Work has begun on the third phase of a multi-million pound business park in Leamington Spa, which will bring 180,000 sq ft of new industrial units to the town. Leading property developer Stoford Developments is building four units and has already signed up Liberty 920E, part of the prestigious Liberty
The new, long-awaited 62,000-seater Tottenham Hotspur’s Stadium is officially opening today as the team faces Crystal Palace in the Premier League. This opening comes after a host of delays and two successful testing games over the past couple of weeks. SCX, Sheffield- based engineering specialist, will be seeing its world-first dividing
GMI Construction Group, a fast-expanding building and construction services company has announced that it has started construction of a 103,000 sq ft distribution unit at St. Modwen Park Burton (formerly known as Burton Gateway). The new speculative unit, which is being built for expert developer and regeneration specialist, St. Modwen,
London’s St James’s district benefits from new office, retail and restaurant space with the completion of a multi-use development. 35,000 sq ft of office space was delivered over the first to sixth floors, with 11,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space at ground and basement levels. The Marq project
The latest technology to deliver engine testing and research into sustainable power concepts has been brought to Coventry with the construction of a new automotive hub. Built by Willmott Dixon, the Centre for Advanced Low-Carbon Propulsion Systems (C-ALPS) houses some of the most advanced test facilities currently in the UK
A new office development in Leicester city centre, located next to two newly constructed hotels and public realm areas, is set for early completion in July 2019. “No.1 Great Central Square is such a key development for Leicester; the site exceeds occupiers demands in terms of office accommodation in a modern
GMI Construction Group, a fast-expanding building and construction services company has announced the award of a major new contract to construct a 118,000 sq. ft state of the art manufacturing plant for Aflex Hose on a 11.6-acre site at Bradley Business Park in Huddersfield, close to the M62 Aflex Hose
Teeside University has welcomed its latest flagship building, which has been completed as part of a new UK centre of excellence for biosciences set to open later this year. The new National Horizons Centre, the University’s research, teaching and training facility, was delivered by Wates Construction over a year-long build programme.
Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of Queen Elizabeth II, could earn £1,034,291.43 a day if listed on Airbnb. The figure was calculated by GuestReady, a globally leading Airbnb management company, to demonstrate how much the sovereign could profit if she rented out the palace’s rooms on the short-term rental
It was a double night of success for Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) and architecture and sports & leisure firm LK2 at the Lincoln Good Design Awards, as the newly renovated Constance Stewart Hall took home the coveted ‘Outstanding Project’ and ‘Best Commercial Project’ awards. Designed by LK2, the impressive £2.2m
Work has begun on the third phase of a multi-million pound business park in Leamington Spa, which will bring 180,000 sq ft of new industrial units to the town. Leading property developer Stoford Developments is building four units and has already signed up Liberty 920E, part of the prestigious Liberty Vehicle Technologies, for a 50,000 sq ft unit at the park, which is located on Tachbrook Road. A further three units of 30,000 sq ft, 40,000 sq ft, and 60,000 sq ft, all with ancillary offices and suitable for advanced manufacturing and e-fulfilment and distribution uses (B1, B2 and B8 classes), will also be constructed. When it is fully operational, Liberty 920E’s state-of-the art, flagship 50,000 sq ft centre will become a global hub for its research and development and engineering expertise, housing house more than 100 technical professionals, including 40 new engineering posts. The company, which employs 5,000 people in the UK, is a Tier 1 supplier to major automotive manufacturers domestically and overseas. The centre, adjacent to its original plant, will also house Liberty’s Vehicle Technologies, 920Engineering (920E) and Shiftec businesses, which are internationally renowned for their advanced lightweight braking and control systems respectively. Contractor Benniman has been appointed to undertake the first tranche of phase three construction, which is due for completion in Q4 this year. Dan Gallagher, Joint Managing Director at Stoford Developments, which is developing the site jointly with leading asset management company BlackRock, said: “Starting on phase three of Spa Park is a key milestone in this significant development that could bring hundreds of jobs to the area. “We are pleased to have signed Liberty 920E for one of the larger units that we are delivering and we are also in talks with other prospective occupiers and hope to make further announcements soon. There is still huge demand for business units and warehouses of this size in the region, which has a long track record for advanced manufacturing and engineering industries.” Stoford is retaining a large portion of the site that will enable it to construct units ranging from 30,000 sq ft – 290,000 sq ft on a build-to-suit basis. Paul Tebbit at BlackRock said: “We are pleased to be on site in Leamington working in partnership with Stoford once more, following on from our recent project in Siskin Parkway West, Coventry, where we successfully built and let 310,000 sq ft in two buildings. Spa Park forms part of BlackRock’s strategy to build and own best in class, strategically located logistics assets within the BlackRock UK Property Fund, which now stands at nearly £3.5bn. Spa