The University of Bath has announced plans to spend £100 million on improving its campus over the next three years that will enhance student experience and create new jobs in the building trades.

The University’s major refurbishment programme announced today will provide 708 en-suite bedrooms in 75 flats across two buildings and deliver increased space for teaching and research improved facilities, creating employment opportunities for people in the building engineering sector.

A new multimillion Art Centre will be built by the autumn of 2014 including general teaching building facilities with a main 350-seat lecture theatre which is due to open in October 2013

Building plans have been submitted to Bath and North East Somerset Council which is expected to reach a decision and give the green light to the improvement scheme by October 2012.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof Dame Glynis Breakwell, said: “Despite continuing economic uncertainty and the changing tuition fee landscape, the University of Bath is facing the future with great confidence.

“Our aim is to further enhance the university’s ability to deliver an outstanding student experience; creating additional facilities for research, and an inspiring working environment, as well as providing cultural and economic benefits for the wider Bath region.”

What is your reaction on the £100 million regeneration scheme at the University of Bath? Share your thoughts by commenting here or raising your voice on our Facebook page.

The University of Cambridge has been granted planning permission to build 3, 000 new homes as part of its £1 billion development in northwest Cambridge, creating significant employment opportunities for people in the trades.

The planning application for the 150 hectare site was approved by local authorities today, paving the way for residential and development partners to start building construction work in early 2013.

Cambridgeshire County Councillor Ian Bates welcomed the project’s planning consent. He commented that the £1 billion investment will encourage economic growth and create new jobs, showing that Cambridge is truly open for business.

Mr Bates said: “This new development and investment in the University will be a major boost to jobs in the area and help attract even more business.

“A booming Cambridge economy is good for our local communities and the nation as we have the ability to help the country out of recession.”

The University of Cambridge said in a statement today that it will provide 1,500 homes for key University and College employees, 1,500 homes for sale and accommodation for 2,000 students.

New 100,000 square metres research institutes will be built to the University’s wide range of community facilities. Around one third of the site will be used as public open space for sports, informal recreation and ecological use.

“This development is a major part of the University’s long term future,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz. “It will provide much of the residential and research accommodation that the University needs as it grows over the next 20 years.”

Councillor for South Cambridgeshire District Council, David Bard, said: “This development is key to the next stage in the development of Cambridge and will be an exemplar of sustainable living. The plans are of a very high quality and will deliver a new community that everyone will be very proud of.”

What is your reaction to the £1 billion investment at the University of Cambridge that will encourage economic growth and create new jobs? Share your thoughts by commenting here or raising your voice on our Facebookpage.

“Hundreds of plumbers, electricians and gas engineers to benefit from the investment”

 

Millions of funding to get low carbon heating into peoples’ homes, including into hundreds of social houses across the nation, is still up for grabs according to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Local authorities, housing associations and registered providers of social housing are being urged to benefit from the millions of pounds available from the Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP).

The scheme will replace more renewable heating systems, including biomass boilers, solar hot water panels and heat pumps, creating new employment opportunities for plumbers, electricians and gas engineers.

The RHPP has reopened thanks to the high value for money of projects already allocated funding under the scheme which will make tenants’ homes warmer, cosier and far more energy efficient.

Today, the DECC announced that up to £2.5 million of additional funding will be allocated under this element of the scheme.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: “We have already awarded nearly £5 million to 72 projects under this year’s scheme, helping householders stay warm this winter and move away from expensive old heating systems to new clean renewable ones.

“But the high value for money of the bids we have received to date means that there is still money up for grabs and I would urge social landlords across the nation to apply and take advantage of all this scheme has to offer.”

The closing date for applications is 9 October 2012 and successful bidders will be announced shortly afterwards. You can find out more about the scheme and how to apply from here.

What is your reaction to the reopening the of the Renewable Heat Premium Payment scheme which will bring financial investment to the trades and create new jobs in the industry? Share your thoughts by commenting here or raising your voice on our Facebook page.

“Electricians, gas engineers and trade professionals to benefit from the housing scheme”

Thousands of homes in the Vale of Glamorgan will be renovated as the Council appoints four building contractors to deliver £82 million refurbishment scheme that will create new jobs for plumbers, electricians and trade professionals.

Work on the multi-million scheme will include renewal of kitchens, bathrooms, rewiring, heating systems, windows, doors and roof systems.

The four-and-a-half year programme, which is due to start in September 2012, will see all council homes in the Vale brought up to the Welsh Housing Quality Standar (WHQS).

The winning contractors, Lovell Partnerships, Ian Williams, Apollo Property Services and SMK Building & Maintenance, were appointed after an extensive procurement exercise, the Council said in a statement.

