NEWSFLASH 25th January 2016
Scarborough Group International has secured planning permission from Leeds City Council for a multiscreen cinema at Thorpe Park Leeds. The proposed cinema venue of up to 50,000 sq. ft will be part of a new 300,000 sq. ft
shopping and leisure complex at the 200 acre east Leeds business park. The news comes as site owner and developer Thorpe Park
Developments Limited (TPDL), a joint venture between Scarborough Group International (SGI) and Legal & General Capital (LGC),
progresses apace with site preparation works which commenced in 2015 with the appointed contractor, GMI Construction.
Scarborough and Legal & General Capital joined forces for the development of Thorpe Park Leeds in August 2015, with LGC
becoming a 50:50 partner in the project and also committing to provide further funding for the development works, a total
anticipated investment of £162 million. Part of the Thorpe Park Leeds site is also allocated for 300 new homes and a 113-acre public
park with sports facilities. With the letting of much of the retail and leisure accommodation already under negotiation, TPDL will
shortly commence building work on 40,000 sq. ft. of prime office accommodation, which is due for completion in Autumn 2016. The
remainder of Thorpe Park Leeds' 935,000 sq. ft. of planning permission for office space will be developed out in pre-let and
speculative phases.
A 3,500-seat arena and an aquatics centre will be landmark building projects within an ambitious £500m
plan to transform Swansea city centre and seafront. Swansea council unveiled the outline plans based on two major
redevelopment sites which could see work start as early as 2017. The council has selected developer Rivington Land and Acme to
manage the regeneration of the former St David’s shopping centre, the St David’s multi-storey car park and the LC car park. This site
includes proposals for a landmark tower and major new arena. Another development partner Trebor Developments will lead
redevelopment of the Civic Centre seafront site with a landmark aquatics centre. The council will now work with its partners to work
up details of both plans.
Swansea City Centre plan - St David’s redevelopment site:
•A 3,500-seat arena capable of hosting major international performers, exhibitions and conferences
•Tall residential building that could rival Meridian Tower
•Retail street and circuit featuring iconic brands
•Restaurant and café quarter
•Cinema
•A new public square
•Improved links between the city centre and waterfront
Seafront site:
•Apartments
•Town houses
•Cafes and restaurants
•Public space
•Public aquarium
•Aquatic sciences research centre
The latest Savills report on UK commercial activity show that it has risen at
slowest rate in almost three years. Key Findings:
■ The headline Total Commercial Development Activity Index – a net balance monitoring the
overall performance of the UK commercial property sector – dropped to a 35-month low of +4.5%
in December (from +8.7%).
■ The combination of a sharper drop in public work and the slowest rise in private projects since
May 2013 resulted in a weaker overall growth rate.
■ Positive net balances were seen in six of the nine monitored categories, the exceptions being
public office, public retail & leisure and public new build.
■ The annual average for 2015 (+12.6%) showed that the performance of the sector lagged behind
that seen in 2014 (+25.0%
Download the full PDF report >>
BCFA NEWSFLASH
Page 1
Stortford Interiors (UK) has secured the fit-out package from Sir Robert McAlpine on its revamp of the
Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. The fit-out will be complete by April. The project includes the fit-out of the new hospital and
administration building’s reception, assembly rooms and cellular office and meeting spaces and is expected to be completed by
April.
Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust has announced a series of lettings at The Galaxy Luton, its 145,000 sq
ft leisure scheme in Luton’s town centre, which means the centre is now 100% let. Jump Arena, a trampolinebased concept, has taken a 35,500 sq ft unit on a 20-year lease at an annual rent of £357,760, and Kidd ‘n’ Play, a children’s soft-play
operator, has taken a 4,860 sq ft unit on a seven-year lease at £52,000 a year. Nando’s restaurant, which has operated at The Galaxy
since March 2003, has agreed to a rental increase from £57,250 to £80,000 a year in return for a capital contribution of £80,000 and
consent for a new mezzanine trading area. Other tenants at The Galaxy include The Gym, Cineworld, MFA Bowl, Subway and
Wetherspoons.
