THE end of the Brexit transition period has passed, and with it many rules and regulations are changing across the board for many industries – including construction. Jonathan Oram, national framework manager at Pagabo, discusses the changes expected in public sector procurement following the UK’s departure from the EU. What
AFTER vital restoration works, the iconic Grade 1 listed Westminster Hall – the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster – has been returned to its full glory so it can be appreciated for decades to come. Works to clean the hall’s 14th century hammer-beam roof internally; carry out essential repairs to the roof timber trusses; repair and restore the lead-covered roof lantern;
Leading Italian render specialist, Fassa Bortolo, has recently finalised a prestigious project for The Duchy of Cornwall, in collaboration with Midas Construction. The project launched in November 2017 after Fassa was recommended by one of its largest applicators to transform the external envelope of the new Nansledan school. A final
Health and safety standards are of paramount importance in the residential property management sector, so leading managing agent Rendall & Rittner is pleased to have retained the British Safety Council’s highest accreditation. The company was awarded the British Safety Council’s Five Star award for the second year running, scoring 96%
Building materials supplier CEMEX has provided Vertua low carbon concrete for a new office development in the Climate Innovation District in Leeds. The Vertua Classic concrete, which offers a 30 – 50 per cent CO2 reduction versus a standard mix, has been used for the foundations of the three-storey building,
Homeowners and those searching for their next property can look to these five simple considerations for finding and achieving a happy home to ensure a richer quality of living. As many of us are spending more time at home than ever, it’s important that your home works to enhance and
Civil engineering specialist contractor GRAHAM has completed a £15m redevelopment of the Victoria Terminal 2 (VT2) ferry terminal ramp which services the Belfast to Birkenhead route. The existing berth has been upgraded to handle the next generation of modern Roll-On / Roll-Off (RoRo) ferry vessels, Stena Line’s new E-Flexer series
When creating a new 21st Century community at the scale of a traditional small market town (circa 4500 homes, large enough for a secondary school), the most critical element is its town centre – its beating heart – a thriving social and economic anchor, on which lies its success, writes
New safety and impact protection equipment from specialist Brandsafe has been specified for a major new warehouse and distribution centre in London. The move sees the UK based company supplying a range of its high-quality safety and protection equipment to online retailer Amazon’s 180,720 sq. ft. multi-storey site in Neasden. This includes
THE end of the Brexit transition period has passed, and with it many rules and regulations are changing across the board for many industries – including construction. Jonathan Oram, national framework manager at Pagabo, discusses the changes expected in public sector procurement following the UK’s departure from the EU. What will change? Jonathan said: “From the beginning of 2021, we are no longer bound by the EU Procurement Regulations, but the public sector remains bound by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR2015). Initially, the main impact of Brexit on the procurement process is that all future public sector opportunities will be advertised on Find a Tender, which replaces the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). “No longer bound by the EU’s regulations, the UK government has had the freedom to begin the process of reviewing the current suite of procurement regulations. The government’s ‘Transforming Public Procurement’ green paper – published last month – has some interesting thoughts around trying to bring public sector procurement into something that is more suitable for the sector as a whole, acknowledging that not one size fits all and that there are shortcomings in the current processes.” The proposals in the green paper are at initial exploratory stages, but procurement professionals will watch with interest to see how these will map into new policies in the future. Jonathan continued: “We are expecting to see amendments to PCR2015, most likely over the next 12 to 18 months – being re-released as PCR2022. There are already some additional requirements being implemented alongside the current PCR2015 requirements that tie into the government’s procurement strategies surrounding social value, carbon neutrality and SME engagements – with good examples of this being included in ‘The Construction Playbook’. “However, any future amendments would still have to be in line with the principles of the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA), which is an agreement for World Trade Organisation (WTO) members, including the UK. This would include embedding the principles of public procurement within the law and would expand on the three existing ‘EC Treaty’ principles of transparency, integrity, and fair treatment of suppliers to also include value for money, efficiency, and non-discrimination.” Increased flexibility will be key for the future of procurement Two areas that the green paper proposes are around updating and simplifying procurement procedures, as well as the types of resulting frameworks and dynamic purchasing systems, which will have the most impact. Jonathan said: “Within the procurement procedures, one of the more interesting proposals centres around what is being termed the Competitive Flexible Procedure. This would be similar to the existing Light Tough Regime, which is only applicable to procure specific social, health or other services. It would replace some of the existing procedures and give commercial teams the flexibility to design a compliant