Willmott Dixon has won a £34 million council house building contract to deliver 266 new homes on a site in Wolverhampton. The company will be completing the project for WV Living on the site for the Wednesfield High School on Lakefield Road, Wednesfield. The new development, named ‘The Marches’, will
Price comparison website MoneySuperMarket has looked at what people could do to get their homes green and sustainable. The company looked at the costs and savings associated with the most readily available renewable energy sources and efficiency-improvers around the home. The data collected showed that renewable energy offers the greatest
Cornwall’s Brunel Recycling has added the latest string to its Mercedes-Benz bow, in the shape of a high-riding eight-wheeler with volumetric mixer body. Essentially a truck mixer and concrete batching plant rolled into one, the new truck is based on a muscular Arocs 4140K chassis supplied by Dealer Group Rygor
A contract to build Powys County Council’s first affordable housing development for social rent in over 40 years has been awarded to a Welsh building company. Port Talbot-based Jistcourt has been appointed as lead contractor to build a three-storey building containing 26 one-bedroomed flats in Newtown. The company, who are
Higgins has started work on site to design and build a 14 storey residential block at Woolwich Reach, E16 for Notting Hill Genesis. The £21 million contract will deliver 75 affordable homes, one, two and three bedroom apartments, of which 28 will be London Living Rent homes and 47 shared
Construction work has started on a 55,000 sq ft industrial warehouse which is being developed on a speculative basis. MV55 is the newest addition to Markham Vale, a 200-acre industrial and logistics development located at Junction 29A of the M1 – a joint venture between Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and Derbyshire
Willmott Dixon has won a £34 million council house building contract to deliver 266 new homes on a site in Wolverhampton. The company will be completing the project for WV Living on the site for the Wednesfield High School on Lakefield Road, Wednesfield. The new development, named ‘The Marches’, will include 67 affordable homes and comprise of one, two, three and four bedroom homes for sale. “This is fantastic news for WV Living and for the city, The Marches will provide much needed quality homes to rent and high quality homes to buy. WV Living is continuing to support the overall house building programme in the City of Wolverhampton and in appointing Willmott Dixon we will also see real, long-lasting benefits for the local community,” said Kate Martin, Director for Housing, City of Wolverhampton Council. “Willmott Dixon’s business commitment to social value and sustainable futures is a real strength and we are confident this development will also boost local business and skills, and add further pace to housing growth across the city,” added Kate Martin. Willmorr Dixon is working with BM3 Architecture on this project and the first homes are scheduled to be ready for tenants by the end of the year. 67 homes out of the total of 266 will be affordable. “We are delighted to be working with WV Living to develop and build over 260 new houses and apartments, creating new housing stock for the people of Wolverhampton. At Willmott Dixon, we also believe we have a purpose beyond profit and that includes leaving a lasting positive legacy in the areas where we work,” commented Simon Liversage, Director for Willmott Dixon in the Midlands. The development is part of WV Living’s plans to deliver more than 1,000 new homes across the city over four years. WV Living is also developing three further sites as part of its phase one developments, with 52 houses on the site of the former Danesmore Park Primary School in Ashmore Park, 25 at the former Ettingshall Primary School site, and 40 at the former Prouds Lane leisure centre site.
Price comparison website MoneySuperMarket has looked at what people could do to get their homes green and sustainable. The company looked at the costs and savings associated with the most readily available renewable energy sources and efficiency-improvers around the home. The data collected showed that renewable energy offers the greatest monthly savings at £28.33 on average a month. However, the machinery needed, such as solar panels and wind turbines, have an average setup cost of £7,237. This means that despite the reduction in bills per month, it would take over 21 years and three months to pay off the installation before seeing substantial savings. On the other hand, efficiency measures, such as energy saving lightbulbs and reduced-water shower heads, offer an average of £6.92 in savings each month. With initial costs averaging at £762.59, it would take nine years and two months to pay for themselves. Here are some options that can make anyone’s homes greener and save them money too: Energy saving light-bulbs – Fitting a home with energy saving bulbs would cost around £51.80 and could result in financial savings of up to £27.13 a month, which means they’ll have paid for themselves after two months. Lagging jackets – An investment of £15 to insulate the hot water tank could save around £1.67 each month on heating – meaning costs will be covered after nine months. Solar ovens – Solar ovens use just the light of the sun to cook food, meaning no energy is required and could save £9.30 a month. They are a little more expensive at £188.64 on average, and will take a year and eight months to cover their own costs. Water saving shower head – Costing around £15.99, these shower heads help save 52 pence each month and they will be paid after two and a half years. Cavity Insulation – Over £10 per month could be saved on energy bills if a home is insulated correctly. With an installation fee of £466, a return on investment will be seen after three years and seven months.
