Crosslane Student Developments, part of the Crosslane Group, is announcing that it has begun the construction of a new 614 bed purpose-built student accommodation development on Friars’ Road in Coventry. The development comprises six new residential blocks each at different stepped heights of three, seven and ten storeys, rising to
It is expected that, by Autumn 2017, Bournemouth University will be able to commence its upcoming project to enhance and develop facilities available on campus through a £40m investment project. The arrangement, which has incorporates both the university and Threesixty Developments, looks to lay the foundations for a new 10,000
Plans for a community-owned wind farm in Cornwall have been submitted by UK-based, green energy proponent, Good Energy. If approved, it will be one of few in the nation that doesn’t rely on either financial backing or government subsidies and could mark the dawning of a new era in renewables
A few days ago, RIBA North East announced that it has shortlisted eleven new and exciting projects which will compete for a coveted RIBA North East Award in April. Over the coming weeks leading up to the cermony, RIBA’s judging panel will be stopping by at a host of the
Recently, Gentoo Tolent, a leading northern construction firm has successfully been able to confirm a £2.5m contract to develop fifteen residential properties in the Alnwick area, as appointed by Lindisfarne Homes. The project effectively looks to convert a site presently used by the former Thomas Percy School, which has been
To follow from Vital Energi’s success in being awarded the contract for the North West Lands scheme, one of the key phases for the development at Wembley Park, it has been confirmed that the scheme will be receiving a low carbon energy solution to boot. To run between February of
Despite industry woes with regard to housing shortages, it has been reported that, at the end of 2015, housebuilding reached an all new high at the finish of 2015. Ending the year on a very positive note, figures from the DCLG highlight that, over the course of the final 3
One of the UK’s leading trade assocations for the construction industry, Build UK, has urged contractors to take more care before entering into contracts with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). During a review of the RIBA Concise Building Contract and the RIBA Domestic Building Contract, it was highlighted
Final approval has now been granted for the construction of a brand new stadium for Tottenham Hotspur, with 61,000 seats for fans, at its present site. The stadium, which is valued at £400m will also have a retractable pitch so that it is able to play host to both traditional
Crosslane Student Developments, part of the Crosslane Group, is announcing that it has begun the construction of a new 614 bed purpose-built student accommodation development on Friars’ Road in Coventry. The development comprises six new residential blocks each at different stepped heights of three, seven and ten storeys, rising to a 20 storey tower in the south-west corner of the site. The building is laid out in a V-shape to form a large, private landscaped courtyard, within which residents can study, collaborate, socialise and relax. The site is located at the junction of Friars’ Road and St Patrick’s Road, within the Coventry Ring Road. It is in the south of the city centre, conveniently placed near the city’s most popular shopping locales including The Precinct, Smithford Way and Coventry Market, in addition to tourist attractions such as Coventry Cathedral and the famous statue of Lady Godiva. The site is a short walk from the main campus of Coventry University as well as being very close to the city’s mainline train station which offers regular bus services for students attending Warwick University. Students will be able to choose from one of the 135 high specification self-contained ensuite studio apartments, one of the 5 two bed apartments, or from the 459 premium ensuite flats, available in clusters from four to six bedrooms. The set-up encourages students to live in groups, make new friends and provide cultural opportunities as part of their university experience, as well as providing rooms at more affordable rent prices. Cluster flats will share a spacious lounge, kitchen and dining area including a washer/dryer, which has proved particularly popular in other properties Crosslane has developed. A key component of the development is the dedicated shared areas to encourage residents to socialise and create a community. This includes a large high-specification common room with a games zone and study hub, on-site gym, cinema/multi-media room, study room meeting hubs and kitchen/dining facilities for private entertainment. A tenth floor sky lounge and outdoor rooftop terrace will give residents the chance to socialise and celebrate in style with impressive views of the city skyline while superfast 100MB broadband and Wi-Fi throughout the building will provide residents with a first-class experience. The development will take less than two years to complete and is scheduled to be finished before the start of the 2019-2020 academic year. Prime Student Living, the student accommodation lettings and operational management arm of the Crosslane Group, will be responsible for achieving full occupancy prior to practical completion. Coventry University is one of the fastest growing universities in the UK, with this year’s student numbers eight per cent higher than 2016 and 50 per cent higher than in 2011. The increase in the student population has boosted the city’s economy and the City Council has committed to a £300million City Centre South redevelopment project. This development in a prime location will satisfy some of the rapidly increasing demand for student accommodation in Coventry, freeing up homes which could be occupied by the city’s families. Crosslane has appointed DAY Architectural as the architects and RG Group as the Main Contractor for the development. Mike Moran, Development Manager, Crosslane Student Developments, said: “Crosslane is delighted to have begun work on its first student accommodation development in Coventry. The scheme will be a gateway from the station into the heart of the city centre and is a short walk from Coventry University and the city’s main amenities and tourist attractions. In supplying 614 beds, the development will ease the imbalance in supply and demand for purpose-built student accommodation in Coventry.” Dave Dixon, Managing Director, RG Group, said: “As the main contractor for Friars’ Road, we are delighted to be working with Crosslane on this exciting scheme in Coventry, due to open in time for the 2019-2020 academic year. Our team has built up significant expertise in the student accommodation sector and the building will be completed to the highest modern construction standards and a great addition to Coventry’s skyline.”
