Manchester City Council is to refresh regeneration proposals for the former Central Retail Park. A report updating on the strategic redevelopment of the former Central Retail Park site will be heard on 14 December requesting approval for a new consultation to start in the New Year. The Council has refreshed
To align with the plans for regional growth Keepmoat has set for the company, Matt, who was previously Land and Planning Director at Persimmon Homes, Linden Homes and Redrow Homes, has been appointed to support the existing land teams in the housebuilder’s East Midlands and Yorkshire East regions. Based in
Pave Aways, a successful privately owned construction business with a dedicated team of construction professionals, has announced it is to start construction work on a new Staffordshire History Centre in January. The £5.4 million centre will be formed by extending the existing Staffordshire Record Office on Eastgate Street in Stafford
Industry expert CBRE has warned commercial property investors of the financial risks they might be experiencing due to increased building inefficiency and slow implementation of sustainable practices and digitisation strategies across portfolios. In a recent publication, it revealed that while positive strides have been made, property managers are moving too
Modular housing firm ilke Homes has raised a record-breaking £100 million from new and existing shareholders following successive years of triple-digit growth. The round is being led by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC (“Fortress”), a leading global investment manager with approximately $46 billion of assets under
Catalyst, part of the Peabody Group, and development partners The Hill Group have been given the go-ahead by Haringey Council for the redevelopment of a site adjacent to St Ann’s Hospital, South Tottenham into new homes. The redevelopment will provide up to 995 new homes, 60% of which will be
Building and civil engineering firm McLaughlin & Harvey has been chosen as the preferred construction partner for City of Wolverhampton Council’s City Learning Quarter. The company will be developing the detailed designs while carry out some minor preparatory works ahead of construction starting in spring. Developed by the Council in
Sika, a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of building products, has been awarded the EWI Excellence Award at the INCA Awards (The Insulated Render and Cladding Association). Held at the Queens Hotel in Leeds, the INCA Awards were hosted by comedian and broadcaster
Multi-award-winning engineering consultancy Will Rudd Davidson is nearing completion at Topgolf, a high-tech golfing experience, which is due to open its first complex in Glasgow. The company has been carrying out core civil and structural service, with the entertainment venue opening to the public imminently. Located on Duchess Place, just
iNESS 360 has announced the addition of Data Twins of Commercial Spaces to Bentley Systems’ Powered by iTwin programme. Data Twins of Commercial Spaces enables owners and operators to better manage the use of commercial spaces by integrating human behaviour modelling with a building’s operations. “Imagine an internet where buildings
Manchester City Council is to refresh regeneration proposals for the former Central Retail Park. A report updating on the strategic redevelopment of the former Central Retail Park site will be heard on 14 December requesting approval for a new consultation to start in the New Year. The Council has refreshed a Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) for the former retail site that was previously agreed by the Council in 2020. The commitment remains to develop a flagship, highly sustainable commercial district that can attract new business and talent to the city, that will also promote social value and well-being. The Government Property Agency (GPA) is exploring options for delivering office solutions in Manchester, to meet the needs of various civil servant departments, which supports the Government’s commitment to locate more civil servants outside of London and support levelling up. Therefore, the new framework also responds to potential interest from the GPA to locate government offices on the site. “The former Central Retail Park is a key site and one of the final pieces of the puzzle in the long-term regeneration story of New Islington, which has the potential to create thousands of new jobs in the city. For decades the site has created a physical barrier between Great Ancoats Street and the growing community around New Islington Marina. Developing this site will create a new public link through to the existing Cotton Field Park behind and create a green space at the heart of the low-carbon commercial district,” said Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council. “We have a real opportunity to create a flagship, highly sustainable development of renown – and we would encourage people to take part in the consultation. A six-week consultation will begin in early January and we invite feedback around the proposals for site.” The overall vision of the refreshed Former Central Retail SRF is: • Create a high-quality, sustainable office district to bring the currently vacant former retail park back into use. • Create a range of new employment opportunities, including through the construction phase of the development project. Thousands of jobs are expected to be located at the site, many of which will be new employment opportunities to the city. • A new high-quality, green public space will be at the heart of the former retail site, creating a link between Great Ancoats Street to Cottonfield Park and the growing New Islington community behind. • New connections and routes will be created through the site from adjacent neighbourhoods. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
