Insights

December is typically a time to reflect on the past year, and whilst 2020 has been very challenging for everyone, we are pleased to have welcomed three new members to our KOR team.

KOR Communications has been pleased to donate funds to the Ted Wragg Trust’s initiative to provide a library of electronic devices for hundreds of primary school children in Exeter who have not had access to online learning from home.

Leading rural insurer NFU Mutual is supporting the next generation of rural business leaders as it joins Devon Young Farmers Clubs for a new awareness campaign.

Having taken voluntary redundancy after a 37-year career in banking, Mike Richards from Tavistock in Devon was on the lookout for a sound investment opportunity and, scrolling through Facebook one day, he discovered Cavanna Homes’ show home leaseback scheme. 

A topping-out ceremony at the Ada Lovelace Building on Exeter Science Park has marked another significant milestone in the development of the South West’s leading centre for science, technology, engineering maths and medical (STEMM) businesses.

A-Level Biology students from Reading Blue Coat School have carried out their fieldwork project on the Englefield Estate, after their residential field course was cancelled due to COVID-19.

When Torbay Planning Committee voted unanimously to approve a 90 home scheme on a sensitive cliff-top site in Torquay, the “best practice” community consultation was highlighted as the reason for only a very modest number of objections.

De Beauvoir resident 91-year-old Joan Miller has been featured on billboards, hoardings and bus shelters across the globe alongside her daughter Alison Hall, as part of an international campaign to share love and support.

After more than four years, it looks as if the vision for a Greater Exeter Strategic Plan is dead in the water because at least one of the four partner councils involved has pulled the plug.

Expert local craftsmen are keeping tradition alive in Kent as they revive and restore the iconic red Kent peg tiles which adorn several of the listed buildings on the Hadlow Estate.

Exeter Science Park has been awarded £5 million from the Government’s national ‘Getting Building’ fund to develop its ‘Grow-out Building’ for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in science, technology, engineering, maths and medical (STEMM) sectors.

As lockdown restrictions are eased, the importance of having access to open spaces has never been more apparent, and now a unique photography project is aiming to tap into people’s new or long-held associations with the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths.

When the Covid-19 lockdown was announced in March, retired lawyer Jan Lewis thought that the move to her dream home in Devon was turning to dust.

A ceremony has been held to mark the 80th anniversary of the opening of an RAF observation post on the East Devon coast, which played a major role in World War Two weapons testing and training.

Cavanna Homes is celebrating the success of one of its Site Managers who have been awarded the National House Building Council’s (NHBC) Pride in the Job Award which recognises extraordinary talent in the industry.

From carrot birthday cakes to David Attenborough style video updates, staff at the Bank Farm Livery Stables in Tudeley, Kent, have been going the extra mile for the horses in their care – and their owners – during the Covid-19 lockdown.

As coronavirus changes life as we know it, residents in the East Devon village of Beer have been proving how their unbreakable community spirit is helping them to cope with the crisis.

Four young sisters from Exeter are streaming their own Children’s Liturgy services on the internet while their local church is closed during the coronavirus crisis.

More than 680,000 bees are on a unique spring break at the Hadlow Estate in Kent to help it get the very best from its fruit orchards.

Clinton Devon Estates has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of Ben Rudkin as Chief of Staff and Sam Briant-Evans as Farms Manager of the Clinton Devon Farms Partnership.

Work on the new Ada Lovelace Building at Exeter Science Park has begun – 20,000 square foot speculative office and laboratory space.

The Cavanna Group has announced three new appointments to its Board of Directors, completing a ten year succession plan for the family business which was established in 1923 in Torquay.

The signing of contracts to build two new hotels in Paignton marks the latest stage in the Fragrance Group’s multi-million-pound investment in Torbay. The contracts, signed with Midas Construction, are to develop the sites of the former Park Hotel and Lighthouse club.

Lord Clinton has unveiled a plaque to mark 100 years since the formation of the Forestry Commission, in the same North Devon woodland his great grandfather planted the first Forestry Commission tree in 1919.

