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.”

Sustainable property company CITU has delivered its first affordable homes within the Aire Lofts apartment scheme, at the heart of the pioneering, multi award-winning Climate Innovation District in Leeds.

Working in partnership with social housing provider Leeds Community Homes (LCH), eight one and two-bedroom apartments are now available with the first residents set to move in imminently. This tranche is part of Aire Lofts and is the first of three phases of affordable homes being developed at the Climate Innovation District which will ultimately offer a total of 16 homes within the community. Three homes in this phase are being marketed as shared ownership* opportunities with the remainder available through social rent agreements.

CITU has been working with LCH since 2016 to incorporate social housing as an integral part of the Climate Innovation District which is being delivered on the banks of the River Aire, just a few minutes’ walk from the city centre. The LCH-managed homes of course enjoy the same industry-leading specification and sustainable credentials as their neighbours, with high performing energy efficiency in all the homes which are designed and manufactured on site.

The homes offer city centre living combined seamlessly with zero carbon sustainability credentials. All the apartments’ interiors feature a high-quality finish with concrete floors, exposed pipework and maximum natural light. It’s a ‘less but better’, stripped back aesthetic and bold design that has attracted industry accolades and the thriving, growing community already resident at the District.

Once complete, Aire Lofts will consist of 108 one and two-bedroom apartments, with a handful of bespoke penthouses. These have been designed around open, shared outdoor spaces, including a large central green, purposefully bringing residents together to create a social and inclusive community. Every apartment also benefits from south-facing windows to maximise natural light and fresh air, and abundant green space with plants, many of them edible, surrounding the building. A new green space is also set to open imminently with a football pitch, outdoor cooking facilities and a tennis wall for residents to enjoy.

CITU’s in-house design team maximised the internal space of the apartments by eliminating corridors to create spacious, airy and bright rooms with apartments enjoying dual aspect views of Leeds cityscape.

CITU Managing Director Jonathan Wilson said: “CITU is a zero-carbon, place-maker and developer with creativity and design at its core. Often developments treat affordable housing as an inconvenient add-on to be accommodated, rather than an opportunity to build a truly inclusive and diverse community where every person has something of value to contribute.

“We focus on making sustainable living, and inclusive design completely accessible we will of course do the right thing for the right reasons this approach has been rooted in the Climate Innovation District from when the very first home was built. Ultimately, it is about creating a beautiful and sustainable future for all of our residents, irrespective of the journey that brought them here.”

Jimm Reed, LCH Development Director added: “Since the very beginning we have enjoyed a close relationship with CITU and have been really encouraged by their vision of a truly inclusive community where everyone is welcome. You can see that already even with the District only part-occupied, it really is an incredible place.

“As well as the properties available via social rent, we also have three apartments allocated for shared ownership. These are an excellent opportunity for people in Leeds who can’t otherwise afford it to get a foot on the first rung of the property ladder, in an award-winning development, which is such a rarity in a prime city centre location.”

*Shared ownership allows a first-time buyer to purchase up to 75% of the property and pay rent on the remaining part. Anyone interested in shared ownership at Aire Lofts, can find out more at https://leedscommunityhomes.org.uk/climate-innovation-district/

A NATIONWIDE survey has revealed that when buying and selling a home ‘love at first sight’ is not to be underestimated, with first impressions heavily impacting the emotions of a potential buyer.

Conducted by market researcher Opinium and home staging firm Lemon & Lime Interiors, the survey of 2000 people up and down the country asked that (if a home is within your price range) how important is experiencing ‘love at first sight’ when deciding which home to buy?

The results split opinions across the different regions. People from the West Midlands were most likely to believe in love at first sight, with 57% deeming it to be very important or somewhat important, followed by Wales with 53%. Northern Ireland was the lowest at 37%, followed by Scotland with 40%.

35-54-year-olds are the age group most likely to find it an important factor when buying, with 47% reporting to be somewhat or very important, greater than the 55+ category at 45% and 18-34-year-olds at 43%. Up to 70% of those surveyed said ‘love at first sight’ was fairly important and only 5% said it was not important at all.

Currently, only 1% of homes are staged for sale in the UK, but potential selling power could increase significantly by around 45x if agents and homeowners were to consider appearance first and foremost when selling. This is evidenced by the overall national average of around 45% of decision-making being mostly or partially based on ‘love at first sight’.

