April 2015 lb for internet by Michael Wilkinson

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Leicestershire

APRIL 2015

e n i z a g Ma

REACHING OVER 3,500 BUILDING-BASED COMPANIES IN LEICESTERSHIRE & SURROUNDING AREA EVERY MONTH REACHING OVER 3,500 BUILDING-BASED COMPANIES IN LEICESTERSHIRE & RUTLAND EVERY MONTH

Canalside Extra Care Scheme Officially Opened By City Mayor A FORMER textiles factory in the heart of Leicester city centre has been converted into an £8m new affordable housing scheme to support vulnerable adults. Abbey Mill, the late 19th Century building on Abbey Park Street, has been revitalised to create 78 one and two bedroom apartments and will operate as a special facility to support adults as well as the frail elderly. A major project for the city, Abbey Mill has been refurbished by awardwinning contractor and developer, William Davis Ltd on behalf of specialist housing provider, asra OPENING: Officially opening the Abbey Mill scheme Housing Group. To (front l-r) Sir Peter Soulsby, Leicester City Mayor; Matt celebrate the scheme’s Cooney, chief executive, asra Housing Group and Guy completion, representatives Higgins, managing director, William Davis Ltd with from both organisations (back l-r) Alam Navsa, Maynard chair, Jaffer Kapasi were joined by Leicester’s OBE, asra Housing Group board member and Kishor Jadavji, Ross Walk chair. City Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby to cut the ribbon and officially declare the building open. Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said: “I’m delighted that asra has had the vision to bring this historic building back into use, especially one which provides such wonderful homes. Continued on page 3 ...>

In an unspoilt hilltop village

Development site for 8 dwellings in Tilton on the Hill: £775,000

BENTONS Estate Agents are offering for sale a superb 0.9 acre development site with planning consent for 8 residential dwellings, including two conversions and a refurbishment of the existing public house. The land - known as the Rose & Crown Development Site - is situated at Main Street, Tilton on the Hill, Leicestershire LE7 9LF, opposite the ancient village church. Offering over 12,700 sq.feet, the development offers an opportunity to acquire a predominantly residential site with a small element of investment/retail with living acommodation above. The developmentis offered with all archeological and ecological surveys complete and is superbly located for fast access to Leicester, Market Harborough, Melton Mowbray, Uppingham and Oakham. The site is offered with no affordable housing provisions (Condition 13 now removed.) Offers in the region of £775,000 are being invited. For more information, contact Bentons on 01664 563892 or email: sales@bentons.co.uk

Advert & Article Deadline is 15th of each month - Magazine out on 1st of each month

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Strong February growth as new home registrations continue to increase: NHBC NEW FIGURES released at the end of March by NHBC have revealed that the number of new homes registered in the UK in February increased by 25% compared to the same month last year. A total of 11,734 new homes (9,209 private sector; 2,525 public sector) were registered in February, compared to 9,390 a year ago, although this was 2014’s poorest month in terms of new home registrations. For the rolling quarter (Dec 2014 – Feb 2015), 36,505 new homes were registered compared to 29,681 for the same period last year, an increase of 23%. The private sector recorded 28,139 registrations compared to 21,373 (+32%) a year ago with the public sector showing a marginal one per cent increase with 8,366 new homes compared to 8,308 for this quarter. As the leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes in the UK, NHBC’s monthly registration statistics are a leading indicator of the health of the country’s new homes market. Commenting on the latest registration statistics, NHBC Chief Executive Mike Quinton said: “We are very pleased that the growth we saw throughout last year has continued into 2015, with our latest figures clearly showing that registrations are up on 2014 levels for the last three months, which is great news for the industry. However, we have been clear that we are building way below the level of homes that our country so desperately needs, therefore it is important that we keep up this momentum.”

Kelkay makes £1m investment

Oakham site with planning for 2 dwellings: offers invited

KELKAY has reinforced its position as a leading manufacturer and distributor of aggregates and paving with a £1 million investment in new state of the art machinery.

APB Property Consultants are iinviting offers for a development site with planning permission for 2 three-bedroom dwellings at land off Kings Road, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6PD.

The significant investment, which completes the commissioning of the Pollington, East Yorkshire plant, means Kelkay can increase efficiency, improve its products and enhance customer service. Kelkay moved into its purpose built head office on their Pollington site last year along with opening up further acreage for increased stock holding. The expanding site is providing storage for back up stock, currently at 50,000 pallets which is 30% more than this time last year. In addition to this Kelkay has over 75,000 tonnes of aggregate stock piled on its premises. The company understands how important it is that its customers have reassurance on stock availability for the season especially with the increased demand for aggregates in the garden. Visit www.kelkay.co.uk

The site is situated within a populated area, approximately 0.7 miles from the Town Centre and within easy walking distance of the Train Station. The site extends to 360 sq.m (0.09 acres) with frontage along King Street extending to 17.9 metres and a maximum site depth of 28.2 metres. Planning Permission (2014/1084/FUL) has been secured for the erection of pair of semi-detached, 3 storey town houses with parking. The Planning Permission is not subject to any off-site contributions, nor any affordable housing provision. A copy of the Planning Permission can be provided to interested parties. Offers are invited - contact APB on 0116 254 0382 for more information, or visit www.apbleicester.co.uk

Leicestershire Builder Magazine Published By: Builder Magazines PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT Tel: (01530) 244069 Fax: (01530) 249557 Email: info@buildermagazines.co.uk Web: www.buildermagazines.co.uk Over 3,500 copies distributed every month across Leicestershire & Rutland by a combination of: • By Post to SUBSCRIBERS and a rotating free mailing list (2,200 copies) • Through trade counters of local merchants (1,300 copies) SUBSCRIPTIONS: £20 PER YEAR (No VAT) TO SUBSCRIBE: CALL 01530 244069 and leave your details, or subscribe via our Website. We’ll invoice you later. Printed in Ellistown by: Norwood Press

Published on 1st of each month. Copy Deadline: 15th of each month

FROM PAGE 1 “They have a brilliant track record in these schemes, particularly in the neighbouring Wolsey building.” asra Housing Group chief executive, Matt Cooney said: “We are immensely proud to officially open Abbey Mill, which is linked to our existing Extra Care scheme, the Wolsey Building. Together they are an Extra Care hub, providing 146 purpose built flats with state-of-theart facilities for vulnerable adults and those living with a disability. Abbey Mill is a stunning reminder that Leicester’s old buildings can be restored and brought back to life to once again provide a vital resource to a 21st century city.” Part-funded by Leicester City Council and the Homes and Communities Agency, the refurbishment of Abbey Mill has retained the building’s historic shell whilst completely updating the interior. Original steel columns have been incorporated into the development’s design, which was prepared by Leicester-based architectural practice, rg+p. A new pedestrian bridge links the development with its sister building, The Wolsey, also redeveloped by William Davis for asra Housing Group, and ensures residents have access to all facilities including IT suite, hobby rooms, lounge/dining area and communal gardens. Guy Higgins, managing director at William Davis, commented: “The regeneration of Abbey Mill and The Wolsey has created a landmark Extra Care facility, which we believe is the largest of its kind in Leicester. It was a challenging build project, not only preserving and restoring the old, but ensuring new elements of the scheme were in keeping with the heritage of the site. It is really pleasing to have been part of the team that has helped turn these disused buildings into a superb modern and practical resource for local people in the heart of our vibrant city.” Dating back to the mid 1880’s, Abbey Mill and The Wolsey were originally factories creating hosiery and warmth-preserving clothing under the famous Wolsey brand.

The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the Editorial/Production Team. The inclusion of any group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply a recommendation of its aims, methods or policies. Builder Magazines cannot be held responsible for the information disclosed by advertisements, all of which are accepted in good faith. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. Builder Magazines reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and/or advertisements submitted for publication. All property details contained within this magazine are to be regarded as being for outline guidance only. All potential interested parties are requested to check individual availability of premises for accuracy of details with the relevant selling agents before proceeding further.

For details of our Advertising Rates: visit www.buildermagazines.co.uk

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Selling plots or development properties?

GET A FREE MENTION! We include brief details of development properties free-of-charge in editorial form. So, if you’re selling an interesting development property, building plot or property for conversion, email details to: info@buildermagazines. co.uk and we’ll give the property a free mention. Tremendous!

BRE seeks solutions for improving the measurement of heat losses from solid wall homes BRE is launching a competition to identify tools and technologies that can rapidly and accurately measure the heat losses from solid wall homes in the UK. There are over seven million solid wall homes in Great Britain that could benefit from insulation. Insulating these types of homes is one of the greatest challenges for energy efficiency policy, but it also potentially offers some of the most significant energy and carbon savings for occupants. Policies to deliver this work rely on modelled estimates of savings from solid wall insulation, but a tool that could measure the heat transmittance through walls would mean savings could be based on robust, up to date and accurate data. In order to improve the quality and speed of measurements BRE is seeking innovative solutions for rapidly and accurately measuring wall U-values. The competition opens on 16 March and runs through to 15 May. The winning solution will receive up to £50,000 of funding to support further testing and development of working prototypes. ‘Dealing with solid walls is one of the biggest challenges to delivering energy efficiency in our existing homes. This competition aims to establish a tool that energy assessors can use to quickly and accurately measure the heat losses. Accurate measurement allows us to find out just how effective interventions have been and base future interventions on robust and accurate data.’ says John Riley, Director, Housing and Energy at BRE. ‘We are looking for solutions from all kinds of places and we’re particularly keen on technology transfer from companies outside the built environment” says Riley. The competition forms part of BRE’s current solid wall research programme which is funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change. Further details on the competition are available here. For further information please contact Linda McKeown, BRE email mckeownl@bre.co.uk

Tenders invited for Homes at popular building plot in Hose Leicestershire development selling quickly following launch

SHOULER & SON are inviting informal tenders for a single building plot situated close to the heart of the very popular ‘Vale of Belvoir’ village of Hose. The plot - adjacent to 27 Dairy Lane, Hose, Leics. LE14 4JW - has a frontage of approximately 12.42m opening to 13.43m and a maximum depth of 23.56m. Planning permission was granted on appeal on 12th September 2012, Ref. APP/Y2430/A/12/2176214, and the Melton Borough Council Planning Ref. is 11/00984/FUL. This was granted for a two storey detached residential house. On 21st September 2012 a further application was submitted to move the proposed dwelling a further 1100mm towards Dairy Lane and away from an adjacent building. This was granted. Full details of the Planning Permission and drawings are available from the Agents. Buyers are advised to make their own enquiries as to the services available. The selling agents are aware that there is a sewer pipe which crosses the front of the site from No. 27 to a manhole to the right. Shoulers are seeking Informal Tenders in writing to reach their Wilton Road office no later than 12 noon on Friday 24th April 2015. Please mark in the top left hand corner of the envelope “Hose Tender”. The Guide Price is £85,000-£95,000. For more information, contact Shoulers on 01664 410166 or visit the website at www.shoulers.co.uk

HOMEBUYERS are being encouraged to visit David Wilson Homes’ countryside development, Sapcote Lea, where homes are selling fast following the launch of the sales centre and two stylish show homes. An exclusive range of two, three, four and five bedroom homes is available at the development, located off Grace Road, in the village of Sapcote, surrounded by rolling Leicestershire countryside and with a relaxed atmosphere. With 14 homes already reserved, the leading developer is urging anyone looking to embrace a peaceful village lifestyle to visit the development where two stunning new show homes are now open to the public. Andrew Henry, of Andrew Henry Interiors who designed the showhomes’ furnishings and décor, said: “For the Layton show home, our inspiration was taken from the Designer’s Guild, with a range of vibrant fabrics and wallpapers offering a contemporary environment. “The theme for the Winstone on the other hand was inspired by famous designer Ralph Lauren and features more classic styling against a neutral backdrop. Both finished show homes are highly individual, yet equally stunning and will appeal to a wide range of homebuyers.”

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

I’ve probably wasted a solid year of my life just staring into the fridge.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ APRIL 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ Tel: 01530 244069

Quartz Close, Warren Park Way, Enderby, Leicester, LE19 4SA

Sales line: 01772 426 704

www.guesttruckandvan.co.uk info@guests.co.uk Part of the largest Iveco dealership in the UK, with 13 sites across the Midlands

17338 GUE Leicestershire Builders Mag Half Page April 2015.indd 1

10/03/2015 11:31

Women always call me ugly until they find out how much money I make. Then they call me ugly and poor.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Cold Water Could Heat 1m Homes

Development Property IN BRIEF

Pub for sale in Burton upon Trent INNES ENGLAND are offering for sale a public house on a self-contained site.

AT LEAST 1 million homes and businesses across England could be tapping into clean renewable heat hidden in our waterways, a new online tool for communities has revealed. The innovative and interactive online map has revealed the secret energy in over 4,000 rivers, estuaries, canals and coastal sites across the country that together could provide over six gigawatts of low-carbon heat to communities. By installing a water source heat pump people can help eliminate the need for dirty gas-fired domestic heating and a typical household could slash its carbon footprint by up to 50 per cent. Launching the new map at Battersea Power Station in London in March, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey said: “We need to make the most of the vast amount of clean, renewable heat that lays dormant and unused in our rivers, lakes and seas. “Doing this will help contribute to an energy mix that maximises clean, reliable home-grown resources rather than relying on foreign fossil fuels. It also provides a system that bolsters growth in our local economies, protects the natural environment, and creates resilient communities that are capable of producing sustainable power systems. “This is exactly why we’re giving local people, developers and councils the keys they need to unlock the enormous potential of our waterways.” Battersea Power Station is the latest developer to announce that it will be looking into installing a water source heat pump. Today, energy company SSE was appointed to carry out a full heat pump feasibility study. The company will also investigate the re-use of existing engineering infrastructure that was built 80 years ago to connect the Power Station to the Thames when it was generating power. If a heat pump is installed at the site, it would be one of the energy sources used to provide heat to around 4000 new homes, shops, offices and public amenities being provided at the Power Station. Phillip Gullett, chief operating officer at Battersea Power Station, said: “We are looking at a range of options to deliver the energy required for the homes, shops, restaurants and leisure facilities being created here at Battersea Power Station. “Being located on the banks of the River Thames in central London we are ideally placed to investigate what role water source technology may play in supplying our energy needs and we are delighted that SSE will be undertaking a feasibility study to establish the options available to us.”

The property - The Wetmore Whistle, Wetmore Lane, Burton upon Trent DE14 1SH - has a total ground floor area of 1,504 sq.feet. It is held freehold and available with vacant possession. Offers are invited in the region of £195,000. For details, contat Kate Richardson at Innes England on 0115 924 3243 or email: krichardson@innes-england.com

Energy Secretary Ed Davey at Battersea Power Station

Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, the charity that cares for 2,000 miles of waterways in England & Wales, said: “We very much welcome today’s announcement, which recognises the huge potential of water sourced heat pumps to deliver a low carbon solution to the UK’s heating and cooling demands. “We have a number of innovative projects already underway, or in development, on our canals and rivers. These are delivering benefits for waterside businesses and the environment and proving again that, 200 years after they were built, the waterways are still bringing a whole range of benefits to the nation.” The Water Source Heat Map is a new tool on featuring on the National Heat Map. It is a publicly accessible, interactive webbased map showing the level of heat demand across England. It includes residential, commercial, industrial, public buildings and total heat demand. It aims to support planning and deployment of local low-carbon energy projects in England. Water source heat pumps operate by taking heat from the water and feeding it into local heat networks or single buildings, providing a lowcarbon source of renewable heat to local areas. This map has identified 4,041 waterways made up of 3,769 rivers, 135 estuaries, 84 coastal sites and 53 canals around England. The new interactive map provides developers and homeowners with information to help them

get their water source heat pump projects up-and-running. It includes details of water conditions, such as temperature and flow rates, as well as the potential heat capacity of each waterway and the levels of heat demand across England – eliminating the cost and time it would take developers to conduct their own exploratory studies. Alongside the map, the government has published a flow chart to help people navigate the process of setting up a water source heat pump. The government is also working with the Environment Agency to make it easier and quicker than ever to apply for environmental permits. An industry-led Code of Practice to drive up technical standards in the heat pump industry is in development. The code is being funded by the government and will be launched later this year.

