Chetwoods have designed this scheme for an iconic national distribution centre that aims to be the ‘most sustainable warehouse in the world’. Commissioned by logistics developers Gazeley, the scheme seeks to enhance its environment and improve the health and wellbeing of its occupants. The building and the landscape which surround
Award-winning West Country house builder Devonshire Homes has appointed two new Joint Acting Managing Directors. Jane Pearce and Cris Neale, who have both held senior positions at the Tiverton-based house builder, have now taken the reins at the firm, which has been building homes across the South West since 1992.
Parr Facilities Management Limited has announced an exciting contract win to kick off 2020 after being named a trusted maintenance provider by Co-op across their Food and Funeralcare estate. The Maintenance Framework Agreement which will apply to Co-op sites across the UK and Northern Ireland will cover sites spanning across
EQUITONE fibre cement facade material has passed the BS 8414 fire safety test – further securing its position as being safe to use in high-rise and high-risk buildings. The rigorous test, which was sponsored by TENMAT Ltd, evaluates whether a cladding system that is subjected to a fire breaking out
The former site of a church in Lowton is being redeveloped to provide 26 much-needed new homes. Elan Homes acquired the 1.78 acre site on Newton Road from the Archdiocese of Liverpool following full planning permission being granted. Groundworks are now complete and construction of the first homes is now
THE homebuilder behind four successful Flintshire developments is keen to acquire additional land to satisfy demand. Flintshire Council’s Local Development Plan sets out a vision of delivering 7,000 new homes by 2030. Elan Homes has a proven track record and is well-placed to help deliver the target. In recent years,
Robert Kerr from Rotherham, has recently joined the Leeds-based Harron Homes Yorkshire executive team as Construction Director. With almost four decades experience in the construction industry, it is a role he is well placed to undertake. Robert, age 54, who is known as Bob, was most recently Construction Director at
Thankfully, the days when business was a completely male-dominated field are over. There are, however, still some improvements that need to be made in terms of equal opportunities between the genders, especially in terms of progressing beyond entry-level jobs. But in the upper echelons of business management we are now
To coincide with National Apprenticeship Week 2020, Leeds College of Building has announced it is teaming up with The Guinness Partnership, managers of the new housing development opposite the College’s South Bank Campus. Construction is due to start on the new development near Leeds Docks and the Royal Armouries Museum
FirstPort, the residential property management company, will manage the new homes being built at Wichelstowe, one of the most significant new home developments in Swindon’s recent history. The latest phase of Wichelstowe (see picture), named Canalside@Wichelstowe, will feature a mix of 208 apartments and houses from five-star builders David Wilson
Chetwoods have designed this scheme for an iconic national distribution centre that aims to be the ‘most sustainable warehouse in the world’. Commissioned by logistics developers Gazeley, the scheme seeks to enhance its environment and improve the health and wellbeing of its occupants. The building and the landscape which surround it act as one entity, each benefiting from the other in a symbiotic way. The native flora and fauna spills into the site, and the landscaping is either edible, encouraging pollinators, or used for recreational purposes. The project continues our long-term work with Gazeley on its ‘Route to Net Zero’ sustainability roadmap, which outlines the vision for creating the world’s most innovative sustainable buildings. Graeme Munro, head of construction Europe, Gazeley: “We’ve worked with Chetwoods for the last 30 years and their specialist environmental sustainability and wellbeing knowledge was key to developing our Route to Net Zero. Thrive is the perfect partner to help us realise our sustainability goals.”
