Property round-up: Northstone; Anvil Homes; Sovini; Southport Victoria Baths; Network Space; Northern Trust
Homebuilder Northstone has revealed super sustainable new homes in Ellesmere Port, which could see residents saving hundreds of pounds on their energy bills.
Available to both buy and rent, the first phase of homes are some of the most energy-efficient to hit the market in Ellesmere Port. Rated EPC B, they’re built to conserve energy and are packed with technology to help reduce bills.
When complete, Glisk will boast 218 homes, with a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom homes, set within extensive community green spaces and lush planting. Northstone has revealed a first look inside the showhomes, now open alongside a drop-in ‘Huddle’ space to the meet the team.
The new homes feature high ceilings, big windows and open-plan interiors. They also boast insulation and triple glazed windows to prevent heat loss, smart tech that recovers heat from waste-water and controls the lighting and heating, and electric vehicle charging points.
Anita Jolley, sales director at Northstone, said: “It’s fantastic to be throwing open the doors to the design-led homes at Glisk. They’re our first ever properties in Ellesmere Port and Cheshire and we’re on a mission to tackle people’s outdated perceptions of new build homes.”
Rentals are being offered by Letta, a new Peel L&P company set up to offer homes for rent. Homes are let and managed through Redwing, part of Liverpool-based property company Regenda Group. Louise Nicholson, branch manager at Redwing, said: “Homes at Glisk are the first of many excellent, high quality and sustainable homes by Letta. They’re not only built to an exceptional standard, but provide flexible living space, natural light and low emissions. There’s no doubt they will be extremely popular in the rental market.”
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Anvil Homes plans for Hayton
Anvil Homes has secured a £4.2m funding package from Paragon Development Finance to support its nine-home new build development in Hayton, Cumbria.
Fairfields at Hayton is a collection of nine individual designed homes. Each comes with four bedrooms, Mowlem & Co hand-built kitchens and luxury Villeroy & Boch bathrooms.
Anvil Homes is a family business established in 1994 that specialises in high end properties across Northern England. The company focuses on rural living and using traditional materials to produce individual homes.
This is the first development Anvil has completed with Paragon. The deal was led on behalf of the bank by relationship director Mick Howard with support from portfolio manager Shannon Altimas.
Hayton is a picturesque village eight miles from Carlisle. It benefits from a highly rated primary school, popular local pub, and nearby farm shop with tea rooms and a swimming pool.
Alistair Carr, director at Anvil Homes, said: “This is a beautiful development in a lovely part of the country. The residents will benefit not just from the village and rural location, but also the close proximity to Carlisle and good transport links.”
Mick Howard said: “The development has been designed to be sympathetic to the local area and it will achieve exactly that, complementing the existing properties in Hayton.”
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Sovini Property Services
Sovini Property Services, part of The Sovini Group, has secured a place as a named supplier on Fusion21’s Reactive Repairs and Empty Buildings Framework.
Fusion21 is a national social enterprise specialising in efficient and impactful public sector procurement, based in Huyton, Merseyside. Similar to Sovini Property Services, Fusion21’s national Reactive Repairs and Empty Buildings Framework aims to support housing associations and local authorities.
The framework has been developed to provide a wide range of reactive works and servicing support, covering responsive and out-of-hours reactive emergency repairs, void property repairs, and outsourced call handling on a 24/7 or out-of-hours basis.
Sovini Property Services have a wealth of experience spanning more than 12 years in the repairs and maintenance industry. Following the appointment to the framework, it will have access to a wide range of projects until 2026 as part of the deal. It will be offering services in both Lot 1 and Lot 2, which include responsive repairs and empty property repairs.
Mike Dale, head of property services and growth, said: “Since our inception into the asset management sector in 2010 our team have provided an outstanding repairs and maintenance service. This is evidenced from the awards we win and the further supported by the numerous frameworks we sit on.”
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Southport Victoria Baths
An historic Southport landmark is now being market tested as a major investment opportunity.
Works have been taking place at the Grade II-listed Victoria Baths building on Southport Promenade ahead of a potential major third party investment.
