Eddisons secures £20m to improve 48 schools across UK

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Eddisons secures £20m to improve 48 schools across UK

 

Property consultant Eddisons has secured a total of £20m in funding to improve buildings at 48 schools across the UK. The capital funding, obtained via the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) programme, will be used to enhance school and sixth form college buildings and improve safety and energy efficiency.

The CIF is an annual bidding scheme that enables academy schools and colleges to apply for funding for the upkeep of their buildings, and to fund expansion projects for schools that have been rated good or outstanding by Ofsted.

Eddisons’ Leeds, Newcastle, and Manchester-based project consultancy division specialises in securing CIF funding for schools and has seen a £5m increase in successful bids for 2019, up from £15m in 2018. The team has also been appointed to design and project manage the safe delivery of all the successful applications.

Ian Harrington, who heads Eddisons building and project consultancy team, said: “We are really proud of our success rate for this year’s round of CIF bids, announced just last week, with 55 successful bids in total across the UK.

“Education is a key sector for us at Eddisons and one where we are seeing growing demand for our services. We are continuing to expand our team and are focused on doing the best job we can for our school and college clients.

He added: “It is tremendously rewarding to be able to guide schools through the maze of the CIF bidding process and as we are involved throughout the process we see the tremendous difference that these improvements can make to a whole school community.”

Eddisons has also secured £1m in Urgent Capital Support funding for UK schools in need of emergency repair projects this year. The firm is also working with schools and colleges to help them secure funding from the £25m Salix fund for projects that improve energy efficiency.

Eddisons has secured a total of £20m in funding to improve buildings at 48 schools across the UK.

Written by: Ian Harrington on Tuesday 09/04/2019

Eddisons expands across Eastern England with acquisition of BSM

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Eddisons expands across Eastern England with acquisition of BSM

 

Leading national property consultancy, Eddisons, has today confirmed the acquisition of Barker Storey Matthews (BSM) one of the largest independent chartered surveying firms in Eastern England.

BSM was recently ranked the overall winner for Eastern England in the EG Deals Competition 2018 (‘EG’) for commercial property agents and acquisition will see the experienced 38-strong team integrate with the current Eddisons team.

Eddisons will also expand its national office network to 20 by incorporating BSM’s premises in Cambridge, Huntingdon, Peterborough and Bury St Edmunds, further strengthening the company’s ability to deliver specialist property services on nationally.

BSM is a multi-disciplinary practice and delivers services consistent with those offered by the existing Eddisons business, including commercial property agency, property management, building consultancy, professional services (including valuations) and planning services.

Eddisons Partner, Anthony Spencer, said: “I am very pleased to welcome the BSM team into Eddisons; it widens our geographical coverage to twenty offices around the UK and increases the number of clients. This is our fifth Eddisons acquisition since we joined the Group and we continue to seek opportunities for further growth, both organically and by strategic acquisition.”

Steve Hawkins, Managing Director at BSM, commented: “Through our talented team of people, Barker Storey Matthews has developed a market leading reputation for delivering quality property advice across the Eastern region.

“We are excited to be joining the Eddisons team as there is a natural overlap with the services we offer and an opportunity to work with like minded individuals. This strengthens our proposition to our dedicated client base and we look forward to developing the opportunities the deal presents. Not only will we be able to offer a greater spread of professional services but we will be able to do so on a UK wide basis.”

This marks the second acquisition of 2019 for Eddisons, having bought transport and planning consultancy Croft earlier this year. The firm has also acquired industrial auctioneers CJM Asset Management, real estate and business valuers Taylors, and leading property auction business Pugh & Co.

The BSM deal marks the second acquisition of 2019 for Eddisons.

Written by: Anthony Spencer on Friday 05/04/2019

Eddisons Appointed for Fire Safety Works – Lincoln Castle Academy

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Eddisons Appointed for Fire Safety Works – Lincoln Castle Academy

Eddisons were appointed by Lincoln Castle Academy to produce an Urgent Capital Support ( UCS ) funding bid following a fire safety audit undertaken by Lincolnshire fire authority under the Regulatory Reform ( Fire Safety ) Order 2005.

The proposed life safety works include for the installation of new fire doors, fire compartmentation within ceiling voids and a new fire alarm system with emergency lighting.

The project will also include for the removal of localised asbestos containing materials that have been identified as part of the works.

Eddisons Building and Project team will be Project Managing the scheme on behalf of the academy ensuring that the works are safely delivered whilst causing minimum disruption to the operation of the school.

UCS funding is available to non Schools Capital Allocation (SCA) funded academies who can demonstrate urgent health and safety issues, structural problems, asbestos concerns and mechanical & electrical issues within their school estate.

Eddisons Education Team have the technical knowledge and expertise needed to submit and deliver successful UCS bids for non SCA academies.