To align with the plans for regional growth Keepmoat has set for the company, Matt, who was previously Land and Planning Director at Persimmon Homes, Linden Homes and Redrow Homes, has been appointed to support the existing land teams in the housebuilder’s East Midlands and Yorkshire East regions. Based in Lincoln, Matt will be looking to fill gaps within the business’ development portfolio as the new Land and Partnerships Director, and secure land opportunities to ensure Keepmoat reaches its targets and fulfils its growth plans. His main focus will be to expand Keepmoat’s operations into the Lincolnshire area, covering towns such as Scunthorpe, Grimsby, Stamford, Grantham, and others, with a view to delivering much needed, energy-efficient homes that are fit for the future. “The East of the country, most specifically Lincolnshire and the East Riding, are areas of great potential for housebuilding, with some booming industries adding to the appeal, such as large-scale agriculture, engineering, and manufacturing. The region is also fantastically placed with towns such as York, Grantham, Newark and Retford having convenient rail and motorway connections, and there are some exciting developments proposed in North and North East Lincolnshire, which is also driving housing growth in the area,” said Marc when asked about his ambitions for the region. “I am keen to continue Keepmoat’s previous success of providing regenerated sites and thriving communities through our relationships with landowners, local authorities, land agents, and partners such as Homes England. Key to my role will be identifying and securing opportunities in the eastern corridor to push Keepmoat’s operational boundaries into Lincolnshire and strengthen its presence in East Yorkshire,” he added. Keepmoat is one of the UK’s leading partnership homebuilders and a leading brownfield builder. To align with the housebuilder’s aims, Matt will be leading on the negotiation and application for new land to regenerate into new communities. Together with local authorities and housing associations, he will continue to work towards the delivery of affordable, high-quality housing, as well as homes available for first-time buyers. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Pave Aways, a successful privately owned construction business with a dedicated team of construction professionals, has announced it is to start construction work on a new Staffordshire History Centre in January. The £5.4 million centre will be formed by extending the existing Staffordshire Record Office on Eastgate Street in Stafford to incorporate the William Salt Library. A modern glazed entrance will link both buildings, creating exhibition space to showcase museum, archive and library collections with additional strong rooms installed to build space for a further 55 years of collections. “We are very pleased to be working with the council to deliver this flagship building that will play an important role in the preservation and development of Staffordshire’s history. Having previously built a records and archives centre in Mid Wales, we are well placed to meet the stringent conditions that are required to house these historic collections. We can’t wait to get started,” said Managing Director of Pave Aways Steven Owen. The total cost of the project, which includes a four-year programme of activities, is £8,780,239. The project has been made possible thanks to a grant of £4,858,699 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Additional match funding of £3,921,540 was raised by the partnership, including Staffordshire County Council funding, grants, donations from local organisations and friends and in-kind contributions from volunteers. “We’re justifiably proud of our history and wonderful collections and we want to be able to share them and be able to protect them for future generations to enjoy. We’re all incredibly excited about the project and it’s great to have the start confirmed for the new year. Not only will the project give us a brand-new heritage attraction for the county but it will bring together three amazing collections from the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Archive Service, the County Museum and the William Salt Library,” added Victoria Wilson, Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture at Staffordshire County Council. “In addition to the new centre, a dedicated programme of touring exhibitions will also help take the Staffordshire story out into local communities, helping to get more people interested in our fascinating history. We are grateful to National Lottery Players for making this funding possible,” she concluded. Image: PRS Architects Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Industry expert CBRE has warned commercial property investors of the financial risks they might be experiencing due to increased building inefficiency and slow implementation of sustainable practices and digitisation strategies across portfolios. In a recent publication, it revealed that while positive strides have been made, property