New smart pavement technology could soon be introduced to the streets of the UK. Engineers are currently developing pavements that will allow roads to be widened and narrowed depending on the flow of both motor and pedestrian traffic. This technology is called FlexKerb, and it could be the solution to
Story Homes, the award-winning housebuilder, has revealed its ‘Home of the Year’, which is a house type that reflects current buying trends and insights. The chosen house type is the four-bedroom detached ‘Taunton’, which features across Story Homes’ developments in Cumbria, the North East and the North West. The reasons
A £15 million mixed use local centre has been designed and delivered by the leading architectural practice Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP). The centre will be located in the heart if the 3,300 homes residential extension of Didcot Great Western Park in Oxfordshire. The client, Henry Davidson Developments, was
Site tours at the Akaal Primary School in Derby, led by local contractor G F Tomlinson, allowed its pupils to have an exclusive look at their brand new school building. In total, 98 children were welcomed on the site over two days as construction work progresses and were given a
Luxury Welsh housebuilder Waterstone Homes has been inspired by the picturesque coastline of Pembrokeshire to create Wales its very own Sandbanks, the renowned millionaires’ playground in Dorset. The Sandbanks peninsula has some of the most exclusive and expensive postcodes in the UK, taking the prize for Britain’s priciest seaside town.
A £717k investment to build homes for first-time buyers and affordable rent or shared ownership has been approved by the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Housing Investment Board. So far, £1.23 million in loans and grants has been approved by the SCR Housing Fund, which will see 98 new homes being
Barratt Homes East Scotland have been recognised by the NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes, for its efforts to make Barratt Homes’ development across Edinburgh and the Lothians – Greenacres – the safest they can be. Greenacres’ site manager Colin Graham led his onsite team
An insightful new video from the timber industry’s campaign Wood for Good shines the spotlight on the growing Build to Rent sector and examines the unique nature of this market. According to the British Property Federation, there are now almost 120,000 Build to Rent units already built, under construction or
John Elliott, Managing Director of Millwood Designer Homes speaks about the rising demand for detached homes in the UK: Purchasing your first home is an exciting experience and now, more than ever, first time buyers aspire to own a detached home, over any other property type. In recent research, conducted
Northcare has been chosen as the preferred bidder by Multiplex for the £400 million design and build contract to redevelop a previous New Scotland Yard location in Westminster, London. The scheme secured its planning consent in 2016 and it will see the 1.72 acre mixed-use development feature six towers rising
New smart pavement technology could soon be introduced to the streets of the UK. Engineers are currently developing pavements that will allow roads to be widened and narrowed depending on the flow of both motor and pedestrian traffic. This technology is called FlexKerb, and it could be the solution to the growing problem of congested traffic in London, New York, and some of the other busiest cities on the planet. Developed by London-based engineering company Arup, FlexKerb uses smart cameras and various sensors to assess current road conditions. It then uses this data to determine the most efficient way to divide up roads. This is accomplished through lights embedded in the FlexKerb system. Red means that a section of the road is for pedestrians, while green is for cars. Meanwhile, white is the marker for bike lanes, and purple allows loading and unloading for use by couriers and delivery vehicles. More than just an idea, FlexKerb is already gaining lots of traction and could be tested out on UK roads soon. A recent competition held by the UK National Infrastructure Commission called for ideas to prepare UK roads for autonomous vehicles – and FlexKerb was one of the five shortlisted concepts. This earned Arup an official research grant of £30,000 for further development, and if a feasibility study finds that FlexKerb can actually be implemented, another £50,000 will be granted. It’s a sign that the government is taking this new smart pavement technology very seriously. As Arup’s associate director for transport consulting Susan Claris explains to the Highway Industry, “This idea is about having something that’s more responsive and more adaptable to changing travel patterns. Rather than trying to maximise vehicle throughput, which was the thinking that characterised transport planning 20 or 30 years ago, it is about looking at how streets can be managed to make them healthier and happier places.” While most transport experts welcome the idea of developing existing infrastructure to be more responsive to human traffic, some are concerned about the cost of such an undertaking. As our roads get smarter, newly installed technologies need to be powered in better ways. The solution to this lies in new electricity generating methods that utilize the very roads that they’re powering, an idea that BDC Magazine have previously covered. Both in the UK and the US, engineers are working on a speculative way of harnessing road surface movement and heat using thermodynamics and piezoelectrics. A more feasible idea is