IM Properties has teamed up with an award-winning, global tech firm to create a regional testbed for a new energy-saving streetlight system at Blythe Valley Park (BVP) in Solihull. Designed to reduce the use of electricity by up to 62.5%, the innovative smart system has been designed by Enzen, an
The University of Manchester’s procurement process to find its development and investment partner for the £1.5 billion ID Manchester project has resumed. The search was paused in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the four highest scoring bidders having already been notified that they would be taken forward into the detailed
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue have appointed Sheffield based Construction Contractor J F Finnegan to construct Barnsley’s New Build Fire and Rescue station. The project involves the demolition of the existing buildings and the construction of a new Fire Station, totalling 10,225 Sq Ft. A separate multi-use facility is planned
A life sciences super-cluster across the Golden Triangle between Oxford, Cambridge and London could help power Britain’s economic recovery from Covid-19 says a major report from New London Architecture (NLA) published. The Chancellor’s forthcoming emergency budget should look to speed up the delivery of vital lab space, housing and other
Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has been appointed as a partner for the Pagabo Major Works Framework, which is due to launch this week on 19 April. In its second iteration, the Major Works Framework is open to all public and private sector organisations and will see the delivery of projects
Nottingham Science Park has welcomed a new state-of-the-art office space to its premises. The Elizabeth Garrett Anderson building, named to honour Britain’s first female doctor and celebrate collaboration and innovation on the site, has officially reached completion. The new development provides space for growing firms to expand their research and
Global financial giant JP Morgan has expanded its services in Maidenhead with the completion of a new state-of-the-art office. Contractor VolkerFitzpatrick has completed the Building 5 Foundation Park project two weeks ahead of schedule, with members of the team turning out last month to mark the milestone. The team, which
UK storage group SureStore is moving forward with plans to expand its business across the nation. A contract has been agreed which will see a new £4 million storage facility built for the company in Wigan. Triton Construction has signed on for the project, which involves the development of a
An element can be describes as a certain key aspect or essential characteristic of something abstract, and while many interior designers use the 7 elements of interior design to managing any home makeover project, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t adopt the elements into your home for a
A second office developer has set out plans for a project outside central Shoreditch due to increased interest in the area. This £33 million office scheme is located in an area that is seeing a huge amount of interest as rents and prices continue to rise in Shoreditch, resulting in
IM Properties has teamed up with an award-winning, global tech firm to create a regional testbed for a new energy-saving streetlight system at Blythe Valley Park (BVP) in Solihull. Designed to reduce the use of electricity by up to 62.5%, the innovative smart system has been designed by Enzen, an occupier at BVP and winner of ‘Business of the Year’ at the Birmingham Signature Awards 2020 for its excellence and innovation in utilities. The new system uses sensors to control the streetlights and dim them when the roads are not in use. It incorporates wireless communication and an inbuilt app within the 63 smart LED streetlights to identify maintenance and repairs required to ensure optimum performance. It can also add a renewable energy source such as solar panels or smart battery power at a later date to drive further energy efficiencies. IM Properties invested in the £90,000 technology during the lockdown and reports that if successful, the system could not only be rolled out across its own portfolio but provide Enzen with a living lab to showcase the solution to other organisations, within the private and public sector, achieve their sustainability goals. Rob Hemus, asset director at IM Properties said they were pleased to be utilising the skills of one of BVP’s occupiers to create a more sustainable lighting system for the park and create real savings for occupiers. “Despite lockdown, we decided to proceed with the project as there are wider environmental and sustainability gains for the Park and it was a chance to carry out a major infrastructure project without disruption to our occupiers. The new system should begin to deliver savings on the electricity used by the streetlighting immediately. “Since we bought Blythe Valley Park in 2014 we have invested steadily in the on-site infrastructure and this latest initiative is part of our ongoing strategy to add value for occupiers and create a high-quality working environment and sustainable best in class scheme for people to live, work and relax.” For Enzen, BVP provides an exciting new opportunity to collect live data and demonstrate the benefits of technology to new and existing customers. Harsha Anand from Enzen added: “Cities and communities will play a major role in making energy to be more available, affordable and sustainable. Smart technology and smart telecommunications will be enablers in this energy transition journey. We are very happy to be supported by IM Properties in making our base at Blythe Valley Park (BVP) in Solihull into a Living Lab Showcase for these Smart Technologies.” BVP near junction 4, M42, is one of the Midlands first truly mixed-use schemes set amidst 122 acres of parkland, with 25 businesses employing 3500 people and combining commercial, industrial, leisure and residential.
