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Raw lofts make a fashionable return to Manchester / New initiatives launched for Rent to HomeBuy customers /
Construction focus / Commercial roundup / Meet Urban Splash tenants / Meet Urban Splash people /
Urban Splash reports on year end March 09
   
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Fans of real lofts have been treated to the arrival of some new homes at Albert Mill in Manchester this week.
Apartments at the scheme, a Victorian textile mill, were originally marketed as shells, but customer demand inspired us to begin a programme of fitting them out ourselves. As a result, an open plan loft and two bedroom loft have now been completed, with a further eight homes in the pipeline.
Labelled by the Manchester Evening News as having made 'one shell of a Splash' the apartments are exceptionally large. The open plan loft is 828 sq ft of space, while the two bedroom is 1,278 sq ft with two bathrooms and a large lounge and dining space. Each loft benefits from a multitude of stunning original features including exposed brickwork, original windows and timber floors.
We launched the apartments in true Urban Splash style, joining up with NoChintz and Rejuvinate to host a VIP fashion show at the scheme last week. We like to think the fashionable models fitted in perfectly with Albert Mill's high quality design but let us know what you think here.
Our director of sales Nicola Wallis said: 'We've gone back to our roots with these homes and delivered some amazingly spacious loft apartments with Victorian features contrasted by superb contemporary design. The first two apartments are just the start and the remaining eight awe-inspiring homes will be ready in the coming months.'
Prices start from £175,000 for an open plan loft. The show apartments are available for immediate purchase.
For information on the homes available at Albert Mill email our Sales team. In the meantime, to view a full Flickr slideshow of images of the show apartments, click here.
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More news on Rent to HomeBuy this month as we announce additional incentives for buyers.
The Government backed scheme helps people onto the property ladder through giving them the option to rent at 80% market rent for up to five years or to buy through shared ownership, paying rent on the remaining share. This month Urban Splash has announced that customers opting to go straight into shared ownership will benefit from a range of additional incentives including having their first year's rent on the unowned share paid. We'll also cover legal fees up to £1,000 and the cost of the survey.*
You can register your interest for the scheme for homes in Manchester at Chips and 3 Towers, winner of the Manchester Evening News 'Best Affordable Home' award, as well as at Mills Bakery in Plymouth.
Urban Splash director of sales Nicola Wallis said: 'It's really important that we can help our customers into home ownership. A product like this is suitable for anybody who doesn't own their own home or has a household income of less than £60,000.'
We've also now launched further details about the scheme on our website, including a video introduction to the initiative.
* Incentive value up to 5% of the total purchase price.
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We've now installed coloured panels to a full façade at Park Hill.
The panels are being put in place to help replicate the original coloured brickwork at the building. The press have had their say, and it seems that the majority of commentators like what they see.
Our development manager Tom Lawrence said: 'Now we're working hard to get the panels done on the City facing facade of phase one, at which point people will really see a change in the skyline.'
Drop us a line and let us know what you think.
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Our commercial team has made a great start to the New Year with almost 40,000 sq ft of space let across our portfolio.
The deals range from 3,865 sq ft in Yorkshire to Bradford Bowling College, to 6,300 sq ft at the Matchworks in Liverpool, where we let space to fashion importers Four Trading and MW Internet Solutions.
13,000 sq ft of office space was let at Fort Dunlop, including almost 10,000 sq ft to the Secretary of State, meaning that the building is 98% let, the highest it's ever been. Meanwhile at Royal William Yard in Plymouth we let 10,000 sq ft of space including 3,509 sq ft to national restaurant chain Loungers who will launch the scheme's first restaurant; The Seco Lounge, in March.
More than 3,000 sq ft of space was taken by existing tenants who have expanded their operations including bike retailer Specialized.
Our Chairman Tom Bloxham MBE said: 'The investment portfolio has performed consistently well in the past 12 months but these deals indicate the increasing confidence from companies around the country who are either growing their businesses with us or taking new space within our portfolio.'
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This month we meet Alex Reilley from casual dining chain Loungers who have just signed up for a 3,509 sq ft unit at Royal William Yard.
So, what do you do?
We run a chain of 12 food-led café bars throughout the Midlands and the South West. As the name implies, our café bars are set up like lounges and are open all day long serving breakfasts, business lunches, afternoon tea and low lit evening meals.
Anything interesting we should know?
We're about to launch our thirteenth 'lounge' which will be located at Royal William Yard in Plymouth. 'Seco Lounge' will open mid March and will follow our usual lounge style atmosphere. For details of the opening date and launch event, drop us a line.
What's the best thing about Royal William Yard?
The waterfront location. Seco Lounge will be situated in Mills Bakery and our diners will have views over Plymouth Sound, it's the idyllic setting for any restaurant and bar operator. We're also looking forward to meeting the residents and commercial occupiers already at the scheme.
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This month it's Juliane Naumann who's based at our Timber Wharf offices in Manchester. Here we learn more about her:
Works: as development manager working with the Government on all of our affordability schemes.
Loves: eating bread (German!) with butter and loads of apples.
Hates: wasted time.
Laughs: when her 3 year old daughter gives a speech, using English and German muddled up.
Hopes: the last months were worth my first grey hair .
Thinks: Manchester is slowly getting cycle friendlier.
Wants: to eventually understand full conversations in English slang.
Likes: being outside all day in fresh air. |
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Last year was a difficult year for all property companies, and as you can see from our latest set of accounts Urban Splash was not immune. We dealt with the crisis by responding rapidly to the downturn and refocusing the business.
We concentrated on our investment portfolio. We increased commercial income by 13% to £9.1m and significantly our residential income increased by 50% to £1.4m, thus increasing total annualised rent by 12%. We also worked hard to complete key schemes such as Mills Bakery in Plymouth, Chimney Pot Park in Manchester, 3Towers in Manchester and Rotunda in Birmingham; helping us pick up a further 43 awards for the year, taking our total to 278.
Our Chairman Tom Bloxham MBE said: 'I started out in the property business in the last recession and in the years since have grown this business. We sustained a big blow this year but I believe that the last few months have seen notable improvements; a further improvement in our investment income, an increase in sales and lettings enquiries, and we have made good progress on key projects such as Saxton in Leeds and Park Hill in Sheffield. I believe the new decade will bring great opportunities for entrepreneurial property companies like Urban Splash.'
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16th - 19th March:
MIPIM. Tom Bloxham MBE, Simon Gawthorpe, Nathan Cornish and Nick Johnson (in his capacity as chairman of Marketing Manchester) will all be there. Email us if you'd like to set up a meeting. |
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