Exeter City Council has resolved to grant outline planning permission for the Princesshay Partnership’s
£75m Princesshay Leisure scheme. A joint venture between the Crown Estate and TH Real Estate, the Princesshay
Partnership has plans to redevelop part of Exeter’s bus and coach station site into a retail and leisure destination, incorporating a
cinema, restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as a new city centre public square and amphitheatre. The plans form part of a wider
masterplan that also includes a new bus station and leisure centre, which are being brought forward by the city council. Now that
outline plans have been approved, the Princesshay Partnership will begin Section 106 negotiations with Exeter City Council and start
work on more detailed plans to be submitted within a reserved matters application.
Ireland’s largest hotel operator, Dalata Hotel Group has acquired the four-star Clarion Hotel in Sligo from
receivers for €13.1m (£10m). The hotel was offered for sale on behalf of receiver, Aiden Murphy of Irish accountancy firm
Crowe Horwarth. The hotel has 162 bedrooms, including 89 suites as well as a bar, restaurant, extensive meeting and conference
facilities, a leisure centre and a swimming pool. Dalata plans to invest up to €750,000 in a refurbishment programme to further
enhance the asset, and will rebrand the property as a Clayton Hotel, Sligo.
Cult US burger chain Smashburger is to open its first outlet in the UK at British Land’s Kingston Centre in
Milton Keynes. The Colorado-based chain announced its intention to launch in the UK last year, and is now understood to have
completed a deal to open in a 1,700 sq ft unit in the 241,154 sq ft centre, with plans to build an extra mezzanine level. Smashburger
said it intends to open around 35 restaurants across the UK, and had appointed Cushman & Wakefield to assist with the search.
Roomzzz to open three aparthotels this year. Roomzzz Aparthotels are planning to open three new aparthotels this year.
Roomzzz London Stratford: will feature 82 apartments and will be located within walking distance of the Olympic Park and Westfield
Shopping Centre with Stratford tube station just a short stroll away. Roomzzz Manchester Corn Exchange: with 114 apartments is a
reworking of Manchester’s Grade II-listed Corn Exchange where the building’s period features and bare brick walls will now host the
Roomzzz ‘New Generation’ interior design. Roomzzz Harrogate: with 103 new apartments will be located in the grounds of the
Great Yorkshire Showground, adjacent to Wetherby Road in Harrogate. All three will be opening in 2016. The following year
Roomzzz Liverpool City will open in the city’s Littlewoods Building together with Roomzzz York City on the banks of the River Ouse in
the centre of York.
Bowcliffe hall starts restoration on ballroom. Bowcliffe Hall, near Wetherby West Yorkshire, has started restoration work
on its ballroom. The ballroom’s original features including its ceiling and parquet flooring will be retained and restored. When
complete the ballroom will accommodate from 80 to 120 delegates for a conference or banquet. Completion is expected late spring
2016.
Easy Hotel to open in Birmingham. easyHotel group is planning to open in Birmingham. The group has acquired a four-storey
Grade II-listed property in John Bright Street in the city centre and plan to invest £4.5million converting it into an 84 bedroom hotel.
easyHotel Birmingham is scheduled to open in 2017 subject to planning approval.
Hammerson to aquire £335m Birmingham Shopping Centre. Hammerson has exchanged contracts with Birmingham
City Council to acquire the new Grand Central shopping centre in Birmingam for £335m. Grand Central, which opened in September
2015, provides 435, 000sq ft of high-quality prime retail space, anchored by a 250,000 sq ft John Lewis department store. It was
developed by Network Rail and Birmingham City Couincil as part of the £750m New Street Station regeneration project. A significant
share of space is dedicated to restaurants and cafes across 20 casual dining brands including Carluccio’s, Yo Sushi, Pho, Ed’s Easy
Diner, Caffe Concerto, Girrafe, Hnadmade Burger CO And Tapas Revolution, many opening in Birmingham for the first time.
BCFA NEWSFLASH
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£75m Exeter retail and leisure scheme gets green light. Exeter City Council resolved to grant outline planning permission
last night for the Princesshay Parternship’s £75m Princesshay Leisure Scheme. The Princesshay Partnership is a collaboration
between The Crown Estate and TH Real Estate. Princesshay Leisure involves transforming part of Exeter’s bus and coach station site
into a new retail and leisure destination incorporating a new cinema, restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as a substantial new city
centre public square and amphitheatre and a package of improvements to the highways infrastructure.
Choice Hotels launches new upscale hotel concept to UK. Choice Hotels International has introduced a new upscale
hotel concept to the UK with the launch of Ascend Hotel Colletion. First to join the brand are two Edinburgh Hotels: the five- AAStar, 18- bedroom The Howard, and the 42-Bedroom Channings Hotel. The aim is for further 8-10 Hotels to join the Ascend over the
next three years.