In fact, around 71.2% of the homeowners in England are coupled up, and people who are buying or selling a home in the next 12 months are 42% more likely to celebrate Valentine’s Day than the population as a whole – that’s a third of all movers or an estimated 831,000 people.

Elaine Penhaul, founder and director at Lemon and Lime Interiors, said: “For many house buyers, love at first sight can be a determining factor to taking the plunge.

“Most people are likely to have a home tug at their heartstrings whether a home has period features bursting with character or offers the space to cater for a family. We were fascinated by the variety of the data across the UK population this Valentine’s Day.

“Effectively, home staging is the process of highlighting your property’s most valuable assets ensuring a strong first impression and striking a chord with a buyer – this is usually through evoking an emotional connection or helping them to envisage a lifestyle in a potential home.

“With people expecting to buy a home only around three times in their life, it is imperative that agents and owners consider appeal as a principal factor in the buying process. There is so much untapped potential to help sell a home both faster and for more money and staging is a worthwhile option to enhance your kerb appeal.”

For more information about how to help people fall in love with the home you want to sell, visit the Lemon and Lime Interiors website.

The UK’s first practical training centre for the fire door industry has opened today in Bury, Greater Manchester.

Purpose built, the 3,000ft² Training Academy has been launched by Fire Door Maintenance (FDM) to raise safety standards across the industry. Comprising different types of fire doors and components from a range of manufacturers, the facility will provide a dedicated space for hands-on training plus classrooms for theory-based learning.

Accredited by GQA Qualifications, an awarding body for specialist and occupational roles, the Academy will offer a variety of courses. The first to launch will be a fire door inspector course, followed by a course centred on fire door maintenance, and another focusing on fire door installation. After completion, participants will receive a GQA skills card.

As well as ensuring compliance with the latest fire safety regulation, the accredited training will respond to the Hackitt report’s recommendations following the Grenfell Tower fire. The inquiry into the tragedy revealed fire doors didn’t perform as expected. Out of the 120 doors in the building, 106 had been replaced and comprised different hardware from the tested door.

A variety of fire safety awareness courses will also be on offer for anyone wishing to learn more about the latest legislation and how to raise safety standards such as merchants, architects, facilities managers, locksmiths and representatives from housing associations, local authorities and the fire rescue service. 

Owned by UAP, FDM is led by former business consultant Nicola John who has two decades of experience in the door manufacturing and construction industry.

Commenting on the opening Nicola said: “The Training Academy is the first to offer practical fire door training in the largest centre of its kind. The Hackitt report underlined the importance of the ‘golden thread’ and this is at the centre of our specialist training. Each course will underline how vital it is to source primary test evidence and the risk of changing or substituting components in a fire door.

“Providing access to fire doors and components from a range of manufacturers is a key element of the training. All fire doors are made slightly differently which means they need to be inspected differently too. Training participants will learn the nuances of each product and how to identify and fix any issues.”

The Training Academy was formally opened by Councillor Sandra Walmsley, Mayor of Bury at a ribbon cutting ceremony. The event was also attended by Bury Council leader, Councillor Eamonn O’Brien.

Dan Brown, strategic relationship manager at GQA Qualifications said: “The launch of FDM’s Training Academy is exceptionally timely, coinciding with a significant phase of introspection within the construction industry. This introspection, fuelled by the demands of the Building Safety Act 2022, aims to enhance overall quality, compliance, and competence following a series of tragic events resulting in devastating loss of life.

“GQA Qualifications is proud to support FDM as it embarks on its mission to deliver rigorous training and qualifications to the industry. These offerings, awarded by GQA, are designed with meticulous assessment and learning content to address the life-safety risks associated with fire safety doors in buildings. 

“The Training Academy serves as a model of accomplishment, showcasing what is possible with the appropriate determination, concentration, and commitment to enhance training in a specific yet vital sector.”

As part of FDM’s offer, the Academy will also be used to provide bespoke training for the company’s own operatives. This workforce is available to housing associations and local authorities seeking to outsource fire door inspections, maintenance and installations.

Before any work begins, details of the manufacturers of the fire doors within a building are sourced. This information is provided to FDM’s operatives at the Training Academy ensuring they know exactly what to look out for during the inspection, including any potential risks.

