A housing association has once again teamed up with Salford beekeepers to produce a limited edition honey pot in honour of one of Salford’s most famous playwrights. Salix Homes has joined forces with Kersal Vale Beekeepers to produce commemorative honey pots to mark the second annual Shelagh Delaney Day celebrations
Lendlease’s Burntwood School project in Wandsworth has been awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize – the UK’s most prestigious architectural accolade. Designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), the £50 million Burntwood School rebuild and refurbishment was managed and co-ordinated by contractor Lendlease and completed in
Property managers should not be subject to more formal regulations by the government but there needs to be more transparency and communication in the leasehold market, it is claimed. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has, however, made a number of recommendations as a result of its market study into
An innovative conference for landscape professionals, ‘Soil – meeting the challenges of a changing landscape’, took place on 14th October at the Howbery Park Conference Centre in Wallingford, Oxfordshire to mark the UN’s International Year of Soils. Six industry experts, including conference organiser Tim O’Hare and past president of the
A housing association has once again teamed up with Salford beekeepers to produce a limited edition honey pot in honour of one of Salford’s most famous playwrights. Salix Homes has joined forces with Kersal Vale Beekeepers to produce commemorative honey pots to mark the second annual Shelagh Delaney Day celebrations taking place next month. (November) It’s the second edition of the collectable honey pot, which was first produced last year to mark the inaugural Shelagh Delaney Day celebrations. Salford-born Shelagh was one of the first working class, female playwrights and famously penned her most famous work – A Taste of Honey – when she was just 18 years old, from her home in Duchy Road, which is now owned by Salix Homes The locally produced honey, which is called A Taste of Honey, will be handed out to visitors during the celebrations at Salford Arts Theatre on November 25-26. Lee Sugden, chief executive at Salix Homes, said: “A Taste of Honey was set in Salford and was Shelagh’s most famous play, so we are very proud to be once again working with Kersal Vale Beekeepers, which is a wonderful community enterprise, to produce these honey pots in her honour. “We hope Shelagh Delaney fans will treasure these honey pots as our community unites once again to celebrate the work and life of one of Salford’s most famous daughters.” Last year Salix Homes also installed a plaque on Shelagh’s childhood home, which was unveiled by her former sweetheart – renowned artist Harold Riley. Shelagh will also be remembered at this year’s Salix Stars community hero awards, organised by Salix Homes, where an award has been named in her honour. Shelagh Delaney Day was the brainchild of proud Salfordian Louise Woodward-Styles who spearheaded a campaign for a special event to celebrate the playwright. Louise said: “Since the first Shelagh Delaney Day, this honey has been a much sought after piece of memorabilia providing a talking point about both Shelagh Delaney and the city she called home. “Salix Homes has been inspirational in not only supporting the Delaney calendar but also being a housing association who values their community and the people in it. I also have great admiration for Kersal Vale Beekeepers and their work is vital to the preservation and protection of these amazing species.” During this year’s celebrations, Salford Art’s Theatre in Pendleton will be staging the world premiere of Shelagh’s ‘The Close To Home Show’ on Wednesday, November 25 and Thursday, November 26. Louise added: “I would urge people to purchase their tickets in advance so they don’t miss out on what is set to be an incredible event.” To find out more about the event go to www.shelaghdelaneyday.org For tickets call the Box Office on 0161 925 0111.
