Railpen and Wrenbridge have signed a major new occupier, Leathams Ltd, a food supplier and distributor, at Dartford X. Leathams Ltd have taken a pre-let of 30,000 sq ft at the site. Dartford X covers nine-acres and was acquired by Railpen in December 2019. Railpen’s development partner Wrenbridge have delivered
Graf-X™ graphene nanoplatelets and precursors significantly improve strength, corrosion resistance, and reliability NeoGraf Solutions, a leading developer and manufacturer of high-performance natural and synthetic graphite sheet and powder products, has extended its range of next-generation graphite materials with the launch of Graf-X™ graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and graphene precursors (GP). Both
Wendy’s is opening five restaurants in the UK, including in London and Reading. American burger restaurant Wendy’s is set to reopen in the UK, two decades after it closed down. The fast food chain is known for its iconic square burgers and is still going strong in the US, but
Yorkshire-based Caddick Construction has completed the fifth industrial building at Cross Green Industrial Estate in Leeds on behalf of Towngate. A speculative development of a 16,500 sq ft detached double portal framed building along with infrastructure works and services, the Caddick team started work at the start of the year.
A £6m project to transform the way schools and healthcare facilities are built has been granted £2.9m of funding to showcase the future of modern methods of construction (MMC) in the UK. The consortium-led Seismic II project is working on the future of construction. Among a range of outcomes, the
The pre-let is the latest deal to be signed on the popular and successful development in Bristol, the region’s largest regeneration project on the site of the former Rolls-Royce East Works site in Filton. St Francis Group together with its development partners iSec have today announced that it has exchanged
A major capacity boost is expected to the rail freight network in the UK as work has begun on a major project at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal in Northamptonshire. The project is being led by Prologis UK and is being delivered by Winvic Construction Ltd and will see the
St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics has entered into a development agreement to create an 11.3-acre business park with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and leaseholder ITT Inc. The Basingstoke site, owned freehold by the Council and held by lessee and global multi-industrial manufacturers ITT Inc, is located within the wider
Hospitality design expert Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) has announced the completion of the new Hampton by Hilton on the Uxbridge Road in Ealing, close to the planned Crossrail station. Designed by DMA with a sympathetic exterior of soft autumn shades, the new hotel replaces two tired 1960s office buildings and
Mountpark Logistics, a leading developer of industrial and logistics property, today announced that it has leased a 307,807 sq ft distribution centre at Mountpark Warrington Omega II, to leading recipe box company, Gousto. Following strong trading from the start of the year, with revenues for the first quarter reaching 70%
Railpen and Wrenbridge have signed a major new occupier, Leathams Ltd, a food supplier and distributor, at Dartford X. Leathams Ltd have taken a pre-let of 30,000 sq ft at the site. Dartford X covers nine-acres and was acquired by Railpen in December 2019. Railpen’s development partner Wrenbridge have delivered five new Grade A warehouse units ranging in size from 13,000 sq ft to 75,000 sq ft. The warehouses all have excellent sustainability credentials, with Dartford X achieving a BREEAM Excellent rating. All buildings are highly insulated, have PV panels on the roof, and contain water-saving features and energy-efficient lifts. There are also electric vehicle charging points across the site (20 per cent active and 80 per cent passive). Alastair Dawson, Senior Asset Manager at Railpen, says: “We are delighted Leathams have taken space at Dartford X. Leathams choosing Dartford X shows the park can accommodate major companies wanting to operate from high-specification buildings with excellent access to Central London and the M25 at an affordable price. The industrial and logistics sector form a key part of Railpen’s portfolio at a time when the sector is hugely important to the UK’s economic recovery.” Martin Sandler, Real Estate Director at Leathams, says: “Dartford X is a brilliant location for Leathams. Its proximity to major motorways and transport infrastructure giving us access to Folkstone/Felixstowe for our inbound goods as well as our outbound distribution to London and National, are a key part of its appeal. Dartford X’s green credentials, the ceiling heights, large yard and generous power supply are important too, particularly as we plan to install a new chilled box as part of our fit-out. The outlook over plentiful green spaces and lakes will also be great for our Colleagues from a wellbeing perspective. We look forward to occupying the space and a long-term relationship with Railpen.” Harry Gibson, Associate Director at Wrenbridge, says: “The transaction with Leathams Ltd highlights the demand for high specification accommodation in key locations such as Dartford. We have enjoyed working closely with Leathams, and we look forward to growing the relationship further throughout their fit-out and seeing how they utilise the building’s specification and sustainability measures.” Dartford X is owned and managed by Railpen, the investment manager for the GBP35 billion Railways Pension Schemes and developed in partnership with Wrenbridge. CBRE, Cushmans and Glenny represented Railpen.
