It’s not a big project but for the University of Oxford it has a certain significance. Above: CGI of Kellogg College’s new social hub The university has this week started construction of a new £2m social hub at Kellogg College. It will be the first building on the University of
One of Britain’s longest-established construction and heritage restoration companies has fallen into administration after attempts to secure a deal with creditors failed. Above: William Anelay started the business 269 years ago On 8th September 2016, Julian Pitts and Bob Maxwell of Begbies Traynor were appointed as joint administrators of William
Ms Howlison joins the government-owned operator from the Department for Transport where she spent three years as its finance director. She will take up her new role on the 20 June, taking over from Steve Dauncey who has held the position since 2009. The appointment comes a year after Highways
Annie Hampson, who replaced Peter Rees as the City’s chief planning officer, has confirmed she will address the Summit on the Square Mile’s skyline and property development. Beijing Construction Engineering Group’s operations director Gavin Taylor will take to the Summit stage as the Chinese contractor continues to grow in the
Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens are set to receive a £10 million facelift as plans have been unveiled for a multi-million pound regeneration. Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets (L&G) will give the city centre space an overhaul as part of a £10 million investment, in conjunction with Manchester City Council.
Technical and non-technical workplace safety and performance consultancy, People Factor Consultants (PFC) is celebrating a record six months after recording major rises in the number of people taking its electrical safety and human factors courses. The consultancy firm offers a number of highly interactive electrical safety courses accredited by City
Steel firm SCH Site Services is helping major logistics company Stiller to expand once more with the development of a £750,000 warehouse. Based on Aycliffe Business Park, Stiller Warehousing and Distribution is in the process of building a new 40,000 sq ft warehouse for its rapidly expanding list of customers.
Balfour Beatty has announced that its managing director for the north of Scotland is retiring after a 40 year career in the industry. Aberdeen-based George Hood recently oversaw the completion of the £22.3 million Third Don Crossing for the giant construction and civil engineering firm. The major project marked one of the last
York based housebuilder Persimmon Homes has secured planning permission for its latest residential project in Wigan. This week, the planning committee at Wigan Council gave the green light for Persimmon to create 150 new homes on land East of Pocket Nook Farm in Lowton. Around a quarter of the properties
The Considerate Constructors Scheme – the national Scheme to improve the image of construction – has made appointments with a new Statutory Board of Directors. The new board includes four independent non-executive Directors: Roma Agrawal, a distinguished structural engineer; Richard Byrne, a prominent Health and Safety Director; Nick Coley, a
It’s not a big project but for the University of Oxford it has a certain significance. Above: CGI of Kellogg College’s new social hub The university has this week started construction of a new £2m social hub at Kellogg College. It will be the first building on the University of Oxford estate built to Passivhaus standards. “This building will not only provide an exciting new social hub at the heart of the College campus, open to all members of the college, it will also be a low-energy model for the university, both in terms of energy use and running costs,” said Chris Davies, acting president at Kellogg College. Construction company Speller Metcalfe was appointed as building contractor at design stage alongside architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. “We have a real specialism in delivery of highly sustainable projects, including Passivhaus design, which can see a reduction of up to 90% in energy bills,” said Adrian Speller, director of sustainability at Speller Metcalfe. “It is fantastic to work with a client who is so forward-thinking and willing to invest in a building that will have a much lower impact on the environment in the longer term.” Located on Banbury Road, the new hub will provide social space for post-graduate students and incorporates a new kitchen, café and common room. The project is set to complete in April 2017. Further Images This article was published on 14 Sep 2016 (last updated on 14 Sep 2016). Source link
One of Britain’s longest-established construction and heritage restoration companies has fallen into administration after attempts to secure a deal with creditors failed. Above: William Anelay started the business 269 years ago On 8th September 2016, Julian Pitts and Bob Maxwell of Begbies Traynor were appointed as joint administrators of William Anelay Ltd. The York-based company has now ceased trading and 126 staff have been made redundant. William Anelay is a £38m turnover, eighth-generation family business that had been trading since 1747. It has completed scores of high-profile historic and listed buildings schemes throughout the UK including Lambeth Palace and Wilton’s Music Hall, London. It had 17 live projects on site at time of collapse, including at York Mansion House, Bradford City Hall and Lancaster Castle. Following cash flow difficulties, the business sought a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) with creditors, but was placed into administration when a CVA proved unviable. The administrators said that they were assessing how best to maximise value for creditors as well as liaising with the 140-strong workforce. William Anelay also operates associated businesses Lowery Roofing, Hare & Ransome Joinery, Anelay Traditional Masonry and Anelay Building & Conservation. All of these are unaffected by the administration and will continue to trade as normal. Andrew Walker and Doug Robertson from law firm Irwin Mitchell in Leeds are advising the administrators. “It is very sad to see the demise of such a historic Yorkshire family business,” said Julian Pitts, joint