Award-winning West Country house builder Devonshire Homes has appointed two new Joint Acting Managing Directors. Jane Pearce and Cris Neale, who have both held senior positions at the Tiverton-based house builder, have now taken the reins at the firm, which has been building homes across the South West since 1992. With over 25 years’ experience in property development, Jane joined Devonshire Homes in 2009 as Head of Sales and Marketing, becoming a Director in 2015. As the Sales and Marketing Director, Jane led the Sales team to ensure that sales targets were met and oversaw the operations of the Marketing Suites located across the region. Jane was instrumental in leading the re-branding and marketing campaigns for Devonshire Homes, establishing the house builder’s position in the region as a high-quality, trustworthy developer. Cris also has over 25 years of housing development experience. After previously being Senior Surveyor at Devonshire Homes from 2004 to 2010, Cris re-joined the company in 2013 as Development Manager and was made a Director in 2015. As the Commercial and Technical Director, Cris was, and remains, responsible for the procurement, quantity surveying and technical aspects of the business which was key to the successful delivery of their recent outstanding developments. Jane and Cris will lead on identifying land opportunities and be responsible for overseeing operations from land purchase through to customer service. Cris commented: “Jane and I have been appointed Joint Acting Managing Directors at a time when the business is focused on growth with a strong desire to become one of the larger players in the region. We are both dedicated to facilitating Devonshire Homes’ growth ambitions to deliver over 250 homes per annum by 2022.” Jane added: “Devonshire Homes has two new sites launching in 2020. We will be releasing homes for sale at Longston Cross, Bovey Tracey, at the beginning of March, and we have recently been granted planning permission for our new Kingsbridge site, Applegate Park. These sites are poised to deliver much needed new homes in South Devon and we’re particularly looking forward to working with the team to make effective starts on these sites and deliver high quality homes and developments.” Independent house builder, Devonshire Homes, has been creating new homes and communities in towns and rural areas across Devon since 1992. The house builder specialises in providing homes which reflect the traditional characteristics and building styles of the region combined with high specification, contemporary interiors. Current developments include: Ladywell Meadows, Chulmleigh; Tarka View, Crediton; Longston Cross, Bovey Tracey and Gwallon Keas, St. Austell. For more information, visit www.devonshirehomes.co.uk.
Parr Facilities Management Limited has announced an exciting contract win to kick off 2020 after being named a trusted maintenance provider by Co-op across their Food and Funeralcare estate. The Maintenance Framework Agreement which will apply to Co-op sites across the UK and Northern Ireland will cover sites spanning across the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. A significant new client for this company on the rise, the partnership between Parr FM Limited and Co-op will encompass facilities management works across a diverse range of disciplines including fabric, mechanical and electrical management services as well as specialist services where required. Speaking on behalf of Parr Facilities Management Limited, Ivan Morley, Facilities Management Director, said, “Parr Facilities Management boasts a wealth of experience providing electrical and mechanical management services to retail, healthcare and hospitality sectors throughout the UK and Ireland. Winning another contract with one of the UK’s most trusted brands was certainly a highlight of 2019 and reinforces our continued growth across mainland UK. We look forward to supporting the team at Co-op sites across the UK and Northern Ireland beginning this month to enable them to maintain their excellent standard of customer satisfaction and experience.” Parr Facilities management launched in Belfast in 2007 and chose Greater Manchester as its base for their UK-wide operation. Systematic of Parr Facilities Managements recent growth, the organisation has invested heavily in new offices located in Bolton, staff and infrastructure across the UK, with an estimated 60% increase in its workforce over the past year to support a number of big business wins within its FM division including contracts with Co-op, BUPA & Whitbread. These contracts have contributed to a quadrupled turnover within this period of growth. Parr Facilities Management Limited currently employs over 100 members of staff across its Belfast and Manchester operational bases.
EQUITONE fibre cement facade material has passed the BS 8414 fire safety test – further securing its position as being safe to use in high-rise and high-risk buildings. The rigorous test, which was sponsored by TENMAT Ltd, evaluates whether a cladding system that is subjected to a fire breaking out of an opening in an external wall will result in excessive fire spread up the outside of the building – creating a risk of the blaze re-entering the building at a higher level. BS 8414 tests are conducted in specialist laboratories and involve building a 9m high model wall, covering it in a cladding system and starting a fire at the bottom. It is important to note that the classification applies solely to the complete external facade system that has been tested. All EQUITONE materials comprehensively meet the fire performance classification A2-s1,d0 to EN 13501-1:2018 – meaning they do not contribute to the formation or spread of a fire. EQUITONE [natura] was the material used during the BS 8414 test and further reinforces EQUITONE’s long-standing commitment to ensuring its materials are safe and suitable to use. Martin Smithurst, technical manager at EQUITONE, said: “Building material combustibility is a key focal point during the specification stage so we are delighted that EQUITONE has passed the BS 8414 test, which strengthens its position as a robust material that does not contribute to the formation or spread of a fire. “The BS 8414 test is designed to simulate the response to a fire spilling out of a window – exposing the external facade to the fire to see how it spreads. It provides a rigorous assessment of cladding systems. As EQUITONE has passed the test, it is officially classified as being safe to use in high-rise and high-risk buildings. “When choosing facade materials that need to meet the demands of the current fire performance requirements, our dedicated technical and specification team can offer expert support to architects, designers and contractors – from the initial design concept through to build completion and beyond.” All EQUITONE materials have a life expectancy of at least 50 years and are available in a range of colours, finishes and fixing options, giving full creative scope. For more information on EQUITONE facade materials, visit www.equitone.com/en-gb.
