Category: Construction Section

Birmingham Council to consider plans to build 400 homes for market rent

Birminghambuildingsurveyors – Birmingham City Council is planning to develop 400 homes for market rent on public land in partnership with a housing association and developer.

The cabinet will receive a report next week outlining proposals to develop the homes on the St Luke’s estate in Highgate through an innovative partnership with housing association WM Housing Group and developer Willmott Dixon.

The development is understood to use a new funding model where the developer and council will both take an equity stake in the homes, with the aim of selling them on to an institutional investor within a five to 10 year time frame.

Further information is available from the source, here.

Cardiff contractors set to shut 26 years after opening

CardiffBuildingSurveyors.co.uk – Cardiff concrete floor specialist Mike Amodeo (Contractors) is set to close after 26 years of running and a repertoire that includes Cardiff City’s Football Stadium.

The firm, along with Mike Amodeo Group and Mike Amodeo Haulage, is expected to go into voluntary liquidation at a creditors’ meeting next week.

The meetings for creditors of the three companies will take place on 28 February at the Cardiff offices of corporate recovery firm Begbies Traynor.

More information can be found here.

York Art Gallery to undergo major refurbishment

Yorkbuildingsurveyors.co.uk – Working in partnership with Ushida Findlay Architects, the York Museums Trust have launched into a £6m refurbishment scheme to restore one of the most recognisable and historic buildings in York.

Situated near the banks of the River Ouse in one of York’s biggest attractions, a beautiful open area flanked by York Crown Court and Clifford’s Tower, the Art Gallery is a major source of tourism in York. Work should begin soon on creating a new ‘secret gallery’ and opening up a thus far hidden area of York, to become a new landscape garden and arts area.

Damien Hirst reveals plans for 500 Devon Eco Homes

Damien Hirst, one of Britain’s most famous artists, plans to use part of his considerable fortune to construct, on land at near Ilfracombe, on the edge of Exmoor  at Winsham Farm and two surrounding farms, a settlement of 500 eco friendly homes.

He is reputedly sick of ‘anonymous, lifeless buildings’ and wishes these homes to be of the sort and quality he would be happy to live in. He hopes that the plans will assist in regenerating Ilfracombe, acting as a gateway into the town.

Follow the links to find a local surveyor that could advise you on a property purchase of  any type of home in the Ilfracombe or Exmoor areas.

More can be read about the Ilfracombe development here.

Solar subsidy to link to falling cost of PV panels

Climate change Minister Greg Barker and new secretary of state Ed Davey (replacing the recently rsigned Chris Huhne) are today expected to announce changes to the way renewable subsidies are paid, in light of the contreversial and ongoing attempts to reduce solar FITs by half.

In particular, they are expected to announce reforms to the way the feed in tariff is administered so it is financially sustainable and increases certainty for investors.

We understand that the government will introduce a mechanism that will gradually reduce the FIT to match the falling price of photovoltaic panels.

Read more about FITs in our articles on the review process and the attempts to force through a substantial cut in FIT payments.

Homes and Communities Agency agrees deal with a local authority to create around 700 new homes.

derbysurveyors.co.uk– Kier Partnership Homes has been appointed as the  development partner for the old Manor and Kingsway Hospital site in Derby, comprising a deal worth £100 million over 10 years.

The HCA and Derby Council chose Kier – whose proposals include a business park to support 450 jobs – after preparing the site for development. Of the 700 homes to be built, ‘a number’, yet to be disclosed, will be affordable.

Kier will now work with the healthcare service providers on the site to ensure the new scheme meshes with the provision of essential services. Works are planned to start on site in Autumn 2012.

More information can be found here, on the Inside Housing Website.

Experienced Building Surveyor provides service for his hometown – Birmingham

Richard Peat MRICS, local to Birmingham, has become the local Director of a Right Surveyors practice in the West Midlands, providing surveys and professional consultancy to his home town and beyond. An experienced practitioner and dedicated local professional, having spent many years in the business, Richard is a Building Surveyor able to provide a wide range of property services in a professional and prompt manner.

Examples include Property Surveys, Building Surveys, Structural Surveys, House Purchase Surveys, Homebuyers Reports, Major Defects Reports, Home Surveys and Property Valuations, Property Acquisition work, Party wall work and acting as an Independent Expert Witness.

Contact Richard by following this link if you are purchasing, developing or repairing a property in the Birmingham area or anywhere in the West Midlands. He will be happy to help.

The Right Surveyors provide property consultancy services all over the country, go to their homepage to find out more about the professional services they could provide you with.

Morgan Sindall wins Exeter Uni Student Block

exetersurveyors.co.uk – Morgan Sindall, a leading UK construction group, has won a £16m design and build contract for a new student residential development of 487 beds spread over three to five storey buildings in Exeter.

Most of the construction will actually be carried out offsite and brought to the development complete, including complete bathroom ‘pods’.

Consultation begins on Social Housing Allocation Guidance

The Government has released a consultation concerning new draft statutory guidance on social housing allocations for local authorities in England. Grant Shapps MP, Minister for Housing, hopes the guidance will help do away with the ‘injustice’ associated with the social housing system.

To read the full article, click here.