The new partnership between Wates Residential and Orbit will bring a further 42 new homes to the London Borough of Bexley. Already creating more than 700 homes in Bexley, the partnership will further contribute to the redevelopments of a site on West Street in Erith. “We are delighted to be
As Travelodge continues its expansion across the Midlands, national property and construction consultancy Wakemans has completed work on the budget hotel chain’s latest development in Solihull. Wakemans acted as tenant’s agent on the £10million Solihull Travelodge, which has 82 rooms including SuperRooms, an on-site restaurant called the Bar Café and
A major transformation project will bring two new buildings to a school in Slough. Wates Construction has commenced work on the site of Langley Grammar for the 63,300 sq ft facilities, which will include space for 200 more students. “We’re pleased to be starting the important task of building these
Kier has been confirmed by the Ministry of Justice as the main contractor for the construction of a new prison at Wellingborough, in Northamptonshire. Scheduled to start next month, work on the 1,680-place category C resettlement development is due to be completed by autumn 2021. The new prison will be built
Bluestone National Park Resort today announces the opening date for its £7 million Dome – a groundbreaking ‘giant umbrella’ William McNamara CEO and Founder of Bluestone said: “This is the first of its kind in the UK which will create an additional 55 jobs and boost the local economy by
43 acres of commercial development land has just been bought by PLP’s UK logistics investments vehicle from the joint venture between Harworth Group plc and Evans Property Group for an undisclosed sum. The company will now work with AVL to begin earthworks and on and off-site infrastructure, alongside the submission of
MARK Pawsey MP has lent his support to an £8m business park development that will bring up to 100 jobs to the West Midlands. The MP for Rugby was given a tour around the 85,000 sq ft Stepnell Park site on Lawford Road, Rugby, which will bring new investment and
Godwin Group, the UK property development investment firm, has expanded its network with a new office in London. The company, which has recently announced a number of new high profile appointments, already has existing bases in Nottingham and Birmingham. “As a leading international financial centre, London is a key location
A key milestone has been reached by a Manchester apartment scheme ahead of its opening next month. Contractor McGoff marked the completion of Phase Two’s concrete frame with a topping out ceremony at Downtown on Woden Street. When complete, Downtown will provide 374 apartments with high end facilities and hotel-style
A landmark acquisition comprising of a 928-home site near Leeds Docks, the largest in its history, has been secured by English housing association The Guinness Partnership in Leeds. The site is just a few minutes’ walk from Leeds Station and the new HS2, with Leeds South Bank set to provide
The new partnership between Wates Residential and Orbit will bring a further 42 new homes to the London Borough of Bexley. Already creating more than 700 homes in Bexley, the partnership will further contribute to the redevelopments of a site on West Street in Erith. “We are delighted to be able to continue our award-winning work with Orbit, which has already led to more than 700 new homes in Bexley either being built or in the pipeline. We look forward to getting started on the West Street project, which will not only deliver more crucial housing for the area but will also lead to increased employment and training opportunities for local residents,” said Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential. The £9.4 million scheme will see vacant buildings including a former car parts warehouse replaced with a contemporary low-rise design including seven homes for London Affordable Rent, 14 homes for London Living Rent and 21 homes for Shared Ownership sale. The plans also include a car park with electric charging points and large community garden. The development of the site forms part of Orbit’s long-term strategy for delivering high quality new homes in Erith and the wider region, and will contribute towards improvements to the quality of the streetscape and the overall appearance of the local area. “We are pleased to once again be partnering with Wates to deliver much needed affordable housing to local people in Bexley. Wates understands our aim of ‘building thriving communities’ and we look forward to delivering more high quality homes for local families who need them,” added Shina Olalekan, Head of Development at Orbit. As part of the West Street project, Wates Residential and Orbit have also pledged to provide employment and training opportunities for local residents. It follows Orbit and Wates Residential’s successful regeneration of Larner Road into the award-winning Erith Park in Bexley. The contractor has also been appointed to help deliver Orbit’s proposed £95 million regeneration of the Arthur Street housing estate in Bexley, featuring 280 new homes.