administrator. “Unfortunately, William Anelay ran into cash flow difficulties following a period of expansion and problems with some complex projects. Despite attempts to secure a CVA, this did not prove viable and there was no alternative but to place the business into administration. “We will be working closely with the management to realise returns for creditors and will keep the employees fully informed as the situation becomes clearer. We are now in discussions with various interested parties and are hopeful that it may prove possible to novate some of the company’s contracts to ensure that work can be completed with the minimum of disruption to clients.” Chairman and special projects director, Charles Anelay, the eighth generation of the founding family, said: “We have worked very hard to save the business and do the best for our creditors by proposing a CVA. We really believed that we had a good plan to get through our cash difficulties, and were supported by our bank and HMRC. “The last few weeks have been the worst of my life. We are hugely disappointed that it has come to this. We thank all our staff for their commitment and loyalty, apologise to those clients and creditors who have given their support and who will now lose out, and thank all past friends of the firm and members of the public who kindly gave their support. “All I can hope is that at some point in the future people will look back at William Anelay Ltd and recognise 260 years of skilled craftsmanship which gave us the privilege to restore parts of our country’s architectural heritage with some amazing projects on some very special buildings which will be admired far into the future.” William Anelay Ltd was founded in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and built many of the town’s most prestigious properties with many, including the Mansion House, still in daily use. The company moved to York In the early 1900s and by the middle of the 20th century, it had gained a reputation for quality construction which enabled it to work throughout Yorkshire and eventually the whole of the UK. This article was published on 9 Sep 2016 (last updated on 9 Sep 2016). Source link
Ms Howlison joins the government-owned operator from the Department for Transport where she spent three years as its finance director. She will take up her new role on the 20 June, taking over from Steve Dauncey who has held the position since 2009. The appointment comes a year after Highways England replaced the Highways Agency as the body to oversee England’s strategic roads network. Ms Howlison will play a key part in the delivery of Highways England’s £15bn roads investment strategy, with funding for roads projects set to grow by £1.2bn between now and 2020. The appointment marks the latest in a list of high-profile public sector roles held by Ms Howlison. Before the DfT, she spent four years as FD at the Department for Energy and Climate Change as well as four years leading Ofsted’s finance team. Source link
Annie Hampson, who replaced Peter Rees as the City’s chief planning officer, has confirmed she will address the Summit on the Square Mile’s skyline and property development. Beijing Construction Engineering Group’s operations director Gavin Taylor will take to the Summit stage as the Chinese contractor continues to grow in the UK. Property developer Irvine Sellar will be interviewed by BBC presenter Andrew Neil on the first day. Leaders of major infrastructure clients Crossrail 2, Gatwick Airport, Highways England, Horizon Nuclear, Network Rail and Tideway are also among the many confirmed speakers for this year’s Summit, which becomes a two-day event for the first time. Airport City Manchester, Land Securities’ Nova site and the Forth Replacement Crossing will be among the project case studies. The Summit will also include technical talks on subjects including: building better offices; the next generation of tall buildings; regional regeneration; and disruptive technology. Other themes planned for discussion include the evolution of government policy and construction skills, the role of the National Infrastructure Commission, the future of transport and energy, and turning the Northern Powerhouse into a reality. New in 2016 This year the Summit contains brand new workshops for delegates to work together to deliver tangible outcomes for the entire industry. The event’s new Skills Hackathon, in partnership with Build UK, will work collaboratively on day one to generate real-life solutions to the skills challenges that hold businesses back, which will be presented to the whole audience on day two with a commitment to take them forward. A tech hackathon will also take place, to be judged by a panel including HS2 head of innovation Iain Roche. Plenary sessions will once again be chaired by BBC journalist and Daily Politics host Andrew Neil. CN Summit 2016 floorplan The Construction News Summit takes place on 11 & 12 October at the Hilton Bankside in London. CN readers can get a 20 per cent discount on delegate passes when they use the promotional code: CNREADER Visit summit.constructionnews.co.uk for further information. Confirmed speakers include: Irvine Sellar, founder, Sellar Property Group Sadie Morgan, co-founding director, dRMM and commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission Andy Mitchell, chief executive officer, Tideway Jim O’Sullivan, chief executive, Highways England Ged Fitzgerald, chief executive, Liverpool City Council Lynda Shillaw, divisional chief executive, property, Manchester Airport Michèle Dix, managing director, Crossrail 2 Simon Blanchflower, major programme director – Thameslink, Network Rail Simon Hesketh, director of regeneration, U+I David Climie, project director – Forth Replacement Crossing, Transport Scotland Mike Grice, construction director, Battersea Power Station Development Company Justin Black, development director, Land Securities Gavin Taylor, operations director, BCEGI Suzannah Nichol, chief executive, Build UK Paul Morrell, former government chief construction adviser Iain Roche, head of innovation, HS2 Peter Henry, development director, Harworth Estates Carl Delvin, programme director, Horizon Nuclear Jeroen Pat, TDI Chris Williamson, director, Weston Williamson Trevor Burns, executive director of development, East Thames Annie Hampson, chief planning officer, City of London Paul Williams, director, Derwent Ray Melee, development director, Gatwick Airport Francis Keenan, managing director, FK Group Tech Sprint Judges – How to reduce construction costs Iain Roche, head of innovation, HS2 Kuldeep Gharatya, head of technical strategy, systems performance and innovation, London Underground Malcolm Taylor, head of technical information, Crossrail Rick Robinson, IT director for smart data and technology, Amey Source link
