Birmingham is making headlines as excitement around the 2022 Commonwealth Games builds – sparking a regeneration that looks set to result in the highest house price inflation in the country over the next five years. With HS2 promising a commute of less than an hour to central London, not to
Trade body Homes for Scotland (HFS) has expressed its concern at latest Scottish Government housing statistics which show marked drops in housing association completions and approvals. HFS Director of Policy Fionna Kell said: “Whilst overall levels of housing delivery are up on last year’s figures, it is extremely concerning to
VISION One of the most significant challenges architects can face is regenerating an area full of personality, but in desperate need of renovation. The challenge can be even more demanding if the project involves changing the purpose of the site. But that’s precisely what the architects in charge of the
The Council is set to spend around £128 million over the next 12 months as it continues to invest in improving Council homes and building new affordable homes in Edinburgh. At a meeting of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee on Thursday (24 March), Councillors agreed a comprehensive spending
The Heat Pump Federation and its members welcome the Chancellor’s decision to reduce VAT to zero rate on energy savings materials, including heat pumps. Bean Beanland, the HPF’s Director of Growth & External Affairs said: “We, in concert with others in the sector, have long argued that the tax regime
A joint venture between VINCI UK Developments Ltd and St. Modwen Ltd (“VSM”) has received planning permission for a 26-storey residential tower in Nine Elms, London. The scheme, known as Apex 1, will deliver 201 new homes as well as 5,250 sq ft of retail space on land released as
Bovis Homes has released the first properties for sale at a new development on the edge of Cheltenham. The housebuilder, which is part of the Vistry Group, is delivering 50 new two-bedroom apartments at Spectre Hill, off Barley Road near the village of Pittville. Spectre Hill is part of the
Home building body Homes for Scotland (HFS) has announced the shortlist for its 2022 awards programme as it plans for a return to the largest annual gathering of its kind where winners will be announced. With a focus on “going the extra mile” to deliver developments or practices which stand
Landsec has submitted a major planning application for the O2 Centre Masterplan Site as it looks to grow its mixed-use urban neighborhood portfolio. The proposal, which was submitted to the London Borough of Camden, will see the site transform into a landscape led development that will connect the communities of
Octopus Real Estate, part of Octopus Group and a leading UK specialist real estate lender and investor, has announced its commitment to building new care home developments that are net zero by 2030, marking the first such pledge across the care home industry. In addition to funding new developments to
Birmingham is making headlines as excitement around the 2022 Commonwealth Games builds – sparking a regeneration that looks set to result in the highest house price inflation in the country over the next five years. With HS2 promising a commute of less than an hour to central London, not to mention the raft of blue-chip companies recruiting in the region, there has never been a better time to move to the area. SO Resi Solihull is a new shared ownership development that formers part of the wider Oakhurst Village scheme set in the small town of Shirley, just outside Solihull on the southern fringes of Birmingham. With excellent public transport into the city, not to mention every amenity close at hand, it offers all the benefits of proximity to Birmingham combined with small-town friendliness. Shared ownership at SO Resi Solihull offers eligible buyers a chance to buy a portion of a property and pay a monthly payment to cover the share they haven’t bought – with the option to buy more shares until they eventually own 100% of the lease. With homes ranging from two-bedroom apartments to three-storey, four-bedroom houses, the development caters for every type of buyer. Property experts are predicting that over the next five years, the average value of a home in the city could rise by 4.9 per cent every year – the fastest anticipated growth for any UK city – surpassing the 4.7% rise expected in both Manchester and London. This comes on top of strong growth that has already seen prices rise by 56% since 2013. For buyers who are desperately trying to save up for an initial deposit, this doesn’t sound like good news – but with a SO Resi home, you need a deposit of as little as 5% of the share you are buying, putting the Birmingham buzz back within reach of many more potential buyers. Kush Rawal, Director of Residential Investment at SO Resi, comments: “The Birmingham area is becoming highly sought-after, with the Commonwealth Games driving its profile and bringing thousands more high-earning jobs to the area – SO Resi Solihull is ideally placed to help people start the journey to homeownership in a well-connected and convenient location, enabling them to make the most of all the opportunities available in this vibrant and growing area.” SO Resi Solihull is close to Shirley’s busy high street, with a great selection of independent retailers, as well as all the major supermarket brands in close proximity. The town is particularly well served by restaurants, with Argentinian, South Indian, Italian, Japanese, Turkish, Chinese, Thai, German and traditional British food on the doorstep. Shirley Park offers a skate park, tennis courts, outdoor gym and play area, while parents will be pleased with the selection of local schools. Shirley railway station is 2.5 miles away from the new homes, offering services to both Snow Hill and Moor Street stations in the centre of Birmingham, around 10 miles away, as well as routes to Stratford-upon-Avon. In addition, local buses head into Solihull centre and Birmingham, making it easy to get around. All of the homes are finished to a high quality, with tiled kitchens fitted with a range of integrated appliances. Every home has private outdoor space – turfed gardens in the case of the houses, and balconies or terraces to the apartments, extending the living space into the open. Layouts are versatile, with a focus on open-plan living areas and good sized bedrooms, with an en suite to the main bedroom in all properties as well as a family bathroom with bath and shower. Plenty of natural light and convenient storage spaces mean that the spaces feel spacious and uncluttered. The first phase of three and four-bedroom houses at SO Resi Solihull will be available from Saturday 9thApril. Prices start from £105,000 for a minimum 30% share in a three-bedroom house with two parking spaces [full market value: £350,000]. For more information call 0208 607 0550 or visit www.soresi.co.uk.