Park offers access to a strong skilled labour pool, good infrastructure and connections and importantly a significant power supply.” Anthony Blackwell, chief technical officer for Liberty Engineering, who is leading the development of the global technology centre, said: “This industry-leading new facility at Spa Park will play a pivotal role in our development of sophisticated components for the next generation of vehicles. “This site has nearly a century of heritage in automotive manufacturing and our new centre here will help us write an exciting new chapter in this success story.” Spa Park is ideally located, close to the A46 and junctions 14 and 15 of the M40. Leamington Spa train station is less than one mile away. Spa Park is already home to lingerie and swimwear brand Bravissimo, Detroit Electric and global medical company Smith + Nephew. For more details about Spa Park, visit www.spapark.co.uk Photo caption (l-r): Dan Gallagher, Joint Managing Director, Stoford Developments; Anthony Blackwell, Chief Technology Officer for Liberty Engineering; Steven Smith, Managing Director, Benniman.
The new, long-awaited 62,000-seater Tottenham Hotspur’s Stadium is officially opening today as the team faces Crystal Palace in the Premier League. This opening comes after a host of delays and two successful testing games over the past couple of weeks. SCX, Sheffield- based engineering specialist, will be seeing its world-first dividing retractable pitch on display at the match. The grass surface, which can be rolled back to reveal a bespoke NFL pitch below, is the result of the vision and expertise of SCX Special Projects, the bespoke engineering arm of the SCX group. The innovative system allows the venue to be used for music concerts and other events in addition to regular football matches and NFL games. “It has been a phenomenal success, equal to what we have achieved with the retractable roofs for Centre Court and No.1 Court for the All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon, and within a very tight timescale,” said SCX’s Project Director, Danny Pickard. “The Tottenham pitch went from being perceived as the highest risk part of the project – with all the moving parts, the turf joins and an engineering concept that had not been tried before – to something neither we nor the client had to worry about. It’s fantastic. Everything was completed on time despite the huge scale of the project, and communication has been the key. We have a really great client in Spurs,” Danny added. The retractable real grass surface splits into three pitch-long steel trays. When the trays slide together, the join is invisible and imperceptible to the players. The trays, weighing more than 3,000 tonnes each, can be rolled under the new South Stand to reveal the NFL artificial surface in a process taking about 25 minutes. The mechanical tests included the sideways movement of the side trays to meet the centre tray, the defining feature that makes the pitch a world first.
GMI Construction Group, a fast-expanding building and construction services company has announced that it has started construction of a 103,000 sq ft distribution unit at St. Modwen Park Burton (formerly known as Burton Gateway). The new speculative unit, which is being built for expert developer and regeneration specialist, St. Modwen, will include a 50m deep yard, 10 dock levellers (including 2 euro-docks) and grade A office space. Due to be completed this September, the unit further expands the industrial and logistics offering at the 1 million sq ft site. Once occupied, it could create in excess of 120 jobs in addition to the significant number of construction jobs created during the build. Work begins just a month after St. Modwen announced it had attracted two new tenants to the Park, with Supply Technologies taking a 25,446 sq ft unit and Keylite Roof Windows leasing a 40,730 sq ft unit, both of which were delivered as part of the second phase of development. Speaking about the announcement Martin Watson, Construction Director at GMI Construction, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded our second contract at St. Modwen Park Burton. Our commitment to deliver another quality product on time for St Modwen will be our ultimate focus moving forward.” Also commenting, Steven Smith, Senior Construction Manager at St. Modwen, said: “We are pleased to have instructed GMI Construction Group on this latest phase. GMI is a well-respected construction company and we have great confidence in the team’s ability to deliver this quality unit.” With Rob Richardson, Senior Development Manager at St. Modwen, going on to say “St. Modwen Park Burton has proven to be an incredibly popular site. This further investment is not only testament to our confidence in the Park, but in the wider industrial and logistics market in the Midlands.” Birmingham-based property agents Savills and Knight Frank are marketing the scheme on behalf of St. Modwen. Katie Aitchison, Associate Director at Savills, and Edward Kennerley, Associate at Knight Frank, said: “We are looking forward to unveiling the completed unit in September. The business park has attracted some excellent names and we’re confident that this additional unit will satisfy the demand for well-connected B2 and B8 space, attracting more great businesses and creating a significant number of jobs in the region.” St. Modwen Park Burton is one of the largest warehouse developments in the Midlands and is a key employment hub for East Staffordshire. The site already has more than 200,000 sq ft of space and is home to major names including Hellman Worldwide Logistics, who occupied the first unit in 2016. Strategically located adjacent to the A38, on the southern approach to Burton-upon-Trent, the site offers strong links to the M42 and A50. Nearby occupiers include Pirelli, Unilever, Boots, Holland & Barrett, Argos and Toyota.
