leading by example · awards hat trick parson’s prospects’ award winning show home. helen hick,...

Inside…

Larkfleet l The Review l Autumn 2016 1

Page 2…Online and on the up -Larkfleet's digital and socialmedia marketing

Page 3…Deepings Building & PlumbingSupplies' new showroom

Page 4…Helping others through backinggood causes

Page 6…Garden village plans to helpwith housing crisis

Page 8…Experimenting with floodresistant housing

0…Lark Energy is generatingsuccess, power and academicinterest

Autumn 2016

Leading by exampleLarkfleet's investment in researchand the development of innovativetechnologies and industry traininginitiatives is recognised with more awards in 2016.

Larkfleet Review newsletter Autumn 2016 06/12/2016 14:58 Page 2

2 Larkfleet l The Review l Autumn 2016

www.easternnewhomebuyer.comEastern New Home Buyer, sponsored byLarkfleet Homes, has been relaunched andrevamped to offer information to peopleinterested in purchasing a new home in theEast Midlands or East of England.

Our social media platforms now includesuccessful and growing Facebook, Twitter,LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest andSnapchat feeds for some of our individualcompanies and for the group as a whole.

Our email newsletter, BuildingSustainability, focuses on our commitmentto the use of sustainable constructionmethods and renewable energy. If youwould like to be added to the circulation list,

please drop a line to the group’s directorof marketing, Helen Jones, [email protected].

Our regular blog on the Larkfleet Homessite - http://www.larkfleethomes.co.uk/larkfleet-homes-on-blogger - contains amixture of news about our developments,home buying and decorating tips, companynews and light-hearted chat about homesand housing.

“Digital and social media area vital part of our marketingmix and they continue to help us engage with manydifferent groups among ourpotential customers.”Helen JonesDirector of Marketing

Successful and growing…

www.larkfleetplanning.co.ukprovides details of all our current planningapplications, allowing people potentiallyaffected to see exactly what and where weare planning to build.

www.larkfleetcommunity.co.ukgives details of the Larkfleet CommunityFund which can help to pay for new orupgraded local facilities that the communityitself decides it needs. The fund will pay up to £500 for each market house built onnew developments, up to a maximum of£75,000 for each scheme. The approach is part of our overall commitment to creating sustainable communities andrecognises the need to support theintegration of new housing developmentsinto existing communities.

LarkfleetonlineThe Larkfleet Group of Companieshas launched refreshed websitesfor Larkfleet Homes, Lark Energyand the group. We have alsoadded two new sites with the aimof increasing engagement withour local communities about theLarkfleet Community Fund andour planning applications.

Facebook Twitter Linkedin

Instagram SnapshatPinterest


As this edition of Larkfleet Review wentto press, Larkfleet company DeepingsBuilding and Plumbing Supplies was in the midst of moving to a new showroom on Spitfire Park in Market Deeping, just ashort distance from its previous premises.

The new premises have a similar‘footprint’ to the old store but have a muchmore convenient shape, allowing thecompany to pack in five times the amountof stock. Over coming weeks the team willbe further expanding the range with newshowrooms on the first floor for bathrooms,electrical goods, clothing, footwear andpower tools.

The move has also allowed the carparking areas to be re-arranged withcustomers now much more easily able getto the store from their vehicles, benefittingnot just the many regular ‘trade customers’but also the DIY enthusiasts who are usingthe business in increasing numbers.

Hayley Templeman of Deepings Buildingand Plumbing Supplies said: “The new storeis much more ‘customer-friendly’ with ahuge range of products on display – andwhen we open our new upstairs sales floorwe will be able to extend into new productareas in a way that was just not possible inour old premises. Customers will be able towander around and find what they want.

“Among all the changes, though, onething we will be keeping is our approach tothe business. We will continue to havefriendly, expert, staff who can offer detailedand practical advice on selecting the rightproducts and tools for any job, whether youare a skilled tradesman or a first-time DIY customer.”

● More news in our next issue!

New showroom for Deepings

“The new store is muchmore ‘customer-friendly’with a huge range ofproducts on display”

The new Deepings Building and Plumbing Suppliesstore can display a wide range of products andequipment.

