The sentences followed a case brought by the Crown Prosecution Service after incidents which occured in January 2014. C Smith and Sons had won a contract to demolish the Harvey’s and Carpetright buildings in Heaton Norris, Stockport in 2014. It subcontracted the job of dismantling the roof of the building to
Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Fri, Mar 18th 2016 Recofloor members celebrated their record-breaking vinyl recycling achievements at the scheme’s fifth annual awards event at Old Trafford, the Home of Manchester United, in March. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter
David Pratt has been appointed as Building Control Manager of Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP). He brings nearly 30 years of experience to the role, having previously held building inspector roles at Chesterfield Borough Council and most recently Mansfield District Council. David is the latest new appointment for DBCP which
FOUR years after starting on site, the design teams behind the purpose-built £320 million Waterside Campus for the University of Northampton have completed the project. The scheme which houses six new academic buildings on a 58-acre former brownfield site has been one of the biggest of its kind in the
Scotland’s largest building preservation company, Richardson and Starling, is today announcing its latest expansion with the opening of a new office in Inverness. 7 new posts are being created with the company actively recruiting from the local area. The firm is seeking 5 technicians and a property surveyor to join
Steelwork has been erected as the construction of a £14million industrial/warehouse development in Northamptonshire continues to make good progress. Main contractor MCS Group has been appointed by St Francis Group in joint venture with the Richardson family to deliver five units totalling 270,000 sq ft at Cransley Park, Kettering. Construction
460,000 houses being planned for land that will be released from the Green Belt, while the percentage of ‘affordable’ homes built continues to fall The Green Belt remains under severe pressure, despite government commitments to its protection, according to a new report from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
A two-story building in Brinkburn Street Byker in Newcastle, which has stood empty for almost two years, is to be converted into a new homes development. The building was used as a central design hub by architect Ralph Erskine and his team to coordinate the transformation of the Grade-II listed
Washroom Washroom, the innovative washroom designer, manufacturer and installer, has expanded its product range, offering concrete vanities as part of Arpeggio vanity units, which also includes solid surface Corian, granite, zodiaq and glass. As the ideal solution for those seeking to create on-trend industrial-inspired washrooms, concrete is hard-wearing, easy to
Most hotels want their guests to spend time in them; however, for millennial travellers, the priority is to get out and experience the city. Assembly is a new hotel brand from Criterion Capital, designed to inspire people to make the most out of their trip. Branding agency Ragged Edge partnered
The sentences followed a case brought by the Crown Prosecution Service after incidents which occured in January 2014. C Smith and Sons had won a contract to demolish the Harvey’s and Carpetright buildings in Heaton Norris, Stockport in 2014. It subcontracted the job of dismantling the roof of the building to Allan Thompson’s company, Building and Dismantling Contractors Ltd, which was based in Scotland. It was originally planned that plant machinery would be used to remotely bring down the structure, however a decision was taken by Michael Smith, owner of C Smith and Sons, that the building be dismantled piece by piece instead. This meant workers were required to work at height to remove the roof sheets prior to the structure being unbolted. On 15 January 2014, four men employed by Building and Dismantling Contractors Ltd travelled to Stockport to carry out the work. The roof of the building was made up of steel corrugated sheets with interspersed plastic skylights, which had deteriorated and subsequently been covered with corrugated steel sheets in a bid to repair the damage. On 20 January 2014, 42-year-old Scott Harrower accidentally stepped through a skylight and nearly fell 30 feet to the concrete floor below. Although he prevented himself from falling in a near miss, the group returned to the site to continue work the next day. At just after 9am on Tuesday 21 January 2014, a 47-year-old man fell through a skylight, fracturing his spine, pelvis, right leg, heel and wrist. Ambulance and police attended, but