Hundreds of young people teamed up with the Englefield Estate to plant more than 1,000 new trees, helping tackle climate change and creating fresh habitats for wildlife.

Men whose names are inscribed on a memorial cross in Otterton are again being honoured as each has his name on one of 16 new timber memorial waymarkers being put in place across the parish.

The 2019 Housebuilder Awards saw Cavanna Homes named Medium Housebuilder of the Year, recognising the firm’s strong commitment to “building brilliance”.

Devon and Cornwall Police, Devon’s Trading Standards Service and leading rural insurer NFU Mutual have joined forces to launch a campaign to tackle “cold calling” criminals at farms across the region.

Rare butterflies have enjoyed a bumper summer on the Hampshire, West Berkshire border following habitat improvement work by the Englefield Estate’s forestry team.

Clinton Dairy has set up a 24/7 milk vending machine at Otterton Mill visitor centre, less than 2km away, in an effort to reduce food miles, waste, and connect the farm with the local community.

A ribbon cutting ceremony has marked the opening of Cavanna Homes’ most prestigious development to date, Cavanna @ Wolborough Hill in Newton Abbot.

Leading UK veterinary pathology firm, The Veterinary Pathology Group (VPG), is moving to Exeter Science Park following recent company growth.

Global mobile ticketing platform DICE has more than doubled its team at its head office in De Beauvoir Block in Hackney and is moving to new office space next door.

Cavanna Homes is investing in the skills of an artisan bricklayer to help define the character of its homes and developments, in turn, helping to keep the ancient craft of stonemasonry alive.

A Devon landowner has praised a husband and wife for their dedication as River Otter bird wardens for almost 30 years and the role they’ve played in reviving a rare species of bird.

With goat meat tipped as a future food trend, third generation farmers James and Lucy Hewison are diversifying into rearing their very first herd of Boer goats at their tenant farm on the Englefield Estate in Berkshire.

The owner of Queen’s Award-winning, Devon-based “LittlePod” which exports its real vanilla products worldwide, has described the importance to small businesses of firm foundations and future proofing, especially with the uncertainty of Brexit.

Volunteers from across East Devon have joined forces to plant a hedge to create a natural “bat corridor” to help boost populations of rare bats near Beer.

Global life sciences and healthcare software company, Seedata, has more than doubled its workforce at Exeter Science Park and is moving into bigger office space on the site.

Lord Clinton performed a ribbon-cutting to mark the official opening of Cavanna Homes’ new show home at Alfred’s Gate in the East Devon village of Newton Poppleford, near Sidmouth.

A consortium of Dartmoor farmers has signed its first major supermarket deal with Morrisons to stock Dartmoor lamb in 10 of its flagship South West stores.

A turf cutting ceremony has marked the start of building work at Cavanna Homes’ latest development, Barley Meadow in Dawlish, which will be connected to the town centre with a new cycle path being funded by the homebuilder.

Devon horse riders have joined forces with conservationists to encourage fellow equestrians to be more aware of nature, wildlife and people when they visit one of Britain’s rare, protected lowland heathlands near Exeter.

An Exeter start-up company is working with regional and national experts on a project aiming to help cut CO2 emissions in cities across the world.

Two alpaca farmers from Ilfracombe have transformed a disused, centuries-old threshing barn into luxury, disabled-friendly holiday accommodation.

In little over three years, Exmouth’s Liverton Solar Park has generated a massive 20 million kilowatt hours of electricity – enough energy for 1,522 years of television.

Hundreds of young farmers in Cornwall braved the first rain of the summer for their annual County Rally.

An Exeter University research project exploring the links between environment and health and wellbeing has revealed that the economic value of the Heaths…

Restoration work is about to begin at a 2,500-year-old Iron Age hill fort in East Devon.

Exeter Science Park has celebrated another key milestone with a topping out ceremony at its new buildings, named by local students after three of history’s most inspirational scientists.

Of the 20 homebuilders nationally who have been awarded the five star award this year, only six, including Cavanna Homes, have retained the highest accolade for six years.