 

 

Specialist Eddisons team begins demolition work for new £35m cancer centre

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Specialist Eddisons team begins demolition work for new £35m cancer centre

A specialist team from Leeds-based property consultancy Eddisons has begun work on the demolition of a disused hospital wing to make way for a new £35m cancer care centre.

Demolition work at the former hospital block at the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, which was opened by Princess Anne in the 1970s, started this week and is being led by Eddisons.

Appointed on behalf of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust to plan and project manage the controlled demolition, the Eddisons Building and Project Consultancy team was brought on board due to the complex and hazardous nature of the work.

Ian Harrington, National Head of the Building and Project Consultancy team at Eddisons, said: “Phase one of the project involves the controlled demolition of a 1970s wing of the building, which has stood empty for 18 years and contains high levels of asbestos.

“It’s a delicate process that has to be managed extremely carefully, as the disused tower block adjoins the busy working hospital and is amongst a complicated network of existing services and infrastructure. The site is also next to the VIE plant, where the hospital stores oxygen, nitrogen and other gases used in surgery – so it really is a balancing act.”

“Our team are very experienced in this area of work and are currently engaged in other areas of the country on similarly tricky projects.”

The demolition project is due for completion in April this year and the new cancer centre set to open in 2020. The state of the art facility will utilise the latest technology and provide a range of oncology services, including radiotherapy and chemotherapy, for cancer patients in northern Cumbria.

“We are all very excited to see the demolition progressing and we look forward to seeing the new centre come to life after years of planning,” said Suzanne Stanley, radiotherapy services manager at North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust.

“Going to hospital can cause anxiety and getting treatment for cancer is scary. We hope this building will put people at ease by being in a relaxing and comfortable environment. The demolition of the tower block is the next milestone for us in improving cancer services.”

We are all very excited to see the demolition progressing and we look forward to seeing the new centre come to life after years of planning.

The EPC changes for commercial properties and what landlords need to know

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The EPC changes for commercial properties and what landlords need to know

 

From 1 April 2018 the regulations regarding Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) for commercial property are changing. We take a look at what those changes involve and what implications they have for commercial landlords.

Proposed changes by the government’s Department of Energy and Climate Change, mean that up to one-third of commercial properties may not be able to be rented out after April 2018, if they do not make changes to reach minimum energy efficiency standards.

What do the EPC changes mean?

Currently, EPCs rate how energy-efficient a building is, from A (the most efficient) to G (the least efficient). However, from April 2018, it will be unlawful for a landlord to let a commercial property with an F or G EPC rating, unless there is a valid exemption.

These proposals are in response to government efforts to meet its carbon reduction targets – the built environment being one of the major contributors to greenhouse gases and thus to global climate change. In 2015 Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) were introduced by the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 and were designed to tackle energy efficiency within older buildings. Building regulations now ensure developers and builders construct both domestic and commercial properties which meet stringent energy efficiency requirements.

From April 2018

From this date, landlords wishing to rent out a commercial property or renew a lease must ensure that the building has an EPC rating higher than ‘E’. This has the potential to severely impact landlords whose property is not newly built and does not meet current building requirements. For example, the government’s own data suggests that 35% of non-residential properties which were EPC surveyed in 2015 achieved only an E, F or G rating indicating that many landlords could be affected by these new regulations.

Exemptions

There are, of course, exemptions to the new rules. These include listed buildings, temporary structures, industrial sites or workshops, and detached buildings with a floor space of less than 50m sq. Some vacant properties and buildings which are due for demolition are also exempt.

Penalties

If you fail to bring your property in line with the new EPC regulations, your local authority can serve a compliance notice on you requesting that you inform them of the steps you are taking to remedy the situation. If the information is not forthcoming, the Local Authority may serve a penalty notice of up to £5,000.

What steps you need to take

If you think your commercial property may contravene these new guidelines you should obtain an accurate EPC rating from a qualified and accredited energy assessor. If the results show that your commercial property has a rating of F or G, you should take steps to make it more energy efficient (simple changes like energy efficient light bulbs can make a real difference) before April 2018. Not only will this help with future EPC ratings, but the changes will have a positive incentive for new tenants to occupy the property, as well as saving money, and ultimately the planet.

For more information about the proposed changes, how they will affect your commercial property and how to obtain an EPC rating, talk to a member of our team. Our experts can offer you advice on the best course of action to take in your specific circumstances.

 

Written by: Ian Harrington on Monday 06/03/2017

 

Infographic: The Rise of Luxury Student Accommodation

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Infographic: The Rise of Luxury Student Accommodation

A month on from Freshers’ Week frolicking, students at universities up and down the country are now settling down after the initial whirlwind of new friends, a new city, and a new place to call home. But what exactly does this new home consist of?