Holiday Inn Express Stanstead Airport goes on market for £16m-plus. The largest Holiday Inn Express in Europe, the
254-bedroom Holiday Inn Express London-Stansted Airport, has been put on the market for offers in excess of £16m. Located close
to UK’s fourth busiest airport with upwards off 22 million passengers annumally, this purpose-built property benefirts from being
operated under the markets leading limited service franchise brand, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).
Leicester Riders set for 'transformational' arena move. Leicester Riders’ move to its new £6m arena is a
“transformational” step for British basketball, according to chair Kevin Routledge. The
British Basketball League (BBL) team, which contested the BBL Cup against the Newcastle
Eagles on Sunday (17 January), is set to move into its Community Sports Arena at the end
of the month after a near-18 month development process.
After gaining planning permission for the Ball Hall-designed facility in November 2014,
building work began on the project in April 2015. Routledge revealed that around 80 per
cent of the funding had come from the public sector through Sport England and the
Leicester & Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership. The arena is worth £6m, although Routledge revealed that £4.8m (US$6.8m,
€6.3m) in cash was spent on the facilities, while many of its components were sponsored by companies like Reebok. Two-thirds of
the seats are cushioned, LED screens have been installed and Wifi is available for the crowd.
Northern Ireland government committed to Casement Park project and Rugby World Cup bid. The Northern
Irish government has expressed its “commitment” to redeveloping Belfast’s Casement Park stadium in a bid to bring the 2023 Rugby
World Cup to Ireland. A redeveloped Casement Park was at the heart of the bid Northern and Southern Ireland put forward to beat
competition from France, Italy and South Africa, however work on the 38,000-capacity Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) venue
stalled after planning permission was overturned in December 2014.
St Modwen sectures warehouse planning consent. St Modwen has secured planning consent to speculatively develop
four detached warehouses ranging from 5,000 sq ft to 30,000 sq ft in Merseyside. The regeneration specialist has been given the
green light for the second phase of Stonebridge West, which sits within the 60-acre Stonebridge Park business park fronting the
A580 near Kirkby.
LONDON - 1 - 4 Leicester Square £5.2m
Planning authority: Westminster
Job: Detail Plans Granted for hotel/shop/restaurant/take away
Client: Criterion Capital Ltd
Agent: Denton Corker Marshall Ltd, Exmouth House, 3 - 11 Pine Street, London, EC1R 0JH
Contractor: Laxcon Construction, Laxcon House, Laxcon Close, Drury Way Industrial Estate, Neasden, London, NW10 0TG
Tel: 02084 512455
PINNER £3.5M Waxwell Farm Catholic Retreat, The Grail, 125 Waxwell Lane
Planning authority: Harrow
Job: Detail Plans Granted for training centre/overnight accommodation/assemble hall
Client: Roman Catholic Trustee
Agent: Camphill Village Trust, Botton Village, Danby, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 2NJ
Contractor: Priory Gate Ltd, Carlton House, 42 - 44 West Street, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU6 1TA
Tel: 01582 664141
Coalville- KFC Restaurant, Thornborough Road £347.2M
Planning authority: North West
Leicestershire
Job: Detail Plans Granted for coffee shop
Client: Hawkins Holdings Ltd
Developer: Hone Edwards Associates, Millers three, South Mill Road, Bishops Stortford
Hertfordshire, CM23 3DH
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Tel: 01279 758545
Worksop- Lindrick Artisans Golf Club, Worksop Road Lindrick
Planning authority: Rotherham
Job: Detail Plans Granted for golf course (extension)
Client: Lindrick Golf Club
Developer: Lindrick Golf Club, Lindrick Common, Worksop,
Nottinghamshire, S81 8BH
Tel: 01909 475282
Aberdeen £4.5M Aberdeen Airport, Argyll Way Dyce
Planning authority: Aberdeen
Job: Detail Plans Granted for hotel bedrooms (extension)
Client: AP31 Ltd C/o Arora Management Ltd
Agent: UNUM Partnership Ltd, 11 Lynedoch Street, Glasgow, Strathclyde, G3 6EF
Contractor: Corramore Construction, Workspace, Tobermore Road, Draperstown, Magherafelt, Co Londonderry, BT45 7AG
Tel: 028 7962 8882
CIRENCESTER £2.81M Cirencester Social and Service, Chesterton Lane
Planning authority: Cotswold
Job: Detail Plans Granted for church
Client: The Trustees Of Cirencester Baptist Church
Agent: Roberts Limbrick Ltd, The Carriage Building, Bruton Way, Gloucester, GL1 1DG
Contractor: E G Carter & Co Ltd, Bybrook House, Lower Tuffley Lane, Gloucester, GL2 5EE
Tel: 01452 529194
Global law firm Squire Patton Boggs has taken 27,500 sq ft at Allied London’s No 1 Spinningfields for its new
Manchester base. It will take three levels on the tower floors of the 300,000 sq ft building, when it completes in 2017. The firm
has 44 offices across 21 countries, and has had an office in Manchester since 1993. Professional services firm PWC was the first
tenant to sign up for the building, and will take 50,000 sq ft on the fifth and sixth floors.
