McLaren Construction Midlands and North has delivered phase one of Konect 62 – a speculative industrial and logistics development located in Knottingley, West Yorkshire.

Comprising three sustainable units across the 60-acre first phase which are now available to let, the contractor worked together with C4 architects to complete the first phase for joint venture partners, Henderson Park and Cole Waterhouse.

With a capability of providing over 1,500 jobs, phase one units include 161,000, 151,000 and 61,000 sq. ft options alongside a 30-acre service plot, which was delivered with utilities and access to accommodate several Build-to-Suit options.

The entire Konect 62 development, which will include multiple phases, will be adopting low carbon building design and technology to target a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.

McLaren Construction Midlands and North inducted 1,350 people during the delivery of the first phase, and a combined total of 138,200 work hours were required for the build.

The Konect 62 site is located on the previous site of Kellingley Colliery, the last deep mine in the UK which opened in 1959 and closed in 2015.

Gary Cramp, Managing Director of McLaren Construction Midlands and North, said: “We’re pleased to have delivered phase one of this landmark industrial and logistics hub, for joint venture partners Henderson Park and Cole Waterhouse, of which we’ve received excellent feedback.

“Our dedicated team and subcontractors worked exceptionally hard to ensure the quality, sustainability and timeliness of the phase, which was completed in 12 months, using predominantly local labour from the surrounding community. The scheme will provide essential jobs and opportunities for the sector in a prime location.”

David Nuttall, Managing Director of Industrial & Logistics at Cole Waterhouse, said: “McLaren has delivered an excellent first phase at Konect 62, exactly 12 months from signing the build contract. The three units and 30-acre plot set the tone for the remainder of the site and firmly establish Konect 62 as a genuine business location. A year ago, the site was featureless, and all traces of the former mine had been cleared. The change today is dramatic, and it is now a first-rate logistics park offering a variety of existing units and Build-to-Suit opportunities.”

The property market in Dumfries and Galloway has continued to attract high demand from lifestyle buyers with a third of all property sales last quarter (Q4, Oct – Dec) being smallholdings, reports Galbraith.

Smallholdings with land up to 50 acres continued to attract heightened demand from buyers keen to relocate to the area from the rest of the UK, with three quarters being from south of the Border and a quarter being from within Scotland. Demand outstripped supply in this market segment highlighting the draw of rural living in Dumfries and Galloway.

The team in Castle Douglas recorded a 16 per cent increase in the number of viewings conducted during the final three months of the year compared to the same quarter the previous year. Double the number of prospective buyers also registered with Galbraith in Castle Douglas over the same period, indicating a healthy appetite from buyers keen to make their next move.

David Corrie, head of residential sales for Galbraith, located in Castle Douglas, said: “It’s encouraging to witness healthy property sales and buyer activity in our final quarter of last year.  As we enter the busy Spring selling season, the market is indicating a good level of competition from lifestyle buyers who remain attracted to the area given the quality of properties available and the value for money property in the region offers compared with many other parts of the country.

“Dumfries and Galloway is a stunning part of Scotland to live with buyers being attracted to the great outdoors and beautiful coastal scenery, from The Mull of Galloway to Gretna Green and everywhere else in between. With beautiful views and numerous paths for walking, cycling and wildlife watching, as well as offering opportunities for sailing and a wide range of water sports, the region really does offer a fantastic work-life balance for families, especially with hybrid working here to stay.

“It’s no surprise that small holdings are in particularly high demand, offering a sizable portion of land to allow owners to be more sustainable and grow their own, as well as offering ample outdoor space for young kids and their four-legged friends. We have buyers registered with us and ready to make their next move so anyone thinking of selling should take advantage of the current competitive market conditions.”

