The gas distribution networks (GDNs) will be given an additional £17.6 million expenditure allowance to deliver 18 per cent more fuel-poor connections during the current price control. Ofgem said it will allow the companies the additional expenditure, but as the scheme is self-financing, insisted this will have a neutral impact
UK Construction Week is just days away and a raft of heavyweight industry players have signed up to attend the inaugural show. Taking place from 6 – 11 October (with trade only days from 6 – 8 October) at the NEC in Birmingham, UK Construction Week has attracted tens of
Dow Schofield Watts (“DSW”), the leading specialist professional advisory and equity finance firm, is delighted to announce the appointment of Jeff Gardner as a Director in its Transaction Services team. He will be based in the Yorkshire & North East office. Jeff qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC in 2002 and
Stockport Homes is celebrating ten successful years of managing council housing on behalf of Stockport Council. The arm’s length management organisation (ALMO) was launched to improve Stockport’s housing stock in 2005, and surprised much of the housing sector by achieving a three-star rating from the Audit Commission in 2006, the
Procter Automatic Gates, a UK leader in the design, manufacture and installation of automatic swing, sliding, telescopic and bi-folding gates, is supporting Gate Safety Week (12-18 October 2015). This annual initiative by the Powered Gate Group of the DHF (Door and Hardware Federation) raises public awareness of the dangers of
A FORMER hosiery factory in Nottingham is being transformed into a new hub for the creative industries, including providing a new home for its anchor tenant – international dance organisation Dance4. The new venue is set to be a spectacular base for Dance4, helping it to support local, national and
The UK’s energy system loses over half of its generated power from source to end user at a cost of £9.5 billion a year, making it one of the least efficient grids in Europe. The new findings come amid growing calls for the government to address the UK’s ‘energy productivity’
The City of London Corporation has announced that the 2016 Sustainable City Awards are now open for entries. For 14 years, the awards have celebrated and honoured outstanding contributions to sustainability across sectors as diverse as buildings, health and wellbeing, climate change and food. This year’s awards focus particularly on
AN ESSEX school that has been a decade in the making will open its doors to pupils and staff last month (September) following a multi-million pound improvement programme overseen by leading independent management, design and construction consultancy Pick Everard. Market Field School at Elmstead Market near Colchester had been nicknamed
The gas distribution networks (GDNs) will be given an additional £17.6 million expenditure allowance to deliver 18 per cent more fuel-poor connections during the current price control. Ofgem said it will allow the companies the additional expenditure, but as the scheme is self-financing, insisted this will have a neutral impact on wider customer bills. GDNs will now connect more than 90,000 fuel-poor customers to the gas grid by 2021 during RIIO-GD1, the regulator said. The changes to the fuel-poor network extension scheme follow a 13-month review by the regulator, which included a request that the GDNs resubmit their business plans for fuel-poor, and identify ways of increasing the number of households that could be connected. The scheme helps fuel poor and vulnerable households to switch to natural gas by helping towards the cost of connecting to the gas network, where this is the best solution for the eligible household. The companies collectively identified 13,753 eligible households on top of the 77,450 target connections identified in their original business plans at the outset of the current price control. Ofgem senior partner Maxine Frerk said the regulator wants network companies to continue to work more closely with suppliers and fuel poverty groups on improvements works, such as new boilers, radiators and internal pipework, to “ensure consumers get the full benefit from the new connections provided by the scheme”.