Ian Harrington, building surveyor and fit out specialist at Eddisons, says; “Student accommodation is not ‘one size fits all’. There is now a wider choice than ever before when students choose their term-time accommodation; from traditional university owned cluster flats, to luxury city centre studios, however each of these comes with its own (potentially high) price tag.”

Eddisons have looked into what today’s students can expect from their accommodation. We consider what factors are deemed important when choosing accommodation, and how much the average student can expect to pay for the privilege.

From The Young Ones to the more fortunate ones, we present the current state of university accommodation and the range of students catered for. It seems there’s been a shift from digs to bigwigs…

Written by: Ian Harrington on Wednesday 26/10/2016

Rent Reviews Why Should You Use A Chartered Surveyor

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Rent Reviews are typically found in commercial leases typically for industrial and warehouse units, office buildings and retail premises as well as leisure and other peripheral property types.

Rent Reviews Why Should You Use A Chartered Surveyor

 

Landlords want to see rents keeping up with market values during the terms of a lease and in many cases rents are often reviewed at 3 or 5 year intervals, although there is no hard and fast rule as to when a rent review should take place. Generally the review periods are often agreed between the parties at lease commencement.

The Rent Review clause in the lease will define how the new rent is to be calculated, and will set out the assumptions (length of lease, use, state of repair etc.) and disregards (goodwill, tenants improvements etc.) that are to be made. The assumptions and disregards that are to be made are generally similar across most commercial leases, however slight variations can have a significant impact on the rent calculation.

Whilst most rents are reviewed to a Market Rent which is assessed by reference to comparable transactions, other rents can be reviewed to pre-agreed fixed amounts, or by reference to RPI (Retail Price Index).

The majority of Rent Review clauses require the rent to be reviewed on an upward only basis i.e the new rent is to be the higher of the Market Rent or the rent passing immediately before the review date, however it is possible (where the tenant has managed to negotiate it at lease commencement) for rents to be reviewed on an upward or downward basis, although this is often strongly opposed by Landlords (except during weaker market conditions where tenants hold a stronger negotiating position).

A question Barker Storey Matthews now part of Eddisons are often asked is ‘How can a Landlord serve a rent review notice increasing the rent from a review date that was years ago?’ The short answer is that, unless the lease states to the contrary, there is usually no time limit for a rent review notice to be served, meaning that even if a rent review date was 4 years previous to the date notice was served, the rent review is still valid and capable of being negotiated. In these instances it is particularly important to seek advice from a Chartered Surveyor. Barker Storey Matthews now part of Eddisons keep a comprehensive database of transactions which can be referred to in order to support a case (on behalf of Landlords or Tenants) in such instances.

A word of warning – some rent review clauses state that ‘time is of the essence’, and will set out an explicit timetable for the service of rent review notice and the requirements for the Tenant’s response. Where a lease states that time is of the essence, it is vitally important that both Landlords and Tenants ensure any timescales defined in the review clause are met. Barker Storey Matthews now part of Eddisons are happy to review leases and provide further advice on this point if required.

It is often the case that Landlords and Tenants alike believe they do not require a Chartered Surveyors assistance to agree a Rent Review, but all too often we come across situations where Landlords or Tenants have been financially disadvantaged as a result of not seeking professional advice at the appropriate time.

For Landlords, a well negotiated Rent Review can result in an uplifted rent, which in addition to improving the cash flow that is received from an asset, can in turn have a positive impact on the capital value of the property.

For Tenants, a poorly negotiated Rent Review can have a detrimental impact on the performance of the business resulting in increased overheads, and can also have a knock-on effect on the Business Rates payable on the property as the Valuation Office will have regard to the rent being paid under a lease at the point of assessing the rateable value of a property.

Contact one of Barker Storey Matthews now part of Eddisons specialist rent review surveyors to discuss your requirements or for an informal discussion: http://www.bsm.uk.com/rent-reviews-lease-renewals-arbitrations/

Ways to create better workspaces

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Ways to create better workspaces

 

It’s common knowledge that a well-designed and effectively-planned workspace enhances work quality, improves well-being amongst staff, and increases productivity. If your workspace is in need of an overhaul, or if you’ve outgrown it, you might be tempted to search for bigger and better premises. But did you know that there are a number of extremely cost-effective ways to improve what you already have, without the hassle of moving? We take a look at how you can achieve it.

Before you begin

It can be hard to evaluate a workspace when it’s busy and thriving but overcrowded and inefficient. Find a time when employees aren’t there and try to view your premises objectively. Could a lick of paint and a rearrangement of the floor space be enough? If you need more floor area, do you have the capacity to expand? What is your budget for the work you’re considering and could it work harder for you?

Of course, you could do the work yourself, hiring in sub-contractors to build, decorate or generally renovate but, when you’re running a business full time, it can be difficult to justify spending the time on planning the project and implementing it. It can also be hard to see past what’s already there and to imagine the changes which need to be made. This is where you should seek the assistance of independent experts who can see the space with fresh eyes and offer solutions to your problems.

