National building and maintenance contractor, United Living, has appointed former Wates business director Michael Holling into a new role as operations director; covering both the North and Midlands regions. Michael brings with him 30 years of construction and maintenance knowledge, having previously worked at Wates since 1995. Throughout his career
Birmingham’s latest apartment development, The Bank, has had its second tower topped out. Contractor Wates has begun work to fit out the interior of the building, located between Broad Street and Brindleyplace, following the completion of the structure. “This topping out ceremony is the latest proof that Birmingham is a
An additional 21 homes are arriving in Wandsworth with the construction of a new £7 million housing development. The Stag House site on the Putney Vale Estate, which is home to the vacant Stag House Community Youth Centre, will be redeveloped to provide 10 self-contained homes for those with physical
A slowdown in property transactions, with home buyers and sellers taking more caution amidst economic uncertainty, has been registered. This is due to the housing market being left in a state of lull because of diminishing demand among foreign buyers and pending Brexit negotiations. Compared to a year ago, homeowners
Northamptonshire will see the construction of two residential schemes that will bring around 8,500 homes, as well as schools, leisure and commercial space. After securing a £70 million loan from Homes England under its £4.5 billion Home Building Fund, the schemes will move forward. “I am delighted to hear shovels
Homeowners keep choosing to take matter into their own hands and undertake their own home improvements, despite the difficulty of some of the projects, such as large kitchen renovations. This is partly due to the increased availability of ‘how to’ guides online and reduced consumer confidence causing people to tighten their
Pure Commercial Finance, the Cardiff-based commercial finance brokers, carried out a research to reveal whether purchasing property near a football stadium is a worthy investment. The research found that homes near football stadiums are experiencing property price increases considerably higher than the UK average. The brokerage’s campaign combines Land Registry data and
The Office for National Statistics has warned that the number of Londoners under the age of 40 setting up their own home in the capital is to fall significantly over the next 15 years. However, the report goes on to say that the borough of Barking and Havering, will buck
Wates Residential is to deliver a new £27 million housing development at Shuttleworth Road in Wandsworth. The project includes 71 affordable new homes in the borough, supporting Wandsworth Council’s target to build 1,000 homes for local residents. At the ground breaking ceremony Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential, said:
Energy Assets Utilities is playing a key role in ensuring that the 2,200 new homes planned for a major development in Wallyford, Scotland, will be at the leading edge of the digital revolution sweeping across the residential new build sector. With people’s increasing reliance on digital connectivity to support devices
National building and maintenance contractor, United Living, has appointed former Wates business director Michael Holling into a new role as operations director; covering both the North and Midlands regions. Michael brings with him 30 years of construction and maintenance knowledge, having previously worked at Wates since 1995. Throughout his career he has delivered a range of complex housing projects for local authorities and housing associations, including joint ventures and private development schemes. The appointment marks a significant investment in United Living’s growth strategy, to assist with new and existing business opportunities across the North and Midlands regions. Michael will be based in United Living’s Sheffield office, providing leadership across all operational areas as part of the United Living North Leadership Team. The business is currently strengthening its presence in the North and Midlands, having promoted long-serving employee Shaun Pickin to the role of Operations Manager for the Midlands, and last year appointing former Kier and Keepmoat director Helen Francis as Business Development Director for the North. Speaking of his appointment, Michael Holling said: “This is an exciting time for United Living’s growth strategy across these regions and I look forward to leading on the next stage of development. United Living Group has a great reputation across the housing sector and it’s a pleasure to bring my experience to the business. I’m looking forward to working with the team.” Jo Jamieson, managing director for United Living said: “Michael has built an enviable reputation for delivering large scale construction and residential projects with a keen emphasis on operational excellence and truly understanding customer’s aspirations. I look forward to working with him to drive forward our growth plans across the North and Midlands, and to maximise the opportunities in our pipeline.” For more information about United Living: www.unitedliving.co.uk
Birmingham’s latest apartment development, The Bank, has had its second tower topped out. Contractor Wates has begun work to fit out the interior of the building, located between Broad Street and Brindleyplace, following the completion of the structure. “This topping out ceremony is the latest proof that Birmingham is a city quite literally on the up. Our city skyline is being transformed and The Bank is one of the exciting developments helping to make Birmingham an even better place to live, work and invest,” commented Deputy Leader of Birmingham City Council, Brigid Jones. Owned by Aprirose, The Bank is being developed by Regal Property Group, funded by Aprirose and designed by architect Glancy Nicholls. It consists of two residential towers that contain a total of 406 apartments. The first tower comprises 189 studio, one and two-bedroom properties, reaching 22-storeys, and is now 96% sold. It was completed in summer 2018. Meanwhile, the second tower at The Bank is 33-storeys high and will comprise 217 luxury apartments, including one, two and three-bedroom homes. It will be one of only two residential skyscrapers to measure over 100 metres tall in the city and is expected to complete by the end of 2019. “The topping out of the second tower at The Bank is a significant milestone in the regeneration of this important part of the city and my thanks go to our project team for the hard work and unrelenting commitment to ensure the rapid progress and excellent quality of this development,” commented John Carlin, Managing Director, Wates Construction Midlands. Moreover, tenants will also have access to a private gym, residents lounge and coffee bar, a private kitchen and dining room, on-site cycle storage and secure and private outdoor green space. “As Birmingham continues to thrive as the UK’s second City, schemes such as The Bank are integral to providing quality housing as the business scene continues to bloom and attract talent to the city centre. As The Bank development nears completion we look forward to it becoming not only an iconic addition to the skyline but a part of the fabric of Birmingham. The scheme represents not only a strong investment for Aprirose into a key business destination but a mark of our commitment to Birmingham’s continued growth,” concluded Manish Gudka, CEO, Aprirose.