UK Construction Week is just days away and a raft of heavyweight industry players have signed up to attend the inaugural show. Taking place from 6 – 11 October (with trade only days from 6 – 8 October) at the NEC in Birmingham, UK Construction Week has attracted tens of thousands of pre-registered visitors from the likes of Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Kier Group, Morgan Sindall, BAM Construction, Laing O’Rourke, Galliford Try, Willmott Dixon, Saint Gobain, Travis Perkins, Skanska, Interserve and Amey UK to name but a few. Well-known TV presenter and architect George Clarke will also be in attendance on the first day of the show. Tradesmen visiting the free to attend event can look forward to a whole raft of benefits that will help them make more money, learn new skills and grab a bargain. Featuring exclusive deals from more than 650 of the industry’s biggest names with over 10,000 products and services on display, the event is not to be missed by anyone looking to add the latest innovations to their tool bag. Richard Morey, Group Events Director at Media 10, the event company producing UK Construction Week, commented: “We are very happy with how the event has shaped up and blown away by the support and enthusiasm from people across the entire industry. There are so many great exhibitors with some amazing new products to launch at the show, as well as plenty of exclusive deals on offer. What’s more, with the ‘learn to earn’ focus in the seminar programme construction professionals cannot afford to miss this opportunity. Roll-on next week!” Some of the 650 plus exhibitors signed up to the inaugural show include: CEMEX UK, British Gypsum, Dewalt, FIAT Professional, Nest, Metsa Wood, Case Construction, SIG Digistribution, Internorm, Indesit, Toolstation and Festool. James Fairclough, UK Submissions Manager at CEMEX, commented: “UK Construction Week offers a unique opportunity for us to showcase our latest products and solutions to a wide variety of construction professionals, indeed we have a number of exciting product launches planned for the event. The fact that UK Construction Week is backed by government is a big plus for CEMEX as we look to help solve the infrastructure and housing problems currently facing the UK through our services, helping to build a greater Britain.” Some of the exciting new product launches taking place at UK Construction Week include a revolutionary new task specific timber fixing from Joyner Bolt UK Ltd, an innovative new aluminium decking solution from Neaco, multiple additions to CEMEX UK’s ranges across the three trade days and a multi-level sealing tape for windows and doors from ISO-Chemie. In addition to industry leading exhibitors, the event’s comprehensive seminar content will concentrate on skills, practical business advice and legislation updates. Incorporated into this, the Main Stage seminar theatre will tackle the bigger and broader construction industry topics and challenges such as addressing the current skills and housing shortage. Confirmed hosts on the main stage are influential broadcast journalists John Humphrys, Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Steph McGovern. One of the keynote presentations of particular importance will be from the Head of Construction at the Cabinet Office – Dr David Hancock, who will set out parliamentary plans and policies for the construction industry over the next electoral period. Another will be from Richard Bacon MP and Chairman, All Party Parliamentary Group on Self-Build, Custom and Community House building and Place-Making, on how to tackle the housing crisis. Richard commented: “The problem with housing in the UK is that supply does not rise to meet demand.” In addition to all the opportunities to learn and trade at the show, there is also plenty of opportunity to take advantage of the whole industry coming together to relax and network. UK Construction Week will host a cocktail evening with rugby legend Austin Healey, live music and charity casino in partnership with Construction Enquirer and a beer festival to help visitors and exhibitors relax and unwind at the show. During the beer festival, Big Brother winner and tradesmen Craig Philips will present the Checkatrade Tradesman of the Year Award. Celebrating the best men and women in the industry, the winner of the award will receive a free premium membership to the Checkatrade website. Visitors will be able to attend the Build Show incorporating Civils Expo, Timber Expo, the Surface and Materials Show, Energy 2015, Kitchens & Bathrooms Live, Plant & Machinery Live, HVAC 2015, Smart Buildings 2015 and Grand Designs Live. For more information please visit www.ukconstructionweek.com or follow @UK_CW on Twitter.
Dow Schofield Watts (“DSW”), the leading specialist professional advisory and equity finance firm, is delighted to announce the appointment of Jeff Gardner as a Director in its Transaction Services team. He will be based in the Yorkshire & North East office. Jeff qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC in 2002 and is a long-standing member of the Yorkshire deal advisory community. Following seven years in PwC’s Transaction Services team Jeff joined Morrisons Plc as a Strategy Consultant in 2014. This role involved Jeff working closely with the Board and responsibilities included corporate strategy, annual planning and operational strategy. Originally established in 2008, DSW’s nine-strong Transaction Services team provides financial due diligence advisory services to a wide range of clients across the North of England on buy-side, sell-side, and refinancing transactions. Jeff joins the Yorkshire & North East Transaction Services practice established in 2014 by Rob McCarthy. DSW’s Yorkshire & North East office was set up in 2012 by former Deloitte partner, Roger Esler, providing Corporate Finance Advisory services to businesses, management teams and investors. The multi-service line office now also provides Forensic advisory led by partner Kate Beckett and VAT advisory led by partner Jacqui Wells. Tony Norwood, Corporate Finance Director, also sources and structures investment opportunities for PHD Equity Partners (“PHD”), the fund management arm of DSW, which launched its second private equity fund of £20m in late 2014. Commenting on Jeff’s arrival, Rob said: “Jeff’s appointment demonstrates our commitment to the Yorkshire and North East region as we continue to build our financial due diligence team. Jeff’s considerable deal experience reinforces our unique reputation of delivering senior led