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Builder wanted for £250m Woking towers scheme

The bid race is starting for a big name contractor to deliver Woking town centre’s landmark £250m Victoria Square high-rise residential and retail scheme.

Woking towers
Ambitious town centre rebuild already has detailed planning consent

A three-way development joint venture between Peacocks shopping centre owner Moyallen, Surrey County Council and Woking Borough Council is seeking a principal contractor for the project to be built on land to the west of Wolsey Place shopping centre.

Their joint venture, Bandstand Square Developments, has already obtained detailed planning consent for 125,000 sq ft of retail floorspace anchored by Marks & Spencer, a 190-bed four star hotel in a 21 storey tower, 392 flats in two towers of 30 and 34 storeys.

woking-masterplan

Work on Victoria Square is set to begin in early 2017, with completion in 2020. 

Peter Robinson, managing director of Moyallen, said: “Beginning the process of appointing our principal contractor is a key stage in the delivery of Victoria Square. 

“We are seeking a contractor with the skills, expertise and understanding to deliver what will be one of the most significant developments in Surrey.  Woking town centre is going from strength-to-strength and Victoria Square is central to its future success.”

The deadline for the submission of expressions of interest is January 29. 

Interested parties should contact Billy Wallace at WH Stephens, cost managers for the development.

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Boris approves British Land’s £300m City fringe scheme

Developer British Land has won its battle to build the controversial Blossom Street redevelopment in London after mayor Boris Johnson backed the scheme last night.

Blossom Street
British Land wins battle for Blossom Street redevelopment

His decision clears the way for enabling work to start straightaway on the 347,000 sq ft regeneration scheme near to Spitalfields Market.

The developer’s plans ran into fierce opposition from local conservationists keen to protect the character of the historic Norton Folgate neighbourhood on the City fringe.

Johnson over-ruled Tower Hamlets Council, which had previously rejected the controversial scheme.

Blossom_Street_(1)-1

British Land plans to refurbish several existing derelict warehouse buildings and build new blocks on vacant sites to create mainly office space along with 13 shops and 40 flats.

The scheme also includes two new areas of public space, totalling 15,000 sq ft.

Blossom Street

Blossom Street

Blossom Street

Blossom_street_after

Blossom Street

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Government unveils radical plan to become a house builder

David Cameron will today announce that the government is to step in and directly commission thousands of new affordable homes.

David Cameron

In a radical new policy shift, not used on this scale since Thatcher and Heseltine started London Docklands, the government will directly commission building of homes on publicly-owned land.

Its ground-breaking new policy is being rolled out as a way to fast-track homes amid growing frustration in Whitehall that large private house builders are failing to deliver enough new homes.

It will target smaller builders and contractors to deliver homes on major schemes. The plan will be backed by an extra 1.2bn fund to build 30,000 affordable starter homes on underused brownfield land by 2020.

Currently the top eight house builders provide half of all new homes. The Government now hopes to enlist an army of smaller builders to deliver its ambitious house building targets.

The first wave of up to 13,000 new homes will start on five sites in the south.

Government direct commissioning

Five publicly-owned pilot sites

  • Connaught Barracks in Dover
  • Northstowe in Cambridgeshire
  • Lower Graylingwell in Chichester
  • Daedelus on Waterfront in Gosport
  • Old Oak Common in north west London

This cash will be used to help kick-start regeneration and secure planning permission in urban areas – renovating disused or under-occupied urban sites so builders can get to work without any delays.

The Prime Minister said: “Today’s package signals a huge shift in government policy. Nothing like this has been done on this scale in three decades – government rolling its sleeves up and directly getting homes built.

“Backed up with a further £1.2bn to get homes built on brownfield sites, it shows we will do everything we can to get Britain building and let more people have the security that comes with a home of their own.”

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Plan for £90m East London tilting bridge

Plans to build a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the River Thames between Canary Wharf and Rotherhithe have taken a big step forward following the completion of a detailed feasibility study.

Designers reForm Architects has developed a unique structure that would boast the world’s largest span for an opening bascule bridge.

The plans have been developed with Elliott Wood engineers and cost management advice from Arup.

The 185m central span is supported by cables from angled masts at each side. These wishbone-like structures pivot to enable the bridge to lift at its centre to allow tall and large ships to pass.

RHB_Drawing_08_Rendered-Pier-Open
The masts also act as counterbalance weights, so that the bridge can open very efficiently requiring £10 of electricity to open.

Working with Sustrans, the design has been used to test the viability of a crossing at this location in consultation with Transport for London (TfL), London Underground, the Port of London Authority and the Canal & River Trust.

The proposed bridge has the potential to bring significant economic benefits to the communities on either side of the river and beyond, and will be a welcoming gateway for all those arriving into London by river.

It would be the first opening bridge to be built on the River Thames since Tower Bridge in 1894.

The East London design was revealed as another footbridge plan in West London moved ahead after the successful design team was named for the £40m project.