An additional 21 homes are arriving in Wandsworth with the construction of a new £7 million housing development. The Stag House site on the Putney Vale Estate, which is home to the vacant Stag House Community Youth Centre, will be redeveloped to provide 10 self-contained homes for those with physical and learning disabilities, including accommodation for an on-site support officer. The other 11 homes in the area will be available for social rent. The project is being delivered by Wates Residential, who won the competitive tender project from Wandsworth Council. “This is a demonstration of our commitment to build new homes which meet the diverse needs of our residents. Good quality housing is fundamental in supporting the wellbeing of our residents and we’re delighted to be partnering with Wates Residential on this scheme. I am also proud that this scheme is the first Council build supported housing scheme for our more vulnerable residents which will give those with learning and physical disabilities the opportunity to live safely in a scheme built to the highest standards,” said Leader of the Council Ravi Govindia. “May I also thank the local residents’ association, chaired by Shirley Price, and Cllr Jane Cooper for identifying this and another development opportunity on the estate and for their positive contributions and understanding as this development has been taken forward,” he added. The contractor held a ground-breaking ceremony to celebrate the start of construction. “It is great to see local authorities like Wandsworth building again on brownfield sites and to be a part of this. Today’s ground breaking event marks an exciting milestone in our delivery of these new homes for Wandsworth residents. It follows months of collaboration with the Council, members of the community and other local stakeholders to really understand their vision for the area and how we can realise this, both through the design and construction of these homes and by looking at ways that we can create wider local economic and social value. We look forward to strengthening these relationships as we continue to progress on site and to creating a positive lasting legacy for the community long after we have handed over this site,” commented Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential. The Stag House scheme is due for completion in Spring 2020.
A slowdown in property transactions, with home buyers and sellers taking more caution amidst economic uncertainty, has been registered. This is due to the housing market being left in a state of lull because of diminishing demand among foreign buyers and pending Brexit negotiations. Compared to a year ago, homeowners wanting to sell their property are finding themselves having to wait a lot longer and buyers are taking more time to make decisions. At the beginning of 2016 the average buyer took 53 minutes during the viewing process to make a decision on whether or not to buy a property. However, buyers this year took an average of 65 minutes to finalise their decision, with an average of 2.4 viewings. While in 2017 it took 96 days for the ‘sold’ sign to go up, it now takes 102 days. The buying process is also taking 23% longer than it did in January 2016, with 27% of buyers now asking to view a property three times before submitting an offer. Even when homeowners have found a potential buyer, more than a third of deals have fallen through. This is perhaps down to the lack of buyer confidence in the run up to Brexit negotiations. These failed deals have cost consumers an estimated £270 million a year. Slower property transactions have also affected buyers. News of falling house prices has been met with concern from those wanting to sell their property. A cautious approach by sellers hoping to make a profit has meant that buyers are finding their bids undermined through a practice called gazumping. Gazumping is where a seller retracts an offer after receiving a higher bid from someone else. This is especially becoming an issue in Sheffield, where more than a third of buyers have reported being victims of gazumping. The south east has been most affected by this housing market lull, with house prices in London falling by 0.8% over the course of last year. The UK’s capital now has the second-slowest property market, after Blackpool. The average property in the capital now takes 126 days to finalise a deal, 15 days longer than in 2017. Further still, houses in London worth more than £1m are taking a whopping 171 days to sell. The forecast for 2019 much depends on the outcome of Brexit. The sales market, especially within the south of England, is likely to remain as it is until a deal has been confirmed.