Take-up in the south east office market reached just over 3.2m sq ft in 2015, up
28% from the previous year and 13% higher than the five year average.
The largest annual take-up increase, in offices of 10,000 sq ft an above, occurred in the M25
south region, which improved dramatically from circa 404,000 sq ft in 2014 to circa 836,300 sq ft
in 2015. This was underpinned by two large deals in Crawley to Elekta and Virgin Atlantic, both of
which were around 110,000 sq ft.
Activity in the larger size bracket strengthened slightly in 2015 with 11 deals over 50,000 sq ft compared to nine deals in 2014.
There was also a 12% increase in the volume of deals year on year with a total of 132 transactions across the south east in 2015
compared to 118 in 2014.
Net supply remained unchanged across the south east from the end of the preceding year at around 12m sq ft, which is 15% below
the 5 year average. However, there has been an increase in the proportion of Grade A supply in the market.
At the end of 2015, 34% of the total supply was either newly completed or under construction compared to 26% at the end of 2014.
This was the result of take-up of grade B space, loss of office space due to conversion to residential, but predominantly the delivery
of new space.
The wave of speculative development continues and there are 20 schemes currently under construction across the south east that
will deliver close to 1.8m sq ft to the market in 2016. Further pipeline development is set to complete in 2017 delivering an
additional 1.3m sq ft.
West Sussex-based insurance firm 1st Central has taken 10,838 sq ft at Hunter’s Exchange Quay scheme in
Salford for its first office outside of the South East. It has signed a 10-year lease on the 6th floor of the Number 1
building at the 433,637 sq ft scheme, located in Salford Quays. The car insurance provider, which is a subsidiary of the First Central
Group, has three existing offices in West Sussex but was seeking a northern base due to company expansion. Hunter has recently
completed a £10m refurbishment of Exchange Quay, upgrading its six office buildings to grade A specification and remodelling the
public realm. American manufacturing firm 3M signed up for 12,500 sq ft at the scheme earlier this year.
Lazari Investments has completed deals with The Office Group and CBRE to move into 91 Wimpole Street,
meaning the office building is now fully let. The building was formerly occupied by Debenhams before its move to Euston
BCFA NEWSFLASH
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and Lazari has carried out a refurbishment of the space, which totals 57,000 sq ft arranged over basement, ground and four upper
floors together with two roof terraces. Part of the basement and the first to third floors, totalling 42,500 sq ft, have been let to The
Office Group, a provider of flexible offices, co-working spaces and meeting rooms, on a 20-year lease subject to five yearly rent
reviews. The top floor totalling 10,000 sq ft has been taken by real estate consultant CBRE as an annexe to its 100,000 sq ft West
End headquarters Henrietta House, on a con-terminous lease. Lazari said is now plans to acquire, refurbish and let other buildings
within its new development and trading vehicle. The first of such schemes will involve the 30,000 sq ft 262 High Holborn which it
bought at the end of 2015.
Cording Real Estate Group has secured a 22,950 sq ft letting to EY at the One CityGate East scheme in
Newcastle. One CityGate East is owned by Danish pension fund manager Britannia Invest and managed by Cording Real Estate.
The property is located at the junction of St James Boulevard and Gallowgate and was fully refurbished after it was vacated by
Newcastle University in 2015.