The new Deepings Building and Plumbing Supplies store being fitted out

3Larkfleet l The Review l Autumn 2016

Eco Action TrumpsLarkfleet Homes has sponsored its ownversion of Eco Action Trumps, the cardgame with the clever environmental twist!

Mirroring the family favourite card game, trumps, Eco Action Trumps cardseach carry a message about what you can do to help the environment whilst youbeat your opponent to become eco actiontrump champion!

The packs are available in the showhomes of each of our developments - freeof charge - to Larkfleet home buyers. Wehope that this fun way of picking up someenergy-saving tips will help residents to cuttheir energy bills while keeping their newhomes warm and well lit.

Building upThe latest company to join The Larkfleet Group of Companies,CastleBuild Scaffolding, has beeninvesting significantly in recent months.

It has brought additional talentedscaffolders into the business andpurchased new scaffolding equipmentto meet the strong growth in demandfor its services from existing andnew customers.

The managementteam led by Tony Simpson andLee Sylvester isbuilding on thecompany’s existingreputation for technical and service excellence.


Larkfleet was also one of the sponsors of the NSPCC StrictlyRazzmatazz charity dinner in Peterborough. The dinner raisedmore than £25,000 to support disadvantaged children in the cityand the surrounding areas.

Charity backing f

Larkfleet Homes was shortlistedfor the ‘Housebuilder of the Year2016’ title in the BuildingAwards – opening thepossibility of the companypicking up a hat trick of threesuch awards this year.

In July the company was namedas ‘Housebuilder of the Year’ inthe Construction News Awardsand in February it was presentedwith the trophy as ‘SmallHousebuilder of the Year’ in theHouseBuilder Awards.

Karl Hick, Larkfleet CEO, said:“We were delighted to be afinalist in another Housebuilder of the Year category – and it would have been great tosecure our third such title.”

Meantime, we have beenpicking up other awards.Larkfleet Homes won the ShowHome Award for the EastMidlands in this year’s UKProperty Awards for the Parson’sProspect show home in Eye.

The Larkfleet Group ofCompanies has been nominatedfor an international sustainablebusiness innovation awardorganised by the GlobalCleantech Cluster Association(GCCA), a global membershipgrouping for cleantech clusterorganisations.

Karl Hick, CEO of The LarkfleetGroup of Companies, said:

“To be nominated for such aprestigious international award isan honour for Larkfleet. We’relooking forward to the results.

“I believe we areleading the way inshowing how highenvironmental andquality standardscan be introducedpractically andeconomically to thehighly competitivehousing market andacross all ourcompanies.”Karl Hick Larkfleet CEO

Awards hat trick

Parson’s Prospects’ award winning show home.

Helen Hick, joint managingdirector of Larkfleet Homes, won a top title at the recentInternational Business Awards – known informally as ‘The Stevies’.

Helen picked up the ‘BronzeStevie’ in the category of ‘Womanof the Year’ and said: “TheWoman of the Year category ofthe International Business Awardsis a great platform for women tobe heard. Although the numberof females working in theconstruction industry is stillrelatively low, awards such as this highlight the opportunities for women.

“It is a great industry to beinvolved in and this award helpsto demonstrate that we aregetting it right at Larkfleet wherewomen are employed throughoutthe company at every level.”

Larkfleet l The Review l Autumn 20164

Larkfleet Homes was the main sponsor at this year’s annualfirework display in Bourne, further strengthening linksbetween the company and local community.

The display was organised by Bourne Abbey PrimaryAcademy PTFA and Bourne & District Round Table and Larkfleetwas delighted to be the main sponsor for the second year.

Karl Hick, Larkfleet CEO, said: “At Larkfleet we believe insupporting our local community and sponsoring the annualBourne firework display is a great opportunity to continue onthis route.”

The ongoing campaign at Larkfleet to build local linksincludes involvement with local education, eco-projects, charitydonations and a continued sponsorship programme.


