SSE Enterprise Rail has been awarded a five-year programme of works through Network Rail’s building and civils framework. Awarded to SSE Enterprise Rail, the work has a potential value of more than £200m in multiple regions and will be delivered between 2019 and 2024 [with early works commencing in 2018].
Fulcrum, the UK’s leading independent utility infrastructure and services provider, has partnered up with ChargePoint, the world’s leading electric vehicle (EV) charging network, to support the Government’s ambitions to grow Britain’s network of EV charging stations. Both companies will deliver an end-to-end service for commercial and residential development customers, while
Gary Singleton is an ex-student from Framwellgate School in County Durham, who was also part of the team at McCarrick Construction that worked on the new £2.5 million sports hall at the school. “When I left Framwellgate School in Durham in 1996 to start my journey apprenticeship with McCarrick Construction,
Dealing with a broken appliance? From your oven to your dishwasher, when your appliances stop working, it’s important to contact an experienced, qualified repair specialist to bring them back to working condition. The best appliance repair specialists tend to quote fair, realistic prices and complete their work to a high
Contractor J Tomlinson has completed a £2 million project to replace a former sheltered housing scheme with 12 new apartments and six new houses for affordable rent. The Gedling Homes development at Ernehale Court in Arnold, Nottingham, was completed on time and on budget. The redevelopment involved the design and
Following a strong first quarter, premier regional developer Mulberry Homes has continued its strategic expansion with nine current developments and several more launching soon, in prime locations cross Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Buckinghamshire, Oxford, and recently branching into Bedfordshire, to meet local demand for quality new homes. Following the launch of six
Moray Council has approved the first phase of a development that aims to bring 1,500 new homes to Elgin. The first phase includes the building of 500 homes, cycle paths and a new primary school at Findrassie on the northern edge of the town. Findrassie development is expected to feature
Plans have been submitted by Rushbond, the property development company, for a new ‘garden village’ scheme, comprising 126 new and converted homes. The plans will see the transformation of a historic mill complex in West Leeds. Stonebridge Mills is one of a few mill complexes in Leeds that are considered
The Scottish Property Federation (SPF) released a report at the end of Q1 2018 that shows that for every build-to-rent (BTR) home in Scotland, North West England has almost 10. Scotland currently has 3,365 BTR homes completed, under construction or in planning, while the North West has 29,600, the South
Chris Rekowski, Sales Negotiator at the Keyline Swindon branch, has qualified as an HGV driver thanks to the company’s ‘Warehouse to Wheels’ programme. Having joined Keyline in September 2017, Chris has received his HGV licence and now, in addition to his current role, he will be acting as a backup
SSE Enterprise Rail has been awarded a five-year programme of works through Network Rail’s building and civils framework. Awarded to SSE Enterprise Rail, the work has a potential value of more than £200m in multiple regions and will be delivered between 2019 and 2024 [with early works commencing in 2018]. The framework consists of mechanical and electrical engineering services, building services and fabric works on a wide range of Network Rail infrastructure assets in the South of England and Wales. SSE Enterprise Rail has secured works in the Wales region which covers both the North and South Routes, and will use its new Taff Wells offices as its headquarters for all Welsh operations. Western region works comprise of both the West Country and Thames Valley routes. The business was also successful with bids for the Wessex route and London North West, where it will complete works on both the North and South routes. Tom Smith, SSE Enterprise Rail’s Director of Operations, said: “The award of this framework is fantastic news for SSE and our highly committed and focused Rail team. Competition for the work was incredibly strong. The contract underscores our team’s exceptional skills and capabilities and our exclusive geographical presence in UK rail – with 3,500 people available across 62 office and depot locations UK-wide. “We look forward to working with Network Rail over the coming months and years as we continue to demonstrate our ability to deliver projects safely and to a high standard. Our commercial team, under the leadership of Colin Robertson, put together a fantastic bid and we are delighted to have been awarded such a significant contract so early on in the CP6 process.” Raj Sinha Managing Director of SSE Enterprise Rail, said: “Our rail offer continues to grow stronger and, with a turnkey service incorporating financial support, design, deliver/build, maintenance and asset ownership, SSE is ideally placed to offer a very different strategic perspective and delivery system to support the rail industry. “This contract reinforces our clear intent to become a supplier of choice on Britain’s railways and signals how proficient we have become in this field of work. “With other strong opportunities on the horizon, we are working collaboratively to identify and deliver value-adding solutions through initiatives such as asset/project funding, asset ownership and alliances with Network Rail and other organisations including HS2 and Transport for London. “We believe we have something truly unique to offer the industry and this contract award, we anticipate, will be the first of many significant initiatives we will be actively involved with over the next five years and beyond.” SSE Enterprise Rail is a multi-disciplinary rail contractor that has worked across Britain’s railways for the last 17 years. Specialising in M&E and E&P projects, SSE Enterprise Rail has aspirations to support the ownership and funding of electrical infrastructure and provide greater energy services into the UK rail network. SSE Enterprise Rail is part of SSE plc, which employs more than 20,000 people UK-wide.