Currently for sale through the Agency Team at Galbraith in Castle Douglas offering a combination of rural and coastal living:

Balgowan Farmhouse & Steading, Ardwell, Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, Offers Over £325,000

Balgowan Farmhouse (B-listed) and Steading sits in a slightly elevated position with uninterrupted views over the surrounding countryside, Luce Bay and the coast beyond. The striking curved architecture with conical roof to the front sets this property apart from more traditional farmhouses in the region. Balgowan Farmhouse provides a blank canvas in its current condition however, it has the potential to be a stunning country home sitting in 2.74 acres of land, surrounded by open farmland and within walking distance of the beach.

The Old Lifeboat Station, Auchencairn, Castle Douglas, Offers Over £850,000

The Old Lifeboat Station is an idyllic coastal retreat in a breathtaking location with its own slipway, direct access to the sea and panoramic views of Auchencairn Bay on the Solway Firth. The B-listed property is nestled among six acres of garden and woodland, home to an abundance of wildlife, including red squirrels. Established in 1884, the property was converted and extended by the current owners in the late 1990’s to create an award-winning four-bedroom house.

Balgowan Cottages, Ardwell, Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, Offers Over £450,000

1 & 2 Balgowan Cottages offer a beach retreat with uninterrupted views over Luce Bay and a small paddock. Two semi-detached properties with a shared outbuilding, ‘The Bothy’, offering potential to convert the cottages in to one property, subject to relevant planning consent. The property is surrounded by open farmland with stunning views and numerous beaches close by.

Kirkeoch, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, Offers Over £250,000

Former farmhouse Kirkeoch, sits west of Kirkcudbright and enjoys breathtaking views of the Dee Estuary. Kirkeoch represents an opportunity for a buyer to create a wonderful family home in a sought-after area.

Enabling document digitalization, compliance and sustainability for the world’s largest asset class

Findable, which automates building documentation using Artificial Intelligence (AI), has arrived in the UK to solve building document chaos, using AI to read and automatically sort over one million documents for its customers to date. Building documentation is a key factor in cost and risk management and yet all too often property owners keep a mixture of analogue and digital systems.

Findable digitises building documentation, using AI to automatically categorise documents, provide compliance status and allowing users to locate specific information via a search function. The software is able to analyse headlines, pictures and drawings, and quickly conclude what the document shows and how it should be organised. It also produces a red flag report for each building which shows a building’s compliance status with items organised by what is required by law or operationally recommended.  The red flag report shows what’s missing and assists users in filling these gaps.

Building documentation or the ‘instruction manual’ of a building can relate to anything from the construction history and contractor details to maintenance information on HVAC units, pipes, electricals and fire safety. Storing this documentation safely and organising it in an easily accessible way is necessary to ensure routine facility management, inspection and certification processes. Poorly organised documentation results in additional costs for building owners while the physical storage of documents can frequently result in loss or damage.  With Findable, documents are more secure, complete and can be mined for information. This reduces the time consuming and manual process of managing complex documents, enabling construction companies and facility managers to streamline the process of inspections and certifications.

The volume of documentation in construction is increasing which is why Findable has made it easy for building owners to interact with their buildings.  To start, owners just drag and drop existing documentation and the files are automatically organised across 300+ categories all of which are searchable and accessible. Users can, for example, ask directly about the dimensions of a ventilation system and the answer references the document in which Findable found the information, so that users can manually verify the answer.       

Renovating buildings and reusing building materials is key across Europe but the challenge is the lack of knowledge around how old the materials are, what they are made of, or how much longer they are safe to use.  “To reach the climate goals, we have to reuse as much of the world’s materials as possible, but we need documentation in place to make it happen”, says CEO and Co-founder of Findable, Fredrik H. Wisløff.  “Then there is also an associated key safety challenge which the recent RAAC issue highlighted” Wisløff continues.    “Our system works for schools but also offices, shopping malls, warehouses so can be used by a mixture of public sector, banks and private commercial companies from large-scale problems to more day-to-day maintenance issues.”

