InsideOut 005 - Higgins Construction

insideoutthe journal of the Higgins Group issue 5

the sky’sPlanning for the futurePaul CookeKeith Briggs“Higgins Homes caters forA company with a fine rangimmensely practical locatioSteve LeakeyAs part of the future successionplanning, and to establish strongfoundations for the Group goingforward, there have been somesignificant changes in HigginsConstruction management.We are pleased to announce thatSteve Leakey will take the role ofManaging Director Designate. Over thenext 15 months Steve will be workingalongside Benny King to ensure asmooth transition into this pivotal role.To further strengthen the teamKeith Briggs has been promoted toPhil BurrowsGlen RobertsDirector of Pre-Construction and PaulCooke‘s role has been expanded toinclude responsibility for QA andsustainability. Phil Burrows hastransferred from Higgins Homes toHiggins Construction as a ConstructionDirector and brings with him a greaterunderstanding of the needs of privatesale developments and Glen Robertshas been promoted to ConstructionDirector Designate.We wish the aforementionedcontinued success in their newpositions.Comment by independent judgeNational recRecognition for hard workSarah ByrneWe would like to send ourcongratulations to Sarah Byrne onher success at being shortlisted forRLO of the Year South East.Resident liaison officers play a keyrole in the lives of many residents. Fromkeeping them informed of the likelyeffects and progress of majorrefurbishment schemes to helping thento bring about improvements to thecommunities in which they live,Resident Liaison Officers often becomefar more than the approachable face ofthe company. RLO’s can at once be asource of information and reassurance,the first port of call when somethinggoes wrong, or a friend to share a cupof tea with. It is therefore a hugecompliment to have these qualities andthe hard work that is undertakenrecognised at a national level.Well done Sarah.Jeremy Marcus refrom come

first time buyers, families, investors and retirees.e of product, delivered with flair and substance inns. It prides itself on its after sales and attention to detail”View from the roof terrace of the award winning VoguE1ognition for high standards...ceiving the awardian Dara O'BriainDespite the extremely challengingclimate that we find ourselves inat the present time, the staff atHiggins Group continuously strivesto excel in all they do. We aretherefore extremely proud that theseefforts have been recognised at anational level.For the first time in the company’shistory Higgins Homes won two of thesought-after prizes at the mostprestigious awards ceremony for thehousing building industry, the ‘WhatHouse Awards’. Bronze Awards weregiven in the ‘Best Medium Housebuilder’and ‘Best Partnership Development’categories.Following on with this winningformula, Higgins Homes also won astaggering five prestigious awards atthe ‘Daily Mail UK Property Awards’.In the Herfordshire category, ‘Ice’was given a four star rating for thebest apartment and ‘New River Mews’development was awarded the highestfive star rating. ‘The Orchard’ wonbest development for the secondconsecutive year in the West Sussexcategory. National awards were givenfor property marketing at VoguE1 andthe best developer website.The dedication and commitmentof all the staff who have beeninvolved in these projects isoutstanding and it is rewarding tosee the teams working together toachieve the same goal. The workethos that is established throughoutthe company provides a trulyconfident approach to the futuredevelopment and partnership workingof the organisation.“These are extremely covetedawards in the house buildingindustry and to win two isfantastic. The Orchard, builtby Higgins Construction, isour joint venture partnershipwith Moat Housing Group andis also our first venture intoWest Sussex. The award in the‘Best Medium Housebuilder’category is an incredibleachievement and one whichthe whole company can beproud of”Said Jeremy Marcus, Sales andMarketing Director, Higgins Homes