Site for 3 dwellings in Long Eaton ROBERT ELLIS Estate Agents are offering for sale a substantial piece of garden land with full planning permission for three high quality homes. The property - at Longmoor Road, Long Eaton NG10 4FP - is situated on the borders of Long Eaton and Sandiacre in a mature residential setting offering great commutability as Junction 25 of the M1 Motorway is a few minutes drive away. The three two-storey houses have been designed by a local architect of some repute. The three properties will be nestled in attractive and mature garden, the rear boundary backing onto mature trees of a disused canal route. The asking price is £400,000. For more information, contact Paul Sweeney at Robert Ellis Estate Agents on 0115 949 0044 or email: Paul.sweeney@robertellis.co.uk

63-Room Nursing Home Care Site For Sale in Hucknall: £645,000 CHRISTIE & CO Business Intelligence are offering for sale a nursing home care site at Lancaster Road, Hucknall, Nottingham NG15 6FN. The site is situated near to the town centre of Hucknall, approximately 4 miles from Junction 26 of the M1 Motorway, and 7 miles from Nottingham city centre. Plannng permission has been granted for a 63-bedroom nursing home, with plans drawn up for a quality three-storey home in accordance and ahead of CQC Minimum Standards. Full plans are available upon request. The asking price is £645,000. For more information, contact Lee Howard at Christie & Co on 0115 948 3100 or email: Lee.Howard@christie.com

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Technology Maps of Leicester LEICESTER CITY Council is highlighting green technologies and how they have been employed across the city of Leicester through the publication of its Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Technology Maps. The maps show the locations of renewable energy installations and low carbon technologies across the city with further information that can be clicked on to identify the amount of carbon saved. Due to the interactive nature and simple presentation of the maps it is possible to layer up a basic map of Leicester with icons displaying points in the city where different technologies have been implemented. Simple sliders allow users to smoothly toggle between technologies, with the ability to click on the icons allowing a text box to appear displaying further information. The maps display multiple technologies including: Solar Photovoltaics, Green Roofs, External Wall Insulation, Cavity Wall Insulation, District Heating, LED street lighting and houses built to the Code for Sustainable Homes level 4. The Major Renewable layer demonstrates the success of Leicester City Council’s well established low carbon and renewable planning policies. All new developments over 1000m2, or ten dwellings in size are required to acquire 18% of their energy use from a renewable source on site. Since 2009, 80 new major developments within the city have complied with our renewable policies. The map is able to display the extent of the city’s district heating network which is otherwise hidden from view to residents of the city. The scheme provides combined heat and power to 35 council and university buildings and 2800 householders across the city. Retrofitting council housing stock to improve energy efficiency is represented by the External Wall and Cavity Wall insulation Layers on the map. The insulation significantly reduces the amount of carbon released, due to a reduced need to heat the property. 1,350 council properties have currently been fitted with external wall insulation. The maps were created to emphasise the true scale of renewable and low carbon technology in the city, with a goal to display the advances made towards carbon reduction and to act as a catalyst for future growth in this sector. The greenhouse gas saving initiatives, shown on the Renewable Maps, are now achieving annual savings of 18,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions for the city through: The city wide district heating network; 6,625 tonnes CO2/year, Planning policy renewable energy on major developments: 4,080 tonnes CO2/year, renewable energy generation, such as PV panels; 3,246 tonnes CO2/year, solid wall insulation; 2,406 tonnes/year and improved street lighting: 2,157 tonnes CO2/year You can see the maps here: https://leicester-renewables.cartodb.com

Great Dalby plot for sale by Informal Tender BENTONS Estate Agents are offering for sale by Informal Tender a substantial single building plot with planning consent for a four bedroom detached family home. The 0.42 acre plot is situated within a former orchard and garden to Brookfield Cottage, at 2 Nether End, Great Dalby, Leics. LE14 2EY. With all main services available, footings have already been constructed and the private south facing gardens feature a number of mature fruit trees, snowdrops, daffodils and bluebells. Given the size of the plot, the agents belive there is ample space for a much larger dwelling, subject to planning. This superb building plot is situated on the very edge of Great Dalby village off an attractive electric gated approach shared with only two other properties. Planning was originally granted (Application No.08/00036/FUL on 12 October 2008, the Planning Consent subsequently extended (Application No. 10/00893/EXT on 20/1/2011. Planning Consent was implement through the construction of the foundations to the proposed dwelling. Building Regulations Approvals were granted as well as protected species and Botanical Surveys carried out. For sale by Informal Tender - offers, based on a guide of £200,000, are invited in writing by 12 noon on Thursday 23 April 2015. For more information, contact Bentons on 01664 563892 or email: sales@bentons.co.uk

Development Property IN BRIEF

Braunstone land for 4 bungalows: £120,000 CARLTON ESTATES are offering for sale building land at Radford Drive in Braunstone,Leicester. The plot has planning permission (ref: 14/0783/1/PX) for 4 onebedroom bungalows each with associated parking and amenity space. The asking price is £120,000. For more information, contact Carlton estates on 0116 284 9636 or email: sales@carltonestates.co.uk

Atherstone site for 6 town houses LOVEITTS Estate Agents are offering for sale a freehold development site with detailed planning consent for 6 spacious town houses. The land - adjoining 47 Richmond Road, Atherstone, Warwickshire, CV9 2AH - comprises an existing freehold commercial site with detailed planning consent for demolition of the existing workshop premises and the development of an attractive courtyard scheme of 6 spacious town houses with associated parking. In addition, the property includes an existing terraced house alongside (No.47 Richmond Road) which is currently used as the works offices (and could be used as a site office for the proposed development) prior to its refurbishment for sale as part of the project. The scheme also provides for a single parking space and single visitor parking space per unit with similar provision for the retained house providing for 14 car parking spaces in total. The asking price is £385,000 freehold. For more information, contact Loveitts on 024 7622 8111 or visit www.loveitts.co.uk

My dad’s motto is “Neither a borrower nor a lender be”, which is why he lost his job at the British library.

I’ve found the key to a successful relationship is not to fall for me.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

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It’s not difficult to tell crocodiles and alligators apart. One will see you in a while whereas the other will see you later.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

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Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Apprenticeship vouchers Former church and show government has cottage for sale in Saltby listened to builders THE GOVERNMENT’S proposed voucher model for apprenticeship funding is an improvement on what was formerly proposed and shows that Ministers have listened to the construction industry, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Commenting on the recent Budget Statement, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “It’s been a long and bumpy road since the Richard Review first touted the idea of putting the purchasing power back in the hands of the employer but today the Government has finally set out a clear direction of travel in terms of its apprenticeship funding reforms. “The new digital apprenticeship voucher model is a vast improvement on what was formerly proposed. However, we do still have some concerns about the potential for this new system to add additional administrative burden for small firms. To counter this, we will be working closely with the next Government to minimise any added bureaucracy. For SMEs, bureaucracy is the biggest barrier to engagement in any scheme so industry and government must work together to help ensure this new system does not have a detrimental impact on apprenticeship numbers.” Berry continued: “The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) predicts that an additional 200,000 jobs will be created in the construction industry over the next five years and up to 400,000 people could retire over the same period. It’s therefore crucial that government does nothing to undermine the desire or ability of small construction firms to train apprentices. Let’s not forget, two-thirds of all construction apprentices are trained by the very smallest firms so we need to carefully develop a framework which works for them, not against them.” Berry concluded: “The message we want our members and all small construction firms to take away is that regardless of the forthcoming changes, until 2017, it’s business as usual in terms of apprenticeship funding. With the skills time bomb ticking ever more loudly, the last thing we need is for employers to stop hiring apprentices in the interim. According to our latest survey, 20% of FMB members are currently training apprentices which is up from 18% two years ago. However we need more small employers – and all large employers – to recognise the commercial value of training apprentices and do their bit to help close the skills gap.”

Development Property IN BRIEF

Plot for a large family home in Sinope JOHN GERMAN Estate Agents are offering for sale a single flat-level building plot on a one-acre site with planning consent for a significant detached family home. The plot - at Ashby Road, Sinope, Leicestershire LE67 3AY - has consent for a five-bedroom family home extending to over 3,000 sq.feet in area. Entry to the site will ultimately be through electrically operated gates onto a shared driveway approach with The Nursery House which will enjoy right of access. The guide price is £300,000. For more information, contact John German on 01530 412824 or email: ashbysales@johngerman. co.uk

SHOULER & Son Estate Agents are offering for sale a former Methodist Church along with an adjoining twostorey two-bedroom cottage and garden. The property - situated at Main Street, Saltby, LE14 4QW - comprises a sspacious former Methodist Church with Kitchen, Store Room, Hall and w.c. along with a two storey two bed cottage which is currently let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy. The property is situated in the heart of this rural village between Melton Mowbray and Grantham. The two properties would ideally be converted into one dwelling, subject to obtaining necessary planning consent. The cottage has a Porch, Hall, cosy Living Room, Kitchen, two Double Bedrooms and a Bathroom. Outside offers a garden area to the side and rear and a range of outhouses. The Chapel has oil central heating. The Guide Price is £250,000. For more information, contact Shoulers on 01664 410166 or visit the website at www.shoulers.co.uk

Get your kit sorted

Online plastering tool repair service PLASTERERS and DIY enthusiasts all over the UK can now stop cursing their faulty and broken equipment after a plastering supplies firm launched its rapid online plastering tool repair service. Midlands based Gypsumtools is renowned for offering one of the largest ranges of drylining products on the web today. But the company is keen to point out that it doesn’t only offer one of the UK’s biggest ranges of new tools for the plastering industry. The firm, which has technicians and staff with over 50 years of experience in the trade, recently launched its taping tool repair centre which is now open for business. Customers only need to fill out an online form or make one phone call to get the ball rolling and their tools can be collected, serviced, repaired and returned to them in the trice of an eye. The easy to use online facility was designed to take some of the stress out of day to day plastering jobs, by offering an effective and rapid solution to some of the problems often encountered by professional plasterers and DIY enthusiasts alike, saving them time, as well as the cost of replacing their tools. When a plastering tool breaks on the job or is in need of a service, customers do not even need to leave the job as Gypsumtools will collect the faulty equipment and then drop it back off again to a chosen address free of charge, once it has been serviced and repaired. Customers can either telephone the repair centre to discuss the repair or fill out the online form to have up to three tools collected, serviced and the fault diagnosed for £25. A technician will then give the customer a courtesy call to let them know what the problem is and find out whether they would like to pay to have the fault repaired. Gypsumtools operations manager, Callum Wilson said: “For more than 50 years we’ve worked in the plastering industry and it’s because of this that we understand what our customers want and need. “We also know how important a plasterer’s tools are for getting the job done. We are pleased to say that, with the launch of our tool repair centre and easy to use online form, we are making taping tool repair easier for anyone with a plastering job on, who runs into difficulty because their equipment has gone wrong.” Customers can either fill out the online taping tool repair service form or more information, contact the Gypsumtools technicians and staff on 08456 2 54321, where a member of the team will be more than happy to help.

I’m in a long distance relationship. Sure, some people refer to it as a restraining order, but still.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Builders’ Problems SOLVED

Damages claim for Breach of Contract Problem: I am a self-employed architectural technician trading as a sole trader and recently undertook some detailing for a small scale fabricator. The fabricator has now come back saying that they are claiming against me for over £68,000 due to errors, lost work and being kicked off the job through late issue of drawings etc. No programme was ever agreed, whist the information was hit and miss from the fabricator. When the claim came through, I requested a break down but nothing came. Drawings were issued to which the fabricator responded they were not as they wanted. I asked for them to clarify what they wanted, only to be told that they will sort the amendments out. They are even stating that the director of the fabricator lost his house. Can I be liable for him losing his house? He has said that they had to pay liquidated damages. I did not sign up for any liquidated damages so am I liable?

Gary, Ashby-de-la-Zouch Response: Hello Gary. First and foremost, have you got professional indemnity insurance? If not, why not! If you do have PI insurance, you will need to inform your broker and underwriter in writing that you have a potential claim against you. However, be aware that under the terms of your policy, there will be a requirement for your insurer to have had immediate notice of a claim otherwise you may find you have no cover. Regarding the claims, essentially what they emanate from (if my understanding is correct), are errors in the drawings and late delivery. Therefore, it will be down to the fabricator to show that you were negligent in the production of

the drawings and you also failed to meet the agreed delivery dates, the result of which caused the losses now being asserted. I am unaware whether your contract included any written terms and conditions, but in all probability you would have been required to undertake the work using reasonable skill and care (which will also be a term implied into your contract if you have no written terms as to standard), and if you fell below this standard, then you would have breached your contract. That does not mean that the fabricator has a claim against you as he must show that his loss was one which resulted from the breach. Regarding delivery dates, if the contract is silent, then there

will be an implied term for you to have delivered the drawings within a reasonable time and if you can demonstrate this, then the fabricator’s claim will fail (against this head of claim). Even if you are in breach and the loss can be shown to be a type of one which resulted from the breach, the loss claimed must not be too remote and be in the reasonable contemplation of the parties. For example, if you were unaware of the liquidated damages between the fabricator and his client, then how can you be responsible for such a loss? Regarding the loss claimed resulting from lost work, the fabricator must prove that he had firstly secured the works but as a direct result of your breach, he subsequently lost the work. In other words, to succeed, the claim cannot be speculative. Finally, the fabricator will also be under a duty to mitigate his losses. He cannot just sit back and watch his business fold and house taken away and do nothing! If you do not have PI insurance and because you are a sole trader, I suggest that it will be money well spent to instruct a competent solicitor to give you advice and take this on, but I suspect that you will be able to successfully defend most, if not all of the claim. If you do not have PI, lesson learnt, and you should seriously consider forming a limited company.

Michael P. Gerard © Michael P. Gerard The advice provided is intended to be of a general guide only and should not be viewed as providing a definitive legal analysis. Author background Michael is a Practising Solicitor, Barrister, Chartered Builder, Registered Construction Adjudicator & Accredited Expert in quantum and planning matters. He is Managing Director of Michael Gerard & Co., and a Consultant Solicitor with Edward Hands & Lewis, based in Leicestershire.

The Innasol Training Academy opens its door to the professional public INNASOL, the UK’s leading renewable heating company, has today announced that its BPEC-approved training facility is open to all renewable heating professionals. These include installation, commissioning and service engineers, specifiers, architects, and planners. The opening of the facility is a response to the overwhelming demand in the building sector to know more about renewable heating. Innasol’s aim is to encourage the growth of the renewable heating sector by reaching professionals at all stages of the building process, from inception through to ongoing maintenance to ensure consistent customer satisfaction and good quality installations. The move comes less than six months after Innasol announced the doubling in size of its training facility and the launch of the Customer Excellence Programme, the industry’s first accreditation scheme. The Innasol Training Academy now offers qualifications that are approved

by certification body BPEC, which are recognised by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme. For those who do not require a formal qualification, Innasol offers CPD-certified training courses. The renewable heating leader is also working with industry bodies to provide other industry certified courses. Simon Butcher, Innasol’s Training Manager, said “We are responding to the growing demand amongst building professionals to become competent in renewable heat. We have already seen tremendous levels of interest in our CPD courses, much of it from those in architecture and we anticipate further interest as word spreads. As our industry develops, I would like to see us offer an even greater range of training, including system design, sales and more advanced technical training courses.’ Since its inception in 2010, over 2,000 renewable heating engineers have been trained at the Innasol Training Academy. Innasol hopes to train 1,000 more professionals over the course of 2015.