Graf-X™ graphene nanoplatelets and precursors significantly improve strength, corrosion resistance, and reliability NeoGraf Solutions, a leading developer and manufacturer of high-performance natural and synthetic graphite sheet and powder products, has extended its range of next-generation graphite materials with the launch of Graf-X™ graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) and graphene precursors (GP). Both high-performance additive materials deliver enhanced mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, thermal properties, and reliability in a broad range of building and construction applications. GNPs are ultra-thin, multilayer graphene nanoplatelets. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal matrix that is high strength, super thin, and offers the highest electrical and thermal conductivity. GPs are graphite products designed specifically as a raw material for efficient high-volume production of graphene products through further processing. The introduction of the Graf-X line is a transformational move for NeoGraf Solutions which has more than 140 years of product leadership and innovation in the carbon and graphite industry. “We’re leveraging our growing production capabilities and application development expertise to take graphene from the lab to large-scale commercial success,” said Jon Taylor, NeoGraf Product Manager. NeoGraf is a fully integrated graphene product supplier with a GNP capacity of more than 750 metric tons and a GP capacity of approximately 1300 metric tons at their facility in Lakewood, Ohio. NeoGraf Solutions’ expanded product portfolio provides the industry with a source of high-volume, quality graphene nanoplatelets with sizing and specification options that can be tailored for specific applications. The company also leverages its extensive sourcing and processing capabilities to supply the industry with graphene precursors, which are graphite products designed to enable efficient conversion into graphene materials. In building and construction, Graf-X graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) can increase the strength of standard concrete by approximately 30% (flexural, compressive, and tensile) at a loading of just >1 wt% or less. GNPs also promote more resistance to cracking and thus extend product longevity. GNP products provide corrosion resistance for rebar-reinforced concrete and serve as a barrier to water absorption, reducing maintenance and reliability costs associated with concrete structures. Cement production for concrete contributes ~8% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions today. These graphene additives can reduce the amount of material required to make concrete by 20% or more, resulting in a significant reduction in global carbon emissions. In insulative foams, graphene additives can increase the R-value (a measure of the foam’s thermal insulation properties) by 20% or more compared to the base foam. The advanced graphene materials are commercially available and can be used in a range of applications including tensile strength enhancement in concrete admixtures and R-value increases in extruded polystyrene (XPS) insulation boards for home construction. For more information on Graf-X graphene products, please visit www.neograf.com.
Wendy’s is opening five restaurants in the UK, including in London and Reading. American burger restaurant Wendy’s is set to reopen in the UK, two decades after it closed down. The fast food chain is known for its iconic square burgers and is still going strong in the US, but hasn’t been here since 1999. Just as life is starting to return to normal after the pandemic, the company plans to open up to 400 outlets nationwide. The plans will roll out over the next few years and are expected to create at least 12,000 jobs. And it’s good news for any Wendy’s fans living around Reading, as the first new restaurant will open up in the city next month. Full list of Wendy’s opening in the UK While there are big plans to open hundreds of restaurants up and down the country, these are the only confirmed locations so far: Reading (opened June 2) Stratford (opening in the second half of 2021) Oxford (opening in the second half of 2021) There are also two more restaurants opening in the UK this year, but the locations have not been confirmed. Steven Derwoed, Vice President, Global Design and Construction for Wendy’s, said: “We’re very proud of our restaurant design in Reading, and I’m confident that we’ve built a place that our customers will love to go and our employees will love to work. “The interior has a cool vibe with a focus on natural wood, dark contrasts, comfortable seating and fun art making it feel fresh and current. “Creating a frictionless and convenient experience for our customers is at the heart of our design, whether a customer places their order via mobile before they set foot in the restaurant, at a kiosk once they arrive or at a traditional front counter with one of our friendly team members. “We’ve even incorporated an exterior walk-up window to create speedy access for delivery providers so customers can get their Wendy’s food even faster. We look forward to serving customers soon!” Wendy’s bosses first revealed the firm was returning to the UK in late 2019, with the chain currently running 6,700 outlets across 30 countries.
