Proposals from Ofgem to introduce a ‘safety net’ for consumers’ credit balances “should have the big six scared”, as they will likely encourage more consumers to switch to smaller suppliers, according to price comparison site Gocompare. The regulator set out proposals earlier this week to introduce a
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announces a major new prize to discover the world’s best new buildings and to celebrate the value of architecture to communities worldwide. The RIBA International Prize will be awarded to the most significant and inspirational building of the year. The winning building
Highways England will host an exhibition and public drop in session on its plans to increase the capacity of the A1 carriageway near Gateshead. The proposals come after a recent £61 million project to increase the number of lanes from two to three between Coal House and the Metro Centre
The rural roads of North Yorkshire are set to receive a boost this month as North Yorkshire County Council will complete its biggest ever roads surface dressing programme. North Yorkshire is the largest authority in England and its 5,000 mile road network connects market towns, villages and major towns throughout
A hotel and bar operator based in the North East has announced that it has successfully acquired the popular York café bar, ‘The Parish’. The venue operates from an 11th century site on the corner of North Street and Micklegate, York, with all 17 staff set to be retained. Cairn
Rail Minister Paul Maynard has revealed further funding for the construction of new train stations to boost local economies, deliver higher quality journeys and link communities in England and Wales. The Department for Transport (DfT) said that the £20 million worth of funding would provide up to 75% of the
Amey is set to lose a lucrative maintenance contract with London Underground after a 13 year stint, as the work will now be brought back in house. Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, expressed his pride that Transport for London (TfL) was bringing underground maintenance work back into the public sector.
Building giant Mace, the company behind the Shard, have been forced to put up notices on their construction sites warning Pokémon Go players to keep out, following instances of trespassing. The warnings, up on site hoardings around their construction sites, include “No playing Pokémon Go beyond this point”, and “Wild
The UK BIM alliance will be officially launched in October at the Digital Construction Week’s exclusive Westminster Reception, aiming to drive the adoption of BIM level 2 across the wider industry over the next four years, setting the foundations for a shift to BIM level 3 by 2025. The industry
The controversial Garden Bridge project, intended to provide more greenery in London by using it to span the Thames, has had its state backing cut by £6m. Transport secretary Chris Grayling has announced that although the financial underwriting of the project will be extended for an unlimited time period, the
Proposals from Ofgem to introduce a ‘safety net’ for consumers’ credit balances “should have the big six scared”, as they will likely encourage more consumers to switch to smaller suppliers, according to price comparison site Gocompare. The regulator set out proposals earlier this week to introduce a safety net for consumers in the event that their supplier goes out of business, to protect any credit on their account. Ofgem would also appoint a supplier it considered could best protect the consumer’s credit balance. Gocompare director of money, life and utilities Tom Lewis welcomed the proposals, saying: “Historically, one of the few barriers to consumers jumping ship to a challenger energy company is the level of uncertainty around moving to a less-known brand and the security in doing so. “As such, Ofgem’s proposal to introduce protection to reassure customers that their in-credit balance will be safeguarded in the very unlikely event their supplier becomes insolvent should have the big six scared.” The comparison site said small suppliers are becoming increasingly popular for customers looking to switch, and claimed that 58 per cent of switchers have moved away from the big six so far in 2016. “Smaller energy providers are consistently offering better deals than their larger counterparts, and hopefully these proposals would give customers peace of mind when shopping around for a new supplier,” Lewis added. Ofgem’s consultation is expected to close 29 July 2016. Source link