Cornwall’s Brunel Recycling has added the latest string to its Mercedes-Benz bow, in the shape of a high-riding eight-wheeler with volumetric mixer body. Essentially a truck mixer and concrete batching plant rolled into one, the new truck is based on a muscular Arocs 4140K chassis supplied by Dealer Group Rygor Commercials. Built in Buckingham by concrete equipment specialist Utranazz, the Hydromix HM12H-E body features separate compartments for sand, stone, cement and water. These raw materials are then metered and mixed into fresh concrete when and where it is needed. The unmixed product remains useable indefinitely, eliminating costly wastage. The Arocs range is purpose-designed for construction work and related applications. A real head-turner in the operator’s bright red livery, the new truck has a ClassicSpace M-cab and pairs an advanced, 10.7-litre straight-six engine which produces 290 kW (394 hp), with a smooth Mercedes PowerShift 3 automated transmission. Brunel Recycling purchased its first Mercedes-Benz, an 8×4 Arocs tipper, from Rygor in 2015. To this, it then added another three tippers and a tipper-grab, before taking delivery last year of a hook-loader. All six of these 32-tonne vehicles are based on Arocs 3240K chassis; with one exception the tippers, and the tipper-grab, have Thompson bodies, while the hook-loader’s roll on-roll-off equipment is by HARSH. Family-owned Brunel Recycling’ headquarters are in Saltash, where it owns a fully licensed and permitted landfill and waste transfer station. The company’s roots date back to 1989, when Dave Venables established his landfill, which he then developed into a waste transfer station, skip-hire firm, and recycling facility. Today, having changed its name from Brunel Skips to Brunel Recycling, and adopted the ‘Remove-Recycle-Reuse’ motto which is proudly emblazoned on its Mercedes-Benz trucks, it provides a comprehensive portfolio of haulage, demolition, recycled aggregates and, now, concrete services to customers throughout Devon and Cornwall. Brunel Recycling’s graded aggregates are widely used for construction projects in Plymouth and the surrounding area. The firm also supplies top soils and biomass, undertakes site clearances, demolitions and muckaway work, and offers heavy plant and machinery for hire. His father – the owner of Plymouth Albion rugby club – having retired, Managing Director Brian Venables now runs the business with his Director brother Max, whose wife Nadine is Operations Manager. Brian Venables said Brunel Recycling’s experience of operating Mercedes-Benz trucks over the last four years had been entirely positive. “They’ve been totally reliable and are very economical,” he confirmed. “The Arocs is clearly built to withstand the rigours of our kind of work. The excellent ground clearance is a big advantage when we’re off-road, and it’s very comfortable to drive. The Arocs also looks and sounds brilliant,” he added. “It’s a seriously cool truck, and the guys love it.” Acquired, like its previous Arocs, with competitive funding support from Mercedes-Benz Finance, Brunel Recycling’s volumetric mixer is already opening doors to new business opportunities. “We do a lot of slabs and foundations for houses, and the new truck offers a very cost-effective means of delivering the concrete,” explained Mr Venables. “It didn’t come cheap, but this vehicle has added another string to our bow, and I’m confident it will prove over time to have been a wise investment.” Mr Venables also praised the service provided by Rygor Commercials Truck Sales Executive Marcus Cahalin. “Marcus is a joy to work with,” he observed. “I’m quite a fiery character but he knows how to handle me. If ever an issue crops up, as they always will from time to time, he remains very calm and ensures that it’s resolved with the minimum of fuss.” Marcus Cahalin said: “Every truck Rygor supplies is important to its owner, and we endeavour to reflect this by providing an appropriately high level of service to each and every one of our customers. Every now and then, though, a truck comes along which really stands out from the crowd, and Brunel Recycling’s volumetric mixer is certainly one. It’s a fantastic machine, and was a real pleasure to deliver.” www.brunelrecycling.co.uk
A contract to build Powys County Council’s first affordable housing development for social rent in over 40 years has been awarded to a Welsh building company. Port Talbot-based Jistcourt has been appointed as lead contractor to build a three-storey building containing 26 one-bedroomed flats in Newtown. The company, who are committed to using local sub-contractors, is a major player in the building and civil engineering industry and have worked with a number of councils and housing associations in Wales. The £3.5m development, which is being built on land adjacent to Newtown Bowling Club at Back Lane, will provide low-carbon accommodation available at an affordable rent. Home grown timber will be used as part of its construction with timber being used for both the primary structure and external materials, including windows and doors, which supports the council’s Wood Encouragement Policy. The Welsh Government has granted almost £2.2m in funding through its Innovative Housing Programme towards the development of the flats. Cllr James Evans, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “I’m delighted that Jistcourt (South Wales) Ltd have been appointed as the lead contractor for this exciting and innovative social housing development project. “This development, which will meet the needs of the local community, is just the first of many housing developments that we are planning across the county. It will also help meet our Vision 2025 – to build a minimum of 250 affordable homes across the county by 2023. “We are looking forward to working with Jistcourt for the duration of this construction project.” Rob Norman, Chairman of Jistcourt, said: “We are looking forward to working with Powys County Council on this exciting new development to provide 26 new affordable housing units in Newtown.”