Yorkshire-based Caddick Construction has completed the fifth industrial building at Cross Green Industrial Estate in Leeds on behalf of Towngate. A speculative development of a 16,500 sq ft detached double portal framed building along with infrastructure works and services, the Caddick team started work at the start of the year. Cross Green Industrial Estate is prominently located close to the M1/M621 motorway network and is home to many manufacturing, distribution and warehousing operations, including John Lewis and Amazon. Approximately 3,000 people work at the site. Towngate Plc has a portfolio of more than 230,000 sq ft of space at the site which is known as Towngate Link. Caddick Construction delivered the first three units at the site with all snapped up as pre-lets. Wine merchant, London City Bond, expanded into the 55,000 sq ft detached warehouse and Beerhawk took the second 62,500 sq ft warehouse. The third 57,500 sq ft unit was recently let to Van-Line Ltd. Together the three previous units and this latest development can accommodate up to 300 new jobs. Robert Smith from Towngate said: “Caddick has yet again delivered a fantastic product which will add to the success of Cross Green. We continue to see a lot of market interest and we are undertaking a number of socially distanced site visits to prospective occupiers in the coming weeks so they can see first-hand the quality of this development.” Chris Allott, Senior Contracts Manager from Caddick Construction, said: “The team has successfully completed four developments for Towngate at Cross Green. With a wide range of unit sizes, this latest warehouse provides an ideal size to meet the need for small to medium sized businesses, for which there is a great deal of demand.”
A £6m project to transform the way schools and healthcare facilities are built has been granted £2.9m of funding to showcase the future of modern methods of construction (MMC) in the UK. The consortium-led Seismic II project is working on the future of construction. Among a range of outcomes, the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded project via the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund will create a set of standardised reconfigurable components, working closely with the Construction Innovation Hub to align platform interface standards. These components will reduce waste, cost and carbon dioxide emissions while increasing speed of delivery. The consortium is conscious of the need to align and harmonise its work with the outputs of the Construction Innovation Hub and will be working with them throughout to ensure maximum impact. Government procurement is already set to shift from traditional construction methods to MMC. Seismic II will show how this shift can happen while meeting the government’s own ‘Construction 2025’ vision of lower costs and emissions, faster delivery and an increase in exports from the industry. Currently, most traditional UK construction relies on bespoke systems created by individual manufacturers. A lack of standardisation means different systems are incompatible, causing errors, delays and defects. Seismic II builds on the success of the Seismic I project, which showed how a standardised light steel frame could change the way new schools were designed and constructed. With the new award from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, the system will encompass the production of wall, floor, ceiling and roof components that are all completely interoperable with the standardised light steel frame. The automotive industry has long been the standard bearer for streamlined production and component assembly. The aim of Seismic II is to show that similar principles can be applied to the construction industry. Along with improving the offsite production processes for projects using MMC, Seismic II will also look at the whole life performance of the buildings produced that way. The government’s industrial strategy aims to reduce the construction costs and whole life costs of buildings by a third, while seeing those same buildings delivered in half the time and with a 50% reduction in carbon emissions from the sector. Adopting MMC is essential to meet those targets and Seismic II is well-positioned to deliver on them. Centred around a digital approach to design, production and operation, the platform will use linked data from start to finish. This approach ensures that the building delivered on site matches the design intent, performs as expected, and can be managed efficiently throughout its life. Originally intended for school construction, Seismic II has drawn interest from the healthcare, commercial and residential sectors. The completed demonstrator building will be a template for high performance buildings of all types, delivered using high quality, reliable, standardised components. As well as Elliott, the consortium includes: blacc LTD (the consortium and project manager) McAvoy Group Tata Steel Manufacturing Technology Centre Active Building Centre National Composite Centre John Campbell, Elliott’s Managing Director commented; “Elliott is excited to continue working with the Seismic Consortium and build on the success of the standardised design which is now being deployed on live schemes. This next ambitious step will see us developing Seismic I into a total building envelope solution that can be adopted across the Government’s estate and support their carbon zero aspirations. Through continued collaboration we aim to deliver the most advanced and robustly tested product in the offsite sector. With significant investment in our assembly facility and processes, by adopting modern methods of manufacturing we will embed quality 4.0, drive up productivity and reduce waste using lean methodology to lead the charge in how construction projects are delivered in the UK.”
