No ordinary training

We recently attended a student event at Greater Peterborough University Technical College (GPUTC) as part of our commitment to support young people locally and link with our sponsorship of the college.

The event hosted pupils from a range of schools in the Greater Peterborough areas and demonstrated that GPUTC is no ordinary college.

As part of our involvement in the day we presented students with a sustainable wooden house frame, constructed in the same way as a Larkfleet new home but in miniature. They were able to work with the frame to see if they could fit it together to form the skeleton for a new home.

Attending on behalf of Larkfleet was planning and project manager Michael Temple from our sister company Lark Energy. Michael said: “We hope the students benefited from this real life project and that it added some useful context to their lessons. These sessions help demonstrate to students that the involvement of industry professionals will prepare them for the workplace and provide valuable hands-on experience.”

The Greater Peterborough UTC specialises in built environment and engineering projects, offering a world-class technical experience and training which includes direct support from local employers such as Larkfleet.

Students working with the model house at the GPUTC event.

Need help purchasing your new home? Larkfleet Homes can help!

We could all do with a little help in purchasing the house of our dreams and that’s why there are a variety of schemes out there to help you do just that. Here are some of the schemes that are on offer through Larkfleet Homes:

Part Exchange
Providing your current home falls within our scheme criteria, we will consider your property for part exchange against the home you are interested in.

We will arrange for a minimum of two independent valuations of your current home and - subject to satisfactory valuations - make you an offer.

The benefits:

•     No chain.
•     No estate agents fees.
•     No worrying about selling.
•     No worrying about losing your buyer.
•     Use your current property to get the home you want. 

Assisted Sale
Assisted Sale is very similar to part-exchange in all respects apart from the fact that the developer does not buy your house.

With Assisted Sale, if you see a property you wish to purchase but have yet to sell your own we will assist you to sell your house – while reserving the home you wish to purchase for an agreed period.

Forces Help to Buy
This government-backed scheme is to help regular armed forces personnel to get on the property ladder.

If you are a member of the armed forces who has completed the pre- requisite length of service, have more than six months left to serve at the time of your application and meet the right medical categories, you could benefit from this scheme.

Help To Buy
The Help to Buy scheme allows homebuyers to own 100 per cent of a new home with just a 75 per cent mortgage and 5 per cent deposit. The remaining 20 per cent of the purchase price is paid for through an equity loan from the government (subject to approval).

The equity loan is interest-free for five years and can be repaid at any time or on the sale of the home.

Larkfleet Homes to sponsor local point-to-point.

LarkfleetHomes is to sponsor a race at the Cottesmore point-to-point meeting held at Garthorpe races, near to Waltham-on-the-Wolds, on 28 February. This is an annual meeting which Larkfleet has been pleased to support for several years.

Presenting the prize this year will be sales manager Sam Watkins.  

She said: “We always look forward to coming along to the races and offering our support to local events.  This is the first time I have presented the prize and I am really looking forward to meeting the winner!”

Larkfleet Homes is sponsoring the seventh race, the Open Maiden. This is usually a hotly contested event and often features some future superstars. 

Larkfleet Homes looks to the future with GPUTC

Several members of our staff recently joined forces with the new Greater Peterborough University Technical College (GPUTC) to help recruit students for its first year of operation.

GPUTC is a brand new technical education facility at the Park Crescent campus in Peterborough.  Due to open in September 2016, the state-of-the-art facility houses separate engineering and construction workshops, science and computer labs as well as social and communal areas.

The college has been holding a number of recruitment days with the support of local employers, such as Larkfleet, to help showcase the various courses on offer to prospective students who will be form 14 to 19 years old.

We have been involved with the GPUTC since before the first plans were drawn up.  We are delighted to be one of the local 'employer sponsors' for the project and we support the college plans wholeheartedly. Our CEO, Karl Hick sits on the college steering group.

Investing in the future of the construction industry by supporting local young people keen to take their first steps has always been part of our ethos and this partnership takes this to the next stage.

