The launch of Barratt David Wilson Homes’ new Ryebank Gate development on Drove Lane marks the beginning of a £4 million investment pledge from the housebuilder to the local community in Yapton. The development will contribute 300 homes to the local housing market, with 30% of these being affordable and
A new urban sky park created on a disused railway viaduct in Manchester has been unveiled and will open to public visitors from Saturday, July 30. Castlefield Viaduct, a giant 330 metres long steel structure, has been transformed over the past five months into an elevated park with trees, plants
Appointment serves as the second, repeat appointment in quick succession following the announcement in January of a project to build 500,000 sq ft across three units at a site in Peterborough. Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has today announced that
As part of two major regeneration projects, leading housebuilder Harron Homes has commenced construction of nearly 300 new homes on recently acquired land in Doncaster and Harworth. Both sites are the product of extensive investment schemes led by Harworth Group PLC, one of the UK’s leading land and property regeneration
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
Building new homes on brownfield land is not the solution to the national housing emergency even if significant government support is forthcoming, claims a report published today by the Land Promoters and Developers Federation (LPDF). According to the Banking on Brownfield report even if every site on council brownfield registers
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
75% of Welsh tourism businesses see increase in visitors over May half term Bluestone invests £23 million into 80 ‘Platinum’ lodges Timber certified by forestry-standards organisation PEFC Just weeks until bookings open for Summer 2023 The first sustainable timber frame for 80 new lodges arrived at Bluestone National Park Resort
Goodman to redevelop Vauxhall aftersales warehouse in Luton, Bedfordshire Proposals for up to 1.2 million sq ft of high-quality industrial and logistics space Strategically-located site ideally placed to serve Greater London and the Midlands, with 27.7 million consumers within a two-hour drivetime* Pre-let opportunities from 200,000 sq ft up to 1.2million
Accounting is a complicated subject, let alone construction accounting. There are challenges in the construction industry that others don’t have to face. Just imagine what a headache it can be to account for changing construction materials prices, or differences in labor computations according to location. That’s only two of what
The launch of Barratt David Wilson Homes’ new Ryebank Gate development on Drove Lane marks the beginning of a £4 million investment pledge from the housebuilder to the local community in Yapton. The development will contribute 300 homes to the local housing market, with 30% of these being affordable and consisting of a variety of two and three-bedroom properties. As part of the development’s S106 Agreement, the funds will be distributed across local services as agreed with the local council, including £2 million towards the expansion of the Yapton Church of England Primary School, over £1.5 million towards Phase Two of a new secondary school for Arun and over £300,000 to NHS Yapton healthcare facilities. The housebuilder will also contribute nearly £1 million towards local infrastructure, including provision of the Yapton to Barnham cycle route cycleway. Kimberley Benson, Sales and Marketing Director for Barratt Southern Counites comments, “Ryebank Gate offers our buyers the best of both worlds, being ideal for commuters with easy access to key road links, but still feeling like a village escape away from urban hubs. Our pledge of over £4million will be put towards healthcare, education and transport, supporting both the existing and incoming communities and boosting the local economy. “We are also committed to building smarter and more efficient housing that will be a sustainable investment for our buyers – our homes have the potential to be up to 57% cheaper to run, compared to an updated Victorian equivalent.[1] We are aware that our buyers are also looking at our green credentials, and as a responsible housebuilder we are implementing long-term pledges to support our energy-efficient properties in the market including achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.”[2] Located under four miles from the beach and two miles from the South Downs, Ryebank Gate is ideally positioned to keep the family entertained with outdoor activities. For those looking to escape to more urban hubs, Chichester, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis are also only a few miles away providing plenty of retail therapy and a varied selection of food outlets. A selection of four-bedroom homes are now available, with appointments to view the show homes currently held at Ecclesden Park development, only a twenty-minute drive away, due to the remote nature of the launch. Prices for a four-bedroom detached property at Ryebank Gate start from £624,995. For further details about Barratt David Wilson Southern Counties or the new homes at Ryebank Gate call 0333 3558 499 or visit www.barratthomes.co.uk / www.dwh.co.uk. [1] https://www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes/dev-001107-ryebank-gate—barratt-homes/ [2] https://www.barrattdevelopments.co.uk/media/media-releases/pr-2020/pr-29-06-20