the incident was deemed to be an accident and after advising on the company’s obligations to inform the HSE, officers left the scene. The men were ordered to return to the roof just hours later and at 4pm Mr Harrower fell through a skylight to the concrete below. He suffered catastrophic head injuries and died as a result. Allan Thompson, 49, of Woodburn Crescent, Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, was jailed for six years after he was found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter. Both Mr Thomson and Building and Dismantling Contractors Ltd were found guilty of offences under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act and for breaching regulations 4 and 7 of the Work at Height Regulations at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square, on 3 February 2016. On Friday last week, Thompson was jailed was six years, fined £400,000 and was ordered to pay £55,000 court costs. Michael Smith, 52, of Lightowlers Lane, Rochdale and C Smith and Sons (Rochdale) Ltd, were found guilty of offences under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act and for breaching both the CDM Regulations and Work at Height Regulations. Smith was jailed for eight months, fined £90,000 and ordered to pay £45,000 court costs. Detective chief inspector Richard Eales said: “First and foremost, our condolences go to the families of Scott and his colleague, who were the victims of both companies’ criminal negligence and who died in tragically preventable circumstances. “It is clear from the evidence that both Smith and Thomson saw an opportunity to make a quick profit without any thought for the workers they sent on to the roof, and as a direct result of that greed Scott died and another man suffered life-changing injuries. “Smith and Thomson’s remorse did not then stretch to admitting their guilt, as both tried to hide behind their companies and refused to plead guilty to the charges levelled against them personally. “Thankfully, the jury saw through their attempts and both now can face justice for the decisions that they made, decisions that have robbed one family of a loving partner, father, and son, and another of a man’s ability to live a life untainted by severe physical injury.” Scott Harrower’s mother Irene added: “Scott was a nice guy who didn’t deserve to go in such tragic circumstances. He will be missed everyday by his whole family”. Scott’s partner Jane and his two children, Justin and Robyn, said: “The last two years have been devastating, for us knowing that Scott’s death could have been prevented is unforgivable. “The effect it has had on us as, especially his two children, is not something that any family should have to go through. “Scott is and always will be greatly missed by us all.” HSE inspector Sandra Tomlinson, said: “Falls from height, and in particular falls involving fragile roofs, are one of the main causes of work-related deaths in Britain. The risks are therefore well-known and documented, as is the guidance on how to reduce these risks. “The roof dismantling works were not properly planned or supervised and adequate precautions, such as netting, were not put in place. “This led to two men falling in separate incidents and resulted in one man suffering life-changing injuries as well as the dreadful tragedy of Mr Harrower’s death.” Source link
Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Fri, Mar 18th 2016 Recofloor members celebrated their record-breaking vinyl recycling achievements at the scheme’s fifth annual awards event at Old Trafford, the Home of Manchester United, in March. Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Recofloor members celebrated their record-breaking vinyl recycling achievements at the scheme’s fifth annual awards event at Old Trafford, the Home of Manchester United, in March. Flooring companies, contractors and distributors have collected more than 2,700 tonnes of vinyl flooring – including 508 tonnes in 2015 alone – since the UK take-back scheme was founded by leading flooring manufacturers Polyflor and Altro in 2009 to divert waste material from landfill. The main winners were Carpets ‘N’ Carpets Ltd (Contractor of the Year); 3D Flooring Supplies/ MCD Wales/ Flooring Accessories (Distributor of the Year); S&D Flooring Specialists Ltd (Best Newcomer); STS Flooring Distributors Ltd (Greatest Improver); Mark Purnell of Fantasy Flooring Ltd (Recofloor Champion), Mezmirizin Flooring Ltd (Drop-Off Site User of the Year); Birch Distribution (Outstanding Achievement Award )and Branagan Flooring Services (Long-Standing Service Award). Winners received their trophies and certificates from guest host and former Southampton and England footballer Matt Le Tissier