to create roads and road utilities like barriers, verges, and pavements with photovoltaic capabilities — especially now that the much more efficient crystal silicon solar cell is getting more affordable. If the UK is serious about developing smarter roads, it also needs to be exploring which of these options can viably power smart pavements and other new technologies. In truth, concern for road and pavement safety has been growing in the UK in recent years. Following the 2017 attack at London Bridge, the government has been putting up security barriers in strategic places as deterrents to stop similar incidents. The temporary steel highway safety barrier systems are from a company called Varioguard. Meanwhile, the UK’s own citizens have adopted their own strategies for road and pavement safety as well. Auto Gate Shop on their Hydra bollard page show how the automatic barrier is commonly used to protect pavements. This type of hydraulic barrier is seeing use now in both commercial and residential spaces. If these growing concerns and measures are any indication, it seems that the UK’s citizens are ready for smart pavements, as well as other new and practical innovations to make our roads safer for everyone.
Story Homes, the award-winning housebuilder, has revealed its ‘Home of the Year’, which is a house type that reflects current buying trends and insights. The chosen house type is the four-bedroom detached ‘Taunton’, which features across Story Homes’ developments in Cumbria, the North East and the North West. The reasons behind the property’s popularity with buyers include its external appearance and open, spacious layout. The ‘Taunton’ features four bedrooms, lounge with bay window, hallway with skylight, and open plan kitchen/dining area spanning the width of the house. Bi-fold doors lead to a paved patio and fully turfed rear garden. “All of the homes we design and build are carefully thought out and regularly reviewed to ensure that they are fit for purpose and meet the needs of today’s buyers, yet are still attractive and stylish in their look and feel,” said Andrew Hewson, Head of Group Design at Story Homes. The ‘Taunton’ measures nearly 1,600 sq ft, providing spacious accommodation that has been designed to offer flexibility for all families. By designing a property with four bedrooms, open plan kitchen/dining area rather than a formal dining room, and a traditional exterior appearance combined with contemporary interiors, Story Homes’ team of designers have ensured that this house type meets the requirements of a wide variety of buyers. Recent research from ZPG has shown that ease of maintenance is a key consideration among time-poor buyers, who cited this as the top advantage of new homes, while choosing your own colours and finishes was voted as the third main advantage. Aspects such as the turfed gardens and integrated kitchens in the ‘Taunton’ allow residents to move in without having to carry out any work, and options such as choosing the colour and finish of kitchen cupboards and worktops mean that the interior can be personalised upfront. “The ‘Taunton’ is a great example of how our experts have worked together to create a home that ticks all the boxes. It is consistently a best-seller across our developments and we have a number of ‘Taunton’ show homes, as we know that it is a house type that many people want to look around,” said Andrew. “We are delighted to announce our Home of the Year 2018 and we look forward to sharing ideas and images to show how the space can be used, interior inspiration and real examples of how our customers have made their ‘Taunton’ their own,” he concluded.
A £15 million mixed use local centre has been designed and delivered by the leading architectural practice Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP). The centre will be located in the heart if the 3,300 homes residential extension of Didcot Great Western Park in Oxfordshire. The client, Henry Davidson Developments, was keen to balance commercial aspirations and community aspirations. SGP’s local centre consists of an 11,000 sq ft Asda anchor and 9,400 sq ft of ancillary retail, with 20 apartments and engaging public realm, providing high quality facilities and a focus on the local community. “The design centred around providing a first class local centre with first class facilities. We’ve taken on board the views of the local community to create an attractive, inclusive scheme, integrated into its surroundings, which people will want to visit and enjoy. With a strong sense of identity, the development will feed and sustain a growing local economy now and in the future,” said Stuart Hancox, Director at SGP. Taking inspiration from the surrounding area, the design incorporated material elements from vernacular and landmark buildings, while retaining a modern feel to reflect the youthful population and the scientific technologies prevalent in local workplaces. The balconied apartments are spacious and offer high levels of natural light via the generous glazing. Traditional red brick signifies the residential entrance, whilst the crisp white render gives a modern feel. Lightly coloured glass balconies enrich the facade and form a vibrant focus and backdrop to the newly created public square. In order to provide maximum flexibility for the developer, the design concept accommodated a variety of construction methodologies, including the eventual use of a timber frame for the apartment buildings. The apartment and retail elements form part of a wider SGP Master Plan delivered by Henry Davidson Developments, including a care home, public house, and nursery.
