House building developer Lovell Homes has started construction of 67 high-quality brand- new homes in Hellesdon, Norwich.

The Firs Park development will create 57 homes for sale and 10 affordable homes in a sought-after residential area on the northern side of Norwich.

Building work has just begun on the scheme in Eversley Road which will transform the brownfield site – a former tile distribution warehouse – with a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses and two-bedroom apartments for sale as well as 10 affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments and bungalows.

Set for overall completion in spring 2018 – with the first new homes set to be available in spring next year – Firs Park will answer the growing need for new open market and affordable homes locally, providing modern homes designed and built to the highest standards.

Lovell regional director Simon Medler said: “We’re very excited to have begun construction of this fantastic new development for Norwich.

“There is a pressing demand for new homes locally and Firs Park will offer the opportunity to live in a highly desirable residential suburb with excellent access to the local road network and the city centre.

“With flats ideal for couples and first-time buyers plus two-, three- and four-bedroom houses, these well-designed homes will meet the needs of a wide range of residents whether you’re looking for the perfect family house, your ideal apartment or the right retirement property.”

Based locally in Thorpe Road, Norwich, national housing developer Lovell specialises offering quality and value homes and built to high energy efficiency standards.

Willmott Dixon has secured new contract under the Southern Construction Framework (SCF) to build a vehicle depot in the London Borough of Barnet.

The £12 million contract will see Willmott Dixon deliver a new base for Barnet’s fleet of household waste collection and collection vehicles to replace the current depot in Mill Hill which will be developed for housing.

The Oakleigh Road South Vehicle Depot (formerly known as Abbots Depot) will provide a range of facilities for Barnet’s waste collection service.

Alongside parking facilities for refuse and recycling collection vehicles, the new depot will house a vehicle maintenance building and cleaning bay, refuelling facilities and a covered bulking facility allowing recyclables to be put into larger vehicles for processing outside the borough.

Chris Tredget, managing director for Willmott Dixon in the northern Home Counties said: “This is a milestone moment for an important new framework that will provide an excellent means of best value procurement for public projects across the whole region.

“As with all our projects, the site will be registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme which is the industry standard for how construction companies care about appearance, respect the community, protect the environment and provide a safe working environment. We are proud to be Founding Members of the Considerate Constructors Scheme.”

Last year, the SCF replaced three frameworks in London, the southeast and southwest of England as a means for local authorities to access a pool of up to 11 contractors to bid for projects to create new public assets that ranges from fire stations and primary schools to offices and leisure centres. It has a target spend of £4bn between 2015 and 2019.

A flagship development scheme that could create up to 10,000 jobs at the former Archbishop Blanch school site has been unveiled by Liverpool’s Mayor Joe Anderson this week.

The proposed 1.8 million sq ft development at Minshull Street on the outskirts of Liverpool City Centre will create a scheme of national and international importance, specialising in cutting-edge life and medical sciences.

The scheme will form a key plank of the Knowledge Quarter Mayoral Development Zone, with Phase One likely to begin on-site in 2017, paving the way for new construction jobs.

The extension of the Knowledge Quarter will bring essential additions to what is fast becoming one of Europe’s leading innovation districts and one of the UKs largest academic and clinical campuses.

Also, in order to meet the needs of local people, commuters, academics, students, patients and hospital visitors, the plans will also include a new rail station with access to the existing underground network and the national high-speed rail network via Lime Street Station.

Announcing the plans, Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson said: “The extension of our Knowledge Quarter is a game-changer in terms of the high-quality jobs we will be able to bring into the city in hi-tech, 21st-century industries

“This landmark scheme provides the basis for Liverpool to now become a national and international destination for investment in life and medical sciences, bringing with it thousands of new, high-skill, high-wage jobs.”

The building of 167 new energy efficient homes, together with a replacement library and a high-quality commercial space, in Ponders End have been given the go-ahead.

Construction works were celebrated last week in Ponders End during a joint visit arranged by Enfield Council and developer Lovell.

