Developer Roxhill has secured approval from the Secretary of State for its 5 million sq ft strategic rail freight terminal in Northamptonshire. The application was granted approval yesterday for the development of a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) together with landscaping, access and other supporting infrastructure works consisting of an
A new dual carriageway on the A14 is set to open this December, a full year ahead of schedule. The 12-mile bypass which is part of a wider 21-mile, £1.5 billion scheme in Cambridgeshire and the largest upgrade of its kind in the UK, will save drivers up to 20
Plans for the biggest regeneration scheme in Havering have been agreed. The first plans were agreed at a Strategic Planning Committee meeting and will now be considered by the Mayor of London before the final decision is issued. Joint venture partners Havering Council and Wates Residential submitted plans for the
Following unprecedented success, the Offsite Construction Awards will be back in 2020 at a new high-profile location, taking place at the UK’s largest offsite technology event in the construction calendar – Offsite Expo. In line with the sector, the Offsite Construction Awards have experienced exponential growth and next year’s event
With a rapid increase in the population, the construction business is seeing significant advancements. About one-fifth of the new companies are associated with construction, and this industry involves many significant entrepreneurial investments. The construction industry can ensure massive returns if the finances are managed well. In these lines, renting the
Developer Roxhill has secured approval from the Secretary of State for its 5 million sq ft strategic rail freight terminal in Northamptonshire. The application was granted approval yesterday for the development of a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) together with landscaping, access and other supporting infrastructure works consisting of an intermodal freight terminal including container storage and HGV parking, rail sidings to serve individual warehouses, and with the capability to also provide a ‘rapid rail freight’ facility as part of the intermodal freight terminal. In addition there would be approximately 5 million sq ft warehousing and ancillary buildings, with additional floorspace provided in the form of mezzanines as well as new road infrastructure and works to the existing road network, including the provision of a new access and associated works to the A508, a new bypass to the village of Roade, improvements to Junction 15 and to Junction 15A of the M1 motorway, the A45, and other highway improvements at junctions on the local highway network; The scheme was one of five strategic rail freight interchanges being proposed in the Midlands with a combined associated warehouse development of some 39 million sq ft in addition to the ones already there which include East Midlands Gateway and DIRFT (adding a further 15 million sq ft of associated warehouse space). Goodman has its East Midlands Intermodal Park in South Derbyshire, which would bring 6 million sq ft of associated warehousing across a 630-acre site. Then there is an adjacent 600-acre site to Roxhill’s Northampton gateway SRFI being brought forward by Gazeley teaming up with Ashfield Land to promote Rail Central in Northamptonshire, two miles from Junction 15A of the M1 motorway. The scheme is looking to provide 7.4 million sq ft of associated warehousing space. Far in the north west of the region in South Staffordshire, Four Ashes is championing the 733 acre West Midlands Interchange, with up to 8 million sq ft of associated warehousing. Finally the most recent to be put forward is dbSymmetry’s Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange in Leicestershire which links in to the Nuneaton to Felixstowe rail freight route. The 560-acre site could accommodate up to 9 million sq ft of associated warehouse space (some of it mezzanine). It is located close to Junction 2 of the M69 motorway connecting the M6 near Coventry and the M1 motorway near Leicester. Like most nationally important infrastructure developments, this one has proved controversial having gone through the planning inspectorate rather than the more usual planning route. Three examining inspectors made up a panel to examine the application, which was conducted on the basis of written and oral submissions submitted to the Panel and by a series of meetings held in Northampton. The Panel also undertook one accompanied and one unaccompanied site inspection. In response to the application the Secretary of State noted there is a ‘compelling need for an expanded network of SRFIs’. And believes that it is ‘for the market to determine the feasibility of particular proposals and notes there will be limited suitable locations for SRFIs’. With regard to the number and proximity of SRFIs in the Midlands the Secretary of State notes: ‘that operational collaboration and linkage between closely related SRFIs does takes place (including between SRFIs geographically closer than DIRFT and the Proposed Development), and notes the Panel’s consideration that a similar relationship between DIRFT and the Proposed Development might also occur. The Secretary of State therefore agrees with the Panel that the proximity of DIRFT does not undermine the Applicant’s justification of need’. In relation to other proposals elsewhere in the region the Secretary of State’s response was that it was not possible to judge an application on any ‘putative proposals’ of a similar nature.