Northamptonshire will see the construction of two residential schemes that will bring around 8,500 homes, as well as schools, leisure and commercial space. After securing a £70 million loan from Homes England under its £4.5 billion Home Building Fund, the schemes will move forward. “I am delighted to hear shovels are already in the ground as builders set about delivering 8,500 much-needed homes so more people can realise their home-owning dream. We are making the housing market work, and Homes England’s £70 million loan will unlock the development so we can invest in the properties our country needs,” said Kit Malthouse, Minister of State for Housing. Moreover, the Kettering and Wellingborough developments will create around 3,000 jobs in the areas. Roads, utilities and other works will also be delivered to enable the delivery of homes at Kettering and at phase one of the site at Wellingborough. Speaking of Homes England’s role in delivering the sites, Sir Edward Lister, Chairman of Homes England commented: “We’re working with partners across the country to ensure land is available to build more new homes where they’re most needed. Providing infrastructure upfront is key to unlocking significant housing growth and Homes England’s investment in Kettering and Wellingborough will enable two major housing projects to be delivered after many years of delay.”
Homeowners keep choosing to take matter into their own hands and undertake their own home improvements, despite the difficulty of some of the projects, such as large kitchen renovations. This is partly due to the increased availability of ‘how to’ guides online and reduced consumer confidence causing people to tighten their purses. This boom has been witnessed first-hand by Roofing Megastore, which has shipped in excess of 250,000 products to over 12,000 customers. The majority of these customers are homeowners who are taking on small roofing projects themselves, typically reroofing a shed or constructing a polycarbonate shelter. Although, according to the Banbury-based supplier of roofing materials, a healthy portion of their customers still seek the advice of a tradesman, the company feels ready to provide one-to-one support to DIYers. This includes an award-winning Customer Care Team and steady flow of how-to guides to inspire homeowners. “When buying high involvement products online customers are often overloaded with information we commit considerable resources into simplifying that information and providing a seamless user experience. When combined with our dedicated Customer Care Team, we believe this provides homeowners with the confidence they need to turn their DIY dreams into reality,” said Managing Director Gian Carlo-Grossi. Having seen the DIY market’s continued growth, Roofing Megastore has decided to expand its offering to consumers. Not only will this involve welcoming leading brands, such as Redland and Britmet, onto its website, but continuing to remove the confusing lingo that often leaves homeowners bewildered. The company also has hopes of going beyond roofing to expand their offering to both DIYers and tradesman. Having witnessed almost 300% growth over the past 12 months, there is little doubt that Roofing Megastore will inspire more homeowners to take on their projects throughout 2019.
Pure Commercial Finance, the Cardiff-based commercial finance brokers, carried out a research to reveal whether purchasing property near a football stadium is a worthy investment. The research found that homes near football stadiums are experiencing property price increases considerably higher than the UK average. The brokerage’s campaign combines Land Registry data and previous reports by mortgage lenders to highlight previous property surges near new English sports stadiums such as The Emirates Stadium and the Etihad Stadium. It also predicts areas which will likely see an increase as the result of future redevelopment. “The statistics are compelling, it’s great to see that as a result of the development of new football grounds its proven to not only stimulate local infrastructure investment, regenerate tired or unused areas of the cities but to create an unprecedented rise in house prices in the immediate area of redevelopment,” said Ben Lloyd, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Pure Commercial Finance. If the same average growth is seen in the next two decades as that seen in 1997 to 2017, investors can expect an average 450% increase in property prices for buildings near Premier League stadiums, according to the research. Saying that, developments coming out of Millwall FC are definitely worth keeping an eye on. The New Den, which is Millwall’s current stadium, opened in 1993 just a few miles from London’s financial centre. In August 2018, it was reported that the club had appointed architects to draw up plans for its community programme, which involves pre-planning what the club requires in order to meet Premier League requirements. The average property price in nearby postcodes is around £505,000 – up more than 33% in the last five years, and 292% in the last two decades – and, if the club is redeveloped, this could see local property prices positively affected. Research has also revealed that investing in property surrounding West Ham, Fulham and Arsenal’s stadiums could achieve healthy returns on investment. Whereas property with the highest price per square metre can be found near stadiums belonging to Chelsea, Fulham, and Arsenal. One of the biggest increases in past property prices could be seen surrounding Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium in North London. The average home value in the postal district surrounding Spurs’ stadium rose more than seven and a half times in the two decades between 1997 and 2017 from £59,638 to £450,104. Zoopla states the current average price around White Hart Lane is just under £460,000.