It is expected that, by Autumn 2017, Bournemouth University will be able to commence its upcoming project to enhance and develop facilities available on campus through a £40m investment project. The arrangement, which has incorporates both the university and Threesixty Developments, looks to lay the foundations for a new 10,000 meters squared facility within which it will be able to host its Faculty of Health & Social Science in addition to a vast student accommodation totalling some 550 beds as a separate development. And for these developments, a joint planning application is on the books, with the view to having it submitted this spring, thus giving plenty of notice for the completion of the facility by 2018, and the complementing accommodation for students by 2019. As part of the deal, Threesixty Developments has agreed that its sister organisation, The Student Housing Company will be in charge of running the accommodation facet of the development, yet with a guarantee that the University will be able to benefit from a referral agreement to secure further student accommodation for those who need it most – most specifically, this entails international students coming over for their first year at the university. Commenting on the development, Christian Davis, Development & Transaction Director at Threesixty highlighted the time and effort put into ensuring that both parties have been able to come to mutual terms which will benefit both, whilst also taking the university another step along the road to creating further academic and accommodation assets on the campus. Though there is still more to confirm with regard to receiving planning permission and guaranteeing positive impacts on the local community, the project, at this stage, is generally well-anticipated by key stakeholders. Jim Andrews, Chief Operating Officer at Bournemouth University commented: “We are delighted that this complex commercial transaction is now complete and we can focus in delivering world class facilities.”
Plans for a community-owned wind farm in Cornwall have been submitted by UK-based, green energy proponent, Good Energy. If approved, it will be one of few in the nation that doesn’t rely on either financial backing or government subsidies and could mark the dawning of a new era in renewables technologies. The project will see the construction of 11 turbines with a generating capacity of 38.5MW near Bude in Cornwall. It is currently being considered by the Planning Inspectorate and will be reviewed in respect of is local impact, as well as global impact. Good Energy has remained open-minded about investment into the project, dubbed “Big Field Wind Farm”, and hopes the project will be be majority-held by local investors and residents. Juliet Davenport, Founder and CEO of Good Energy described plans as a “bold and innovative response” to last year’s Autumn Statement and Spending Review which has had disastrous consequence for the renewables sector. She continued to say that it would provide local people that opportunity to do their bit for the sustainability agenda, as well as representing great financial reward. With local ownership, all of the wind farm’s turnover will remain in the area and can be re-invested in the development of Cornwall. Back in 2014, plans were rejected by planners owing to the lack of clarity on government spending. Designs has since been re-drawn and will see the site increase its generating capacity by 50% whilst retaining the maximum height of the turbines at a proportionate small 125m. The revised plans also detail how the farm will be self-sufficient, operating exclusively on the payback from electricity generated. “Big Field Wind Farm” is hoped to provide power to over 22,000 homes local to the region. The concept of community ownership came in acknowledgement of the findings of a public opinion poll last September. The survey found that three quarters of all UK households were keen to support renewable energy projects providing profits directly benefited the local community.