Manchester agents have hailed a robust year in the city’s office market after seeing similar levels of take-up
as in 2014. City centre take-up for 2015 was 1,318,282 sq ft, 1% below 2014 levels and just 15,437 sq ft short of the the record
levels seen in 2001. Agents attributed the shortfall to a quiet final quarter which saw take-up fall 32% compared to the same period
the year before. A total of 311 deals were recorded in the city centre throughout the year. Pre-lets accounted for around 20% of
take-up, totalling 255,956 sq ft. Notable pre-lets last year included a 49,406 sq ft letting to PWC at 1 Spinningfields and a 41,628 sq
ft letting to EY at Two St Peter’s Square. Headline rents of £34/sq ft were seen on the top floor at Chancery Place and Two St Peter’s
Square set a record quoting rent of £35/sq ft. Transactions taking place at rents of £25/sq ft and above remained at similar levels
year on year, although the amount of space transacted at this level was down around 10%.
Workspace Group, which specialises in converting old warehouses into offices, said rental costs per square
foot rose 13pc to £20.58 between April and December last year, as demand from business owners
outstripped supply. The FTSE 250-listed company, which owns more than 80 properties in the capital including a former
chocolate factory in Wood Green, made £49.9m in rental income over the period, excluding newly-opened buildings, an 11pc rise on
a year earlier. Total rent takings, which includes income from office space opened over the past nine-months, surged 16.4pc to
£80.8m. Workspace has 4,000 businesses as tenants, and an occupancy rate of 91pc.
INVESTOR BUYS GATESHEAD OFFICE BUILDING. A 17,000 sq ft office building in Gateshead has been sold to London-based
property investment company Ace Liberty & Stone. The business has bought Shildon House, located near the Gateshead
Interchange and home to Jobcentre Plus. The three-storey Shildon House building is let to the government on a 25-year lease which
expires in May 2022.
New home for growing Yorkshire law firm. A law firm which launched two years ago has relocated its head office to
a Leeds city centre location. Legatus law, founded by business lawyer and mediator Rashmi Dube, now occupies a 1,046
sq ft space at Kings House on Kind Street, which is double the size of its previous office in the city centre.
Aberdeen- The Core Business Park, 8 & 9 Bridge of Don Murcar £2.16M
Planning authority: Aberdeen
Job: Reserved Matters Granted for warehouse & offices
Client: Berryhill 1 Limited
Developer: Halliday Fraser Munro, Carden Church, 6 Carden Place, Aberdeen, Grampian, AB10 1UR
Tel: 01224 388700
Driffield- Fosse Hill Quarry, Catwick Lane £1M
Brandesburton
Planning authority: East Riding
Job: Detail Plans Granted for Office/Industrial/ Warehouse & vehicle maintenance
Client: East Coast Construction (NE) Ltd
Agent: Jonathan Smith Architect, 44 Normandy Avenue, Beverley, Humberside, HU17 8PE
Contractor: East Coast Construction (NE) Ltd, Glenville Lodge, Main Street, Great Hatfield, Hull,
Humberside, HU11 4US
Tel: 01964 533112
University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has appointed Kier Group Plc to deliver the initial phase of
its new £300 million Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter in the city’s SA1 area. The £26million contract to
oversee the design and build of the first phase of UWTSD’s new waterfront development is a design collaboration with Stride
Treglown. Kier will be responsible for managing the detailed and technical design of the University’s new buildings as well as
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handling the entire construction process. Phase One of the Swansea Waterfront Innovation Quarter will comprise the Faculty of
Architecture, Computing and Engineering as well as a new Library building, with an approximate area of 12,200 sq m together with
external public spaces. Kier will work closely with the University to begin construction on Phase One in Autumn 2016 to ensure the
site is operational for the start of the academic year in 2018.