“The UK is the obvious next step in Europe for Findable” adds Wisløff  “with London rightly perceived as the real estate capital of Europe.  And yet, our research shows that digitization here is behind the curve. Documentation may be the boring, but essential part, of this highly regulated industry. But we also play an important role in helping building owners in the green premium/brown discount issue as it has never been more important for banks to show a green portfolio among their CRE customers. To put it simply, if you don’t have your documents in order, you won’t get (good) financial deals either”.

The facilities management sector in Europe is a massive market undergoing its own digital transformation. The construction industry, property developers and facility managers all require digital solutions to meet complex regulatory and sustainability requirements. Findable’s solution provides easy access to the right building documentation, supporting workflow automation and thereby removing a major bottleneck.

Bellway has completed building work on the new apartments at its Abingworth Fields development in Thakeham.

The Abingworth Apartments building comprises nine two-bedroom properties, all of which have already sold.

As the aerial photograph shows, construction is also progressing well on the houses within the 75-home development, off Abingworth Crescent, with 36 properties now built.

Buyers are already settling in, with the first residents having moved into their new homes in May.

Daniel Williamson, Sales Director for Bellway South London, said: “Our apartments at Abingworth Fields represent the perfect first step onto the property ladder for people looking to move on from renting, as well as being ideal for those looking to downsize.

“They enjoy an attractive location within the development, with a peaceful outlook across a large area of green open space.

“There’s plenty of space inside too. The Woodpecker apartment style, for example, has an open-plan kitchen/living/dining room and two double bedrooms, one with an en suite shower room.”

There is still a choice of two, three, four and five-bedroom houses for sale at Abingworth Fields, with prices starting from £375,000.

For more information, visit https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/south-london/abingworth-fields or call 01798 500082.

A North East regeneration specialist, which is delivering homes for people with specific housing needs, is also boosting local wildlife and biodiversity.

As part of an ongoing drive to make ecological considerations in the design of its projects, Vistry North East is implementing various habitat enhancements at a development of apartments for people over 55, in Penshaw, near Sunderland and at an Extra Care project, in Guisborough, North Yorkshire.

Part of the Vistry Group, Vistry North East enlisted ecological consultants, Ecosurv, to offer pre-construction advice, expertise and ongoing guidance throughout the builds. Operating under its ‘Habibat’ brand, Ecoserv has developed a range of habitat features tailored for bats, birds and bees, which can be seamlessly built into brickwork. Each product has been developed in conjunction with relevant advisory organisations, such as The Bat Conservation Trust and RSPB.

Impressed by this habitat feature range, Wienerberger bricks, a key partner in Vistry’s supply chain, has allocated dedicated factory space in their UK facility to manufacture these units for use on new developments.

Across the two developments, Vistry North East is installing eight bat boxes – including three specifically designed for bats during the breeding season; six swift nesting boxes, five sparrow nesting boxes; five bumble bee boxes and ten bee bricks – which provide a host of varying sized nesting spaces for solitary bees. In addition, six open fronted nest boxes – to be installed in retaining walls at the development in Guisborough – will provide additional spaces for insects to live and thrive, boosting biodiversity.

Andrew Mayfield, Senior Design Manager, Vistry North East said: “The loss of habitat for our native wildlife has been a huge driver in the continued decline of many species across the UK. Swifts were added to conservation experts’ red list of the UK’s most endangered birds in 2021 and eight species of bee – a third of the remaining species we have – are currently listed on conservation priority lists, due to their large-scale declines in distribution. These are just two worrying examples.

“However, by thinking imaginatively, working with experienced and knowledgeable partners and implementing design features that create habitat and promote biodiversity, new development can make a positive impact – providing new spaces for animals to live and thrive.

“Our planning and site teams have gone the extra mile on both developments to maximise the opportunities presented and we will continue to explore opportunities to enhance the natural environment in the communities in which we build.”