A new dual carriageway on the A14 is set to open this December, a full year ahead of schedule. The 12-mile bypass which is part of a wider 21-mile, £1.5 billion scheme in Cambridgeshire and the largest upgrade of its kind in the UK, will save drivers up to 20 minutes per journey, benefiting people living and working across the entire region. The A14 Integrated Delivery Team, a joint venture between Balfour Beatty, Costain and Skanska, and design consultants Atkins and CH2M, is delivering the project. To mark the early opening announcement, the A14 was visited by the Roads Minister, Baroness Vere. Speaking on the project, Baroness Vere, said: “This Government is committed to delivering an infrastructure revolution and it’s fantastic that a key section of this vital route will be delivered a year ahead of schedule, helping people travelling in the East of England get to their destination quickly and safely. “The A14 upgrade will not only improve the experience for local drivers but will also boost access between the region’s ports and the West Midlands – a key logistics hub. “I look forward to seeing the benefits in action in December and to seeing similar infrastructure schemes developing around the country as we improve links and spread growth opportunities.” On completion, the road will open as an A road, instead of a motorway as originally planned. This will take advantage of wider lanes when joining the neighbouring M11 and A1(M). Julian Lamb, deputy project director for the Integrated Delivery Team, said: “We can put the continued success of the project down to our deep understanding of the scheme and our expertise in delivering complex road projects. This has allowed us to move the project along efficiently and effectively resulting in opening the bypass ahead of schedule and being recognised within the industry as a leader in innovation, productivity and collaboration.” The full project remains on track to open to traffic by the end of 2020.
Plans for the biggest regeneration scheme in Havering have been agreed. The first plans were agreed at a Strategic Planning Committee meeting and will now be considered by the Mayor of London before the final decision is issued. Joint venture partners Havering Council and Wates Residential submitted plans for the Napier and New Plymouth House site in Rainham in May. The site is one of 12 included in the ’12 Estates’ regeneration programme, which will see around 5,200 homes delivered in the borough over the next 12 to 15 years. The project will seek to double the amount of council rented accommodation and more than double the number of affordable housing. The plans for the Napier and New Plymouth House site include 126 affordable homes, with a number earmarked for families, and a further 71 homes for private sale targeted at local buyers. All residents who have been moved off the site to enable the regeneration have been guaranteed the right to return. The plans were subject to extensive public consultation, with more than 600 one-to-one meetings held for sites across 12 Estates programme with local residents and businesses. Children’s play areas were included in the plans with plenty of green space to make sure the scheme reflects the borough. The landscape will also be designed to encourage wildlife, with new bat boxes, trees for birds and plenty of flowers for bees. As part of the project, Havering Council and Wates Residential have pledged to deliver a borough-wide legacy by investing in education, training and skills opportunities, and by employing local businesses to work on the scheme. Four Meet the Buyer events were held for local suppliers to learn about contract opportunities on the project. Employing local contractors means a lower carbon footprint and that money flows back into the local area. By the end of the project, this investment will make up a minimum of 10% of the total programme, valued at £100m of contracts to be secured by local businesses. Kilnbridge Construction Services, which has offices in Rainham, has been awarded a contract to undertake controlled demolition of Napier and New Plymouth Houses, and a two-storey car park on Dunedin Road.