client advice in our transaction services business.” Jeff commented: “I am delighted to be joining DSW at this exciting time of growth. DSW Transaction Services has a fantastic, well established team who has proved there is a real appetite for DSW’s unique proposition in the regional market. I can’t wait to be part of this and start working closely with private equity, funders and businesses across Yorkshire and the North East.” DSW founding partner, James Dow, commented: “We are pleased to welcome someone of Jeff’s calibre and expertise to DSW. His senior hands-on industry experience and significant profile across the regional market, will build on the momentum we have achieved in our Due Diligence Services, and indeed the wider professional services we offer.” About Dow Schofield Watts Established in 2002, the corporate finance arm of Dow Schofield Watts has advised on 160 deals with a combined value of over £3.3 billion and as built an experienced team of 18 senior corporate finance professionals. Dow Schofield Watts with offices in the North West and North East of England, has a talented team of 42 professionals who provide a broad range of professional services, including corporate finance, transaction services, business recovery, management and strategy, VAT advisory, and forensic services. About Dow Schofield Watts Transaction Services Established in 2008, Dow Schofield Watts Transaction Services has swiftly become a leading provider in the Northern M&A market. The team of predominantly ex-PwC and KPMG specialist chartered accountants operates from offices in Cheshire and Leeds, and has a wealth of experience across a variety of service offerings, in particular buy-side due diligence, vendor due diligence, working capital reviews, completion accounts reviews and vendor assistance. The team provides tailored and flexible services to private equity houses, venture capitalists, acquisitive corporates, banks and asset based lenders, and have significant experience across all industry sectors. www.dswcf.com
Stockport Homes is celebrating ten successful years of managing council housing on behalf of Stockport Council. The arm’s length management organisation (ALMO) was launched to improve Stockport’s housing stock in 2005, and surprised much of the housing sector by achieving a three-star rating from the Audit Commission in 2006, the highest possible, for its excellent services and innovation. This achievement was soon followed by receiving an ‘A’ grade by regulators for its temporary accommodation schemes for homeless people in 2008 at the same time as establishing itself as a top public sector employer, something it has continuously maintained. In 2009, it became the first ALMO to build homes, completing its first new build homes in Brinnington. In 2010, Stockport Homes completed its drive to bring all homes up to the Decent Homes Standard in line with government targets, before leading the way in the use of renewable energy to heat homes through biomass and solar energy. Stockport Homes has won many awards. In 2013 was named 2nd Best Landlord in the country by 24Housing magazine, a title it renewed in 2015 after continuing its innovative contribution to helping the most vulnerable in society. Helen McHale, Chief Executive said: “I’ve been with Stockport Homes for the duration of this journey and it’s been great to see the very real difference we have made to residents in Stockport. Both our staff and customers have a lot to celebrate this October.” Stockport Homes’ Chair of Board David Wright said: “Stockport Homes really has transformed housing provision in the Borough, increasing supply and quality as well as providing more and better services for customers. Overseeing this for the last ten years, the contribution of my predecessor Roger Phillips has been remarkable and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him.”
Procter Automatic Gates, a UK leader in the design, manufacture and installation of automatic swing, sliding, telescopic and bi-folding gates, is supporting Gate Safety Week (12-18 October 2015). This annual initiative by the Powered Gate Group of the DHF (Door and Hardware Federation) raises public awareness of the dangers of using poorly installed or maintained powered gates, with the aim of preventing any further deaths or injuries. Gate safety is a priority for Procter Automatic Gates, which is a business unit within Procter Contracts, a division of Procter Bros Ltd. As a founding member of the Door and Hardware Federation’s Powered Gate Group (PGG), Procter has been at the forefront of the organisation’s drive to increase the safety of automatic gates. The PGG itself was established in response to Health & Safety Executive requests, and has since worked with the HSE to prepare a Guide to Gate Safety and develop a comprehensive training programme. Procter was one of the first companies to attain PGG Safety Assured installer status, with five personnel being certified to inspect and assess gate safety. For Gate Safety Week 2015, Procter Automatic Gates will be launching a new edition of its popular Powered Gates Risk Assessment Calculator, featuring a new facility for undertaking risk assessments on new and existing telescopic gates. The Risk Assessment Calculator is powerful yet easy to use: appropriate values are entered for each hazard’s Likelihood of Occurrence, Frequency of Exposure, Degree of Possible Harm and Number of Persons at risk, then a Hazard Rating Number is calculated automatically and the Degree of Risk indicated so the user can decide whether action is required. The Calculator also has a ‘Type of Operation’ worksheet containing a table similar to that in BS EN 12543 showing recommended controls. Procter Automatic Gates will also be using Gate Safety Week to promote its free Specification Checking Service for architects and specifiers planning to use powered gates. Designs, specifications and gate usage information can be submitted to Procter Automatic Gates, whereupon the company’s experts assess whether the gate meets the requirements of the Machinery Directive for CE marking, and whether the gate complies with the Powered Gate Group’s Gate Safety Guide. Other promotions from Procter Automatic Gates during Gate Safety Week will relate to gate safety white papers, powered gate hazards and safety measures, and gate maintenance. To discuss any aspect of powered gates or gate safety, go to www.automatic-electricgates.co.uk and use the Live Chat facility. Alternatively, telephone 02920 855756 or email Info@Automatic-ElectricGates.co.uk.