Site tours at the Akaal Primary School in Derby, led by local contractor G F Tomlinson, allowed its pupils to have an exclusive look at their brand new school building. In total, 98 children were welcomed on the site over two days as construction work progresses and were given a ‘behind the scenes’ tour to see the classrooms, library and main hall as they take shape. The new school will have enough space for 420 pupils aged four to 11 to meet the educational needs for children in Normanton and surrounding areas. They will have access to 14 classrooms, SEN provision and a new library area, as well as to more than 7,000 m2 of outdoor playing and learning space and 2,200 m2 of habitat areas. “Moving into our new school is an important milestone in our journey. Children make the best progress when they are inspired to learn and the school that G F Tomlinson has built for us provides that,” said Julie Fellowes, head teacher at Akaal Primary School. “After our first visit in March, the children were able to see the shape of their new school for the first time and I was inundated with ideas from them about the amazing learning opportunities we could provide. Our whole community feels truly blessed to have been given this opportunity and we give thanks to all those who have supported us this far,” she added. Akaal Primary School is Derby’s first Sikh school that opened in September 2015. Currently enrolling pupils from Reception to Year 3, the new facilities will allow the school to almost quadruple its student intake. “Work on site at Akaal Primary is progressing well with both the external and internal works now at an advanced stage,” said Andy Sewards, Managing Director at G F Tomlinson. “Delivering projects that have a lasting and positive impact on the local community is at the heart of our ethos at G F Tomlinson. This new building will allow the school to flourish and provide more school places in the coming years.” The building is located on Grange Avenue and it will be ready later this summer, in order to open its doors to pupils in September 2018.
Luxury Welsh housebuilder Waterstone Homes has been inspired by the picturesque coastline of Pembrokeshire to create Wales its very own Sandbanks, the renowned millionaires’ playground in Dorset. The Sandbanks peninsula has some of the most exclusive and expensive postcodes in the UK, taking the prize for Britain’s priciest seaside town. Broad Haven is now ready to welcome its very own multi-million-pound luxury property development, called ‘Sand Banks’. Sharing similar waterfront views and an abundance of natural beauty as its English namesake, the new Waterstone Homes development, which is just a five-minute walk away from the sea, will offer stunning shore-side homes at a fraction of the cost of its multi-million-pound English counterpart. The Sand Banks developments consists of 17 three-storey, four and five-bedroom family homes, each featuring large open-plan spaces, private garages and driveways, and bright rooms due to a focus on glass within the design. The site is located close to Wales’ famous coastal path, including the stunning beaches of Newgale and Little Haven, and just a 30-minute drive away from the UK’s smallest cathedral city, St Davids. With prices ranging between £460k and £560k, prospective buyers will be able to snap up a luxury home for a tenth of the cost of an average property in Dorset’s Sandbanks. Often cited as one of the most desirable place to live in Wales, Broad Haven shares many similarities with the English gem, from a spotless blue flag beach and clean sea, to spectacular views and rich wildlife. Plus, with a harbour nearby in Little Haven, residents could even sail between the two destinations. “Broad Haven is an absolutely beautiful area and was the perfect spot for our latest seaside location. With its award-winning sandy beach, breathtaking views and tranquil setting, Broad Haven shares many similarities with Sandbanks in Dorset and definitely deserves to receive the same level of recognition and prestige,” said Andrea Gardner, Sales & Marketing Director at Waterstone Homes. Properties at the site are currently on sale with the development due to be completed in March of 2019.