Fulcrum, the UK’s leading independent utility infrastructure and services provider, has partnered up with ChargePoint, the world’s leading electric vehicle (EV) charging network, to support the Government’s ambitions to grow Britain’s network of EV charging stations. Both companies will deliver an end-to-end service for commercial and residential development customers, while expanding their capabilities. Fulcrum will actively market its holistic EV infrastructure service, including the supply and installation of EV charging stations, with Fulcrum designing, installing and owning the necessary electrical infrastructure. In addition, the company will become a ChargePoint recommended infrastructure provider to support ChargePoint’s operations in the UK. “We are at the beginning of what is a rapid expansion in the uptake of electric vehicles, with car manufacturers and governments across the world placing an emphasis on developing the technology and associated infrastructure,” said Martin Harrison, CEO of Fulcrum. “The installation and management of EV charging points is a natural development for Fulcrum, building on our utility infrastructure expertise to enter this exciting new market that has the potential to change the face of transport. Thanks to our partnership with ChargePoint, Fulcrum will be at the forefront of this growing technology,” he continued. The partnership will also help overcome the existing challenges of installing EV charging stations, such as dealing with multiple parties. ChargePoint’s decade of industry expertise, combined with Fulcrum’s capabilities and licence to own and adopt electrical infrastructure will also speed up the installation process. “With more than a decade of experience in the electric vehicle space and a quickly expanding presence in Europe, we are excited to partner with a forward-thinking company like Fulcrum to help accelerate the adoption of EV’s in the UK and beyond,” said Christopher Burghardt, Managing Director for Europe, ChargePoint, Inc. The electric vehicle market, and the associated supply chain, is expected to grow rapidly over the coming years as the UK Government and public continue to embrace the quickly developing technology. In the 2017 Budget, the Chancellor, Phillip Hammond, pledged to create a £400m fund for a national charging network and subsidies for vehicle purchases.
Gary Singleton is an ex-student from Framwellgate School in County Durham, who was also part of the team at McCarrick Construction that worked on the new £2.5 million sports hall at the school. “When I left Framwellgate School in Durham in 1996 to start my journey apprenticeship with McCarrick Construction, I didn’t think I would be returning to the school decades later to coordinate a project like this,” explained Gary Singleton. The project aimed to create a modern building equipped with all the necessities that a varied sporting curriculum requires. The biggest challenge for Gary and the team was that the building was scheduled to be completed within the grounds of the academy, within a live school environment, which presented both safety concerns and logistical challenges. Moreover, the old sports hall was being used daily by the school throughout the construction work. The new sports hall was set to be four times larger than the previous facility and it spans now 1,000 sq. m. of space. It features an 8 metre high climbing wall, basketball, netball, volleyball, badminton, indoor football, hockey and archery facilities, as well as a gym and two teaching suites for the new PE courses. Gary mentioned that these types of projects are rarely straightforward. “Once we were established on site, we discovered a pumped foul main drain from the school running right through the proposed new build, which was not identified on any drawings. Our task was to divert it without closing the school and to allow construction to begin.” Due to a few changes in design, notable the addition of a huge MUGA (multi-use games area), the programme changed; therefore the team found themselves in the middle of the exam period trying to keep the noise at a minimum. Furthermore, the team had to work alongside ecologists throughout the project, as the school campus had been discovered to be a hibernation ground for great crested newts. “I found myself back to school in more ways than one – I have grown professionally as a result. I am using my experience as part of my professional review in the hope of being recognised as MCIOB by the end of the year,” concluded Gary.