A FORMER hosiery factory in Nottingham is being transformed into a new hub for the creative industries, including providing a new home for its anchor tenant – international dance organisation Dance4. The new venue is set to be a spectacular base for Dance4, helping it to support local, national and international artists to develop work under one roof in the heart of the city. Dance4 will be moving to its new home on Dakeyne Street in Sneinton from its current base on College Street in the city, establishing Nottingham’s International Centre for Dance and Choreography. Nottingham City Council secured a grant for the Creative Catalyst project from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to redevelop the site into workshops, offices and studio units alongside meeting rooms and networking spaces. The new building is also set to be home to other creative businesses and organisations. The new site will provide a further boost to Nottingham’s Creative Quarter. The work is set to complement the further city council project at Sneinton Market which features units on the site which are being refurbished into workshops and studios for use by creative enterprises – helping to establish a vibrant creative business community locally. Dance4’s new home is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, with further support from the Garfield Weston Foundation, The Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation and the Jessie Spencer Trust. Its new location will provide first class training in contemporary dance and a welcoming environment for young dancers with exceptional talent. The centre will be fully accessible for visitors, audiences, performance makers and dancers with disabilities and offer fit for purpose facilities for all. Paul Russ, chief executive of Dance4, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity which will enable us to expand the delivery and scope of our activity, creating a new centre which will drive forward innovation and inspire the very best international artists to come and work in Nottingham and provide extraordinary experiences for people who live and work in Nottingham. “The new centre will help us to build on our previous work and further establish Dance4 as a regional, national and international centre for dance. It will enable us to take our work to a whole new level. It enables us to grow as a production house and as a training, commissioning and presenting organisation that leads on research into 21st Century choreography. “The centre will be an important voice for dance in the UK and an important creative resource for the region, and enable us to undertake more engagement work with local communities. especially in our new neighbourhood of Sneinton and St Ann’s. We are very excited about being based there.” There will be greater emphasis on engaging the public as active participants in the creation, production and presentation of new dance works as well as the engagement of specific communities, people with disabilities and young people – particularly through Dance4’s Centre for Advanced Training. Nottingham City Council has worked closely with Dance4 to ensure the new space benefits local residents and businesses as well as further boosting the Creative Quarter, which is proving to be a flagship location for creative companies, drawing names such as Brown Dog and Rough Trade to the city. Cllr Jon Collins, Leader of Nottingham City Council and Portfolio Holder for strategic regeneration, said: “It’s good news that Dance4 are announcing they will be moving into Daykene Street when it opens as a new hub for creative and digital industries. “This facility will be great addition to the city’s award-winning Creative Quarter, which has seen so many new and existing businesses grow within it. “We’re pleased that we have been able to attract funding from Europe to support both the redevelopment of the Daykene Street facility, and the redevelopment of the nearby Sneinton Market. Without securing this funding, the City Council wouldn’t have been able to invest in these project, which are not only helping to kick-start further regeneration opportunities in these areas, but are importantly supporting the city’s creatives industries and the local economy.” Kathy McArdle, chief executive officer for Creative Quarter, said: “This is an exciting and much needed facility within the Creative Quarter – nurturing new talent and providing first class facilities for many years to come.” Funding for the project has been via Nottingham City Council, Arts Council England, Garfield Weston Foundation, Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation, Jessie Spencer Fund and Dance4. The new centre is to open in summer 2016.