Larkfleet l The Review l Autumn 2016 5

Larkfleet Homes and AllisonHomes are jointly sponsoringa virtual balloon race tosupport people affected byspina bifida andhydrocephalus (a build-up of fluid on the brain).

The race, organised byPeterborough-based charityShine, offers people thechance to watch and tracktheir balloon as it races to the(virtual) finish line.

Shine has been runningfund-raising balloon races forabout 40 years but movedthem into the online world in2009 because of concernabout the environmentalimpact of balloons littering thecountryside. People can buy a‘virtual balloon’ which can then be decorated, tracked andeven have its journeyinfluenced on social media!

The Shine computer takesaccount of real-world weatherconditions and factors such as the amount of gas in eachballoon as it continuouslycalculates the position of eachrace entrant following theonline ‘launch’. The winningballoon is the one that travels

furthest on the virtual map.Larkfleet is sponsoring

Shine’s Benny Bear New YearBalloon Race. Benny Bear isthe Shine ‘mascot’, a characterwho has hydrocephalus andworks with children to raiseawareness of the conditionand its impact.

Asif Shaheed of Shine said:“The sponsorship fromLarkfleet provides essentialfunding which allows Shine’s team to contactcompanies and individualsacross the country andencourage them to buy aballoon in the race.”

If you would like to buy aballoon in the race you can doso at www.tiny.cc/benny up until the start of the race on 3 January 2017.

Helen Jones, director ofmarketing at Larkfleet, said:“We are delighted to sponsor The Benny Bear NewYear Race as part of our programme of support for localcommunities and charities.

“Shine is an amazing charity and the balloon race isa fun way to raise money for aserious and worthwhile cause.”

Time to Shine

Left to right: Shine CEO Kate Steele, Benny Bear and Helen Jones of Larkfleetat the start of the fundraising campaign.

Strictly Come Dancing favourites Anton Du Beke and Erin Boagwowed guests with three amazing dance performances before posingfor a picture with our CEO Karl Hick and Larkfleet Homes jointmanaging director Helen Hick.

g from Larkfleet…Earlier in the year Larkfleethanded over a cheque for£2,400 to local charity Anna’sHope which offers support andinformation to parents andchildren with brain tumours.

The charity was inspired byAnna Olivia Hughes, whotragically died from a braintumour aged only three yearsand eight months, and was setup by Anna's parents Rob andCarole Hughes and her fivegodparents in October 2006. Itprovides a specialist children’sneuro oncology nurse whoworks closely with children andtheir families throughout theirtreatment at the Children’sCancer Unit at AddenbrookesHospital and helps coordinatesupport at home and school.

All Larkfleet Homes sales officestook part in the world’s largestcoffee morning at the start ofOctober to help raise money forthe Macmillan cancer charity.

Visitors to show homes wereinvited to make a donation inreturn for a cup of coffee and acake while staff at Larkfleet HQbaked and sold cakes tocolleagues. Every pound raisedhas been matched by anotherfrom the company so in total we donated more than £500 to Macmillan.

Larkfleet’s cheque for £2,400 is handed over to Carole Hughes (centre) by LarkfleetHomes joint managing directors Adrian Evans and Helen Hick.



Larkfleet Homes held public exhibitions at the HaycockHotel, Wansford, near Peterborough during October toexplain the thinking behind the plans for a possible garden village at Sibson, near Peterborough, which would include 2,500 new homes.

The consultation events allowedus to explain the ideas in moredetail and to listen to the views oflocal people. There is also an on-line survey for people to offerthoughts and feedback.

The government is currentlylooking for appropriate sites for anew generation of gardenvillages across the country.Huntingdonshire District Councilhas submitted an Expression ofInterest to the government toexplore a new garden village of2,500 homes, plus employmentland, a school, health servicesand shops at Sibson Aerodrome.The council has been workingwith the owners of the land andLarkfleet Homes which is the

prospective developer. The Expression of Interest

means that the potentialopportunities that a gardenvillage might create need to beexplored further. It is not acommitment to develop the site.

Daryl Kirkland, group landdirector at Larkfleet Homes, said:“We are excited about theopportunity at Sibson. Thecreation of a brand new villagegives us the chance to build theinfrastructure and communityservices that so often cannotbe provided in smallerdevelopments.