The former site of a church in Lowton is being redeveloped to provide 26 much-needed new homes. Elan Homes acquired the 1.78 acre site on Newton Road from the Archdiocese of Liverpool following full planning permission being granted. Groundworks are now complete and construction of the first homes is now underway at the development, which is to be marketed as “St Catherine’s Gardens”. Philip Palmer, Land Director for Elan Homes in the North, said: “Redeveloping previously developed sites is part of our land acquisition strategy. The Lowton site presented a perfect opportunity to provide new homes in an area where there is a pent up demand for housing. “St Catherine’s Parish Hall was demolished several years ago, with the church itself cleared from the site in 2018. By building new homes we’re bringing brownfield land back into good use and contributing to Wigan Council’s housing supply both for open market and affordable properties. While work here has only just started, we are keen to acquire similar brownfield sites across the North West suitable for building 20 to 150 homes.” At Lowton Elan will build 20 open market homes, including three and four-bedroom semi-detached and detached designs, ranging from 933 sq ft to 1497 sq ft. There will also be six affordable homes consisting of two-bedroom Audley and three-bedroom Howden types, which will be available through shared equity at 70% of the open market value. Elan will also make a £25,000 off-site contribution towards affordable housing locally and contribute almost £45,000 towards open space provision at Pennington Flash Country Park. “The development will predominantly be two storeys in height with some 2.5 storey homes. This is in keeping with the surrounding area and is a significant reduction from the height of the church that once stood on the site,” Philip added. “Our aim is to complement the character of the neighbourhood, adding visual interest.” Homes will be built using quality materials including grey concrete roofs with red ridge tiles and red multi brick with contrasting red engineering brick. Some homes will be finished with off-white rough cast render. All private plots with parking spaces/ drives will have electric vehicle charging points. Other sustainable features include bird boxes and bat bricks/ slates. Existing trees at the rear or the site will be retained, plus Elan will carry out additional tree planting on site. With easy access to both Liverpool and Manchester, homes at the development will appeal to commuters. Situated in the catchment area for schools in nearby Culcheth, where Elan has built previously, the properties are also sure to be popular with families. To explore land opportunities with the Elan team visit https://www.elan-homes.co.uk/about-elan/land-enquiries. To find out more about where Elan is building or to register interest in St Catherine’s Gardens see https://www.elan-homes.co.uk/developments.
THE homebuilder behind four successful Flintshire developments is keen to acquire additional land to satisfy demand. Flintshire Council’s Local Development Plan sets out a vision of delivering 7,000 new homes by 2030. Elan Homes has a proven track record and is well-placed to help deliver the target. In recent years, the company has delivered new homes across developments in Penyfford, Penymynydd and Argoed, with the final phase now on sale at Kinnerton Meadows, Higher Kinnerton. Philip Palmer, land director for Elan Homes in the North, explained: “We’ve provided more than 100 new homes across Flintshire in recent years, helping to deliver high quality housing the region needs. In order to maintain momentum in delivering housing it’s imperative that we continue to work with land owners and local authorities to tackle the housing shortage. “The developments we’ve progressed in Flintshire demonstrate our ability to take a flexible approach, adapting our plans to fit the local housing market. We look forward to speaking with landowners and their representatives to understand where we could unlock development potential and contribute to the council’s targets for delivering new homes.” Elan successfully redeveloped the site of a former service station on Main Road, Argoed, near Mold, to provide 24 new homes. Over at Kinnerton Meadows, 56 properties are being built – 45 private sale and 11 affordable homes. The scheme brings with it a package of investment in the local area for the benefit of the wider community including almost £185,000 for the remodelling of music teaching facilities at Castell Alun High School, plus almost £135,000 for improvements to teaching accommodation at Higher Kinnerton CP School. Elan will also contribute £40,000 towards improvements to neighbourhood play facilities on Park Avenue. “Elan is proud to be playing its part in delivering much-needed new homes across Flintshire,” Philip added. “Housing developments bring added value to communities. Along with providing new homes, they generate investment in facilities and offer employment.” Elan’s Northern business will consider development sites, with or without planning up to 10 hectares in size, with the strategic arm of the business seeking and working on much larger parcels of land, within the region and across the country. To explore land opportunities with the Elan team visit https://www.elan-homes.co.uk/about-elan/land-enquiries.
