Blog
PEDAL POWER: TEAM HL SET TO CYCLE 100 MILES THROUGH THE MIDLANDS AS VÉLO BIRMINGHAM RETURNS
Team HL will be channelling their pedal power this weekend as they take part in Vélo Birmingham and Midlands. A five-strong contingent from the business will take to the saddle on Sunday as they cycle 100 miles from and back to Birmingham, through a host of surrounding and towns and… Read More
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS: RICS SERVICE CHARGES IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY – PROFESSIONAL STATEMENT EFFECTIVE FROM 1ST APRIL 2019
This week, The RICS Service Charges in Commercial Property, 1st Edition, replaced the existing RICS Service Charge Code. This new mandatory document is a professional statement setting out requirements and core principles that must be followed by landlords and their managing agents. The Royal Institution… Read More
IMPROVING ECOLOGICAL VALUE VIA BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN
Miles Haslam, of our Environmental department, on the importance of biodiversity net-gain. Following Chancellor Philip Hammond’s pledge to implement legislation requiring developers to deliver biodiversity net-gain through all projects in his 2019 Spring Statement, our ecologists are attending a series of training events this year. These… Read More
COULD WE REALLY BE ON THE WAY TO REALISING A REFORM OF THE BUSINESS RATES SYSTEM?
Last week saw something we have been hoping for a long time; an inquiry was launched by the Treasury Committee to look into how the Government’s Business rates policies have affected business. Of course, it’s rather long overdue – Business Rating professionals throughout the industry have been pleading for… Read More
WET AND WILD(LIFE)
Rob Harrison, Principal Ecologist, on an important ecological event… We’re just a couple of weeks away from a pretty important day in the environmental calendar. World Wetlands Day takes place on Saturday February 2nd February, raising awareness for this vital ecosystem. The global awareness day aims to heighten appreciation… Read More
ECO-WATCH: WHAT DEVELOPERS NEED TO KNOW AND DO ABOUT WILDLIFE ON-SITE
From bats to badgers and nesting birds to newts; there are a whole host of protected species (26,427, in fact!)* that can delay development plans, should they not be identified and rehomed properly. Turning a blind eye to the presence of Great Crested Newts on a piece… Read More
MEET THE NEWBIES
Harris Lamb has been on the recruitment trail in recent weeks, having welcomed a host of new faces to the team – and one familiar one. Since launching its Environmental Department in February this year, the business has been inundated with projects, and Dr Holly Smith has… Read More
WE WILL NEVER, EVER FORGET
Neil Harris on a weekend to Remember. Marking 100 years since the end of WWI, last weekend was an opportunity to remember and commemorate those who fought, and those who lost their lives between 1914 and 1918. Myself and Andy (Lamb) spent the armistice centenary… Read More
BIODIVERSITY IMPACT CALCULATIONS EXPLAINED
Principal Ecologist Rob Harrison reports on the recent Biodiversity Impact Calculations course run by Balfour Beatty on behalf of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM): Biodiversity Impact Calculations are a useful tool for determining how development impacts natural resource. It provides… Read More
A Crash Course in Crayfish
Our Principal Ecologist Rob Harrison attended the SureScreen Scientifics Ltd Crayfish Conference last week. The conference included technical talks on a technique using environmental DNA to test whether crayfish are present in a watercourse. Presentations were provided on… Read More
Three Jump Into The Saddle for Pledge 150
Eat your heart our Bradley Wiggins: While most of us are putting on more layers and deciding that it’s time to put on the heating and stay indoors, three of Harris Lamb’s more sporting team players donned their cycle gear and helmets this week to hit the road in an… Read More
BACK ON THE TRAINING TRAIL…
Last weekend saw the Worcester City 10k run, and as usual, our resident road runner Fiona Mellor donned her trainers to take to the streets. One of 2,200 people taking part in the event, Fiona completed the course in 55 minutes. L-R, Fiona,… Read More
BATS AND BUILDINGS
SURVEY SEASON IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE With just one month left of the core bat activity season, developers have just a matter of weeks to seek surveys ahead of submitting planning applications requiring the demolition of buildings this year. As a European protected species, local authorities can require bat surveys… Read More
FANCY (ISH) FOOTWORK HELPS RAISE £1,200 FOR DUDLEY MIND
Okay, so the England Roses probably don’t have much to worry about YET, but this week saw Team HL make its netball debut in the Higgs & Sons mixed charity tournament. Our eight-strong squad (L-R: Simon, Tom, Olivia, Fiona, John, Alex, Holly and Suzi) was one of… Read More
FANCY FOOTWORK FOR A GREAT CAUSE
This week saw Harris Lamb compete in the Higgs & Sons charity football tournament in aid of Dudley Mind. The event raised a massive £10,000 and saw 43 teams take part. Captain Tom Morley (or Tomaldo as we’re calling him this week) reports: We were in… Read More