Graham Jeffery, Managing Director, Ecosurv said: “Wildlife is in a state of decline across the UK with 41% of species reducing in number since 1970. The modernisation of building materials with new designs in recent years has meant that species which previously adapted alongside the built environment, have quite often become excluded from newer buildings. Operating nationally, we have partnered with Wienerberger to combat this problem by producing a range of eco-habitat solutions for a wide range of species including birds (swifts, starlings, sparrows, robins, wrens and redstarts) bats and bees.

“We are delighted to be working with Vistry North East on a number of projects across the region and have been impressed by its progressive approach to the issue of habitat creation on its developments.”

Paul Hodgkinson, Director of Business Development, Wienerberger, Said: “The collaboration between Wienerberger and EcoSurv is testament to the connection between sustainable development and the preservation of biodiversity. By creating spaces that provide opportunities for wildlife we can help reduce species decline across the UK.

“In July last year, MPs debated a call for swift bricks to be made mandatory for new housing development due to declining numbers – following an e-petition which gained more than 100,000 signatures. Eco-habitats allow developers to integrate features such as swift bricks aligning not only with future legislative changes but setting precedents for ecologically responsible development.”

At Penshaw Gardens, just off Station Road in the village, Vistry North East is delivering a complex of 72 apartments for people over 55, in collaboration with Sunderland-based housing association Gentoo Group.

At Guisborough, just off Spring Wood Road, a 83 unit extra care facility, for people with specific housing needs, is currently being constructed for Housing 21, a national provider of Extra Care and Retirement Living for older people of modest means.

Vistry North East is part of Vistry Group, the UK’s leading provider of affordable mixed tenure homes. A young and dynamic business with a Partnerships-led approach – delivered through the Countryside Partnerships brand – the Group is delivering thousands of homes every year for the affordable and private marketplaces. The Group also encompasses a portfolio of retail brands, including Linden Homes, Bovis Homes and Countryside Homes.

Vistry North East is currently active on 15 construction sites around the North East region with a gross development value of just over £630 million and is working with six housing associations and seven local authorities.  

·       Environmental initiative Swim for Clean Seas now offering a UAE School Ambassadorship programme in collaboration with The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center

·       Programme designed to educate kids about plastic pollution in the seas

·       Three workshops culminate in a creative showcase at this year’s Swim for Clean Seas event in Abu Dhabi, April 20, 2024

Swim for Clean Seas, the environmental initiative, is launching a new School Ambassadorship programme, together with The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center, the largest integrated research, rescue, rehabilitation, and return facility in the MENA region and main event sponsor, Abu Dhabi-based luxury boutique real estate company, Rex Real Estate.

Launched in 2018 by siblings Felicia and Almer Agmyren, both keen open-water swimmers, Swim for Clean Seas aims to raise awareness about ocean pollution by engaging the community in fun, interactive activities and encouraging them to take a swim in the gorgeous blue waters surrounding the beautiful coastline and islands of Abu Dhabi.

This year the awareness building is moving to the capital city’s classrooms, with the launch of an exciting new school ambassadorship programme, designed to teach a selection of nominated students about the importance of keeping our seas clean and healthy – and passing their new-found knowledge onto their friends, family and everyone around them.

Felicia Agmyren, co-founder of Swim for Clean Seas and managing partner of Rex Real Estate, says: “We are inviting all schools to nominate two or three students between the ages of 10-14 to become our first cohort of Swim for Clean Seas School Ambassadors. The programme is a chance for young people to gain better knowledge of the need to protect our oceans, the problems associated with plastic in our oceans, and what each and every one of us can do to stop the ever-rising tide of ocean pollution. We believe if the young ones come home with knowledge taught in school to the family households it will help drive and implement sustainable and collective change faster and positively impact the community as a whole “

Emphasizing the need for collaboration in promoting conservation, Dr. Elise Marquis, Director of the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center, says: “Partnering with Swim for Clean Seas on this initiative that blends enjoyment with education provides an ideal platform to raise awareness about the importance of taking care of our ocean. We are very excited to engage the youth of Abu Dhabi in a creative journey to investigate the impacts of plastic consumption. By engaging the next generation, we aim to foster a greater sense of environmental consciousness.”