Dealing with a broken appliance? From your oven to your dishwasher, when your appliances stop working, it’s important to contact an experienced, qualified repair specialist to bring them back to working condition. The best appliance repair specialists tend to quote fair, realistic prices and complete their work to a high standard. Less reliable appliance repair technicians, on the other hand, often deliver lower quality results, often at an inflated price. This makes choosing the right individual or company an important task if you’re dealing with a damaged or non-working oven, microwave, washing machine or other device that’s in need of appliance repairs. Below, we’ve listed four techniques that you can use to choose the right appliance repair service and avoid overpriced, low quality service providers. Check for a workmanship guarantee Repairs aren’t supposed to bring your appliance back to life for a few days or weeks. Instead, a thorough repair should provide lasting results that keep your appliance working as it should for the long term. Appliance repair specialists that stand behind their work usually offer a guarantee of one year or longer, giving you confidence that the repair you’re paying for is worth the money. Before you choose any appliance repair service, check that they offer a workmanship guarantee for completed jobs. If there’s no guarantee, it’s usually worth searching for a repair provider with a more confident approach to their work. Check reviews from previous customers There’s no substitute for honest feedback, especially when you need to compare several service providers. If you’re looking for an appliance repair specialist, an easy way to narrow your search down to the very best is by using a website like Reviews.co.uk, which lists user reviews for a variety of companies and service businesses. If a repair business has a strong rating with numerous positive reviews, it’s usually a worthwhile choice. If it has a weak rating or numerous negative reviews from previous customers, it might be best to look for an alternative provider. Look for a no fix, no fee policy If an appliance repair provider can’t fix your appliance, you shouldn’t be required to pay for their services. Despite this, many appliance repair companies will charge you a call-out fee even if it’s not possible for their technicians to repair your appliance. When you’re comparing appliance repair providers, check for a no fix, no fee policy. This policy means that if your appliance can’t be fixed, you won’t need to pay a fee for the repair provider’s services. Check that their service is fast and convenient Dealing with a broken appliance can be a frustrating experience, especially if it’s an appliance you depend on for your day-to-day life. Because of this, few things are as irritating as having to wait for several days for an open slot to become available in a technician’s schedule. After you’ve found an appliance repair provide that ticks all of the above boxes, contact them to check that they’re available at a convenient time and date. If they’re available, book them as soon as possible to make sure you receive quick, convenient service. If there’s a long waiting period, it might be better to move on to an alternative provider to avoid going several days without a working oven, microwave, dishwasher or other appliance.