Following unprecedented success, the Offsite Construction Awards will be back in 2020 at a new high-profile location, taking place at the UK’s largest offsite technology event in the construction calendar – Offsite Expo. In line with the sector, the Offsite Construction Awards have experienced exponential growth and next year’s event is set to be the most prominent yet, with the Awards taking centre stage at Offsite Expo on 22 September 2020 at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. In 2020 Offsite Expo will attract over 5,000 dedicated construction professionals across the two-day exhibition. The Awards will be hosted next year alongside the Offsite Summit, which will attract 500 industry leaders and innovators. This move will give the team behind the Awards room to expand the event, after the high demand for tickets last year saw many people losing out on attending the big night. The 2020 Awards will be keeping the traditions of previous years, featuring an evening drinks reception with plenty of networking opportunities. However, it is not only the venue that is changing, two new categories have been announced. The Offsite Construction Awards are expanding to reflect the wider adoption of innovative technology. These new categories include Building Performance Pioneer Award, which focuses on the importance of energy efficiency post occupation, together with International Offsite Project of the Year Award – opening the 2020 Offsite Awards to international entries! The deadline for submissions is 15 May 2020 with announcement of the finalists being announced on 22 September 2020. Entries into the 2019 Offsite Construction Awards were phenomenal and the profile and coverage gained by all the finalists and winners has helped to propel the sector to another level. This event is the ideal opportunity for construction professionals to maximise industry exposure by demonstrating what separates them from their competitors. So, if you are proud of your exceptional team, project development or product innovation, there are just five questions to answer to grasp the opportunity to take centre stage at the 2020 Offsite Construction Awards. Being shortlisted for the Awards will earn recognition within the offsite community and the wider construction industry – opening doors to securing new business development opportunities. Many of the sponsorship packages have already been snapped up by savvy companies wanting to take advantage of the opportunity to promote their company and maximise industry exposure. The headline sponsors for next year’s event include EOS, Hadley Group, NHBC and BLP insurance – with only one package remaining for a headline position.
With a rapid increase in the population, the construction business is seeing significant advancements. About one-fifth of the new companies are associated with construction, and this industry involves many significant entrepreneurial investments. The construction industry can ensure massive returns if the finances are managed well. In these lines, renting the primary construction instruments is also being chosen as a better option than capital investment. But to create an industrial success, you have to understand the market and avoid the following mistakes while hiring construction instruments for your company. Not demarcating your needs Before you pick out the instrument for your work, you should be completely clear about your requirements from that particular machine. If you need to compact the soil and gravel, you will opt for a wacker plate hire and not for any land mowing machine. This difference should be precisely conveyed in your requirements. Waiting till the last second to book your instrument Ideally, it’s advisable to opt for renting a piece of equipment immediately as you sense the necessity. The selection procedure can go on for a little while, and the availability of that particular instrument can also be checked at a rental company. This process gets more manageable if you have time in hand, for hasty business towards the end might have you in difficulty. Not understanding the cost/benefit of the machinery You have to be a critical analyst before choosing the right machine for your construction business. Make sure to follow the financial aspects clearly so that you know how much profit you will be churning out with the initial investment you make while renting the machine. If you do not understand the leverage, it may so happen that you end up paying more than you earn. This should be avoided by all means. Lack of clarity on the time duration When you are looking for construction equipment for your company, you must also know the time duration for which you will need the machine. You may need it for a few hours, but if you book it for an entire day out of anticipation, you will waste your money in the endeavor. Thus, a fair idea of the time duration can help you make a smart investment. If you are sure that you need the machine on a long-term basis, you can consider getting it on a lease, rather than rent. This will go slightly easier on your pocket. Avoiding the training portions No matter how well-versed you are with the construction business, there may be several machines that follow some of the latest technology that you are not equipped with. Instead of avoiding those machines, start getting trained in their operations as they may prove to be very beneficial for your specific requirements. You should also not reject using some tools owing to your incompetence in using them. If you wish to get done with work at a professional level, you can hire experts to run the equipment in your budget and learn from them, as they work. You have to be ardent to know better and perform better to make it big in this business.