managers are moving too slowly to adopt greener practices. Despite evidence showing green strategies have significant commercial benefits, such as driving higher rents and occupant retention, the industry seems to have trouble developing a better portfolio sustainability. With this in mind, Cillian Casey, Regional Vice-President EMEA at CIM, is calling for decisive action to improve portfolio sustainability. “The fact that two separate reports, published a year apart and to different regions, have come to the same conclusion about sustainability’s appeal to tenants clearly sends a strong message that decisive action is needed. Commercial property investors and managers need to accelerate the adoption of greener practices and equipment, especially given the property sector’s vital role in achieving net zero by 2050,” he said. “Promptly ensuring operational efficiency across portfolios will be key to immediate emissions reduction, with data analytics technology set to play a pivotal role in this, especially as energy demand continues to grow. However, untangling the sheer volume of data to determine priority actions remains a major challenge for facilities managers given the overstretched nature of many facilities and operational teams.” With property operations accounting for 28% of global carbon operations and the fact that 80% of 2050’s buildings have already been built, the need for immediate steps is crucial. According to Mr Casey, optimising operations with data offers a more financially prudent route than alternatives such as carbon offsetting, given predictions offsetting prices will rise exponentially in the near future. “The current external cost of carbon offset purchasing undoubtedly has an appeal for building owners and investors, but priority should be given to driving everyday efficiencies and optimisations in the way buildings are run. Organisations may leave themselves in a precarious position as costs rise, and by not prioritising or considering alternative options, they could be vulnerable to an ever-worsening financial situation that could have been avoided. “By digitising operations across portfolios through the use of data-driven detection and diagnostics software such as CIM’s PEAK platform, stakeholders can take immediate steps toward more efficient and sustainable building performance. As this latest CBRE report shows, greener buildings are very attractive to prospective tenants, and therefore command higher rental yields. By embracing change now, commercial property owners and managers can create immediate additional value for businesses while emissions are lowered,” Cillian concluded. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Modular housing firm ilke Homes has raised a record-breaking £100 million from new and existing shareholders following successive years of triple-digit growth. The round is being led by funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group LLC (“Fortress”), a leading global investment manager with approximately $46 billion of assets under management. Existing investors TDR Capital and Sun Capital also subscribed to ilke Homes’ latest fundraising round, which was arranged by investment bank Citigroup and acts as a rare example of a company increasing its valuation as global stocks remain under pressure from the continued macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty. The new funding will be transformational for ilke Homes. It will help the company to significantly scale-up its operations and open a new manufacturing facility that, once operational, will increase the company’s output capacity to 4,000 homes a year, creating over 1,000 new jobs in the UK. “We are excited about our investment in ilke Homes. We see ilke Homes as the UK market leader in the manufacturing of modular housing and believe the company is uniquely positioned to increase the availability of high quality affordable housing in the UK while accelerating the transition to net zero,” said Rahul Ahuja, Co-head of European Credit at Fortress Investment Group. The investment will also allow the company to invest heavily in automating more of its manufacturing processes to further drive productivity. This will in turn enable ilke to secure more sites and expand its ‘package deal’ strategy, which offers full development service of land, infrastructure and homes in a rapidly growing market. The company, which has seen revenue grow by over 150 percent year-on-year, is already working with some of the UK’s biggest developers and investors, including global asset manager Man Group, FTSE 250-listed housebuilder Vistry Group, and housing association Places for People. Despite being founded just five years ago, ilke Homes is now delivering over 1,000 homes a year and has secured a pipeline of over 4,000 homes, putting it on par with some of the UK’s biggest housebuilders. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Catalyst, part of the Peabody Group, and development partners The Hill Group have been given the go-ahead by Haringey Council for the redevelopment of a site adjacent to St Ann’s Hospital, South Tottenham into new homes. The redevelopment will provide up to 995 new homes, 60% of which will be affordable, delivering much-needed housing in the area. The approved application comprises a mix of different tenures including private sale, London Affordable Rent, London Living Rent, and Shared Ownership homes. The scheme will bring significant benefits to the area including new and enhanced green spaces. The central Peace Garden will be retained and extended to three times its current size. The plans also include new safe and accessible cycle routes through the site towards Harringay Green Lanes station, as well as shops, amenities, community-led housing, and affordable workspaces. Catalyst and Hill’s plans also retain seven historical hospital buildings, including the iconic water tower, which will be repurposed for a variety of non-residential uses. “Haringey Council’s decision to approve the plans for St Ann’s New Neighbourhood is fantastic news for Catalyst, Hill, and local people. The new neighbourhood will not only provide new homes for hundreds of people, the majority of those homes affordable, but will ensure those living and working there have access to outstanding outdoor facilities. Creating great places and sustainable neighbourhoods is at the heart of what we do, and we look forward to welcoming new residents in in the coming years,” said Philip Jenkins, Executive Director of Development at the Peabody Group, of which Catalyst is a subsidiary. The Catalyst development will provide 239 homes within the first phase, with outline plans for an additional 756 homes over future phases. Catalyst was selected by the Mayor of London to develop the former St Ann’s Hospital site in late 2020, with a shared goal of delivering more affordable homes for Londoners. A hybrid planning application was submitted in July this year following extensive community involvement. Several pop-up events and workshops were held with the local community and a Peace and Wellness Festival that was attended by more than 300 local people. “The approval of the planning application by Haringey Council is a significant step forward in the provision of much-needed affordable housing for the borough. We look forward to working with Catalyst to create this landmark project that will bring long-term benefits to the area, whilst working closely with the local community to ensure the delivery of their vision,” concluded Andy Hill, Chief Executive at Hill. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Building and civil engineering firm McLaughlin & Harvey has been chosen as the preferred construction partner for City of Wolverhampton Council’s City Learning Quarter. The company will be developing the detailed designs while carry out some minor preparatory works ahead of construction starting in spring. Developed by the Council in partnership with City of Wolverhampton College, the City Learning Quarter scheme will deliver a purpose-built learning facility for young people and adults at the heart of the city centre to drive up skills levels. “We are delighted to have been appointed as City of Wolverhampton Council’s construction partner for their City Learning Quarter project. This is our thirteenth project under the Crown Commercial Service CWAS RM6088 Framework, having recently completed Darroch House, Edinburgh and UKAEA Material Research Facility. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Council on the design and preparatory works,” said Michael Kieran, McLaughlin & Harvey Construction Director. The City Learning Quarter, set over 10,000 square metres, will be situated around the Old Hall Street and St. George’s Parade area of the city centre, incorporating a site on the corner of Garrick Street and Bilston Street, where the former Faces nightclub building once stood. The state-of-the-art education facility will also see investment in the building and public realm around them. It will encompass City of Wolverhampton College’s Metro One Campus, the council’s Adult Education Service and Central Library, creating an enhanced learning environment for everyone as well as significantly paving the way for City of Wolverhampton College to move from its out-dated Paget Road site, which has been identified as land to build much-needed housing. In addition to the new facilities providing educational benefits for the city, the City Learning Quarter will generate and safeguard 750 jobs in the local economy. Initially supported by a £6.2 million investment from the Council and Black Country LEP, the scheme secured a further £5 million in funding from the Towns Fund, as well as £20 million from the Levelling Up Fund and a further £20 million from the Department for Education. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Sika, a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of building products, has been awarded the EWI Excellence Award at the INCA Awards (The Insulated Render and Cladding Association). Held at the Queens Hotel in Leeds, the INCA Awards were hosted by comedian and broadcaster Paul Sinha and recognised outstanding workmanship and innovation shown by its members in external wall insulation. Sika stood out against a wide range of exceptional projects for its work with Swansea Borough Council in upgrading the energy efficiency of its housing stock. The win in this category comes at a time when so many households are facing fuel poverty due to rising energy costs. The improvements to council houses across Swansea, has seen Swansea Council work with Sika in improving the external fabric and increasing insulation as part of efforts to reduce residents’ energy bills. “This was a fantastic night for Sika and Swansea Council. We were delighted to have won this award, which is testament to all the hard work of our team and the high standards we deliver across the external