A £717k investment to build homes for first-time buyers and affordable rent or shared ownership has been approved by the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Housing Investment Board. So far, £1.23 million in loans and grants has been approved by the SCR Housing Fund, which will see 98 new homes being built in the region. Twenty-five houses and apartments will be aimed at first-time buyers in Mexborough, and 35 affordable homes for rent and shared ownership in Darfield. A grant of £367k was approved in May by the Board for a 35-affordable home scheme to be built by the Together Housing Association at Nanny Marr Road in Darfield. Work is set start on site in September, with the homes ready to move into by December 2020. Meanwhile, the City Region’s Local Growth Funding is providing £350k to develop the Leach Lane, Mexborough site. Essential works include diverting mains drains, clearing undergrowth, and raising the ground level near the canal bank to avoid the risk of flooding. “I am delighted that we have secured funds from the City Region which will allow us to build much needed affordable homes in the village centre of Darfield and bring a derelict site back into use. We have worked closely with the City Region and are grateful they have been able to make a swift decision to ensure additional housing can be delivered,” said Hilary Brady, group head of development at Synergy Housing Solutions Ltd, a member of the Together Housing Group. These two schemes are a follow up of the first project to be approved under the City Region’s £10 million ‘fast track’ housing pilot in March. Work is already underway on site to build 38 affordable flats close to the Park Hill flats in Sheffield with support of £517k from the City Region. “We’re working to complement and plug the gaps in current national housing investment programme, unlock development opportunities and deliver much-needed new homes across the city region,” said Doncaster Mayor, Ros Jones. “One of the main barriers to development across the City Region is challenging site conditions, and both schemes will develop brownfield sites. Both will also be providing new employment and apprenticeships.”
Barratt Homes East Scotland have been recognised by the NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes, for its efforts to make Barratt Homes’ development across Edinburgh and the Lothians – Greenacres – the safest they can be. Greenacres’ site manager Colin Graham led his onsite team to success after they underwent a trio of health and safety inspections over a four-month period, resulting in an NHBC Commended 2018 accolade – awards given to site managers who demonstrate the highest levels of health and safety in every aspect of their work on site. “We are incredibly proud of the achievements of all those working at our Greenacres development. Health and safety is our number one business priority and all the team work incredibly hard and we put a lot of time and effort into making our sites safe for our people and the wider public,” said Alison Condie, Managing Director at Barratt Developments East Scotland. “Our site teams are well trained in health and safety standards, but this award shows just how much we go over and above the call of duty. Our added value is evident in the time we spend sharing our health and safety initiatives with the communities in which we operate. People like Colin right across our business actively engage with local schools to teach children, in close proximity to our developments, about potential hazards on live construction sites,” she added. The NHBC Health and Safety Awards finals will be held at the ICC in Birmingham on the 6th of July. The event will see Colin compete for the Highly Commended Award and the overall National Award. Greenacres is located just off Greendykes road in the South East of the city and offers a selection of two, three and four bedroom houses along with desirable two bedroom apartments. A total of 158 homes will be made available over the coming three years.