The University of Manchester’s procurement process to find its development and investment partner for the £1.5 billion ID Manchester project has resumed. The search was paused in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the four highest scoring bidders having already been notified that they would be taken forward into the detailed dialogue stage. “The university is committed to the delivery of ID Manchester and our ambition to create the innovation capital of Europe is unwavering. Having paused, reviewed and reflected, we now have a way forward to resume the final stage of the selection process to find our joint venture partner,” said Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, president and vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester. The final partner selection will be made in the spring of 2021. “We look forward to beginning the detailed dialogue with the selected bidders. Pausing the process has allowed ourselves and the bidding teams space to deal with the immediate impact and challenges created by the pandemic. ID Manchester is an incredibly exciting project and we are looking forward to progressing to the next stage,” added Diana Hampson, director of estates and facilities at The University of Manchester. Since 2004, the university has contributed more than £746 million to the economy and it is on these foundations it seeks to build ID Manchester. ID Manchester has been earmarked as an engine for economic growth with the potential to create more than 6,000 jobs. The available development space is four million sq ft. it benefits from existing green space and the 650,000 sq ft Sackville Street Building.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue have appointed Sheffield based Construction Contractor J F Finnegan to construct Barnsley’s New Build Fire and Rescue station. The project involves the demolition of the existing buildings and the construction of a new Fire Station, totalling 10,225 Sq Ft. A separate multi-use facility is planned to be built on the same site along Broadway road in Barnsley. The site is to accommodate a mixture of functions, including operational services, administrative and training facilities for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. The build will also include three appliance bays and separate provisions for partners and local voluntary organisations. Whilst the new proposed building is smaller in scale compared with the existing, several design fundamentals have been incorporated to ensure that the new build will preserve a high-quality finish and a strong visual presence. Director of Support Services Stuart Booth, said: “One of our aspirations is to make the service a great place to work. Part of achieving that means investing in the buildings and facilities our staff use every day and we’re pleased to be making real and tangible progress towards this. We considered refurbishing the existing site, but this didn’t provide best value for money and it didn’t provide the best long-term facility for our staff.” Dawa Singh, Head of Pre-Construction at J F Finnegan commented ‘We were delighted to be appointed in April 2020 for the above project during the COVID-19 lockdown period. In collaboration with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service we have worked diligently throughout the national restrictions. We look forward to continue working with the Service and the Local Community to Design & Build a state-of-the-art facility that will enhance the very high emergency standards delivered by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.’
A life sciences super-cluster across the Golden Triangle between Oxford, Cambridge and London could help power Britain’s economic recovery from Covid-19 says a major report from New London Architecture (NLA) published. The Chancellor’s forthcoming emergency budget should look to speed up the delivery of vital lab space, housing and other infrastructure that can attract talent and ensure fast-growing spinouts can remain in Britain rather than relocate to Boston or other major science hubs. The UK’s life sciences sector has a critical mass in the knowledge economies of London, Oxford and Cambridge. But rising house prices and rents are threatening to price out talent and the businesses who spin-out of the UK’s leading higher education institutes that reside in the region. NLA’s report, Knowledge Networks: London and the Ox-Cam Arc, calls for the government to streamline planning to speed up development in the region and enable the creation of a U.S-style supercluster in the Golden Triangle. The UK’s life sciences sector, which contributes £74 billion to the UK economy annually and supports 250,000 jobs, has played a central role in the UK’s economic response to Covid-19. Its ability to preserve and create employment, export innovation globally and lead on the development of a vaccine has meant it has come under the spotlight more than ever – all for the right reasons. British universities are now more open to partnerships with the commercial world than in previous decades, aware as they are of the need to commercialise their research discoveries. The Golden Triangle is home to the UK’s leading research institutions at Imperial College London, University College London, King’s College, University of Oxford and Cambridge University. In addition, the UK government is increasing its current level of research and development expenditure from 1.7 percent of GDP to 2.4 percent over the next five years, equivalent to £22bn. Private sector investment will be crucial in leveraging this. Supply and demand imbalances, both in terms of housing and workspace, have seen prices rapidly rise in the UK’s hub of biomedical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. London, Oxford and Cambridge are three of the least affordable cities to live in in the UK, with average house prices well over 100 percent more than the national average. High levels of commercial take up has also left companies in the Golden Triangle vying for limited space, helping to drive up rents. In the last five years, commercial rents in Oxford and Cambridge have skyrocketed by 32 percent and 28 percent respectively. In order to future-proof the success of this region, the NLA, alongside Bidwells, a property consultancy focused on the Golden Triangle, architects Perkins and Will and Penoyre & Prasad, and mixed-used developer Stanhope, are calling for more integrated city–regional planning, and a stronger emphasis on presenting the Golden Triangle as a coordinated international brand on the world-stage and viewing it ‘in system terms’. In spatial terms this means providing the right balance and mix of housing, start-up, grow-on, industrial and corporate space across the region as a whole, so that researchers and entrepreneurs can easily identify their next opportunity and continue to attract top-tier talent. Ensuring suitable housing, workspace and infrastructure is delivered in the region, where economic output rose by 5.4 percent over the five years to 2018 according to Bidwells, will help future-proof the UK economy.