who was clearly impressed and commented: “Manufacturers collaborating in this way to improve the sustainability of their products must be unique. It’s fantastic for the environment: a win-win situation!” Entries were judged mainly on last year’s achievements, while also recognising collectors’ significant contributions in various ways. Directors Bob Smith of Polyflor and Altro’s John Patsavellas both expressed their delight that ‘more and more companies are recognising the wider benefits of Recofloor, not just in connection with cost savings, but also with regard to enhancing their business offering and increasing their environmental sustainability’. Thanking members, John said their ‘commitment and engagement is central to the success of the scheme’. “Altro, like Polyflor, is proud to be a founder of this scheme, which is a core part of both our sustainability programmes. Recofloor as a scheme leads the way across the Europe. We have a ‘world first’ in collaboration that has created a scheme that really works. As Recofloor continues to evolve, others will find it very difficult to replicate.” Material collected by Recofloor’s 700-strong membership is recycled back into products, including new flooring, which benefits the environment and can reduce collectors’ waste disposal costs by up to 70%. The scheme accepts smooth and safety vinyl offcuts, uplifted smooth vinyl, roll ends and luxury vinyl tiles (LVT). Key speakers from the flooring industry included Richard Catt, CEO of the Contract Flooring Association, Ian James from FITA and Anthony Francis, Managing Director of Mayfield Floors. Richard commented: “Sustainability and waste management are extremely important to our industry and Recofloor makes a significant contribution. Winning a Recofloor award is an achievement that is growing in recognition and an important addition to any company’s profile. So congratulations should go to all the winners – particularly the significant number who are CFA members!” Recofloor Manager Jane Gardner, who showed the new Recofloor video on how the scheme works, said: “Recofloor is a unique scheme at the heart of the Circular Economy and shares these principles in recovering resources for reuse, where possible, in high value products. Everyone should be proud of what’s been achieved and we are striving to do even more.” A total of 29 firms received Gold and Silver Awards based on the amount of material collected per fitter. Source link
David Pratt has been appointed as Building Control Manager of Derbyshire Building Control Partnership (DBCP). He brings nearly 30 years of experience to the role, having previously held building inspector roles at Chesterfield Borough Council and most recently Mansfield District Council. David is the latest new appointment for DBCP which was formed last year following the merger of six established Local Authority Building Control Services from Derby City Council, Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council, North East Derbyshire District Council, Bolsover District Council and Amber Valley Borough Council. Within the role, David will be active in marketing DBCP’s services and offering to builders, property owners and architects throughout the region. He will also be implementing the industry-recognised ISO:9001 quality management system across the organisation’s offices at Friar Gate in Derby and Chesterfield. Commenting on his new role, David said: “I am excited to join such a forward thinking organisation. DBCP is really going places and the implementation of ISO:9001 will further streamline processes and services across both of DBCP’s offices to deliver greater efficiency to our customers. “DBCP is very much a customer-centric organisation, committed to doing things the right way and looking after the customer. It was these values that attracted me to both the role and DBCP. “There is a great team here and we have a very exciting journey ahead of us to achieve our aim of being the number one choice for building control in the region.” Prior to becoming a building inspector, David began his career as an apprentice site joiner, progressing to the role of bench joiner and kitchen fitter before making the move to building control after 10 years. He added: “I have had experience of building control on the other side of the fence, so I understand the importance of building good relationships with builders, architects and property owners. I share DBCP’s focus in ensuring the best possible outcome for all parties involved in a project – it’s why I love what I do so much.” Outside work, David enjoys gardening and is soon to be a grandad. To learn more about DBCP or to book an inspection, please visit www.dbcp.co.uk or call 0333 880 2000.