My wife just said that I was the worst behaved out of all her children.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Today I have been sober for 100 days. Not, like, in a row or anything. Just in total.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

I like to finish other people’s sentences because my version is better.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Westleigh to build over 100 homes in Leicester WESTLEIGH has been given the green light to build another 115 properties at its popular Leicester city development, Belgrave Riverside. The house builder has gained approval from Leicester City Council to carry out the third phase of the development on Ross Walk after phase two proved so popular that house buyers snapped up the properties before they were even built. The development as a whole has transformed the former British Union Shoe Machinery head office in Leicester into a highly desirable residential development. Offering family living close to the city centre, Belgrave Riverside has proved a huge draw for local people, as well as those looking to relocate and continues to experience a high volume of interest. Westleigh will build a mixture of two, three and four bedroom properties during phase three, all of which will be available to purchase through the Government’s Help to Buy scheme, which provides a helping hand to those who want to purchase a house but have just a 5% deposit to work with. Robert Orr, Sales and Marketing Manager for Westleigh Homes, commented, “Our Belgrave Riverside development has been a huge success and has provided for those who want to own a brand new home but remain close to local amenities, and, of course, the city itself and we were keen to provide more homes in this sought after location.” The development is conveniently located off the A607 Belgrave Road, within a short walk of the Golden Mile and within easy reach of local amenities, Abbey Park and Leicester city centre. Westleigh Homes builds contemporary new homes across the Midlands from its base in Leicester and designs homes and specifications with modern lifestyles in mind. It ensures its new homes embrace existing buildings, styles and materials, whilst also ensuring the build has a minimal impact on the local environment. For further information about Westleigh New Homes call 0116 277 3324. Alternatively log onto www.westleighnewhomes.co.uk

Bedworth building plot

Awards Given Out for Great Design in Charnwood

THE WINNERS of the Charnwood Design Awards 2015 have been announced. The awards, run by Charnwood Borough Council, recognise high-quality building design in the borough and the excellent work of owners, agents and contractors on a wide range of development and conservation projects in the borough. The four winners are: • The Dogs Trust Rehoming Centre in Wymeswold • Ratcliffe College Preparatory School, Ratcliffe on the Wreak; • Cottages in Forest Rock Close, Woodhouse Eaves; and • Trinity Hall, Loughborough which is home to Affixxius Films. All four winners were presented with a plaque by Mayor of Charnwood, Councillor Paul Day, who is also the Council’s Design Champion. Councillor Eric Vardy, Cabinet Member for Planning and Sustainability, said: “We are delighted to be able to give out these awards and recognise high-quality design work. “The standard of entry was really high and there are some really great projects out there. “The awards aim to encourage good design as it helps make the borough of Charnwood a better place to live and work.” The Mayor of Charnwood said: “I was delighted to present plaques to our winners. They are truly deserved and I would like to congratulate them for their hard work. “We need to take pride in Charnwood and good building design plays a part in that.” Developments which were highly commended in the Charnwood Design Awards 2015 were: • Leicestershire Fire and Rescue headquarters in Birstall • St Peter’s Church in Loughborough • The Quay in Mountsorrel • Properties on Church Gate, Loughborough The following developments were commended: • Blake Close, Barrow upon Soar • 2a, 2b and 2c, Bridge Street, Barrow upon Soar • Former Rosebery School, Storer Road, Loughborough • Cotes Mill, Nottingham Road, Cotes The Charnwood Design Awards 2015 were judged by Councillor Eric Vardy, Councillor Paul Day and Mark Fennell, Team Leader Natural and Built Environment at the borough council.

Former isolation hospital with consent for 5 units MARK EVANS & CO. are offering for sale a former isolation hospital - later used as boarding kennels with planning consent for residential conversion.

PAUL CHILLINGSWORTH HOMES are offering for sale a very spacious corner plot in an attractive location, backing onto farmland. The plot - at Mavor Drive, Bedworth, CV12 0HD - has planning permission for a three-bed detached house. Offers in the region of £40,000 are invited. For more information, contact Paul Chillingsworth Homes on 02476 258492 or email: reception@covagent.co.uk

The property is situated at Watling Street, Grendon, Near Atherstone, Warwickshire. Planning permission (ref: PAP/2013/0496 - dated 29th May 2014) has been granted for conversion and extension of existing kitchen, outbuildings and kennels to 5 residential units. The Guide Price is £695,000. For more information, contact Mark Evans & Co on 01827 311300 or email: info@markevansestateagents.co.uk.

Life begins at 50. It just doesn’t last as long.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Help To Buy ISA Could Stimulate All Levels Of Property Market BUDGET measures to help first time buyers on to the property ladder could have positive knock-on effects further up the house purchase chain.

The Chancellor’s Help to Buy Isa announced in the budget could help stimulate the bottom end of the market and start a domino effect of house transactions right up to the £1m home bracket and beyond. Sue Crossley of The Country House Company in Hampshire, which specialises in the sale and letting of high quality country homes and cottages in rural locations throughout the south, said George Osborne’s announcement could mean good news for their vendors. Under the terms of the new Help to Buy Isa first-time buyers will be able to deposit up to £200 into a specific account every month and the government will top it up with a bonus of £50 up to a maximum of £3,000. Sue said: “Anything that helps stimulate sales at any level is welcome, and if first time buyers feel more encouraged and able to make a purchase they will start a chain reaction that will work its way through all levels of the housing market. “There is no doubt that a lack of activity in the housing market at first time buyer level will have a negative effect throughout the chain. “As a vendor you may be 11th or 12th in the chain, but at the start of that chain there is often a first time buyer. If that first time buyer is reluctant or simply can’t get on the housing ladder that will affect movement throughout the whole chain. “The Help to Buy Isa is not going to make a difference overnight, but it is going to encourage younger people to keep saving for that chance to make their first time purchase eventually, and that will help vendors at every other level.”

FOR SALE

Land off Kings Road, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 6PD

Pupils Have A Go At Building New Homes LOCAL SCHOOL children have tried their hand at brick laying, carpentry and plumbing at a hands-on event at David Wilson Homes’ Whetstone Park development in Whetstone, Leicestershire, as part of National Apprentice Week. 13 year eight pupils from Leysland High School in Countesthorpe visited the new homes development on Wright Close, where they met staff, learned about the industry and gained practical, supervised experience of building walls, boxes and piping. The aim of the visit, which was organised by the developer, was to demonstrate to the students the different skills involved in building a new home and to hopefully inspire them into considering a career in home building after leaving school. Nick Cassidy, Assistant Head at Leysland High School, said; “This was a brilliant opportunity Pupil Liam Green is shown how for our students to get to mix cement for bricklaying by experience of the sorts of trades apprentice Liam Asher. available in the construction industry. It may even have inspired some of them to look into becoming apprentices themselves.” The students were taught how to stay safe on site before meeting current David Wilson Homes apprentices, who showed them the basics involved in bricklaying and other trades. Ivan Towson, Construction Director for David Wilson Homes East Midlands, said; “We’re always on the look-out for the home builders of the future, and we wanted to give local students a glimpse of what it’s like to work on a new homes development. We hope they learned a lot and will consider working in the industry, perhaps by applying to become apprentices.” David Wilson Homes’ parent company, Barratt Developments, was recently named the top apprentice employer at the National Apprenticeship Awards, and has a record of recruiting young people to the business through apprenticeships, graduate placement schemes and other initiatives. To find out more and register interest in apprenticeships and careers with Barratt Developments please log on to www.barrattfuturetalent.co.uk A well-established homebuilder, David Wilson Homes prides itself on building exceptional homes in the finest locations and has recently been awarded the maximum five-star rating for the fifth year in a row in a customer satisfaction survey ran by the Home Builders Federation (HBF).

Freehold residential development site Planning Permission for two 3 bed dwellings No off-site contributions Cleared and levelled site Close proximity to Town Centre 360 sq.m (0.09 acres)

PRICE: OFFERS INVITED For further details contact:

Email: jmp@apbleicester.co.uk Mirrors don’t lie. And, lucky for me, they don’t laugh either.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Substantial Warwickshire property in need of complete renovation

FISHER GERMAN are offering for sale a substantial detached property in need of full renovation, with planning consent to create an impressive family home with annexe and leisure facilities. The property - The White House, Bosworth Road, Wellsborough, Warwickshire CV13 6PB - has 2 reception rooms, kitchen wth larder, cloakroom and store rooms, office, conservatory, 5 bedroooms, 2 bathrooms, a study/box room, detached triple garage with further living accommodation above, and a detached double garage. Outside there are gardens and grounds extending to about 7.39 acres. The asking price is £850,000. Viewings are by appointment with the selling agents. For more information, contact Fisher German on 01530 412821 or visit www.fishergerman.co.uk

Starter Homes initiative welcome but may not deliver, warns BPF THE BRITISH Property Federation (BPF) has welcomed a government changes to national planning policy which will exempt developers from providing an affordable home contribution and paying the community infrastructure levy, in order to deliver 100,000 cut-price homes for first time buyers.

It has, however, cast doubt upon whether the Starter Homes policy will reach its delivery target, given that there will not be many sites that are eligible for the scheme, and that government is already consulting on how local development orders might be used to help development on 90% brownfield land. The Starter Homes initiative will free developers from the levies in return for developing under-used or unviable brownfield land and offering homes at a minimum 20% discount exclusively to first time buyers, under the age of forty. The homes could then not be re-sold at market value for a fixed period of five years. Melanie Leech, chief executive, British Property Federation, said: “With an ever increasing housing shortage, it is crucial that measures such as this are put in place to bring forward homes of the right type, in the right places, to enable first time buyers to step onto the housing ladder. “Given that government is already consulting on how to make it easier for developers to build on brownfield land, however, it will be interesting to see whether this initiative delivers as many homes as it has promised, as developing brownfield sites for market sale may well be preferable to some developers.” I was thinking I should see a psychic, so I figure a really good one should be calling any day now.

My doctor said I should eat better. I told him, with what he charges, I’m lucky I eat at all.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

BUILDERS ... send us your postal address and we’ll add you to our rotating mailing list.

Massive ‘hidden’ social and economic benefits of home building revealed IN ADDITION to economic benefit, a new report reveals house builders contribute billions to communities including schools funding for 52,000 classroom places and 6.5 million trees! Research in a report released in March reveals the full extent of the contribution the house building industry makes to the UK’s economy and its communities. It provides a robust estimate of the economic footprint of an industry worth £19.2bn per year to the UK economy, responsible for the employment of more than 600,000 workers and generating £1.4bn in tax revenues for the Exchequer – as well as the additional community benefits derived from building desperately needed new homes; It shows the housebuilding industry; • Supports 600,000 jobs • Contributes £19.2bn a year to the UK economy • Spends £5.5bn with suppliers, 90% of which stays in the UK • Generates £1.4bn per year in tax revenues for the Exchequer • Provides 32,000 affordable homes – worth £2.3bn – built or financed by private house building with a further £1bn paid to local authorities as a contribution to more affordable housing • Pays £576M towards community facilities including; - £225M towards education facilities alone enough to fund 52,000 classroom places; - £131m in open spaces and community and sports facilities. - Generates a £3.8bn spend in local shops and services Other benefits identified in the report include that the industry; • Plants an estimated 6.5M trees and shrubs • Recycles around 80% of its waste As the election approaches, the industry is urging all parties to prioritise policies that would allow more desperately needed home to be built, and in doing so, give the country a huge economic boost. Whilst output is increasing, we are still only delivering around half the

estimated 240,000 homes a year we need to build every year. The report shows that if another 100,000 homes a year were built – a total that would better meet demand - it would also generate; • 430,000 extra jobs • A further £11.9bn in economic output • More than 20,000 affordable homes • £2.7bn for additional community benefits, including affordable homes, education, health and open spaces • More than £1bn in additional tax revenue, including £128m for local authorities in the form of Council Tax to fund improved local services Speaking at the report launch Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of the HBF, will say; “House building makes a huge largely hidden social and economic contribution to the UK. Whilst housing output has increased, we are still not delivering anywhere near what is needed. As well as delivering desperately needed new homes, increasing housing supply would deliver significant additional benefits. House building is a huge employer both directly and through supplier companies. “As well as providing desperately needed new homes, increasing house building would deliver massive additional benefits to communities across the land. People often don’t realise that the new community centre or school or football pitch has been paid for as a direct results of new homes. Providing new homes for people also means better facilities for the wider community. These are the very things that turn a collection of houses into communities; brand new places where people want to live.

“As we approach this important election, politicians must prioritise housing policies to help house builders build the homes we need.” In advance of the election, HBF has also published its ‘plan for boosting housing supply’, Building Communities, Growing the Economy which calls on politicians and all parties to introduce polices to address the long term undersupply of homes. Specifically, HBF asks that the next government: • Takes a long-term view of the conditions needed to boost supply • Preserves the Help to Buy equity loan scheme until at least 2020 • Delivers a sustained increase in the supply of land coming through the planning system • Creates a more business friendly planning system • Develops a better deal on infrastructure. Matthew Spry, Senior Director, Head of Economics at Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners, which conducted the research on behalf of the HBF, highlighted the benefits that could be achieved from increasingly supply to match the growth in number of households. He said: “Our research has shown the economic and wider societal benefits that new houses can bring to communities and the national economy. “In recent years the UK has failed to hit house building targets, and last year alone we fell short by at least 100,000 homes. It is now widely accepted that we need to build more homes, and quickly. “If we can rise to that challenge and build at least the 100,000 extra new homes that the UK needs each year, we stand to gain immensely: £13.6bn boost to economic growth, 430,000 extra jobs, a minimum of £1.2bn more tax, more investment in new schools and in other community infrastructure. “These benefits need to be recognised in national policy for housing and the economy, and to be properly reflected in the decisions that are made by local authorities and communities in deciding on proposals for housing development. People need homes to live in. But further, our report shows more housing will make us all more prosperous.”

I don’t have a problem with friends who ask to borrow money. I love a good laugh as much as the next guy.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITE FOR 29 HOMES Land off Main Street, Oakthorpe, Derbyshire, DE12 7RE An exciting opportunity to acquire a residential site with Outline Planning consent (conditional upon the signature of a Section 106 Agreement) for 29 houses with a total site area of 3.1 Acres.

Guide Price: £1,200,000

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITE FOR 15 DWELLINGS Park Grange Farm, Newstead Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 2UA Park Grange Farm is located on the edge of the town of Loughborough with the western edge of the site overlooking the Leicestershire countryside. Park Grange Farm presents an opportunity to acquire a residential site with full Planning Consent for 15 dwellings within a total site area of 1.19 acres (0.48 ha).

Guide Price: £1,700,000

My wife just opened my car door for me. Would have been a nice gesture had we not been going 70mph.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

All Plastering Tools Now In Stock! ...and many more!

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Visit our Trade Counter at 16 Cyprus Road, Leicester, LE2 8QS 08456 2 54321

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572 Melton Road, Thurmaston, Leicester LE4 8BB Fax: 0116 269 5252 Email: thurmaston@higear.co.uk

0116 264 9966 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5.00pm Saturday 8.00am to 1.00pm

Hi-Gear at EH Smith Builders Merchants Mill Hill, Enderby, Leicester LE19 4AJ Fax: 0116 265 0985 Email: ehsmithleicester@higear.co.uk

0116 265 0936 Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5.00pm Saturday 7.30am to 12.00pm

That first kiss in the morning is so special, and the dog enjoys it too.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Community Venues Invited to Bid in The “Dragon’s Den”

Coalville

Pick and Shovel makes way for new homes

WATES Living Space along with staff from Charnwood Borough Council will host a Dragon’s Den style event in which the local community can ‘pitch’ for a helping hand with their projects. Wates, the Council’s housing contractor, is looking for local charity groups, schools, church groups, voluntary organisations and local clubs to apply for a ‘makeover’ to a venue or outside space that they use. It is part of the company’s Community Day. Applications need to be submitted by April 25, 2015 and will be considered by a panel of judges. A group of finalists will be invited to pitch their bids to ‘the dragons’ at a presentation in May. The dragons will include staff from Wates, the Council and a tenant of Charnwood Borough Council. After the presentations, a winning bid will be selected for a makeover which will include labour for a day and materials required to complete the project. The team at Wates will down tools in June and spend a day refurbishing the winning venue. Cllr Jane Hunt, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “This is a great opportunity for a local group to bid for a makeover that will make a difference to a space used by members of the local community. “We are pleased to be working with Wates on this fun project and hope many groups apply to take part in the event.” Andrew Brown, from Wates, said: “We want venues where we can make a real difference to the environment and the people who use these locations. “We’re very excited about this competition and feel it’s very important to support local groups in any way we can. “Wates Living Space is committed to giving something back to the areas in which they work and this is another example of the community work we do.” If you would like to apply please email Charnwood@wates.co.uk or you can collect an application form from our main reception at Southfields. Alternatively you can download a copy of the application form at https://www. charnwood.gov.uk/files/documents/ dragons_den_application_form/ Dragon%27s%20Den%20 Application%20Form.pdf The competition is only open to groups based in Charnwood.