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) announces a major new prize to discover the world’s best new buildings and to celebrate the value of architecture to communities worldwide. The RIBA International Prize will be awarded to the most significant and inspirational building of the year. The winning building will demonstrate visionary, innovative thinking and excellence of execution, whilst making a distinct contribution to its users and to its physical context. Setting a new global standard for architectural achievement, the prize will be judged by an expert panel led by world-renowned architect, Lord Rogers of Riverside (Richard Rogers). The winner of the first RIBA International Prize will be announced at a ceremony in London in December 2016. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is delighted to announce the 2016 RIBA International Prize, a new global architecture award for the world’s best new building. Opening for entries today (Tuesday 8 December 2015), the RIBA International Prize will be awarded to a building of any type or budget and in any country, which exemplifies design excellence, architectural ambition and which delivers meaningful social impact. The prize is open to any qualified architect in the world. The winner will be chosen by a Grand Jury led by acclaimed architect Richard Rogers and including Kunlé Adeyemi, founder and principal of NLÉ and Philip Gumuchdjian, founder of Gumuchdjian Architects, Chair of RIBA’s awards committee. The full jury will be announced in due course. RIBA’s rigorous judging process will see two expert panels of jurors visit each of the shortlisted buildings twice in person, before the Grand Jury selects six finalists to visit once more to decide on the winning building. Speaking today, RIBA President Jane Duncan said: “We are thrilled to launch this new award to recognise and celebrate architectural excellence across the world. It is our intention that the RIBA International Prize will uncover the world’s most innovative and visionary architecture and spark local and global debates about the positive impact that well-designed buildings and places can have on their communities and environment.” Richard Rogers, Chair of the Grand Jury welcomed the Prize: “I’m delighted to lead the jury for the inaugural RIBA International Prize, and look forward to discovering how architecture is reacting to and resolving issues posed by the changing demands of a global community. We look forward to establishing the RIBA International Prizeas a new standard by which to assess and promote design excellence on a global scale.” Kunlé Adeyemi, Founding Director of NLÉ Projects and fellow judge commented: “It’s a privilege to be a part of the inaugural RIBA International Prize grand jury, where we hope to discover the most exciting and ambitious buildings being created across the world. This is the first time RIBA have opened their awards to any architect from any country, and I look forward to exploring how this helps us learn how architects worldwide are responding to the unique challenges and opportunities of their local geographies with resourceful and innovative solutions.” The RIBA International Prize is in association with the UIA (Union Internationale des Architectes). Wallpaper* Magazine is the exclusive lifestyle media partner for the RIBA International Prize. Dezeen is the exclusive professional media partner for the RIBA International Prize. To enter or find out more, visit www.Architecture.com/Awards2016 ENDS Notes to Editors: For further press information please contact riba@flint-pr.com – Fiona Russell, fiona.russell@flint-pr.com and Rosie Marsh, rosie.marsh@flint-pr.com, +44 (0) 20 3463 2080 The winner of the RIBA International Prize will be chosen from a shortlist of six, in turn selected from the 20 winners of RIBA Awards for International Excellence. These will be given to buildings worldwide that stretch the boundaries of architecture. Irrespective of style, complexity and size of both scheme and budget successful projects should demonstrate visionary or innovative thinking and excellence of execution. Architecture in the UK will be represented by the RIBA Stirling Prize winner. In the inaugural year of the RIBA International Prize, buildings entered for consideration must have been completed within the past 3 years (between 1 January 2013 and 1 February 2016). For each year thereafter, the Prize will be awarded to a building completed within 2 years. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members. RIBA awards have been running since 1966. RIBA inspires and rewards excellence through across a programme of regional, national and international Awards including the Royal Gold Medal, RIBA Stirling Prize and RIBA House of the Year. The RIBA International Prize is the first global award for buildings open to all architects in the organisation’s history. For more information visit www.Architecture.com Follow RIBA on Twitter @RIBA Follow RIBA on Facebook at RIBA Architecture Social media hashtag: #RIBAIntPrize Judges’ Biographies Richard RogersRichard Rogers is the 2007 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate, the recipient of the RIBA Gold Medal in 1985 and winner