Leader of the Council, Neil Moore, welcomed the appointment of the four contractors, emphasising the wider economic benefits to the local economy, paving the way for more employment opportunities in the trades and the creation of new jobs.

Mr Moore said: “We have appointed experienced contractors to deliver this programme and I am confident that tenants will be pleased with the work that is carried out.

“Not only will all council properties be upgraded, but there will be wider benefits delivered by increasing local jobs and apprenticeships in the area and spending the local pound within the Vale. This is good news for the local economy.”

The Vale of Glamorgan Council said that some of the refurbishment work will be undertaken by its own building services department, mainly on sheltered housing accommodation across the Vale.

What is your reaction to the £82 million renovation scheme which will improve living standards and bring more employment opportunities for people in the trades? Let us know what you think by commenting here or raising your voice on our Facebook and Twitter page.

Increased demand from first-time buyers coupled with the government’s increased investment in the housing market are driving new private housebuilding projects to grow by 40 per cent in the second quarter of 2012, resulting in more employment opportunities for people in the trades.  

New data published by construction industry analyst Glenigan has revealed significant year-on-year growth in the underlying value of new private housing project starts in the first two quarters of 2012, compared to the same period in 2011.

Glenigan forecasts indicate that the underlying value of project starts will increase by 29% over 2012 providing further employment opportunities for builders and trade professionals, including electricians, plumbers and gas engineers.

Glenigan said the findings are giving a strong indication that confidence is returning to the private housebuilding market, paving the way for more jobs in the building construction industry.

Economics Director at Glenigan, Allan Wilén, said that despite weak economic conditions and a fragile banking sector, housing developers have seen an increased demand from first-time buyers and the government’s incentive schemes which have helped them to make a swift economic recovery.

Commenting on the sector’s future performance Mr Wilén said:“While the threat of an increase in interest rates and the end of the stamp duty holiday have stymied the market to a certain extent, we expect the sector to continue to grow through 2012 and 2013 as the wider economy begins to recover once more.”

The figures from Glenigan, compiled through comprehensive data collation and exhaustive research, reveal that London and the South East continue to dominate the market having accounted for almost a third of the value of all new private housing schemes starting on site in the first half of 2012.

Do you welcome the figures by an industry expert Glenigan indicating significant house-building activity in the second quarter of 2012? Let us know what the implications might be for you or your business by commenting here or raising your voice on our Facebook page.

The Government will enable businesses across Britain to access more and cheaper loans which will boost the economy and create new jobs, the BBC has reported.

Chancellor George Osborne announced the new £ 80 billion scheme, describing it as “a huge help for the British economy” which will give businesses the confidence to grow.

Under the Funding for Lending Scheme British banks will be able to lend money to businesses at a low interest rate, enabling the expansion of smaller businesses and the creation of new employment opportunities.

The Chancellor said: “Today’s announcement aims to make mortgages and loans cheaper and more easily available, providing welcome support to businesses that want to expand and families aspiring to own their home.”

Mr Osborne added the initiative would “inject new confidence into our financial system and support the flow of credit to where it is needed in the real economy – showing that we are not powerless to act in the face of the Eurozone debt storm”.

Welcoming the government’s announcement Director-General at the CBI, John Cridland, said: “This new scheme should provide a real incentive for banks and building societies to increase their lending to businesses and individuals, if possible at lower rates of interest.”

What is your reaction to the Funding for Lending scheme and how do you think you will be able to benefit from the £80 billion investment? Let us know what you think by commenting here or raising your voice on our Facebook and Twitter page.

“The CBI is urging the government to get its act together and accelerate infrastructure investment”

 

The CBI Director General, John Cridland, has urged the government in a Financial Times interview to speed up the implementation of its plan for economic growth by accelerating housing and infrastructure projects across the UK.

The head of Britain’s top business lobbying organisation criticised the government over some delays in road improvement plans and the failure to agree renewable energy subsidies, which according to the CBI are vitally important for boosting economic growth.

“I think it is really disappointing how long it is taking to get momentum and urgency into the growth plan.” The Director General told the Financial Times.

Meanwhile, CBI Director for Business and Environment, Rhian Kelly launched, Creating Britain’s future, a new campaign for the UK’s Contractors Group, highlighting the crucial role that the construction sector plays for the creation of new jobs.

Ms Kelly said: “Our analysis shows that the construction sector has the potential to create 215,000 jobs across the UK and throughout the supply chain.

“It is more important than ever that we recognise the role of construction, both as a catalyst for local job creation across the UK in the short-term, and as the lead mover in the £250bn infrastructure renewal needed to underpin economic growth in the long-term.

“To get spades in the ground on infrastructure delivery, there must be an urgent focus across the UK on bringing forward repair, maintenance and improvement projects, for example on roads, to deliver immediate and tangible results in terms of local jobs and growth.”