Trade body Homes for Scotland (HFS) has expressed its concern at latest Scottish Government housing statistics which show marked drops in housing association completions and approvals. HFS Director of Policy Fionna Kell said: “Whilst overall levels of housing delivery are up on last year’s figures, it is extremely concerning to see that housing association completions have dropped by 17 per cent (620 homes) and quite staggering that approvals have fallen by 54 per cent (3090 homes). “Unfortunately, this chimes with what our members have been telling us. Highlighting the interconnectedness of the whole housing system, rising costs have hit those delivering homes to both the public and private sectors extremely hard. Grant funding levels must be reviewed, as a matter of urgency, to reflect these exceptional circumstances and arrest this decline otherwise we will see ever decreasing numbers of affordable homes coming through the pipeline.” Kell’s comments follow a recent HFS report highlighting that Scotland’s cumulative housing shortfall since the global financial crisis is now approaching 100,000 homes.
VISION One of the most significant challenges architects can face is regenerating an area full of personality, but in desperate need of renovation. The challenge can be even more demanding if the project involves changing the purpose of the site. But that’s precisely what the architects in charge of the Primrose Hill project in London, had to face. With a project value of approximately £16m this project required a highly sensitive design solution to address a complicated urban context involving 28 neighbouring residential and commercial properties. The transformation visioned by PKS Architects, and developed by main contractor Knight Harwood, involved converting some of the buildings into high-quality apartments and high-specification offices using Kawneer’s solutions. The task was immense and involved six neighbouring commercial properties. The goal was achieved using multiple high-performance Kawneer products. TRANSFORMATION Through site-specific technical visits and studies, Kawneer specified and costed various façade packages and options. The lack of natural light was one of the many problems that needed to be rectified. It was solved using Kawneer’s AA®100 sloped rooflights. Additionally, GT70S windows were specified to replicate the building’s original steel windows to compliment the building aesthetics. For the entrance and balcony doors, the chosen product solution was Kawneer’s AA®720 doors with Glass Balustrading, thanks to the products superior aesthetics and thermal performance. For the curtain wall specification, the natural choice was AA®100 SSG, since it has smooth and seamless glass-to-glass joints without external capping. REALISATION The resulting specification helps to enhance the aesthetics of the building façade and increase the energy performance of the building whilst meeting the cost requirements of the build with Kawneer’s market-leading product range. Shortlisted in the 2017 BREEAM Awards, this development sustainably refurbishes and reimagines a group of six buildings to create 3,500m2 of high specification office space and four new luxury flats. The impressive results haven’t gone unnoticed. The Primrose Hill project won the 2020 GGP’s Best Commercial Installation, by Kawneer’s customer and specialist facade subcontractor, JPJ Installations Ltd. Find out more about Kawneer’s products at www.kawneer.co.uk
The Council is set to spend around £128 million over the next 12 months as it continues to invest in improving Council homes and building new affordable homes in Edinburgh. At a meeting of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee on Thursday (24 March), Councillors agreed a comprehensive spending programme for the year ahead. Under the plans, improvements will be carried out to more than 3,000 Council homes – making them greener, safer, and more accessible for generations to come. The investment plan will also drive forward the Council’s ambitious house building strategy, supporting the development, build and supply of even more sustainable and affordable new homes to address the city’s housing pressures and tackle the cost-of-living crisis. The Council aims to be one of the first local authorities in Scotland to pilot a ‘whole house retrofit’ approach to support the Council’s net zero carbon commitment. Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee said: We’re really scaling up our efforts to improve the condition of people’s homes and driving forward our housebuilding programme, so that residents can have permanent homes that are energy efficient, safe and affordable. Our ambition has been to deliver 20,000 affordable new homes by 2027 and we’re well on the way to achieving that despite the pandemic and Brexit, which have been really challenging for construction. And now we’re having to navigate a cost of living crisis, so we have set a rent freeze for our tenants to support them through this. But, longer term, all the work we’re doing now to make homes much more sustainable will also help us to drive down fuel bills. The steps we’re taking to make better use of shared greenspaces is also important for tenants’ wellbeing. Our investment plan for the year ahead will make a big difference to our tenants, both their quality of life in their homes, and to their cost of living. Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee said: There are huge pressures on housing in Edinburgh and those on low incomes continue to be the most affected by high rents and high bills. Housebuilding has a role to play in providing more affordable and energy efficient homes, and to help us meet the city’s growing demand for accommodation. While funding and land supply remain two key challenges, we’re doing a lot of work to maximise the number of homes we can deliver. But we’re also investing in existing homes and revolutionising housing to provide safer, warmer, and more enjoyable places to live. As we carry out this work, there is a real opportunity to work with staff and Trade Unions to grow our in-house team and further strengthen our repairs service, to provide the very best customer service and value for money we can. This is a complex piece of work but we’re committed to exploring opportunities for upskilling and apprenticeships in the years ahead. I’m pleased officers are looking into a plan, particularly as we scale up our housing investment as we emerge from the pandemic and move forward with innovative ways of working to make people’s homes energy efficient. A report will be brought forward in three months’ time to explore this in more detail. The Capital housing priorities for the year ahead were agreed by members of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on Thursday (24 March) and are outlined in the 2022/23 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme report.
The Heat Pump Federation and its members welcome the Chancellor’s decision to reduce VAT to zero rate on energy savings materials, including heat pumps. Bean Beanland, the HPF’s Director of Growth & External Affairs said: “We, in concert with others in the sector, have long argued that the tax regime in the UK has favoured the burning of fossil fuels, so this is a particularly welcome measure. We also understand that all materials and services are included. This level of simplicity is essential for the installer community, many of which are micro-businesses that struggle with overly complex tax rules.” “Setting the intervention for five years gives future visibility which will encourage investment in both skills and capacity, by the whole sector in the UK. When taken in conjunction with the new Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which also starts on 1st April, domestic scale heat pumps are going to be that much more affordable for both homeowners and landlords. “ “Capital costs are only one half of the equation, operational costs for heat pumps do still have to be addressed through the rebalancing of taxation on electricity and fossil fuels that reflects the relative carbon and other emissions. But for today, the VAT outcome is to be celebrated and the Government commended for the message that this sends to consumers and to the industry alike.” For interviews/information, please contact Bean Beanland: 07393 399685 / bean.beanland@hpf.org.uk / www.hpf.org.uk
A joint venture between VINCI UK Developments Ltd and St. Modwen Ltd (“VSM”) has received planning permission for a 26-storey residential tower in Nine Elms, London. The scheme, known as Apex 1, will deliver 201 new homes as well as 5,250 sq ft of retail space on land released as a result of VSM’s New Covent Garden Market redevelopment. This zone 1 site is adjacent to the Nine Elms Northern Line tube station and close to the new US Embassy, forming a key part of the Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea (VNEB) opportunity zone. Designed by Glenn Howells Architects, Apex 1 is the first building of the wider Apex development site which has outline consent for a further 422 homes and 66,000 sq ft of commercial space. Apex 1 will be a highly sustainable, near net zero development. It incorporates an architecturally distinctive two-storey pavilion to house ground floor retail and a first-floor amenity area for residents, as well as a roof garden. The development will include significant public realm, providing a permanent landscaped pedestrian link (known as Merchants Way) between the Nine Elms Linear Park and Nine Elms tube station. The Apex site is one of four surplus land sites which form part of the ongoing transformation of New Covent Garden Market by the VSM partnership under a Development Agreement with Covent Garden Market Association. The overall redevelopment of New Covent Garden Market will provide for a rationalisation and transformation of the market site and will create a vibrant and distinctive new London District once complete. Nick Smith, Senior Development Manager at St. Modwen, said: “Apex 1 promises to be a high-quality new scheme for Nine Elms. This latest planning decision means we can deliver new homes for the area while achieving another important milestone for the transformation of New Covent Garden Market.” Graham Lambert, Managing Director of VINCI UK Developments, added: “This Planning Consent represents a key milestone for the VSM Partnership and the redevelopment of New Covent Garden Market, and highlights our key priority of designing sustainable developments which create a positive legacy.” –