Among the Larkfleet staff attending the most recent UTC recruitment event were architect Mark Croker and trainee architect David Laidler.

David has been part of the Larkfleet team since starting his training.  His success has been influenced by the link created between his training and his work with us.  It is this success that we hope to re-create by our relationship with UTC.

Helen Hick, HR director for The Larkfleet Group of Companies, said: "We are delighted to be supporting this initiative by GPUTC.  At the open evening we talked both to prospective students and to parents and all of them were keen to explore the options on offer."

 

Under starter's orders at Larkfleet Homes

Larkfleet Homes CEO Karl Hick recently invited key contractors and subcontractors who work on the company's Peterborough, Rutland and Cambridgeshire developments to a night out at Peterborough Greyhound Stadium.

The team enjoyed a good evening following the various races and backing a few of the winning dogs.  Larkfleet Homes also sponsored one of the races and Karl was delighted to present the winning trainer and owner with their trophies.

Karl said: "It is important to relax as a team and enjoy some time together away from work. Larkfleet  has big plans for the future and it is vital to have the support of our key contractor and subcontractors so we can deliver these and ensure our customers are welcomed into their new homes on target.

"We continually strive to improve the quality of our new homes and our speed of delivery while maintaining or improving site safety and reducing our environmental footprint. The expertise and skills of our construction teams allow us to do this and it was good to have an opportunity to talk informally with our contractors about how they could help.

"Going forward, it is important to make sure construction skills are passed on to the next generation.  Larkfleet Homes is keen to continue development of our apprenticeship schemes and we are working with Greater Peterborough University Technical College to help develop courses for those interested in all areas of construction."

What's on this half-term in Peterborough?

If you have recently moved into a new Larkfleet house or are looking for a new house in the Peterborough area, you might be looking around for things to do with the kids this half-term.

There is plenty on!

Vivacity manages many of Peterborough's most popular culture and leisure facilities on behalf of Peterborough City Council.

The Big Jurassic Fish Hunt runs all week and is perfect for budding paleontologists.

Wild about Walliams is all about David Walliam's books, such as Gangsta Granny and events are being held at three local libraries.

Around the World in eighty days is a family show which is being held all week at the Key Theatre.

If you are still looking for your new home and are looking for a three or four bedroom family home, you should take a look at our Whittlesey Green development.  If you are looking for a one, two, three or four bedroom home, we still have a few available at Hempsted Park.   Contact the sales team at either development to make a booking to view our showhomes, or discuss the purchasing schemes we have on offer such as Help to Buy.  Their contact details are listed on our website, www.larkfleethomes.co.uk

Don't miss our great offer this week at Buttercross Park, Oakham

Our house of the week is Plot 32 at Buttercross Park in Oakham, Rutland.  Plot 32, the Brecon, is a four bedroom terraced townhouse, with single garage.  This week we are offering you £5,000 of 'Just for You' vouchers so you can personalise your new home exactly how you want it.

Buttercross Park is situated on the outskirts of Oakham and is part of the Oakham Heights development.

Oakham itself is a pretty, traditional market town. Bustling with activity, the town boasts a regular market twice a week which includes stalls selling local meats, cheese, bread and eggs. A trip to the market or the monthly Farmers’ Market could coincide with a visit to the numerous cafes, restaurants and pubs.

For those interested in the history of the area, there are many beautiful and notable sites to explore such as Oakham Castle. Rutland Water is close by, with its renowned water sports facilities, stunning nature and wildfowl reserves, outdoor adventure centre together with cycling and walking routes. Rutland has recently been voted the best rural place to live in the UK.

Road links are excellent and towns such as Stamford, Melton Mowbray and Corby are within easy distance.  Leicester and Nottingham are within 35 miles of Buttercross Park. Oakham railway station provides links to Birmingham, Leicester, Peterborough, Cambridge and Stansted Airport.

Help to Buy schemes are available on all of our properties.

Contact Mike, Pam or Heather on 01572 722262 or email them at oakham@larkfleethomes.co.uk if you would like to find out more.