Leading UK placemaker, United Living New Homes, has been awarded a Premier Guarantee Quality Recognition Award for its innovative eco-friendly housing development at Shaldon Road, Bristol. The award recognises outstanding developments that have consistently delivered quality workmanship and displayed exceptional site management. Throughout the year, only 100 developments from across
Vonder, the global living and lifestyle brand, has announced the latest additions to its London portfolio with five new properties called The Dome, comprising over 21,000 sq ft of residential space in three locations across London. Formely owned and operated by the co-living brand The Collective, the lease of the
Work has begun to transform a vacant brownfield site into a landmark, 30 home timber frame housing development – providing much needed affordable properties in Leeds. The scheme will deliver a total of 14 one bedroomed apartments, ten two bedroomed houses and six three bedroomed homes – two of which
Stylish, high-quality products matched with outstanding quality control and a seamless delivery process are just some of the reasons why leading uPVC window and door manufacturer Euramax Solutions has been chosen as a main supplier of modular home manufacturer ilke Homes. Based in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, ilke Homes manufactures up
Stewart Milne Homes has secured an additional £13million from Homes England to accelerate the delivery of new homes across a number of its developments in North West England. This funding announcement, which follows on from a 2018 award of £11.5million, brings the total number of new homes to be delivered
The new partnership between Wates Residential and Orbit will bring a further 42 new homes to the London Borough of Bexley. Already creating more than 700 homes in Bexley, the partnership will further contribute to the redevelopments of a site on West Street in Erith. “We are delighted to be
A contract to build Powys County Council’s first affordable housing development for social rent in over 40 years has been awarded to a Welsh building company. Port Talbot-based Jistcourt has been appointed as lead contractor to build a three-storey building containing 26 one-bedroomed flats in Newtown. The company, who are
The modern building techniques of a leading civil engineering firm are set to be part of one of the UK’s most innovative house building projects. With demand for homes outstripping supply in the UK, experts have praised the possibilities that factory-built modular housing could deliver for the UK’s housing needs.
Whether you love or loath IKEA, there is no denying the thrill of picking out furniture and seeing it in your home on the same day. More and more house builders are now taking a leaf out of Ikea’s book with housing estates being constructed using modular build practices.
Construction work is underway on a new £400 million housing scheme in Leeds led by CEG that will see over 1,000 new homes and 400,000 sq ft of offices, retail, leisure and community spaces developed at Kirkstall Forge. Phase one of the scheme will be delivered by Tolent, including the construction
Leading UK placemaker, United Living New Homes, has been awarded a Premier Guarantee Quality Recognition Award for its innovative eco-friendly housing development at Shaldon Road, Bristol. The award recognises outstanding developments that have consistently delivered quality workmanship and displayed exceptional site management. Throughout the year, only 100 developments from across the UK are expected to receive this prestigious award – about 4% of the total number of sites inspected by Premier Guarantee. The Shaldon Road development captured the judge’s attention for the high quality of the new homes and the excellent standard of site management, craftsmanship, health & safety performance, site tidiness and general cooperation with the inspectors. As a winner of the Quality Recognition Award, United Living New Homes will be considered for this year’s National Premier Guarantee Excellence Awards, scheduled to take place in the summer. On behalf of leading social housing provider, Brighter Places – and supported by Bristol City Council, Bristol Community Land Trust and Homes England – the £10 million eco-friendly scheme has seen land south of Morris Road, transformed into a carefully designed sustainable community. Built to ‘PassiveHaus’ principles, the energy-efficient properties will provide a high level of tenant comfort, while using very little energy for heating and cooling and minimising each home’s carbon footprint. The development will include two, three, and four bedrooms houses with a mixed tenancy of shared ownership and affordable rent. Solar PV panels will also feature at the development, further reducing costs and a green transport plan which includes electric car charging points, a car share scheme and improved pedestrian and cycle access. Communal green space around the homes is also being created with a dedicated and protected green corridor to enhance biodiversity by providing a safe space for wildlife. The ultra-green project is expected to be completed in early 2022. Jason Ivens, Project Manager, United Living New Homes, said: “We are delighted and honoured to receive this Quality Recognition Award for our Shaldon Road development. It is testament to the dedication, efforts and care of the entire team working on the project. “These eco-friendly properties are a reflection of our company’s wider commitment to deliver high quality, sustainable new homes that suit the needs of the local communities in which we build”. Ian Granger, Account Manager, Premier Guarantee, said: “What a great team effort from Jason and his colleagues, achieving a fantastic product on a challenging site using new and innovative solutions. They are worthy Quality Recognition Award winners”.