“A key feature of our plans forSibson is to create housing thatmeets the needs of local people

and can be reserved for them.We would include starter homesfor young people who often can’tafford to live in the villages theywere born in and bungalows orsmaller houses for older peoplewho don’t need the family homeany more but want to continue tolive in the neighbourhood.

“We share the government’sview that garden villages couldmake a significant contribution tosolving the country’s housingcrisis, providing attractive andaccessible places for people tolive and work. The creation ofnew settlements offers theopportunity to build infrastructureand services from the start and create sustainable, vibrant communities.”

A website with details of theExpression of Interest has been launched –www.sibsongardenvillage.com.

The government will announcewhich sites it has chosen aspotential locations for gardenvillages later this year. If Sibson isselected, the council andLarkfleet Homes would workclosely with local people andbusinesses to develop theproposals in more detail and toaddress the issues andopportunities that have beenidentified. We would then jointlydecide whether to submit aformal planning application,potentially in late 2017.

Garden village plans go

Experts decrisis solutExperts on planning, developmentand building gathered inPeterborough to discuss solutionsto the nation’s ‘housing crisis’ – theshortage of homes caused by thefact that the UK is not buildingenough new properties to meet theneeds of a growing population.

The event was the second in anannual series of conferencesorganised by The Larkfleet Group of Companies.

Speakers included Lord MatthewTaylor, president of the NationalAssociation of Local Councils, SimonMachen who is corporate director ofPeterborough City Council, and TimWatton, technical director of planningconsultancy RPS.

Lord Taylor spoke of the possibilitythat new garden villages couldbecome a ‘third leg’ of developmentalongside redevelopment of formerindustrial land and additions toexisting urban settlements. Hestressed the potential benefits ofgarden villages for permitting thefunding of infrastructure such asschools and community facilities aspart of building new sustainablecommunities. He welcomed the factthat the government had embracedthis concept and that garden villagesare now part of national housingpolicy following an announcement inthe budget in March of this year.

He told the conference: “Gardenvillages create long term investmentopportunities aligned todevelopment of social infrastructure.By aligning the economic interests of

ST


7

As part of our plans toexpand into the South Westof England with the launchof Larkfleet Homes SouthWest we have made a newsenior appointment.

Leading the team for theSouth West will be head ofconstruction Shaune Hicks.

He will be advising onfuture land purchases andbuilding strategies for thenew company and will bemanaging the day-to-dayoperation of projects. He hasgained valuable experiencein similar roles, most recentlywith Taylor Wimpey Exeterand previously with CrestNicholson SW.

Meanwhile, on the farside of the country,

Larkfleet Homes Norfolk and Suffolk is extending our activities from the furthest west to the furthesteast of England.

Adrian Evans, jointmanaging director ofLarkfleet Homes, said: “Weare delighted to welcomeShaune to the team.

"Larkfleet Homes is at avery exciting stage ofdevelopment with our initialplans for growth announcedlate last year now coming tofruition right across thecountry. We look forward toworking with Shaune on ourfirst sites in the South West atthe same time as we areannouncing our firstdevelopments in Norfolk.”

New South West plans

■ Larkfleet Homes South West hasestablished an office in Exeter and can becontacted on 01392 314050 or [email protected].

Shaune Hicks, head of construction for Larkfleet Homes South West.

o on show

debate housingutions

builders, government and residents,they can make a substantialcontribution to solving the housing crisis.”

Simon Machen talked aboutseveral innovative new initiativesthat Peterborough City Council isundertaking to encourage thebuilding of new homes which is, he said, the only long-term solutionto meeting the housing needs of the city.

He told the conference: “Localauthorities need to move beyondtheir traditional roles as regulators ofthe planning and developmentsystem to become facilitators – andeven developers – in order to meetthe needs of their communities.”

Tim Watton talked of the impactsof new planning legislation and thetension between neighbourhoodplans drawn up by localcommunities – which now have astatutory role in the planning system– and the need for local councils to

meet targets for house building.Karl Hick, CEO of The Larkfleet

Group of Companies who openedthe conference, said: “It was a veryinteresting event with some livelyquestions from an expert audience.”