Manchester’s Piccadilly Gardens are set to receive a £10 million facelift as plans have been unveiled for a multi-million pound regeneration. Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets (L&G) will give the city centre space an overhaul as part of a £10 million investment, in conjunction with Manchester City Council. L&G’s lease area is set to be extended in return. Bill Hughes, Head of Real Assets at L&G, said that they see the partnership with Manchester City Council and the proposal for Piccadilly Gardens as a chance to regenerate a prominent and well-used space in central Manchester that is also a thoroughfare to other parts of the city He continued: “Under the proposals L&G will dedicate £2m worth of investment in improvements to Piccadilly Gardens to make them more attractive and welcoming to families while deterring anti-social behaviour. The plans include removing the existing Pavilion building and feature wall and replacing them with two new Pavilion buildings linked by a covered area of new public space for year-round use. Greater Manchester Police have been consulted on the landscaping design “to deter anti-social behaviour and improve natural surveillance”. “The proposed Pavilion design will bring a new vibrancy and economy to Piccadilly Gardens which we hope residents can be proud of and visitors to Manchester will see as a destination in its own right,” Bill Hughes said. “L&G has a longstanding track record of working with progressive local authorities to bring forward regeneration and improvements to social infrastructure projects. We see Piccadilly Gardens as a prime example of this kind of collaboration in action.” The proposals for the Pavilion and Gardens will be undertaken and paid for by L&G. It is estimated that the cost will surpass the £10 million mark, of which £2 million will be invested in public realm improvements.
Technical and non-technical workplace safety and performance consultancy, People Factor Consultants (PFC) is celebrating a record six months after recording major rises in the number of people taking its electrical safety and human factors courses. The consultancy firm offers a number of highly interactive electrical safety courses accredited by City & Guilds as well as its range of non-technical, human factors training. Earlier in the year, the firm launched its newest course, HV Systems Operations. This course combines eight days worth of training into one five day course and provides operators with what it describes as a ‘flexible, cost effective option’ for electrical safety training. Brian Crichton, Technical Director at PFC, commented on the company’s success: “Our portfolio of courses is extremely flexible and we have ensured that all courses are developed to meet the current needs of the industry for cost-effective training solutions. Even during the toughest times, operators have still acknowledged that we need to avoid complacency with workplace safety and that investment at this time will pay off in terms of safety and performance. “Between this year and last we’ve doubled the number of Responsible Electrical Person courses delivered, and numbers for our Electrical Safety and Situation Awareness have increased fivefold over the same period last year. Our HV Switching course, which is now incorporated into our HV Systems Operations course, has proved extremely popular with delegates. We’ve had a significant amount of excellent feedback, with one delegate sharing that he has never undertaken such effective training during his 30 years in the industry. “The success of our training courses is testament to our experienced team of specialist trainers and is a reflection of our flexibility in developing the most effective courses which offer delegates a comprehensive understanding of electrical safety.” PFC offers a portfolio of 15 technical and non-technical training courses. Many of these are accredited by City & Guild, as well as providing tailored training and consultancy services to high hazard industries across the world.
Steel firm SCH Site Services is helping major logistics company Stiller to expand once more with the development of a £750,000 warehouse. Based on Aycliffe Business Park, Stiller Warehousing and Distribution is in the process of building a new 40,000 sq ft warehouse for its rapidly expanding list of customers. The latest development will stand at 10 metres tall and will have the capacity to store a further 6,000 pallets for the family run business. The scheme will support dozens of local jobs during its construction. Darlington bases ADG Architects will manage the project with civil engineering support from Durham based firm BDN. Hall Construction is its main contractor, based nearby at Rushyford, which awarded Aycliffe based SCH a project to fabricate and erect its frame using 90 tonnes of steel. CH, which has previously worked with Hall Construction on the refurbishment of buildings at PD Ports on Teesside, completed the steel fabrication and erection of the frame within eight weeks, and the warehouse is expected to be fully completed in the New Year. SCH managing director Gary Finley said: “We’re delighted to have worked on a project so close to us in Newton Aycliffe which is supporting several local employers. “We fabricated the steel in-house at our facility just around the corner from Stiller’s site and erected it on site. “The extension had to join an existing warehouse which made it a little more complex than a stand- alone shed and we also had to design the end connections for the structure, but we’re pleased we’ve been able to work with one of our neighbours in enabling their ambitious plans for future growth.” The new warehouse will take Stiller’s recent investments in equipment, people and property to more than £6.4 million in the last three years.
