location. This includes employment, skills and learning, welfare and benefits support, advice and information, community safety and prevention, health and well-being and housing support. The building contains public art that is on permanent display. Consultation with the local community during the design stage led to creations that represent the purpose of the space, which has been developed in the interest of the local area and not only those who use the on-site facilities. Civic Way was a critical element of the scheme. Road priorities have changed with Civic Way now only accessible to buses and service vehicles, reducing traffic on a previously busy thoroughfare. The area is now a much more pedestrian friendly environment as a result of the careful public realm design its relationship with the new bus facility. The widening of the street to allow for bus lay-bys and new bus stands enabled the opportunity to relocate the old poor quality bus interchange and create space for The Portal.   Public realm improvements did not stop with Civic Way. The Port Arcade entrance from Wellington Road has been made more pedestrian friendly, with accessibility and enjoyment of the space receiving attention due to the high footfall. Councillor Louise Gittins, leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “The opening of The Portal is an exciting moment for the community as it is providing a versatile building for a range of stakeholders. “The project team has completed a scheme to be proud of following an important consultation process and we can’t wait to share the newly improved space with the people of Ellesmere Port.” The importance of the project to the local workforce and wider community meant that public engagement was maintained throughout. To create learning opportunities, contractor Vinci Construction engaged with The West Cheshire College to make site visits and construction talks a possibility for students. David Nisbet, partner at Pick Everard, said: “We’re pleased to have supported Cheshire West and Chester Council on the development of The Portal, as it adopts the government’s One Public Estate programme. “The Portal marks another project within our portfolio that has achieved BREEAM Very Good certification, proving the growing opportunity for sustainable solutions in towns likes Ellesmere Port that are undergoing regeneration.” For more information on Pick Everard, visit www.pickeverard.co.uk/

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FIRETHORN TRUST HITS STRUCTURAL MILESTONE AT PETERBOROUGH DEVELOPMENT

Kenneth Booth July 14, 2022

Firethorn Trust’s 21-acre logistics scheme, Peterborough South, is rapidly taking shape, with structural steelwork now erected across the site.  Located at Kingston Park in Hampton, the Grade-A industrial development comprises of three units spanning 94,225 sq ft, 130,015 sq ft and 240,830 sq ft, all of which will be delivered as net-zero carbon in construction. Work is well underway at the scheme, which is being delivered by Glencar Construction, and is on track for completion in Q4 2022. Chris Webb, Partner at Firethorn Trust, commented: “Having received the green light on planning earlier this year, we are delighted to have hit this structural milestone and we look forward to seeing the scheme continue to develop at pace over the coming months. “As with all Firethorn developments, we’re committed to creating spaces with a market-leading specification, and Peterborough South’s design will showcase innovative, best-in-class products and technologies that will promote productivity, sustainability and employee wellbeing, now and for years to come.” The development will be delivered to a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ specification and will feature more than 40,000 sq. ft. of photovoltaic arrays and 48 electric vehicle charging points, offering potential occupiers a smart and future-proof logistics space. Enquiries for Peterborough South should be directed to the scheme’s letting agents, Savills and Lambert Smith Hampton. For further information, visit www.peterboroughsouth.co.uk.

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GROUND-BREAKING FOR 500 NEW HOMES IN THE UK’S LARGEST URBAN REGENERATION PROJECT

