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
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
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 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 joint venture between Trebor Developments and Hillwood has acquired a 25 acre site in order to develop a 400,000 sq ft building for the logistics sector. The site acquired by the pair is Gateway 4 in Doncaster, near the M18 motorway. A planning application is on its way as the
Galliford Try Partnerships has been named to deliver the first 725 homes at Enfield Council’s £6 billion Meridian Water scheme. After a robust evaluation of four very strong bids, Enfield Council’s Cabinet decided that developer Galliford Try Partnerships is best placed to deliver on value, quality, design and financial robustness.
GODWIN Group, the UK-based property development and investment company, has continued its growth, recently opening a London office to add to its existing bases in Nottingham and Birmingham. The new London outpost, based in the heart of the capital in prestigious Mayfair, provides a new base of operations for both
Prominent developer Wykeland Group is leading the remarkable regeneration of its home city of Hull, with a series of multi-million pound investments. Wykeland is one of Yorkshire and the Humber’s leading commercial developers and is a key player in a raft of major schemes in Hull as the city enjoys
A £4.4 million contract has been awarded by the Department for Education to Interserve Group to design and build a new teaching block and refurbish the sports hall at Ridgewood High School, in Stourbridge. Part of the Department’s Priority Schools Building Programme, the project will be delivered in partnership alongside Stour
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.
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.
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 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.
The joint venture between Trebor Developments and Hillwood has acquired a 25 acre site in order to develop a 400,000 sq ft building for the logistics sector. The site acquired by the pair is Gateway 4 in Doncaster, near the M18 motorway. A planning application is on its way as the venture aims to develop the building designed for the logistics sector over the next 12 months. Subject to planning approval, work is due to start on site in the summer and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2020. The development will be marketed by Trebor/Hillwood as Gateway 4, Doncaster. “We are delighted to be acquiring this site from Lazarus Properties and bringing forward such a major transaction in the North. We anticipate our current pipeline of schemes in the North of England delivering in the order of one million sq ft over the next 12 months, in a range of unit sizes,” commented Bob Tattrie, managing partner of Trebor Developments. The agents are CBRE and CPP.
Galliford Try Partnerships has been named to deliver the first 725 homes at Enfield Council’s £6 billion Meridian Water scheme. After a robust evaluation of four very strong bids, Enfield Council’s Cabinet decided that developer Galliford Try Partnerships is best placed to deliver on value, quality, design and financial robustness. “This is the start of a bright new era for Meridian Water and we welcome Galliford Try Partnerships to the team. We are extremely excited to be working with Galliford Try as they have demonstrated that they will be able to deliver quality, well-designed homes in a timely manner and social infrastructure that reflects the Meridian Water vision,” said Enfield Council’s Leader, Cllr Nesil Caliskan. The first homes will be built by 2022 and will include a significant number of affordable units, as well as new public squares, shops and leisure facilities. The new homes will be delivered around the new Meridian Water train station, which is due to open next month and serve up to four million rail passengers a year. Outline planning permission is already in place for the new homes, with construction enabling work having started in January 2017. The first phase forms part of the £6 billion Meridian Water development, which will deliver 10,000 homes and 6,000 jobs, alongside world-class public spaces, community facilities and road and rail networks. “We are delighted to have been selected to work in close partnership with Enfield Council and the local communities on the delivery of Meridian One as a new vibrant mixed-use, mixed-tenure neighbourhood. We will create an environment for local people to thrive – providing quality affordable homes, opportunities for local start-up businesses to flourish, great public spaces and a design which celebrates the parkland character of the Lea Valley. It is a great opportunity to demonstrate responsible and accountable regeneration through a responsible, accountable partnership,” commented Stephen Teagle, Chief Executive of Galliford Try Partnerships. In addition, the search for a new developer for Meridian Two, at Leeside Road has also started. The scheme will deliver circa 250 affordable homes with workspace on the lower floors, earmarked to bring makers and creators to the area. The appointment of Galliford Try Partnerships as the Master Developer for Meridian One is subject to call in, the statutory stand-still period and is also subject to contract.