HATFIELD £2.8M
Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead House, Hawkshead Lane North Mymms
Planning authority: Welwyn Hatfield
Job: Detail Plans Granted for college building (extension)
Client: Royal Veterinary College
Agent: Archial Norr, 40 Elliot Street, Glasgow, Strathclyde, G3 8DZ
Contractor: Ashe Construction Ltd, Ashe House, Cooks Way, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG4 0JE
Tel: 01462 630635
LONDON - Oak Lodge School, Heath View £2.3m
Planning authority: Barnet
Job: Detail Plans Granted for school (extension/alterations)
Client: London Borough of Barnet
Agent: Capita Symonds, St Davids House, Pascal Close, St. Mellons, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF3 0LW
Contractor: Morgan Sindall Plc, Falcon Gate, Falcon Way, Shire Park, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL7 1TW
Tel: 01707 294250
Leeds- Athelstan Community Primary School £4.4M
Planning authority: Ryedale
Job: Detail Plans Granted for school (extension/refurb)
Client: North Yorkshire County Council
Developer: Jacobs UK Ltd, City Walk, Leeds
West Yorkshire, LS11 9DX
Tel: 0113 242 6771
Ayr- Annbank Primary School, 39 Annbank Road Mossblown £1m
Planning authority: South Ayrshire
Job: Detail Plans Granted for school (extension/alterations)
Client: South Ayrshire Council
Developer: South Ayrshire Council, Newton House, 30 Green Street Lane, Ayr, Strathclyde, KA8 8BH
Tel: 0300 123 0900
GLASGOW £6.1M Broomhill Primary School, 57 Edgehill Road
Planning authority: Glasgow
Job: Detail Plans Granted for school
Client: Glasgow City Council
Agent: Glasgow City Council, Exchange House, 229 George Street, Glasgow, Strathclyde, G1 1QU
Contractor: City Building (Glasgow) LLP, 350 Darnick Street, Glasgow, Strathclyde, G21 4BA
Tel: 0141 287 2200
TAUNTON £1.9M Richard Huish College, South Road
Planning authority: Taunton Deane
Job: Detail Plans Granted for college sports hall (extension)
Client: Richard Huish College
Agent: Grainge Architects, The Boat Shed, Michael Browning Way, Exeter, Devon, EX2 8DD
Contractor: R G Spiller Building Contractors Ltd, Jarman Way, Chard Business Park, Chard, Somerset, TA20 1FB
Tel: 01460 62881
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed £230m of funding for 19 new and refurbished
schools by 2020. The funding will complete the second wave of school projects to be brought forward in the fourth and final
phase of Scotland’s Schools for the Future Programme. At the October 2014 budget, The Scottish Government revealed it planned
to release £330m for this final fourth phase, bringing total investment for the programme to £1.8bn. A £100m pot of this was was
announced in June 2014 with the next £230m now being released to support the final upgrade push.
Wates Construction has won a £9m deal to build Mulberry University Technical College in Bow. Work will start
in April following the award by the Education Funding Agency. Designed by architects Scott Brownrigg, the new building will provide
places for 800 students aged 14-19. Wates is also in line to develop two more UTC schemes for the EFA – London Design and
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Engineering in Becton providing and Bromley UTC. The new build college for the Mulberry UTC Trust will include a 250-seat
purpose-designed theatre, media suites a theatre construction and craft workshop and specialist health suites.
Bury St. Edmunds- West Suffolk Hospital, West Suffolk Hospital, Hardwick Lane £5M
Planning authority: St. Edmundsbury
Job: Detail Plans Granted for hospital (extension)
Client: West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust
Agent: Castons, 77 - 79 Grimwade Street, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4 1LN
Contractor: Barnes Construction Ltd, 6 Bermuda Road, Ransomes Europark, Ipswich,
Suffolk, IP3 9RU
Tel: 01473 272222
UKTI Alerts
Switzerland – Meeting Room Furniture for 60 Cantonal Schools
Does your company offer affordable and hard-wearing meeting room furniture ideal for schools?
This full online edition with links is available at:
http://www.businessopportunities.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/item/983900.html
China – Importer from South China seeks bedding products
An importer from South China seeks UK bedding products for its new online platform.
This full online edition with links is available at:
http://www.businessopportunities.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/item/983000.html
Construction consultancy Turner & Townsend has been chosen to project manage the multi-million dollar
restoration of Canada’s historic Massey Hall over the next seven years. The Massey Hall Revitalisation project in
downtown Toronto – expected to be completed by 2021 and to cost an estimated £72m (CAD $150m) – will involve careful
restoration of the interior and exterior of the 120-year-old building. The restored Massey Hall will include enhanced, physically
accessible patron and artist amenities as well as space dedicated to education, performance and artist development. Turner &
Townsend will be providing project management expertise to guide the owners – the not-for-profit Corporation of Massey Hall and
Roy Thomson Hall – through the planning, design, construction and occupancy of this landmark building. Ultimately, this upgrade
will enable Massey Hall to continue Toronto’s world-renowned live music heritage for a further 120 years.
