PATRIZIA (UK) and Warwickshire County Cricket Club Appoint Contractor for Infrastructure Works and BTR Scheme Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been appointed by two new clients for concurrent works at Edgbaston Stadium in
Caddick Construction has been appointed by Network Space Developments to deliver the recently approved 138,000 sq. ft Spitfire Court industrial scheme, part of the Triumph Business Park in Speke. Work is now started on site. Network Space Developments is bringing forward the £15m speculative scheme on behalf of Infrared Capital
Property development and investment company, CEG, has appointed Harris CM to deliver the next phase of the multi-million pound redevelopment of the Vesuvius site in Worksop. The Yorkshire-based construction company will move onto site this week to deliver the first phase of 46,000 sq ft of industrial and retail space
The construction site will be human-free by 2050. That’s what Balfour Beatty predicted in its Innovation 2050 report back in 2017. While 2050 is far in our future, technology is already changing how we work on construction sites. Here Carl Parsons, regional sales manager of heavy civil solutions at SITECH,
Work is officially underway for a key regeneration project that aims to bring affordable housing in East Leeds. National housebuilder Keepmoat Homes and Places for People, one of the UK’s leading affordable homes led placemakers, is redeveloping the brownfield site, located on Seacroft Crescent, into a 49 new home development, Pennine Crest.
Siltbuster, the leading water treatment specialist, has provided Costain with four modular treatment solutions, to be used during the delivery of the £200m Preston Western Distributor Road, linking Preston and southern Fylde to the M55 motorway. The 2.5 mile-long dual carriageway, set to open in 2023, includes a new motorway
In and amongst all the different concerns we have had lately, there are still some other big ones that need still need major consideration. One of these is of course the environment and how we treat it, which can be affected by how energy-efficient we are in our general day-to-day
PATRIZIA (UK) and Warwickshire County Cricket Club Appoint Contractor for Infrastructure Works and BTR Scheme Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been appointed by two new clients for concurrent works at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham. The firm will be delivering improvement works for Warwickshire County Cricket Club (WCCC) ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and also constructing a mixed-use scheme for PATRIZIA (UK), which comprises 375 build-to-rent (BTR) apartments. Winvic began the £93 million GDV project this week. The PATRIZIA privately rented sector (PRS) project – The Residences – will not only provide 189 one-bedroom, 169 two-bedroom and 17 three-bedroom apartments for the people of Birmingham, but also circa 20,000 sq ft of commercial space across five units on the ground floor. Winvic will be constructing the five concrete-framed blocks of five, seven, eight, 13 and 18-storeys in-situ utilising two tower cranes. A landscaped podium deck with undercroft car parking will be created and also a rooftop amenity space for residents to enjoy, which is almost 3,000 sq ft. Full fit-out will also be undertaken by Winvic and the project handover will take place over five phases, facilitating the cricket club, car park, conference facilities and practice nets to remain open throughout the works. Other challenges for Winvic include installing various underground services whilst managing the water and sewage mains that run through the site and working considerately adjacent to residential housing and the junction of two major routes into Birmingham city centre. Edgbaston Road will be realigned and a new opening on Pershore Road will be formed by Winvic as part of the programme, plus an access road through the site will also be constructed. The work is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2023. Initial activity for WCCC on the western side of the stadium will include ground works as well as the demolition a derelict building. This is in preparation for the reconfiguration of the existing car park and creation of new parking areas, resulting in a further 229 spaces than the current provision. A new 56,500 sq ft entrance plaza will also be constructed, which will enhance the main arrival space for visitors as well as help improve accessibility and circulation around the famous cricket stadium. Works will also comprise major drainage attenuation, lighting and landscaping, with circa almost 3,000 trees and shrubs planted. The whole of this project – as well as the landscaping programme for the BTR scheme – will be fully completed in the run up to summer 2022 when the Commonwealth Games Women’s T20 cricket will be