CPS and PTS hone their expertise to deliver the industry’s strongest plumbing and heating THE PLUMBING and heating division of Travis Perkins Group plc has announced a major programme that is transforming the way its two merchant brands, City Plumbing Supplies (CPS) and Plumbing Trade Supplies (PTS), serve customers. Both companies are placing considerable investment in delivering marketleading levels of service, whilst catering for the specific needs of customers in domestic and contract sectors. The sharpened focus of both businesses will see them take a more targeted approach and provide a truly best-in-class offering by building on the strength of both teams. For CPS this means focusing on small and medium sized installers whilst PTS extends the excellent service it offers to large contracts and commercial relationships. The investment has been placed in numerous areas of the business, including the transition of PTS branches to new CPS branches, complete with bathroom showrooms and counters for City Heating Spares. CPS and PTS branches that are in close proximity of each other have been merged in certain locations to create a stronger combined offering whilst dedicated service centres have been launched to support PTS’ contract customers. Paul Tallentire, Chairman of the Plumbing and Heating Division for the Travis Perkins Group, said: “Behind this significant investment is a simple concept for customers of both PTS and CPS. The PTS business is focusing on what it does best - world class delivery to our large contract customers. CPS has been vastly expanded to maximise our reach for the domestic installer and to provide them with an unrivalled range of services and product choice. “These changes reflect a massive investment in our customers and their experience at the trade counter. We are proud to offer a service that is tailored to their needs; whether that’s a domestic installer that wants faceto-face advice and access to in- stock items or those working on large contracts who demand reliable service and availability.” John Frost, Managing Director of CPS, added: “The refurbishment of the majority of our network, plus other benefits such the creation of bathroom showrooms, the wider availability of spares, and further improvements to product availability and choice, means that our customers will have access to much more than ever before. This is an incredibly exciting time; we’re confident that our customers will be extremely happy with all the new initiatives that have been put in place.”

DEMOLITION of the derelict Pick and Shovel pub in the heart of Coalville is underway to make way for 14 new affordable homes. The site is being redeveloped by Coalville-based social housing and care provider EMH Group who completed the purchase last month after receiving planning permission from North West Leicestershire District Council in December. Representatives from EMH Group, builders Lindum, along with Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council, Richard Blunt, were on hand to start the ball rolling at a ceremony on Wednesday 18 March. Due for completion in April 2016, the 14 new affordable onebedroom homes will be owned and managed by EMH Homes, the landlord arm of EMH Group. The £2.2 million development costs will be met by EMH Group and includes contributions of £430,000 from North West Leicestershire District Council, and £420,000 from the Homes and Communities Agency. The project follows the flagship redevelopment of the Minnesotas site on one of the main routes into the town in 2013 where EMH Group delivered 27 new homes for rent and shared ownership sale. Jim Patman, Development Director at EMH Group, said: “We were delighted when North West Leicestershire District Council approached us to be a part of this project. Coalville is where we have been based since our birth in 1946, so we are proud to be contributing to the regeneration of the town centre as well as delivering muchneeded affordable homes.” Councillor Richard Blunt, Leader of North West Leicestershire District Council, said: “For too long the former Pick and Shovel has been a blight on Coalville in a key part of the town. We were delighted when emh group accepted our offer to work together to redevelop the site, and we’re very pleased to see work starting so soon.”

A heart-shaped pizza just means less pizza and that’s not a sacrifice I’m willing to make for love.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Time for construction contractors to get creative with their community!

Landlord borrowers boast 15% more equity than a year ago • •

Buy-to-let (BTL) consumers looking for shorter mortgage terms Monday afternoon is the peak time for homebuyer searches while Wednesday evening sees the most focus on BTL and remortgaging

BUY-TO-LET (BTL) borrowers are seeking out mortgages with £99,914 of equity behind them: an increase of 15% or £13,289 in the last year, according to the Mortgage Search Tracker from Mortgage Advice Bureau, the UK’s bestknown mortgage broker brand.

THE ANNUAL Ivor Goodsite Hoarding Competition run by the Considerate Constructors Scheme has returned for its third year, encouraging contractors to engage with their local communities by asking them to design and decorate hoardings, turning them into works of art. The popular competition, fronted by industry mascot Ivor Goodsite, is now open for entries and available to any site, company or supplier registered with the Scheme. Last year, 45 contractors took part in the competition which saw more than 2,500 children getting creative with paint brushes, pencils and even their hands and feet to decorate their local site’s hoarding. The competition provides an opportunity for people of all ages to showcase their passion for art and design with the added bonus of the decorated hoardings becoming a much-loved feature in their respective towns. Edward Hardy, Chief Executive of the Scheme said: “For the last two years, the Hoarding Competition has proven to be a successful innovation in providing a fun way for contractors across the UK to promote site safety and engage with their local communities. “We need more young people to get into the industry, so we hope the competition will continue to encourage children in particular to learn about how exciting our industry is and even possibly be the incentive for some to consider a career as they become older.” Construction sites, companies and suppliers who are interested in getting involved have until the 1st May to complete an entry form. The fee to enter the competition is £425 (+ VAT). Contractors should then organise an event with a school, children’s club or other local groups to design and decorate their hoarding based around a chosen theme. Last year, the five winning sites chose themes that resonated with their community which included ‘Environment’, ‘Welsh Wildlife’, ‘Football’, ‘Fields and Wildlife of Broadclyst’ and ‘Animals, Princesses, Heroes and Skips’. Once the hoarding is decorated, contractors will need to submit photos and information on their event to the Scheme by the 5th June when the winning entries will be selected by a judging panel. Richard Leyshon, Regional Business Manager for Wates Living Space concludes: “The competition has not only helped us to liven up the site and bring smiles to local faces, but it has provided us with a great opportunity to meet the children and promote the construction industry to young people. It is important to us to engage with local residents of all ages on any project that we work on to ensure that they feel a part of it.” All entries will receive Ivor Goodsite prizes to give to the participants including trophies, medals, certificates and Ivor fun packs. Any profit generated from this year’s Hoarding Competition will be donated to the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), the UK’s leading charity working to reduce the number of children and young people killed, disabled or seriously injured in accidents. For more information, please visit www.ccscheme.org.uk

The figures suggest that equity gains from rising house prices are helping borrowers in the BTL mortgage market access better interest rates as they investigate a new purchase or refinancing their existing deal. Using data from over 250,000 monthly product searches via price comparison and broker websites powered by Twenty7tec – a leading supplier of mortgage sourcing systems – the Tracker shows the average property value among BTL borrowers remained constant at just under £230,000 from Q4 2013 to Q4 2014. However, having more equity behind them means the average loan to value (LTV) deal sought by BTL borrowers therefore dropped from 62.2% to 56.5%. This increases their chances of securing lower rates as they represent a more secure prospect to lenders. Brian Murphy, head of lending at Mortgage Advice Bureau, said: “These findings show that landlords are in an especially strong position to use their recent equity gains to negotiate a better mortgage deal. House prices have settled into a steadier pattern in recent months, but the current low rate environment offers many BTL borrowers the chance to reassess their finances. “It means this part of the market is likely to see strong activity this year, both from people who are already involved with BTL and others who are learning the ropes. A number of mainstream lenders have increased their BTL offer already and new entrants have also arrived to boost competition. “Lending to landlords is still a modest part of the wider mortgage market, but in terms of percentage growth¹, it outstripped lending for house purchases and remortgaging last year. There are certainly no signs of BTL losing its appeal.”

BTL borrowers also looking to reduce mortgage terms The findings also indicate BTL customers are increasingly looking to borrow over a shorter period of time. Twelve months ago, 62% of BTL borrowers were looking for a mortgage term of 25 years or more. But this fell by ten percentage points to 52% in Q4 2014. In contrast, the percentage of BTL borrowers looking for a loan of 15 to 24 years rose from 29% in Q4 2013 to 41% in the final three months of 2014. The move towards shorter mortgage terms may be a sign of more emphasis on repaying loans during people’s working lives rather than extending them into retirement. Both BTL borrowers and homebuyers targeted similarly priced properties in Q4 2014 (£229,442 for BTL vs. £231,470 for house purchase). But while the average homebuyer also had a significant amount of equity behind them (£74,159), this is 26% (£25,755) less than the BTL average of £99,914. As a result of seeking larger loans (£157,311), homebuyers were more interested in stretching their repayments over a longer time period: 80% sought a term of 25 years or more in Q4 2014, compared with 52% of BTL borrowers. The Q4 2014 data also reveals Monday afternoon (12pm to 5pm) was the most popular time for aspiring homebuyers to search online for a mortgage. In contrast, Wednesday evening (5pm to 10pm) was the most popular time to search for a BTL loan and also attracts the most interest in remortgaging. Brian Murphy, head of lending at Mortgage Advice Bureau, continued: “Some BTL borrowers may see equity gains as a chance to refinance and use some of their extra capital to expand their portfolio. For others – particularly those who are less concerned with growing their foothold in the market – there is plenty to be gained from remortgaging to get a cheaper deal or even bring their final repayment date forwards.”

My office has started random urine testing of employees to detect traces of hope or optimism.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

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Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

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Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

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Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

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Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Leicester City Mr Sattar (c/o Agent: Neil McMinn, Ink/Drawn Ltd, Federal Tower, 44 Abbey Street, Leicester LE1 3TD) - Change of use from shop with living accommodation to 3 flats, single storey extension at rear and alterations - at 222 Narborough Road, Leicester. Mr Jal Bains (c/o Agent: Mrs Varsha Tailor, DT Designs Ltd, 74 Wyvern Avenue, Leicester LE4 7HH) - Change of use of part of the house and detached coach house to 7 self-contained flats - at 52-52A Ratcliffe Road, Leicester. The Ashleigh Clinic (c/o Agent: Richard Coppock, Corporate Architecture Ltd, Venari House, 1 Trimbush Way, Rockingham Road, Market Harborough, Leics. LE16 7XY) - Single storey extension at front and rear; first floor extension at side; new roof and alterations - at rear of 24 Stoneygate Road, Leicester. AS Properties (c/o Agent: Ravi Panesar, RP Design Ltd, 33 Launde Road, Oadby, Leicester LE2 4HH) - Change of use from office to 12 studio flats - at 90 Cavendish Road, Leicester. Grandeur Capital Ltd (c/o Agent: Neil McMinn, Ink Drawn Ltd, Federal Tower, 44 Abbey Street, Leicester LE1 3TD) - Change of use from warehouse to 14 self-contained flats, and provision of dormers at front and rear - at 12 Albion Street, Leicester. Miss Natasha Levy (c/o Agent: Neil McMinn, Ink/Drawn Ltd, Federal Tower, 44 Abbey Street, Leicester LE1 3TD) - Change of use from public house to 14 flats; ground floor single storey extension and extension to roof to creat first floor - at The Midland Hotel, 277 Saffron Lane, Leicester. Mr Ravi Modhwadia (c/o Agent: Mrs Varsha Tailor, DT Designs Ltd, 74 Wyvern Avenue, Leicester LE4 7HH) - Change of use from house to 3 selfcontained flats, dormer extension at rear and alterations - at 206 Melton Road, Leicester. Alexandra Care (Leicester) Ltd (c/o Agent: Mrs Rachel Whaley, GVA, 1st Floor, City Point, 29 King Street, Leeds LS1 2HL) - Change of use of part of second floor and upper ground floor from offices and lower ground floor from nursery to nursing home (17 beds) to form nursing home (total 91 beds) plus three-storey lift shaft at rear - at 165 Glenfield Road, Leicester.

Continued overleaf ...>

Commercial department saves Fisher German clients over £400,000 in business rates A LEADING firm of chartered surveyors and specialist property consultants has saved its clients over £400,000 on their business rates. Fisher German, which has 16 offices across the UK, carried out research to analyse the success of business rates appeals against the 2010 Ratings List that its commercial department had carried out. The findings revealed an impressive £432,666 had been saved by the team which was led by commercial surveyors John Royle FRICS, of Fisher German’s St Helens office in Crank Road, and Rob Haigh MRICS from its Retford office in Exchange Street. The savings were generated from appealing against incorrect measurements or agreeing an alteration to the rates per square metres shown on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) website, and successful Small Business Rates Relief applications. John said the subject of business rates was a hot topic for debate since the implementation of the 2015 Ratings List had been delayed until April 1, 2017. John said: “From March 31, 2015, refunds from successful business rates appeals will be limited to two years rather than seven. This potentially restricts the benefit of a successful appeal by up to 70 per cent. “Since the VOA do not inspect every property upon revaluation, any changes in internal physical factors of buildings are often not accounted for within the new Ratings List. “These changes may result in either an alteration to the measurement of a property, or the need to alter the rate per square metre applied to that building, but this will not be reflected in the new Ratings List. “This often leads to our clients paying too much for their business rates. It is important that appeals are lodged to correct any errors because, as the results show, this can often lead to considerable savings and rebates.” An example of a recent successful appeal comes from Rainford Industrial Estate in St Helens. Fisher German received instructions that their client was to submit an appeal of the rateable value of their factory, which totalled circa 6,850 sq ft. Investigations by Fisher German’s commercial department showed that there were discrepancies on the floor areas and rate per square metre applied by the VOA. An appeal was lodged against the 2005 and 2010 Ratings List entries and following negotiation, the rateable value of the 2005 list was reduced from £30,750 to £20,750, and the rateable value of the 2010 list reduced from £24,500 to £21,500. John added: “When considering the savings made moving forward and the rebate received by our client, the total savings were in excess of £30,000. “With the limitation being placed on back dating appeals, it is vital that businesses consider their business rates now.”

Site for 4 houses in Rugby MARTIN PENDERED & CO Estate Agents are offering for sale a residential development site with full detailed planning permission for a mews development of two pairs of semi-detached houses.. The site - at Willow Lane, Rugby CV22 5LX - comprises a rectangular level area of garden land with access over a private brick-surfaced road. Planning permission was granted on 4th September 2013 for 4 threebedroomed mews dwellings. Offers in the region of £295,000 are invited for the freehold, with vacant possession. For more information, contact Martin Pendered & Co on 01604 404060 or email: info@martinpendered.co.uk

Right To Buy Changes ‘Will Devastate Rural Social Housing’

THE RUMOURED Conservative election pledge to extend the Right to Buy to 2.5 million housing association tenants could devastate the social housing sector, especially in rural communities, according to leading rural affordable housing specialist Hastoe Group. The Right to Buy is one of the reasons that rural communities currently have so little social housing available (12% compared to 19% in urban environments), and the new proposals are likely to disproportionately impact rural communities where housing association homes are more likely to be houses as opposed to flats, and more attractive to buy. Sue Chalkley, Chief Executive of Hastoe Group, said: “One of the most important parts of providing affordable homes in a rural setting is doing so hand-in-hand with the local community and the mutual understanding that these homes will be kept specifically for people from that community. “If you extend Right to Buy to these homes, you cannot prevent them from being lost to the open market. At a time when rural communities are opening up and asking for affordable homes in their local area, this change could set us back years. How many communities are going to ask for affordable housing in their local area when they could be legitimately concerned that it would be lost almost immediately? “We know too that the pledge to replace each home sold with another affordable home does not happen – in London the 2712 homes sold since the start of 2012 have been replaced by zero homes and it is the same in rural areas.” These proposed changes could see many housing associations collapse. With less housing subsidy available to develop, associations have had to borrow increasing amounts over recent years – borrowing secured against their housing stock. If those homes then have to be sold at a discount, many associations will breach their lending covenants.

I’m always a little disappointed when I walk away from my car and it doesn’t explode after I press the lock button.

Lying about my age is easier now that I have trouble remembering what it is.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

FORTICRETE LAUNCHES NEW RANGE OF BLUE BLOCKS

FORTICRETE, the UK’s leading manufacturer of architectural masonry products, has extended its range of Dense Concrete Masonry with the addition of a highly unusual new Blue block, developed to create non-distracting internal finishes within sports halls. As part of the company’s ECOBLOCK range of masonry, these machine manufactured decorative concrete facing blocks are manufactured using up to 45% secondary aggregate content. Finishes featured in the Sports Blue block range include Fairfaced, which provides a structural product and finish in one, Shot-blasted, which provides a weathered appeal, the popular Burnished Venezia and Polished Florentine which is used to create expanses of reflective walls. John Lambert, general manager at Forticrete, commented: “In recent years, a growing number of architects and specifiers have displayed an increasing appetite for blue masonry to provide the required colour, surface texture and reflectance value within sports halls across the country. Therefore the decision to source a blue pigment and subsequently extend our range of Dense Concrete Masonry with the addition of this unusually coloured block, was a simple one. “Showcasing our commitment to innovation in architectural concrete block development, the aesthetically pleasing finish of the new Blue Block means that it isn’t exclusive for use within sports halls, but provides architects with lower on-going maintenance costs and specifiers with the flexibility to create awe-inspiring corridors, offices and classrooms.” For more information on Forticrete’s range of products, visit www.Forticrete.co.uk. My wife said I’m an idiot who can’t do the simplest of things right. So I packed her bags and left.