London’s St James’s district benefits from new office, retail and restaurant space with the completion of a multi-use development. 35,000 sq ft of office space was delivered over the first to sixth floors, with 11,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space at ground and basement levels. The Marq project has been completed by Skanska for its client The Crown Estate. “Handing this project over on time, within budget and to such a high standard is a fantastic achievement. Working together with all of our stakeholders has created a strong working ethic that has delivered our customer’s requirements and it’s a building that they can be proud of,” said Richard Kirkpatrick, Project Director. The development features three pieces of bespoke artwork by Jacqueline Poncelet, with two external elements – splay corner and gates – being complemented by an interior wall-based artwork. Moreover, the building is on target to achieve a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating for the office space and a WELL Building Core and Shell Gold certification. On this project Skanska was also supported by Rolfe Judd (architects), Waterman Group (structural engineers) and Watkins Payne Partnership (services engineers). “This has been a complex project at a busy location with several constraints on the site. It has been an exciting project for us, involving creative engineering in close proximity to nearby buildings and busy streets. The structural works have gone very smoothly thanks to close collaboration between all parties. The project is a great credit to all involved,” commented Richard Whitehead, Board Director of Structures at Waterman.
The latest technology to deliver engine testing and research into sustainable power concepts has been brought to Coventry with the construction of a new automotive hub. Built by Willmott Dixon, the Centre for Advanced Low-Carbon Propulsion Systems (C-ALPS) houses some of the most advanced test facilities currently in the UK and is available to car makers, airplane manufacturers, small and medium-sized companies to accelerate the creation of new powertrain solutions for use across automotive, aerospace, marine and rail sectors. “It is a pleasure to be working with Coventry University and FEV to create this cutting-edge facility. Research into low carbon technologies is incredibly important and, as a carbon neutral business, it is something close to the heart of all of us at Willmott Dixon. It was a challenging build, but thanks to strong relationships and communication between all partners, C-ALPS has been a great success,” said Peter Owen, managing director of Willmott Dixon in the Midlands. “Similarly, the constrained location came with its challenges due to being surrounded by businesses, a church, a university and residential areas – it’s very different to most of other FEV sites around the world which are normally located miles away from other buildings. Because of this, our design partner Broadway Malyan designed its cladding to blend in with the environment and complement the site’s location,” Peter added. The hub will allow experts from across the world to conduct research into vehicle hybridisation, electrification, plus enhancement of conventional and alternative fuel-based powertrains to meet the requirements of future transportation and future cities. It is part of a long-term collaboration between Coventry University and FEV, the international leader in design and development of advanced gasoline, diesel and hybrid powertrains and vehicle systems. The development has created five testing cells, offices, a workshop, car parking and soft landscaping. It has created strong links into the engineering industry for Coventry University and in turn, will create fantastic opportunities for students and Coventry itself.