More than 70 people attendedincluding councillors and officersfrom several local authorities,architects, planners, builders,surveyors andothers involvedin the housingindustry.

Lord Matthew Taylorspeaking at the Larkfleet conference.

Speakers at the Larkfleet conference – left to right: Simon Machen (Peterborough City Council),Tim Watton (RPS), Lord Matthew Taylor, Karl Hick (CEO, The Larkfleet Group of Companies).



8 Larkfleet l The Review l Autumn 2016

On site

Larkfleet Homes and Allison Homescontinue to expand their operations with homes being sold in more and more places.

As this issue of Larkfleet Review went to press we were selling on sites in Eye and Thorney (both nearPeterborough), Weldon(Northamptonshire), Stamford, Baston and Bourne in Lincolnshire, Hempsted (in Peterborough), Oakham (Rutland) andWhittlesey (Cambridgeshire).

Within the next few weeks we will bestarting sales on sites in Doddington(Cambridgeshire), Greetham (Rutland) and Colsterworth and Pinchbeck in Lincolnshire.

We have new developments andplanning applications in a number of areasincluding the South West of England andNorfolk, through our two new brands,Larkfleet Homes South West and Larkfleet

Homes Norfolk and Suffolk.Larkfleet Homes South West has started

work on a new development of 44 housesin Creech St Michael. Larkfleet Norfolkand Suffolk has submitted an applicationfor more than 900 new homes with aproportion of affordable housing in Beccles, Suffolk.

In order to boost the number of affordablehomes that we can develop we have linkedwith Heylo Housing, a residential propertycompany which is backed by a localauthority pension fund investment. Larkfleet has signed a five year contract todeliver affordable shared ownership homesacross the country. Initially, the agreementcovers our key operational areas ofLincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Rutlandbut both parties recognise the potential ofexpanding the contract to link with our plansto expand across the south west, Norfolkand Suffolk.

Computer generated image of Doddington Grange.

Computer generated image of Parson’s Prospect.

Larkfleet continudevelopment for

Elevatinghouse tobeat floodriskThe Larkfleet Group of Companies hasapplied for planning permission to build anexperimental house that could rise on jacksabove flood waters. If tests are successfulthe house could provide a model thatwould enable housebuilding on thousandsof sites across the UK which at presentcannot be developed because of the riskof flooding.

If planning permission is granted by SouthHolland District Council, Larkfleet plans tobuild a three-bedroom detached house inWeston Hills, near Spalding, Lincolnshire thatcan be raised up to 1.5 metres above groundlevel by eight mechanical jacks.

Work on constructing the house, which willsit on a steel ring beam in place ofconventional foundations, could begin earlyin 2017. Experiments with raising andlowering the house – including testing long-term maintenance and operation of thejacking system – will run for up to five years.

Because the house will be of modularsteel-frame design it can then bedisassembled and re-erected on anothersite on conventional foundations as a family residence.

It is anticipated that houses of this designwould be jacked up well ahead of the arrivalof flood waters, based on advance warningsfrom organisations such as the EnvironmentAgency. However, the mechanical jackingsystem – powered by a central motor, gearbox and drive shafts – could lift the 65 tonnehouse to the full 1.5 metre height aboveground in less than five minutes.

Rooftop solar panels and a battery wouldprovide the house with some continuingelectricity supply when raised above theground and the water and sewage wouldremain connected through flexible hoses.However, it is not envisaged that residentswould remain in occupation during floods.Instead, the householders would pack up,lock up and jack up the home before takingrefuge in temporary accommodation onhigher ground elsewhere.



nues to invest in research andor new housing.

Karl Hick, CEO of The Larkfleet Group ofCompanies, said: “The elevating houseeffectively eliminates the risk of flood damageto homes so that more land across thecountry can be approved for future homebuilding. This will help to tackle the ‘housingcrisis’ that is being caused by the demand fornew housing far exceeding the supply.”

UK and international patents for the‘elevating house’ are pending.