FOUR years after starting on site, the design teams behind the purpose-built £320 million Waterside Campus for the University of Northampton have completed the project. The scheme which houses six new academic buildings on a 58-acre former brownfield site has been one of the biggest of its kind in the higher education sector. CPMG Architects, experts in higher education campus transformation, led on the delivery of three campus buildings – the Creative Hub, Senate Building and Logistics Hub – which form half of the university’s new academic buildings. Chris White, director at CPMG said: “This multi-million-pound scheme is a complex development delivered with true collaboration between consultant partners and contracting teams. We’re proud to be part of the team to deliver this ambitious project and these three important buildings.” The four-storey senate building acts as the corporate and research centre hosting guest lectures, exhibitions and events within its teaching spaces, large lecture hall and impressive atria. The dramatic roof creates a bold entrance to the campus and shapes its impact on the wider environment. The Creative Hub will be home to the university’s art and design faculties. With art studios, specialist teaching spaces, media spaces and laboratories; the building’s stripped back and open-plan structure allows visitors unrestricted views of the River Nene. A Logistics Hub has also been completed, housing the university’s infrastructure team which is vital in supporting the campus activity as facilities continue to develop onsite. Chris continued: “We have a wealth of experience in the higher education sector, so we understood the challenges and requirements of delivering a modern estate that is fit for the future. Now the project is complete I’m confident it will be a catalyst to support Northampton’s wider regeneration programme and will be one of the UK’s most vibrant student communities.” CPMG Architects worked with Bowmer & Kirkland on the new campus which will provide world-class teaching and learning facilities for 15,000 students. The new campus also features a Learning Hub, Research and Enterprise Hub, Sports Hub, students’ union, cafes, a restaurant, retail space and student residences. Chris added: “Since our involvement on the project, the whole approach to delivering the campus has been one of collaboration between the architectural practices involved and the wider consultant team, both on the contractor and client sides of the development.” The university previously occupied two campuses located outside of the city; Waterside aims to become a new destination for the university’s students – amalgamating the existing two sites to create one central location. CPMG has more than 30 years’ worth of experience in the education sector – evolving alongside the developing industry. The firm has recently completed projects at University of Derby, Teesside University and Cranfield University – with designs ranging from aerospace research facilities and labs to students’ unions and libraries. Find out more about CPMG at www.cpmg-architects.com or join the conversation @CPMGArchitects
Scotland’s largest building preservation company, Richardson and Starling, is today announcing its latest expansion with the opening of a new office in Inverness. 7 new posts are being created with the company actively recruiting from the local area. The firm is seeking 5 technicians and a property surveyor to join an administrator who is already in place. The premises at Henderson Drive will service Inverness and the Highlands and takes the company’s branch network to 13 across Scotland and the North of England. “There is a strong market for our services in Inverness and the Highlands with a high demand to use local-based companies,” said Richardson & Starling’s managing director, Graham Duncan. “Until now we have serviced the area from our Elgin office but we are keen to work more closely with local suppliers, so setting up an Inverness office was the next obvious step for us.” In July, the firm won a national trade body’s UK contractor of the year title for the record third successive year The Cambuslang-headquartered organisation retained the ‘Contractor of the Year, Damp and Timber Treatment’ title at The Property Care Association’s Best Practice Awards held last month at The Slate, University of Warwick. The firm also walked away with the ‘Innovation’ title as well as two highly commended accolades in the ‘Training and Staff Development’ and ‘Sustainability’ categories. Richardson & Starling is the largest company within the Veitchi Group and has been providing preservation services since 1935.
Steelwork has been erected as the construction of a £14million industrial/warehouse development in Northamptonshire continues to make good progress. Main contractor MCS Group has been appointed by St Francis Group in joint venture with the Richardson family to deliver five units totalling 270,000 sq ft at Cransley Park, Kettering. Construction started on site in May. MCS Group managing director Keir Edmonds said: “Cransley Park, which is adjacent to the A14, is in a prime location for business. On behalf of St Francis Group, we’re delivering high quality units of up to 100,000 sq ft which will cater for a range of occupier requirements, within a landscaped environment. “Very good progress is being made on site, with the steelwork starting to go up, and we’re on schedule to reach practical completion in February 2019.” Cransley Park comprises a 32-acre gateway site strategically located just off junction 8 of the A14 in Kettering. Gareth Williams, development director at St Francis Group, said: “We appointed MCS Group because they have an excellent track record in delivering developments in the industrial/warehouse sector. This is an exciting development, which will deliver much-needed space into a strong regional market where the supply is currently limited. We expect a great deal of interest from potential occupiers now that work is well underway.” The units are being offered for both lease and purchase and have been designed to a high specification to achieve the BREEAM Very Good and EPC ‘A’ rating, featuring 50K/n floor loading, 50M service yards, 8-10M eaves height, dock levellers, level access doors, car/HGV parking and first office accommodation. Prop Search and LSH are the letting agents. Keir added: “This is one of a number of industrial schemes that we are working on. We are delivering around 1,000,000 sq ft of industrial space this year and it’s where we believe there is a major opportunity to win substantial levels of new business and to establish ourselves as one of the leading main contractors in the sector.” MCS Group is currently constructing several warehouse units at sites across the UK and has recently won contracts in Lutterworth, Hatfield and Bristol. The company has also built and refurbished more than 300 car dealerships including Audi, BMW, Mclaren and Jaguar Land Rover since its inception in 2003.