The £46 million ‘Electric Quarter’ scheme, which has been co-ordinated by Enfield Council, is due for completion in early 2019 and will see the former Middlesex University site in Ponders End High Street transformed with new homes along with shops and other commercial units.

Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Regeneration & Business, Cllr Alan Sitkin, said “This fantastic scheme will help provide work and training for local people and will make Ponders End an even more attractive local shopping area.

“It’s great to hear that Lovell is providing up to 14 work experience and construction apprenticeships opportunities on this scheme and that at least 30 per cent of its construction workers are going to come from the local area.”

Lovell Regional Director Michael O’Farrell said “We’re proud to be bringing our expertise in mixed-use regeneration to this important scheme which is delivering modern and attractive affordable and open market sale homes for Enfield, alongside new retail and commercial and community facilities as well as important legacy benefits in the shape of job and training opportunities for local people.”

Crest Nicholson has been given go-ahead for plans to deliver the Brightwells regeneration scheme in Farnham that will create 400 jobs in the construction trades.

The Brightwells mixed-use scheme will deliver 239 homes, including 167 private homes and 72 homes under the Shared Ownership scheme to be purchased by Thames Valley Housing.

The plan also includes 100,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, and a shopper car park with space for 183 cars. Signed pre-lets include Marks & Spencer Simply Food, a 6 screen Reel cinema and restaurants including Carluccio’s, Byron Burger and Ask.

Crest Nicholson will deliver the scheme for Waverley Borough Council over the next three years and will be financing the delivery from its own committed funds.

The regeneration secures more than £2 million of external investment into the Farnham community and includes an additional £2 million for highway improvements in central Farnham.

The grade II listed Brightwells House will be retained, refurbished and extended.

Chris Tinker, Board Director at Crest Nicholson, said: “After many years of working in partnership with Waverley Borough Council to secure planning and pre-sell the commercial elements of the development, Crest Nicholson is very pleased to be in a position to commence the delivery of the Brightwells scheme.”

Morgan Sindall has been appointed to construct two new executive accommodation buildings for the University of Reading‘s Henley Business School.

The high-quality accommodation development will be used by guests and clients of the Henley Business School, one of the top business schools in the world, and will complement the school’s existing accommodation in Thames Court.

The project marks a milestone for Morgan Sindall and is the tenth development that the company’s Fareham office has been appointed to, following its successful delivery of a number of key campus buildings.

The project, which was procured via University of Reading Framework, will involve the demolition of three existing buildings and removal of an on-site swimming pool.

The Morgan Sindall project team will be replacing these buildings with a two-storey building containing 30 executive en-suite bedrooms, and a three-storey building providing 30 executive en-suite bedrooms.

The new development will also feature offices and a fully-equipped communications room.

Both new buildings are set to achieve BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) Very Good and are due to complete in early summer next year.

Tim Elliott, area manager from Morgan Sindall’s Fareham office, said: “We’re delighted to have been appointed to this project to deliver first-class accommodation for guests and clients attending the Henley Business School.

“The new development will provide spacious, comfortable, fully-equipped en-suite accommodation for Business School users which will complement the existing facilities on the campus.

“Henley is among an elite group of the most renowned business schools in the world, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work closely with the University of Reading to deliver accommodation appropriate for a school of this calibre.”

Construction got under way on the Maple Park development which will create 50 two-, three- and four-bedroom homes and a modern office block on land close to South Norfolk Council‘s offices in Swan Lane.

The scheme, set for completion in autumn 2017, has been designed by Big Sky Developments to complement and enhance its surroundings and follows extensive consultation with the local community.

By creating flexible business space locally, it will bring new jobs to the area plus new opportunities for local firms.

There will also be a range of high-quality homes – 42 houses, six bungalows and two flats – suitable for single people, couples and families.

The development is within walking distance of shops, schools, the local medical centre and other community facilities including Long Stratton Leisure Centre, in the popular village, ten miles south of Norwich.

Councillor John Fuller, leader of South Norfolk Council, said: “I am really excited that work on Maple Park has started. The development will bring enormous benefits to the local community, including employment, affordable housing and a range of office space to suit businesses of all sizes.”