Now the building, which originally opened in 1839 as a luxurious facility for the then new holiday destination of Southport, is set to undergo a new lease of life for an investor.
By market testing the venue, Sefton Council will be able to seek initial proposals by third parties that would revitalise the historic baths.
The successful investor will be chosen for their vision of transforming Victoria Baths in new and creative ways that will ultimately generate new communities and bolster the local economy.
Any investment will also encourage new local employment opportunities and look to work with local businesses.
Sefton Council is working with local firm, Fitton Estates, to test the market for delivering a new use for building. Cllr Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and skills, said: “The successful investor will need to share both Sefton Council’s and the Southport Town Deal’s ambitions to boost the town’s reputation as both a leading national visitor destination and an attractive place to live and work.
“We have wider ambitions for Southport as a leading national visitor destination and with the regeneration of Southport Market and our plans for the incredible Marine Lake Events Centre, we want to make sure we are utilising every opportunity to improve the resort.”
She added: “The Victoria Baths building of today presents a magnificent opportunity to a developer with vision and drive to modernise this iconic and landmark facility. Through this market testing exercise we look forward to seeing initial options and proposals brought forward by third parties.”
The operation and running of the adjoining Victoria Leisure facility is not affected by this market testing.
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Gateway 49 Trade Park
A new-build trade unit developed by Network Space Investments in the heart of Warrington has been let at a record rent.
The 5,100 sq ft unit on Gateway 49 Trade Park was let within a month of practical completion at a headline rental of £15 per sq ft, a record rent for the estate and wider Warrington market. B8 Real Estate acted as sole letting agent for estate owner Network Space Investments.
The occupier, Würth UK Ltd, a supplier of trade assembly products and fasteners and part of the German-based Würth Group, signed a 10-year lease on the property.
Situated on Kerfoot Street just off the main Winwick Road A49 dual carriageway into Warrington, the unit was built to shell specification with 6.5m eaves, glazed frontage and secure loading and parking area adjacent to the entrance of the trade park.
The build team included Bansco as the main contractor, architect Frank Shaw Associates and RS UK Associates as project manager.
The estate is now fully occupied and a planning application has just been submitted to Warrington Council for a similar new-build unit on the last remaining plot on the estate, which is expected to be built in 2023.
Anthony Mellor, of B8 Real Estate’s agency team, said: “With the industrial market entering more uncertain times, this record letting demonstrates demand is still there for good quality buildings in prime locations such as Warrington. To secure a tenant so quickly after practical completion is testament to the positive fundamentals in the sector.”
Tom Dawson, of Network Space Investments, said: “Gateway 49 has been developed by our business over a 20-year period and has always been a remarkable success, with strong occupier demand and market leading rental levels. We are delighted to welcome Würth, they will be an excellent addition to our already very strong tenant line up.”
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Sandbrook Park
Northern Trust confirms that work on its new 26,600 sq ft industrial development in Rochdale has been completed.
The new scheme, at Sandbrook Business Park, is the third completed by Chorley-based Northern Trust in the past six months.
The new scheme complements Northern Trust’s existing ownership at the park, adding 11 workshop/industrial units and three hybrid business units, to the 18,454 sq ft of modern office accommodation.
The workshop/industrial units are arranged in two facing terraced blocks with units ranging in size from 549-2,215 sq ft, while the hybrid/business units are split into two semi-detached units of 3,312 sq ft and a standalone unit of 5,056 sq ft.
Mike Grindrod, Northern Trust director, said: “We have seen strong demand for the new space with seven out of the 14 units already occupied and a further three units under offer. Considering the current economic climate this development shows our commitment to investing in the Rochdale area whilst facilitating growth and creating jobs.”
The new development will be actively managed by Northern Trust’s in-house managing agents, Whittle Jones. John Marrow, regional property director at Whittle Jones, said: “The demand for the new space has been encouraging with this development providing much needed high quality business space for small and medium-sized enterprises looking to set up or relocate to the area.
“Sandbrook Business Park is easily accessible at the end of the A627(M) with access to the M62, providing excellent transport links to the region.”