Vonder, the global living and lifestyle brand, has announced the latest additions to its London portfolio with five new properties called The Dome, comprising over 21,000 sq ft of residential space in three locations across London. Formely owned and operated by the co-living brand The Collective, the lease of the portfolio bolsters Vonder’s extensive collection of urban living spaces around London. The Dome consists of 111 fully-furnished and equipped studios and one bedroom apartments in Notting Hill, Hyde Park and Sloane Square, all key locations in the capital. The latter also offers a communal area and conference room for hybrid working. With The Dome coming under the Vonder Plus membership, the apartments provide a great living solution for young renters looking to make a home in the centre of London. The Dome locations include high quality furniture, one all-inclusive bill, cleaning services and access to the Vonder App, enabling them to be part of Vonder’s exclusive global community and Rewards platform, as well as a digital support team. The Dome tenants will be able to attend events and book amenities in other Vonder locations such as Vonder Wembley, which opened in October 2021. Tomer Bercoviz, CEO and Co-founder of Vonder, commented: “The addition of The Dome properties to our portfolio is a key milestone in Vonder’s growth strategy in the capital, increasing our supply of great urban accommodation in central areas that suit a wide range of our target audience’s needs.” “As momentum builds in London again. It is important people have comfortable, inspiring and hassle-free living spaces to come home to, with The Dome properties embodying this in every way possible. By providing a community feeling and an exclusive Rewards scheme with value-added services through our Vonder App, we are offering our members not only a well-designed living space, but a whole new way of living.” The Dome portfolio joins Vonder’s existing London schemes such as the flagship development, Vonder Wembley, which opened late last year. Vonder continues to strengthen the growth of its international portfolio of over 30 locations spread across London, Berlin, Munich, Warsaw and Dubai, with Leeds coming up next. The company is also in active negotiations to increase its portfolio in the US and continental Europe as it rolls out its ‘all-in-one living’ concept.
Work has begun to transform a vacant brownfield site into a landmark, 30 home timber frame housing development – providing much needed affordable properties in Leeds. The scheme will deliver a total of 14 one bedroomed apartments, ten two bedroomed houses and six three bedroomed homes – two of which will be located on a satellite site, replacing two old properties that were previously demolished. The homes to be built at Leeds Meynell, in Holbeck, will be 100% affordable and constructed in less than nine months, with the first residents expected to move in by early summer 2022. They will be built using an innovative timber frame construction process, that involves constructing elements of the properties offsite – in a factory-controlled setting – before transporting them to site for assembly. The method uses the same materials, standards and codes as conventionally built homes but the controlled plant conditions ensure the process is completed more quickly than a traditional build. They will be constructed using a ‘Fabric first’ approach – which involves maximising performance of the materials and components that make up the very fabric of a building. This will help to achieve a key objective of the project, which is to ensure energy efficiency, lower fuel bills and tackle the fuel poverty problems that some Leeds City Council tenants face. The eco-friendly scheme will also support the council’s commitment to reduce the city’s direct carbon emissions to net-zero by 2030 and make Leeds a greener, fairer and healthier city. The project is being delivered through Leeds City Council’s Housing Growth Programme (CHGP), which aims to build around 1500 new, high-quality social housing units over the next five years. Once completed, the new homes will be managed by the council and will become part of its affordable housing stock, Mick Holling, Managing Director with United Living New Homes North, said: “Leeds is a thriving and growing city which needs new, good quality housing to meet demand. We look forward to playing a central role in regenerating this area of Leeds and creating much-needed new homes for local people. “The timber frame sector is transforming the way new homes are built. It offers a comprehensive, energy-efficient and low carbon solution for social housing that is high-quality, affordable and easily accessible and adaptable”. Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s Executive Member for Infrastructure and Climate, said: “One of Leeds’ biggest priorities is to provide enough housing to meet the needs of a growing population. This is why we have developed our programme to build 1,500 new affordable homes over the next 5 years; all of which need to be high quality and accessible. Not only will this scheme positively contribute towards this ambition, it will also help us achieve our climate targets by providing people with energy efficient, low carbon homes. “I look forward to following the progress of this scheme and welcoming our first residents later this year.” As the principal contractor for the development, United Living will partner with Leeds City Council and William Saunders Architects.