held at Edgbaston. Mark Jones, Winvic’s Director of Multi-room, commented: “The Residences BTR project and redevelopment works for Warwickshire County Cricket Club are both exciting schemes in different ways, and winning these contracts illustrates Winvic’s breadth of experience across the various areas of construction. Winvic is as comfortable delivering 18-storeys of luxury apartments for PATRIZIA and highways works for WCCC as it is creating over 76,000 sq ft of car parking and a large piazza which will be welcoming people to watch the Commonwealth Games in 18 months. We have already built a great relationship with these two new clients and we’re looking forward to exceeding their expectations.” Daniel Williams, Head of Development UK and Ireland at PATRIZIA, said: “With this new development we are building a vibrant community where people will want to live. We are at the same time addressing Birmingham’s acute need for first-rate and affordable rental accommodation aimed at local residents, as well as those visiting Edgbaston Stadium. We have worked closely with both Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Homes England to ensure these plans are right for the local community, as well as for the iconic Edgbaston Stadium, the Club and its visitors. Of course those partnerships now also extend to Winvic, and we are delighted to be working with such a delivery focussed contractor that has a wealth of experience in the build-to-rent sector.” Craig Flindall, Chief Operating Officer at Warwickshire CCC, said: “Despite the barriers created by the COVID pandemic and national lockdowns, we have been able to navigate a way through and are delighted that we can now get this major redevelopment project underway, which will transform our stadium footprint and the surrounding facilities. It has taken great efforts to keep things moving in the current climate, but today’s start by our construction partner Winvic ensures that key elements of the project will be completed ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and everything will be completed by Autumn 2023. In the coming weeks we intend to reveal plans for the third phase of the Edgbaston Masterplan, which will include the next phase of the redevelopment of the stadium”. For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn.
Caddick Construction has been appointed by Network Space Developments to deliver the recently approved 138,000 sq. ft Spitfire Court industrial scheme, part of the Triumph Business Park in Speke. Work is now started on site. Network Space Developments is bringing forward the £15m speculative scheme on behalf of Infrared Capital Partners Ltd. The development plot is currently vacant land to the south-west corner of the Park and the scheme will bring 12 Grade A industrial units to market, taking the total Park footprint to almost 1million sq. ft. The proposed units range in size from 3,000 sq. ft up to 34,000 sq. ft. Six larger warehouse units include ancillary first floor offices, designated parking spaces, generous service yards and loading door access. One sub-divided terraced unit houses a further six smaller business units. Spitfire Court will meet BREEAM Very Good standards and will be zero carbon ready, allowing for easy adoption of future renewable energy technologies. The wider Triumph Business Park site is a major storage, distribution and commercial hub, with 24-hour access, security lodge and entrance barrier. It’s strategically located less than one mile from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, with Liverpool South Parkway transport interchange 1 mile to the north for destinations across Merseyside with links to Birmingham and London Euston. Network Space Development Director, Joe Burnett added: “We are continuing to see good demand for this type of scheme at the moment and we are delighted to appoint Caddick and hit the ground running with a view to getting Spitfire Court ready for occupation by the end of 2021. I am confident that this project will have a hugely positive impact, not only for the continued regeneration success story of the former Triumph factory site, but also for the wider borough.” Caddick Construction Managing Director Ian Threadgold said: “We are delighted to be working with Network Space Developments once again and helping to bring this site back to full use. Despite slowdown concerns nationally, we are seeing a surge in industrial builds across the North West and the Liverpool City Region which can take advantage of the strong transport links and infrastructure, strengthened by a skilled regional workforce.” Triumph Business Park was originally acquired by InfraRed in 2019, for £30m from an undisclosed vendor. Architects for the scheme are AEW Architects. CBRE and B8 are appointed as agents with NSM providing asset management services across the Park.