A new office development in Leicester city centre, located next to two newly constructed hotels and public realm areas, is set for early completion in July 2019. “No.1 Great Central Square is such a key development for Leicester; the site exceeds occupiers demands in terms of office accommodation in a modern thriving city centre. Construction is ahead of schedule and the completion date has moved forward. This is great news given the overwhelmingly positive response and strong interest from potential occupiers received to date. Interested parties are reacting to the clear advantages this location offers, not to mention the fantastic facilities and working environment offered,” said Reg Pollock from property consultants APB Leicester LLP. “Great Central Square is a significant regeneration scheme so it’s no surprise that people are keen to be a part of it. Its completion will create a gateway between the city and the waterside, tenants will benefit from the nearby Highcross shopping centre and fantastic transport links to the rail station, motorway network, and nearby airports,” Reg Pollock added. As well as offering up to 33,000 sq ft of Grade A offices, the Great Central Square mixed-use development will also see the listed Great Central Railway Station brought back to its former glory and converted into retail/leisure space. “It’s great to see speculative development within Leicester City Centre reflecting the confidence our clients Charles Street Buildings have in the market. No.1 Great Central raises the bar in terms of specification and design of offices delivered in Leicester to date and, when combined with the high-profile city centre location, really does offer office occupiers looking for space within the Leicester market something quite special,” commented James Keeton of joint agents JLL.
GMI Construction Group, a fast-expanding building and construction services company has announced the award of a major new contract to construct a 118,000 sq. ft state of the art manufacturing plant for Aflex Hose on a 11.6-acre site at Bradley Business Park in Huddersfield, close to the M62 Aflex Hose specialise in the design and manufacture of PTFE-lined flexible hoses for the pharmaceutical, food, chemical and automotive industries. The company currently operates from five separate manufacturing, office and product development facilities across Yorkshire which they intend to consolidate under one roof. The development which will include investment in new extrusion lines and processing equipment, is set to boost production capacity by 70%. Aflex expects that up to 200 new jobs will be created as a result of the new development over the next 10 years. Construction of the new factory which began at the start of February was recently marked by an official ground-breaking ceremony onsite attended by representatives from Aflex and GMI, together with local dignitaries and key project stakeholders. Speaking about the announcement and new factory plans, Aflex Hose UK Project Director Jeremy Hudson said: “After many months of planning and consultation we are delighted to now be onsite and commence construction of this fantastic new state of the art facility. We have given GMI an ambitious build programme and hope to begin consolidating our existing production facilities into the new factory by the spring of 2020. This project constitutes a significant investment for Aflex and their corporate owners Watson-Marlow (A Spirax-Sarco Engineering Company). When fully up and running, the new site will allow us to achieve our ambitions, demonstrating our commitment to customers worldwide, and to our workforce, thus ensuring that as we continue to grow as a company we will continue to manufacture world leading PTFE lined flexible hoses to the highest standard.” Also commenting, Andy Bruce, GMI Group Managing Director said: “We are very pleased to have been awarded this contract by Aflex Hose and be trusted to deliver this important new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant. The design teams have worked closely with Aflex Hose to design a facility that accommodates the bespoke nature of their manufacturing requirements now and in future – thus securing additional capacity requirements going forward and the potential addition of new product lines. The build programme has been carefully designed to minimise disruption to local residents and we are committed to an open-door relationship with the residents and neighbouring businesses”. Now in its 33rd year, GMI has considerable experience and a solid track record of delivering building and construction excellence across an extensive range of sectors, for a growing international portfolio of clients, from blue chip companies to public sector clients and private developers. Throughout the past 12 months, GMI has completed projects valued at in excess of £100 million and worked on some of the UK’s most profile developments including: The Springs, Thorpe Park Leeds and Follingsby Max in Gateshead.
Teeside University has welcomed its latest flagship building, which has been completed as part of a new UK centre of excellence for biosciences set to open later this year. The new National Horizons Centre, the University’s research, teaching and training facility, was delivered by Wates Construction over a year-long build programme. The £22.3 million building will sit at the heart of a cluster of excellence on Darlington’s Central Park alongside the National Biologics Manufacturing Centre and the University’s Centre for Professional and Executive Development. At peak construction periods, Wates’ team stood at 125 site operatives with extensive opportunities for training and employment for local people also created. On-site training has also included the contractor’s industry leading Building Futures course, which is designed to introduce local jobseekers to careers in construction. The course at the National Horizons Centre led to long-term employment for 50% of candidates with Wates and its supply chain. “The new National Horizons Centre is one of the biggest investments we have made so far. Our rich history of innovation, research and development is set to continue thanks to this state-of-the-art facility in Darlington. Just a year ago, I was stood in an empty field and we were breaking ground on this world-class biosciences research facility – and now we’re seeing the results. I’m also delighted to see that local businesses and local apprentices have benefited from the construction phase,” said Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen. “The new economy will be built on biologics and digital – key sectors we need to support. This massive £17.5million commitment of ours is testament to the importance we have placed on securing jobs for the future,” he added. A programme of fit-out works are now scheduled to take place ahead of the reveal of the new campus later this year.