The pre-let is the latest deal to be signed on the popular and successful development in Bristol, the region’s largest regeneration project on the site of the former Rolls-Royce East Works site in Filton. St Francis Group together with its development partners iSec have today announced that it has exchanged on the latest pre-let deal at Horizon-38 in North Bristol, the region’s largest regeneration project on the site of the former Rolls-Royce East Works site in Filton. Work is due to start within weeks on a new 17,000 sq. ft flagship car dealership for Volvo Cars UK to be situated on one of the last remaining plots with frontage directly onto the A38. Volvo will join other established names at Horizon-38 including Sytner’s Car Shop, Selco Trade Centre, Village Urban Resorts and GKN Aerospace alongside nearly 400,000 sq. ft of speculative industrial warehouse development. Speaking about the deal Gareth Williams at St Francis Group said: “In these unprecedented times it is very pleasing so be able to make an announcement like this. Volvo and all other project stakeholders have shown a huge can-do attitude to ensure that this deal was done and we’ll be starting on site very shortly”. Speaking for the project itself and Horizon-38 scheme in general, this deal represents another piece of the jigsaw on this hugely popular and successful 60 acre site which continues to deliver. We are looking to continue with this momentum through the last two remaining plots where commercial discussions are underway with interested parties.” Avison Young advised the joint venture on the letting and will be retained on the investment sale. Horizon38 was acquired by a joint venture between St Francis Group and iSec late in 2015 and since then nearly 500,000 sq. ft of new high-quality warehouse space has been built in addition to a new Village hotel and trade counters. A new Sytner Car Shop is under construction as is a state-of-the-art Global Technology Centre for GKN Aerospace. For further information visit : https://horizon38.com/
A major capacity boost is expected to the rail freight network in the UK as work has begun on a major project at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal in Northamptonshire. The project is being led by Prologis UK and is being delivered by Winvic Construction Ltd and will see the construction of a new rail freight terminal with a new access road. Daventry terminal, known as DIRFT, is recognised as one of the most successful intermodal logistics parks in the UK. It is situated in the Golden Triangle, which spans from Northampton to East Midlands Airport, in the North, and is located near the M1, and of course the West Coast Main Line. Daventry is currently home to big names such as Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Royal Mail and DHL, and currently handles 12 freight trains a day. The latest phase of work includes the construction of a new terminal and enhancement to the current rail corridor which connects into the West Coast Main Line. Construction has already begun and is expected to be completed in 2021.
St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics has entered into a development agreement to create an 11.3-acre business park with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and leaseholder ITT Inc. The Basingstoke site, owned freehold by the Council and held by lessee and global multi-industrial manufacturers ITT Inc, is located within the wider Viables Business Park and will be known as St. Modwen Park Basingstoke following the grant of planning consent from the local authority in January 2020. As part of the agreement, St. Modwen will create new employment space in response to strong occupier demand and has permission to deliver up to 200,000 sq ft of industrial and logistics space. With full planning consent in place, construction of three high-quality speculative units of 36,987, 51,572 and 97,781 sq ft will commence in September 2020. As per the agreed timetable for the development, units at the site will be available as early as Q3 2021, creating up to 250 new jobs once occupied. Strategically located between Junction 6 and 7 of the M3 and within 2 miles of Basingstoke town centre, the development is well placed to capitalise on the town’s existing diverse economy, providing fast access to London and Southampton. David McGougan, Senior Development Manager at St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics, said: “St. Modwen Park Basingstoke forms part of our strategy to grow a high-quality industrial and logistics portfolio. After obtaining planning permission at the start of this year, our breakthrough development agreement reaffirms our intention to press on with these plans and deliver an industry-leading employment scheme for Basingstoke. The terms we’ve agreed will enable us to fulfil the local authority’s aspiration to deliver regeneration and drive employment.” Ravi Patel, Director of European Shared Services at ITT Inc, added: “We’re completely aligned with St. Modwen’s ambition to transform this site – their regeneration and industrial and logistics credentials speak for themselves. Now that terms are settled and the agreement is signed, we look forward to delivering an employment space that is fit for market demand together.” Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property Cllr John Izett added: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement with St. Modwen which will enable the company to redevelop this site near the M3 for a new logistics park, creating 250 high quality local jobs once complete. “This investment and the new jobs it will bring is especially welcome at a time when the priority is on recovering from the effects of COVID-19. It demonstrates Basingstoke remains open for business.” Marketing agents for the site are London Clancy, Hollis Hockley and Savills. For more information, visit: stmodwenlogistics.co.uk/property/st-modwen-park-basingstoke