The first wave of the programme – entitled ‘Plastic Asking’ – is a new experiential way to learn about plastics and the journey these items take around the world’s seas.

Developed in collaboration with the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center, the experience comprises three workshops, taking place on February 16, 23 and  March 1, 2024, followed by a grand reveal of their work at the 2024 Swim for Clean Seas event set to take place on April 20, 2024.

The format of the three-hour workshop series is as follows:

The first workshop involves a ‘discovery’ field trip on the water front, including a beach clean-up, highlighting the different kinds of plastic.

The next workshop will investigate the journey, the process, and the reasons for the creation of selected plastics, as well as discussions about the science and human behaviour.

The third workshop involves developing a creative outcome – this might be a song, sculpture, poem or maths demonstration of the carbon emissions of the selected plastic.

This will help the ambassadors frame their knowledge creatively, highlighting the human behaviours that lead to the use of plastic and its journey to polluting our oceans.

The student’s creative outputs will be presented at the annual Abu Dhabi Swim for Clean Seas on April 20, 2024, which includes talks from leading local and international environmentalists, alongside the fun and inclusive swimming event.

To learn more about the ‘Swim For Clean Seas’ campaign, please visit:

Instagram: @swimforcleanseas

British Land and AustralianSuper have submitted a reserved matters planning application to reinstate a permanent cultural venue at the Printworks building within its Canada Water development.

Through a six-year temporary consent, Printworks London – managed by pioneering electronic music and arts operator Broadwick – evolved into one of the world’s best-known cultural venues before closing its doors to the public this summer. British Land and AustralianSuper are in exclusive talks with Broadwick to operate the new venue. Since opening in 2017, Printworks saw more than 2.5 million visitors, 300 music concerts, 200 film shoots, and hosted hundreds more cultural moments at the site, cementing its place in UK cultural history. 

With the new application, British Land and AustralianSuper aim to deliver a highly flexible leisure and cultural destination within the Canada Water Masterplan that expands on the success of the meanwhile use venue, with a programme that both intensifies and diversifies the mix of cultural experiences. This new world-class permanent venue will occupy one half of the existing building, while the other half will deliver next generation sustainable workspace and retail, known as The Grand Press.

The designs, led by architects Hawkins\Brown, seek to maintain the building’s volume and character while creating a highly sustainable and modern cultural venue. Once home to the largest printing factory in western Europe known as Harmsworth Quays, the original aesthetics and printing presses have been preserved to create a stunning, industrial environment, all overlooking a new 3.5-acre park just a short distance from the River Thames and historic docks.

There are four key new cultural spaces planned at the new Printworks, which is scheduled to reopen in 2026: 

• Printworks’ world-renowned Press Halls will be retained. The iconic space that has become globally synonymous with the Printworks brand will be kept with the Press Halls remaining the focal point of the Printworks’ programme. Live music events, concerts, immersive art exhibitions and corporate events of similar capacity will be hosted here
• A brand-new rooftop leisure and cultural space. This new state-of-the-art event space – complete with soaring views of London – will provide a unique space for performance, rehearsals, product launches or curated talks
• The Inkwells. A performance space dedicated to immersive exhibitions, multi-disciplinary art shows and more intimate music events 
• A series of new suites with views of the Press Halls. These will offer versatile spaces for meetings, conferences, events, and corporate hospitality

Emma Cariaga, joint head of Canada Water at British Land, said: “We want to deliver a permanent world-class cultural venue at Printworks that builds on its globally acclaimed legacy. Combining the best of the capital’s culture with next generation workspace at The Grand Press will create an unrivalled experiential destination, which generations will benefit from for years to come.

“Printworks had a tremendous impact on the UK’s cultural landscape, and its popularity over the past six years has demonstrated how important this multi-dimensional venue is to Londoners and visitors from all over the world who were drawn to its cutting-edge programming. We’re extremely proud to be the stewards of this important cultural destination, and we look forward to progressing our plans to deliver the new Printworks as part of our wider Canada Water masterplan.”