460,000 houses being planned for land that will be released from the Green Belt, while the percentage of ‘affordable’ homes built continues to fall The Green Belt remains under severe pressure, despite government commitments to its protection, according to a new report from the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE). CPRE’s annual State of the Green Belt report highlights that there are currently 460,000 homes being planned to be built on land that will soon be released from the Green Belt. Moving Green Belt boundaries when reviewing local plans makes it easier for local authorities to release land for housing, but is only supposed to take place under ‘exceptional circumstances’. This strategic shrinking of the Green Belt, as a way of getting around its protected status, is as harmful as building on the Green Belt itself. The report also demonstrates that building on the Green Belt is not solving the affordable housing crisis, and will not do so. Last year 72% of homes built on greenfield land within the Green Belt were unaffordable by the government’s definition. Of the 460,000 homes that are planned to be built on land that will be released from the Green Belt, the percentage of unaffordable homes will increase to 78%. CPRE warns that this release of land looks set to continue, as one third of local authorities with Green Belt land will find themselves with an increase in housing targets, due to a new method for calculating housing demand. The London (Metropolitan) Green Belt will be the biggest casualty. Tom Fyans, Director of Campaigns and Policy at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: ‘We are being sold a lie by many developers. As they sell off and gobble up the Green Belt to build low density, unaffordable housing, young families go on struggling to afford a place to live. The affordable housing crisis must be addressed with increasing urgency, while acknowledging that far from providing the solution, building on the Green Belt only serves to entrench the issue. ‘The government is failing in its commitment to protect the Green Belt – it is being eroded at an alarming rate. But it is essential, if the Green Belt is to fulfil its main purposes and provide 30 million of us with access to the benefits of the countryside, that the redevelopment of brownfield land is prioritised, and Green Belt protection strengthened.’ There is currently enough brownfield land in England to accommodate more than 1 million homes. CPRE urges the government and local authorities to ensure that this is redeveloped before any more greenfield land is released from the Green Belt. Local authorities with Green Belt land have enough brownfield land for over 720,000 homes, the report finds, much of which is in areas with a high need for housing and existing infrastructure. In addition to a push for a genuine ‘brownfield first’ approach to development, CPRE are also calling on the government to: retain its commitment to protect the Green Belt by establishing long-term boundaries halt speculative development in the Green Belt develop clear guidance for local authorities on housing requirements to protect designated land support the creation of new Green Belts where local authorities have established a clear need for them
A two-story building in Brinkburn Street Byker in Newcastle, which has stood empty for almost two years, is to be converted into a new homes development. The building was used as a central design hub by architect Ralph Erskine and his team to coordinate the transformation of the Grade-II listed Byker Wall Estate, which is the reason why the development will be named ‘Ralph Erskine House’. The building will be converted into four two-bedroom apartments by the Byker Community Trust (BCT) housing association, which owns and manages over 1,800 homes on the Estate. BCT, which acquired the building from Newcastle City Council, is investing £393,300 in the housing scheme, expected to be completed by November 2018. An Empty Homes Grant of £120k was also awarded by Homes England to support the initiative. As part of the conversion, BCT is searching for a local artist to take the lead on recreating a mural of Erskine’s visual signature – a hot air balloon – on one of the outside walls of the building. “Walking around Byker you realise that Erskine’s vision was to create something of social worth. He was revolutionary in his time, by basing himself on the Estate to consult with people face to face and ensuring that they were at the heart of his design plans,” said Jill Haley, Chief Executive at Byker Community Trust. “Continuing in the spirit of community involvement, we wish to invite local artists to be a part of an exciting project. We are looking to recreate Erskine’s iconic hot air balloon visual signature on the side of his old office, as a tribute to him. It will be a great opportunity for a local person to make a lasting impression, a gesture that I’m confident Ralph Erskine would have liked,” Jill added. Originally built as a funeral parlour in the 1900s, the building was converted into an office in 1969 to facilitate redevelopment of the Byker Estate. The office acted as main focal point between Newcastle City Council, the Byker community and Erskine’s design team.