Contractor J Tomlinson has completed a £2 million project to replace a former sheltered housing scheme with 12 new apartments and six new houses for affordable rent. The Gedling Homes development at Ernehale Court in Arnold, Nottingham, was completed on time and on budget. The redevelopment involved the design and build of six two-bedroom houses and 12 one-bedroom apartments, with associated communal facilities, the ground floor flats being designed to full wheelchair standard. Martin Gallagher, J Tomlinson’s managing director (construction), said: “As a company, J Tomlinson has worked with Gedling Homes on a range of schemes and we were very pleased to have been appointed to build this development at Ernehale Court in Arnold which will provide local homes to those who need them. “We believe in working with and supporting local communities, and, as a Nottingham-based building services firm with strong roots in the city and its suburbs, we are proud to have helped enhance the housing provision provided by Gedling Homes.” During the project, the J Tomlinson team took time out to visit local schools Christ the King School, Frank Seeley School, and Arnold Mill Primary School to talk about careers in construction and help with interview preparation, as well as highlighting health and safety issues around building sites. In addition, five students from Christ the King School undertook work experience at the site. Gedling Homes development manager Deborah Higgins said: “J Tomlinson had delivered a number of smaller projects for us very successfully. This – coupled with their size and expertise – was the reason for putting them on the tender list. They won the tender against four other contractors. “My experience working with J Tomlinson on the Ernehale Court development has been very positive; J Tomlinson have been very organised and helpful when it comes to refining the specification on site, particularly with complex M&E solutions. “I have been impressed by the positive attitude of all the staff working on the project; they have a general can-do attitude, even when challenges have arisen. I would recommend J Tomlinson’s services to other housing groups and associations.” During the project, J Tomlinson was able to provide value engineering by identifying and procuring money-saving products of the same quality, which led to an estimated £30,000 saving on the project for Gedling Homes. J Tomlinson, which is based in Beeston, near Nottingham, offers a range of integrated building solutions including construction, refurbishment, repairs and maintenance, mechanical and electrical services (M&E), and facilities management. The company operates primarily across the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire. It works in all sectors, including social housing, industrial, commercial, care home, health, leisure and education. Gedling Homes has a stock of more than 3,300 homes across the Gedling district of Nottingham, in places such as Arnold, Carlton, Gedling and Netherfield, ranging from studio apartments to large family houses. For more information about J Tomlinson, visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk
Following a strong first quarter, premier regional developer Mulberry Homes has continued its strategic expansion with nine current developments and several more launching soon, in prime locations cross Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Buckinghamshire, Oxford, and recently branching into Bedfordshire, to meet local demand for quality new homes. Following the launch of six new developments in 2017 and a positive start to 2018, the housebuilder is seeing strong footfall to its sites, with robust sales across its current portfolio from buyers across the region. Mulberry Homes, the residential arm of Mulberry Developments, originally formed in 2004, has quickly established a strong reputation for its design and delivery of striking new home developments in sought-after locations. To date, following the financial year end, Mulberry has built 130 homes in highly desirable premium locations including Bicester, Great Easton and Appleby Magna, with over 200 new homes in the pipeline for the current financial year. Renowned for its high-quality niche properties, Mulberry Homes builds a broad range of individually designed homes including traditional two storey spacious family homes, well designed starter homes and single storey bungalows commanding a strong brand reputation for themselves and their homes alike. The properties are sympathetically designed to suit all buying profiles, from downsizers, families, young professionals and first-time buyers. All homes combine a meticulous attention to detail, with a design-led approach, offering superb kerb appeal, and outstanding interior and exterior specification. Adding to its growing development portfolio, Mulberry is launched the exclusive Hursley Park development in Great Bowden this month. Recently crowned one of the best places to live in the Midlands and commended as the best address in the area by The Sunday Times, Great Bowden is a highly sought-after postcode less than a mile from the thriving town of Market Harborough, offering direct trains to London. This niche development will offer 50 new homes, situated within stunning landscaped gardens and 22 acres of country park. Work is well-underway on site and a number of plots have already been reserved. Providing an aspirational home for everyone, Mulberry currently has a range of properties available. Recently launched, Winchelsea Gate is set in the popular village of Weldon, Northamptonshire and has already proven extremely popular with buyers, with 50 per cent of phase one reserved. Stokes Rise in Great Easton is an exclusive development of exceptional four-bedroom family homes, designed