Regional contractor G F Tomlinson has been appointed as a partner for the Pagabo Major Works Framework, which is due to launch this week on 19 April. In its second iteration, the Major Works Framework is open to all public and private sector organisations and will see the delivery of projects in sectors such as education, healthcare, government and leisure. 28 contractors have been appointed to the framework to deliver projects starting from £5million across the UK. G F Tomlinson has been assigned to deliver projects from £5million to £15million across the East and West Midlands and is one of only four SME’s chosen for the framework – as part of Pagabo’s ongoing commitment to supporting SMEs and ensuring access to major projects. In order to be successful, G F Tomlinson’s bid demonstrated strong finances, relevant experience and echoed Pagabo’s passion for social value, supporting SMEs and innovative technology. Ability to provide value for money for clients through quality, timely and on-budget delivery and solid supply chain management was also assessed and rated at the highest standard. G F Tomlinson is also partnered with Pagabo through three other frameworks – the National Framework for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions, the Dynamic Purchasing System for Small Works and the National Framework for Medium Construction Works. Most recently, the contractor delivered the £1.2million Thythorn Hill Community and Sports Centre for Oadby and Wigston Borough Council under Pagabo’s Dynamic Purchasing System framework. Carl Wiltshire, Pagabo Framework Lead at G F Tomlinson said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to the Major Works Framework, our fourth framework agreement with Pagabo and we look forward to working on significant projects in the years to come. “Now, more than ever, it is important that public sector procurement is efficient in bringing together contractors and clients to deliver projects which provide vital services in the region. Pagabo offer clients EU/UK compliant framework agreements to make public sector procurement quicker, simpler and more effective. With our experienced management team, commitment to high-quality project delivery and provision of social, economic, environmental and sustainable benefits for local communities, we are ideally placed to serve public sector clients across the Midlands region on projects between £5million and £15million. “G F Tomlinson has delivered in excess of £500million projects through public sector frameworks to date and we embrace the opportunities this provides in leaving a positive legacy in our local communities. We are looking forward to building on these achievements in the East and West Midlands through this framework to increase the community benefits we provide.” The Pagabo frameworks provide simplicity, transparency, flexibility, support and stability, supporting the public sector to achieve value for money and added social value for local communities. Simon Toplass, chief executive at Pagabo, said: “We were delighted by the quality of the responses to tender last year, and we’re really excited to see the second iteration of our Major Works framework going live. The first iteration of this framework saw the delivery of £833m worth of construction projects for the public sector in 2019 alone, and to date we have enabled the delivery of more than £2.6 billion of social value through works procured via our frameworks. “We’ve made it our mission to simplify procurement process with technology and innovation, and we place social value at the heart of everything we do. We truly believe the framework’s success is down to our customer-focused approach – and we’re pleased to see that this is something that G F Tomlinson has recognised and responded to. We’re looking forward to working with the team over the coming years.”