Lovell regional director Simon Medler said: “Imaginative developments of this kind ensure that flourishing communities such as Long Stratton continue to thrive and grow. Our team has a strong record of delivering high-quality affordable and open market homes, as well as smart, modern business accommodation.

“We’re delighted to be working with Big Sky Developments on this important community scheme, using our expertise in constructing residential and commercial premises built and finished to the highest standards.”

The number of households in Scotland has continued to increase, though the rate of growth is smaller than before the economic downturn.

There were 2.43 million households in 2015, according to figures published today by National Records of Scotland (NRS) in ‘Estimates of Households and Dwellings in Scotland, 2015′.

The number of households in Scotland has grown by around 160,000 over the last ten years. Household numbers have been growing faster than the population.

Since 2005, Scotland’s population has risen by five per cent, whilst the number of households has increased by seven per cent. This is because more people are living alone and in smaller households.

This is reflected in the average number of people per household, which has fallen from 2.21 people per household in 2005 to 2.17 in 2015.

Tim Ellis, the Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland, said: “These latest figures from the National Records of Scotland show household numbers continue to rise but the level of growth has changed, with the number of households rising by a much smaller amount each year after the beginning of the economic downturn.

“In most council areas, average household size continues to fall, but average household sizes are now rising in the four city council areas of Aberdeen City, Dundee City, City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City, and in Perth and Kinross.”

The overall number of dwellings also rose in 2015, to a total of 2.56 million. This was 161,000 more than in 2005. In Scotland as a whole, 3.1 per cent dwellings were vacant and 1.1 per were second homes, with the latter being more common in more rural areas.

Wates Living Space Homes has been appointed to deliver a new £48 million residential development on behalf of Network Homes.

Work on the new Thrayle House development is set to start this month and will include the demolition of an existing three-storey building to create a mixed tenure residential complex.

Thrayle House, for which planning permission was granted in April, is the latest phase in Network Homes’ £200 million Stockwell Park regeneration programme.

The project adds to Wates Living Space Homes’ work on behalf of Network Homes, which recently saw the completion and hand over of Park Heights, a 20-storey apartment building in Stockwell.

Throughout the delivery of Thrayle House, Wates Living Space Homes has made a commitment to create extensive opportunities for on-site training and employment for local people.

This is set to include ten apprenticeship positions, ten work experience placements, whilst the developer has also pledged to engage with 300 students through local careers fairs.

The developer will also carry out its national ‘Building Futures’ programme as part of the project, an intensive training course to give local jobseekers the opportunity to secure full-time employment with Wates and its supply chain.

Vicky Savage, Executive Director of Development at Network Homes, said: “This is a landmark project in the regeneration of the Stockwell Park Estate and one that is incredibly important to Network Homes, the residents and the local community. We really look forward to working with Wates Living Space Homes who will bring their significant expertise and resources to this project.”

The latest figures show the Welsh Government supported 5.3% more jobs in 2015/16 than it did in 2014/15, and that in the last Assembly Term ( 2011 to 2016), it supported nearly 150,000 jobs in total.

To celebrate the latest figures Economy Secretary, Ken Skates visited the new Royal Mint Experience visitor centre and The Welsh Pantry in Llantrisant to see first hand the impact that Welsh Government investment is having on the local economy.

Speaking ahead of the visit, Ken Skates said: “These latest figures show we are making significant progress in developing Wales’ economy. In the last Assembly term Welsh Government investment supported almost 150,000 jobs and our success increased year on year throughout the Assembly term.

“There is no doubt that we have built some firm economic foundations in recent years, and that our approach is working for businesses and people across Wales. I look forward to building on this success in the coming months and years.”

“The Royal Mint Experience visitor centre has been backed by £2.3m from Welsh Government and is an example of how the industry, with Welsh Government support, is investing in innovative and high quality products and events which have helped secure growth in the industry.

“The investment from the Welsh Government has supported over 150 jobs at the Royal Mint site.”