Hospitality design expert Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) has announced the completion of the new Hampton by Hilton on the Uxbridge Road in Ealing, close to the planned Crossrail station. Designed by DMA with a sympathetic exterior of soft autumn shades, the new hotel replaces two tired 1960s office buildings and features 181 guest rooms, as well as bar and restaurant fronting onto a generous boulevard-style public realm. Mark Wood, Partner at DMA, says: “This project continues DMA’s experience in delivering the Hilton Hampton brand, following the successful completion and opening of our 297-bed Hampton by Hilton London Waterloo. This latest development, located bordering a leafy conservation area along the bustling Uxbridge Road, will help reinvigorate the area with a high-quality, elegant design and engaging streetscape.” The nine-storey hotel is unified using a reconstituted stone frame incorporating an infill of three colours of zinc “fish tail” shingles. The combination of colours creates a subtle gradation of autumnal shades, similar in colour and tone to London stock bricks, and references the green open spaces of Ealing and the immediate context. The buildings are stepped back from one another to open out the landscaped area at the front and provide increased visual interest. To the rear, DMA’s attentive design has reduced the massing and impact on properties to the south by stepping the building back four times, whilst flat roofs will feature sedum planting to promote increased biodiversity. As a car-free development, the old, uninviting hard standing previously used for car-parking space has been transformed into a new high-quality boulevard, with refined paving and additional trees. The restaurant will face on to this generous landscaped public realm with an outdoor seating area, enriching the atmosphere and activity along the high street. DMA worked on a unified design for the two original plots, 109 and 111 Uxbridge Road, which were purchased separately and subject to two separate planning submissions, granted in 2014 and 2015. Work started on site in May 2018, with DMA working closely with main contractor MB McNamara Construction on the delivery of the project – this proved particularly important towards the latter stages of the project due to COVID-19-imposed site restrictions. Project Team Client: Chart Forte Court (UK) Ltd Project Manager: Virtus Project Management Main Contractor: M.B. McNamara Construction Architect: Dexter Moren MEP Consultant: Ferguson Brown Sustainable Engineering Ltd Structural Engineer: Barratt Mahony Consulting Engineers Planning Consultant: Smith Jenkins
Mountpark Logistics, a leading developer of industrial and logistics property, today announced that it has leased a 307,807 sq ft distribution centre at Mountpark Warrington Omega II, to leading recipe box company, Gousto. Following strong trading from the start of the year, with revenues for the first quarter reaching 70% year-on-year growth, the lockdown has accelerated the growth of the online grocery market and demand for Gousto’s recipe boxes is rapidly increasing. Revenues for the first six months of 2020 surpassed the £83m of sales reported for the whole of 2019. Gousto is therefore expanding its distribution network, helping it to at least triple capacity by 2022, with this new facility being a key part of the expansion programme. “The recent lockdown accelerated structural trends which were already firmly underway, opening up the recipe box market to a far larger audience. Now, even as lockdown eases, we’ve maintained record sales, with new customers won over by our market leading choice and variety, and the convenience of having fresh ingredients delivered to their door with no hassle or food waste” said Timo Boldt, CEO and Founder of Gousto. “We’re excited to open up this new energy-efficient facility at Mountpark Warrington Omega ll to help us step change capacity, enabling us to deliver even more Gousto boxes to households across the country, as we get closer to our mission of becoming the UK’s most-loved way to eat dinner.” The transaction is the first letting at Mountpark Warrington Omega II and was signed before practical completion. Mountpark is now working with Gousto to integrate elements of the company’s fit-out specification within the build programme. The Gousto facility is planned to go live at the end of 2021, and will bring over 400 permanent new jobs to the region, once fully operational. “We are delighted to welcome Gousto to Mountpark Warrington Omega II and to be working with the team to adapt the facility to meet the company’s exact operational requirements,” said Tom Kilmister, Development Director, Mountpark UK & Ireland. “Our aim is to offer customers the best property opportunities on the market and at Mountpark Warrington Omega II we are developing high quality units at one of North West’s premier logistics locations.” Construction at Mountpark Warrington Omega II started earlier this year and the first two units of 307,807 sq ft and 203,180 sq ft are on schedule to complete in January 2021. The third unit, totalling 225,000 sq ft, is programmed to complete in summer 2021. Designed to help occupiers become Carbon Zero, each building at Mountpark Warrington Omega II has a rooftop Solar PV array and battery storage system that will meet around 50% of the facility’s regulated energy. Mountpark Warrington Omega II is at the gateway to Omega South, part of the 575 acre mixed use Omega scheme at Junction 8 of the M62 north of Warrington, midway between Liverpool and Manchester. The first phase of Mountpark Warrington Omega is let to Royal Mail and the Delivery Group. Other occupiers at Omega include Brakes, Hermes, Travis Perkins, ASDA, The Hut Group, Dominos and Amazon. CBRE and JLL acted for Mountpark and Gousto was represented by SBH.