Robert Kerr from Rotherham, has recently joined the Leeds-based Harron Homes Yorkshire executive team as Construction Director. With almost four decades experience in the construction industry, it is a role he is well placed to undertake. Robert, age 54, who is known as Bob, was most recently Construction Director at a Bradford based housebuilder. Bob was attracted to Harron Homes because of the high specification of the properties it builds and the opportunity the role offered to develop the construction and customer care teams to further improve customer satisfaction. He said “It’s a very exciting time for the business and I’m eager to use my skills to drive Harron Homes towards its future goals.” Noel Adams, Managing Director for Harron Homes Yorkshire, said: “Bob’s wealth of experience means he was an obvious choice for the post. “Our operational area boasts some of the UK’s most attractive locations, some of its richest history and some of its most charming communities. “I am proud to say that the company has experienced great success over the past two decades years bringing high quality, family homes to these areas and with Bob’s input we look forward to playing our part in meeting the continued demand.” When he’s not out on site, Bob enjoys both playing and watching football, and spending time with his family – wife Julie and daughters Lauren and Emily. Harron Homes is currently building a range of executive new homes across Yorkshire, from Harrogate to Barnsley and Huddersfield to Howden, including a number of new developments due to launch in 2020 in Pocklington and Carlton. Harron Homes was founded in 1992 in Leeds. For more information about careers or for details of the homes for sale visit www.harronhomes.co.uk.
Thankfully, the days when business was a completely male-dominated field are over. There are, however, still some improvements that need to be made in terms of equal opportunities between the genders, especially in terms of progressing beyond entry-level jobs. But in the upper echelons of business management we are now finally progressing towards a situation where it’s no longer unusual for a woman to be in charge. Many of the most powerful business leaders now in the world are women. That includes company presidents and CEOs, as well as influencers, government advisors, entrepreneurs and lobbyists. These women also provide much-needed role models and inspiration for younger women just starting out in business, proving that if there is still a “glass ceiling” hindering women in their career advancement, then it’s there to be broken. World power Every year, Fortune Magazine lists the most powerful women in business, based on the global size and importance of their business, the direction it’s heading in, the career arc of the woman in question and their social and cultural influence. In 2019, Marilyn Hewson, CEO of US aerospace and defence giant Lockheed Martin, held the number one spot for the second year running. Hewson joined the Lockheed Corporation in 1983 and has been the CEO since 2013. The company’s market cap has doubled since then, and last year Forbes named her as the tenth most powerful woman in the world. Running a close second to Marilyn Hewson in the business power stakes is Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors. Working her way up from the assembly line, Barra became CEO in 2013 and is also a member of the Business Council, sits on the General Dynamics Board of Directors, and in 2017 was elected to the board of Disney. At General Motors she has shifted the company’s focus towards technological innovation in the form of electric and driverless cars. UK women One of the most powerful women in the UK business world has long been Lady Barbara Judge. Born in the US, Lady Judge was the first female chair of the Institute of Directors, and has been a chair of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the Pension Protection Fund and fraud prevention service Cifas, as well as an ambassador for UK Trade & Investment. She remains a powerful advocate for women in business and an important influencer on government policy and financial affairs. Last year, Sharon White DBE replaced Sir Charles Mayfield as chair of the John Lewis Partnership. A former civil servant under Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and then David Cameron, White coordinated the UK government’s response to the 2008 global financial crisis. She was only the second woman to be made permanent secretary to the British Treasury, and the first person of colour. As well as heading up John Lewis, which has an annual revenue of £10bn, White was also the CEO of communications regulator Ofcom until November 2019. Technological shift Since 2012, Virginia ‘Ginni’ Rometty has been the CEO of IBM, and was the global tech giant’s first female CEO, president and chair. After overseeing the acquisition and integration of PricewaterhouseCoopers, Rometty has successfully steered the company away from focussing solely on the manufacture of computers and operating systems, towards a more forward-looking emphasis on machine learning, AI and quantum computing. She recently announced that she was stepping down from the role, but will doubtless remain a highly influential figure in the world business community. The green queen The most influential women in the business world are not all business leaders. Kathleen Rogers is president of the Earth Day Network pressure group. Under her direction, the network has grown into a full-time activist organisation that has a direct impact on corporate and government policy in many nations around the