Nottingham Science Park has welcomed a new state-of-the-art office space to its premises. The Elizabeth Garrett Anderson building, named to honour Britain’s first female doctor and celebrate collaboration and innovation on the site, has officially reached completion. The new development provides space for growing firms to expand their research and development facilities near like-minded businesses. It includes a café, an 80-space car park and a conference space, allowing companies to host conferences and events, creating a central hub for networking across the entire Nottingham Science Park site. Designed by CPMG Architects and built by Willmott Dixon, the building incorporates a daring and dramatic cantilever at its entrance and the façade is a pattern of modules in a combination of glazed elements and aluminium cladding panels, the latter finished in contrasting dark grey and gold colours. Stuart Kerr, operations director for Willmott Dixon in the East Midlands said: “We are really proud to have helped deliver this important scheme for Nottingham and Nottingham City Council, which will really shape the city centre and create a hub for research and development. As with all our projects we aim to give back to the local community, making a difference to real people. “During the project, we teamed up with social enterprise Think Big Academy to deliver a careers event on the live construction site, this attracted 100 young people and resulted in over 20 work experience enquiries. We also created jobs for an additional six local people on the scheme, alongside having seven apprentices on the site while also providing work experience opportunities for students of Nottingham College.” Stuart added: “In tandem with the project, our site team worked with Nottingham’s Emmanuel House – by helping it secure funding and refurbish its dilapidated facilities – we donated hundreds of Willmott Dixon hours and secured support from our partners including CPMG to deliver a fantastic result. We are also incredibly proud that Katie Butler, our commercial lead on this project, won in the Women in Construction category at Nottinghamshire Live’s Women in Business Awards 2019 for her amazing work locally.” Willmott Dixon worked together with Perfect Circle, a property, construction and infrastructure consultancy comprising of Pick Everard, Gleeds and AECOM, via The Scape National Built Environment Consultancy Services framework. Construction of the new building has been part funded by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Councillor David Mellen, leader of Nottingham City Council, commented: “Nottingham has long been a city of scientific innovation with the MRI, ibuprofen and the legacy of Jesse Boot and expanding our reputable Science Park supports our ambitions to continue to be a city of innovation and creativity. “Providing more Grade A office space in the city is a long held ambition of the city to meet the demands of potential tenants and so far it looks as though there’s been good interest in the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson building, given its proximity to the Boots Enterprise Zone, University of Nottingham, the tram, the M1 and the city centre. “As a Science City, we know scientific research and new innovations like fintech can create jobs, stimulate growth and keep talented graduates in the city and are committed to this with our £2bn Southside regeneration programme.”
Global financial giant JP Morgan has expanded its services in Maidenhead with the completion of a new state-of-the-art office. Contractor VolkerFitzpatrick has completed the Building 5 Foundation Park project two weeks ahead of schedule, with members of the team turning out last month to mark the milestone. The team, which began work on the project in October 2018, successfully completed a three-storey CAT A office, featuring open plan work spaces, a full height atrium with internal staircase, and a balcony terrace. The building has also been finished with energy saving LED lighting and photovoltaic roof panels. Throughout the project, the team worked strategically to overcome a series of logistical challenges, not least working within a live business park, neighbouring an aerodrome. Close collaboration with the airport during the planning phase allowed both parties to coordinate their schedules, ensuring that work to erect the building’s steel frame could proceed on time, with minimal disruption. Rob Lindsay, project manager for VolkerFitzpatrick, said: “What a fantastic journey Foundation Park has been for us. There’s been a real sense of teamwork from start to finish and we have risen to any challenges which we’ve encountered along the way. The result is a client who values our opinion and trusts us to deliver.” Speaking following an official tour of the new facility, Paul Harris, vice president at JP Morgan Asset Management, added: “It has been a pleasure to work with the VolkerFitzpatrick team on the Building 5 development and we are delighted with the finished product. From the very beginning, VolkerFitzpatrick led a positive and open relationship, and this, combined with their attention to detail, enabled us to deliver a building of the highest standards.”
UK storage group SureStore is moving forward with plans to expand its business across the nation. A contract has been agreed which will see a new £4 million storage facility built for the company in Wigan. Triton Construction has signed on for the project, which involves the development of a new 50,000 sq ft building on a vacant site on Pitt Street in the town centre. The contractor will begin work on site next month with clearance of the existing foundations for the former building occupied by furniture maker, Latham Jenkins. Construction will be carried out on the four-storey facility over a phased period due to tight restrictions around that site that is circled by the Pitt Street one-way road system. Paul Clarkson, Managing Director at Triton Construction said: “We are pleased to secure our first contract with SureStore as it progresses its expansion in the UK. Our credentials in building storage and warehouse facilities that stand out from the ordinary are strong and we are hoping to secure more projects with SureStore with three further projects pending in the North.” Mike Wilson, Managing Director at SureStore added: “We were already familiar with Triton Construction due to its good working relationship with our architect C4 Projects and we are also aware of its good credentials in constructing striking buildings for operators in the self-storage industry. In particular Triton has shown great flexibility, allowing us to have early access for fit out during the build programme, and thus speeding up the process for us to become operational. We hope to be able to work with Triton on more of our pipeline projects.” SureStore has major plans to expand further across the UK and expects to be managing over 20 stores in the next 18 months.