Bovis Homes has released the first properties for sale at a new development on the edge of Cheltenham. The housebuilder, which is part of the Vistry Group, is delivering 50 new two-bedroom apartments at Spectre Hill, off Barley Road near the village of Pittville. Spectre Hill is part of the wider Starvehall Farm development, where Bovis Homes has already built 137 new homes at its Furlong Rise site. The two-bedroom apartments will be housed in three separate blocks on the 2.2-acre site close to Cheltenham Racecourse. Charles Bond, sales manager at Spectre Hill, said: “This exclusive collection of apartments at Spectre Hill will complement the wide range of two to five-bedroom houses that we have already delivered at our neighbouring Furlong Rise development. A fantastic new community has already formed at Starvehall Farm and we’re hoping that Spectre Hill will further add to its vibrancy. “Some of these beautifully designed modern apartments will feature French doors leading onto a balcony with a stunning view of Cleeve Hill and the surrounding Gloucestershire countryside. The homes have been designed to meet the needs of modern living and will hold particular appeal for first-time buyers looking to live and work in Cheltenham.” There will be 42 apartments housed in two three-storey buildings, with another eight homes built in a two-storey block. The development will feature 50 car parking spaces, six electric vehicle charging points, visitor bays and cycle storage units. Charles said: “The development is ideally situated within a rural setting which is just over a mile from the shops, bars and restaurants of the attractive spa town of Cheltenham. “The apartments at Spectre Hill will be energy efficient, rating ‘B’ on the energy performance certificate, making them both practical and affordable. As such, we fully expect these first homes to be extremely popular with young first-time buyers, as well as investors looking for property in a desirable location close to the racecourse and town centre. “Due to the high level of demand we are anticipating, we would encourage anyone who wants to live in this growing neighbourhood on the edge of Cheltenham to register their interest with our sales team as soon as they can.” Bovis Homes has a history of community building in the area, and in addition to constructing 137 homes at Furlong Rise, is also a continued sponsor of Cheltenham Town FC, most recently extending its sponsorship of the club for the 2021/22 season. For more information about the apartments at Spectre Hill, visit bovishomes.co.uk.
Home building body Homes for Scotland (HFS) has announced the shortlist for its 2022 awards programme as it plans for a return to the largest annual gathering of its kind where winners will be announced. With a focus on “going the extra mile” to deliver developments or practices which stand out from the crowd, those companies making the judges’ first cut are: Development of the Year – large (100+ units) sponsored by Hacking and Paterson Barratt and David Wilson HomesThe Strand, Edinburgh CCG (with South Lanarkshire Council hub South West)Whitlawburn Regeneration, Glasgow Link Group & McTaggart ConstructionRiverside Dalmarnock, Glasgow Places for PeopleChapelton, Aberdeenshire Springfield PropertiesBertha Park, Perth Stewart Milne GroupDunnottar Park, Stonehaven Development of the Year – medium (26-99 units)sponsored by VELUX CALA Homes (East)Boroughmuir Phase 2, Edinburgh CCG (with City of Edinburgh Council)Bingham Avenue, Edinburgh Cruden Homes (East)Bonnington Mill, Edinburgh Lovell PartnershipsClaish Farm, Stirlingshire Westpoint HomesOne Hyndland Avenue, Glasgow Whiteburn ProjectsCaerlee Mill Phase 2, Innerleithen Development of the Year – small (up to 25 units)sponsored by Openreach Cruden Homes (East)Muirwood Gardens Phase 1, Kinross Hadden HomesGlenluie Green, Perthshire Panacea HomesThe Primary, GlasgowRural RenaissanceDarnick Green, Melrose Innovation of the Year (Transition to Net Zero)sponsored by Shoosmiths Barratt DevelopmentsThe Z House PixelOnline selection systems Stewart Milne Group with Barratt Developments and Forster GroupAIMCH Project Associate Member of the Yearsponsored by Anderson Strathern Winner announced at the HFS Annual Lunch, with no prior shortlist released With last year seeing an amalgamated 2020/21 shortlist and virtual awards showcase due to restrictions caused by the pandemic, updates to 2022 categories include a focus on the transition to net zero within the Innovation of the Year category – designed to showcase examples of real innovation within the sector as it contributes to a national commitment of net zero emissions by 2045. In a further change, no prior shortlist has been released for the Associate Member of the Year category, with members of the HFS senior management team asked to nominate candidates within the HFS membership who have gone the extra mile, engaging with the organisation’s work and providing vital support to other members over the course of the year. Reflecting the programme’s ongoing robust judging process, the independent panel will be undertaking site visits to all those shortlisted in the Development of the Year categories alongside corresponding online interviews to determine who will take one of three headline Home Builder of the Year awards. Those shortlisted under the Innovation of the Year (Transition to Net Zero) category will also be invited to an online interview. Winners will be revealed at the Homes for Scotland Annual Lunch (sponsored by Burness Paull) at the EICC on Friday 20 May which will be hosted by impressionist and comedian Jon Culshaw. Over 900 senior industry representatives and guests are already confirmed to attend what remains the date in the Scottish home building industry calendar. Chair of the independent judging panel David Knight, former Managing Director at Avant Homes said: “I was delighted to be asked to Chair this year’s refreshed judging panel and have been hugely impressed by the demonstrations of “going above and beyond” which have been evident throughout the entries received. “Whether that be examples of innovation, diversity, sustainability measures or meeting customer needs, HFS members have shown their commitment to delivering high quality places for people to live during what remain difficult circumstances. “With the judges now set to embark on the site visit and interview stage of the process, I am very much looking forward to seeing these submissions come to life and to the difficult task of deciding upon the winners.”