wall insulation industry,” said Darren Bunting, UK Distribution, Business Unit Manager at Sika. Winning this prestigious award has further enhanced Sika’s reputation for manufacture and supply of market leading external wall insulation systems that set the highest standards. “We are delighted with the accolade which is a credit to our hard work across this project. It also recognises the unique relationship between Swansea Council and Sika in creating jobs, reducing emissions, reducing fuel poverty and creating more comfortable homes,” added Matt Allen, Head of Sales for Building Finishing at Sika. Sika Limited and Sika Ireland Limited are part of the global Sika Group, specialising in the manufacture and supply of chemical based products. Sika has a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector and the motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 100 countries around the world and manufactures in over 300 factories. With more than 25,000 employees Sika generates annual sales of CHF 7.9 billion (£6.14 bn). Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Multi-award-winning engineering consultancy Will Rudd Davidson is nearing completion at Topgolf, a high-tech golfing experience, which is due to open its first complex in Glasgow. The company has been carrying out core civil and structural service, with the entertainment venue opening to the public imminently. Located on Duchess Place, just off the M74, the multi-level complex spans 45,000 sq ft and is seen as an integral part of the ongoing regeneration in the city’s east end. “It’s great to see this magnificent project now ready to open. I am incredibly proud of the team for all of their hard work in delivering what will likely be a popular leisure destination for people from all across Scotland and further afar,” said MJ O’Shaughnessy, Managing Director, Will Rudd Glasgow and Ireland. “Given the site’s complexities, it was really important that we worked closely with all of the design team and contractors to deliver what was required, especially in relation to the complex drainage network. For us, it was a great opportunity to showcase the broad range of skills Will Rudd has to offer and it is excellent to see it reach completion,” MJ added. The firm’s Glasgow division were able to utilise many of its in house specialisms at Topgolf, including their façade engineering and contractor design experience to deliver the project that includes a complex series of multiple façade types, ornate stairs design and curtain walling along with an intricate underground drainage network. Established in 1982, Will Rudd Davidson is a multi-award-winning engineering consultancy providing civil, structural and conservation engineering in the UK and Ireland. Operating from two practices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, the expert team delivers engineering and design services, working collaboratively with clients to deliver creative and innovative solutions across a range of sectors including conservation, energy and renewables, transportation and infrastructure, healthcare, and education, and residential and hospitality including large masterplanning developments. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
iNESS 360 has announced the addition of Data Twins of Commercial Spaces to Bentley Systems’ Powered by iTwin programme. Data Twins of Commercial Spaces enables owners and operators to better manage the use of commercial spaces by integrating human behaviour modelling with a building’s operations. “Imagine an internet where buildings are connected and talking. In the future, anyone would be able to buy data from commercial buildings. This data is the evolution of how companies are able to interact with modern commercial spaces. INESS is proud to announce our adoption of the Bentley iTwin platform to create the next version of Data Twins for Commercial Spaces that is not only smart, but also intelligent,” said CEO Soner Haci. INESS converts commercial spaces into data streaming sources to model human behavior and how indoor circumstances affect that behavior by integrating the INESS system into the structure of the building. The system developed predictive models on usage trends and indoor circumstances to optimize space, energy usage, and operations without needing to invest in expensive BMS systems By using the Bentley iTwin platform INESS will integrate the data and data models directly to the building architectural model and create a data twin of the day-cycle of the building. “We are very pleased to have iNESS 360 add their Data Twins of Commercial Spaces to the Powered by iTwin programme. In doing so, iNESS 360 joins the growing ecosystem of software developers enabling digital twin solutions with the iTwin platform. Their Data Twins of Commercial Spaces solution is a great example of how digital twin technology can model human behaviour with streaming data to optimize indoor space, energy usage, and operations,” added Adam Klatzkin, Vice President, iTwin Platform, at Bentley Systems. INESS is a behavioural occupancy analysis system for small-medium-sized commercial properties. INESS converts commercial spaces into data streaming sources to model human behaviour and how indoor circumstances affect that behaviour by integrating the INESS system into the structure of the building. The system developed predictive models on usage trends and indoor circumstances. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