Balfour Beatty has announced that its managing director for the north of Scotland is retiring after a 40 year career in the industry. Aberdeen-based George Hood recently oversaw the completion of the £22.3 million Third Don Crossing for the giant construction and civil engineering firm. The major project marked one of the last chapters of a career that started for Mr Hood as a 19-year old trainee quantity surveyor in 1975 with the firm Alexander Hall, which would later become Hall & Tawse. This was eventually be bought by the Scottish construction firm, Mansell, a part of Balfour Beatty since 2003. When he started out Mr Hood took home a salary of £1,301 from an industry that was “booming” in the north east of the country, even before the discovery of oil in the North Sea. He said: “We were putting up lots of multi-storey flats for the council” and the sector was also meeting the needs of a whisky industry that demanded the building of bonded warehouses. But it was with the oil boom of the 1980s a construction frenzy began. “All of a sudden Aberdeen was flooded with Yanks – high rollers”, said Mr Hood. “We were busy busy, building all the sort of stuff you would get in a frontier-style town.” Office blocks and hotels went up for the oil industry executives and workers, followed by a boom in pubs, nightclubs and restaurants. Within eight years of starting in the industry, Mr Hood was project surveyor on a number of large Aberdeen office developments that would transform the city, including at the Hill of Rubislaw for ConocoPhilips, Marathon Oil and Britoil. He would later also project manage the Bon Accord shopping centre and oversaw the demolition of George Street. One of the ironies of his career was building a hospitality suite at Ibrox Stadium, despite being a life-long Celtic fan.
York based housebuilder Persimmon Homes has secured planning permission for its latest residential project in Wigan. This week, the planning committee at Wigan Council gave the green light for Persimmon to create 150 new homes on land East of Pocket Nook Farm in Lowton. Around a quarter of the properties will be affordable housing for either sale or rent. Part of the development will see Persimmon create an open public space that will feature a play area, informal parks, wetlands and ponds. The firm will also make a contribution towards a road marking scheme and the maintenance of play areas and parks. Wigan Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr David Molyneux, said the scheme’s approval is “brilliant news for the borough”. He commented: “It can take time to get to this stage and to get things really moving forward so this is a great step for our economy. “It is vital that we support appropriate housing development in the borough to keep up with demand for housing and help support growth in our local economy.“ Speaking further, Cllr Molyneux said it is important to keep building affordable homes “so a range of people are attracted to our borough and can find the right home for them”. He added: “Good quality new housing along with improved transport links and employment opportunities provides the right mix to keep our local economy growing.” Outline planning permission for the development was granted in January this year. Persimmon Homes has worked to boost its presence in the North West with a number of residential projects over the last two years. In September last year, the firm signed a £7.25 million deal to acquire 25.8 acres of land in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, from asset management company Gresham House.
The Considerate Constructors Scheme – the national Scheme to improve the image of construction – has made appointments with a new Statutory Board of Directors. The new board includes four independent non-executive Directors: Roma Agrawal, a distinguished structural engineer; Richard Byrne, a prominent Health and Safety Director; Nick Coley, a successful entrepreneur within civil engineering and contracting; and Simon Harvey, a renowned strategy and marketing director with a wealth of experience of launching consumer products to younger generations. They were appointed at an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Scheme in London on 2 November. Scheme Executive Chairman Isabel Martinson leads the new Statutory Board of Directors, which also comprises representatives from the Schemes owners, Dr Diana Montgomery, Chief Executive of the Construction Products Association (CPA), Professor John Nolan, Chairman of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and Chief Executive of CIC, Graham Watts OBE. Mike Petter joins the Board as Chairman of the new standing Service and Performance Committee. I am delighted to announce the newly formed Statutory Board of Directors Isabel Martinson, Executive Chairman of the Considerate Constructors Scheme, said: “I am delighted to announce the newly formed Statutory Board of Directors. The new directors bring experience and expertise across a wide spectrum of disciplines and industries, as well as a passion for the construction industry and the built environment. They are all fully committed to the ethos of the Scheme’s vision to further improve the reputation and image of the industry and to change perceptions held by Government, the general public, educators, careers advisors, parents and individuals, including the next generation and career changers.” The new standing Service and Performance Committee, led by Mike Petter, will oversee the operational management of the Scheme and will report in to the Statutory Board of Directors. Click here to find out more about each of the new appointments.