Offsite Construction -

The Future of Housebuilding IT IS PREDICTED that a total of 250,000 homes need to be delivered each year in order to tackle spiralling house prices and the critical shortage of affordable homes. This target has constantly been missed - with figures showing that only 141,000 homes were constructed last year. A substantial part of the problem is that housebuilders in possession of large sites often only release a small amount of homes at a time, as building at a slower pace allows them to maximise the value of their assets. As a result local authorities are now looking at reclaiming and managing the construction of new homes. Councils have largely been removed from housebuilding since the conservative government came into power in 1979, where private construction rose, but not by enough to compensate for the fall in public sector building. So what have local authorities been doing all this time? Council advisers argue that they been exploring ways of getting back into housebuilding after decades of being removed. Both Labour and Liberal Democrats are arguing in support of the state to once again commission and build new homes. Nevertheless, the current Housing Minister, Brandon Lewis (pictured above) argues that they need to be cautious about the state getting involved in housebuilding - stating that the country must live within its means. It is clear that if the state reclaims house building then cost effective methods of building will have to be utilised. Offsite construction provides the solution. Through the use of offsite construction, the government will be able to deliver houses at a lower cost and a rapid pace. Offsite construction has been around for decades, however, it is only now that its benefits are truly being recognised. It has been stated that a main factor holding up housebuilding in the short term, is a lack of materials. The surge in demand in late 2013 and early 2014 led to a decrease in availability of traditional materials such as bricks. This paved the way for prefabricated materials like timber and steel to be used in housebuilding. There is an urgent need for a mass volume of houses to be constructed in a limited time scale and whether the state takes on housebuilding, or if it is left to private house builders, the benefits of offsite construction could be crucial to meeting targets that have repeatedly been missed. Offsite construction provides housebuilders with programme certainty and quality though simplification of site operations and reduced weather dependencies due to the controlled factory-based assembly process. Houses delivered through offsite construction offer enhanced specification standards and build quality which reduces occupancy costs related to energy use, defects and repairs. There is significant evidence that suggests that the use of offsite construction has been successful when applied to meet the needs of significant housing developments at scale with consequential opportunities for standardisation of design details - particularly to meet the need of government led programmes. Explore Offsite is a series of events which take the form of combined conferences and exhibitions - creating a platform for construction clients, architects, engineers and contractors to come together and discuss the latest offsite solutions. The third in the series of Explore Offsite events has a focus on the housing sector. Taking place on 07 July 2015 in Birmingham, the event includes speakers from pioneering companies in the offsite construction industry. Speakers include: Nick Milestone, Managing Director of B & K Structures and Alex Smith, Hawkins Brown who will be discussing Banyan Wharf - the tallest timber building Europe, as well as Rory Bergin, HTA Design, speaking about Modular Buildings for the Private Rental Sector and Bryan Woodley, Val-U-Therm, sharing his experience in High Performance Building Envelope Design to Achieve PassivHaus Standards. There is also a wealth of exhibitors who will be available to discuss their latest innovations in offsite construction. Exhibitors include: B & K structures, Caledonian Group, Coillte Panel Products, Crown Timber, Keystone Group, Kingspan Timber Solutions, Modularize, Senior Architectural Systems, Structural Timber Association and Val-U-Therm. Tickets are just £95 +VAT. Get 10% off your tickets with the early bird discount code: EXPLORE10 Book now to avoid disappointment: http://www.exploreoffsite.co.uk/book

Mr Nadeem Hussain (c/o Agent: Mr Jamal Mahmud, JKM Building Design Ltd, 59 Longley Farm View, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S5 7JX) - Change of use from 2 houses to 8 flats - at 6-8 Medway Street, Leicester. City Screen Print (UK) Ltd (c/o Agent: Brian Dearlove Partnership, Unit C, Edward House, Grange Business Park, Enderby Road, Whetstone, Leicester LE8 6EP) Demolition of buildings, erection of two and a half storey block of 9 self-contained flats, with parking and landscaping - at 50-66 Dorothy Road, Leicester. Bride Street Capital LLP (c/o Agent: Luke Kenney, Staniforth Architects Ltd, The Warehouse, 1A Stamford Street, Leicester LE1 6NL) - Erection of 2 dwellings - at land adjacent to 20 Elms Road, Leicester. Chesapeake Ltd (c/o Agent: Richard Williams, Williams Architectural, The Old Registry, 80 Riland Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B75 7AU) - Erection of 2 single storey storey units - at 16 East Park Road, Leicester. Abode London Road Ltd (c/o Agent: Marc Pearson, Acanthus WSM Architects, 56 Woodhall Road, Calverley, Leeds LS28 5NY) - Demolition of existing buildings; erection of five to seven storey building with 2 retail units on ground floor facing London Road, and 69 flats behind and above - at 54-58 London Road, Leicester. Guideline Advisers Ltd (c/o Agent: Neil McMinn, Ink/Drawn Ltd, Federal Tower, 44 Abbey Street, Leicester LE1 3TD) - Change of use from 9 selfcontained flats to 11 self-contained flats, with single storey extension at rear and alterations - at 73 Clarendon Park Road, Leicester. Leicester City Council (c/o Agent: Atkins, Broadgate House, Broadgate, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2HF) - Two storey extension at side of school, alterations to car park and play area - at Sandfield Close primary School, Sandfield Close, Leicester. Mr Sohaeel Pir (c/o Agent: Design Studio Architects Ltd, 1B Salisbury Road, Upper New Walk, Leicester LE1 7QR) - Change of use from light industrial/workshop to 2 studio flats, alterations to increase roof height and dormer extension to side - at 24A Halstead Street, Leicester.

Planning applications are continued overleaf ...>

She called me egotistical and I was fine with that because at least we were talking about me.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Calendar Note: Once again, we did not schedule this month’s Apathetics Anonymous Meeting.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

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37 – 39 Carlisle Street Leicester LE3 6AH t: 0116 254 2655 f: 08456 252535 sales@bradburyflooring.co.uk www.bradburyflooring.co.uk

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Red Oak Project (c/o Agent: RG+P Ltd, 130 New Walk, Leicester LE1 7JA) - Internal alterations to student accommodation from 26 flats to 44 flats - at 52 Grange Lane, Leicester. Mr Viresh Popat (c/o Agent: Dennis Dziko, Zone Development, 72-74 Western Road, Leicester LE3 0GE) - Change of use from residential care home to 8 self-contained flats, single storey extension to rear and alterations - at 4 Westcotes Drive, Leicester. Mr David Shaw (c/o Agent: John Rickman, 16 Oakenshaw Close, Leicester LE4 2RJ) - Two storey block of 3 flats plus single storey detached building for garages and store - at 351 Aylestone Road, Leicester. Mr Osman Sagir (c/o Agent: Master Plan Design Ltd, 23 Vulcan House, Vulcan Road, Leicester LE5 3EF) Single storey detached building for residential care home at rear - at 107 Stonesby Avenue, Leicester. Mr Harun Heangora (c/o Agent: Mohammad Tanvir Malik, Malik Enterprises, 30 Carlton Drive, Wigston, Leicester LE18 1DF) Change of use of first, second and third floors from restaurant to 4 selfcontained flats, plus alterations - at 30 Humberstone Road, Leicester. Prime Padz Ltd (c/o Agent: Ink/ Drawn Ltd, Federal Tower, 44 Abbey Street, Leicester LE1 3TD) - Change of use of basement, first, second and third floor from offices to house in multiple occupation - at 75 London Road, Leicester. Rev P Berry (c/o Agent: Mark Goodwill-Hodgson Ltd, 1 Highfield Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 6DR) - Demolition of church hall, single storey extensions at sides of church, and alterations to church and car park - at Holy Apostles Church, Fosse Road South, Leicester. 4G Holdings Ltd (c/o Agent: Mrs Sophie Oakland, ADM Surveyors Ltd, 3A The Parade, Needham Avenue, Glen Parva, Leicestershire LE2 9JW) - Erection of 8 dwellings with associated parking and landscaping at Disraeli Street, Leicester.

Hinckley & Bosworth Mr & Mrs J Borman (c/o Agent: Philip Baumber, 50 Radmore Road, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 0RQ) Subdivision of plot and erection of 2 dwellings with associated access - at land adjacent to 20 Elwell Avenue, Barwell, Leics.

Continued overleaf ...>

Westleigh is on the hunt for new recruits during National Apprenticeship Week TO MARK this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, leading local developer Westleigh is calling for 12 new learners to join its ranks in a variety of roles from bricklaying to ground working. Four of the opportunities are within the company’s established apprenticeship programme, whilst another eight are required for a brand new groundworker training scheme. Candidates aged 16 and upwards can apply to undertake an apprenticeship with Westleigh in either joinery or bricklaying. The apprenticeships are run over a period of three years in partnership with a number of local colleges. Students will attend college one week per month and spend the rest of their time gaining hands-on experience on-site, where they will receive one-to-one mentoring from professionals in the construction trade. Westleigh, which has been providing joinery and bricklaying apprenticeships for the past 18 years, works closely with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). The organisation ensures that apprentices secure a college place and provides continued support throughout their course. Westleigh apprentices will also benefit from receiving a Construction Skills Certified Scheme Card, upon completion of their training, which demonstrates, to future employees, the qualifications and skills they have gained. Chris Beighton, Managing Director of Westleigh, commented, “We believe apprenticeships are a key way to help support construction skills for the future and on the job learning is one of the most effective methods to gain understanding and get to grips with working life. This has certainly proved the case with our apprenticeship scheme, as many of our past apprentices have gone onto join the company full time and remain with Westleigh to this day.” The developer, which took on four apprentices last year, currently has a total of 10 apprentices all of whom have been taken on over the past three years. Brandon Marriott (20) who is working towards his NVQ Level 3 in Joinery and Carpentry, is in the final year of his apprenticeship with Westleigh. He said, “I’ve been with Westleigh

Three of Westleigh Developments’ apprentices on site. The company is taking on 12 more apprentices and trainees for almost three years now and have really enjoyed it, so much so that I’m keen to stay on with the company once I finish my apprenticeship. “It’s a great place to work because everyone is really friendly and easy to get on with, I love the fact that I’m getting the chance to earn money while I learn and I’ve been given so much support over the past few years with learning my trade.” Tyler Chase, a 20 year-old Westleigh apprentice, has followed in his father’s footsteps by joining the company. Tyler’s father Ian is a site manager with the developer. Tyler, of Wigston, who is undertaking his Level 2 NVQ in Joinery and Carpentry at Leicester College, commented, “I’m in the first of my joinery apprenticeship with Westleigh and have found it really exciting. I’ve got to work on lots of different sites across Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire and feel like I have learnt so much. “Westleigh is a really great company, they are very supportive and there is always a great atmosphere on-site because everyone is so friendly.” Westleigh has also launched a new trainee programme to encourage more young people to learn the skills required to become professional ground workers. The company is keen to see more people learn the trade in order to fill a current skills shortage in the area. The developer, based in Whestone, has sites across the East and West Midlands and is looking to take on eight ground worker trainees from anywhere across the two regions. Trainees, as an alternative to an apprenticeship scheme,

will be able to earn while they learn, working on-site alongside professional ground workers and will gain a diverse range of experience from constructing roads and sewers to carrying out general ground works, including slab laying, concreting, drainage and highway repairs. Trainees will also be taught site safety and risk management. Chris Beighton, Managing Director of Westleigh, commented, “We’ve noticed there aren’t a lot of qualifications available for ground workers, so we wanted to change that by sharing our expertise and offering our own trainee programme. “There is good career progression available within ground work; the more experience you gain the bigger the sites you get to work on and there are a number of management opportunities available. The career also ensures job security by providing a good wage and there is always an abundance of work because it’s seen as a valuable skill to have.” If you would like to apply for any of the training opportunities available at Westleigh, please email your CV and a covering letter to the HR department at careers@ westleigh.co.uk Westleigh builds commercial projects and new homes across the East and West Midlands and manufactures its own eco-friendly timber frames for the construction industry. Its partnerships division also builds homes for housing associations across the two regions. For more information about Westleigh contact 0116 277 3324 or visit www.westleigh.co.uk

“I ran a half marathon” sounds so much better than “I quit halfway through a marathon”.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Mrs Barbara Pearce (c/o Agent: Peter Goddard, Building Design & Technical Services, Maple Cottage, 195 Main Street, Thornton, Leics. LE67 1AH) - Erection of 3 single storey dwellings - at land at Mayflower Walk, rear of 94 Oakfield Avenue, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9WG. Westleigh Partnerships Ltd (c/o Agent: Lance Wiggins, Landmark Planning Ltd, 10 Salisbury Road, Leicester LE1 7QR) - Demolition of existing buildings and erection of 30 dwellings with associated vehicular access, parking and landscaping - at Warwick Building, Rossendale Road, Earl Shilton, Leicester LE9 7LX. Mr Steve Samrai (c/o Agent: HSSP Architects Ltd, Pera Innovation Park, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray, Leics. LE13 0PB) - Partial conversion of existing ground and first floor offices to create 4 residential apartments - at 6-12 High Street, Barwell, Leicester LE9 8DQ. Mr John Lawton (c/o Agent: Michael Gilbert, Savills, Olympic House, Doddington Road, Lincoln LN 6 3SE) - Conversion of barns into 2 dwellings and relocation of existing farm access - at Aqueduct Farm, Bosworth Road, Shenton, Nuneaton, Warks. CV13 6DP. Mr Ibrahim Kaya (c/o Agent: Mutha Al-Salloum, MAS Architecture Ltd, Studio G005, Atkins Building, Lower Bond Street, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 1QU) - Change of use from shop and house of multiple occupation to form 3 dwellings - at SI Newsagents & Off Licence, 64-68 Ashby Road, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 1SN. Bloor Homes Ltd (c/o Agent: Mark Rose, Define Planning & Design Ltd, Unit 6, 133-137 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 1SF) - Erection of up to 850 dwellings, 500sqm of retail units, a primary school, community facilities including sports pitches, parkland, children’s play areas, allotments, sustainable urban drainage systems, a new access and associated infrastructure - at land north east of Triumph Motorcycles Ltd, Dodwells Road, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 3BZ. Ms Judy Cookes (c/o Agent: Mark Payne, Architectural Vista Designs, 118 Paddock Way, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 0BZ) - Erection of 2 dwellings - at 2A Drayton Lane, Fenny Drayton, Nuneaton, Warks. CV13 6AZ. Mr & Mrs Collyer (c/o Agent: Steven Simms, SSA Planning Ltd, PO Box 10201, Nottingham NG9 9FZ) - Erection of 9 dwellings - at 81 Bagworth Road, Nailstone, Nuneaton, Warks. CV13 0QJ.

Planning permissions granted in principle for close to 200,000 new homes a year Local Authorities now need to ensure departments are able to process applications if more homes are to be built FIGURES released in March in HBF and Glenigan’s latest Housing Pipeline report show that permissions in principle for over 195,000 new homes in England were granted in 2014, up 12% on the previous year and 39% on 2012. The number of permissions for private homes was up 23%. The homes identified in this latest report will, once they have navigated the remainder of the planning process, in the main be completed over the next 2-3 years. Over the past 18 months, house building activity has increased significantly, with figures released last month showing the number of new homes started in 2014 was up 36% on 2012. As demand for new homes continues to increase, due to improved consumer confidence and the Help to Buy equity loan scheme, existing sites are getting built out quicker and so builders are looking to get on to more new sites more quickly than before. Whilst the increases are positive, they can only be translated into desperately needed new homes if local authorities ensure their planning departments have the capacity to process these permissions to the stage that they can actually be built. Too many sites are ‘stuck’ in the planning system, with an estimated 150,000 plots at ‘outline permission’ stage awaiting full sign off by local authorities. New government initiatives to introduce “deemed discharge” of conditions will greatly assist in making sure the planning system will not be a constraint on increased housing provision but the overall resourcing of planning departments is still a concern. Central and local government must prioritise proper resourcing of planning departments if authorities are to be able to efficiently

process more applications, as recommended by the HBF in its representations to the Chancellor in advance of this week’s Budget. Speeding up the rate at which permissions are granted is one of the keys to a significant, sustainable increase in housing supply. Local Authorities must be resourced sufficiently to be able to sustain this increase in the rate of planning permissions being granted in order that the industry can increase housing output. Figures in the latest report show that more permissions were granted in 2014 that in any year since 2008. It also shows that the number of sites getting permission continues to trend upwards. Getting more sites operational is absolutely key to a sustained increase in actual build numbers as more sites, means more construction work and sales outlets. Stewart Baseley, Executive Chairman of the HBF, said; “Over the past 18 months, demand for new homes, largely driven by the Help to Buy equity loan scheme has increased markedly. Housebuilders have responded by significantly increasing house building activity. “We are still only building around half the number of new homes the country needs. Getting the required number of permissions, in a timely manner, is absolutely key to the industry’s ability to deliver. In addition more needs to be done to speed up the plots that are awaiting final approval to allow construction to commence.