A new urban sky park created on a disused railway viaduct in Manchester has been unveiled and will open to public visitors from Saturday, July 30. Castlefield Viaduct, a giant 330 metres long steel structure, has been transformed over the past five months into an elevated park with trees, plants and flowers in a National Trust project overseen by Salford-based MC Construction. Thousands of plants, shrubs and trees have been planted to ‘green’ the historic landmark. The park’s 3,000-plus plants and its design features take their inspiration from Manchester’s heritage, including the county flower, cotton grass and fern species once collected by Manchester suffragist and botanist Lydia Becker. It will be open for 12 months, during which time visitors will be able to explore part of the structure and find out more about the viaduct’s heritage, the city’s long relationship with plants and trees, and learn urban gardening tips. The National Trust hopes to inspire and capture visitor and community opinions to help shape the longer-term future of the Grade II listed structure. Russ Forshaw, Group Operations Director at MC Construction, said: “It has been a great pleasure partnering with National Trust and the key stakeholders involved in the project. “Regenerating the disused Grade II listed Viaduct that has stood above the historic area of Castlefield for over 125 years has been no easy task. I am thrilled with the end result and I am incredibly proud of the team who have worked tirelessly over the past couple of months to bring National Trust’s vision to life.” Unveiling the park today, Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust, said: “Today is incredibly exciting. The idea of transforming the viaduct has been around for a while, but it was always put in the ‘too hard to achieve’ box and set aside. “For that long-held vision to finally come to life is therefore testament to the strong partnerships we have formed and the hard work of many. “What I love about this space is that it encapsulates so much of what the Trust’s work is about: opening up our shared heritage for everyone to enjoy, creating beautiful spaces and bringing people close to nature. It’s about creating something new for the community, while also protecting an ironic piece of industrial history. “We hope hundreds of people will visit and enjoy spending time in nature among the trees, shrubs and wildlife that is already starting to make this space its home. We’ll also be able to learn from this project and really start to understand more about what and how we can bring more green spaces and wildlife to thousands more people across the country in urban spaces.” Visitors will experience a variety of planting displays as they walk along the viaduct, while enjoying the elevated setting above the historic cobbled streets. The plans for Castlefield Viaduct are part of the National Trust’s Urban Places work to increase access for all to nature, history and beauty in, around and near urban areas. In addition to creating a place where people and nature meet, the new experience will also celebrate the industrial heritage of Castlefield which has been reflected through all elements of the design. The design of the planters gives a subtle nod to the industrial architecture of the 330 metres long viaduct which was built in 1892 by Heenan and Froude, the engineers who worked on Blackpool Tower. The shape of the planters mirrors the curve of the viaduct and their width is the same as the railway tracks that once transported goods across the structure to the Great Northern Warehouse. A section of the viaduct has also been left untouched to provide a sense of how nature has reclaimed the space since the site closed in the late 1960s. Costing £1.8 million, the pilot has been made possible thanks to funding from Postcode Earth Trust supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, as well as public donations which will cover two-thirds of the build costs. One hundred people a day will be able to visit the viaduct from next Saturday. Entry on to the structure will be free, but a booking system will be in place to help manage numbers. As part of the experience, visitors will be able to join guided walks on the viaduct.
Appointment serves as the second, repeat appointment in quick succession following the announcement in January of a project to build 500,000 sq ft across three units at a site in Peterborough. Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, has today announced that it has been appointed for the second time by commercial real estate investor and developer Firethorn Trust, to deliver its 93,984 sq ft last-mile logistics scheme, Blueprint Erith in South East London. The project will see the demolition and site clearance of an existing warehouse and external concrete yard, followed by the construction of four modern single storey terraced warehouse units, having a clear height to underside of haunch of 12 metres. It will also feature 12,000 sq ft of internal first floor office accommodation together with open storage, while external site works include hardstanding’s, car parking, landscaping and drainage. With a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ certification, the development is being constructed to net-zero carbon with 15% rooflight coverage, 13 EV charging points and LED lighting. A Photovoltaic ‘ready’ roof structure will also provide capabilities for future full PV coverage. To mark the start of construction and the appointment, a ground breaking ceremony was recently staged onsite featuring executives from both Glencar and Firethorn. During the occasion various aspects of the enabling work were highlighted with progress onsite already significantly advanced. Speaking about the contract award Roy Jones Glencar Managing Director London and South said: “Glencar prides itself on long-term customer relationships and partnership built upon the principles of trust and understanding leading to repeat business. On that basis receiving this instruction in quick succession is testament to the growing and beneficial relationship we are building with the team at Firethorn and we are proud to be delivering for them again”. Paul Martin, Development Director at Firethorn Trust, continued: “Glencar has a strong track record in delivering high-quality industrial schemes, and we are delighted to appoint them for a second time on what is a strategically important project for Firethorn. “The team has demonstrated great knowledge and expertise, putting forward the latest products and innovations to benefit our occupiers, both now and for the future, whilst enabling us to deliver on our commitment to sustainability. We look forward to working with the team again to bring Blueprint Erith to life.” Glencar is due to start on site this month and the project is due for completion in Q1 2023. The project team includes Quartz Project Services Ltd, Stephen George & Partners and Burrows Graham.