world. Earth Day itself has over a billion participants in 192 countries. Rogers has been directly involved in helping develop financial mechanisms that can support the creation of green buildings and schools. She was also the force behind the ‘Billion Acts of Green’ programme, which so far has encouraged and recorded roughly three billion individual environmentally-friendly actions. Driving profits The chief operating officer of Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg, is said to be worth over $1.8 billion thanks to her stock options and smart investments, as well as her salary. She is the first woman to serve on Facebook’s board of directors, and came to the company from Google, where she was vice-president of global online sales and operations. Sandberg is widely credited as turning Facebook into a highly profitable concern, and is co-author of the book Lean In: Women, Work And The Will To Lead (Knopf, 2013). All of these women have made it to the top of their respective fields in different ways, and all have inspired many others to follow in their footsteps
To coincide with National Apprenticeship Week 2020, Leeds College of Building has announced it is teaming up with The Guinness Partnership, managers of the new housing development opposite the College’s South Bank Campus. Construction is due to start on the new development near Leeds Docks and the Royal Armouries Museum later this year. This will be the largest development in Guinness’s 130-year history and will provide 928 homes as the basis for a dynamic community for local people and residents. Guinness is committed to working with the College to develop opportunities for students, including career talks, employability skills, site visits, work placements and apprenticeships. Two areas that the housing provider is looking to focus on are addressing the national skills shortage and diversity in the workplace – key elements of the College’s strategic objectives. This year is the 13th annual National Apprenticeship Week, coordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service, which is an annual week-long celebration of apprenticeships across England and is a time to recognise and applaud apprenticeship success stories across the country. The College currently has 2,500 apprentices on programme, with 2,250 of these training in Leeds, and a large number of apprentices progressing from the College’s 16-18 study programme provision. Strong links with organisations that can support students with their career choices (such as Guinness) is vital. Derek Whitehead, CEO & Principal at Leeds College of Building, said: “Whilst classroom and workshop studies are essential, there is no doubt to the importance of site visits, work placements and job opportunities. Projects such as these give our students incredible insight into new developments within the industry; they benefit immensely from seeing what life is like on a live site”. Catriona Simons, Chief Executive of Guinness, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Leeds College of Building to promote high quality training through apprenticeships in the community we serve in Leeds. Apprenticeships are a key way of promoting skills development and increasing diversity across the construction and housing maintenance sectors. This partnership will enable students to gain real experience and insight into the careers available, while contributing to the delivery of affordable homes in the Leeds area.”
FirstPort, the residential property management company, will manage the new homes being built at Wichelstowe, one of the most significant new home developments in Swindon’s recent history. The latest phase of Wichelstowe (see picture), named Canalside@Wichelstowe, will feature a mix of 208 apartments and houses from five-star builders David Wilson Homes and Barratt. It is anticipated the first residents will be able to move into their new homes in the summer. Wichelstowe is being delivered by a joint venture company which is a 50:50 partnership between Swindon Borough Council and Barratt Developments plc. Over the next 20 years, the Wichelstowe Joint Venture will deliver around 3,000 new homes on a 250-hectare area of land. Wichelstowe, which will have an extensive area of open space featuring playing pitches, allotments and nature conservation, will include three primary schools and a secondary school. Daniel Pavely, Project Director for Wichelstowe, said: “It is important to us that our chosen management company has a strong customer focus and drive to help us to promote and develop a thriving community at Wichelstowe. We have found FirstPort to be professional and knowledgeable – they have taken the time to understand our requirements and are playing an active role in delivering the management services. We are looking forward to working with the FirstPort team.” FirstPort has also been appointed by St George City to manage 320 apartments, commercial units and landscaped courtyard gardens at Royal Exchange, Kingston. This luxury development that epitomises modem living. The site, planned for 2021, is a former Grade II listed telephone exchange which, alongside a Post Office building, will be refurbished for residential use. Ann-Charlotte Binnberg, Head of Business Development, FirstPort said: “It’s great that we can add value right at the start of new build projects, before they are even occupied. Clients are seeking out our strategic and design support early on things like service delivery, service-charge modelling and community initiatives to make sure their developments are good value for customers and great places to live.”