“These figures are a barometer on potential future build rates. But to turn them into actual construction sites requires Local Authorities to processs them in a timely fashion to the stage when builders can build. “If we are to meet housing demand it is imperative that the planning system continues to evolve such that it delivers planning permissions at the rate required to address our housing crisis. “Increasing housing delivery will provide the high quality homes our next generation needs, support thousands of companies up and down the land and create tens of thousands of jobs.” Commenting on the latest data Glenigan’s Economic Director, Allan Wilén, said, “The 20% rise in planning approvals in the final quarter of 2014 was driven by an increase in private sector projects and reflects developers’ confidence at prospects for the housing market during the year ahead. Furthermore , the rise in approvals has been broadly based across Britain, pointing to widespread strengthening in housing market activity. The figures come the day before senior politicians from all the parties join thousands of people from across the housing sector in Westminster for the Homes for Britain rally. The campaign is urging politicians to introduce policies that will solve the housing crisis in a generation. http://homesforbritain. org.uk/

Nothing says “I don’t take you seriously” like your dog wagging his tail when you are yelling at him.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

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Benefits boost for smaller builders with NHBC renewals

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Terex brings compact construction to PLANTWORX 2015 LEADING equipment solutions provider, Terex Construction, will showcase its latest range of compact construction machinery at this year’s PLANTWORX exhibition. Taking place at the Bruntingthorpe Aerodrome, Leicestershire, between 2-4 June, the dedicated working construction exhibition will give visitors the chance to find out about the latest equipment developments. The Terex team will be on stands 7C4 and 7D6, showcasing the company’s 2015 compact machinery range. Alongside the latest models from its backhoe loader, site dumper and compaction roller portfolios, Terex will exhibit its ‘Generation 2015’ wheel loaders and excavators portfolio. With new engines, updated design and a refreshed operating system for greater productivity, each model is produced at company’s Crailsheim facility in Germany and features the latest in ‘Smart Control’ operating systems. Alongside static displays, a live demonstration stand will see a selection of Terex equipment being put through its paces. Additionally, those with PPE and machine operating licences will be able to try out the latest compaction construction machinery for themselves. “As the UK’s largest ‘live action’ construction show, PLANTWORX provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of our latest equipment to the industry’s leading professionals,” commented Neal Nowick, General Manager of Terex Construction.

NEW LAND sourcing services and trade discounts are among a raft of new benefits aimed at helping the smaller builder as part of the 2015 NHBC registration renewals. With NHBC’s annual registration statistics showing a 9% increase in 2014 over the previous year and demand for new homes growing steadily, the industry is facing up to a new set of challenges to build upon this buoyancy, which came on top of the significant sector growth in 2013. From April 2015 NHBC registered builders and developers will be able to access a new set of free or discounted services, such as business-related insurances, that will support their business whether or not they are currently building new homes, enabling smaller building companies to operate at lower costs and with increased professional support. Builders have always benefited from being able to use the NHBC brand in promoting their businesses, to offer Buildmark new home warranty and insurance to their customers, and have access to the technical expertise and advice that NHBC offer in new house building. Following the findings of the NHBC Foundation research into issues impacting small builders NHBC is now launching a wide range of new benefits to its registered builder and developer customers which support their businesses. This year’s benefits include: · free access to a dedicated regional land manager for land sourcing, via a new partnership with Countrywide Properties and reduced rates on a range of business-related insurances · free pre-site valuation advice service, designed to suit smaller developers who can access pre-site mortgage related valuation advice from a RICS qualified surveyor · direct contact with a qualified, RICS registered valuer through Countrywide Surveying Services, one of the largest new build valuers in the UK. · special discounts on building materials and tools via TradePoint Explaining the range of new benefits available for 2015, NHBC Chief Executive Mike Quinton, said; “We are committed to supporting the industry and we are delighted to be able to offer a variety of new services for all registered builders over the next 12 months. Our recent annual registration figures for 2014 showed that the sector is in a very healthy position and we want to ensure that we help give builders across the UK, particularly the smaller builders, the best opportunity for this to continue.” For more information on becoming an NHBC registered builder or any of the benefits, both new and existing, please visit www.nhbc.co.uk/register or call 0844 633 1000 and ask for ‘customer services’.

Facelift for city car park ONE of Leicester’s most popular multi-storey car parks is being spruced up this spring. Work at the Newarke Street car park is already under way, with a fresh coat of midnight blue paint being applied to its railings. Improved lighting, smart new signage, refurbished customer toilets and a deepclean for the whole car park are also planned. The £200,000 clean-up is the first major refurbishment of the 470-space car park since it opened in 1988. City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “After nearly 30 years’ use, Newarke Street is clearly in need of a makeover. “This new investment will bring the car park up to the standards that people rightly expect – and ensure that parking at Newarke Street is a much more pleasant experience for visitors in future.” Jet-cleaners have already started to shift decades of grime, while the car park’s concrete floors will be steamcleaned to remove oil and fuel deposits. Lighting levels in the car park will be improved, with new LED fittings providing a brighter environment for car park users. Smart new signs will be put up, new litter bins installed and line markings will be repainted. There’ll also be a fresh new look for the customer toilets on the ground floor and a coat of paint for the car park’s doors and ironwork. Newarke Street car park will remain open throughout the refurbishment, although sections will be closed as required to allow work to take place. All the works are due to be completed this spring. A similar programme of work is due to get under way at the Haymarket multi-storey car park in April. Investment in the city council’s car parks is a key part of the City Mayor’s parking strategy. Other improvements already in place include new simplified parking charges and easy-to-use payment machines that don’t require car registration details. Later this year, new chip-andpin machines will be installed in council-run car parks, allowing motorists to pay for their parking by credit or debit card.

At this age, I drive everything like I stole it because sometimes I forget which car is mine.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Redrow Homes Ltd (c/o: Redrow House, Kinsall Green, Wilnecote, Tamworth, Staffs. B77 5PX) - Erection of 4 dwellings - at Jarvis Porter, Coventry Road, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 0JJ. Tony Morris Builders (c/o Agent: Hayward Architects Ltd, 19 Station Road, Hinckley, Leics. LE10 1AW) Demolition of former squash building and erection of 3 dwellings - at Earl Shilton & Bosworth Squash Club, New Street, Earl Shilton, Leics. LE9 7FR. Mr C Neales (c/o Agent: Simon Cheshire Planning, 34 Stanley Road, Market Bosworth, Nuneaton, Warks. CV13 0NB) - Erection of 4 dwellings at 42 Station Road, Earl Shilton, Leicester LE9 7GA. Company 500 (c/o Agent: Pegasus Group, 4 The Courtyard, Church Street, Lockington, Derbyshire DE74 2SL) - Erection of 10 dwellings with public open space provision, landscaping and associated infrastructure - at land south of Poplar Terrace, Congerstone, Leics.

Melton Borough Mr G Martyn (c/o Agent: C. Stevenson, Havenwood Construction, 114 Russell Drive, Wollaton, Nottingham NG8 2BE) - Resubmission of application 14/00515/FUL for the removal of existing marquee and associated car parking; construction of 3 detached new single storey dwellings with garages - at The Red House, 23 Main Road, Nether Broughton, Melton Mowbray, Leics. LE14 3HB. Mr J Stimson (c/o Agent: D Thompson, 20 Winster Crescent, Melton Mowbray, Leics. LE13 0EP) Redevelopment of builder’s yard to include 4 dwellings, 3 garages and ancillary works - at Westfield, 24 The Field, Somerby, Leics. LE14 2PT. Mr A Mellor (c/o: Mulberry House, 53 Station Road, Bottesford, Leics. NG13 0EN) Construction of 2 semidetached cottages - at Mulberry House, 53 Station Road, Bottesford, Leics. NG13 0EN. Mr B Treves (c/o: 3 Warwick Road, Melton Mowbray, Leics. LE13 0RD) - Outline application for 2 dwellings - at 3 Warwick Road, Melton Mowbray, Leics. LE13 0RD. Parker Motor Services Ltd (c/o Agent: Luke Kenney, Staniforth Architects Ltd, The Warehouse, 1A Stamford Street, Leicester LE1 6NL) - Erection of twostorey building comprising 2 retail units - at land off Jubilee Street, Melton Mowbray, Leics.

Heanor site for 6 dwellings - offers invited BB&J Commercial Property Consultants are offering for sale a 0.77 acre parcel of former garden land with Outline Planning Permission for 6 detached family homes.

AS REPORTED in the Leicester Mercury, former Leicester City footballer Dion Dublin is to join the BBC One daytime show Homes Under The Hammer as a presenter.

The rectangular site - at the rear of 36 Loscoe-Denby Lane, Loscoe, Heanor DE75 7RW - has countryside views from the northern boundary. Offers in the region of £375,000 are invited. For more information, contact Christopher Wright at BB&J on 01332 292825 or email: c.wright@bbandj.co.uk

Stepnell hands over brand-new classroom development in Oakham THE TEAM at construction company Stepnell has handed over the keys to a brand-new classroom block built for Oakham School, a 1,000-pupil independent co-educational boarding and day school in Oakham, Rutland.

The £2.9 million scheme has created a 2,000 sq m three-storey extension to the Merton building in Church Street – the central hub for the school’s languages and humanities teaching. Designed by GSSArchitecture, the new classroom block will house the School’s Geography, Philosophy, Religious Studies and Learning Support departments as part of a major redevelopment of the Merton building. “The building will provide contemporary state-of-the-art business facilities, and multifunction break-out spaces for individual and group based learning,” says Oakham School estates bursar, Chris Binks. “We look forward to seeing all of our pupils benefit from this new

Dion Dublin to present Homes Under The Hammer

Left to right, David Allsop, senior partner with GSSArchitecture, and Stepnell contracts manager Matthew Sadler handing over the keys to Oakham School estate bursar Chris Binks. (Photo by Emily Chapman of GSSArchitecture.) learning space.” The new building in Station Road was built by Stepnell’s Granthambased project team. “We’re delighted to have completed work on this outstanding new facility which will be a great asset to the School,” says Stepnell construction director Bill Haynes. “The development has created modern and high-quality learning spaces which will benefit students and teaching staff for many years to come.”

The Leicester-born striker will join original presenters Martin Roberts and Lucy Alexander for the 19th series of the show. City’s longest-serving secretary up for auction He will follow the progress of three properties bought at auction, the renovations the buyers have planned and the problems they encounter. Dublin will also find out whether they have made a profit or a loss from the property.

Pork Pie is new community hub A LANDMARK library building is getting ready to reopen after a refit to transform it into a community hub. The Pork Pie Library, in Southfields Drive, is set to be re-launched in the next few weeks as the Pork Pie Library and Community Centre. Contractors have finished their construction work at the building. It will now be fitted out inside, with new facilities including a kitchen, a new IT suite and a classroom for adult learning. The theatre area at the back of the building is also being restored, while other rooms are being developed for community use. Cllr Sarah Russell, assistant city mayor for neighbourhoods, said: “It’s great that the construction work has been finished on time at the Pork Pie – and it won’t be long until it reopens to the public. “I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to invest in such a beautiful building, bringing it up to standard so that it can provide 21-century community facilities for local people.” Deputy city mayor Cllr Rory Palmer, who is also one of the ward councillors for the area, said: “This refit will provide excellent new facilities for the neighbourhood. There’s a flourishing community here with lots going on locally, from lunch clubs and arts projects to craft groups and gardening clubs, so it’s really important that we provide the facilities that will allow these groups to continue to thrive.”

I come from a long line of successful people. I decided to stop that tradition.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

UNIT 1 AND UNIT 2

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITE GRANGEWOOD FARM, FOR 29 HOMES NETHERSEAL Land off Main Street, Oakthorpe, • Unit 1: 5,578 sq ft - £22,000 p.a. Derbyshire, 7RE • Unit 2: 3,730 sq ft - £15,000DE12 p.a. Warehouse Units close to the M42 Junction 11 Quiet Rural Location, On site Parking.

Viewing by appointment with Howkins and Harrison Contact: Tori Robins – 01827 721380

UNITS AVAILABLE: UNITS AVAILABLE: THORNBOROUGH ROAD, COALVILLE THORNBOROUGH ROAD, COALVILLE Industrial Unit: 132 sq m (1,409 sq ft).

Industrial Unit:£7,600 132 sqPA m (1,409 sq ft). Asking rent:

rent: PA sq ft). Retail Unit: 36£7,600 sq m (387 Asking Unit: 36£5,900 sq m (387 Retail Asking rent: PA sq ft).

rent: £5,900 PAsq m (11,115 sq ft). Asking Open Yard area: 1,032 Yard area: 1,032 PA sq m (11,115 sq ft). Open Asking rent: £12,000

Asking rent: £12,000 PA located between M42 and M1 · Conveniently

An exciting opportunity to acquire a residential site with · Conveniently located between andthe M1signature · Secure site · Ample onsiteM42 parking· Outline Planning Consent (conditional upon · Secure site · Ample onsite parking· Viewing by appointment with Howkins and of a Section 106 Agreement) for 29 houses with Harrison a total ViewingContact: by appointment with Howkins and Harrison Tori Robins 01827 721380 site area of 3.1on Acres. Contact: Tori Robins on 01827 721380

It’s not difficult to tell crocodiles and alligators apart. One will see you in a while whereas the other will see you later.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Persimmon Homes (c/o: Davidson House, Meridian East, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1WZ) - Construction of 77 units and associated infrastructure works (Phase 2) - at Field No. 3310, Scalford Road, Melton Mowbray, Leics. Mr N Yool (c/o Agent: C Woods, BRP Architects, 1 Millers Yard, Roman Way, Market Harborough, Leics. LE16 7PW) Change of use of existing commercial premises to residential units and conversion of existing buildings, including partial demolition of some single storey structures to creat 10 self-contained dwellings plus associated car parking and landscaping - at The Old Brewery, Thorpe End, Melton Mowbray, Leics. Mr M Ellis (c/o Agent: HSSP, Pera Innovation Park, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray, Leics. LE13 0PB) - Development of two single storey bungalow residences with associated car parking and landscaping. Formation of domestic gardens to same on land adjacent to 61 Main Road - at Mill House, 61 Main Road, Nether Broughton, Leics. LE14 3HB. Mrs E Greaves (c/o Agent: Mike Sibthorp Planning, Logan House, Lime Grove, Grantham, Lincs. NG31 9JD) - Residential development of 4 three-bed semi-detached houses - at The Limes Farm, 37 Middle Lane, Nether Broughton, Leics. LE14 3HD.

Harborough District Mr Sean Conway (c/o: Home Farm, Shawell Lane, Cotesbach, Leics. LE17 4HR) - Erection of 2 detached dwellings - at land adjacent to Seleta, Bell Street, Claybrooke Magna, Leics.

Rutland County Spire Homes (c/o Agent: RG+P Ltd, 130 New Walk, Leicester LE1 7JA) Demolition of existing garages and construction of 2 affordable two-bed bungalows with associated parking at land adjacent to 112 Derwent Drive, Oakham, Rutland. Hazelton Homes (Midlands) Ltd (c/o Agent: Kevin Twigger, KRT Associates, Rushall House, School Road, Brewood, Staffordshire ST19 9DS) - Conversion of Barleythorpe Hall from a vacant residential care home to 8 self-contained houses with associated garaging and parking; also 6 new build houses with private gardens and garaging and parking at Barleythorpe Hall, Main Road, Barleythorpe, Oakham, Rutland LE15 7EF.