As part of two major regeneration projects, leading housebuilder Harron Homes has commenced construction of nearly 300 new homes on recently acquired land in Doncaster and Harworth. Both sites are the product of extensive investment schemes led by Harworth Group PLC, one of the UK’s leading land and property regeneration companies. Simpson Park Street Scene Plots 54-57-min… Harron Homes previously worked with Harworth Group at its Thoresby Vale site in Edwinstowe, where Harron has built 143 homes surrounded by beautiful views of Sherwood Forest. As two of the largest sites in Harworth Group’s portfolio, both Simpson Park and Riverdale Park look set to provide valuable opportunities for retail, residential, commercial, employment, leisure and green infrastructure developments. Simpson Park is located on the former Harworth Colliery site in Harworth, Nottinghamshire, where the coal mine operated for over 80 years, before being decommissioned in 2002 and demolished in 2016. The name of the site was chosen to respectfully commemorate the world-famous cyclist, Tom Simpson. Local to the area, Tom Simpson was a champion cyclist who sadly died ascending Mont Ventouz during the 1967 Tour de France. Harron Homes’ area of the development constitutes 13 acres, where they have commenced building 132 of their high-specification properties. There are plans for a nearby primary school to be extended to serve the development, and other amenities will be available on site, such as a family public-house and restaurant and extensive green public open spaces. Within 30 minutes driving distance of Worksop and Doncaster, the area is approximately a mile north of Junction 34 of the A1(M), providing access to the larger motorway network. Riverdale Park, located in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, has been regenerated from the old McCormick tractor factory site. Harron Homes has acquired the plot adjacent to the riverside, where 139 new homes are being positioned along river frontage ideal for delightful waterside living. The area has great commuter access to the M1, A1 and M18 and is under an hour away from Leeds and Rotherham. The development will also benefit from the proposed commercial infrastructure, several amenities of which have already been built. Nick Hague, Land Director of Harron Homes, says: “On these two new sites we are creating a host of new homes in really idyllic locations rich with cultural history. We’ve enjoyed a great relationship with Harworth Group in the past and are excited to be working with them again. The regeneration schemes they’re known for really boost these areas and pave the way for new, vibrant communities to be established. We’re very satisfied with the work we’ve done so far and look forward to developing these two popular housing locations.” Ed Catchpole, Regional Director for Yorkshire & Central at Harworth, says: “Harron Homes is a valued and trusted partner of Harworth, with a track record of high-quality housebuilding. We are delighted to be working with them again at Simpson Park and Riverdale Park, where they will help us to create vibrant and sustainable communities where people want to live and work.” For more information on Harron Homes please visit www.harronhomes.com.
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.