Property development and investment company, CEG, has appointed Harris CM to deliver the next phase of the multi-million pound redevelopment of the Vesuvius site in Worksop. The Yorkshire-based construction company will move onto site this week to deliver the first phase of 46,000 sq ft of industrial and retail space adjacent to the recently opened Asda superstore. Providing three flexible food and beverage units and 16 light industrial units ranging from 1,200 to 5,000 sq ft, subsequent phases will offer larger employment units including speculative as well as pre-let, design and build development. The first pre-let has already been secured to Burger King with a number of other deals well progressed with a variety of occupiers. This first phase will be ready for occupation in summer 2021. Antonia Martin Wright, head of investment at CEG, said: “This first phase of employment units will establish Vesuvius as the prime industrial and business location in Worksop. It will be the largest speculative scheme of this scale and quality in Worksop for many years and demonstrates CEG’s commitment to the town. “We are encouraged by the interest in the site and with such a shortage of supply of well located, flexible accommodation we expect it to swiftly let, particularly as improved road networks and new homes are bringing more inward investing businesses into the area.” In 2018, supported by D2N2, CEG delivered a £5.5million package of works to create a new roundabout and access road opening up the site and remediating it for redevelopment. Asda completed its 70,000 sq ft foodstore and petrol filling station last year creating 200 new retail jobs. CEG has planning permission for more than 200,000 sq ft of employment space on the 47.5 acre site. D2N2 LEP CEO, Sajeeda Rose said: “The Vesuvius site represents a landmark development for Worksop and the wider area. The major investment provided by D2N2 will have a transformative effect by attracting investors and businesses and unlocking opportunities for new jobs, supporting our collective ambitions to rebuild and grow our economy.” Cllr Jo White, Cabinet Member for Regeneration at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “We very much welcome this next stage of development which achieves The Council’s long-term ambitions and vision for the former Vesuvius site, Worksop and Bassetlaw as a whole. “By working with developers like CEG, together we are able to create additional jobs and opportunities for local people, as well as provide extra services. Our strategic involvement in the site also means that there are good transport connections with a bus route that ensures the site is accessible to more people. “We look forward to Harris CM starting work very soon and for this part of Worksop to become a key employment site.” Chris Proctor & Anthony Barrowcliffe from FHP and Fisher German have been appointed to market the site. Chris Proctor, associate director at FHP, said: “This is a fantastic speculative development from CEG offering high quality brand new small trade and industrial units to rent. We already have both national and local occupiers under offer on the scheme, which shows the strength of the location and quality of the proposed new build units. I would encourage businesses to contact myself or Fisher German for more details on this excellent opportunity.” Ben Flint from Fisher German added: “Fisher German is delighted the scheme is moving forward to the next stage. This is an important development for Worksop and its business community, and one which will provide plenty of new jobs within the area. It is very encouraging that we already have a good number of pre lets agreed to well-known national trade and industrial occupiers, and with the new Asda site next door, this is the foremost commercial development within Worksop. With the demand for industrial and trade space remaining strong over the past twelve months, we encourage any potential interested parties to get in touch with Fisher German or FHP as we expect take up to increase further now construction work has started.”
The construction site will be human-free by 2050. That’s what Balfour Beatty predicted in its Innovation 2050 report back in 2017. While 2050 is far in our future, technology is already changing how we work on construction sites. Here Carl Parsons, regional sales manager of heavy civil solutions at SITECH, the UK and Ireland’s sole distributor of Trimble® machine control technology, makes his predictions about the site of the future. Balfour Beatty predicted that, in thirty years’ time, robots will complete most tasks on a construction site. This prediction seems far away from the common perception of construction as predominantly manual, dirty and dangerous tasks completed by an ageing workforce. While it is true that the construction industry still relies on manual processes to complete many operations, technology is already greatly benefitting contractors. Embracing construction technology could guarantee the success of construction companies in the future by improving the efficiency of their current workforce, combating the growing skills gap and helping them to be more competitive. So, if the UK construction industry invested in technology, what would the site of the future look like? Better connection One of the simplest, but most effective, improvements that technology can make is in communication. Slow communication can cause big issues on a construction site — if surveyors and machine operators work from different versions of the design, they may find that the completed work is incorrect and will have to budget for reworking. Reworking also increases the possibility that the contractors will not meet the agreed deadline of the project. By moving from paper to digital design files, surveyors can improve how they distribute and communicate information. They can also use Trimble WorksManager software to consolidate designs and check, at a glance, that every machine and person is using the same computer aided design (CAD) file. Everyone working to the same design reduces the risk of error and consequential reworking. Most contractors use file transfer technology to send converted CAD plans straight from the architect to the cab. To achieve the technology’s full potential, construction managers can set up two-way communication, by also sending information from the cab back to the office. Operators can send real time data about the work they’ve done