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Eric Pickles has launched a billion pound package of tax rules that will benefit high street businesses. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has set out an allowance of up to £1,000 in 2014/15 for retail premises with a rateable value of up to £50,000 – including shops, pubs, cafes, and restaurants. Other measures introduced include capping the increase in bills to 2% in 2014-15 – businesses were expecting a 3.2 % rise; and extending the doubling of the Small Business Rates Relief to April 2015. Elsewhere the plans will see a reoccupation relief for 18 months with a 50% discount for new occupants of retail premises empty for a year or more; businesses will also be allowed to pay their bills over 12 months (rather than 10), which will …

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The University of St Andrews in Fife has revealed new intentions to build a brand new ‘green’ centre in order to slash the establishment’s yearly energy bills. At a cost of £25 million, the scheme would be a long-term solution to the problems associated with rising energy bills. The money saved on paying high premiums for gas and electricity costs could be put back into investment in teaching a research. The University said a £10 million grant has been offered by the Scottish Funding Council to bring the plans to reality. Work would see a new a biomass facility constructed in the Guardbridge area, with hot water pumps running for four miles to the campus to provide heating and cooling for labs and residences. …

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to All  our readers and contributors. We hope to see you all again in 2014

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Westminster City Council says health and safety checks on the Apollo Theatre, part of whose ceiling collapsed last night injuring 76 people, were up to date. In a statement, the council’s cabinet member for community protection Councillor Nickie Aiken said that “we have no reason to believe this is other than an isolated incident”. However she added, that, as a precaution, the Society of London Theatres has agreed to run further safety checks at all of the West End’s historic theatres today. She added: “Our teams have been on site at the Apollo Theatre last night and again this morning and will remain on site until all checks are complete. As the investigation is ongoing, we are unable to comment further on specifics.” The Apollo’s owner, …

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A researcher at the University of Missouri has finished an app to prevent heavy equipment accidents and is now looking for an industry partner to distribute it. Each year more than 400 people die from heavy equipment and agricultural tractor rollover accidents, according to the Bureau of Labour statistics. The new VRPETERS (Vehicle Rollover Prevention Education Training Emergency Reporting System) is designed to summons site assistance immediately to help prevent death. The app, designed by A. Bulent Koc, assistant professor of Agricultural Systems Management at the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and research assistant Bo Liu, is downloaded to a Smartphone or tablet. The app then uses the sensors and GPS capability built into these mobile devices to detect a rollover, and sends an automatic emergency …

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Asking prices expected to rise 8pc in 2014, pushing average home above £250,000 The average price of a UK home will burst through the 3pc stamp duty threshold next year, putting many homes out of reach for British buyers. Growing consumer confidence, combined with a lack of supply, will push the average asking price up 8pc in 2014, according to the property website, Rightmove. This will drag the standard British home into the £250,000 to £300,000 banding, at which point stamp duty jumps from 1pc to 3pc. According to the residential property portal – which has seen a 21pc uplift in traffic over the past 12 months – the average asking price increased by 5.4pc this year to £241,455. Housing experts have been calling for the Government to lift the 3…

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The National Crime Agency is warning contractors against the growing threat of mandate fraud after companies lost millions during a series of payment swindles. The agency is issuing an “amber alert” to the industry following 34 reports of mandate fraud so far this year in which contractors were conned out of amounts of up to £1m plus. Mandate fraud involves criminals contacting contractors posing as a supplier or subcontractor. They then advise the company that their bank account details have changed in a bid to divert payments into a bogus account leaving the legitimate supplier and conned contractor out of pocket. The agency and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau said that reports of mandate fraud in the construction industry have increased steadily over the last year. The …

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Roundtable debate highlights key drivers for smart buildings and considers what’s preventing wide scale adoption  10-December 2013 – New environmental building legislation and competition to fill office or retail space are the two key drivers for smart buildings according to delegates that attended a recent roundtable hosted by infrastructure specialists Redstone. Debating the key drivers for smart buildings and the barriers hindering adoption, Redstone was joined by industry experts from engineering consultants Buro Happold and Norman Disney & Young and construction services company ISG. Matt Salter, delivery director, Redstone said: “All commercial properties which are rented out or that are up for sale must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and this quickly shines a light on whether  the building is efficient or not. “Tenants will seek out …

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In nine days’ time, one man hopes to end half a century of government inertia over how to expand London’s airport capacity When a select group of ministers, reporters and paying passengers boarded a converted Lancaster bomber at Heathrow Airport on January 1, 1946, they knew they were part of a historic event in British aviation. What they didn’t realise was just quite how significant it would prove to be. A large crowd gathered in front of the Avro Lancastrian, codenamed “Star Light”, to hear Britain’s then civil aviation minister, Lord Winster, say a few words before the plane took off for Buenos Aires. But as they settled into the 13-seater British South American Airways aircraft, they could not have imagined that they would be taking off from what …

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Anybody that works in oily, wet, icy or generally slippery conditions will be well aware of the importance of safety, and one of the first things that you will need to do before business can commence is to take measures to protect yourself and everyone around you. The best way to do this is not through protective clothing (which should still be used), but instead to try and stop and slipping from occurring. To do this you will need to look at the flooring, and you will want to have some anti slip flooring put in place everywhere, as this will stop any accidents from occurring. This anti slip flooring will need to be of the highest quality though, as otherwise you will find that the material …

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