A total of 400 operatives are available across the UK for this ‘boots on the ground’ service. With extensive experience of the door manufacturing industry, the operatives can also work alongside software providers, complementing their service and providing additional information such as the test evidence, for reporting purposes.

Doors and components in the new Training Academy have been provided by Harlow Timber Group, West Port, Latham’s Steel Doors, Unity Doors, Permadoor, Strongdor, The Sovereign Group, NSG Group, DoorCo, Rutland, Mann McGowan, Lorient, PDS, and Contactless Check Solutions, IG, GGF, Pilkingtons, Nordan, PWIDF and Specialist Door Solutions.

Local housebuilder, David Wilson Homes North East, has welcomed the first family to its Doxford Green development in Sunderland.

The development, a new community of four and five-bedroom homes set in the heart of Sunderland, has now seen its first happy family settle into their new forever home.

Colette and Ian Todd were keen to find a dream home, and set their sights on Doxford Green. After touring the well-designed show homes, the couple decided on the Drummond house type, which boasts an open-plan kitchen family diner with spacious living spaces, making it perfect for family living. 

Once they set their hearts on the home, the Todds took advantage of the housebuilder’s Part Exchange scheme. Combining two households into one, the scheme enabled them to sell their home to the existing developer, which eliminated the hassle of being in a property chain and paying estate agent fees. With David Wilson Homes as the guaranteed buyer for their property, the Part Exchange scheme made the process much smoother for Colette and Ian.

Speaking on their move, the Todds said: “We are delighted with our new home on Doxford Green, especially as the process was made so much easier with the Part Exchange scheme. Our Sales Advisor, Matt, was so helpful and made sure that we were kept updated with the process the entire way. We would recommend anyone thinking of using the Part Exchange scheme with David Wilson Homes to go ahead.”

Lucy Holmes-Mongan, Sales Manager at Doxford Green, added: “We’re so pleased to be welcoming Colette and Ian Todd onto the Doxford Green development, as one of the first residents to move in. It’s really exciting seeing this community begin to grow, and we look forward to welcoming other households over the coming months.”

Doxford Green offers a stunning community of four and five bedroom properties located in the very heart of Sunderland. Surrounded by open fields, the exclusive collection of 60 homes within phase 1 are available to purchase from £339,995. 
For those who may be interested, please pop into your local Sales Office or visit the website, www.dwh.co.uk/new-homes/doxford-green

Dionne Lee, who turned a nearly £100,000 profit from her initial home flip, now boasts ownership of 18 properties and has shared her journey, including critical missteps to steer clear of.

With close to thirty years in the real estate game, Dionne embarked on her property journey at just 20, juggling three jobs to amass a deposit. Her inaugural purchase, a modestly priced house at £66,100, underwent strategic renovations and sold seven years later for a lucrative £160,300.

Merely a year after her first acquisition, Dionne expanded her portfolio with a second and third property, respectively, in the following years. Now at 47, the financial mentor and brainchild behind A Woman Inspired, Dionne leverages her extensive property portfolio to offer guidance to budding homeowners.

Highlighting key pitfalls to avoid, Dionne, hailing from Queensland, Australia, shared insights with AbsolutelyBusiness.com, reflecting on her initial foray into property investment as one of her best decisions. Despite her rigorous job schedule, Dionne managed to save diligently, aiming for properties that were affordable yet strategically located to self-sustain financially.

Dionne reminisces about her first property, where she minimally invested around £2,600 in renovations, admitting in retrospect that selling it was a misstep. Life’s unpredictable turns, including a job opportunity that fell through just as she was relocating, forced her to sell one of her properties to remain financially afloat.

Since her first venture, Dionne has acquired 18 properties across Australia, ranging from £33,400 to £733,900, each chosen with careful consideration of location and potential for appreciation.

Dionne’s property journey spanned various Australian regions, starting in South Australia, where she bought four properties within five years, then moving to the Australian Capital Territories for another two, and eventually expanding her investments to Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Western Australia.

She now shares vital tips for those venturing into the property market, emphasizing the importance of professional advice, thorough research, and financial preparedness. Dionne advises against emotional purchases, stressing the necessity of a well-thought-out checklist and a pragmatic approach to property investment.