during the day to the office immediately, allowing the surveyor to clearly track progress. Better connectivity also means more opportunities for remote collaboration. Surveyors no longer have to be on site to communicate changes to the team and can oversee multiple projects from one location, reducing the time lost to travel. Architects can also adapt their designs from anywhere in the world and immediately send it to site, suggesting that in the future, a fully connected site will not be limited by geographical location and we’ll see more global collaboration. Autonomous machines Contractors that use conventional machinery rely on people for accuracy. Multiple workers will operate near an excavator to check for accuracy — one in the cab, one watching the machine and one checking levels of material. However, relying on the human eye means that there are multiple opportunities for human error to negatively impact productivity. Excavators may be digging in the wrong area, at the wrong depth or angle or might remove more material than necessary — and putting material back is more costly than removing it. Machine control technology allows a machine operator to complete the accurately without assistance from others, saving costs in time and labour. Operators immediately access information about where to dig and to what depth directly from the digital plans. They can then input the data into the excavator so that it will always operate accurately, reducing costs in new materials. In the future we’ll see an increase in understanding about the value of this technology, as construction businesses see how improved accuracy saves time, fuel and material. For it to fully take off, contractors will need to prove the benefits of the technology to third parties. For example, consultants and architects aren’t usually aware of what information the contractors need to use machine control technology efficiently and still offer 2D or even paper versions of the CAD design. This then requires the engineer to completely recreate the design digitally again. If contractors can clearly communicate why they need the data itself, outside parties will contribute the required data and ensure projects go to plan. Simpler surveying Traditional site surveying requires engineers to walk the site and add level posts (Travellers) so that operators know how much material to excavate. This is a costly and time-consuming process that often delays the commencement of work. Also, if any posts are accidentally moved or fall due to weather conditions, the site manager must organise an engineer to come and replace the levels at an additional cost. Drone surveys are now becoming more common, as the technology can survey thousands points quickly and accurately — completing the task in minutes rather than hours using traditional methods. Drones can also collect and process data immediately, sending relevant information straight back to surveyors and machines. We’ll see drones used more in the future for regular site surveys. Surveyors can install a dedicated Ground Control Stations on site and fly the drone regularly to check work is going according to schedule once every few days or weeks, depending on the length of the project, and send the information back to the office. Drone technology can also collect data in areas where engineers might struggle to record accurate information safely, such as measuring blasts in a quarry, monitoring levels in landfills or large stockpiles. A new type of reality Augmented reality (AR) technology will play a large role in how we interact with future construction sites. Technologies such as Trimble® SiteVision allow surveyors to superimpose the design onto the site, to fully understand how the work they complete fits into the final design. Machine operators can also use the same technology integrated into Trimble® Earthworks to superimpose cut and fill values onto machine buckets when moving
Work is officially underway for a key regeneration project that aims to bring affordable housing in East Leeds. National housebuilder Keepmoat Homes and Places for People, one of the UK’s leading affordable homes led placemakers, is redeveloping the brownfield site, located on Seacroft Crescent, into a 49 new home development, Pennine Crest. The site, which was previously owned by Leeds City Council and acquired by Places for People from Keepmoat Homes in August 2020, will offer a variety of house types along with new public open spaces. All the homes will be available as affordable housing through either shared ownership or affordable rent. “We are very excited to have started work on Pennine Crest. The site isn’t your typical new homes development, it is part of a wider regeneration project in East Leeds which represents a tremendous opportunity for the city’s growth, of which we will be delivering 10 out of the 13 developments,” said Paul Oldridge, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes. “We have a strong track record of delivering new homes across the country, particularly on brownfield land such as this. We’ve brought our experience to this development and, working with Leeds City Council and Places for People, we’re breathing new life into the area and aim to make a big impact on the local community, delivering real value to not only those to choose to live there but also to the surrounding area.” The £8 million development is part of the Leeds City Council Brownfield Programme which is designed to support the city’s future growth aspirations and will see over 1,000 new homes being built across 13 development sites in East Leeds. The programme will not only contribute to the delivery of new homes in Leeds but will significantly improve the communities and neighbourhoods in which they are located. “Pennine Crest will provide much needed affordable housing for people in Leeds on a former brownfield site. Alongside Keepmoat Homes and Leeds City Council, we will utilise our end-to-end expertise to create and manage a sustainable community for the long-term, with social value and people at its core,” added Nilam Buchanan, Regional Managing Director at Places for People. As part of their commitment to the local community and the city of Leeds, Keepmoat Homes and Places for People has pledged to support local people and help generate opportunities in training and employment through the use of sub-contractors and work placements. Work at Pennine Crest is expected to complete in Autumn 2021.