Kenneth Booth July 13, 2022

Peel L&P and Pension Insurance Corporation plc (‘PIC’) are pleased to announce the commencement of construction of Miller’s Quay, the cornerstone investment in what will become the largest regeneration project in the UK, creating up to 20,000 permanent jobs. Miller’s Quay is a 500 one-and two-bedroom residential scheme which will continue the delivery momentum at Peel L&P’s Wirral Waters, a 500-acre brownfield site and former dockland. Wirral Waters is supported by central Government as a key part of its levelling up strategy. The £130 million Miller’s Quay development has been made possible through a special partnership between highly experienced developer and regeneration business, Peel L&P, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council (‘WMBC’) and long-term investor, PIC, who are Peel L&P’s funding partner. Construction company Graham is the contractor for the scheme. The commencement of construction was marked by a ground-breaking ceremony on 11 July with Rob Groves, PIC’s Chief Investment Officer and Hayley Rees, Managing Director of PIC Capital; James Whittaker, Peel L&P’s Executive Director for Development; Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region; and Councillor Jeff Green, The Mayor of Wirral. Hayley Rees, Managing Director of PIC Capital, said: “The development of Miller’s Quay is a model for how long-term investors can play a key role in the levelling up agenda and create considerable social value. The site will provide much needed housing for the Wirral and offers secure long-term cashflows to back the pensions of our 300,000 policyholders, some of whom live in the region. We hope that the regeneration lease structure used to finance Miller’s Quay can be adapted across a range of sectors and projects for other local authorities, as well as housing associations, universities, NHS trusts and other organisations looking to unlock funding for regeneration schemes around the country.” James Whittaker, Executive Director of Development at Peel L&P, said: “This is a truly landmark moment for Wirral Waters with construction on this much anticipated residential scheme now starting. Miller’s Quay is a major scale, catalytic and highly sustainable residential development that we consider to be a great example of brownfield regeneration. This project will pave the way for a number of waterside residential schemes in the new Northbank neighbourhood and it will also deliver considerable social value through comprehensive engagement with both Wirral Met College’s Construction Campus and local supply chains.” Sue Higginson, CEO of Wirral Met College, said: “We are excited about the opportunities that this development offers and look forward to working with Peel and Graham to equip our students with the skills, knowledge and behaviours they will need to succeed through on-site experience, learning seminars, and apprenticeships.” Jonathan Hall, Regional Managing Director (Building South) at GRAHAM commented: “Graham are delighted to add this prestigious residential project to the secured pipeline of work in our Liverpool Region. We are very excited to get started on this significant and much anticipated development that will deliver top quality new homes locally. Performing such a key role on one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects is a huge boost for us and will enhance our residential portfolio, a sector for which we are known for our quality and delivery.” Mayor of Wirral, Cllr Jeff Green, said: “This is another key milestone in the story of Wirral’s regeneration. These new homes, on a brownfield site, show that our ambitions for the Left Bank area from Bromborough to New Brighton through Birkenhead, Seacombe and Wirral Waters, are coming to fruition and delivering the developments people want and need. This shows the value of our work with partners including the Government. Miller’s Quay is also a real statement of confidence in the future of Wirral Waters and the whole Left Bank area, one which will provide homes – including 100 affordable homes – for hundreds of people.” About Miller’s Quay  Miller’s Quay is a 500 apartment Build-to-Rent residential development and the cornerstone scheme for the broader Wirral Waters development. The project has been made possible through a long-term, regeneration lease structure, providing funding for Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, which would not have been available from traditional structures, while generating the secure long-term cashflows which allow PIC to match its pension payments decades into the future.   The project has been designed to deliver social good to the area with a core focus on sustainability, utilising a range of energy efficient and low carbon technologies to reduce carbon emissions:  All buildings across the Wirral Waters regeneration project are targeting BREEAM Excellent, including Miller’s Quay, as well as significant bio-diversity improvements with the planting of more than 1,600 trees so far.   Miller’s Quay, will use a range of energy efficiency and low carbon technologies to reduce carbon emissions, including solar power systems, and air source heat pumps.  Miller’s Quay will be surrounded by parks, green spaces, dockside walkways and cycle routes, with homes having access to cycling storage and electric vehicle charging points.  One in five apartments to be designated as affordable housing units, with rents set at a maximum of 80% of open market value.  The Peel L&P delivery team will continue to engage with the Wirral Met College’s construction students for site visits, seminars, work experience and apprenticeships, enabling the students to benefit from experience on the project as we seek to create the construction workforce of the future.   Sustainable Urban Drainage to manage surface water from the site into the Docks through the provision of rain gardens, climate tolerant planting and tree pits designed to accommodate a 1 in 100-year storm.  