of the 1999 Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation Medal. He is also winner of the 2000 Praemium Imperiale Prize for Architecture, the 2006 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement and the 2007 Tau Sigma Delta Gold Medal. Richard Rogers was awarded the Légion d’Honneur in 1986, knighted in 1991 and made a member of the House of Lords in 1996. Most recently, in 2008 he was made a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour. He is a Partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners which has won a number of awards including the Stirling Prize for Terminal 4 at Madrid Barajas Airport, in 2006 and again in 2009 for Maggie’s London. Currently, the practice is working on a number of international projects including an office tower on the World Trade Center site in New York and a new terminal at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Kunlé AdeyemiKunlé Adeyemi is an architect, urbanist and designer. His recent work includes ‘Makoko Floating School’, an innovative, prototype, floating structure located on the lagoon heart of Nigeria’s largest city, Lagos. This acclaimed
Highways England will host an exhibition and public drop in session on its plans to increase the capacity of the A1 carriageway near Gateshead. The proposals come after a recent £61 million project to increase the number of lanes from two to three between Coal House and the Metro Centre at junction 71. In total, eight miles of extra lanes have been added to the A1, while two new parallel link roads have been created along a stretch of the carriageway between Gateshead Quays and Lobley Hill. The plans have now been put forward to add more lanes to the current dual carriageway between Coal House (junction 67) and Birtley (junction 65). As part of the scheme, Allerdene Railway Bridge, which carries the A1 over the East Coast railway line, will also be replaced. Nicola Wilkes, Highways England Project Manager, commented: “These events are a chance for local people to meet the project team, find out more about the proposals and give us their feedback.” The events will be held over two days: From 1pm – 8pm at Chowdene Children’s Centre, Waverley Road on Friday, September 9. From 10am – 4pm at Birtley East Community Primary School, Highfield on Saturday, September 10. Earlier in the month, a campaigning councillor called for a Buckden bypass as part of the A1 upgrade. Buckden councillor Terry Hayward welcomed Highways England’s A1 East of England Strategic Study, which calls for major improvements to the key route through Cambridgeshire. The report says parts of the A1 in the region are amongst the worst performing along its entire length and described sections of its layout as “incoherent”. Cllr Hayward, who chairs the A1 Safety Group, said: “There is no alternative to a bypass for Buckden otherwise they would have to bash down an awful lot of houses and I can’t see that happening.”
The rural roads of North Yorkshire are set to receive a boost this month as North Yorkshire County Council will complete its biggest ever roads surface dressing programme. North Yorkshire is the largest authority in England and its 5,000 mile road network connects market towns, villages and major towns throughout vast rural regions. The overall road distance would more than stretch from England to Pakistan. The picturesque region attracts visitors from throughout the world and maintenance of the roads is a top priority for local authorities as they must be fit for purpose for residents, business and tourism. As a result, the region is increasing how much it spends on preventative road maintenance, which has bucked the national trend, in order to reduce the cost of pothole repair and reactive patching. By the end of this month, North Yorkshire County Council will partner up with contractor Ringway to surface dress approximately 400 miles of road, an unprecedented amount, as part of a process that combines chippings with bitumen. At present, the County Council currently spends around £65 million a year on road maintenance, which is a significant amount more than it has previously. The additional money comes from a £44m pot being spent between 2014-21 to bring more of the road network up to scratch, particularly across rural areas. Cllr Don Mackenzie, North Yorkshire’s Executive Member for Highways, commented: “Surface dressing also helps to keep roads safe, improving skid resistance. “In more urban, densely populated areas and on estate roads we are also now using a system called lock-chip, which binds the chippings to improve safety. “In addition, we aim to complete this programme every year before autumn when the weather deteriorates. This minimises costs and improves the life of the material.” Many businesses in North Yorkshire are situated along minor rural roads, so their upkeep is vital to the success of trade.