Do you share the view of the CBI about the huge potential for growth and the creation of new jobs in the construction industry?  How viable do you think is this statement for your business? 

Barratt Developments PLC is today issuing a trading update for the Company and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) for the year ended 30 June 2012 ahead of its annual results announcement on Wednesday 12 September.

Highlights

• Group revenues up by c. 14% for the full year to c. £2,320m, with total completions of 12,637 units
• Group operating profit before exceptional items for the full year expected to be up by c. 41% at around £191m
• Operating margin expected to increase to c. 9.5% in the second half and c. 8.2% for the full year, up from 6.6% in the prior full year
• Full year profit before tax and exceptional items expected to increase by c. 158% to c. £110m
• Net debt almost halved against the prior year to c. £170m as at 30 June 2012, significantly lower than previous guidance
• Private forward sales up 34.6% to £378.4m as at 30 June 2012

Mark Clare, Group Chief Executive commented,

“This year has seen a rapidly improving performance across the Group and shows that our strategy is delivering, with profits up more than 150% and an almost halving of our net debt. We expect to make further good progress in the year ahead thanks to a strong forward order book, with private forward sales up 35% and more higher return land

The Future
Barratt Developments has made significant progress in both rebuilding profitability and reducing indebtedness during the year just ended.  Despite continued uncertainty surrounding the outlook for the wider UK market and constrained levels of mortgage finance, the industry has enjoyed a period of relative market stability.  Looking ahead, we expect the Government’s housing initiatives, in particular its mortgage indemnity scheme NewBuy, to continue to provide the industry with support.

In the current financial year we expect to make further good progress with more than half of completions forecast to be delivered from our more recently acquired higher margin land.

What do you think of the positive performance by one of Britain’s largest housebuilders? Share your opinion by commenting here or raise your voice on our Facebook page.

 

Housing Minister Grant Shapps has given the green light to a £30 million investment programme which will enable aspiring builders to build their own homes, offering exclusive access to funding and Government-owned land in seven locations across England.

The announcement is an attempt by the government to tackle country’s housing crisis and boost economic growth. The £30 million scheme will offer short-term loans and funding to builders, community groups and other small organisations looking to start self-build projects.

Commenting on the building investment programme, Housing Minister Shapps said: “I’m delighted to be able to announce the first seven sites with plots available exclusively for self-builders, as well as £30 million to offer short-term loans to help communities get their projects off the ground.

“This first-ever package of self-build support will help to achieve our goal to double the size of the industry over the next few years, but I want us to go further still. The new national planning rules require councils to consider the needs of self-builders in their area, and I would urge authorities across the country to look to Cherwell and the innovative work there as an exciting example of how this can be achieved.”

Public sector land for up to 60 homes will be made available in Cornwall – making it the nation’s first-ever large-scale self-build plot.

Mr Shapps praised the work of councils across the country that are looking to give as many local people as possible the opportunity to build their own homes – including on dedicated sites.

The Planning Minister also confirmed the rest of the sites which will be made available for builders to bid. They are:

• Kingsweir and Torpoint, Bristol
• Spencers Park, Hemel Hempstead
• Pleasley Colliery, Bolsover
• Upper Tuesley Milford, Surrey
• Wilson Road, Hanford, Stoke-on-Trent
• Chase Avenue, Walton Park, Milton Keynes

What is your reaction on the £30 million investment programme which will enable builders to build their own building projects? Share your thoughts by commenting here or raising your voice on our Facebook page:

The Government has given the green light to a massive regeneration scheme that will build new homes and carry out extensive refurbishments to more than 650 council houses in Brunswick,  an area of the inner city of Manchester.  

The 25-year regeneration project will see significant investment to the area, paving the way for new jobs in the building construction sector and trade professionals.

The Homes and Community Agency (HCA), which approved the regeneration plan, said it will include building an improved neighbourhood design with new road layouts and safe open space. The project will also build a new retail area including new shops and amenities coupled with a 60-bed accommodation facility.

Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, Cllr Jim Battle, welcomed the announcement for Brunswick saying that residents have long waited for such good news that will transform their area and deliver new homes.

Mr Battle said: “We have a fantastic community here that will no doubt continue to prosper as the regeneration plans come to fruition. Being so close to the city centre, coupled with the promise of new homes and an improved neighbourhood layout, I can see a bright future for Brunswick.”

The Government’s approval for the project means the Council can now consider a variety of bidders who will be responsible for delivering the regeneration plan. The Council said it will evaluate final bids from both Fern and Solutions 4 Brunswick, before selecting the preferred bidder later this year.

What’s your reaction to the approval of the long awaited regeneration plans in Brunswick? How the Government’s decision to refurbish and build new homes will benefit you/ your business?