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TRAMMELL CROW COMPANY BREAKS GROUND IN EUROPE, WITH GLENCAR BEGINNING CONSTRUCTION IN MILTON KEYNES

Kenneth Booth July 4, 2022

Trammell Crow Company (TCC), a leading global developer and investor in commercial real estate, has begun work on its first European logistics site, a 19.4-acre scheme that will deliver three Grade A logistics buildings in Milton Keynes, UK.   With construction now underway by principal contractor Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, and completion due for spring 2023, TCC’s Milton Keynes site will comprise three speculative logistics buildings totaling approximately 340,000 sq ft at Merton Drive, with building clear heights from 39 ft to 49 ft. The buildings will provide increased load capacity on the roof to accommodate photovoltaic arrays and additional natural daylighting. They will also house transformers and primary electrical frameworks for increased electrical demand and reserves of power; have infrastructure suitable for electric vehicle charging; provide increased capacity of floor slabs for floor-standing mezzanines and pick-towers; and have the flexibility to accommodate various office configurations. CBRE acted as the planning consultant on the project and Chetwoods as the architects. Since launching in Europe in 2021, TCC has acquired three sites in strategically important logistics locations in the UK (in Milton Keynes, Sheffield and Heywood), two in Germany (both near Berlin), three in Spain (in Granollers near Barcelona, and Cabanillas and Alovera near Madrid), and one in the Czech Republic. In keeping with its global standards, TCC will target BREEAM Excellent certification across all its logistics projects. Graham Reece, Head of European Logistics Construction at Trammell Crow Company, said: “With construction having begun on our first European site, set to be closely followed by our Sheffield and Spanish sites, Trammell Crow Company has taken another step towards being one of Europe’s leading developers of prime industrial and logistics space. We’re building these assets with a sharp focus on quality, ensuring they have the flexibility, the energy supply and the ESG credentials to meet investors’ and occupiers’ needs now and the future, staying ahead of whatever demands regulations and technology introduce.” Pete Goodman, Managing Director Midlands and North at Glencar, said: “As Trammell Crow Company’s inaugural project since coming to Europe Glencar are extremely proud and honored to have been appointed to construct this fantastic new speculative logistics site and we look forward to delivering. It’s great to see the fantastic progress that has already been made with the site being levelled and ground being stabilized ahead of vertical construction later in the summer. “We have worked very closely with TCC and the planning and design teams to design a scheme that we will build to an extremely high specification and which is future proofed to meet investor and occupier requirements going forward together with being ahead of cutting edge ESG credentials and energy demands.”

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Panattoni to speculatively develop the last two remaining plots at Panattoni Park Aylesford

Kenneth Booth June 30, 2022

Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, will speculatively develop the final two units at its sustainable logistics development in Aylesford, Kent, after agreeing pre-lets for the rest of the space. The two units of 100,000 sq ft and 130,000 sq ft at Panattoni Park Aylesford, which are expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2023, will be built to a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and an EPC rating of ‘A’. They will benefit from 15m clear internal height, 2 level access doors, electric charging points for cars, access to the park’s car share scheme and 50m yard depths. The development of the speculative units follows the success of the recent pre-lets at the park to DHL, Fowler Welch and Evri. Panattoni is in detailed discussions with other occupiers for the remainder of the space at the park. Panattoni is developing a high-quality logistics space on the former Aylesford Newsprint site, close to junction 4 of the M20, to serve London and the south east. Panattoni Park Aylesford is a £180 million investment in high-quality, sustainable logistics development, infrastructure, parking, landscaping and access, including the new £7 million Bellingham Way link road. The sustainability strategy aims to minimise the operational use of carbon, which includes some scope three emissions from tenant activity and installed equipment and systems such as heating and lighting. Every building at the park will have air source heat pumps to control temperature in the offices and photovoltaic panels on the roofs. It is expected that these measures will generate up to 15% reductions in regulated energy use across the building. Panattoni is also working in partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust to achieve a 10% net gain in biodiversity at the site. Tony Watkins, Development Director at Panattoni, said: “Our decision to speculatively develop the final two units at Aylesford reflects the strong demand from occupiers looking to benefit from its excellent location. “In just nine months since we acquired the site, we have let nearly 80% of the space. We are on site delivering multiple buildings with the first ones ready for occupation in the third quarter of this year, we look forward to welcoming them to the Park and other occupiers to follow”. Agents at Panattoni Park Aylesford are CBRE, Avison Young and JLL.