A hotel and bar operator based in the North East has announced that it has successfully acquired the popular York café bar, ‘The Parish’. The venue operates from an 11th century site on the corner of North Street and Micklegate, York, with all 17 staff set to be retained. Cairn Group, based in Newcastle, is planning to breathe new life into the York bar with a series of improvements over the next few months which will be funded by a £700,000 pot set aside for refurbishments to its growing portfolio of venues. The property currently occupies a grade II listed church development which, before its conversion to a public house, was previously an arts centre. This acquisition also marks the new owners’ first standalone bar venue away from their home region. Director of the Cairn Group, Naveen Handa, commented: “We’re really excited to have secured this opportunity in York – a city I’m both personally fond of and have admired as a business destination for some time. “The Parish is a truly stunning building with huge potential and our location is ideal for passing footfall.” Handa insisted that the on-site team will stay on working at the venue, while they will also be introducing a training scheme which will formally bring them on board with the group. She added: “The bar will no doubt be a great asset for us and we’re looking forward to getting involved in York’s vibrant leisure scene.” HSBC Bank plc and Mincoffs Solicitors LLP supported Cairn Group on the acquisition of the business which marks the Group’s first acquisition after the completion of their £101 million refinance deal which was sealed earlier in the year. Cairn Group is a privately owned firm which, in May, outline plans to inject £50 million of the funds raised from the refinance towards an acquisition-focused growth and strengthening of its UK-wide portfolio, which already includes 26 hotels and more than 30 bars and restaurants.
Rail Minister Paul Maynard has revealed further funding for the construction of new train stations to boost local economies, deliver higher quality journeys and link communities in England and Wales. The Department for Transport (DfT) said that the £20 million worth of funding would provide up to 75% of the construction costs for new stations or to re-open stations that have been shut down. The aim of the investment is to improve rail network access and create new travel, housing and employment opportunities. The first round of funding will help to construct new stations in London, Lea Bridge, Pye Corner, Devon and Newcourt, while stations are currently being delivered in Kenilworth near Coventry, Derbyshire and Ilkeston. Network Rail Director of Stations, Norrie Courts, commented: “These are important stations for passengers who rely on the railway every day, and the announcement of additional investment to undertake a further round of new stations is welcomed.” The DfT revealed that the already completed schemes have seen towns connected and homes constructed, which provided a boost to local economies. Maynard explained: “Through this fund, passengers will benefit from new connections and faster journeys, making it easier to get to work and visit friends and family. It will also provide a major boost for local economies and support the delivery of local housing developments.” The DfT has encouraged a number of organisations, including train operating firms and local authorities, to bid for work on the scheme. The deadline for bidders is 18 November, 2016. Successful projects are expected to be announced early next year. Meanwhile, the DfT has unveiled a shortlist of five potential routes for a Trans-Pennine road tunnel between Manchester and Sheffield. Ministers have said that this is the most ambitious road scheme since the construction of the first motorways 50 years ago, and both the DfT and Transport for the North (TfN) have identified the scheme as a priority in their strategic plans.
Amey is set to lose a lucrative maintenance contract with London Underground after a 13 year stint, as the work will now be brought back in house. Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, expressed his pride that Transport for London (TfL) was bringing underground maintenance work back into the public sector. The TfL board explained that it will now manage maintenance work on the Piccadilly, Northern and Jubilee lines through its own in house management team. The board is expecting to save £80 million over the next decade thanks to the switch back in house. Amey, a Spanish owned firm, has been contracted to manage maintenance work across the three lines since 2003, as part of the legacy of the public private partnership (PPP) contract that used to exist between London Underground and the Tube Lines. However, at the end of next year this arrangement will come to an end, which is the earliest possible point allowed by the existing contract. This contract covers 2,395 bridges and structures, 200 miles of track, 100 stations, 251 trains, 227 escalators and 71 lifts. TfL said that London Underground is already experiences in managing operations in house after the demise of Metronet in 2007. Since then, the organisations claims that performance has improved and costs have been cut in comparison with the PPP era, while reliability has improved by 38% in the last five years. Mark Wild, Managing Director of London Underground, commented: “We are carrying out a root-and-branch review of our business to cost less and make transport in London more affordable for our customers. “As part of this, we are using our in-house maintenance expertise to save tens of millions of pounds. There will be no impact on our extremely high standards of maintenance and we will be working closely with Amey over the next 18 months to ensure a smooth transition.” Meanwhile, Mayor Khan added that he was proud to announce that TfL will bring underground maintenance work back in-house.