Larkfleet is a partner in a company that has submitted a planning application for anew community of more than 200 homes on the shores of a lake in Theale,Berkshire – including 24 flood-resilient ‘can-float’ homes.

The lake forms part of the flood attenuation system for the area and water levelscould rise considerably in certain conditions. In the event of the level of water in thelake rising above the shore line the ‘can float’ houses do just that – rising with thewaters like giant house boats.

As well as housing, the development proposals include a new sailing club andareas for nature conservation.

Plan submitted for ‘can-float’ houses

‘Grid neutral’housingLarkfleet Homes is fitting out one of thenew houses it is building at BourneHeights in Lincolnshire with a series oftechnological innovations to make it a‘grid neutral’ dwelling – it will generateall the electrical power it needs.

Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells on the roofof the house and conservatory willprovide electricity even on cloudy daysand the power that they produce will bestored in a battery pack in the garage ofthe house. The battery will provide powerat night, when the sun is not shining, andduring the day at times of peak demand.

It will also provide power to charge anelectric car in the garage overnight.

At times of peak sunshine, electricityfrom the PV panels will be used to heatwater in addition to powering domesticappliances. Excess power will beexported to the grid. During winter thehouse will draw from the grid – but over ayear as a whole will export as much (ormore) electricity as it imports.

As well as generating power thetechnology in the house will minimise itsuse with high levels of insulation andenergy-efficient appliances and lightingbeing installed.

Larkfleet company architect MarkCroker said: “The objective is to take astandard Larkfleet house and make itself-sufficient in electricity.”

However, the new technology beingtested in the house extends beyondenergy to water conservation. Among the‘gadgets’ that will be installed is a smartwater meter which will – among otherthings – turn off water at the mains if itdetects unusual flow patterns thatindicate a leak. Another gadget will detectthe water level in a bath or basin and turnoff the taps to prevent flooding if theyhave been left unattended.

The water-related technology alsoincludes a heat exchanger which will takeenergy from waste bath water and use itto heat fresh water.



Computer generated image of Whittlesey Green.

Larkfleet company Lark Energy has expertise in a range of renewable energytechnologies, including solar photovoltaics (PV) and biomass. It is a majordeveloper of solar farms and roof-top solar panel systems for warehouses,factories and other large buildings.

Lark Energy has expanded into newpremises with all its staff moving intoSouthfield House, the office blockadjacent to Larkfleet House,headquarters of the Larkfleet Group ofCompanies in Bourne, Lincolnshire.

Originally based in premises in MarketDeeping, Lark Energy’s expansion hadseen different divisions of the businessmove into different locations toaccommodate growing staff numbers.Now they have all been brought togetheragain under one roof.

Karl Hick, CEO of The Larkfleet Group ofCompanies, said: “This is a great stepforward for Lark Energy. The company hasmade large strides and has grown from

nothing to more than 50 staff in just overfive years.

“We are delighted that we have foundpremises in Bourne. Larkfleet has beenbased in the town for many years, so forLark Energy to move closer to ‘home’ isparticularly pleasing.”

Although still relatively young, LarkEnergy has already won a number ofawards aimed at the renewable energysector including categories at the Solar UK awards, The Solar Power PortalAwards, the Green Awards and the GreenApple Awards.

Lark Energymoves

Lark Energy has been ranked as one of thetop solar farm developers in the UK.

Solar Power Portal, a leading renewableenergy intelligence resource, carried outresearch ranking companies based on sitesthat have been brought online into the power grid or accredited. The overall rankingwas calculated by cumulative megawattsfinally connected.

Lark Energy was ranked as number five inthe top 20 solar power companies in the UK.It has been so successful because, unlikemany firms which simply administer theplanning process then sell ‘shovel-readysites’, Lark Energy does everything from earlydevelopment to the engineering,procurement and construction (EPC) work.

For example, Lark Energy Generationrecently built solar PV installations of 1.1 MWon two former landfill sites in North Wales.They were constructed in record time andsuccessfully employed innovative technologyand designs for what would have previouslybeen unfeasible sites, given extremely hillyterrain and the inability to penetrate much intothe ground because the landfill’s cappingmembrane had to be fully protected.

