Turner & Townsend secures two Dutch wins

expat network

Turner & Townsend secures two Dutch wins

BNG Bank has appointed Turner & Townsend as technical advisor on two major building projects that the bank is financing in the Netherlands.

The consultancy will be working closely with BNG Bank on a public-private partnership (PPP) project for a new town hall for the Municipal Council of Westland – the first partnership of its kind in the Netherlands. In an advisory role, Turner & Townsend will also provide financial risk assessment for the development of student accommodation at the Delft University of Technology.

The financing structure the Westland Town Hall will support the build and maintainance of the building over 25-year period. This will also include monitoring performance over the duration of the project. Under the construction plans, the town hall will consist of two buildings – covering approximately 6,000m² each – and house services including a civic centre and archives. The work is due to be completed in 2017.

The Delft University campus project, which starts at the end of the year, consists of a two-phase, 36,000m² development. The initial phase will comprise the redevelopment of various existing buildings into student apartments and a supermarket, bar and restaurant, coffee corner and medical centre. The second phase will be the development of 565 high-rise student apartments.

Ferry Pankras of BNG Bank said: “As a long-term investor in PPP projects, we value the PPP and commercial transaction expertise Turner & Townsend will bring to the table. Their extensive and professional technical knowledge will provide a vital component of our internal credit proposals.

“Turner & Townsend has a clear picture of what a financier needs to know about the technical aspects of building, road or other public infrastructural work, including the associated maintenance and facility management. We like their pragmatic view and we believe our clients appreciate this approach as well.’’

Source and Link: The Construction Index

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.