Landsec has submitted a major planning application for the O2 Centre Masterplan Site as it looks to grow its mixed-use urban neighborhood portfolio. The proposal, which was submitted to the London Borough of Camden, will see the site transform into a landscape led development that will connect the communities of Finchley Road and West End Lane. Landsec has been working with the local community and the London Borough of Camden to develop the new masterplan. The site will deliver 1,800 new homes, 35% of which will be affordable, and will provide a variety of amenities and leisure facilities, including a town square with a variety of shops, restaurants, supermarket, gym, and cinema. As a new green space, the entire site will have improved pedestrian links and half of the 14-acre space will be dedicated to public and green spaces that will be open and accessible for all. This includes a new community green, linear park and a community garden, where people can visit, exercise and socialise in. The development is aligned with Landsec’s focus on developing and investing in mixed-use urban neighbourhoods, a key pillar of its growth strategy. David Heaford, Managing Director – Development at Landsec: “We are delighted to submit our final proposal for the O2 Centre after receiving valuable input from the local community. At Landsec, we believe in the power of building communities, workforces and improving lives. The O2 Masterplan Site represents our vision of creating a vibrant place to live, work and enjoy, shaped by local identity and designed to serve the needs of all in the community whilst providing access to open green space. More broadly, we remain excited by the huge growth potential of these urban opportunities and believe regeneration is key in offering sustainable urban neighbourhoods right across the UK.”
Octopus Real Estate, part of Octopus Group and a leading UK specialist real estate lender and investor, has announced its commitment to building new care home developments that are net zero by 2030, marking the first such pledge across the care home industry. In addition to funding new developments to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, Octopus will make significant investments into its existing portfolio of 71 care homes across the UK to retrofit these properties. It has committed to making these care homes and 13 properties currently under construction net zero by 2040. The pledges will ensure Octopus, as a leading investor and landlord in UK care homes, is driving the industry towards higher energy efficiency standards. The two net zero commitments were met with unbridled support from the institutional investors who invest in Octopus’ care homes strategy, demonstrating the demand among pension funds, insurers, sovereign wealth funds and family offices for assets that are contributing to the UK’s energy transition requirements. The commitments also reflect Octopus Group’s commitment to reach net zero by 2030. As part of its commitments, where needed, Octopus will work to minimise and offset the embodied carbon in the construction process of its new developments, including through UK Government-approved, high-quality certified carbon sequestration projects. Michael Toft, Care Home Senior Fund Manager, Octopus Real Estate, commented: “We are incredibly proud to be the first investor and landlord in UK care homes to commit to net zero targets. We see it as a natural extension of our role as a leading player in the care home sector and our passionate belief as a Group that people and the planet deserve better. Our commitments place us ahead of both the UK Government’s net zero targets and the Paris Agreement targets. Octopus Real Estate’s investors overwhelmingly supported these pledges, mirroring their overarching support for our care home strategy, which helps them to achieve genuine impact for society while generating financial returns.” Benjamin Davis, CEO, Octopus Real Estate, commented: “This announcement fits into wider sustainability initiatives within Octopus Real Estate, including our Greener Homes Alliance with Homes England, which is funding the development of energy efficient homes across England. It reflects our strident belief that companies will increasingly be judged on how they are building a better tomorrow and should be seen as a clear marker of intent for our objectives and strategy. We have been delighted with the stamp of approval we have received from our investors for this approach so far.” The Octopus care homes strategy offers institutional investors an impact investment opportunity – achieving social benefits for the ageing population through investing in elderly care homes and specialist care. The strong fundamentals of healthcare infrastructure investment, including sustainable, inflation-linked income, risk-adjusted returns, and supportive demographics, continue to attract significant institutional investor demand.