AustralianSuper’s head of Real Assets for Europe, Paul Clark, said: “Printworks will be a cultural centre piece to a major placemaking project that reflects both the long-term nature of AustralianSuper’s capital and our ongoing commitment to London and the UK.

“We believe this strategic project will provide long-term benefits to AustralianSuper members, as well as enhancing the cultural offering at Canada Water and contributing positively to the local community.”

Simeon Aldred, co-owner and director of strategy at Broadwick Live, commented: “Broadwick Group is delighted to continue our exclusive partnership with British Land and AustralianSuper for the highly anticipated next phase of Printworks London. The preservation and repurposing of the cherished Press Halls, coupled with the profound cultural implications of this undertaking, represent our joint commitment to the advancement of culture in the capital.

“We eagerly anticipate engaging with our community and wider audiences on this groundbreaking cultural investment of global significance. Their ongoing support is paramount to the revival of Printworks London for both local, national and international audiences to enjoy.

London Night Czar Amy Lamé added: “Printworks was a fantastic addition to London’s world-renowned cultural scene, attracting people from all around the globe and setting new and ambitious standards for all to follow. I’ve worked closely with the operator and owner, and I’m thrilled by these inspiring new plans to create an incredible permanent venue. This will be an exciting new chapter as we build a better London for everyone.”

Other notable cultural plans and initiatives at Canada Water include:

• Asif Khan-designed Canada Dock boardwalk – a key piece of architecture designed that will attract visitors to the 170m-long red bridge
• New public square – brand new open space the size of Leicester Square, surrounded by leisure and retail
• ‘The Cuts’ – pedestrianised, highly-curated leisure and retail space with unique independent shops and F&B designed to feel akin to Brighton’s The Lanes, and London’s Seven Dials
• Careful curation of the 1 million sq ft leisure and retail across the masterplan including daytime and nighttime lifestyle – a truly 24-hour high street
• Thoughtful and engaging meanwhile use: artist Rod Kitson’s gallery, and community environmental education hub the Paper Garden are two current examples
• Ongoing cultural events and activations for the local community, enriching the use of existing spaces: Love Summer, an annual community festival with live music and creative workshops; Christmas activations; the weekly Canada Water Market which offers fresh and sustainable food from local producers and artisans; and the monthly Thrive market which provides a regular platform to showcase talented local traders

Full-service law firm responds to huge demand for dedicated, new-build Padel clubs with a specialist, multi-discipline team advising clients throughout the UK

Full-service law firm JMW Solicitors has launched a specialist Padel team dedicated to serving up legal expertise to the many entrepreneurs in the market for building their own Padel courts and/or opening their own Padel clubs.

JMW’s legal experts in the fields of Real Estate, Intellectual Property, Corporate, Commercial, and Employment have joined together to create what the firm believes is a unique offering, and already the team is working on 37 separate projects throughout the UK.

A very particular demand arising from the ever-increasing Padel industry is the need for expert Real Estate guidance. Paul Burton, partner within the JMW Real Estate Commercial team, explained: “There are multiple issues around the growth of the sport, not least of which is the demand: there is a supply issue, whereby in the UK there are circa 300-400 operational courts, but a need for circa 6000 courts to meet that current demand – which shows every sign of growing exponentially.”

The Padel Real Estate team at JMW has vast experience with dealing with landowners including sports clubs, local authorities, farmers and commercial investors on the other side, bringing together the team’s significant development, occupier, leisure and infrastructure expertise to offer bespoke and flexible solutions to suit a wide variety of situations.

“We know exactly how to flush out the issues at day one and can offer a unique viability product to check that sites are viable prior to too much initial expenditure,” Paul added. “We are able to act fast and we understand this highly competitive market and the race to open in all locations.