Her key strategies include:

• Consulting with seasoned mortgage brokers and solicitors for informed financial structuring and legal advice.
• Creating a detailed checklist to guide property selection, focusing on financial viability, location, and potential growth factors.
• Conducting comprehensive building and pest inspections to avoid unforeseen expenses.
• Preparing for all associated costs, including government fees and ensuring adequate financial reserves for deposits and purchasing costs.
• Securing pre-approved and thoroughly assessed loan applications to avoid financing pitfalls.
• Mastering negotiation techniques or enlisting experienced investors to negotiate on one’s behalf.

Dionne’s methodical approach to property investment, underpinned by her personal experiences and professional expertise, offers valuable insights for both novice and seasoned investors in the real estate market.

An 18^th Century property with planning permission for seven flats, previously a former adult education centre at Ramsgate, Kent, which also served as a vicarage in the past, has a guide price of £600,000 (lot 89) and is among 135 lots listed across southern England in the first auction of eight by Clive Emson Auctioneers this year. The auction ends 7 February, with bidding live 48 hours beforehand.

Clive Emson Auctioneers enters its 35^th year with 135 lots listed across southern England, from Essex to Cornwall.

The regional land and property auctioneers have been instructed by vendors to sell 71 vacant residential lots, 16 investment, 30 commercial, 11 development and seven grazing/land.

Ending on 7 February, with bidding live 48 hours beforehand, it is the firm’s first auction of eight this year.

James Emson, Managing Director, said: “There is a diverse mix of lots at prices to suit all budgets, from first-time buyers looking to get a foot on the housing ladder and buy-to-let landlords expanding investment portfolios to property developers and residents interested in purchasing pockets of neighbourhood land.

“Vendors include local authorities offloading non-core assets, with the financial transparency that comes with bidding at auction.”

A former community centre school, cadet hall, school and adult education centre in Kent are among the lots.

Swayle Borough Council has instructed the disposal of a former community centre at Minster-on-Sea, Sheerness, which has a guide price of £130,000 – £140,000 (lot 128).

With planning permission for three homes, the former Harrietsham School near Maidstone is guided at £480,000 – £490,000 (lot 28).

It’s a case of ‘bidders fall in!’ with the former cadet hall in Westerham, near Sevenoaks, on the market with a guide price of £300,000 – £320,000 (lot 38); consent would be needed for alternative uses.

An 18^th Century property with planning permission for seven flats, previously a former adult education centre at Ramsgate which also served as a vicarage in the past, is guided at £600,000 (lot 89).

In neighbouring Essex, a parcel of land and commercial units situated adjacent the picturesque Alderford Water Mill in the village of Sible Hedingham, has a guide price of £215,000 (lot 133).

The yard has four lock-up units plus an office as well as a yard area behind lockable gates. Planning permission has been granted for an executive-style house.

Let at £41,400 pa, a six-bedroom house in multiple occupation in Eastbourne, East Sussex, has a guide price of £300,000 (lot 91).

Also in East Sussex, at Forest Row, in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Beauty, a residential investment let to a statutory tenant at £26,400 pa, with the original registration commencing from June 1973, is guided at £500,000-plus (lot 94).

Close to Greenham Common, near Newbury in Berkshire, Lavander Cottage has a guide price of £550,000 – £600,000 (lot 113).

Fronting the landmark Queens Hotel in Southsea, near Portsmouth, is a five-storey residential building, with a “rarity freehold” for the street and a guide price of £4000,000 – £450,000 (lot 126).

Video: https://www.cliveemson.co.uk/properties/247/126/

Cornwall Council has instructed the disposal of former public toilets on the seafront at Penzance. With picturesque views towards St Michael’s Mount and Mount’s Bay, the property is guided at £20,000-plus (lot 131).

Executors are selling 3 Custom House Hill in the port harbour town of Fowey, Cornwall, with a guide price of £235,000 – £250,000; the property is arranged over three floors as a retail unit with a flat on the first floor (lot 14).

Receivers have instructed the disposal of seven residential self-contained flats, currently let at £30,800 pa, in Torquay, Devon, and with a guide price of £400,000-plus (lot 54).

Video: https://www.cliveemson.co.uk/properties/247/54/