Leicester Trustmark Building Firm Awarded Top Industry Accolade TRUSTMARK, the only Government-endorsed scheme for all trades in and around the home, is praising one of its firms for winning a top industry accolade for its industry. The Master Builder of the Year Awards recognise and promote the very best work undertaken by members of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), a TrustMark scheme operator. Leicester-based Rockingham Construction Ltd, a TrustMark registered firm of builders for nine years, was presented with the ‘Energy Efficiency Project of the Year’ Award 2015 at the 12th Master Builder of the Year Awards, the FMB’s nationwide search to find the best builders in Britain. The company, which was nominated by a satisfied customer, was given the award for transforming a leaky 1870s period property into a warm and energy efficient home, focusing mostly on insulation. James Barby, Director of Rockingham Construction Ltd said: “We are proud of our trade and having our name registered with TrustMark is important to our company as consumers know that we are a reputable, quality firm working to Government-endorsed standards. The TrustMark badge also offers reassurance to people going through the process of choosing builders and contractors as it only lists the reputable trades. I was delighted when we were selected as a national winner of the FMB’s Master Builder of the Year awards - it is fantastic news for us as a company to win such a prestigious honor but also to know that our customers recognise and value the work we do for them.” Commenting on the winner, Simon Ayers, Chief Executive of TrustMark, said: “This award demonstrates a superb showcase of design, skills and professionalism and is a celebration of the quality and commitment that has been achieved - an excellent example of an FMB and TrustMark registered firm. We are thrilled for Rockingham Construction and they should be delighted to be recognised as being among the very best in the building industry.” The FMB is a TrustMark scheme operator and has been members of the scheme since it was set up over ten years ago. The FMB is the UK’s largest trade association in the building sector. For further information about TrustMark or to find local and expert TrustMark tradespeople visit www.trustmark.org.uk.

Castle Gardens improvement work starts in April WORK to create a new entrance and improve access to Leicester’s award-winning Castle Gardens is set to begin in April. A new gateway into the park will be created to provide better access from St Nicholas Circle. A new entrance ramp and gently sloping pathway, finished in buff-coloured resin-bound gravel, will also be created. This will take visitors from the new gates into the centre of the park, close to the River Soar and Castle Motte. It is part of a wider programme of work to create safer and more attractive pedestrian and cycling routes linking the city centre to important attractions including St Mary De Castro, the ancient Roman Jewry Wall, Castle Gardens and the historical treasures in Castle View conservation area. Work to remodel the road layout along the south side of St Nicholas Circle, with wider footpaths and a cycle lane, is now complete. A final phase of work, which will revamp the north side of St Nicholas Circle and see the removal of the rundown Harvey Walk footbridge, will begin in the summer. City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Castle Gardens is just a stone’s throw from the city centre but for many years it has been cut off by the busy ring road. “Improving the access into Castle Gardens is part of a wider scheme which has already created a much safer and more attractive pedestrian route from the city centre into the historical area around Leicester Castle.” The Castle Gardens improvement work will cost £165,000 and is due to begin in early April.

Here’s the thing, you will never ever feel like a grown up. You will one day though, feel old.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

N.W.Leics. Mr S Middleton (c/o Agent: Jonathan Weekes, Aitchison Raffety, The Granary, Spring Hill Office park, Harborough Road, Pitsford, Northants. NN6 9AA) - Erection of 3 detached dwellings - at Former ssite of Ladram, Ashby Road, Long Whatton, Leics. LE12 5BX. Unnamed Applicant (c/o Agent: Steve Pearce, Pant Glas, Manordeilo, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire SA19 BL) - Redevelopment of site for 16 dwellings, part new-build and part conversion (Reserved matters) - at 58 Station Road, Kegworth, Derby DE74 2FR. Mrs Hannah Guy (c/o: Davidson House, Meridian Business Park, Leicester LE19 1WZ) - Erection of 41 dwellings and associated infrastructure - at land at Wells Road & Wellesley Road, Ashby de la Zouch, Leics.

Oadby & Wigston Mr Roger Pires (c/o Agent: Neil McMinn, Ink/Drawn Ltd, Federal Tower, 44 Abbey Street, Leicester LE1 3TD) - Erection of a three-storey side and rear extension, alterations to existing building and change of use from retail to provide 8 flats with car parking - at 34 Bell Street, Wigston, Leicester LE18 1AD.

Blaby District Unnamed Applicant (c/o Agent: James Johnson, Archer Building Consultancy, Baileys Barn, Bullocks Farm, Hope End, Takeley, Stansted, Essex CM22 6TA) - Erection of single storey and three storey extensions incorporating dining hall/social space, additional classrooms and facilities - at Brockington College, Blaby Road, Enderby, Leicester LE19 4AQ. Mr J Abraham (c/o Agent: Peter Thompson ADT, 49 Leicester Road, Broughton Astley, Leics. LE9 6QE) Erection of a pair of semi-detached houses - at land at rear of 23 Valley Drive, Braunstone Town, Leicester. Mr Louis Massarella (c/o Agent: HSSPArchitects, Pera Innovation Park, Nottingham Road, Melton Mowbray, Leics. LE13 0PB) - Demolition of Glebe Farm and the erection of 10 dwellings - at Glebe Farm, Kirby Road, Glenfield, Leicester LE3 8DE.

Charnwood Mrs Susan Groocock (c/o Agent: Michael Lavender Architects) Erection of 3 dwellings following

Nearly 1,500 new homes, plus new amenities, for Market Harborough approved PLANS to build nearly 1,500 new homes on the edge of Market Harborough have been approved. Around 225 people attended the Harborough District Council planning committee meeting on Monday 2 March 2015. Councillors on the planning committee listened to around 40 speakers - including councillors - make representations on the applications. The meeting, held at Harborough Market, was considering three planning applications relating to the Strategic Development Area (SDA) which is land allocated for major new housing development. These applications were:

11/00112/OUT – Airfield Farm, Lubenham (924 dwellings) This application will provide on site: • A primary school • Local centre with retail and community uses • Marina for 28 moorings • Children play areas • Country Park • Sport pitches • Allotments • Affordable housing • Low-cost starter homes • Employment & training opportunities

12/00044/FUL – Lubenham Hill, Market Harborough (119 dwellings) This application will provide on site: • Open Space & Children Play Areas • Three discount market homes • Financial contributions to various infrastructure including secondary education, libraries, civic amenities, police, cycleway improvements, off-site affordable housing contribution

13/01483/OUT – Manor Farm, Lubenham (450 dwellings) This application will provide on site: • Local centre (eg. newsagents, hair dressers, takeaway, convenience shop, also space for community uses) • Outdoor sports pitches and children’s play space, • Affordable housing • Low-cost starter homes • Financial contributions to various infrastructure, as above, but including allotment contribution All three planning applications were approved by councillors at the meeting. Cllr Phil King, portfolio holder for planning and development, said: “The public have been heavily involved in shaping this site, via the Core Strategy and Masterplan consultations, and this is the result of a number of years of work. This new housing will bring exciting new amenities to the area, plus wider economic and business benefits for the district. Also, with more than 900 people currently registered with us for housing, the planned 200 affordable homes, and additional lowcost housing, will go some way to helping many people find a property so they can remain in the district.” Cllr King added: “There are still ways people can help shape this site and we will look to work with developers to explore ways people can have a say on things like design of houses, play areas, landscaping, road naming and more.”

Women try out construction trades MORE than 350 women will be taking part in taster courses over the Easter holidays to try out craft trades such as plumbing, plastering, electrics and carpentry. The courses, which are run by Leicester City Council, are open to women aged 15 and over and take place in specialist workshop classrooms at Leicester College. They are aimed at introducing women to possible career paths they might not have considered before. The courses are taught by qualified tradeswomen, many of whom themselves started out trying craft trades at a taster course. They went on to join the city council’s Women In Construction craft trades apprenticeship scheme, and completed a five-year apprenticeship with the city council to become qualified technicians in the city council’s housing department. Apprentice development officer Barry Sullivan said: “We’ve run these free courses every year since 1987 and they’ve always been really popular. It’s a chance for women to try out trades they might never have done before. If they like it, there’s the chance to apply for an apprenticeship – it could be the start of a whole new career.” Last year, the city council took on 16 apprentices for its craft apprenticeship scheme, five of whom were women. The taster courses run from Monday 30 March until Friday 10 April, excluding Good Friday and Easter Monday. To find out more, email craftswomen@leicester.gov.uk

Campbell Street sorting office has been sold AS REPORTED in the Leicester Mercury, the Royal Mail sorting office, in Campbell Street, Leicester has been sold to an unnamed London-based investor in a multi-million pound deal. Royal Mail relocated the sorting operation to Meridian Business Park, in Braunstone, last year. It is not known what the new owner has planned for the site, but the 160,000 sq ft complex is described as being “suitable for a range of uses”.

If you work hard enough and smart enough, your boss will get promoted and be someone else’s problem.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Distribute Your inside this magazine We charge just £125 plus VAT to insert and deliver your single-sheet leaflet/card inside the 2,200 mailed-out copies of Leicestershire Builder

Call Mike on 01530 244069 to place your order.

Tel: 0116 2853 777 Leema Technologies Limited. The Warehouse, 1a Stamford Street, Leicester LE1 6NL The office Christmas party is a great opportunity to catch up with people you haven’t seen for 20 minutes.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Construction Begins on New Leisure Centre

Your Local Quantity Surveyor Offering Friendly, Professional Advice Free initial consultation All work undertaken from tender stage through to final account Covering all sectors of the industry including residential, social housing, commercial and industrial 35 years experience in the construction industry For more information please visit our website: www.mjsurveyingltd.com Email: mark@mjsurveying.plus.com Telephone Mark on 07969 830986

AT YOUR LEISURE: Hinckley

PROGRESS on Hinckley’s new £15 million pound leisure centre in Argents Mead reached a new milestone in March when work commenced on the building’s steel frame.

and Bosworth Borough Council Leader Stuart Bray (centre) with other senior councillors at the construction site for Hinckley’s new leisure centre.

Last year the Borough Council appointed Places for People Leisure (PFP) Ltd to build and operate the new facility for 20 years and building contractor Pelikaan has been on the site since October carrying out foundation works and forming the pool structure shell. Now work is set to begin on erecting the steelwork that will form the outline of the building. The environmentally-friendly, state-of-the-art facility will feature an eight lane, 25 metre main pool and a learner pool, both with moveable floors, as well as a separate wet play area ideal for young families. It will also boast an eight court sports hall, an enhanced gym, cafe and a climbing wall plus a host of other accessible facilities. Leader of Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, Stuart Bray, said: “It’s great to see the outline of the new Leisure Centre beginning to take shape. This time next year

we’ll have a fantastic, brand new sports and leisure facility right in the centre of town that will also give the businesses in Castle Street a big boost by attracting even more people into the town.” Martin Anderson, Capital Projects Director for Places for People Leisure, said: “Starting the steel frame on time is a significant milestone in the project. Local residents will now see their leisure centre starting to take shape in a spectacular setting. There are numerous key milestones to hit during the build programme but we are delighted with the progress to date. “We are looking forward to continuing to work with Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council to encourage increased participation in physical activity and sport through a varied and exciting mix of programmes and facilities.”

I wish the government would go through my e-mails, because I’m never going to.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

demolition of bungalow - at 40 School Lane, South Croxton, Leics. LE7 3RT. Elmslodge Construction Ltd (c/o Agent: BHC) - Erection of 4 dwellings - at land adjacent to 78 Broad Street, Syston, Leicester.

Residential development opportunity for 3 new dwellings in Allestree

D Shaw (c/o Agent: Andrew Granger & Co) - Site for the erection of 3 bungalows - at land rear of 1029 Melton Road, Syston, Leicester. Mr Peter Watson (c/o Agent: Peter Watson) - Erection of 3 dwellings at 48 Woodhouse Road, Quorn, Leics. LE12 8AJ.

Mr & Mrs E Yeandle (c/o Agent: IBA Planning Ltd) - Site for the erection of up to 5 dwellings - at land at 84 New Zealand Lane, Queniborough, Leics. LE7 3FT. Jelson Limited (c/o Agent: Bilfinger GVA) - Site for the erection of up to 66 dwellings - at land at Melton Road, Rearsby, Leics. Loughborough University (c/o Agent: GVA) - Extensions to Martin Hall and Towers Building, demolition of Ann Packer and Towers Dining - at Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leics. LE11 3TU. Jelson Limited (c/o Agent: West Hart Partnership) - Erection of building to provide 4 retail units and 6 residential units - at Local Centre Site, Hallam Fields Road, Birstall, Leicester LE4 3LH. Mr Muldoon (c/o Agent: Tenacity Planning Consultants) - Conversion and erection of building to form 9 dwellings (Revised scheme) at 146 Knightthorpe Road, Loughborough, Leics. LE11 5JU.

Don’t forget to send us your news! Thanks!

Landlord & Letting Show 13 May 2015 To 14 May 2015 at The Reebok Stadium, Bolton. WHATEVER your involvement in property, our shows are guaranteed to deliver everything you need to help you succeed: keep up-to-date with all the latest legislation; find the best products and service deal on the market; get advice and information from leading players in the industry; network with other property professionals.

What exactly does each show have to offer?

Mr Nigel Stevenson (c/o Agent: Redfern Kirton Design) - Erection of 3 dwellings - at 86 Queensgate Drive, Birstall, Leicester LE4 3JR. Grey Goose Ltd (c/o Agent: MA Design) - Change of use from public house and hotel to mortuary and dwellings - at Station Hotel, 106 Derby Road, Loughborough, Leics. LE11 5AG.

BB&J are offering for sale a prime residential opportunity with planning permission for the erection of 3 detached properties. The land - at 1 Blenheim Drive, Allestree, Derby DE22 2LD - extends to approximately 0.41 acres and is located in a highly desirable suburb, on the A6, two miles north of Derby city centre. Currently situated on site is a two-bed detached bungalow requiring an extensive programme of modernisation and refurbishment. An illustrative site layout has been produced by the vendor which shows two detached two-storey houses and a bungalow to the rear. Subject to planning, there may be scope to increase the density. By way of an Outline Planning Permission (ref: DER/11/114/01548) the land benefits from consent for the demolition of the existing house and residential development, with all matters reserved. Offers in excess of £320,000 are invited for the freehold with vacant possession. The deadline for receipt of written offers is 12 noon on 21st May 2015. For further information, contact Christopher Wright at BB&J on 01332 292825 or email: c.wright@bbandj.co.uk

Each of our events offers: • a comprehensive product and services exhibition, • FREE seminars covering a wide range of topics delivered by leading industry experts, • direct access to Associations and Government Bodies, • networking opportunities, • information on the latest legislation.

Who should attend? Anyone involved in property, either on a professional or personal basis, will benefit greatly from attending, no matter what their level of experience: landlords, prospective landlords, letting agents, investors, developers, service providers and more. www.landlordshow.info

Home prices take a Spring leap

HOME PRICES have risen in all English regions, Scotland and Wales over the last month, reflecting widespread positive sentiment across the UK. However, higher prices are also tempting vendors to commit. Supply of property for sale in London has overtaken demand, as indicated by a steep rise in the typical time on market (currently 71 days; 24 days longer than in March 2014), although supply rises in other regions are much more muted. Price rises are also surging in East Anglia and Scotland. Spring optimism abounds and even in the least well performing areas of the North East and Wales, prices have risen 0.4% and 0.3% respectively since February. Overall, the current mix-adjusted average asking price for England and Wales shows that properties on the market are valued 6.8% higher than they were in March 2014. The typical time on market for England and Wales is now 119 days, which is eight days less than this time last year, and shows that the market continues to gain momentum overall. See below for summarised headlines: • London prices leap a further 2.1% despite rising supply (up 31% YoY). • Asking prices post monthly rises in ALL English regions, Wales and Scotland. • Prices rise by 1.1% overall in England and Wales during the last month. • The average annual appreciation for England and Wales moves down to 6.8%. • Supply of property for sale up by 9% (Feb. 2015 vs. Feb. 2014) across the UK. • Typical time on market is now eight days less than it was in March last year. • Prices begin to stabilise in Prime Central London. To read more please visit: www.home.co.uk/asking_price_index/HAPIndex_MAR15.pdf

My Labrador Retriever has yet to retrieve a single Labrador.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

DMU purchase youth centre from council ACCORDING to a recent report in the Leicester Mercury, a youth centre in Leicester is to be sold to De Montfort University for nearly £1 million. The city council said the large Watershed building, on the banks of the River Soar in Upperton Road, was surplus to its requirements and the university had agreed to pay £970,000 for it. The university wants to refurbish the complex, which has been unused for nine months, and turn it into a centre for sports and societies. The building has a sports hall, changing rooms, kitchens, common room, sound-proofed recording studio, office space and meeting rooms.