The UK’s energy system loses over half of its generated power from source to end user at a cost of £9.5 billion a year, making it one of the least efficient grids in Europe. The new findings come amid growing calls for the government to address the UK’s ‘energy productivity’ as a more cost-effective way of tackling the energy trilemma of supply, cost and decarbonisation. Although some energy waste is inevitable, the research – led by the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE) – found that £3 billion of energy could be saved if action is taken, which could cut consumer electricity bills by £116 per year. ADE chief executive Tim Rotheray has urged the government to focus on how it can support investment in cutting energy waste, saying the unnecessary impact on consumer bills is a “national embarrassment”. “Wasted energy reduces our productivity, undermines efforts to create a competitive economy on a global level and causes unnecessary emissions. It does not have to be this way,” he said. Addressing energy waste would require a fresh approach to power generation, transmission and distribution, and energy efficiency in homes and businesses, according to the report. Recovering heat from power stations could save £2 billion a year alone, but currently only 10 per cent of power plants do so. And in terms of network efficiency the UK lags behind competing European economies including Germany and Denmark. While the UK loses almost 8 per cent of its energy through transmission and distribution Denmark loses just over 7 per cent and Germany loses just 3.9 per cent. “If UK transmission and distribution losses were equivalent to those in Germany, the best in Europe, energy users would save £605 million a year, the equivalent of £23 per household,” the report said. The UK’s regulated networks are required to reduce losses by Ofgem which can reward network companies by up to £32 million over the next five years. But the report notes that the UK’s capacity market is funded by almost £1 billion, dwarfing the government’s efforts to tackle energy waste. The government should also show greater ambition in driving energy efficiency in business. Only a third of spending targets business despite government’s own estimates showing that policy support for business and public sector energy use could be cost effectively reduced by 9TWh annually between 2012 and 2020, saving these customers more than £570 million in energy costs, in addition to carbon and competitiveness benefits. Manufacturing association EEF policy director Paul Raynes said “the sinful waste of energy” is laying an unfair surcharge on British firms and consumer. “We should prioritise opportunities to cut carbon emissions in ways that don’t hurt consumers or competitiveness,” he said.
The City of London Corporation has announced that the 2016 Sustainable City Awards are now open for entries. For 14 years, the awards have celebrated and honoured outstanding contributions to sustainability across sectors as diverse as buildings, health and wellbeing, climate change and food. This year’s awards focus particularly on the health and wellbeing category. In April, a YouGov survey found that more than half of all employees suffer from burnout, severe anxiety and physical and emotional exhaustion in the workplace. The City of London Corporation hopes to recognise those organisations across the UK who put staff wellbeing at the forefront of their business strategy. The prestigious awards, run by City of London Corporation (www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/sca) attract the best UK organisations which are committed to sustainable initiatives. Simon Mills, Head of Sustainable Development at the City of London Corporation, says: ‘The UK-wide Sustainable City Awards are designed to recognise the sustainability initiatives of all businesses big or small across the full range of sectors. This year, we are recognising those businesses and organisations which put the health and wellbeing of their staff at the top of their business agenda. We have had previous winners including the sustainable food initiatives, green entrepreneurs and ethical fashion. As an organisation, we are proud to be recognising the sustainability initiatives of such a wide range of businesses and organisations who have worked hard to ensure they are the pioneers of sustainable business development.’ The Sustainable City Awards are open to all types of UK organisations from the private, public and third sectors. Whether entries are from a multinational corporation or a community-run action group, the City of London Corporation would like to hear how businesses are ensuring staff wellbeing. The awards have been designed to allow all organisations, no matter how large or small to compete on an equal basis. The diversity of the awards reflects the City of London Corporation’s commitment to sustainable growth and its recognition that organisations and firms, no matter what sector, collectively contribute to a sustainability agenda that will benefit current and future generations with jobs and growth underpinning the City’s mandate. From financial markets to fish-markets, and from parks to the arts, since 2001, hundreds of organisations – from cycling and traffic management initiatives to fashion up-cyclers and supermarket chains – have been recognised for their efforts to drive green growth. The Awards this year will be held in the Lord Mayor’s residence, Mansion House, in March 2016. To apply for any of this year’s Sustainable City Awards, visit the website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/sca for application and entry details. CRITICAL DATES – September 2015 Launch of awards – 30th November 2015 Closing date for applications – December-February 2016 Judging – March 2016 Awards Ceremony SUSTAINABLE CITY AWARD CATEGORIES Sustainable Finance In association with UKSIF This category recognises and rewards innovation and best practice in all