Higgins has started work on site to design and build a 14 storey residential block at Woolwich Reach, E16 for Notting Hill Genesis. The £21 million contract will deliver 75 affordable homes, one, two and three bedroom apartments, of which 28 will be London Living Rent homes and 47 shared ownership, and commercial space overlooking the River Thames and next to Royal Victoria Gardens. Located on the derelict site of a former pub, the project also includes large communal spaces featuring a landscaped residents’ podium deck with car parking beneath and a new offsite public viewing platform with views over the river. Steve Leakey, Managing Director of Higgins comments, “We are delighted to be awarded the Woolwich Reach contract by Notting Hill Genesis and to commence work on site. Woolwich Reach is a key project in the wider regeneration of the area and will turn a site that has been derelict for decades into a prominent riverside location for people to enjoy for years to come. “We are already working on a number of successful projects with Notting Hill Genesis, at City Park West in Central Chelmsford and Wooddene Estate in Peckham and look forward to building on this success and working in partnership with them to deliver Woolwich Reach.” Jo Palmer, Assistant Development Director for Notting Hill Genesis, said: “This is a really exciting project for us, offering 100 per cent affordable housing in an area that desperately needs it, and we are pleased to have Higgins on board and starting on site. We look forward to providing more fantastic homes and public spaces in this part of London.” The development sits next to a busy thoroughfare linking the site to the Woolwich Ferry, while its southern boundary overlooks the Thames and improves public access to the Capital Ring, a popular dedicated walking and cycling route around the capital. The project offers the potential for spectacular views in all directions and will also offer gated access to Royal Victoria Gardens, the TFL Capital Ring Walk and has excellent transport links including the upgraded TFL Woolwich Ferry, DLR King George V Station and London City Airport which are all close by. For further information about Higgins please visit www.higginsconstruction.co.uk
Construction work has started on a 55,000 sq ft industrial warehouse which is being developed on a speculative basis. MV55 is the newest addition to Markham Vale, a 200-acre industrial and logistics development located at Junction 29A of the M1 – a joint venture between Henry Boot Developments (HBD) and Derbyshire County Council. Markham Vale is home to the likes of Great Bear, Gist, Ferdinand Bilstein and Sterigenics. This latest building fronts the M1 and includes flexible office space ranging from 2,500 sq ft – 5,000 sq ft alongside high-quality industrial facilities and 50 on-site parking spaces. Andrew Priestley, Development Surveyor at HBD, said: “Our decision to build our latest unit at Markham Vale on a speculative basis is very much a reflection of the strength of the market and continued demand for high-quality, well located industrial property. There is an acute shortage of good quality industrial space across the Yorkshire and East Midlands markets, particularly for buildings between 20,000 sq ft and 100,000 sq ft, resulting in a high degree of latent demand for new-build product like MV55. “We currently have a total of 108,000 sq ft under construction at Markham Vale, with this latest unit scheduled to complete in September along with Protec International’s new purpose-built premises, which started on site last month. Initial conversations have been very positive – businesses are keen to capitalise on its location as well as the high-quality build, which is something occupiers can always count on from HBD.” Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, Councillor Tony King, added: “This is a great opportunity for another business to join our thriving Markham Vale site. This plot has a lot to offer with great links to the M1 and a skilled workforce, high-quality industrial facilities and flexible office space.”