An insightful new video from the timber industry’s campaign Wood for Good shines the spotlight on the growing Build to Rent sector and examines the unique nature of this market. According to the British Property Federation, there are now almost 120,000 Build to Rent units already built, under construction or in planning across the UK; a 30% increase over the last year. Christiane Lellig, campaign director at Wood for Good said: “Build to Rent is becoming increasingly important in the UK housing market. We teamed up with Build to Rent consultancy LIV Consult and property consultancy Gardiner & Theobald to highlight the growing importance of this sector, to examine some of the opportunities and challenges of this market and also to show how the timber industry can play a central role.” Oliver Booth, partner at property consultancy Gardiner & Theobald, said: “The need for Build to Rent has never been more important. The bottom line is we have an availability of housing crisis in the UK and there are many brave organisations, corporations and institutions stepping up to try and fix that.” Build to Rent developers and investors are in the market for the long haul; choosing higher-end materials such as engineered timber, both within the building’s fabric and the fit and finish that will stand the test of time. Designing for efficiency and specifications that will last long term is a distinct separation from the traditional build for sale market, where cheaper materials and finishes are frequently specified to maximise profits for the developer. Commenting on the unique nature of the Build to Rent market, Ashley Perry, Build to Rent consultancy director at LIV Consult, said: “The Build to Rent market is unique because of its focus on resident experience and efficiency through design, operations and overall long-term use. “Designers and developers have to understand how efficiently the building can operate as that will drive long term income and capital growth for investors.” Highlighting the pivotal role the timber industry can play, Oliver Booth said: “A major benefit of engineered timber is that it’s fast to construct and that’s good for the Build to Rent model because we need to build quickly. “In addition, organisations want to use timber because it’s such a sustainable product. Those materials that are made and can be disposed of in a sustainable way and that contribute to people’s health and wellbeing, will have a competitive advantage over those that don’t.” Typically, Build to Rent schemes target young professionals, students and downsizers who buy into the lifestyle and convenience of well-built properties with a superior fit and finish, and are close to local amenities. To view the video click here. To find out more visit www.woodforgood.com
John Elliott, Managing Director of Millwood Designer Homes speaks about the rising demand for detached homes in the UK: Purchasing your first home is an exciting experience and now, more than ever, first time buyers aspire to own a detached home, over any other property type. In recent research, conducted by YouGov, almost a third (32%) of potential first-time homeowners aim for a detached house as their first property. As detached homes continue to increase in value throughout the UK, it’s easy to see why the popularity for these sought-after properties also continues to grow. Prices increases show detached homes to be a bright spot in the market and offer a sold investment. It is no surprise almost a third of savvy first timers desire a detached home, as buyers aim to move less and save more to achieve the home of their dreams — a detached family house with a garden. With many first-time buyers making savings on stamp duty, they are sensibly looking to future-proof their investment, with something that will suit long term needs and goals, in the form of a ‘forever’ home. At Millwood, we provide a mix of property types at all our developments to suit a wide-range of buyers and their individual circumstances. We’ve found that many of our buyers aspire to own a detached property for a number of important factors, including flexibility, a sense of privacy, comfort and freedom. This popular property type varies in size, however, the independence of a detached home creates an ideal living environment, for families to grow into or downsizers to settle. We offer Help to Buy on a selection of Millwood homes, helping first-time buyers secure more space for their money. For more information on our detached home visit wwww.millwooddesignerhomes.co.uk
Northcare has been chosen as the preferred bidder by Multiplex for the £400 million design and build contract to redevelop a previous New Scotland Yard location in Westminster, London. The scheme secured its planning consent in 2016 and it will see the 1.72 acre mixed-use development feature six towers rising from 14 to 20 storeys, offering 268 apartments and 142,000 ft2 of commercial and retail space. Moreover, the Broadway development project will have a new thoroughfare connecting Victoria Street to St James’s Park tube station. The towers will provide views of The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, St James’s Park, Horse Guards Parade and Green Park. “We are delighted to announce the selection of Multiplex as our preferred main contractor to deliver this landmark development in central London,” said Northcare development director for Broadway, David Harman. “This is a major milestone for the project and demonstrates our commitment to delivering a world-class, vibrant destination located in one of the capital’s most exciting areas.” The development was designed by Squire + Partners, while Robert Bird Group were chosen as the structural engineer and Keltbray was chosen to deliver enabling works and piling package for the site. “We look forward to working alongside Multiplex to realise our vision and see them forge ahead with construction. To date, all milestones have been delivered ahead of programme, from securing planning consent in 2016, completing demolition of the existing 1960’s 22-storey building in 2017 and more recently finishing the piling phase in June 2018,” David Harman added. Work on the project will begin by next January and is expected to be completed in December 2021. Northcare (Scotland) Ltd is a family run business, which has been established for over 25 years and owns care homes in the South Lanarkshire, Glasgow City and East Renfrewshire areas, expanding into Edinburgh with a state of the art care home opening in spring 2018.