A few days ago, RIBA North East announced that it has shortlisted eleven new and exciting projects which will compete for a coveted RIBA North East Award in April. Over the coming weeks leading up to the cermony, RIBA’s judging panel will be stopping by at a host of the North East’s highest quality buildings in the hope of finding the region’s best. Buildings are marked against a number of criteria from interior design to environmental performance. Properties selected vary widely and include: a redevelopment still in its infancy which will house Blyth Workspace, and the new Ashington Community and Leisure Centre at the heart of Ashington town centre’s strategic regeneration. Alongside the much-revered Building of the Year Award, the shortlist will also produce a Small Project of the Year Award for a project costing less than £500,000. The jury panel will also be on the lookout for Project Architect of the Year, which is awarded to the architect who stands out as having significantly contributed to an award-winning project. Several North-East based architects are vying for the prize with a range of period, Grade II Listed developments, though they face stern competition Edinburgh-based, Sutherland Hussey Harris’s Edge Hill home renovation. The RIBA Awards have been running for 50 years, and continue to champion and celebrate the best and most progressive architectural feats. Despite being known for setting the aesthetic standard, the association prides itself on handing out gongs to those who effectively improve the lives of residents and tenants, and RIBA demands that functionality and operational afterlife be taken into account. Accolades are available for buildings in the UK by RIBA Chartered Architects and International Fellows. The RIBA North East award winners will be announced at an evening event at As You Like It in Newcastle upon Tyne on Friday 22nd April 2016.
Recently, Gentoo Tolent, a leading northern construction firm has successfully been able to confirm a £2.5m contract to develop fifteen residential properties in the Alnwick area, as appointed by Lindisfarne Homes. The project effectively looks to convert a site presently used by the former Thomas Percy School, which has been out-of-use for a number of years now, and develop it into a combination of 2 and 3 storey properties, each with 3 and 4 bedrooms. Of those to be developed, one of the properties is to be developed using brick, primarily to sit in line with the existing aesthetics of the Blakelaw Road area, whilst the other fourteen will be developed utilising stone as the primary building material. As the first property development contract in the area for Lindisfarne Homes, expectations and hopes are expectedly high, with the organisation greatly anticipating working alongside Gentoo Tolent over the period in a bid to deliver a range of quality, high-standard properties suitable for residential family usage. Gentoo Tolent’s Managing Director, Paul Webster, also made comment, stating the contract to be a victory for the company and a good signal for the success it hopes to achieve this year, then adding that, with regard to working with new client, Lindisfarne: “We’re delighted to be working with them on this scheme.” As the project manager for the project, Silverstone Building Consultancy has been appointed and, as such, the organisation will be helping to arrange the various aspects of the project and its delivery, with the goal of then finishing the project at some point in November this year. Having already engaged in multiple meetings with Lindisfarne to discuss the arrangement of the project, Silverstone Building Consultancy is firmly prepared and ready to deliver on the project, with a keen eye on ensuring it is completed in time, and within the allocated budget.
To follow from Vital Energi’s success in being awarded the contract for the North West Lands scheme, one of the key phases for the development at Wembley Park, it has been confirmed that the scheme will be receiving a low carbon energy solution to boot. To run between February of this year through to May of next, the initiative will see the company install a brand new energy centre fully equipped with a 854kWe CHP generator as well as 9 250kW boilers and an additional thermal store space of 12mᶟ. Positioned in the Block E basement, the aforementioned centre will be set to offer heating and hot water across 4 different developments for residential use, and will also incorporate thermally efficient district heating pipework as part of the company’s commitment to also supplying the network for distribution. Upon completion, the North West Village will incorporate around one thousand homes, in addition to amenities, food and dining venues and additional spaces for leisure and community usage. Vital Energi will be providing its solution as part of the overarching development for Quintain, under Wates Construction. And commenting on the wider project, Rob Callaghan, Regional Director for Vital Energi explained that the park will be equipped to, firstly provide a wonderful village for the London area, but will also provide further infrastructure and support from an energy generation and distribution perspective. He added: “The developers have a clear view for a low carbon, sustainable community and we are thrilled to be helping them achieve that goal.” As such, the development will showcase a modern approach to sustainable communities and how they can be developed in a way which is both of interest to the potential residents, but also facilitate further growth and prosperity in the area as well as a degree of independent sustenance.