Building new homes on brownfield land is not the solution to the national housing emergency even if significant government support is forthcoming, claims a report published today by the Land Promoters and Developers Federation (LPDF). According to the Banking on Brownfield report even if every site on council brownfield registers was to be built out in full, brownfield land capacity only equates to just under a third (31%) of the 4.5 million new homes needed over the next 15 years. Undertaken on behalf of the LPDF by planning and development consultancy Lichfields, Banking on Brownfield asks if previously developed land can supply enough homes, of the right type, where they are needed. The answer is a resounding no. The analysis comes in response to the Levelling Up White Paper, 2021 Conservative Party Conference speeches and the £1.5 billion Brownfield housing fund which have all suggested brownfield land as the solution to meeting the country’s housing needs. The report shows: 1.4 million estimated net housing capacity on listed sites in Brownfield Registers (after 58,000 are deducted due to double counting). 23,500 individual site entries on Brownfield Registers (after 1,000 are deducted due to double counting). 31% net brownfield capacity as a proportion of the amount of housing needed over the next 15 years. 48% of potential homes on Brownfield Registers are estimated to be flats, compared with 17% of households likely to live in flats. 1 to 27 – the ratio of one new brownfield house (as opposed to flats) to every 27 households likely to live in houses. 57% of brownfield capacity outside the Greater South-East (GSE) is within the two least viable quintiles (20%) of LPA areas (compared with less than 3% of those in GSE). 68% of the Housing Market Areas (HMAs) with more brownfield capacity (relative to their housing need) are already more affordable than average. There were 132,000 net housing additions built in England in 2001 when ‘brownfield first’ was the dominant national housing supply policy objective (compared with 234,000 p.a. on average over the last three years). According to thereport, brownfield registers suggest that 81% of new homes that could be delivered in 19 urban authorities with uplifted housing requirements will be at apartment densities, rather than family houses. The research also highlights the viability challenges in these areas, assigning 15 out of 19 uplifted authorities to higher viability risk profiles which will also undoubtedly contribute towards their limited delivery of affordable homes. LPDF chairman Paul Brocklehurst said: “If the Government wants to meet its target of building 300,000 homes each year, no source of land can be ‘off the table’. Our analysis in this report shows that there is simply not enough brownfield land in any part of the country to meet housing needs alone. “The re-orientation of housing policy, and Homes England efforts towards brownfield regeneration, may help support the conditions where viable and developable land can come forward, but many of these sites will also require grants to unlock them, at greater expense to the taxpayer. Even with this policy support, greenfield land development will still be needed in every region, to meet current housing need.” He added: “The competition for urban land is ever present, markedly between economic and residential uses. Our research finds the opportunity cost of prioritising brownfield land for housing rather than employment is significant in pricing out industrial and office development to potentially sub-optimal locations.” Matthew Spry, senior director and head of Lichfield’s London office said: “Lichfields is delighted to partner again with the LPDF on this topical research. Our analysis shows that even if all identified brownfield land could be viably developed, we are a long way from being able to rely on it as the supply-side solution to the housing crisis. “And in reality, this theoretical capacity cannot all be delivered: much capacity is tied up in complex estate regeneration projects, or is best suited for continued industrial use, or includes contaminated land, or is in areas where development won’t be viable. Many brownfield sites are also earmarked for apartments, when the overwhelming demand is for houses with gardens. “While brownfield land will form an important part of the mix, the experience of the late 1990s tells us that banking on brownfield will lead to a sharp fall in new house building and undersupply in every region. Local planning authorities should plan positively for brownfield development but accompany this with a realistic supply of land of all types, capable of delivering the right type of homes, and where and when they are most needed.” The report says the current Brownfield Registers have significant shortcomings when evaluating the quantum of developable land overall. This makes them an unreliable basis for policy makers to decide on the number of homes that can be built in different areas. It states: “Significant work is needed on improving data quality if it is to withstand the evidential burden that will be placed upon it if the Government chooses to make brownfield land availability a key part of its new planning reform agenda. A modest assessment of the Brownfield Register finds significant numbers of duplicate records. Our simple test for duplicates removed around 1,000 sites accounting for 58,000 homes.” The research complements another recently published report by the LPDF – An affordable housing emergency: the national failure to provide the homes we need (read full report here). It found that the Government must urgently introduce new policies to end the scandalous shortage of new affordable homes being developed if it wants to tackle the national housing emergency. Both the Affordable Housing Emergency and the Banking on Brownfield Land reports by the LPDF highlight the serious lack of supply of new social homes and how focusing development on brownfield sites in less viable locations across the country is likely to lead to reduced levels of affordable housing provision, further exacerbating the affordable housing emergency. Paul Brocklehurst added: “The Government’s proposals to widen Right to Buy to housing association properties will make
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.