As Travelodge continues its expansion across the Midlands, national property and construction consultancy Wakemans has completed work on the budget hotel chain’s latest development in Solihull. Wakemans acted as tenant’s agent on the £10million Solihull Travelodge, which has 82 rooms including SuperRooms, an on-site restaurant called the Bar Café and free car parking. The new Solihull hotel joins the Birmingham Central Bull Ring Travelodge in offering SuperRooms, the company’s increasingly popular room designed around the ‘premium economy’ concept familiar to airline users. This new class of room is the first of its kind in the UK budget hotel market and enhances the comfort factor for business and leisure customers who want the extra choice of a more premium room. In a central location, the Solihull Travelodge is a few minutes’ walk from the railway station and close to local amenities, including two shopping centres and a cinema as well as bars and restaurants. It is also a short drive from Birmingham Airport. Wakemans Divisional Director Nigel Himpson said: “We’re delighted to support Travelodge in implementing its strategic growth plans in the West Midlands. As the region’s economy grows and Solihull, in particular, benefits from rising visitor numbers, this new hotel meets the need for good quality, affordable accommodation.” Travelodge operates 25 hotels across the West Midlands and Wakemans also played a key role in the development of its Dudley Town Centre, West Bromwich and Walsall properties.
A major transformation project will bring two new buildings to a school in Slough. Wates Construction has commenced work on the site of Langley Grammar for the 63,300 sq ft facilities, which will include space for 200 more students. “We’re pleased to be starting the important task of building these long-awaited, new facilities for Langley Grammar School. At Wates, we understand how learning environments have a direct impact upon the development of young people and attainment levels and we bring our appreciation to every stage of the process. We will be drawing on our vast experience as a trusted contractor for the education sector here in Slough to ensure the quality delivery of this new school building,” said Alec Jackman, Business Unit Director, Wates Construction Southern Home Counties. Delivered across three phases, the project includes the construction of a three-storey teaching block and provision of temporary accommodation for the school’s dining facility, library and administration offices. Once the new building is completed, the original one will be demolished. The third phase will then commence with the construction of a two-storey front-of-house building, providing the school with administration offices, dining room, hall, library, a small number of classrooms and a dance studio. The scheme is being delivered on behalf of the DfE as part of the Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP2) to rebuild or refurbish school buildings across the country. “It is fantastic to see work starting on our new buildings, which have been so long in the planning. The project will deliver first class facilities for our students for many years to come. This is the biggest construction project in the school’s history and will transform the site into an attractive campus environment. We have developed a strong and positive relationship with Wates during the design stage and look forward to that continuing as the new buildings take shape,” added John Constable, Headteacher at Langley Grammar School. The new facilities are expected to be complete by July 2021.
Kier has been confirmed by the Ministry of Justice as the main contractor for the construction of a new prison at Wellingborough, in Northamptonshire. Scheduled to start next month, work on the 1,680-place category C resettlement development is due to be completed by autumn 2021. The new prison will be built on the same site as the former HMP Wellingborough, which closed in 2012. A price of £253 million (excluding VAT) for its design and construction has now been agreed with Kier, announced the minister. “I am committed to the building of up to 10,000 modern and decent prison places to replace old, expensive and unsuitable accommodation, and the start of work at Wellingborough is an important step forward. Providing offenders with decent conditions and regimes is absolutely key to turning their lives around and ultimately keeping the public safe,” commented Prisons minister Rory Stewart. The development at Wellingborough is part of the government’s Prison Estate Transformation Programme. Also part of the programme are another new facilitt at the former Glen Parva & Young Offender Institution (YOI) in Leicestershire and a new house block at HMP Stocken, in Rutland. “We’re very proud to have been appointed to deliver the new resettlement prison at Wellingborough and look forward to working closely with the MoJ and using our experience in new-build prison programmes to deliver first-class rehabilitation facilities,” added Mark Pengelly, executive director of Kier Major Projects.
