Breedon Group plc (“Breedon” or the “Group”), a leading vertically-integrated construction materials group in Great Britain and Ireland, is pleased to announce the opening of a new concrete tile production factory in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

Breedon’s significant investment at this site will reduce local supply chain constraints and enable quicker and more efficient processes in order to produce high quality tiles at a faster production rate. The new factory contains advanced, modern equipment, increasing Breedon’s tile production capacity in the region by over 80%, from 12 million to 22 million tiles per annum. This new facility will ensure the Group remains at the forefront of tile manufacturing in Northern Ireland.

The new plant in Lisburn will boost the local economy and will drive innovation and manufacturing capabilities in Belfast.

The site has been designed with sustainability as a key consideration. The successful ESG journey of the tile business and the significant decrease in carbon generated per m² of tiles, is something the team is exceptionally proud of.

Jude Lagan, Managing Director, Cement and Products at Breedon Group, said:

“I am proud to see the opening of this impressive facility in Lisburn, demonstrating our commitment to our business in Ireland, whilst benefitting the wider region, providing more supply and enabling secondary and tertiary industries to thrive.”

Blackfinch Property, the Gloucester-based, rapidly growing agile lender to the UK property market, has announced the official completion and opening of Moorland Garden Nursing Home, formerly Moorland Garden Hotel, Devon, financed by a Blackfinch Property £5.3 million development loan.

The new Moorland Garden Nursing Home features 55 ensuite rooms, many with stunning views overlooking the Moor. The nursing home will significantly boost local healthcare provision for dementia and nursing care in the region while providing a broader social impact for Dartmoor with the creation of 60 jobs in the local area. Blackfinch Property’s investment enabled the company to extend existing buildings, widen corridors and transform rooms and communal areas into high specification and tech-enabled care spaces for residents and staff. The loan-to-value (LTV) ratio for this investment was 69%, with an exit strategy that refinanced the completed and operational care home onto a long-term debt facility.

Commenting on the development, Ian Ford, Investment Manager at Blackfinch Property, said: “It was a pleasure to work with Moorland Garden Ltd on this development to provide much needed nursing home capacity in this stunning area. It’s a great example of the sustainable and community focus that drives our investments.”

He continued: “The situation in the care sector in the UK is very challenging, and the 2022 figures from CSI Market Intelligence reveal that 247 care homes closed during 2022 and only 123 new ones opened – leaving the sector with a net loss of 124 homes and 230 care beds. Every new care home that opens is significant and a welcome boost to the sector – and we are thrilled we can be part of opening a care home in such a remarkable area, helping boost local healthcare and create local jobs at the same time.”

Yogi Yogendran, Director of Moorland Garden Ltd, said: “We were really attracted to the property since the majority of the rooms have garden views and extended views out to the moor, which is the perfect care environment. We are delighted to complete and officially open, and look forward to welcoming our first residents into our home.”

He continued: “Creating a luxury care home on the site has involved making major internal changes to enable larger residential space, and we have also extended existing buildings. We are really pleased with the skills and commitment of local contractors and are looking forward to hiring a significant number of local professionals to provide care for our residents in a great environment.”

Walton Development & Construction has assumed the pivotal role of the principal contractors in this project. Moorland Garden Ltd has collaborated with various partners, including ADG (Darlington) for architectural services, Bell Cornwell Planning Consultants for Planning services, Inspired Energy for connectivity solutions, Agile Comms for telephone services, Cutec for IT infrastructure, and Fuel for brand development and website creation.