75% of Welsh tourism businesses see increase in visitors over May half term Bluestone invests £23 million into 80 ‘Platinum’ lodges Timber certified by forestry-standards organisation PEFC Just weeks until bookings open for Summer 2023 The first sustainable timber frame for 80 new lodges arrived at Bluestone National Park Resort in Pembrokeshire last week as the latest figures show three quarters (75%) of Welsh tourism businesses saw an increase or maintained visitor levels over the May half term. The delivery of the first timber frame is part of a £23 million expansion development at the resort. Like many tourism businesses in Wales, Bluestone is witnessing a significant increase in bookings from pre-pandemic levels with the new development plans catering for a growing demand for luxury lodge accommodation for short breaks in areas of natural beauty. The Wales Tourism Business Barometer also shows visitor numbers were up 25% compared to pre-pandemic levels, with restaurants, pubs and cafes enjoying a busy Jubilee bank holiday weekend as 38% of hospitality businesses experienced more customers than usual. In further research from the Visit Britain Domestic Sentiment Tracker, 39% of respondents said they are more likely to choose a UK trip than an overseas trip compared to pre-pandemic. The top reasons for this preference being that UK holidays are easier to plan, and long queues at airports or cancelled flights. “We know there’s growing demand for a sustainable luxury tourism product in Wales and we’re confident we can meet the need for an ecologically sound product in natural surroundings,” said Marten Lewis, Head of Sustainability at Bluestone National Park Resort. “Sustainability is a key aspect across all the decisions on the design and build. Along with the promotion of health and wellbeing, sustainability has always formed an integral part of Bluestone’s business operations and will continue to do so as we move forward,” added Marten. Bluestone reported a ‘surge’ in bookings for holidays in August in late June as uncertainty continued over flight cancellations and delays. The holiday resort near Narberth in Pembrokeshire said Thursday 23rd June was the busiest day for August bookings since mid-March. Sales were even ahead of bookings for August 2019, showing that despite international travel having opened up with restrictions lifted, the demand for staycations is still strong. The new lodges will have their own private entrance with virtual check-in and will offer the most luxurious facilities to date at Bluestone. Visitors will be among the first to book the new lodges later this month in readiness of their official opening in the summer of 2023. The new lodges are the fourth phase of expansion plans for the resort near Narberth in Pembrokeshire, which currently has 344 existing lodges, cottages and studio apartments across 500 acres of rolling Pembrokeshire countryside. Timber and other sustainable materials have been used in the design and construction of the ‘Platinum’ lodges which will be heated by air-source heat pumps. Welshpool-based SJ Roberts Construction will be the main contractors during the project, while the timber frames will be manufactured by sister company Lowfield Timber Frames with the remainder of the supply chain being carefully selected to ensure a quality build is guaranteed, while aiming to use as many local suppliers as possible. All of the timber used is certified by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) – the world’s largest forest certification organisation – with a full chain of custody.
Goodman to redevelop Vauxhall aftersales warehouse in Luton, Bedfordshire Proposals for up to 1.2 million sq ft of high-quality industrial and logistics space Strategically-located site ideally placed to serve Greater London and the Midlands, with 27.7 million consumers within a two-hour drivetime* Pre-let opportunities from 200,000 sq ft up to 1.2million sq ft Vauxhall’s aftersales warehouse in Luton, Bedfordshire, is set to be transformed into a 1.2 million sq ft industrial and logistics park. Goodman plans to redevelop the 60-acre brownfield site into a state-of-the-art commercial park, providing space for customers operating across the manufacturing, distribution and logistics sectors. Adjacent to Junction 11A of the M1 and just 17 miles from the M25, the site’s strategic location makes it ideally placed to serve Greater London and the Midlands, with 27.7 million consumers accessible within a two-hour drivetime*. The scheme can offer bespoke property solutions of scale and flexibility within a market which has limited availability of large-scale space. Customers will also benefit from the Borough’s local talent pool. With transportation and logistics accounting for 10.8 per cent of jobs in the area, compared to the national average of 5.1 per cent, Luton provides a large available workforce and strong skills base.** Goodman’s vision for the site is to deliver a high-quality commercial park, combining sustainably-designed warehouse space with extensive landscaping to provide customers with modern facilities in an attractive workplace environment. Goodman will take a circular approach to construction, minimising waste and use of resources. This will include reusing existing materials wherever possible, from the recycling of metal roof and wall cladding to the use of recycled aggregates on-site. The development will also utilise renewable energy sources, including full rooftops of solar photovoltaic panels, rainwater harvesting and electric vehicle infrastructure. This latest commitment builds on Goodman’s wider investment in the Bedfordshire region. It has recently completed the second phase of Bedford Commercial Park, a 45-acre development and joint venture with Bedford Borough Council. Nigel Dolan, Development Director at Goodman, said: “Luton’s excellent connectivity, large labour pool and strong performance across sectors including technology, research and development, transport and logistics, makes it an ideal location for investment. “In line with our brownfield development strategy, Goodman will redevelop this site and create a highly sustainable business and employment destination of exceptional quality, while placing our customers close to large consumer populations and a readily available talent pool. We look forward to driving supply chain efficiencies for our customers in this prime location.” Work is expected to start in 2023, subject to planning. For more information, please visit the website for further details. *Source: Esri & Michael Bauer Research **Source: ONS