Bluestone National Park Resort today announces the opening date for its £7 million Dome – a groundbreaking ‘giant umbrella’ William McNamara CEO and Founder of Bluestone said: “This is the first of its kind in the UK which will create an additional 55 jobs and boost the local economy by more than £21m over 10 years”. Created with the help of a multitude of Welsh companies in line with Bluestone’s track record of supporting local suppliers and strengthening the Welsh economy. Serendome will open to guests at the family resort in Pembrokeshire, Wales on July 19th, 2019; representing a significant investment in the future of Wales’ tourism. The 7,000sqm area beneath the Dome, which measures 116m high and 77m wide, encompasses a massive playground for Free Range Fun for Bluestone’s guests. It will be a hub for entertainment; and at its heart will boast a 400-seat Amphitheatre, a live music and performance venue in a unique setting. Serendome will include exciting new activities for guests, including the impressive SkyWalk – a vertical adventure course like no other, built over seven towers and featuring 24 climbing stations. The build, which started in March 2018 has involved a number of contractors, overseen by the Bluestone Projects team. The umbrella itself is made from EFTE, a unique material used in some of the world’s most ambitious architectural projects. Liz Weedon, Head of Projects at Bluestone said: “Successful projects are delivered by great teams of people working together effectively and collaborating. “More than 300 people have been involved in the making of the Serendome from the architect to the bricklayers – each playing a vital role in the building of this innovative structure. William McNamara, added: “The biggest challenge has been to create a structure this size that isn’t actually a building. When you are under the Dome, it is an extraordinary place and like nothing else anyone has created before. We hope that Serendome proves to be another exciting draw for the thousands of visitors who stay with us and experience Pembrokeshire every year.” Roger Casey Associates Limited, Consulting Civil and Structural Engineers, said: “It’s been exciting working on such a unique project and great to have had the opportunity to work alongside other local companies.” William McNamara added: ”It has been a great privilege to have worked on this ground-breaking project with many multi-talented individuals. Our Bluestone guests are in for a real treat!”
43 acres of commercial development land has just been bought by PLP’s UK logistics investments vehicle from the joint venture between Harworth Group plc and Evans Property Group for an undisclosed sum. The company will now work with AVL to begin earthworks and on and off-site infrastructure, alongside the submission of a ”reserved matters” planning application to Leeds City Council for 850,000sqft of industrial and distribution space across 4 units. “We are very excited about this acquisition, which provides a clear opportunity for PLP to deliver high-quality logistics space in a variety of configurations for occupiers. Beyond this and our other three recent acquisitions, we continue to look for prime logistics developments and assets in key markets,” said Jeremy Greenland, CEO of PLP. Once the planning is approved, construction work will begin on the new units in Summer 2020. In addition to this purchase, PLP has also acquired a few other assets at Sheffield, Crewe and Knowsley, which will take the value of UKLV’s managed assets to £500m (€579.4m) on a completed basis. “This is an excellent outcome for all concerned which will deliver a significant proportion of the jobs promised when the Enterprise Zone was initially created. AVL’s focus now is to assist PLP to get on-site as quickly as possible so that thousands of new jobs can be delivered for the City Region to benefit from,” commented James Pitt, development director at Evans Property Group. Leader of Leeds City Council councillor Judith Blake also commented on the purchase, saying: “This deal is very welcome as it brings significant new investment into Leeds and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Zone, enhancing economic growth, job creation and innovation in the area and the city.” Established in 2015, the PLP platform is owned by Macquarie Capital, Peel Group, Ivanhoe Cambridge and its senior management team.
MARK Pawsey MP has lent his support to an £8m business park development that will bring up to 100 jobs to the West Midlands. The MP for Rugby was given a tour around the 85,000 sq ft Stepnell Park site on Lawford Road, Rugby, which will bring new investment and commercial opportunities to the area. Ten new industrial, warehouse or trade counter buildings make up the first phase of work, which is due for completion later this year. Mr Pawsey said: “Developments such as Stepnell Park are crucial for our local economy. What we see here is a West Midlands-based company that is investing in our local area and demonstrating its commitment to creating jobs in Rugby and beyond. “After touring the site and hearing more about the opportunities it is bringing and will continue to bring throughout its construction, I am delighted to throw my full support behind the development.” The site is being developed by construction company Stepnell, which will look to build its own new head office on the later phases of the development The flagship scheme is being used to showcase Stepnell’s ‘Complete Construction Partner’ approach, with the company acting as landlord, developer, principal contractor and employer’s agent for the site. Edward Wakeford, property director at Stepnell, said: “Stepnell Park demonstrates our ability to offer a complete development service, with our construction team working alongside our in-house property and development team. “We are able to deliver schemes from the planning stages through to practical completion on site, and subsequently manage the development and its tenants. “The site also marks a key investment in our own future, allowing us to create a modern working environment for our employees.” Find out more about Stepnell at stepnell.co.uk or join the conversation @StepnellLtd.