Stylish, high-quality products matched with outstanding quality control and a seamless delivery process are just some of the reasons why leading uPVC window and door manufacturer Euramax Solutions has been chosen as a main supplier of modular home manufacturer ilke Homes. Based in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, ilke Homes manufactures up to 2,000 modular homes every year for local authorities, housing associations, developers and private investors, and can produce a home in just 15 days, with four modules coming off the production line each day. “In order to increase our output, we needed to collaborate with like-minded suppliers, and for the past two years, Euramax has really understood our manufacturing processes,” comments ilke Homes Procurement Manager Rachel Kaye. “In addition to supplying us with high-quality products, Euramax provides an excellent, efficient delivery service, really allowing us to streamline and get the most out of our production processes.” Working from a state-of-the-art 205,000 square foot manufacturing facility, Euramax Solutions manufactures high-quality uPVC and aluminium windows and doors that are the perfect fit for modular buildings. The company delivers all its products in stillages, minimising product damage during transportation, while also eliminating unnecessary plastic waste. Module identification numbers (MINs) are also provided for each stillage – these are specific to the windows and doors for each house and module type, ensuring products can be installed without hassle. Rachel continues: “Communication between everyone in the modular supply chain is vital to success, and thanks to regular monthly meetings and consistent input from Euramax’s technical team, we’ve been able to continue successfully producing modular homes. “Apart from being a reliable, trustworthy supplier, Euramax has allowed us to achieve the best possible outcome for our products.” Euramax Solutions Managing Director Nick Cowley comments: “Removing the complexity from supply chains, reducing production costs and increasing productivity is what we do every day for our clients in the modular construction sector. “Since partnering with ilke Homes, we’ve been delighted to supply such a big name in this market with our products. “We’re delighted that the company is happy with both our products and our delivery service, something we are very proud of. “It’s a real testament to our hard work and commitment, and we look forward to working with ilke Homes for many years to come.” For more information, call 0330 1340 290 or visit www.euramaxuk.com/
Stewart Milne Homes has secured an additional £13million from Homes England to accelerate the delivery of new homes across a number of its developments in North West England. This funding announcement, which follows on from a 2018 award of £11.5million, brings the total number of new homes to be delivered by this ongoing partnership to almost 1,000, boosting the economy, adding to community infrastructure and supporting the creation of new jobs. The funding will support the Scottish independent, award-wining housebuilder in delivering the new homes across eight developments in Alsager, Broughton, Chester, Congleton, Hooton, Prescot, Warton and Willaston. These developments, which will create desirable communities with a balanced mix of family homes, around 30% of which will be affordable, will help meet the country’s housing shortfall. The developments are at various stages, with Callenders Green in Prescot due to complete this month and Broughton Park due to commence in the next few weeks. Working in partnership with Homes England, Stewart Milne Homes secured the loan from the £3billion Home Building Fund which aims to increase the number of new homes being built across the country with a target of delivering 300,000 new homes per annum. Paul Challinor, managing director of Stewart Milne Homes North West England, believes the fund, which was already helping to address the country’s long-term housing challenge pre-COVID, is more important than ever as the country embarks on the road to recovery following lockdown. He said: “The construction industry can play a major role in getting the economy back on its feet after lockdown. It’s crucial in terms of supporting jobs and the supply chain as well as closing the gap between supply and demand for homes. “As we emerge from lockdown, private, independent developers, like ourselves, will find it even more challenging to make the up-front investment required to close that gap. “The Homes England funding enables us to accelerate the delivery of outstanding new communities for local residents and help the UK Government meet its housing targets. “Securing the funds is testament to the strong relationship we’ve built with Homes England over a number of years, demonstrates the confidence they place in us to deliver and underlines our commitment to investing in the North West.” Terry Errington, head of structured real estate finance, Homes England, said: “Our relationship with Stewart Milne Group continues to strengthen and we are pleased to advance additional loan funding to deliver much needed open market and affordable homes across the region. We are supportive of building capacity and productivity in the construction sector, and Stewart Milne Group’s off site manufacturing model is a key element of this focus.”. Stewart Milne Homes North West, a division of Stewart Milne Group, was established in 2006. Since then it has been on a steep upward growth trajectory. This exceptional growth, along with its high levels of customer service, has been recognised by several awards, most recently three winners in the NHBC Pride in the Job awards for construction quality on site. Mr Challinor added: “Having experienced rapid growth in the North West in recent years, we have become a recognised brand in the region with a reputation for delivering quality, family homes in desirable new communities with a focus on craftsmanship and very high design specifications. “We will continue to invest in the region through our strategy of acquisition of sites in prime residential locations, to create communities where demand is strongest for our new mix of family homes.”