Budget hotel operator easyHotel has bought a site in Barcelona to develop its first owned hotel outside the
UK. Subject to planning permission, the 200-room hotel is expected to open in 2018 for a total investment cost of €15m (£11.2m).
The site is located on Gran Via, the main avenue of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, with links to Barcelona City Centre and Barcelona
Airport.
Iran plans to buy 114 aircraft from European aeroplane maker Airbus as soon as March, and is looking for
other deals, senior Iranian officials said as their country emerges from sanctions and international isolation.
The republic could need as many as 500 new planes over the next three years, said Mahdi Hashemi, the chairman of the
parliament's Development Commission, at Tehran's first major post-sanctions gathering of global businessmen. Transport Minister
Abbas Akhoondi told journalists Tehran would discuss details with Airbus next week and was also interested in negotiating with US
aeroplane manufacturer Boeing for aircraft. Tehran has long said it will need to revamp an aging fleet, hit by a shortage of parts
because of trade bans imposed by Washington and other Western powers.
FRHI Hotels & Resorts, in a joint venture with China's Jiangsu Golden Land Group, has announced the debut
of Neqta Hotels, a new brand and hotel portfolio consisting of upper mid-scale hotels located in some of the
most in-demand destinations across China. The inaugural hotel to fly the Neqta flag has opened in Shanghai's Xuhui
District, close to the city's World Expo site, and a second state-of-the-art hotel is expected to debut soon in Nanjing.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation (H) announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into an agreement with Ayla
Oasis Development Company (AODC) for a 286-room Hyatt Regency hotel in Aqaba, Jordan. Hyatt Regency
Aqaba Ayla will be the first hotel to open within the Ayla development, a master-planned, multiphase development on the northern
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shores of Aqaba. Expected to be operational in 2018. The hotel will mark the second Hyatt hotel in Jordan, joining Grand Hyatt
Amman, and will join more than 150 Hyatt Regency hotels worldwide in locations from Chicago to Mumbai.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced it has signed an agreement with Ningxia
Minsheng Real Estate Co., Ltd. to debut its Element brand hotel in Yinchuan - the capital city of Ningxia Hui
Autonomous Region (NHAR) in northwest China. Slated to open in early 2021, the opening of Element Yinchuan Binhe
marks Starwood’s entry into Yinchuan. Element Yinchuan Hotel will feature 200 light-filled guestrooms and suites, a state-of-the-art
fitness center and a saline pool.
DAMAC Hotels to Develop Navitas Hotel & Residences in Dubai . Consisting of five 14 storey towers, One of the towers
comprises 312 hotel rooms, which will be managed by DAMAC Hotels & Resorts. The other four towers will comprise private,
residential units, which will look out over the golf course and the full project.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced it is aggressively expanding its footprint in South
Asia, anchored by the Indian market. Since January 2015, the company has opened nine hotels and signed deals for 16 new
hotels. The company recently surpassed its 50 th hotel in the region, with 54 hotels operating and another 34 hotels under
development.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced it will expand its strong presence in Spain with
the opening of W Madrid in 2018. Owned by Merryland Inversiones S.L.U, W Madrid will be located on Plaza de Canalejas in
the epicentre of the city's thriving restaurant and entertainment district and close to major landmarks in the Spanish cultural and
fashion capital. The hotel will feature 141 stylish guestrooms, including 20 suites and one Extreme Wow Suite (the W brand's
interpretation of the Presidential Suite). A rooftop bar and WET outdoor pool deck are includes as well as W Living Room(the W
brand's energetic spin on the hotel lobby), a signature restaurant and FIT®, the workout facility. W Madrid will also offer two ultramodern studio meeting rooms.
Norwegian Cruise Line pulled together a number of initiatives including ship refurbishments—two already
completed, private islands and elevated service and culinary standards into an encompassing program. It's
called 'The Norwegian Edge' and represents a $400m investment over two years, begun in 2015 and extending through 2017. The
refurbishments aim to transform many spaces on nine ships to more closely resemble the line’s newest additions. They began in
October with Norwegian Epic, followed by Norwegian Gem in November. Seven additional ships will go into drydock for guestfacing and technical enhancements: Pride of America and Norwegian Sun this spring and Norwegian Dawn this summer. Norwegian
Spirit, Norwegian Sky and Norwegian Pearl are set for drydocks in winter 2017 and Norwegian Jade in spring 2017.
BCFA NEWSFLASH
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