A team led by Dutch firm Bystrup with Robin Snell Architects has won the design competition for a new bridge in Nine Elms. Its design features a slender structure and spiralling ramps at both ends.

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Chancellor’s Autumn Statement

The Autumn Statement was released today by George Osborne. It is too early to understand the potential full impact of the changes but for investors it in likely that the changes in stamp duty will lead to a desire to purchase prior to April 2016 and there is a fear that demand and therefore prices will be affected thereafter. Many agents have commented that the previous changes in stamp duty have had a dramatic effect of the upper end of the property market

Help To Buy

  • New ISA product will come into effect next month
  • A new interest-free loan to supplement deposits for first-time London buyers who raise the first 5%.

Landlords and second-homes

From April 2016, an additional 3% will be added on to the Stamp Duty bill for buy-to-let or second-home purchases

New homes

An extra 400,000 homes will be built by 2020

Infrastructure boost

London will get an additional £11 billion budget to be spent on infrastructure including rail, Tube, roads and cycle routes, an enhanced superfast broadband network and extra support for museums and the arts.

Capital Gains Tax

CGT bills must be settled within 30 days rather than 21 months with effect from 2019

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Lords phase 2 revamp gets final approval

London’s mayor has given final approval to the second stage of the £200m redevelopment of Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Plans to redevelop the south-west side of the world-famous ground will see an increase in 1,082 seats, taking capacity up to 30,530.

The project will see the Tavern and Allen stand demolished to make way for a new three-tier stand of 5,200 seats.

As part of the phase two plan, the Thomas Lord Building will be redeveloped and extensive internal improvements carried out to the Pavilion, allowing more room for cricket teams and staff.

The Tavern pub will also be rebuilt inside the ground to create a more welcoming refreshment centre.

The improvements are designed to deliver an improved spectator view of the cricket and accessibility, keeping Lord’s at the forefront of hosting major international matches and tournaments.

Westminster council gave outline planning permission for the ground improvements last month and now the Mayor has given the seal of approval for what is the second phase of development at the home of cricket.

But the earliest that work will begin on the project will be autumn 2019, due to the need for Lord’s to be free of building works that summer for the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Derek Brewer, MCC Chief Executive, said: “A five-year consent was submitted because the Club awaits the England and Wales Cricket Board’s decision – expected in 2017 – on the programme of international matches for 2019-2022.

“Today’s announcement means the Club can conclude the legal procedures associated with the planning consent and look forward to making progress on these ambitious plans from Autumn 2019 onwards.”

BAM began demolition work on phase one, the redevelopment of the Warner Stand, in September this year.

Lords Warner stand

BAM is due to complete the new stand (above) in time for the 2017 season. However the stand will be in use during the 2016 season, to allow Lord’s to operate at full seating capacity during major matches.

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Funding deal for £284m Metropolitan line extension

London Underground today confirmed that plans are in place to start construction work on the extension of the Metropolitan line to Watford late next year.

The project, previously known as the Croxley Rail Link, will support growth and regeneration in and around Watford by making journeys to and from London easier.

A full funding package for the extension has now been agreed between the Department for Transport, Hertfordshire County Council and Transport for London.

This sees TfL take control for delivering the previously stalled project from the county council. Taylor Woodrow, which had an existing design and build deal with the council, will continue to deliver detailed design and enabling works.

But London Underground is now expected to go out to tender for a main contractor early next year on the bulk of project.

Metropolitan line extension

A key part of the project will be a new 3km stretch of line that includes building 400m new viaduct to take take the line over the Watford Road dual carriageway and the Grand Union Canal.

It will then link to an 1.5km stretch of existing but disused branch line route which will see two new stations built at Cassiobridge and Watford Vicarage Road before linking into Watford junction.

Nick Brown, Managing Director of LU, said: “For 100 years, the Tube has been enabling growth in ‘Metro-land’ and this new part of the Underground network will support further rapid development in the area.

“By 2020 we will have built a 400m viaduct, two completely new stations and numerous new and reconstructed bridges along the route, transforming transport links in Watford.

“With the funding package complete we’re now turning all our attention to appointing contractors, finalising designs and beginning construction in 2016.”

Manny Lewis, Managing Director for Watford Borough Council, said: “The Metropolitan Line Extension to Watford is a key transformational project for the town.

“As well as providing significantly improved transport choices for local people, the project is absolutely critical to unlocking Watford’s future economic and regeneration potential.

“The extended Metropolitan Line will bring over £1.4bn of investment into the town, helping create thousands of jobs by supporting the delivery of major projects like the Watford Health Campus, Watford Business Park, Ascot Road and the redevelopment of Charter Place Shopping Centre.”

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Sisk go-ahead for £70m London Bower tower revamp

Developer Helical Bar has given contractor John Sisk the go-ahead to start work before Xmas on the extensive remodelling of a major office block at Old Street in London.

The firm will strip the existing offices back to the frame and then extend the building out and upwards before recladding at a cost of £70m.

The Tower at 207 Old Street, which was previously home to Amec,  is the second phase of The Bower development next to Silicon Roudabout where properties prices are soaring in the face of demand from tech companies for space..