The new partnership between Wates Residential and Orbit will bring a further 42 new homes to the London Borough of Bexley. Already creating more than 700 homes in Bexley, the partnership will further contribute to the redevelopments of a site on West Street in Erith. “We are delighted to be able to continue our award-winning work with Orbit, which has already led to more than 700 new homes in Bexley either being built or in the pipeline. We look forward to getting started on the West Street project, which will not only deliver more crucial housing for the area but will also lead to increased employment and training opportunities for local residents,” said Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Wates Residential. The £9.4 million scheme will see vacant buildings including a former car parts warehouse replaced with a contemporary low-rise design including seven homes for London Affordable Rent, 14 homes for London Living Rent and 21 homes for Shared Ownership sale. The plans also include a car park with electric charging points and large community garden. The development of the site forms part of Orbit’s long-term strategy for delivering high quality new homes in Erith and the wider region, and will contribute towards improvements to the quality of the streetscape and the overall appearance of the local area. “We are pleased to once again be partnering with Wates to deliver much needed affordable housing to local people in Bexley. Wates understands our aim of ‘building thriving communities’ and we look forward to delivering more high quality homes for local families who need them,” added Shina Olalekan, Head of Development at Orbit. As part of the West Street project, Wates Residential and Orbit have also pledged to provide employment and training opportunities for local residents. It follows Orbit and Wates Residential’s successful regeneration of Larner Road into the award-winning Erith Park in Bexley. The contractor has also been appointed to help deliver Orbit’s proposed £95 million regeneration of the Arthur Street housing estate in Bexley, featuring 280 new homes.
A contract to build Powys County Council’s first affordable housing development for social rent in over 40 years has been awarded to a Welsh building company. Port Talbot-based Jistcourt has been appointed as lead contractor to build a three-storey building containing 26 one-bedroomed flats in Newtown. The company, who are committed to using local sub-contractors, is a major player in the building and civil engineering industry and have worked with a number of councils and housing associations in Wales. The £3.5m development, which is being built on land adjacent to Newtown Bowling Club at Back Lane, will provide low-carbon accommodation available at an affordable rent. Home grown timber will be used as part of its construction with timber being used for both the primary structure and external materials, including windows and doors, which supports the council’s Wood Encouragement Policy. The Welsh Government has granted almost £2.2m in funding through its Innovative Housing Programme towards the development of the flats. Cllr James Evans, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “I’m delighted that Jistcourt (South Wales) Ltd have been appointed as the lead contractor for this exciting and innovative social housing development project. “This development, which will meet the needs of the local community, is just the first of many housing developments that we are planning across the county. It will also help meet our Vision 2025 – to build a minimum of 250 affordable homes across the county by 2023. “We are looking forward to working with Jistcourt for the duration of this construction project.” Rob Norman, Chairman of Jistcourt, said: “We are looking forward to working with Powys County Council on this exciting new development to provide 26 new affordable housing units in Newtown.”
The modern building techniques of a leading civil engineering firm are set to be part of one of the UK’s most innovative house building projects. With demand for homes outstripping supply in the UK, experts have praised the possibilities that factory-built modular housing could deliver for the UK’s housing needs. Home Group, one of the UK’s largest providers of high quality housing, health and social care, has set up Gateshead Innovation Village, a truly unique project to assess the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of modern methods of construction (MMC). Home Group is working with five MMC manufacturers to develop 35 modular houses and panelised houses as well as six traditional, brick and mortar homes, which will be assessed by specialists for a range of issues over a year long period. Seymour Civil Engineering is contracted by leading regeneration specialist, ENGIE who is delivering the project on behalf of Group, to look after the roads, sewers and foundations at the site. The Hartlepool-based civil engineering firm has been laying the foundations at the site and is also responsible for the internal and external drainage, services and hard landscaping. Thomas Brown, Seymour Civil Engineering Site Manager, said: “This is the first time we have worked in this way – and it is so interesting to watch the process. The main difference is the way we lay the foundations. “With traditional construction, perimeter walls and load-bearing walls need deep foundations – and therefore deep excavation – to support the load of the structure. “However, the modular homes require shallow excavation with concrete and blockwork plinths as the weight of the property is spread across the site.” Due to the current housing shortage, the UK needs to build between 240,000 and 300,000 new homes annually. The industry is currently building around 190,000 houses per year due to the cost of building homes and declining number of skilled workers. Thomas added: “The time taken to erect a modular house is a fraction of the time it takes to construct a traditional build. “Myself and the team have found this project fascinating and amazing to watch the homes as they are erected and complete in such a small space of time. “We’re all very proud to be part of this fantastic project.” He added: “I’m 100% certain that this is the future of housebuilding in this country.” Stuart Dickens, Seymour Civil Engineering Construction Director, said: “Seymour is always keen to take on board projects where the expertise and skills of our engineers will be utilised in new and innovative ways. “We feel that Gateshead Innovation Village does just that as well as giving us all the opportunity to be involved within the future of the house building sector. “It’s exciting to be involved and we look forward to seeing the first residents move into their pioneering properties.” Seymour Civil Engineering started on the project in June last year and the development is due for completion in May. The properties are manufactured in a state-of-the-art factory using the latest technologies and they will boast features such as smart controlled solar panel systems. Once the village is built householders will share their experiences of the housing type and technology.