GODWIN Group, the UK-based property development and investment company, has continued its growth, recently opening a London office to add to its existing bases in Nottingham and Birmingham. The new London outpost, based in the heart of the capital in prestigious Mayfair, provides a new base of operations for both arms of the business, Godwin Developments and Godwin Capital. Godwin is already creating links to Greater London, the South East and South West of the UK and further expanding the geographical scope of Godwin Developments’ commercial and residential portfolios. The new location will also provide important access to London’s financial network and wealth-raising opportunities for Godwin Capital, the investment arm of the business. Andrew Mitchell, group investment director of Godwin Group, said: “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. “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.” The London office launch comes after a number of high-profile new hires at Godwin Group. Staff numbers have increased by 60% as the firm’s growing number of regional projects has expanded. Recent successes include planning approval for Godwin’s 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. Stephen Pratt, group land director of Godwin Group, said: “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.” Visit Godwin Group on https://www.godwingroup.co.uk/
Prominent developer Wykeland Group is leading the remarkable regeneration of its home city of Hull, with a series of multi-million pound investments. Wykeland is one of Yorkshire and the Humber’s leading commercial developers and is a key player in a raft of major schemes in Hull as the city enjoys unprecedented regeneration after gaining national and international exposure as UK City of Culture 2017. The focal point for the city’s rejuvenation is the waterfront Fruit Market quarter. Once a near-derelict area, the Fruit Market took centre stage during the City of Culture year and is being transformed by one of the most significant urban regeneration schemes in the North of England. Wykeland is part of the Wykeland Beal joint venture with East Yorkshire-based housebuilder Beal Homes which is driving forward the £80m renaissance of the Fruit Market, in partnership with Hull City Council. The Fruit Market has been reinvented as one of the most vibrant and fastest-growing communities in the North, featuring a host of commercial, creative and cultural ventures. The first buyers are also moving into a £17m Wykeland Beal development that is adding the residential element to the developers’ “live, work and play” vision for the area. Wykeland Beal has just secured planning permission for the latest major phase of the Fruit Market transformation, which features a new head office for the UK’s leading safety company, Arco. Hull City Council’s Planning Committee gave the green light to the £22m scheme, including the Arco offices, a 350 space multi-storey car park, 34 residential units and 3,000 sq ft of retail/leisure space. The 55,000 sq ft Arco building will be one of the largest new corporate head office developments in the North of England in recent years. It will accommodate around 450 employees who will transfer from Arco’s current base, in a 1960s building a mile away which is set to be demolished as part of a £392m Highways England scheme to improve the main A63 route through the city centre. Wykeland paved the way for the Fruit Market to become a magnet for investment with developments such as @TheDock, which saw a vacant waterfront site incorporating a listed dry dock become a thriving tech campus, with the Centre for Digital Innovation (C4DI) digital hub as its centrepiece. @TheDock is acknowledged as one of the UK’s leading digital clusters, with around 200 start-up or scale-up tech firms based on site or closely linked to it, and last month Wykeland gained planning permission for two new buildings to complete the development. The £9m plans will provide 31,000 sq ft of offices, co-working and meeting space to enable tech companies to continue to collaborate and grow. Wykeland’s latest landmark development is a nine-storey hotel with rooftop sky bar offering spectacular views of Hull’s waterfront, as part of a scheme that will secure the future of two historic buildings and create a new city centre piazza. Wykeland has teamed up with Princes Quay Developments, owner of Hull’s Princes Quay Shopping Centre, for the Castle Buildings scheme featuring a 52,000 sq ft hotel with 150 bedrooms as part of a £20m investment creating up to 150 jobs. Dominic Gibbons, Managing Director of Wykeland Group, said: “Hull is riding the crest of a wave and, as a company founded and based in the city, we couldn’t be happier to be at the heart of the exciting change we are now seeing all around us. “Hull has never before experienced so much concentrated investment, but it’s certainly not an overnight success story and it’s fair to say some of it is making up ground on other major cities. “The seeds have been sown over many years, including by all the key players coming together behind the bid for Hull to be UK City of Culture. In fact, we were the first ‘business angel’ to back the bid, as well as becoming a Major Partner, and support from the city’s businesses community was a vital factor in the success of the bid and the year-long cultural programme. “Being City of Culture was a game-changer for Hull and, working together, the city has capitalised on the momentum the year generated.” Mr Gibbons said a key factor was unlocking the potential of Hull’s waterfront, including the unique Fruit Market area, which was home to the city’s wholesale fruit and vegetable trade for a century before falling into decline. He added: “Our own offices overlook the River Hull and the Humber Estuary, so we were very aware of what could be achieved. We kick-started the revival of the waterfront by acquiring and revitalising the Marina Court offices and then launching @TheDock and C4DI. “There had been previous plans by out-of-town developers to regenerate the Fruit Market, but these collapsed after the banking crisis. Back in 2013 we formed a joint venture with Beal Homes to bid to become Hull City Council’s partner, which has ultimately led to the thriving urban village we see today. “Key to all of this has been the strength of our relationships with public sector partners such as the city council and businesses such as Beal Homes and Arco. The investment Hull is enjoying also demonstrates the power of bringing together physical, social and cultural change – after all, regeneration is about people, not just buildings.” Wykeland was founded in Hull 50 years ago and has developed more than 11.5m sq ft of high-quality commercial space across the north of England and Scotland. Three years ago Wykeland sold a range of business parks in Scotland and the North East to focus on its “sphere of influence” in Yorkshire and the Humber and that decision has paid dividends. The company now has a development pipeline of almost £400m within the region, with flagship projects including the fast-growing Bridgehead and Meltonwest business parks in East Yorkshire. Wykeland has also established a reputation as a trusted partner of the public sector in bringing commercial acumen and delivery focus to public-private partnerships. As well as the partnership with Hull
A £4.4 million contract has been awarded by the Department for Education to Interserve Group to design and build a new teaching block and refurbish the sports hall at Ridgewood High School, in Stourbridge. Part of the Department’s Priority Schools Building Programme, the project will be delivered in partnership alongside Stour Vale Multi-Academy Trust and the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley and construction is due to start in April 2019. “The award of this contract reflects Interserve’s expertise in delivering first-rate education projects across the UK and adds to our strategic portfolio of school work in the West Midlands. We are delighted to once again work with the Department for Education and look forward to delivering this important project, which will bring significant benefits to the community,” commented Simon Butler, Divisional Director at Interserve Construction. As part of the contract, Interserve Construction will build a new teaching block, due for completion in December 2019. The old block will be demolished alongside two old Portakabin-style classrooms. In addition, Interserve will refurbish the existing sports hall and changing rooms block, with completion expected in October 2019. The changing areas will be remodelled to provide better access to staff changing areas and level access shower rooms. Following demolition of the old block, small lobby extensions will be created to improve circulation and toilet accommodation. “This is fantastic news for our students and staff. We can now look forward to a significant rebuilding, refurbishment and modernisation of our buildings and facilities. The proposed developments will contribute to improving educational achievement and renew the pride in our school for the benefit of students, staff and the community generally,” said Ridgewood High School Head Teacher, Rae Cope. Other school and education projects delivered by Interserve Construction in the West Midlands include Moorgate Primary School, Tamworth; Wood End Primary School, Wolverhampton; Turves Green Boys School, Birmingham and a new teaching block at RSA Academy for Sandwell Futures.