The Office for National Statistics has warned that the number of Londoners under the age of 40 setting up their own home in the capital is to fall significantly over the next 15 years. However, the report goes on to say that the borough of Barking and Havering, will buck the trend and show projected increases. Thurrock lies a mile away to the east of where Bellway launched Renovo, a development of 200 new homes on 27thOctober with a second phase to follow. In the past five years property in Thurrock, Essex has seen a rise in value of 37.04%, and the average value of property in the area is currently just under £220,000 according to Zoopla’s Zed Index. Bellway’s Renovo development, offers a selection of new homes and apartments which will include one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses starting from £219,995. Renovo includes a collection of two, three and four bedroom houses, and one and two bedroom apartments, ideal for families, investors or commuting professionals looking for a new modern pad. Thurrock is a fantastic commuter location, with an excellent range of nearby facilities and amenities, good transport connections and plenty of green spaces, offering residents a versatile and reasonably priced locality. “Often homebuyers are struggling to find competitively priced new-build homes within easy striking distance of London, so we’re pleased to be offering Renovo, an attractive development with a varied selection of homes at affordable prices. This is an area on the fringes of London that is ripe for development and will provide excellent commuter homes for professionals and families alike,” said Paul Timson, Sales Manager at Bellway Homes Essex. This regeneration of West Thurrock gives residents wonderful open space; the 200-acre Chafford Gorges Nature Park just 20 minutes on foot; perfect for a family day out or just getting away from it all with stunning views across the gorge. Less than a 10 minute drive away, Rainham Marshes RSPB Nature Reserve is popular with the more active members of the community; cyclists, runners and walkers can all enjoy this idyllic Essex countryside. Various sports amenities are close by, including Mardyke Valley Golf Club and Blackshots leisure centre, which hosts two swimming pools, a fitness suite and exercise studios. Residents of Renovo are also ideally placed to enjoy the Intu Lakeside Mall which is home to a myriad of restaurants, bars, cafes and a wide range of shopping amenities. Further afield there is easy train access to the heart of East London and the Docklands where visitors can explore a wide range of dining and leisure options. Ideal for commuters, Chafford Hundred is the nearest train station, which is a 20 minute walk from the development, reaching London Fenchurch Station in as little as 30 minutes and providing excellent transport links to Barking, Limehouse and Southend. Major road connections accessible from the development include the A13 to East London and Docklands, which is also a great link to London City Airport in a short 25 minute drive and the M25 Orbital. Prices start at £219,995 for a one bedroom apartment. For further information please visit www.bellway.co.uk or call 0845 548 8026.
Wates Residential is to deliver a new £27 million housing development at Shuttleworth Road in Wandsworth. The project includes 71 affordable new homes in the borough, supporting Wandsworth Council’s target to build 1,000 homes for local residents. At the ground breaking ceremony Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential, said: “Today’s ground breaking event marks an exciting milestone in our delivery of much-needed affordable new homes for local people at Shuttleworth Road. It follows months of collaboration with the Council, members of the community and other local stakeholders to really understand their vision for the area and how we can realise this, both through the design and construction of these homes and looking at ways we can create wider local economic and social value. We look forward to strengthening these relationships as we continue to progress on site.” Wates has been undertaking preparatory works on the site since May 2018. This latest development marks the official beginning of the site’s main construction phase, with completion of the scheme due in the Summer of 2020. “This is another demonstration of our commitment to build 1,000 new homes on our larger development sites, which will help people in the borough buy or rent a home that is right for them. We’re delighted to partner with Wates Residential on this scheme and look forward to strengthening our relationship with them to provide quality housing for local people,” added Wandsworth Council Leader, Ravi Govindia. All social housing that is demolished as part of the regeneration will also be replaced with affordable homes. The completion of these new homes will directly support the borough’s wider Winstanley and York Road Estates regeneration programme by providing affordable homes for those needing to move.
Energy Assets Utilities is playing a key role in ensuring that the 2,200 new homes planned for a major development in Wallyford, Scotland, will be at the leading edge of the digital revolution sweeping across the residential new build sector. With people’s increasing reliance on digital connectivity to support devices ranging from smart TVs, games consoles, and tablets to home security and energy control systems, superfast broadband is becoming a ‘must-have’ for home owners…and developers are responding. At Wallyford, Energy Assets Utilities has been responsible for laying the conventional gas, electricity, and water infrastructure up to the spine road running through the site, but is also leading on the roll-out of fibre-to-the-home. “The first few homes are now benefiting from superfast connectivity, with many hundreds more to follow to support lifestyles increasingly reliant on digital technology…and to connect to who knows what as we enter the era of the ‘Internet of Things’,” said Craig Topley, Energy Assets Group Managing Director (Construction). The Wallyford scheme is the largest multi-utility network design and construction project ever undertaken by EAU, with services now available not only for residential homes but also for a new primary school, currently being built, and potentially some commercial units. It’s all part of East Lothian Developments’ plans for a new community at St Clements Well, which stretches to the south, east and west of Wallyford. The construction project illustrates Energy Assets Utilities’s growing position as a leading provider of gas, electricity, water – and increasingly fibre cable – networks for residential and commercial schemes across Britain.
