8 INDUSTRY NEWS
Funding for property & geospatial startups announced
The Government has announced funding for seven property and geospatial start-ups through its Geovation Accelerator Programme, which awards grants to help Ordnance Survey and HM Land Treasury make better use of their data. Over the next 12 months, the start-ups using location, land and property data in their products and services are to receive a range of resources, including access to experienced software developers, geospa- tial expertise from Ordnance Survey, property expertise from HM Land Registry, and mentorship on business proposals and investor relationships. They will also receive up to £20,000 in funding. The chosen companies are as follows.
Firstly, within the ‘PropTech’ track: • DronePrep, which uses location data to open up new low-level airspace access possibilities by connecting drone pilots to landowners to share and agree flight information
• Winston, a ‘digital concierge’ supporting the home of the future
• Property-Markets, the ‘people’s property investment marketplace’
• RenKap, an online marketplace working to alleviate the housing crisis by scaling the delivery of affordable homes.
The second set of companies are within the ‘GeoTech’ Track: • Digital-Field, which provides digital solutions for better land management to improve soil health and food production, and reduce environmental impacts.
• The Future Fox, which creates software for communities to “transform their neighbourhood” and for planners to create “better places, faster, with artificial intelligence”
• Watchkeeper International, using geospa- tial technology, IoT (Internet of Things) systems and secure cloud services to provide clients with real-time monitoring and alerts for security incidents, natural disasters and supply chain disruptions.
Alex Wrottesley, head of Geovation, explained further: “We offer a founder- friendly environment, great mentors, high-quality workshop content and, almost
WWW.HBDONLINE.CO.UK
uniquely, a dedicated software develop- ment team in house, who work hand in hand with our companies to build and release their first products. “This is something very few accelerators
can offer, and it means the businesses joining us can move faster and further than they otherwise would have been able to. We’re very much future focused and are looking forward to meeting and working with the next group of programme members and being a part of their story and them ours. We can’t wait to begin working with them.”
Modular housing firm confirmed to deliver London scheme to help homeless
NFB unveils new Major Contractors Group
The National Federation of Builders (NFB) has announced the formation of its own version of the Major Contractors Group, a “dynamic forum” of over 30 contractors. The lobbying forum, consisting of firms with turnovers greater than £40m will reportedly have access to “exclusive” meetings and events in the Palace of Westminster, with the aim being to provide Government with an understanding of larger construction businesses, while also enhancing the broader commercial environ- ment for its members.
The group is open only to NFB members, who will meet parliamentarians, ministers and key decision makers to discus and attempt to influence policy issues that are crucial to their businesses. It will be led by a board which will set the agenda that defines policy, contract terms, payment best practice, the impact of technology, skills, and the impact of Brexit. Mark Wakeford, joint managing director of Stephnell and chair of the new group, commented: “We are really proud to launch this group, which will give larger NFB members the opportunity to talk to the people who devise policy that ends up influencing their very own businesses.” He concluded: “The group will challenge many of the sector’s misconceptions and be a talisman for best practice and future proofing the sector.”
The first meeting of the Major Contractors Group board will take place in June, with its main forum planned for 11 November 2019 at the Palace of Westminster.
A group of London boroughs has chosen a modular homes provider to build homes for the homeless.
Following a competitive procurement process, the Pan-London Accommodation Collaborative Enterprise (PLACE) has selected Extraspace Solutions to provide modular homes for the project. PLACE’s units are set to be built on
vacant ‘meanwhile’ sites earmarked for development in the long term, but which would otherwise remain underused over the short-to-medium term.
The value of the contract is around
£40m, with Extraspace Solutions to supply 200 homes for the temporary accommoda- tion of homeless families by 2021. The manufacturer will design and build PLACE’s modular housing units, which will purportedly “have the quality of permanent housing,” with the added benefit that they can be relocated to a different site when required. Eleanor Moloney, Extraspace Solutions lead designer, commented on the announcement: “We are thrilled to be helping to deliver this exciting initiative, showcasing modern modular solutions in the residential market. This scheme will combine innovative design with a commu- nity feel. Our precision-manufactured modular houses will deliver the quality of permanent homes, meeting the London Plan’s space standards, and can be relocated to the site of most need.”
Developed by the London Housing Director’s Group and supported by the umbrella body London Councils, PLACE is hosted by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Several boroughs are looking into suitable locations for PLACE accommoda- tion, and it is expected that the first site will be confirmed later this year.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