Godwin Group, the UK property development investment firm, has expanded its network with a new office in London. The company, which has recently announced a number of new high profile appointments, already has existing bases in Nottingham and Birmingham. “As a leading international financial centre, London is a key location for Godwin Capital to enhance its corporate profile, provide expansion opportunities and access to one of the world’s deepest pools of capital,” said Andrew Mitchell, group investment director of Godwin Group. “The build-to-rent (BTR) sector continues to grow apace; operators are looking to take advantage of improved yields and a wider selection of sites across the UK as infrastructures improve and lower land prices make development lucrative. Many of the key players in this market are based out of head offices in London. Godwin Group’s new London office is strategically located to provide this vital link, local contact and expertise for its regional businesses,” Andrew added. The new London office provides a new base of operations for both arms of the business, Godwin Developments and Godwin Capital. “Godwin Group has seen huge growth over the past months. Our new London office will allow us to accommodate further expansion plans and look to reach new markets in our key sectors. These are exciting times for Godwin Group and we are looking forward to expanding our network even further with the opening of our London office,” commented Stephen Pratt, group land director of Godwin Group. Godwin’s recent successes include a proposed new BTR scheme of 201 apartments at The Landmark development in Derby, Godwin Capital’s launch of innovative new investment products and the launch of the group’s BTR brand called Core Living – which plans to build up to 2,500 new homes over the next four years.
A key milestone has been reached by a Manchester apartment scheme ahead of its opening next month. Contractor McGoff marked the completion of Phase Two’s concrete frame with a topping out ceremony at Downtown on Woden Street. When complete, Downtown will provide 374 apartments with high end facilities and hotel-style services including lobby with 24 hour concierge, gymnasium, spa, media room, postal room, dry and chilled storage, private dining, business centre as well as landscaped grounds and roof terraces. The first residents are due to arrive at the new development in May 2019. “The collaboration between McGoff Construction, Heyrod Construction, Alliance Investments, our legal team, architect and Wellesley has been incredible. Developing this bespoke partnership has enabled us to take advantage of Downtown impressive sales success and start build of Phase II two much earlier than planned,” said Chris McGoff, director at the McGoff Group. “As we near the end of construction at Downtown, and reflect on its success, we can safely say that our collaboration was a truly unique and refreshing way to work in the construction industry. With all apartments selling quickly off-plan, the McGoff Construction team was agile with regards to the build programme, fully supported by Heyrod Construction, which not only saved money but also allowed us to accelerate the build of Phase II without the need to negotiate based on better than envisaged sales. With such a solid partnership in place, and the results to prove it, Wellesley was happy to adapt and release funds for Phase II early. It really has been a success story with regards to both sales and construction on site,” he added.
A landmark acquisition comprising of a 928-home site near Leeds Docks, the largest in its history, has been secured by English housing association The Guinness Partnership in Leeds. The site is just a few minutes’ walk from Leeds Station and the new HS2, with Leeds South Bank set to provide 35,000 jobs and deliver 8,000 new homes over the next 15 years. The Hunslet Road site will offer 600,000 sq ft of homes and commercial space to contribute to this vision. “This site, within the Leeds South Bank Regeneration and Innovation District, is a fantastic opportunity for us to create over 900 homes in a vibrant new neighbourhood in Leeds. We intend at least 35% of the homes to be affordable,” said Catriona Simons, Chief Executive of The Guinness Partnership. Guinness has committed to ensuring at least 35% of the available homes will be for the affordable housing market. The site was purchased with the support of part of the funding recently granted by Homes England to Guinness to start building an extra 4,500 affordable homes across England by 2022. “The Guinness Partnership’s proposals are fantastic news for Leeds. That it is committing to its biggest ever scheme here and intending to deliver so many new affordable homes is a real mark of confidence in our vision for the South Bank, where we want to ensure regeneration and growth benefits all the city’s residents,” added Councillor Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for regeneration, transport and planning.