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Legal & General acquires 6.2-acre Horsham site for multi million pound industrial scheme

Kenneth Booth June 30, 2022

Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM Real Assets) has acquired a 6.2-acre freehold estate in Horsham, West Sussex on behalf of its Industrial Property Investment Fund (“IPIF”). LGIM Real Assets and its development partner, Graftongate, plan to speculatively develop a prime multi-unit industrial/logistics scheme on the site of Wilberforce House in Southwater, south of Horsham town centre. The proposed scheme would see the development of seven new warehouse units totaling almost 100,000 sq ft, including integral office space. The scheme will target EPC A+, BREEAM Excellent and operational net zero carbon. Wilberforce House is currently let in its entirety to the RSPCA, which is relocating to smaller premises. LGIM Real Assets and Graftongate plan to develop the scheme on receipt of vacant possession in Q1 2023. Jonathan Holland, senior fund manager for LGIM Real Assets, said: “The purchase presents an excellent opportunity to acquire a development site to provide Grade A industrial stock in a supply constrained market and a sector where occupational demand is booming, and rental growth is set to follow. On expiry of the lease, this will be one of the most strategic development sites in West Sussex.” Alex Thomason, development manager at Graftongate, said: “The redevelopment of the Wilberforce House estate offers an excellent opportunity to deliver high quality industrial/logistics accommodation in an established commercial location. The property occupies a prime position on Wilberforce Way and benefits from excellent transport links, being easily accessible via the A24 dual carriageway. We expect the scheme to generate significant interest from prospective occupiers.” Savills and Clay Street acted on behalf of LGIM Real Assets and Graftongate, the vendor was represented by Carter Jonas.

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TATE CONSULTING ENGINEERS BELFAST EXPANSION

Kenneth Booth June 27, 2022

One of the UK’s leading building services engineering practices, Tate Consulting, has expanded into Belfast, initially creating five jobs in the city. The firm now plans to continue growing the team following a string of high-profile contract wins. Yorkshire headquartered Tate Consulting’s recently opened new Belfast office is located close to Belfast City Airport in the Belmont Office Park on Belmont Road. Belfast born Jim Lee, who has been a director at Tate Consulting for the past nine years, will continue to split his time between Belfast and Harrogate. Aaron Stevenson and Kevin Gallagher have also joined the team as associate director and mechanical associate respectively, with Aaron overseeing the running of the new Belfast office. Aaron has worked for several well-known engineering firms in Northern Ireland for the past 25 years and Kevin brings more than 10 years’ worth of experience to the role working in both Belfast and London. Tate Consulting provides a full range of commercial engineering solutions from MEP concept design to project handover and post-occupancy evaluation, as well as fire engineering services, sustainability and building performance assessments and master planning. Initial contract wins for the company include Belfast Waterside, a development of 500 homes by MODA Living in collaboration with Osborne + Co and focused on the build to rent market, as well as a 450,000 sq ft logistics facility in Dublin for an international retailer. Tate Consulting’s managing director, Shane Tate, said: “Over the past 20 years we have established a nationwide portfolio of clients in both the public and private sectors and a reputation for always adding significant value to projects. Belfast is currently benefitting from substantial amounts of investment and is now home to some of the UK’s most exciting construction projects, so expanding into the city was a natural move andmakes it a very exciting time for us.” Tate Consulting director, Jim Lee said: “This expansion will give us a valuable foothold and added resource in Belfast as well as facilitating further expansion into the Dublin market. We’re already working on several high-profile projects and part of this success is due to us being able to attract a highly skilled team, who want to work on career defining projects. It’s great to be able to utilise the talent that exists in Northern Ireland. “Both Aaron and Kevin have a wealth of industry experience and are well-known in the local construction industry. With a number of imminent appointments, we’re now looking to build on this further and plan to recruit several more electrical and mechanical engineers this year.”

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