This phase will provide 170,000 sq ft of office space and 7,300 sq ft of retail/restaurant space, on completion of the works.

The BowerExisting block and remodelled building

207 Old Street was constructed in the 1960s and overclad in the 1980s. The existing block will now be stripped back to the concrete frame and raised by two floors.

Its 60s slab architecture will be broken up with a full height steelwork extension to the front of the building. On the ground floor, a generously-sized portion of the building will be cut out to create a pedestrian link from Old Street through to Baldwin Street.

Screen Shot 2015-11-19 at 22.36.59

 

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Green light for London’s 22 Bishopsgate tower

London’s city planners have backed plans for a 62-storey tower to rise from the stump of the abandoned Pinnacle scheme at 22 Bishopsgate.

The 1.3m sq ft skyscraper, which is to be built by Brookfield Multiplex, will fill an obvious gap at the centre of the City’s cluster of tall buildings.

Other firms being teed-up for key packages on the £500m construction job include steelwork contractor William Hare, and Carey’s for key concrete packages.

Under the submitted programme concrete core work will resume in March next year after the existing core stump has been removed.

Work stopped in 2012 on the previous Pinnacle building scheme with only the foundations, basements and the lift core up to level nine having been completed.

Of the existing structure, the foundations and basements will be retained, helping minimise the disruption from the new proposal, although new piles will be drilled to support the new building layout.

Construction will involve an off-site consolidated delivery centre to minimise vehicle movements to the site – reducing pollution, improving security and diminishing the number of cyclist accidents with HGVs.

Supplies to and waste from the building will be delivered to a consolidation centre outside central London and energy efficient vehicles will then make far fewer deliveries to the site outside peak pedestrian movement and rush hour times.

22 Bishopsgate

View of City’s future skyline topped out with 22 Bishopsgate skyscraper and several new towers now under construction.

Developers AXA Real Estate and Lipton Rogers are behind the plans drawn up by architect PLP for the 278m building – 10m lower than the previously approved consent.

22 Bishopsgate construction team

Access: Peter Connell Associates
Architect: PLP Architecture
CDM: PLP Architecture
Construction advice: Brookfield Multiplex
Concrete: Careys
Cost Management, Areas, BBD: Alinea
District Surveyor: City of London
Employer’s Representative/ Employer’s Agent: Aecom
Façade Access and Maintenance: WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff
Façade Engineers: Emmer Pfenninger Partners AG
Façade Advice: Josef Gartner
Fire: WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff
Logistics: Wilson James
MEP: WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff
Steelwork: William Hare
Structure: WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff
Sustainability: WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff
Transport: WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff
Vertical Transportation: VT Studio
Well (Delos): Arup

At the top of the building will be a double-height public viewing gallery, which will have dedicated lifts, be free to the public and sit alongside a two-storey public restaurant and bar.

22 Bishopsgate

It will be the first building in London to adopt the new Delos WELL Building Standard.  The Delos standard is the world’s first building standard focused exclusively on human health and wellness and assesses people using the building to measure, certify and monitor features that impact health and wellbeing.

The plans include a conference centre, cafés, food outlets, medical centre, library, wellness suite, and specialised sports facilities.

22 Bishopsgate is designed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and a 25% carbon saving compared to the previous scheme, partly due to the triple glazed ultra-efficient façade.

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Derwent to start two major London jobs worth £340m

Developer Derwent is preparing to start its most ambitious London scheme to date – the redevelopment of the former Saatchi building at Charlotte Street.

Brookfield Multiplex will deliver the 380,000 sq ft mixed-use development in Fitzrovia, which is one of two major projects due to be started by June 2016.

The project start, which has been delayed for several months, will see the contractor deliver a part refurbishment and part new build (pic below).

A substantial proportion of the existing structures are being retained to reduce waste and carbon emissions and the construction programme.

80 Charlotte Street saatchi

The second major job in Paddington, known as the Brunel building will be delivered by Laing O’Rourke.

Its structure echoes as a smaller version the landmark Cheesegrater offices at 122 Leadenhall St, which was Laing O’Rourke’s first major high-rise project in London.

The 240,000 sq ft office is planned on one of the last sites in Paddington Basin on the banks of the Grand Union Canal and opposite Brunel’s Paddington Station,which lend the scheme its engineer’s name.

It will rise to 17 floors and is designed with an external supporting steel diagrid support frame to afford column-free floorplates.
Derwent Brunel House

Derwent Brunel House

Derwent Brunel House

Designed by Fletcher Priest Architects and engineered by Arup, construction at the 55-65 North Wharf Road site is due to start in early 2016 and complete in the first half of 2019.

In a third quarter trading statement this morning John Burns, Derwent chief executive officer, said: “The current year is our best ever for lettings.  We have also successfully recycled some more mature assets into several major opportunities and the Group’s development activity demonstrates confidence that the high level of occupier demand for our product is set to continue.”

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