If it’s stylish, London livingthat you are looking for...Higgins Homes’ VoguE1 inWhitechapel is a sleek, iconicstructure fashioned from the finestmaterials. Inhabiting a vibrantcorner of London’s historic garmentdistrict, VoguE1 makes a bolddesign statement in burnished steelwith brick, wood and glass creatinga strong stylish overall look.The collection of one and twobedroom apartments and two andthree bedroom duplex penthouses areperfect for homeowners with a passionfor London living.Higgins Homes prides itself ondelivering fashionable homes that suitthe perfect location and lifestyle -VoguE1 meets these demands. Withits classic good taste and cutting edgestyle VoguE1 also offers residents theopportunity to enmesh themselveswithin the culture, everyday life andnightlife of London.Inside every property thecraftsmanship, finish and the fittingsfeel as good as they look - stainlesssteel, stone composite and sleekglass in the kitchens, and satinchrome and porcelain in thebathrooms and en-suites. Simple,sleek lines are stunningly streamlinedthroughout and natural light iswelcomed in - often over privatebalconies or terraces.The building contains 58 one andVoguE1 = ideal apartmentAmidst the current economicturmoil, it is easy to forget thatbuying property involves emotionand passion and a property is ahome, not just an investment. Thiswas certainly the case for JulianNelberg when he started searchingfor a place to live. Julian wanted tofind his dream home, not just agreat investment or an amazingdeal, and he did.Julian, 33, a first time buyer, whoworks for PricewaterhouseCoopers,in London, found that VoguE1 washis ideal apartment.“I had wanted to buy a property for awhile, but I hadn’t found anywherewhich really caught my eye. Then Isaw the penthouses at VoguE1 and Iknew I had to have one. The viewfrom my balcony is incredible, I cantwo bedroom apartments and two andthree bedroom duplex penthousesspread across seven floors. The highspecification apartments are all openplanand all enjoy access to a stunningcommunal roof terrace with manyhaving views over central London andseveral penthouse apartments haveincredible views across the Square Mileand the iconic ‘Gherkin’ building.almost see the entire City, and thedesign of the apartment is verymodern and sleek. Higgins Homeshas used high quality materialsthroughout, so it looks and feels like areal city bachelor pad.“I couldn’t believe I lived here duringthe first couple of weeks because it iseverything I ever wanted. I had beenThe remaining 2 bed apartmentsare priced from £329,995 with thelast two penthouse apartmentsfrom £550,000.For further information contact themarketing suite, open Thursday toMonday between 10am & 5pm on020 8521 7885 or visitwww.higginshomes.co.uk...it is everythingI ever wanted...saving for some time and so was ableto put down a large deposit for theflat, but for me it was worth everypenny. I wanted to live somewheretrendy in a property that I loved, ratherthan a more affordable option.Everyone who has come to visit methinks the place is amazing and that Ihave made the best decision.”Julian comments.

‘Vision, sensitivityand meticulousattention to detail arethe cornerstones ofthe Higgins Homescorporate ethos.’

Higgins Homes sees light at the end of the tunnelHiggins Homes, has had a verypositive start to 2009. In the firsttwelve weeks of the year, thecompany saw a surge in thenumber of applicant registrations,viewings and sales, recordingsubstantially higher figures thanthey had for 2008.“This increase in sales and interestlevels is very heartening and is a greatstart to 2009. There’s no denying thattimes are still tough, but, because ofthe economic turmoil of the past 12months, there is a year’s pent updemand for property, as people havebeen delaying buying. Thegovernment backed‘MyChoiceHomeBuy’ scheme, whichaims to help first time buyers onto theproperty ladder, also continues to beextremely attractive with buyers.”Said Jeremy Marcus,Sales & Marketing Director,Higgins Homes“Feedback from our visitors is thatthey firmly believe that now is a goodtime to buy, as deals are so good andthey are getting something now that ayear ago they might not have beenable to afford. Ultimately, HigginsHomes’ dedication to building highquality, well designed properties indesirable locations is proving to be aformula for success in the currentmarket.”The OrchardIceHiggins Homes is currently marketing seven sites across Crawley, Colchester, Walthamstow, Whitechapel, Batterseaand Stevenage. For further information, please visit: www.higginshomes.co.ukGenesis and Higgins show their supportfor ‘Riding for the Disabled’Higgins Construction is creating adevelopment of Affordable andShared Ownership flats for GenesisHousing, at Glyn St, Vauxhall.The project is on the site of aformer derelict factory; with a greatoutlook across the Park to the VauxhallCity Farm complex. The Vauxhall CityFarm Charity supports the Riding forthe Disabled initiative for handicappedand disabled youngsters.Our scheme is due for occupationin summer 2010, and we look tocontinue our support to thisfundamental local amenity.“Part of the brief was to bond withthe local community, so when theSite Team heard that there had beena break-in at the Farm they madecontact with the manager, LindaHinds, and offered to sponsor thepurchase of riding equipment to thevalue of £1200, cost shared betweenClient and Contractor.” Keith Taylor,Higgins Construction PLC.Helping businesses growThere are still opportunitiesfor small businesses in today’sclimate – and the BassettBusiness Units, Epping,managed by Higgins Group,are the ideal premises to keepcosts to a minimum.Normally, annual costs and capitalexpenditure can be a major stumblingblock to growth. These units provide acomplete package that will shattermany illusions about the high costsinvolved in operating businesspremises, and have quick access tomotorways (M11 and M25) makingthem the perfect location for thrivingbusinesses.These purpose-built units of250 and 500 square feet are designedto give flexibility to businesses andoffer all support facilities without longterm leases.Many businesses are alreadytaking advantage of these unitsand the support offered – forfurther information please contactPip Ambrose, Sue Bowyer or JanBroad on 01992 524111 / 618000