Accounting is a complicated subject, let alone construction accounting. There are challenges in the construction industry that others don’t have to face. Just imagine what a headache it can be to account for changing construction materials prices, or differences in labor computations according to location. That’s only two of what it covers. If you don’t know some industry secrets to staying organized with your accounting, you may just be setting up your construction business to doom. This statement may sound overly dramatic, but there’s so much truth in it. Big and small businesses depend on a steady and robust financial situation. An efficient accounting system can then run the possibility of having erroneous financial reports, hurting your construction business’ operations. There’s much more to learn about construction accounting, and this article walks you through a quick guide. Hire Professional Tax Preparers To Help You Nobody ever said, ‘Accounting is simple.’ Even the most seasoned entrepreneurs recognize they need the help of those who have spent years studying accounting and tax-related matters. And, in between the busy day-to-day operations of your construction site and the time-consuming demands of taxation and accounting, your construction site’s smooth flow of operations may suffer. This is why you need to leave those highly technical job functions to the experts in the industry, like accountants and tax preparers. The latter are professionals who have to register with the IRS to submit returns using professional tax software. This page gives you more information about this matter. Open A Separate Bank Account For Construction Business Finances This tip goes without saying if you’ve been in business for so long and you’ve grown your construction business quite extensively. However, for newcomers, it’s worth remembering to open a separate bank account for construction-related inflow and outflow and a separate one for your finances. Ideally, never mix the two. No matter how small your business may be at the moment, it’s never worth mixing business and personal funds. Doing so will only make the job of your accountant even more cumbersome. Even seasoned accountants can make mistakes, and you’re simply increasing the likelihood of this happening. It’s easier to track the inflow and outflow of money when you know for sure which belongs to your construction business and which belongs to your funds. Moreover, this practice is what you need for long-term business stability, so you don’t wind up spending business funds for personal purposes. Open Multiple Bank Accounts Now you’ll have a separate account for business and personal purposes. Don’t stop there. You can go even deeper and more specifically by opening multiple bank accounts for your business. This strategy is one of the easiest ways to track revenue and expenses, both of which are the core focus of accounting. For example, you may want to have a separate account for payroll purposes, construction materials’ procurement, and for receiving payments. The account you use to accept payments from clients can also be where you’ll transfer money to the other accounts as needed. Practice The Job Costing Method The job costing method means the cash inflow and outflow are properly attributed to each construction site or job. Even if all income from those construction sites technically still goes to your company’s earnings, it can streamline the accounting process when you know what belongs to this site and what doesn’t. This system is critical, so you can monitor the income earned for each site. Otherwise, if you mix different job projects, you may use the funds from one location site to pay for the labor expenses on another. This considerably misleads your books, as you may have a higher income on another site than it generates. Practice The Cash Basis Method There are generally two accounting methods that businesses can choose from cash basis or accrual basis of accounting. The most straightforward approach is cash basis, so this is what you should use for your construction business. You’re already operating a complicated business as it is. If there’s any system or process you can use to help simplify those complexities, that would be the better choice. With the cash basis of accounting, you record the income and expenses as you receive and pay cash for them. Conclusion The construction industry is, by itself, a very complex business. Unlike other types of businesses, there are many variables to account for in construction. And those variables can be regularly changed as to values as well. With that, it’s almost unsurprising to note that construction accounting may not be that straightforward. It’s difficult, but there’s no excuse not to learn it, as every penny counts. Hopefully, the guide above has shed more light on you about construction accounting, so moving forward, you’ll be less confused about how to go about it.