Lark Energy Generation is also developingtailored gas-fired CHP embedded generationproducts and services which deliverexceptional cost and carbon savings.

Lark Energyin top five

Ketton Solar Farm 12 MWp



Renewable energy technologydeveloped by Lark Energy is tobe the subject of a researchpaper being written by leadingacademics.

Dubbed ‘solar steam’, theLarkfleet technologyconcentrates the power of thesun’s rays to heat water to createsteam which can be used as asustainable energy solution inindustrial processes.

As part of a KnowledgeTransfer Partnership (KTP)researchers based at LarkEnergy and Cranfield Universityare exploring the possibilities ofthe new technology. The resultsof their research will besubmitted to peer-reviewedacademic journals for publicationlater this year.

KTPs enable businesses toimprove their productivity andcompetitiveness throughgovernment-funded partnershipswith colleges and universities. A KTP is a three way partnershipbetween the business, anacademic institution and a recentgraduate. The recent graduate isemployed at the business andbrings new skills and knowledge.

The academic institutionbenefits by having involvement inresearch projects and thepublication of research papers.The business gains access toacademic expertise that itwouldn’t normally have in-house.

Dr Christopher Sansom,

Associate Professor inConcentrating Solar Power (CSP)at Cranfield University, said: “AnInnovate UK funded KTP is anexcellent opportunity for anacademic institution and acompany to not only solvecurrent technology problems butalso to innovate and explore newopportunities of mutual interest.

“As a result of our KTPCranfield University and LarkEnergy continue to collaborateon solar steam for industrialprocess heat, water treatment,and desalination applicationsworld-wide”.

The Lark Energy/CranfieldUniversity KTP research islooking in part into the potentialfor energy companies toincrease renewable heat inputand reduce energy costs. Forexample, industrial facilities thatuse fossil fuels to provide thethermal energy required for theirprocesses can instead install theLarkfleet solar steam collector togenerate low carbon heat.

Lark Energy's solar steamsystem works by focussing thesun’s rays through a Fresnel lens

array onto a tube which containswater. The water is heated tocreate steam which can be usedin industrial process heating andcooling applications.

The angle of the lens array canbe adjusted through a verticalaxis to track the sun and is seatedon a circular track which allowsthe array also to follow the sun’sprogress horizontally across thesky. By tracking in both planes,the system maintains maximumlevels of solar radiationconcentrated on the tubes.

Simone Perini, Cranfield KTPgraduate and renewable energydevelopment engineer at LarkEnergy, said: “Solar steam buildson existing ideas about usingsolar radiation to generate heatand takes them a step further.

“Our research is looking into how solar steam can have a positive impact on thegeneration of sustainable andrenewable heat.”

■ A new website -www.solarsteam.co.uk - hasbeen set up specifically toprovide news of the project.

Solar steam generatesacademic interest

“Our research is looking into howsolar steam can have a positiveimpact on the generation ofsustainable and renewable heat.”

Simone Perini and the Lark Energy solar steam rig at Larkfleet’s headquarters in Bourne.

Generatingpower –and moneyA unique project built by LarkEnergy has started to generaterenewable power – and moneyfor the residents of Swindon.

The Swindon Community Solarfarm in Wroughton wasdeveloped by Public PowerSolutions (PPS), a companywholly owned by SwindonBorough Council. The solar farmwas built on low grade farm landowned by the council.

Lark Energy was appointed tomanage and build the solar farmwhich has now been connectedto the grid. It can generateenough electricity to supply theequivalent of 1,200 typicalhomes and save around 2,000tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.The site will be managed topromote biodiversity, with theland around the panelsremaining in agricultural use and with sheep grazing for partof the year.

Paul Adams of Lark Energysaid: “This is exactly the sort ofproject Lark Energy is keen to beinvolved in.

“We were able to offerour extensive experienceand expertise in theconstruction of this largesolar farm project, whichwill ultimately benefit thelocal community in anumber of ways.”