Whether you love or loath IKEA, there is no denying the thrill of picking out furniture and seeing it in your home on the same day. More and more house builders are now taking a leaf out of Ikea’s book with housing estates being constructed using modular build practices. While modular builds won’t mean new housing estates springing up in a matter of hours, it will considerably reduce the wait. However, that is just one of the benefits of a pre-fabricated approach, as Nick Cowley, managing director of uPVC windows and doors expert, Euramax, explains. The flatpack phenomenon is still changing the way we live and work. In the last three decades, machinery and technology developments have meant that bigger, stronger and more efficient modular structures, including schools, business parks and medical facilities, are being built across the globe. Modular buildings and homes are prefabricated away from the final building site in sections, or modules. These are then delivered to the intended site where installation occurs. The need for speed As modular buildings are able to be constructed in highly controlled environments, it means that the build process can be completed up to 50 per cent faster than by using traditional construction methods. This ability to be built and installed quicker, means that the return on investment (ROI) is potentially far greater than traditional building projects, as the construction phase is significantly shortened. Show me the money The overall cost of the build can be reduced by up to 30 per cent by using modular practices. Shorter build time saves money on reduced labour costs and on-site equipment hire costs. The overall cost of construction materials will also be reduced as it means that the pre-fabricator can buy materials required in larger quantities for multiple projects, rather than just on an ad-hoc basis. These materials will all be delivered to one location, rather than multiple construction sites, so transportation and delivery costs are lower too. Modular construction also means that any installed elements, like windows and doors, or practical elements such as kitchens or light fixtures, can be delivered and installed all at once. Expert suppliers, like uPVC window and door manufacturer, Euramax, can deliver equipment and materials either to the pre-fabrication facility, or directly on site. The process of constructing a modular build off site means that any errors or issues with construction can be eliminated before arriving on site. This means that staff are less likely to need to spend large amounts of time and effort fixing things once installation is complete. Customisable options Modular builds open up huge potential in terms of design aesthetic and innovation. Traditional building designs are often restricted by the amount of space and planning regulations of how much work can be done to the local area and land. However, modular builds can be designed to a set of specifications that adapt to any restrictions that may be in place. As each modular build is tailored to the individual users needs, the construction can be designed and made to the exact space, budget and design requirements. Modular buildings are also commonly constructed out of more durable and environmentally sustainable materials, making the properties a better investment for both the construction company and the buyer. So, while the cheap and cheerful, cookie-cutter style furniture you buy and build from IKEA can be cost effective and an instantaneous moment of gratification, modular builds open up a much wider range of opportunity to reduce costs, speed up projects and create a unique look.
Construction work is underway on a new £400 million housing scheme in Leeds led by CEG that will see over 1,000 new homes and 400,000 sq ft of offices, retail, leisure and community spaces developed at Kirkstall Forge. Phase one of the scheme will be delivered by Tolent, including the construction of two prototype houses. “This is another great win for the team which really shows the depth of experience and expertise we have as a national construction firm. With such a significant and visionary project that is already winning awards, we’re looking forward to being a part of this legacy for Leeds as well as the innovative prototype housing which is something new for us,” commented Regional director for Tolent, John Currie. The two prototype houses will be completed this summer and, once finished, members of CEG’s design team will move into the three and five-bed homes and test out the living experience. Improvement will be then made, according to their feedback, to finesse the final product. Following that, phase one of the scheme will see the construction of 112 contemporary homes, which were designed by Stirling Prize winner Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. “This innovative way of delivering prototype housing follows the attention to detail we have paid to everything we are delivering at Kirkstall Forge,” added James Shimwell, head of residential development at Kirkstall Forge. “By testing every detail we can ensure we best complement Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios’ inspiring design, which maximises the acres of green space and waterfront opportunity.”
