Swedish construction firm, Skanska, have obtained the £750m contract to rebuild Battersea Power Station by beating off competition from British firms, Mace and Balfour Beatty. Skanska, originally started up in a small fishing village in Swedish, have been responsible for the famous structures of the Gherkin, Heron tower and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. “Skanka’s appointment to restore and...
Housebuilding activity in the UK is at its strongest point since 2007 an industry body has reported, This news comes after an apparent skills shortage in bricklaying, carpentry and decorators despite work picking up as a result of the increase in building activity. The National House Building Council (NHBC), a non-profit body, requires builders to register a house with them before starting work. The NHBC...
Every room should have its own identity, it can be hard to create different room personalities but there are various methods that can achieve this. Whether you are looking to sell your property and want it looking the best it can or you just want to revamp your beloved home then here are some tips to inspire your creative mind. - Painting; Paint after everything else, this may not be normal procedure but...
As the weather begins to change whilst you’re looking to sell your property, be prepared and enhance your selling capabilities. Change your property to suit the mood of autumn to give your property a real homely and welcoming feel. Clear any leaves! Yes the fall of leaves gives a real autumn feel but this doesn’t help your properties appearance. If you have a balcony or garden make sure that these...
Plans have emerged for a floating cycle path along the River Thames. The cycle path, designed by Anna Hill and architect David Nixon of River Cycleway Consortium, is planned to run for 8 miles alongside the South Bank between Battersea and Canary Wharf and will cost a staggering £600 million to build. There will be a flat rate charge for cyclists using this pathway of £1.50 and should roughly take 30...
London has been hailed the number one place to work according to foreign workers. The city fought off competition from New York, Paris and Sydney to be crowned the best city to work in, in the world. A survey was compiled by The Boston Consulting Group, recruiters The Network and totaljobs.com consisting of 200,000 participants from 189 countries. “This report cements London’s reputation as a truly...
London and South East Universities are leading for the UK amongst the world top institutions list which has recently been produced. The Times Higher Education Rankings 2014 state that there are 29 UK universities within the top 200 and 45 in the top 400. “The UK continues to punch above its weight in the global rankings, with more top-200 universities than any other nation except the US” Phil Baty,...
The Capital’s property buyers paid a record £2.7bn (42%) in stamp duty over the last year with the whole of the UK contributing £6.4bn to the tax. The income from stamp duty tax has risen £1.5bn from the previous year. There are different band levels in which the tax applies for. Residential land or property SDLT rates and thresholds Purchase price/Lease premium or transfer value SDLT rateUp to...