Uniquely, this project hasbeen funded by a blend ofpublic sector and communityinvestment devised by PPS. The£4.8 million construction cost ofthe project was met by a £3million investment from SwindonBorough Council plus £1.8million raised from directinvestment from the publicthrough 'Council Solar Bonds'structured by AbundanceInvestment. In future, 65 per centof the distributable profits fromthe solar farm will go towardsfunding local communityinitiatives, with the rest going tothe council.

Lark Energy is involved in anumber of large-scale solar farmprojects throughout the UK.



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Larkfleet HouseFalcon WayBourneLincolnshire PE10 0FF

Telephone: 01778 391550Email: [email protected]

www.larkfleetgroup.co.uk

...better, because we care

Supporting GPUTCThe Larkfleet Group ofCompanies is a majorsupporter of training initiatives,not just through our ownapprenticeship and graduaterecruitment programmes butalso through support for localcolleges and sponsorship of the Greater PeterboroughUniversity Technical College (GPUTC).

We are now working closelywith GPUTC, a brand newtechnical education facility atthe Park Crescent campus inPeterborough. The state-of-the-art facility opened in Septemberthis year and houses separateengineering and constructionworkshops, science andcomputer labs as well as socialand communal areas.

We are one of only three local‘employer sponsors’ and havebeen involved right from theoutset of the project, donatingboth cash and expertise to helpget the college started.

Larkfleet CEO Karl Hick sitson the college steering group.Investing in the future of theconstruction industry by

supporting local young peoplekeen to take their first steps hasalways been part of Larkfleet’sethos and this partnershiptakes this to the next stage.

90 students from GPUTCrecently visited a number ofindustry-related sites withLarkfleet as part of our ongoingcommitment to support thetraining of the next generationof construction professionals.

Their tour included a LarkfleetHomes housing site in

Oakham, the Larkfleet offices inBourne and a solar farm atHanson Cement works whichwas built by Lark Energy, part ofThe Larkfleet Group ofCompanies. Hanson also gavethe students a tour of thecement works.

The visits offered studentsthe opportunity to develop theirinterest in engineering orbuilding and the specialismsin which they would like to advance.

Investing inthe futureLarkfleet Homes continues toinvest in the future of theconstruction industry with itslatest intake of youngapprentices.

As part of a CITB(Construction Industry TrainingBoard) apprenticeship scheme,Larkfleet is helping threebudding young constructionstudents gain invaluableexperience whilst they study.

All three apprentices will work with Larkfleet’s sub-contractors on developmentsacross the East of England andEast Midlands.

Larkfleet Homes jointmanaging director Helen Hickcommented:

“Larkfleet is committed toinvesting in the future of youngpeople and has been runningconstruction apprenticeships formany years. I am delighted thatwe are able to help thesestudents gain on-site experienceand expertise, which will givethem an excellent start to theircareers in construction.”

Larkfleet Homes has appointedHelen Hick to the new post ofjoint managing director.

Helen has been instrumentalin the running and growth of thebusiness since its inception.This new appointmentacknowledges the depth of herexperience and knowledge, not only as part of the companybut also within the industry as a whole.

Helen is a key player on theteam at Larkfleet having helpedhusband, Karl, create andestablish Larkfleet. Her previousrole was human resources and

office management director buther brief has always been farreaching and included manyinformal aspects which have notnecessarily been covered by ajob title. For example, herintuitive eye for design and stylemeans she has created a roleas the interior designer for all ofLarkfleet Homes’ show homes.Helen's 'opposite number' asjoint managing director ofLarkfleet Homes is Adrian Evanswho joined the company lastyear after 15 years as managingdirector of Persimmon Homes,East Midlands Division.

New joint MDSince the previous edition ofLarkfleet Review we havebeen delighted to welcomeseveral new senior staffincluding:

• Neil Dallamore andEmma Rafaluk at Lark Energy.

• Daryl Kirkland, Sam Hart,Alex Powell, Hannah Guyand David Morris at Larkfleet Homes.

• Mark Eustace at The Larkfleet Group of Companies.

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leading by example · awards hat trick parson’s prospects’ award winning show home. helen hick,...

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