Lendlease’s Burntwood School project in Wandsworth has been awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize – the UK’s most prestigious architectural accolade. Designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM), the £50 million Burntwood School rebuild and refurbishment was managed and co-ordinated by contractor Lendlease and completed in September 2014. The project championed a sustainable transformation of the original 1950s school site in south-west London and now offers students an engaging environment in which to study. The six striking buildings within the re-designed campus boast faceted concrete exteriors, colourful geometric-tile detailing and spacious classrooms filled with natural light. The RIBA prize, which was founded in 1996, recognises an outstanding contribution to the evolution of architecture over the past year. In a close collaboration between Lendlease and AHMM, the new campus design was one of the last schools of New Labour’s Building Schools for the Future programme and marks a culmination of Lendlease’s diverse ten-year involvement with AHMM. Previous laureates of the coveted Stirling Prize include Foster and Partners for 30 St Mary Axe (the Gherkin) in 2004 and David Chipperfield Architects for the Museum of Modern Literature, Germany in 2007. Burntwood School beat off stiff competition for the 2015 prize, with Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners’ NEO Bankside, MUMA’s The Whitworth University of Manchester and Neil McLaughlin Architects’ Peabody apartment building Darbishire Place also shortlisted. The RIBA judges noted Burntwood’s ‘quality, openness, confidence and solidity’ and were particularly impressed with the project’s mature aesthetic and fusion of new cast-concrete spaces and original 1950s structures – two of which were designed by Sir Leslie Martin – retained on the campus. Dan Labbad, Chief Executive Officer, International Operations at Lendlease, said: “We are delighted that RIBA has recognised Burntwood School’s progressive design, which ultimately achieves its key purpose of providing a wonderful learning environment for students. It has been a pleasure working with AHMM to deliver this cutting-edge project.” Paul Monaghan, Director of Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, said: “Schools can and should be more than just practical, functional buildings – they need to elevate the aspirations of children, teachers and the wider community. Good school design makes a difference to the way students value themselves and their education, and we hope that Burntwood winning the Stirling Prize shows that this is worth investing in.” *** Burntwood School is a girls’ secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Wandsworth, London. In 2014 a £50 million project to revitalise the original 1950s campus and build a series of new educational buildings, serving up to 2000 pupils and over 200 staff, was completed. The scheme was developed by the architects AHMM, who worked in close partnership with Lendlease, Wandsworth Borough Council and Burntwood School. It provided a new integrated campus consisting of four four-storey teaching pavilions, a new sports hall and a new performing arts building.
Property managers should not be subject to more formal regulations by the government but there needs to be more transparency and communication in the leasehold market, it is claimed. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has, however, made a number of recommendations as a result of its market study into the residential property management services sector in England and Wales. It had consulted extensively with consumer groups, leaseholders, the industry and government during the course of the study and found that overall while the market works well for many leaseholders, some have experienced significant problems in a sector where total annual service charges are estimated at £2.5 to £3.5 billion. The issues identified include leaseholder frustration at a lack of control over the appointment of property managers, high charges for services arranged by property managers or poor standards of service. It also found leaseholders suffered unexpected costs and were being charged for works they consider unnecessary, poor communication and transparency between property managers and leaseholders, and difficulties in getting redress. The CMA has also identified some concerns about prospective purchasers’ understanding of leasehold, and their obligations and service charge liabilities for leasehold flats. In light of its findings and on-going developments in the market, the CMA has made a number of detailed recommendations aimed at improving prospective purchasers’ awareness of leaseholders’ obligations. It also wants to improve disclosure, transparency and communication between property managers and leaseholders and leaseholders’ access to appropriate forms of redress. It says that these recommendations will make leaseholders better informed about the responsibilities and performance of property managers, while greater transparency will increase pressures on property managers and landlords to take account of leaseholder interests. They will also provide improved mechanisms for dispute resolution, should issues arise that require action. The CMA is also recommending changes to legislation affecting rights of consultation relating to major works, as well as supplementing the existing Right to Manage legislation to enable leaseholders, where there is a majority in favour, to require the landlord to re-tender the property management of their block. The CMA is not recommending that property managers should be subject to more formal regulation by government. It says that for many the market works reasonably well, and satisfaction levels are particularly high where leaseholders have exercised their Right to Manage. It adds that existing legislation provides significant protections for many leaseholders, and the sector has engaged constructively with the CMA during the course of its study, recognising that there are improvements to be made and showing a willingness to address the issues that have been identified. ‘Many property managers provide a good service to leaseholders, but protection against the worst failures by property managers is vital because when problems do occur they have a major impact on leaseholders,’ said Rachel Merelie, the senior director at the CMA who led the study. ‘We are pleased that within the sector there is a consensus that change is needed and a genuine willingness to be part of that change. This is evidenced by the new and revised self-regulatory codes of practice and the enthusiasm of key players, including property managers, to improve how this market functions,’ she explained. ‘The CMA intends to work with the sector and government to implement its recommendations. However, should these not prove to be effective in addressing the issues identified, the CMA may choose to re-examine the market in due course,’ she concluded.