Siltbuster, the leading water treatment specialist, has provided Costain with four modular treatment solutions, to be used during the delivery of the £200m Preston Western Distributor Road, linking Preston and southern Fylde to the M55 motorway. The 2.5 mile-long dual carriageway, set to open in 2023, includes a new motorway junction, four new bridges and three underpasses. The route goes past several surface watercourses, including the Savick Brook and the Lancaster Canal. With this in mind, Costain contacted Siltbuster at a very early stage in the project and tasked it with planning the water runoff management. To date, Siltbuster has deployed four water treatment systems to cover the multiple controlled watercourses where water is being released from the site. Each location is regulated by the Environment Agency, with the Environmental Permit requiring total suspended solids be less than 100mg/l and a pH value between pH6 and pH9 to be achieved consistently. In order to protect the north west’s aquatic ecosystems and habitats, each Siltbuster unit needed to be capable of treating flows of up to 40m3/hr. To deliver this, all of the systems include two-stage flow proportional chemical dosing of coagulant and flocculant to improve the settlement rates of the very fine suspended clay solids, and an 8m3 tank complete with mixers and a HB50 lamella clarifier. The modular nature of these solutions means additional capacity can easily be added should the coming wet season create greater volumes of water needing to be treated. Karl Heath, Environmental Manager at Costain, comments on its water treatment approach: “We’ve been managing the water on site throughout the project starting with basic settling techniques. By engaging Siltbuster early in the process we could make sure we were ready to deploy more advanced systems when it became necessary at the end of the summer, in preparation for the wet season and the consequent increased surface water runoff. The Siltbuster systems have helped keep the project on track by ensuring we are in line with our environmental permit at all times, protecting the surrounding habitats as vigilantly as possible.” James Baylis, Regional Technical Sales Engineer at Siltbuster, concludes: “It is to Costain’s credit that it consulted with us early in the planning stages of the project. We were able to advise on temporary flexible modular solutions which could be rapidly deployed from our hire fleet as soon as the need arose. As part of our service, we have also offered Costain specialist technical advice and training, helping to protect the aquatic ecosystems around the project.” For more information about Siltbuster, visit www.siltbuster.com or call 01600 772256.
In and amongst all the different concerns we have had lately, there are still some other big ones that need still need major consideration. One of these is of course the environment and how we treat it, which can be affected by how energy-efficient we are in our general day-to-day lives. More and more frequently, we are seeing electric-powered cars on the roads, there is a greater focus on recycling and we are being encouraged to take time to make effective changes to our lifestyles such as eating more of a plant-based diet. Whilst some of these changes can seem to be more expensive, when it comes to reducing our negative impact on the environment at home, being more energy-efficient will actually save you money. So not only will you be able to sleep more easily at night with your clear conscience, you’ll have a few extra pennies in your pocket too! But how exactly can you make changes to your home that won’t cost the earth in all sense of the word. Take a look at our top tips: Change your internal doors Your internal doors will not only play a larger role than you realise in the overall look and feel of your home, but they can do a lot more than make your home look great. In fact, changing your doors can be a cost-effective way of upgrading the appearance of your home but also making it more energy-efficient too. If you’re wondering how modern style can still have all the right substance then the answer is easy. The doors are fabricated in a way that provides insulation so keeping them closed will keep the warmth in, something every house needs in the cold of winter. As the materials can be highly versatile, all styles of doors are able to perform this function, so whether it is contemporary doors, or more traditional styles such as 1930s doors you require, you don’t need to worry that you can’t get the same energy-efficiency from them. Change your windows Older windows and frames can draughty, single glazed and wooden frames that have degraded over the years can be the biggest culprits for this and let your precious heat escape. Replacing them with PVC frames and double glazing will be one of the most effective ways to keep your home much warmer in the long run. Yes, it will require a significant outlay, but not only will it save you money on your energy bills, it is likely to add a lot of value to your home making it worthwhile overall. Have solar panels installed Solar panels can be an amazing addition to your home, particularly if part of your roof sits right beneath where the sun shines! Solar panels will take the rays and turn them into energy to use within your home and can, in some cases, actually provide all the energy requirements you need. If there is an excess, this can even be passed back to your energy supplier leaving you in an even better financial position! You won’t necessarily have to fork out the full amount to have them added to your home either – there is funding available to help in some cases. So why not make 2021 the year you think not only about the environment but about your pocket too and make your home a little more energy-efficient?