Clinton Devon Estates have been working with the Devon Mammal Group to train volunteers to survey for harvest mice.

As part of the fledgling Open Art initiative, 25 largescale paintings, based on the theme ‘love and loss’ are being displayed on construction hoarding boards surrounding the Kingsland Road development.

A major Devon landowner has been presented with the prestigious Client of the Year Award at this year’s Landscape Institute Awards, at a ceremony hosted by bestselling author Bill Bryson.

Exmouth’s Liverton Solar Park is producing enough electricity to power more than 1,200 homes.

The largest South West-based independent homebuilder, Cavanna Homes, has appointed Keith Miller as its Managing Director to lead the company to its 100th anniversary and beyond.

More than 30 Exeter firms joined representatives from the Department of International Trade (DIT) and Exeter City Council to discuss the potential for new markets post-Brexit.

MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch Meg Hillier has unveiled a commemorative plaque at the official opening of Hackney’s new creative business hub, the De Beauvoir Block.

Tenders are being invited from entrepreneurial farmers interested in a once-in-a-generation opportunity to become a tenant farmer on the spectacular East Devon Jurassic Coast.

A specialist conservation architecture firm is challenging fledgling designers to create a bijou bat box suitable for a historic or listed building.

In a fortuitous turn of fate, a latter-day team of architects and urban designers decided to move into an Exeter city centre building originally occupied by one of their industry forefathers, for the same reason.

A disruptive software company which aims to revolutionise the holiday homes rentals industry is the latest fast-growth, high tech firm to move into Exeter Science Park Centre.

The rising demand for Map Marketing’s handiwork both on home soil and across the Atlantic, has played a big part in the company’s decision to relocate its head office from London to Exeter.

The FAB Project will link the national electricity grids of Britain and France with the aim of increasing energy security, cutting consumers’ bills, and enabling greater use of greener, low-carbon electricity.

For many years, Englefield Estate has served as an outdoor classroom to inspire countless school children about what it takes to run a modern rural estate.

Members of the public are being given the chance to learn more about proposals for the future shape of the Lower Otter Estuary.

More than 90 years after Philip Cavanna started the homebuilding business which bears his name, members of the Cavanna family are still helping to shape the company’s future.

Clinton Devon Estates has appointed Kim Strawbridge as Site Manager of the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths (EDPH)

For almost 140-years, the sixth-generation family business Halse South West, has been supplying farm machinery to Westcountry farmers.

Halse South West has celebrated the opening of its new headquarters after a historic move from the company’s former base in Honiton town centre which was its home for 75 years.

Kier Construction has been awarded the contract to develop two new ‘grow-on’ buildings at Exeter Science Park.

The Board of Exeter Science Park has announced the appointment of Dr Sally Basker as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Dr Basker will take up the new role on 3rd April.

Insurance industry software specialist, BAAC, is opening a new office in Exeter, following the Managing Director’s relocation from South Africa.

Nestling in the heart of the beautiful North Devon countryside, Holsworthy has hosted markets which have drawn people to the town for hundreds of years.

The SWCSC and the Force prepare to hold a joint cyber-security conference, bringing together experienced and qualified cyber security experts.

Two architects at the LHC Architecture + Urbanism studio in Exeter have joined the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Conservation Register.

A pharmaceutical software provider for the NHS has relocated to the Exeter Science Park Centre following considerable business growth.

South west born identical twins Justin and Robbie Holt have ditched their London lifestyles and moved back to Exeter.

Raising the profile of one of the region’s top conservation practices

The FAB project aims to provide a way of transmitting reliable and predictable low-carbon electricity to both the UK and France.

This morning, on the site of the tallest building in Plymouth and over a cup of builder’s tea and a bacon roll, the KOR team co-ordinated the launch of Step in Step up – a 12 month project to fast-track 24 “career changers” into key posts in the South West’s booming construction industry.

The future of 44 historic alms houses in the centre of Exeter is secured as a multi-million pound restoration project reaches the halfway point.