An innovative conference for landscape professionals, ‘Soil – meeting the challenges of a changing landscape’, took place on 14th October at the Howbery Park Conference Centre in Wallingford, Oxfordshire to mark the UN’s International Year of Soils. Six industry experts, including conference organiser Tim O’Hare and past president of the Landscape Institute, Sue Illman, presented to 90 delegates, who included landscape architects, garden designers, landscape contractors, topsoil suppliers and tree nurseries. The conference was the brainchild of soil scientist Tim O’Hare, who has provided soil science consultancy to some of the country’s highest profile public realm landscape schemes, including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, The Garden Bridge, Jubilee Park, Chavasse Park, Battersea Power Station and King’s Cross Regeneration. His objective for the conference was to provide a platform for debate by the landscape sector on the issues around soil, to give delegates a practical soils tool kit to which they can refer when they next embark on a landscape project, and to ensure soil is elevated to its rightful place in the landscape hierarchy. First to speak, on the significance of soil in Environmental Impact Assessments, was Senior Associate at Tim O’Hare Associates, Rob Askew. A nationally recognised and industry-accepted standard set of Significance Criteria to help assess the potential impact of infrastructure projects on Greenfield soil resources (topsoil and subsoil) does not currently exist. Rob presented examples of bespoke Significance Criteria for assessing agricultural land and soil resources, which have been used on recent major national Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) projects, including HS2 Phase 1 (London to Birmingham). Sue Illman of Illman Young Landscape Design presented on the many aspects of Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) design, and how soils are a fundamental part of their function. The presentation covered a number of practical aspects, including the need to understand the geology in SuDS design, the soils required for different sorts of SuDS, issues relating to contaminated land, and point source and blanket infiltration. City silviculture and the dynamics of the urban landscape was the subject addressed by Johanna Gibbons. From John Evelyn to the rapidly evolving field of urban forestry and expanding urban populations, Jo drew from the foundations of the notion of sustainability rooted in forestry practice through to the current call to arms by pressure groups such as Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) through publications such as ‘No Trees, No Future’. She argued for a cross disciplinary collaborative approach from soil science, community engagement, engineering and ecology in realising the value of the urban forest. Tim O’Hare’s presentation ‘Practical applications of soil science for today’s landscape’ gave delegates useful, practical information they could take away and apply to their future landscape projects. Drawing on his 23 years’ experience working within the landscape industry he clarified some of the more common soil issues and misunderstandings that arise on projects, including ideas on tree pit design, his opinion on urban tree soil systems, soil requirements for species-rich grasslands, understanding soil pH, and the new 2015 version of BS3882. With the engaging title ‘The Topsoil Journey – from lovely drop of gear to exact science’, George Longmuir reflected in his presentation on how natural topsoil was bought and sold in the past when greenfield sites were abundant, the ‘muck away’ influence, today’s established topsoil blending operations to produce BS3882 topsoil, and the future of designer soils to meet individual project requirements. The London Olympics was used as a ‘best practice’ case study. John Melmoe, Commercial Director of multi-award winning landscape contractor Willerby Landscapes, gave the contractor’s perspective on selecting and applying the correct soils for the job, discussing the importance of pre-construction planning, advanced procurement, site testing of soils, correct handling, and hold points during installation. He highlighted projects where soils have had a significant importance and bearing on the contractor’s programme, including Jubilee Park, Chavasse Park, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park South Park and, more recently, Cubitt Park, King’s Cross. One surprising theme that emerged from all of the presentations was the need to specify soils on a ‘project-specific’ basis and to not rely on the British Standard for Topsoil (BS3882). Speaking after the conference, Tim O’Hare commented: “I am delighted with how well the conference was received by all the delegates. We have had tremendous feedback on the quality and relevance of the speakers’ presentations and I really do believe we have put soils back at the top of the landscape agenda. If this means that soils form part of the very early planning stages of future projects – as they should – then this conference will have achieved one of its key objectives.”