Apartments scheme for Long Eaton landmark

A LONG EATON architect has devised a scheme that will transform a building almost 100 years old and breathe new life into the town centre. Alan McGowan Architects is the driving force behind the project to change a prominent building at 1-3 Tamworth Road close to the Market Place and main shopping area. Alan drew up the scheme to provide 10 high-quality apartments, secured planning permission from Erewash Borough Council, and will project manage it for the new owners of the building. It was bought last year by Meadowbank Estates, a property company based near London’s Heathrow Airport. Under the scheme there will be five apartments on each of the first and second floors, some with one bedroom, some with two.

Homes through the decades

New NHBC Foundation report charts the making of the modern home

Auction Diary 2015 April 2015 Thursday 10th April 2015 - GRAHAM PENNY - iPro Stadium, Derby 11.30am start www.grahampennyauctions.com Tuesday 14th April 2015 - HOWKINS & HARRISON - at Kilworth Springs Golf Club, North Kilworth, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17 6HJ - at 6.30pm - 01788 564680 www.howkinsandharrison.co.uk Thursday 16 April 2015 - COTTONS - at Aston Villa FC, Villa Park, Birmingham, B6 6HE - 11am start - tel: 0121 247 2233 or email: auctions@cottons.co.uk

A FASCINATING NEW guide which charts the history of the modern home from Victorian times to the digital age is being launched by the NHBC Foundation today. Housing has played a pivotal role in our society and has been at the very top of the political agenda for different reasons at different times over the last century. Homes through the decades: the making of modern housing examines the political and social drivers, and technological changes that have shaped the modern home and the way we live. From the gadgets we use to the way our homes are built, the guide contains evocative images and informative charts which illustrate and define key periods in our housing history. Homes through the decades poses questions about what our homes might look like in the future – will demographic changes, such as decreasing family sizes and an ageing population lead to new designs of homes? How much further will sustainability targets be pushed in housing design, and will higher levels of automation become the norm? The report notes how people living in modern homes today have greater protection than their predecessors through the introduction of Building Regulations, comprehensive building standards and warranties. Commenting on the report, Neil Smith, head of research and innovation at NHBC, said: “Since the beginning of the 20th Century, Britain has experienced seismic changes in society, politics, technology and culture. “We are now embarking on a further historically-important step for housing as we seek to establish a generation of new homes suitable for the 21st century. Our thinking should be informed by a clear understanding of what has gone before and an enlightened view of how we should address the challenges of today and tomorrow. “Homes through the decades is an account of the drivers, endeavour and experience that over the last century has shaped the modern home. In its pages, we are reminded of the pivotal events and inspirational people – reformers, planners, architects, designers, technologists and construction teams – who grappled with the pressures and constraints of their time to deliver our unique housing heritage. “The future, by definition is uncertain. However, as in the past, British ingenuity will once again be central to our success in overcoming technical challenges and delivering homes that are right for the coming decade.” To accompany the report, the NHBC Foundation has also produced a “Top 10 moments in housing history” infographic, charting a number of significant dates that shaped Britain’s homes.

Wednesday 29th April 2015 - SHONKI BROS KAL SANGRA - at Leicester Racecourse, Leicester Road, Oadby, Leicester LE2 4AL - 5pm start - tel: 0116 254 3373 www.shonkibrothers.com

May 2015 Thursday 7th May - GRAHAM PENNY - King Power Stadium, Leicester 11.30am start www.grahampennyauctions.com Friday 8th May - GRAHAM PENNY - East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham - 11.30am start www.grahampennyauctions.com Wednesday 13 May 2015 - SHONKI BROS - at The King Power Stadium, The Gallery, Filbert Way, Leicester LE2 7FL - 5pm start tel: 0116 255 7573 or email: info@shonkibros.com Thursday 14 May 2015 - SAVILLS at Nottingham Racecourse, Colwick Park, Nottingham NG2 4BE - 2.30pm start - tel: 0115 934 8080 - www. savills.co.uk/auctions

June 2015 Wednesday 3 June 2015 - COTTONS - at Aston Villa FC, Villa Park, Birmingham, B6 6HE - 11am start - tel: 0121 247 2233 or email: auctions@cottons.co.uk Thursday 4th June 2015 - GRAHAM PENNY - iPro Stadium, Derby 11.30am start www.grahampennyauctions.com Tuesday 23rd June - GRAHAM PENNY - King Power Stadium, Leicester 11.30am start www.grahampennyauctions.com Wednesday 24th June 2015 SHONKI BROS KAL SANGRA - at Leicester Racecourse, Leicester Road, Oadby, Leicester LE2 4AL - 5pm start - tel: 0116 254 3373 www.shonkibrothers.com

It bothers me when I see tax money wasted on signs telling deer where to cross the road.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

windows

The best value trade windows and doors from Leicestershire’s leading windowmaker

www.coalvilleglass.co.uk For over 40 years Coalville Glass & Glazing has been manufacturing the highest quality windows, doors and conservatories – and supplying glass and ancillaries - right here in Coalville…

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She called me egotistical and I was fine with that because at least we were talking about me.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Leicester Office

22 De Montfort Street Leicester LE1 7GB

0116 2551811

Blaby Office

33 Leicester Road Blaby LE8 4GR

0116 2643430

Coalville Office

39-41 Belvoir Road Coalville LE67 3PD

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♦ Land Purchase ♦ Joint Venture Agreements ♦ Planning Agreements ♦ Contract Disputes ♦ Access / Drainage Rights ♦ Options ♦ Plot Sales ♦ Leases For further information and advice, contact either Andrew Eagle at our Leicester Office or Russell Dowling at our Blaby office

The renowned Berkeley Promotions At Arms goes on the market Nottingham’s Leading Architect Firm

A SUPERB opportunity to acquire an award-winning country pub in the heart of the Leicestershire countryside is available with specialist property adviser Christie + Co. Situated in the picturesque village of Wymondham, The Berkeley Arms offers first class country pub dining and an impressive selection of fine wines and cask ales. Over the past five years, the unrivalled pub has been run by Neil and Louise Hitchen, who have scooped a clutch of awards including The Harden’s 2014 Award, Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence 2013, The Gourmand Award - 2012, 2013 and 2014 Michelin Guides. The business has also received glittering reviews in the Independent, The Telegraph and Alastair Sawday’s Pubs and Inns of England and Wales. Ben Freckingham of Christie + Co’s Nottingham office is handling the sale. He comments: “Berkeley Arms is a truly stunning community pub with a great atmosphere. We are confident there will be a huge appetite for this business given its outstanding reputation and sought-after location.” The property encompasses an attractive and beautifully furnished lounge bar area with bar standing room and seating for 20 people as well as a restaurant area with servery and seating for approximately 26 people. The restaurant offers a wide range of meals from the ‘a la carte’ menu, all cooked with fresh and locally sourced produce. The village of Wymondham boasts a rich and colourful history and is wellsituated within close proximity to the A1 motorway and Rutland Water; a popular cycling, walking, fishing and bird watching destination.

TO ADVERTISE in Leicestershire Builder, contact Mike Wilkinson on 01530 244069 or 07478 937004 or email: info@buildermagazines.co.uk

AS PART of its ambitious strategy for growth, Nottingham architecture firm CPMG is bolstering its senior team with the promotion of four directors. Hugh Avison has moved up the ranks to design director and Chris White, Anil Parmar and Paul Bodill have been promoted to project directors. All four will be taking on a lead corporate role within the practice. CPMG director Nick Gregory said the firm has seen a significant period of growth – with the workforce having increased by 40% to 80 employees in the last couple of years. Nick said: “It’s great that we have been able to reward the hard work of these individuals and also recognise their potential for the future during this period of protracted growth which the firm is experiencing.” The firm has restructured due to expansion and as a means to manage the increased workload. Hugh Avison, said: “I have been

PROMOTED: (L-r): Paul Bodill, Chris White, Hugh Avison and Anil Parmar at CPMG now for 15 years and I am proud of how the practice has grown and developed over that time. “I’m keen to continue this development and move the business into new areas – as a practice we will be investing heavily in our design capabilities, harnessing new technologies and driving innovation.” Chris White, who has been with the firm for 12 years, said: “It’s great to have been promoted. I’ve been gradually getting more and more involved with the corporate side of the business as we look to continue building on the successes to date.” CPMG, based in Nottingham’s Lace Market, has become a prominent name on the architectural stage and has worked on several landmark projects including the new Art and Design Faculty at Leicester’s De Montfort University and the new visitor Centre at HMS Belfast in London.

I hate it when I gain 10 pounds for a role then realize I’m not even an actor.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

Natural Theapies

Wordsearch Puzzle

IF YOU can find 12 NATURAL THERAPIES in the Wordsearch grid on the right, you could win yourself a VIP Meal For Two at Frankie & Benny’s New York Italian Restaurant. All you have to do to go into the draw is find - and mark a line through - 12 natural therapies. These can run vertically, horizontally or diagonally (and backwards!). Send your marked entry forms to: FEELGOOD, Leicestershire Builder, PO Box 8, Markfield, Leics. LE67 9ZT to arrive by Monday 20th April 2015. Please remember to fill in your name and address. The sender of the first correct entry drawn out of the hat will win the Frankie & Benny’s VIP Meal for Two. Good luck!

Here are the 12 THERAPIES you have to find:

ACUPUNCTURE • AROMATHERAPY • BACH FLOWERS CRYSTAL HEALING • EAR CANDLING • FENG SHUI HERBALISM • HOMEOPATHY • HYDROLOGY QIGONG • REFLEXOLOGY • YOGA Name: .............................................................................................................. Address: ............................................................................................................. .............................................................................Postcode: .............................

Last Month’s Wordsearch Winner:

KIRSTY ORME of Wollaton Avenue, Loughborough Congratulations! Your Frankie & Benny’s Voucher will be with you soon.

Cash to revive empty and derelict homes

EMPTY and derelict properties could be brought back to life thanks to a council funding pot.

Charnwood Borough Council has around £45,000 up for grabs for homeowners looking for cash to prepare their property for the rental market. The Partnership Grant can be used to pay for essential work including re-wiring, new windows and doors and is designed to bring properties that have been empty for longer than six months back into use. The homeowner has to contribute towards the costs and also agree to rent out the property once the work is completed. Councillor Jane Hunt, the council’s Cabinet member for Housing, said: “Partnership Grants are a great way for us to support the housing market by bringing much-needed homes back into use. “We’d especially like to hear from owners of two bedroom properties because we know there is a shortage of these homes across Charnwood. “Our Housing team is committed to working with homeowners and landlords to ensure the private rented sector is the best it can be.” In the past five years, the Council has awarded four grants, worth a total of £40,000, to support people looking to revive homes. These have covered work including the installation of new windows and doors and replacement kitchens and bathrooms. A maximum of £15,000 can be awarded at once, to cover 50 per cent of the cost of building and restoration work. Properties must have been empty for at least six months. For more information on partnership grants and how to apply visit www.charnwood.gov.uk/grants_for_owner_occupiers, email private.housing@ charnwood.gov.uk or call 01509 634651.

Technically all breakfasts are continental, unless you eat them in the ocean.

Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

CEDAR HOUSE INVESTMENTS

£12 Million Gateway Development Gets Under Way in Sneinton NOTTINGHAM CITY councillors were on site at Eastpoint Retail Park in March– to help mark one of the most significant developments in Nottingham for many years, which will create hundreds of jobs and boost muchneeded skills and training for local people. Eastpoint in Daleside Road on the outskirts of Sneinton has now started on site – providing investment for the city, and 200 jobs from construction phase, right through to completion. The £12 million scheme is a catalyst for regeneration in the area and will breathe new life into the eastern gateway of Nottingham, said Peter Gadsby, chairman of Cedar House Investments which owns the site and is one of the region’s leading developers. He said: “After so many years of this five-acre former Sunlight Laundry site lying derelict, this is a significant landmark that this scheme has started on site. Eastpoint will further facilitate investment in Waterside as this area of the city continues to thrive. “We know that our retail development, which is anchored by an Aldi food store, is much needed for the people of Sneinton. The three retailers which move in this year will create 100 jobs. Cedar House is already engaged with the city council’s employment hub creating new jobs both during construction and when the scheme is open. “Cedar House has been able to speculatively build and fund this development through its own resources and is delighted to be driving forward regeneration in the city. We have already attracted Aldi, Poundland and Costa Coffee which will be trading by Christmas. We also have a number of other retailers looking to commit to Eastpoint over the coming months.” The site is 60% let with Aldi as the anchor retailer, taking up a 18,200sq ft unit. Costa Coffee and Poundland have also confirmed they will be taking units. Local ward councillor is Coun David Mellen said: “For some time, the people of Sneinton have had a need for somewhere to shop for reasonably-priced food. There haven’t been enough opportunities for everyone to shop for food locally at a price which matches the tight budgets within which many families have to manage. I

ADAPTAFLEX LAUNCHES CONDUIT SELECTOR ADAPTAFLEX has launched an innovative conduit product selector to enable customers to quickly choose the right conduit for each application.

ON SITE: Nick McDonald, David Mellen and Peter Gadsby

welcome this initiative to provide better shopping opportunities for the residents of Sneinton later this year.” Local building contractor Radleigh Construction is already on site. The company will create 40 jobs for local people throughout the duration of the 12-month build. The project will help to develop education, skills and training for local people. Coun Nick McDonald, Nottingham City Council’s portfolio holder for jobs and growth, said: “This scheme is significant, not least because it will catalyse our wider plans for this area of the city. What is most pleasing is that 100 jobs have already been filled by Nottingham people with another 100 to be filled before Christmas.” “The scheme will help form a gateway to the Waterside development area, and along with Blueprint’s £26 million housing scheme located opposite will create a new city community,” added Peter Gadsby, who is responsible for several major developments in Nottingham through his companies - including the 105,000sq.ft. £30 million development called Trinity House built for EOn and the 38acre NG2 Business Park which has

attracted Experian, Speedo and Specsavers. As part of wider improvements to public space which accompany the development, Cedar House will be contributing to works to be undertaken on the Sneinton Greenway public footpath and cycle way which runs behind the Eastpoint site. “The combination of the housing scheme and the East Point Gateway sites are the major catalysts needed for the redevelopment and regeneration of this area of Nottingham,” added Peter. “The scheme has anchored the regeneration of the waterside link between retail and housing,” added Peter. “The scheme is the first major retail development for Nottingham in the last few years, showing the growing confidence which has been shown in Nottingham as a city.” Joint agents JLL & FHP are marketing the remainder of the Eastpoint site.

The new free-to-use web app, which can be found on the Adaptaflex website, takes visitors through a series of questions around attributes such as conduit material and IP rating, plus specific requirements such as UV resistance temperature range and key approvals, to help determine the most suitable conduit for the customers’ application. Crucially, the site is optimised for use on smartphones, but is also accessible on desktops, which means the valuable resource can be used on site, at a meeting, or whenever and wherever an answer is needed. Ann Timmons, Product Manager for Adaptaflex, said: “Our objective is to do more than just design and manufacture cutting-edge flexible conduit systems; we also want to provide unrivalled customer service to ensure our customers can easily find the best possible solution for their application. “Our product selector makes it simple to navigate 20 different types of non-metallic and 15 types of metallic flexible conduit cable protection systems. Alternatively, if the specific requirements don’t match the existing product range, there’s a quick to complete enquiry form which allows our experienced technical support team to assist with a bespoke solution.” The Adaptaflex product selector can be viewed at findaconduit. adaptaflex.com. By pressing ‘add to home screen’, the Adaptaflex product range can be accessed in an instant. Adaptaflex, part of the ABB Group, is a market leader in flexible conduit systems, offering over 1,600 non-metallic and metallic products for the protection of critical power and data cable for construction, machinery, mechanical, marine, and rail infrastructure markets. To find out more about Adaptaflex visit www.adaptaflex.com or follow them on Twitter @Adaptaflex. Call the sales team on 01675 468200 or email sales@adaptaflex.com.

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Leicestershire BUILDER Magazine • APRIL 2015 • Tel: 01530 244069

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