Despite industry woes with regard to housing shortages, it has been reported that, at the end of 2015, housebuilding reached an all new high at the finish of 2015. Ending the year on a very positive note, figures from the DCLG highlight that, over the course of the final 3 months of the year, the building of new homes reached the highest levels achieved since the high points in 2008, with approximately 37,230 homes completed and a further 37,080 started in last year’s final quarter. As an overarching figure, the twelve months up to the end of 2015 incorporated the beginning of some 143,560 housing starts, which signified a notable increase on 2014, approximately 6% and over twice the figure reported in 2009. At the same, the number of completions over the course of 2015 also increased by some 21%, reaching 142,890 in total. Of specific note, the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire were shown to perform very well in the housebuilding arena. In another report by the Home Builders Federation, it was also highlighted that more and more new homes were granted planning permission over the same quarter, with circa 59,845 homes in total giving the green light (a 12% increase from the previous year). These figures, combined with the number of new build projects being undertaken, highlight the hard work of developers in reducing the nation’s shortage of housing stock as well as the support of councils in opening up doors for them to do so. Brandon Lewis, Housing Minister highlighted the importance of promoting even more housebuilding around the UK, though it’s safe to say that these figures provide a great foundation from which the sector can build upon in the coming months, and years. With a highly ambitious plan in the works for the future of the housing sector, Brandon Lewis commented that they will be: “Doubling the housing budget so we can meet our ambition of delivering a million new homes.”
One of the UK’s leading trade assocations for the construction industry, Build UK, has urged contractors to take more care before entering into contracts with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). During a review of the RIBA Concise Building Contract and the RIBA Domestic Building Contract, it was highlighted that contractors were setting themselves up to take a large proportion of the financial risk. The small print means contractors are subject to potentially costly implications, including forfeiting the right to an EOT/additional payment if changes are made without the contract administrator being made aware within 10 days of the change instruction. Details of both time and cost implications must be forwarded by contractors under the two RIBA contracts. Greater awareness of the accompanying responsibilities and obligations is therefore required and, if in doubt, contractors should seek appropriate legal advice. The research was carried out by legislation expert and industry body, the Contractors Legal Group (CLG), of which Build UK is a member. The Concise Building Contract is designed for small-scale commercial building projects while the Domestic Building Contract covers the breadth of non-commercial work, including: new builds, extensions, renovations and maintenance. Following CLG’s review, Build UK also pointed out the lack of standard sub-contracts to go hand-in-hand with the RIBA contracts. For contractors reliant on their supply chain, RIBA’s contracts could therefore prove a costly learning curve. The trade association insisted that any and all sub-contracts should be clear and need to adhere with RIBA’s specific requirements. RIBA has since been made aware of the issues raised by CLG and Build UK. The organisation is currently reviewing the two contracts though its is not expected to published the revised versions until later this year. It is hoped the revisions will take into account the disproportionate risk contractors currently face and present a more financially viable alternative from which all parties can benefit.
Final approval has now been granted for the construction of a brand new stadium for Tottenham Hotspur, with 61,000 seats for fans, at its present site. The stadium, which is valued at £400m will also have a retractable pitch so that it is able to play host to both traditional football as well as American football games, of which it will host two per season. And while the project does highlight a great piece of news for fans, it forms part of a larger goal for rejuvenation in the surrounding area which will no doubt support the local community in the times to come. The project, which has been dubbed the Northumberland development project, will include a centre for sports and health, as well as a 180 bedroom hotel. Warmington House will also be transformed into the club’s own museum. Additionally, it has been confirmed that there will be 585 homes developed at the site, with a confirmed minimum amount of £48.4m granted from this side of the development for the improvements of the stadium itself. The goal is for the project to be completed in time for the start of the season in 2018. £28m has been invested directly by City Hall from the Mayor’s regeneration fund and the London Enterprise Panel as part of the goal to rejuvenate the surrounding area – this includes investment into Tottenham Hale station, employment, training and highway improvements. And nodding to the integral role of the stadium in the community, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, highlighted how the venue is steeped in history and that, through the development, it will be able to increase capacity by almost 100% as well as provide first-class facilities for football, sports events and concerts.