to replicate the lasting character of the surrounding area. Meanwhile, a flourishing community is coming to life at Oakview in Appleby Magna, having sold to families and savvy commuters, benefitting from excellent road links. Known as the ‘Best Kept Village’ in Buckinghamshire, Hanslope is home to an Ofsted Outstanding Primary School and an exclusive new collection of just 12 three and four-bedroom homes. Now 75 per cent sold, the sales success of the development continues as St James’ Manor occupies the perfect family location, with top local amenities as well as great commuter links. Houghton Fields offers a stunning collection of family homes ranging from three to four-bedroom properties in Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire. As Mulberry’s first Bedfordshire development, Houghton Fields is meeting demand as one of the few housebuilders to provide traditionally built new build bungalows. These properties have been snapped up by local buyers, with just one bungalow remaining. As one of Mulberry’s flagship developments, Harcourt Gardens offers a variety of 60 homes, ranging from one to four-bedroom properties. Located in Kibworth Harcourt in Leicestershire, this extremely popular and vibrant village offers its residents the best of both worlds with nearby open countryside, a fantastic choice of schools and top transport links into the city. Families will be perfectly suited to this prime location. Steeped in rich history Earls Barton, located nine miles from lively country town Northampton, is the home of Earls Place. Benefiting from Northampton’s frequent rail services into London, from Wellingborough this development is ideal for commuters who wish to move further from the city in order to get more for their money. The remaining four-bedroom homes are available to purchase with Help to Buy, meaning a deposit of less than £13,000.is this figure correct? Oak View is a luxury development that is well suited to all buyer types, with a range of homes including three, four and five-bedroom properties and easy access to the major Midland Cities, Birmingham, Coventry, Nottingham, Derby and Leicester. The thriving village location of Appleby Magna offers residents Ofsted ‘outstanding’ rated schools and day to day amenities within close range of the development. Meeting further demand for commuters, Stokes Rise is perfectly located to benefit from fast rail links to London St Pancras from neighbouring Market Harborough and Corby. Whilst easily connected to the capital, the homes are set within the picturesque village of Great Easton, known as one of the most attractive Welland Valley villages, living up to Mulberry’s promise of delivering homes in the best locations across their region. Finally, Stratton Park, an exclusive development featuring one to four-bedroom properties is down to the last remaining homes. These properties continue Mulberry’s outstanding quality specification throughout their open-plan designs. Perfectly designed to suit the needs of modern living, the local amenities include the popular designer shopping outlet, Bicester Village. City professionals from Birmingham or London can enjoy fast and easy access, with frequent services taking just 50 minutes into London. Ian Sadler Managing Director of Mulberry Homes, commented: “This year has got off to an exceptional start for Mulberry Homes with a record number of live sites and development launches including the eagerly anticipated new homes at Houghton Fields, our very first Bedfordshire development. Over the next year, we plan to continue to grow the business by seeking out the most desirable sites in prime residential locations across our heartland in Midlands as well as strengthening our regional presence and product offering throughout Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.” For more information on Mulberry Homes, please visit www.mulberryhomes.co.uk.
Moray Council has approved the first phase of a development that aims to bring 1,500 new homes to Elgin. The first phase includes the building of 500 homes, cycle paths and a new primary school at Findrassie on the northern edge of the town. Findrassie development is expected to feature 1,500 houses, community facilities, a primary school and a twelve hectare business park within several distinct phases, which will take around 25 years to be completed. Space has also been provided on the site for a farm shop, café and other retail space for firm looking to expand their services in the area. Landowner Pitgaveny Estate revealed a public consultation would begin shortly as developer Barratt draws up final plans. “The approval importantly provides a landmark opportunity for us all to see the wider vision for Findrassie, which has been carefully shaped and informed to respect the landscape and community, come one step closer,” said Co-owner Crinan Dunbar. The council’s planning committee unanimously approved the application during its meeting. Head of development services, Jim Grant, explained that some alterations may be necessary if the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness dualling route passes to the north of the town. “This is just the first step for what should be a big boost for Elgin and Moray,” said John Cowe, chairman of the council’s economic development committee. “Another primary school is important and it ties in with a lot of our aspirations with the growth deal.” The integration of Findrassie into the new neighbourhood of Elgin will create a sense of place and identity from the outset. The masterplan establishes connection into the existing surrounding residential areas to ensure the development is integrated and can become part of the local community. The design also respects the existing tree planting and historical field pattern.