Things they may suggest include:

Extend and expand

If shortage of space is your problem, and you have the potential to expand, it can be considerably cheaper to create more room, rather than moving premises. A good building surveyor will be able to advise you on how to maximise your floor space through additional building work, can assist you in applying for planning permission, and even suggest reputable contractors who can do the work for you.

Better lighting

Studies have shown that poor lighting in an office, warehouse or factory can result in eyestrain, headaches, fatigue and even depression amongst workers. It certainly reduces productivity, and Health and Safety legislation makes ‘suitable and sufficient’ lighting a requirement for safe working conditions. Good lighting is one of the most important elements to consider when planning refurbishments or new building works, and if you can’t get as much natural light into the building as you’d like, think about high-performance, low-energy lighting which will not only increase productivity but also save you money.

Temperature

Having a workspace at the wrong temperature not only reduces productivity but can also lead to illness and absenteeism among your workers and increase the number of errors they make. Getting it right, therefore, is vital. The optimum temperature for an office, for example, is between 21-23°C (70-73°F), so it’s important to have a modern, efficient heating and ventilation system installed.

Noise levels

Open plan offices without adequate acoustics can lead to a 66% drop in productivity, as well as increase stress levels, and absenteeism. In fact, the EU estimates that £34 billion is lost each year due to excessive and unwanted noise in the workplace. Acoustic ceilings, flooring and wall panels can be highly-effective in reducing ambient noise levels and increase efficiency as well as workers’ well-being.

So, before you move, think about how you can improve! Our Building Project and Consultancy team can offer you creative and cost-effective ideas for enhancing your workspace, whatever your budget. Get in touch today for advice and information about your commercial or industrial project.

 

Written by: Ian Harrington on Thursday 08/09/2016

 

 

Five key elements of Health & Safety Compliance when surveying a building

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Five key elements of Health & Safety Compliance when surveying a building

 

Compliance with health & safety legislation is vital to ensure a safe workplace. If you’re a commercial landlord or a prospective tenant, you may be surprised to learn that your building surveyor will be putting health & safety issues at the top of their survey checklist. We take a look at the five most important elements they’ll be on the lookout for.

Fire risks

We all know that fire kills but there are some simple steps to help prevent fires starting. Building surveyors will be looking to conduct a Fire Risk Assessment which will firstly identify the potential for a fire to occur and secondly the scale of the consequences of such a fire. The surveyor will look for what preventative measures you have in place in your commercial building which can reduce the risk of fires starting in the first instance. This will comprise identifying fire hazards and anyone at risk, identifying whether fire alarm systems are in place and establishing whether signage is adequate.

Public health

A natural, fibrous rock asbestos was formerly widely used to insulate and fire-proof buildings. In 1999 it was banned after links were established between it and potentially fatal lung diseases. Surveyors must pay particular attention to the suspected presence of asbestos in older buildings due to the serious nature of the threat it poses when inhaled, particularly during removal. Its presence may also have implications for the insurance of commercial buildings.

A building surveyor will also be on the lookout for the potential for Legionnaire’s Disease – a lung infection which is spread through water droplets in air conditioning systems. Of particular concern will be any cooling towers or evaporative condensers, dry/wet cooling systems, and hot and cold water systems.

Energy conservation

It is estimated that commercial premises in the UK are responsible for 10% of the greenhouse gases our country emits. This is not only bad for the planet, but bad for commercial landlords’ and tenants’ bottom line too – there is thought to be the potential to collectively save up to £1.6 billion annually with energy efficient practices. A surveyor will note if a building has sufficient wall and roof insulation, whether the windows are energy efficient and whether the space is adequately air tight, in order to assist in the choices landlords and tenants can make.

Accessibility

The Equality Act 2010 set out the rights of people with disabilities, which include the provision for equal access in places such as shops and cafés, and when renting land and property. Employers are required to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to ensure that disabled people can access the same services as non-disabled people. Of particular interest to commercial building surveyors will be the provision of access into a building, whether there is specific car parking allocation for disabled people, if the floor surface is suitable, whether there are ramps or handrails, if doors are wide enough to accommodate a person in a wheelchair, etc.

Gas and electric

Whether you’re investing in commercial property directly or are leasing premises from a landlord, the safe and efficient provision of a gas and/or electric supply will be fundamental to your business. A surveyor will, therefore, establish whether such services are provided to the premises.

The professional body for commercial building surveyors, RICS (The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) takes Health & Safety very seriously, both for its members and for the customers they serve. The rules and regulations are there to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone who deals with commercial property, in whatever respect. If you need guidance or advice on any aspect of a commercial building survey, get in touch with one of our professional and highly-qualified RICS members.

 

Written by: Joseph Fitzsimmons on Wednesday 03/08/2016