Delivering the same high standards- regardless of sizeIf you’ve got a buildingproject where qualitymatters talkto us now...With the team’s diverse and unique skills,Higgins Construction is in the bestposition to deliver quality professionalservices to contracts of varying sizes.Flexibility in our working practiceensures that smaller contracts benefitfrom the experience of the team and weremain well equipped to bring innovativesolutions to large contracts. We arehighly experienced in purpose builteducation and community facilities,creating partnerships with agencies todevelop health and public sectorbuildings and delivering exceptional newbuild housing and refurbishment projects.The Quadrant £8m frameHiggins Construction have recentlycompleted the largest concreteframe they have ever constructed.This was a £8m frame for‘The Quadrant’ development andwas completed on time, toexceptional standards and to anextremely tight programme.The basement car park is thefootprint of the site, comprising of 276mixed tenure units, includingcommerical units on the ground floor, 2communal court yards and top floorPenthouse Suites with balconies.Still reporting good news...Higgins Construction are delighted toreport that there are many excitingand innovative opportunities for theorganisation this year. With ourexpertise in specialised ares we arewell equipped to work in partnershipwith a range of clients.Greenwich Peninsula:We have been selected as the preferredcontractor on this £30m scheme andlook forward to working with the client inthe second half of 2009.Largest bid submission:We have submitted our largest ever bidto London Borough of Lambeth for a 980unit development. This is a significantproject and we look forward to beingsuccessful and progressing the work.Durham Road:Higgins Construction have developed anew relationship with Local SpaceHousing Association and will be deliveringa £1.2m new build scheme which will beour second project achieving code level 4.Ongoing commitment:Community Trust Housing have madea commitment to continue workingwith Higgins on Stockwell Park. Thishas been achieved through our hardwork, commitment and high standardof delivery.St Johns School, Epping, has receivedapproval from Essex County Council forthe replacement of the existing schoolwith a new construction. Higgins hasbeen instructed to manage this process.Success at SwanSt Johns School, EppingTwo major projects with SwanHousing Group, which we areextremely proud to be involved in,are the Forest Gate PFI andCraylands regeneration. Bothprojects will have a huge positiveimpact on the residents involved.

Higgins help with real work experienceHiggins Group is totallycommitted to maximisingopportunities and promotingtraining for local people onevery regeneration projectthat we undertake. We alsoaim to provide permanentpositions beyond the initialschemes where possible.Working with Presentation SocialInvestment Agency on ‘The Quadrant’in south London, we are alreadyoffering a range of work experiencepositions to local people fromdisadvantaged backgrounds to workon this development.These positions give practicalexperience and develop new skills -Alaa Galgal and JJ Gordon-Irving havebeen helped back into work with thisprogramme.A minute with...SamanthaJames,BusinessDevelopmentExecutive -HigginsConstruction“Help and support beganfrom the word ‘go’ andhas been invaluable: jobopportunities, one-ononetutoring in interviewtechniques and body language - Icould go on! The new skills I havelearnt have given me immenseconfidence and self belief.”Said Alaa Galgal“This programme hasbeen a once in a lifetimeopportunity, helping me toovercome job barriers bygiving me the rightsupport I need. I have enjoyed learningprofessional interview techniques, bodylanguage tips and CV writing skills.It has given me the confidenceand encouragement to carry on withmy job search. The new skills andCareer Highlight: Becoming part ofthe Business Development Team.Worst Moment of Career: 1636thpaper cut whilst working in drawingsand documents administration.Professional Inspiration:People I work withBest advice:Love like you have never been hurtand dance like no ones watchingFavourite building: Selfridgesconsiderable experience I have gainedwith Higgins has given me back myself belief.”Said JJ Gordon-Irving“On the job experienceof a working constructionproject equips you withthe skills needed to dealwith the frequent butunexpected issues that can occur onconstruction sites. This type ofexperience can’t be taught in aclassroom.Working with Presentation isgreat, the programme provides us withhigh-calibre, dedicated candidates whoshow a willingness to learn new skills.This willingness is essential fordeveloping a career within theconstruction industry”.Said Peter CraneFavourite Book: The Sliver Sword -my childhood memoryFavourite Poem: If, Rudyard KiplingFavourite Restaurant:TGI Fridays because in there it’salways FridayOne Luxury you will keep despitethe credit crunch: Gym MembershipWhich two people would be yourideal dinner guests?Brad Pitt and Sir Alan SugarOn the coverVoguE1See page 4Higgins GroupOne Langston Road, Loughton. IG10 3SDtelephone: 020 8508 5555Printed May 2009INSIDE_ISSUE_V