MP Luke Hall

MP Luke Hall switches on EV charging network at new Thornbury housing development

The Electric Vehicle (EV) charging network for a brand-new community in South Gloucestershire was switched on today by local MP Luke Hall.

Almost two thirds of the new homes now being built at David Wilson Homes' Morton Meadows, Thornbury, will have their own EV charge point.

Luke Hall, MP for Thornbury and Yate, has been campaigning for more electric car charging points across South Gloucestershire and today became the first person to connect a vehicle to the network at the new development.

Morton Meadows will deliver 130 much-needed new homes on the outskirts of Thornbury including 46 affordable homes. Offering a full range of homes from three, four and five-bedroom houses to one and two-bedroom apartments, the development also includes eight acres of public open space, a large play area and new allotments for residents. More than 200 trees will be planted on and around the site. Switching on the new network for the first time, Luke commented:

"I'm delighted to be able to switch on the new EV charging network here at Morton Meadows today which will ensure that almost two thirds of the people who move here will have the option to use electric vehicles, improving air quality and reducing our impact on the environment."

The first show homes at Morton Meadows opened earlier this month and the community now under construction is already proving hugely popular with more than 1500 people registering their interest, one of the highest registration rates for a new development from David Wilson Homes South West.

With 60% of the new homes including an electric vehicle charging point, this new development is helping Barratt Developments, parent company of David Wilson Homes, deliver on its commitment to becoming the leading national sustainable housebuilder and achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

The company has also pledged that 100% of the electricity it uses will be from renewable sources by 2025 and new home designs will be net zero from 2030.

Welcoming Luke Hall to Morton Meadows, James Dunne, managing director at Barratt David Wilson Homes South West, said:

"Luke has campaigned hard for more electric car charging points across the county and we're delighted he has switched on the new network here at Morton Meadows. Offering EV chargers on new homes and developments is an important contribution in helping to tackle the climate crisis by making clean technology accessible for everyone.

"As well as EV charge points, Morton Meadows will offer large areas of open, green space, new allotments and a range of improvements and protections for wildlife, from 200 new trees to bird and bat boxes, hedgehog highways and swift nesting bricks built into homes."

Luke Hall continued, "David Wilson Homes is leading the way here, not only by adding EV charge points on so many of the homes, but in its wider commitment to sustainability and biodiversity. I look forward to watching this community grow."

To find out more about the new homes or to register your interest in visiting the new show homes click the image above.

New research shows a seismic shift in the UK workforce as a quarter of all adults make permanent lifestyle shift to have “second jobs

A new report released today from global market research agency The Mix reveals a permanent shift to side hustling in the UK, with one in four adults taking on extra jobs.

While Dolly Parton famously sang about the 9-5 in the 1980’s – the pandemic has accelerated the shift to new ways of working for many different reasons.

The desire for extra cash and a passion for being your own boss are the primary motivators for this shift in work/leisure patterns, with side hustlers spending six to fifteen hours a week on second jobs in addition to their fulltime occupation, a significant new study from The Mix reveals.

The UK is rapidly moving away from the 9-5 employment landscape that has traditionally dictated how we work, with the number taking on extra jobs soaring. The Mix’s deep exploration into the lives of side hustlers uncovered a fundamental shift in how people work in the UK spend their time outside their primary job.

Side hustlers typically displayed a determination to work in the evenings and get up and go on a Sunday morning rather than lazing in bed. The “Hustle” study shows many as one in four adults are engaging in part-time money marking activities in addition to their primary job.

Over a quarter of these (26%) have set up crafts style businesses through social media sites and selling on online marketplaces. Some 27% focus on wealth building by day trading or dealing in shares, forex or cryptocurrency. 20% are monetising digital and online services; 19% are involved in service/retail and delivery. 15% in health, food, beauty and wellness schemes; 13% in writing blogs or making podcasts. 10% have taken up odd jobs such as labouring or gardening. This seismic shift to a quarter of the working population will profoundly impact how this new demographic interacts with business and brands.

While side hustles used to be male-dominated, women are increasingly involved with over 62% starting up in the past two years. Women are also more likely to have more than one side hustle (51% female vs 41% male).

The majority of side hustlers are motivated by money. Almost half of 35-54-year-olds say they want to make “lots of money”, while the over 55s enjoy the extra income that this work brings.

However, for many others, it’s the experience that comes with being their own boss, especially among 18-32-year-olds, some 32%. Enjoying connecting and making friends with like-minded people is listed as a perk by 71%.

Overall 92% say they are proud of the extra work they do and the skills they have developed though they often feel the need to hide it from their bosses, the HMRC and colleagues.

Two thirds (65%) plan to carry on with their side hustle alongside their primary job, and a fifth (21%) would like to make the extra activity a full-time job.

Gemma Mitchell, MD at The Mix, said: “In the context of side hustles, brands and businesses need to think about; audience definition, occasion spaces, communications, and brand role and purpose inside hustlers’ lives. There is a distinct lack of acknowledgement and support from big business models and the companies they work for.”

She continued, “Entrepreneurs are starting to be spoken to – but not side hustlers. Nobody talks to them, about them, for them. Side hustling remains a huge but underground struggle that deserves amplification. It’s not a career change ambition – it’s a new way of life.”

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