areas of sustainable investment and finance that support sustainable economic development, enhance quality of life and safeguard the environment. The Farsight Award In association with Gresham College, USS and Z/Yen The Farsight Award recognises the best individual piece of analysis by an investment research institution which integrates traditional financial analysis with longer term issues such as climate change, corporate governance and human capital. Contributors to the London Accord will automatically be entered. Tackling Climate Change In association with The Institute for Sustainability and the Worshipful Company of Fanmakers This category recognises and reward organisations who are taking steps to mitigate the effects of their activities on climate change or to adapt their operations to reflect the impacts climate change will have on their business. Sustainable Travel and Transport In association with Campaign for Better Transport This category recognises and rewards innovative schemes which encourage people to make more use of sustainable forms of travel, transport and logistics, or which reduce the impact of traffic and transport on the environment. Resource Conservation In association with the Worshipful Company of Launderers and the Worshipful Company of Water Conservators This category recognises and rewards organisations that are taking positive steps to improve resource conservation through reducing the consumption of water, gas or electricity. Building Sustainable Communities (London only) In association with the Worshipful Company of Patten Makers and the City Bridge Trust This award is for voluntary organisations that can demonstrate their work makes a tangible difference to the sustainability of their locality by bringing people together, especially from across different communities. Sustainable Buildings In association with the CIOB and the Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors This category recognises and rewards excellence and innovation in sustainable building design for new build and refurbishment projects. Health and Wellbeing In association with the City of London Health and Wellbeing Board This category recognises and rewards businesses that have outstanding practice in relation to sustaining the health of their workforce: organisations that are doing really innovative work to recognise that their people are their most important assets, and creating work environments and cultures that promote and sustain all aspects of health and wellbeing Sustainable Places In association with British BIDS, the London Sustainability Exchange, London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Worshipful Company of Environmental Cleaners This category aims to recognise and reward organisations who work to create unique sustainable characters for town centres and industrial parks- not only enhancing the quality of life of all those who visit, work or live there but acting as a significant attractor for business investment. For more information see the “This Year’s Theme” page on our website. Responsible Waste Management In association with the Clean City Awards Scheme This category recognises and rewards best practice with respect to responsible waste management. Applicants should demonstrate innovative waste management practices particularly with respect to implementing the waste hierarchy of minimising waste, reusing and recycling materials. Judges will also be looking for evidence of how the organisation is tackling wider waste issues, such as compliance with Duty of Care Regulations and engendering pride in the local
AN ESSEX school that has been a decade in the making will open its doors to pupils and staff last month (September) following a multi-million pound improvement programme overseen by leading independent management, design and construction consultancy Pick Everard. Market Field School at Elmstead Market near Colchester had been nicknamed ‘shed city’ due to its nine makeshift classrooms and head teacher, Gary Smith, has led a 10-year campaign to modernise the school, which caters for children with special needs, as its buildings struggled to keep up with rising pupil numbers. Originally built to accommodate 70 children but numbers have since increased to more than 180, resulting in the use of a number of temporary classrooms – something that will be a thing of the past following an £8.5m rebuild. Pick Everard provided project management and quantity surveying services on the project. Paul Darlow, director at the firm, said: “The facilities at Market Field School had become outdated and the school had simply outgrown them as pupil numbers continued to rise, as they have done across the country in recent years. “They were desperately in need of additional, permanent accommodation and we are thrilled to have been able to help deliver what really has been a labour of love for the head teacher amongst others. “We have created a brand new, state-of-the-art SEN school which will accommodate those increased pupil numbers within spacious and modern surroundings, ensuring that their environment now matches the excellent teaching provision at the school.” The new Market Field School has been designed to provide a full provision for specialist SEN learning for children of all ages. New facilities include an SEN therapy room, soft play area and a simulated flat, allowing children to learn skills to become independent. The school also includes a specialist autism unit for up to 60 children. “Pick Everard has a very strong track record of working within the education sector and has worked on a number of SEN schools in recent years, so we are very familiar with the precise learning requirements of students with special needs,” added Paul. “The project has been delivered under the SMARTE East framework, which has ensured that the additional pupil places provided by the local authority are cost-effective and delivered within a specific time frame and budget.”