An element can be describes as a certain key aspect or essential characteristic of something abstract, and while many interior designers use the 7 elements of interior design to managing any home makeover project, there is absolutely no reason why you can’t adopt the elements into your home for a more appealing outcome. Whether you are opting for a complete home makeover or you will be taking the slower route and modifying your home as your budget allows, the following elements should be taken into consideration while creating your home improvement plan. Space The first and most important element of interior design is space, and while the other elements are just as important, you should always start your plan by assessing just how much space you have at your disposal. The space in your home is defined by structural barriers, such as ceilings, walls, floors, and even your doors. Therefore, knowing how much space you have will help you begin your planning and determine whether a large centrepiece would be appropriate or a vertical decor item would be more suitable. For example, if your living room area is somewhat small, you could consider water walls for the home as this enchanting masterpiece would not take up much space. Overcrowding the space you have will result in a cluttered look. Lines And Form Lines and form are also important elements to consider. While form explains the general shape of structures and items, lines are the basis of forms, and therefore, many could consider these two elements as co-existing elements. As your bedroom is an open form, understanding which forms work well together is crucial. You should avoid using too many rectangular forms in rooms that appear notably stiff and square as you should merge these forms to enhance the appeal of softer form rooms. Light And Colour Light and colour are the next two elements of interior design that also work as a pair. When creating your lighting plan for each room, you should consider the colour coordination of your furnishing choices as well as your wall paint. However, your lighting plan should include at least 3 light sources for most rooms to ensure each room is able to showcase its content as best as possible. Colour may be every interior designers favourite element as this is generally where the fun begins. If you are after a modern home design, you should stray from matching too much of one colour and rather opt for one main colour throughout your home while complementing the main colour with at least 3-4 additional colour pops. Patterns And Textures Patterns and textures are important to bring vibrancy into a home. You can add textures with fabrics, plants, and even your choice of furnishings while patterns are usually most appropriate for fabrics. Most modern home interiors boast texture as accent pieces as designers make use of textures scatter cushions and even rugs. Patterns can also be included in your home with the help of enchanting abstract art.
A second office developer has set out plans for a project outside central Shoreditch due to increased interest in the area. This £33 million office scheme is located in an area that is seeing a huge amount of interest as rents and prices continue to rise in Shoreditch, resulting in ‘Shoreditch sprawl’. This is pushing demand further towards the attractive Grand Union Canal on the border with Haggerston. Developer Southern Grove aims to deliver a 4,530 sqm scheme at 16 Orsman Road, which backs on to the canal. The company exchanged contracts on the land and plans to use Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), a highly sustainable option that is much greener than concrete. This will mean the building, spanning six floors, is approximately four to five times lighter than a traditional building, resulting in much smaller foundations and minimal disruption to the neighbouring canal. Architects Waugh Thistleton were chosen specifically because they are market leaders in CLT design and have built a reputation as the foremost architects in this part of London. Southern Grove plans to allocate around 10% of the office floor area (400 sqm) to ‘affordable’ office space and the building incorporates a substantial 100-bicycle storage facility on the ground floor with additional visitor cycle spaces in front of the building. A terracotta façade will help the building blend in with the surrounding area, further raising the scheme’s sustainable credentials. This project places Southern Grove as the second office developer to enter the area, following British Land’s purchase of its first home for the flexible workspace brand, Storey, in the same road. Tom Slingsby, Chief Executive of developer Southern Grove, commented: “This is a great example of a prime development, sustainably built on an infill site that really makes the most of its surroundings. “Shoreditch sprawl means that demand is moving towards attractive neighbouring areas and the canal is an obvious draw. The glazed facade to the property is designed to embrace what the canal has to offer, providing one of the most attractive canal-front aspects to be found in central London. “We’ll be only the second developer to take advantage of a great opportunity to provide superior office space in an area that is being talked about as the next big thing now central Shoreditch has reached saturation point.”