Plans have been submitted by Rushbond, the property development company, for a new ‘garden village’ scheme, comprising 126 new and converted homes. The plans will see the transformation of a historic mill complex in West Leeds. Stonebridge Mills is one of a few mill complexes in Leeds that are considered to be ‘at risk’ because dome of its parts date as far as 1805. The buildings have been empty for more than 20 years and the new plan will transform the historic buildings into 28 character homes, alongside 98 new contemporary designed homes. They will provide a mix of two, three and four bedroom houses for sale. “Stonebridge Mills is steeped in history and once played an active and vibrant role in the local community,” said Richard Baker from Rushbond. “It is sad that the site has been unused for so many years, but many of the key features of the original Mills remain and it has huge potential to be given that vibrancy again, this time as a place to live.” Moreover, the plan also includes public spaces such as a new public park running along the Wortley Beck, a heritage garden zone alongside the Mills and gardens for the proposed new build properties. “Our experience in developing new homes in Wortley demonstrates that there is a huge pent up demand for high quality realistically priced design-led homes on characterful sites,” Richard added. “By bringing that experience to bear at Stonebridge Mills we hope to be able to deliver, subject to the satisfactory outcome of our recently submitted planning application, a great selection of family homes, including starter homes, surrounded by new greenspace, breathing new life into a local landmark.”
The Scottish Property Federation (SPF) released a report at the end of Q1 2018 that shows that for every build-to-rent (BTR) home in Scotland, North West England has almost 10. Scotland currently has 3,365 BTR homes completed, under construction or in planning, while the North West has 29,600, the South East (excluding London) has 7,701, the West Midlands has 6,378 and Yorkshire and The Humber has 5,131. The data also shows that this sector of the housing market has grown by 30% in the past year across all areas of the UK, Scotland included. In the UK there are now 117,893 BTR homes across all stages of the development lifecycle, compared to the total of 90,761 homes at the end of Q1 2017. Even though Scotland currently accounts for just under 3% of the total number of BTR homes, there are signs that this number is set to increase. “In Scotland, there has been a promising boost in the number of BTR homes, with 3,365 homes now at varying stages of the development process. The numbers are still not high in comparison to the rest of the UK, but there are now multiple sites in Glasgow which should act as a spur to other BTR projects across the country,” said David Melhuish, SPF Director. “BTR is an opportunity and Scotland has some important advantages for attracting the investment necessary – the Rental Income Guarantee Scheme being one and an exemption from the 3 per cent second homes tax for large-scale PRS investments is another. With planning policy guidance now amended to support BTR developments, particularly around the treatment of development viability, there is no reason why we cannot see the BTR sector provide a new catalyst of economic growth in our cities,” he added. The build-to-rent sector has grown significantly and it can now cater for a wide range of people, including families. Due to their high-quality construction work, they are becoming more and more popular around the UK.
Chris Rekowski, Sales Negotiator at the Keyline Swindon branch, has qualified as an HGV driver thanks to the company’s ‘Warehouse to Wheels’ programme. Having joined Keyline in September 2017, Chris has received his HGV licence and now, in addition to his current role, he will be acting as a backup driver. The programme is open to all Keyline branch staff and takes four to six months to complete. Those on the course receive introductory training on the roles and responsibilities of drivers, as well as a tailored programme of driving tuition before taking their practical test. At the end, a category C licence is received meaning the driver can take charge of vehicles weighing over 3.5 tonnes. Warehouse to Wheels allows Keyline to utilise existing loyal members of staff, instead of relying on agency drivers, and Chris was recently presented with his licence by Jason Southern, Keyline Swindon Branch Manager and Paul Tkocz, Assistant Branch manager. Jason commented: “The Warehouse to Wheels programme highlights Keyline’s commitment to staff development and ensures we have quality drivers who exceed our customers’ expectations. Since joining Keyline, Chris has become an invaluable member of the branch team and has shown great dedication in ensuring our customers receive the best service possible. Congratulations to him for gaining his HGV licence.”