Washroom Washroom, the innovative washroom designer, manufacturer and installer, has expanded its product range, offering concrete vanities as part of Arpeggio vanity units, which also includes solid surface Corian, granite, zodiaq and glass. As the ideal solution for those seeking to create on-trend industrial-inspired washrooms, concrete is hard-wearing, easy to maintain and can create a stylish high specification design, which is the reason this material is becoming more popular for varying applications. Washroom Washroom has recently refurbished an office, manufacturing bespoke vanity units with cast polished concrete tops manufactured by MASS Concrete to create a contemporary washroom space. “Keeping a close eye on current and future trends and product developments is something we pride ourselves on so we’re always on the look-out for the new materials and finish options to offer,” said Trevor Bowers, director at Washroom Washroom. “We’re excited to extend our standard range, but that’s by no means the end of the story as our design team are always happy to discuss your specific requirements for bespoke projects in order to deliver the unique finish you expect from a Washroom Washroom project,” he continued. Washroom has also created a brand-new product option to add to its integrated glass Concerto duct panelling range,meaning that the manufacturer can now supply glass duct panels complete with unique metal mesh inserts for a truly unique finish. These panels can be seen at the new Saneux showroom in Clerkenwell. Established in 2001, Washroom has grown to become one of the leading providers of high specification commercial washroom, toilet and shower cubicles, vanities, lockers and benching together with a bespoke joinery service for sectors including commercial, health leisure, education and the public sector. The company has successfully built on its philosophy to design, manufacture and install high quality and innovative washrooms, leisure and changing facilities on time and to budget for projects as diverse as the Shard, one of London’s most iconic landmarks to the Aldar HQ, the first circular building in the Middle East.
Most hotels want their guests to spend time in them; however, for millennial travellers, the priority is to get out and experience the city. Assembly is a new hotel brand from Criterion Capital, designed to inspire people to make the most out of their trip. Branding agency Ragged Edge partnered with Criterion to define a proposition aimed at young urban travellers, and bring it to life across every touchpoint, from identity right through to the customer experience. The first Assembly hotel opened last month on Charing Cross Road. A single-minded focus In today’s ultra-competitive hotel market, affordable hotel chains must achieve 97% occupancy to succeed. This drives many of them to try to be all things to all people. Criterion saw the market differently, aiming to deliver a compelling offer for a specific audience of experience-hungry travellers with distinctive wants and needs. Out went mini bars, towelling robes and tvs, in favour of the things that really matter – best in class beds, showers, sound-proofing and wi-fi and most importantly, a unmatched location to go and explore the city. Get up and go “Young travellers don’t come to the West End to hang out in a hotel room,” said Max Ottignon, Ragged Edge Co-founder. “So we set out to fuel their sense of adventure. The brand idea – Get Up and Go – reflects Assembly’s disruptive approach, and informed every element of the offer, from identity through to customer service.” An adventurous identity founded on a bespoke typeface The identity was designed as the antidote to the inoffensively bland aesthetic favoured by other millennial-focused hotel brands.It was built around ‘Assembled’, a bespoke typeface designed to reflect the diverse range of experiences on the hotel’s doorstep. The eye-catching letterforms are used playfully throughout the customer experience, scattered across layouts in a visual representation of the brand idea. Bringing the brand to life The agency delivered a full range of assets, from room art, purchased from locals in the area, right through to disruptive takes on the expected suite of hotel collateral. They also designed and wrote a website that aims to capture the energy of the hotel experience, far away from templated feel adopted by much of the category. Built to scale “We’ve created a powerful proposition designed to meet the distinct needs of young, urban travellers. That single-minded focus has allowed us to create a brand that combines an incredible location, affordability and comfort, without compromising on character or excitement. Assembly has already been a resounding success in London, paving the way for planned new sites in some of Europe’s most vibrant cities,” said Asif Aziz, Criterion Capital.