“We’re streamlining the legal documentation and process whereby clients can take advantage of what is effectively a one-stop-shop for their needs, working closely with our Construction and Planning teams within our Real Estate offering, and bringing in experts in our other departments, such as our Commercial colleagues who document bespoke profit share arrangements for additional elements of Padel clubs such as food and beverage and pro shops.

“Ultimately, we are the full-service law firm at the forefront of this new leisure area, driving and helping form market standards, bearing in mind that even when deals start completing data won’t be available at the Land Registry for at least six months.”

JMW spotted the Padel opportunity last year when its Managing Partner and Padel obsessive Marc Yaffe was invited by a business colleague to play Padel at his home; following a court-side conversation he realised that the desire to develop the sport was widespread, but was not matched by the necessary legal know-how when it came to negotiating on potential sites, protecting IP and drawing up the commercial agreements necessary to monetise such business ventures.

Marc Yaffe added: “The key element of our offering isn’t just the legal expertise to be found at our firm, but our determination and desire to work together across multiple specialisms with the aim of delivering a fast, effective and specialised service to those in the fast-growing Padel sector.”

York Design Awards is inviting property and design professionals, enthusiasts, and creatives to join an evening of inspiration, networking, and celebration, to mark the launch of its 2024 awards.

The launch event will take place on Thursday 29^th February at St Peters School from 6pm to 9pm, with drinks, canapes, guest speakers and networking. With entries for the awards set to open in due course, the evening is a great opportunity for prospective entrants to learn more about this year’s awards.

Keynote speakers, co-founder of Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Neil Porter and non-executive director of the Office for Place, Esther Kurland will be in attendance to share their knowledge and experiences in the design sector.

Co-founder of Gustafson Porter + Bowman, Neil Porter, who was also a landscape design consultant for York Central, has a wealth of experience in delivering significant public realm projects in the UK and abroad. Esther Kurland, a planner by background who has worked in local authorities for 10 years, is currently a member of the Governments Local Authority Planning Capacity and the Office for Place Transition Board.

Throughout the evening, there will be opportunities for networking, an audience Q&A with the keynote speakers, with drinks and canapes provided.

Ann Reid, Chair of The York Design Awards Committee said: “We are thrilled to be launching our 2024 awards with our annual event at St Peters School.

The awards are a great opportunity for architects, developers, organisations and individuals across York to showcase their brilliant designs and high-quality projects which contribute to the diverse range of properties and developments we have in our city. I look forward to welcoming guests to network, make connections and hear from our brilliant speakers.”

The York Design Awards launch event will take place on St Peters School, Clifton, on 29^th February from 6pm – 9pm. To register for tickets and find out more about the event, visit York Design Awards Eventbrite page: York Design Awards Launch Evening Tickets, Thu 29 Feb 2024 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

Two new forums to forge closer bonds with landlords in North Yorkshire are to take place in the county over the next two months.

Advice and legislation updates will be given at the landlord forums in Selby on Monday, February 29, and in Harrogate on Tuesday, March 12.

The North Yorkshire Council initiative aims to give private landlords, letting and managing agents, estate landlords and people involved with private sector housing a forum to gather information and updates on changing legislation.

The Selby forum – at 3.45pm at Selby Civic Centre – will include representatives from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, The Energy Doctor and the National Residential Landlords Association.

The Harrogate forum – at 4pm at Harrogate Civic Centre – will include presentations from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, North Yorkshire Council and the National Residential Landlords Association. There will also be advice on tax planning, wealth management and general information.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said: “These forums are a great way for us to support landlords across North Yorkshire. They provide news on important information and any changes to legislation as well as updates from us and partner agencies.

“I encourage everyone to attend and take advantage of this great networking opportunity.”

To book for the Selby forum, landlords need to register on the National Residential Landlords Association website at www.nrla.org.uk/events/meetings/6042?ref=la.

To book for the Harrogate forum, register on the National Residential Landlords Association website at www.nrla.org.uk/events/meetings/6037.