Building giant Mace, the company behind the Shard, have been forced to put up notices on their construction sites warning Pokémon Go players to keep out, following instances of trespassing. The warnings, up on site hoardings around their construction sites, include “No playing Pokémon Go beyond this point”, and “Wild Pokémon not permitted on this site.” The hit mobile game involves walking to physical locations to locate virtual Pokémon, or ‘pocket monsters’, and then ‘catching’ them using the app to add to the player’s team. It is the latest reinvention of the Nintendo game which first became a craze in the ‘90s. Players have been caught trespassing on potentially dangerous sites in pursuit of the digital creatures, despite the game’s own warnings, which often pop up, reading ‘Do not enter dangerous areas while playing Pokémon Go.’ Last year, there were 35 deaths and around 65,000 injuries on construction sites, according to the Health and Safety Executive. These warnings are in addition to an alert from Scotland Yard recently, calling Pokémon Go players to be vigilant, following a mini crime spree, mostly affecting Londoners, targeting those playing the game in public. This involved several instances of phone snatching. Steven George-Hilley, director of technology at the Parliament Street think tank, which obtained the figures, said: “Unfortunately, location-based augmented reality gaming often means users ignore personal security risks. These figures should serve as a wake-up call for consumers to remain vigilant when enjoying mobile games.” In total around 300 incidents have been recorded by police forces across England and Wales since the game’s launch less than 2 months ago.
The UK BIM alliance will be officially launched in October at the Digital Construction Week’s exclusive Westminster Reception, aiming to drive the adoption of BIM level 2 across the wider industry over the next four years, setting the foundations for a shift to BIM level 3 by 2025. The industry alliance will be running a full two-day seminar programme at the Digital Construction Week this year within the ‘BIM Village’, and will feature guest presentations from the BIM Task Group’s Head of BIM, David Philip, the Chair of the UKBA, Anne Kemp, and the Cabinet Office’s Head of Construction, David Hancock. The alliance will be building on the work of the UK BIM Task Group from the last four years, and will focus on making BIM level 2 a regular part of the whole construction industry, rather than just a part of centrally procured public sector projects. Anne Kemp, in speaking on behalf of the transition team, said, “Upon its launch in October, the UK BIM Alliance will provide clear, guiding leadership for industry on BIM Level 2 which makes the true benefits – the cost and waste reductions; the increased productivity and competitiveness – easily understandable and obtainable for all. This will build on, and remain aligned with the Government’s programme for publicly procured projects.” BIM, or Building Information Modelling, is a process which allows everyone working on a building to understand it, through the use of a digital model. It allows all aspects of the construction industry to input at each stage, making the final building a cohesive whole, in theory without any miscommunications.
The controversial Garden Bridge project, intended to provide more greenery in London by using it to span the Thames, has had its state backing cut by £6m. Transport secretary Chris Grayling has announced that although the financial underwriting of the project will be extended for an unlimited time period, the guarantee will be cut down to £9m. The current guarantee, which covers up to £15m of cancellation liabilities, expired next month, which had prompted the Garden Bridge Trust to request a year’s extension. The chairman of the Trust, Mervyn Davies, had to then reissue the plea as the deadline approached with no response from the government, saying that this was a crucial point for the £175m project, and that it would be a “tragedy” if the government pulled their support now. In a statement by the Department of Transport, minister Lord Ahmad began with praise for the Heatherwick-designed project, but ended with a warning that the government financial support for it is strictly limited. The government wishes the exciting and innovative Garden Bridge project every success and has provided public funding to help get it off the ground,” he said. “We have extended our agreement to underwrite cancellation costs but capped at the current level of £9m. The taxpayer must not be exposed to any further risk and it is now for the trust to find private sector backers to invest in the delivery of this iconic project.” A spokesperson for the Garden Bridge Trust said they were confident of finding those private backers. “The main thing is the government has indicated its support and that’s the news we really wanted to hear,” she said. “We are talking about cancellation liabilities so it’s hypothetical but we have to be prudent.” An official statement added: “The government has made it clear it wishes to continue to support the ‘exciting and innovative’ Garden Bridge and has agreed to extend a large part of its underwriting agreement. The Garden Bridge Trustees have agreed to explore any further underwriting required and are currently working with new private-sector sources to build on the current support.”