Buckingham Palace, the official London residence of Queen Elizabeth II, could earn £1,034,291.43 a day if listed on Airbnb. The figure was calculated by GuestReady, a globally leading Airbnb management company, to demonstrate how much the sovereign could profit if she rented out the palace’s rooms on the short-term rental platform. The palace has 775 rooms, of which include but are not limited to, 19 Staterooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. The overall figure represents the rent price for one day in the palace’s premises, including access to the property’s garden and facilities. The calculations were made by taking into consideration the daily rental rate of properties in the same area where Buckingham Palace is located. GuestReady made sure its estimate was based on prices of office and events spaces, flats and hotel suites that provide a similar level of luxury that one would expect to get at the palace. In addition, GuestReady accounted for the fact that with the high number of quality amenities offered at the palace – such as a private movie theatre, indoor swimming pool, post office, or medical centre – the daily rates would increase by approximately 50%. According to GuestReady’s numbers, one night in one of the 52 Royal bedrooms would be £3,570, while those keen to stay at Buckingham Palace on a budget could stay in one of the staff apartments on a significantly cheaper amount for just £284 a night. If you fancy renting out the banquet room, which seats 160 guests, you’d need to pay £16,000. If you’re expecting more guests, you can take the party to the palace’s garden where approximately 8,000 people are usually invited to the royal garden celebrations. Buckingham Palace’s garden covers 40 acres and includes a helicopter landing area, a lake, and a tennis court. To rent that space out for one day, the price is a bit steeper at £400,000. “Who never imagined what would be like to stay as a guest at Buckingham Palace? Millions of people around the world are fascinated by the British Royal Family, so we thought we’d crunch the numbers to give them a bit of a glimpse of how much one of the most famous properties in the planet would go for if listed on Airbnb. Even though travellers are still not allowed to book the palace as their next holiday accommodation, there are still plenty of amazing properties in London they can book through short-term rental platforms,” commented Steffan Maagefelt, UK Country Manager at GuestReady.
It was a double night of success for Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU) and architecture and sports & leisure firm LK2 at the Lincoln Good Design Awards, as the newly renovated Constance Stewart Hall took home the coveted ‘Outstanding Project’ and ‘Best Commercial Project’ awards. Designed by LK2, the impressive £2.2m redevelopment was chosen by the Planning Department of Lincoln City Council as the overall ‘Outstanding Project’ of 2019, whilst a public vote placed it top in the commercial category. In naming it the ‘Outstanding Project’ the panel praised the design’s ability to maintain the heart and character of the existing art deco building whilst adding a modern aesthetic: “This modern extension to an academic building has real dynamism with bold modern materials and strong geometry which creates great contrast, whilst referencing the art deco design of the host building. The result is a prominent and sculptural focal point onto this busy junction announcing BGU’s presence.” As the Vice-Chancellor of BGU, the Reverend Canon Professor Peter Neil, noted, this union of history and innovation was vital to the University: “When it came to creating a new flexible teaching space we needed a building that would support our ambitions, and we wanted a team of architects who could make this a reality. The design by LK2 for Constance Stewart Hall perfectly captured this balance and our finished building provides students with cutting edge facilities to help them progress. We are incredibly proud to have been an integral part of the Lincoln community for over 150 years and it is immensely rewarding to see that the people of this city hold our campus in such a high regard.” Dale Lui, chief executive of LK2 Group, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded two fantastic awards for this iconic scheme which has transformed the cityscape. The extra special thing about this award is that the project was voted for by the general public, showing that people from the city of Lincoln appreciate the building’s design. “This project showcases the impact of good design in so many different ways. Acting as a ‘shop window’, the new building gives BGU’s campus greater prominence and promotes the university to the wider community. The design of the building has enabled us to create an ‘outward-looking’ part of the campus, inviting local people to see the university as part of their community.”