procurement process that meets both their needs and the needs of the market, which can only be seen as a good thing. “The green paper also talks about the possibility of open frameworks to introduce more flexibility. As it stands, frameworks are locked, meaning once suppliers are appointed there is currently no mechanism within the regulations to add on new suppliers during the term of the agreement. The proposed open type of framework would, at specified points, allow new organisations to bid, and for already appointed organisations to update their previously successful bid to reflect the prevailing market conditions. “The Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) process is also set to be reviewed once more. The rules were made more user-friendly in PCR2015 when compared to PCR2006, but the expansion of the scope and flexibility of DPS could see it fit for wider purposes, with the creation of DPS+. Dynamic purchasing systems are starting to become more prevalent and are proving to be a very useful tool for public sector organisations in supporting local and social value agendas.” Centralised data to support SMEs and greater accountability Jonathan also predicts a tightening up around the past performance of suppliers and how that may influence a bid, saying: “As it stands, past performance can be considered when looking at a bidder’s application for tender, but it remains difficult to exclude them because of it. “At the moment we have the ‘prompt payments’ league table, which will see a company reviewed should they fall off it. What we may see introduced in the future is a reversed form of this, with the building of a supplier list whose performance can exclude them from procurement activity.” As well as increased flexibility, the government is working towards a centralised procurement database, on which company details will exist and link together with tender processes. Jonathan said: “In reality, this is something that has needed to happen for a number of years. Making this standard practice will really help to reduce costs, as well as remove barriers for SMEs, and help with government initiatives to engage with these companies more on procurement activity. “There is a proposed requirement to provide more information throughout the life of a contract. This could be via an opensource data standard such as Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS), which is used by more than 30 governments around the world and would allow more transparency and quicker transfer of information. By having this openness, supply chains will be able to run more smoothly and ensure that the correct suppliers can be engaged at the appropriate points. “Overall, any changes that come in the next few years will be positive ones from which the public sector will greatly benefit from. The introduction of much more flexibility is the key and will allow procurement and built environment specialists to work together and ensure that the best results are delivered for clients on a truly case-by-case basis.” For more information, please visit https://www.pagabo.co.uk/
AFTER vital restoration works, the iconic Grade 1 listed Westminster Hall – the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster – has been returned to its full glory so it can be appreciated for decades to come. Works to clean the hall’s 14th century hammer-beam roof internally; carry out essential repairs to the roof timber trusses; repair and restore the lead-covered roof lantern; install fire safety equipment, including an automated fire detection and voice alarm system; and install all cabling infrastructure for a future lighting scheme have now been completed. Built environment consultancy Pick Everard – operating under Perfect Circle’s unique collaboration – provided project management services for the scheme, which was accelerated by SCAPE Consultancy, a direct award framework that drives collaboration, efficiency, time and cost savings. Gary Buick, director at Pick Everard, which is one of Perfect Circle’s shareholders and founding partners, said: “Westminster Hall is a key thoroughfare to the Palace of Westminster and used by hundreds of people daily. Over the past few years, restoration and maintenance works have been carried out to ensure the hall remains safe for public use. “The roof lantern atop the hall has been carefully dismantled and restored using traditional craftsmanship. Hidden since 2005, the ornate timber interior of the lantern can be seen once more. “Not only can the public experience Westminster Hall in its original glory, but the beams and lantern shouldn’t require further conservation work for another hundred or so years, providing a lasting legacy for generations to come.” The hall – which is deemed to be the gateway to the Palace of Westminster, a UNESCO World Heritage Site – was originally built in 1097 by King William II and later remodelled to include the magnificent hammer-beam roof by Richard II in 1393. It is the only part of the palace that survives in almost its original form, despite being ravaged by a fire in October 1834 and damaged by an incendiary bomb during the Second World War. The uses of the hall have included great state occasions, tournaments, coronation feasts, state trials and even a marketplace. Notable historical events include the trials of William Wallace and Charles I and, in more recent years, ceremonial addresses by the Queen, Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama. Today, it continues to be used as the venue for lying-in-state royals, as well as a raft of events and public displays. After the hall was bombed in the war, the roof lantern that sits atop the roof was rebuilt in the 1950s. In 2005, a temporary crash deck was installed to ensure the structure was safe, but which obscured the view of the lantern – limiting public appreciation for more than a decade. Gary said: “As the roof lantern is a timber structure with lead cladding, cast lead detailing and internal timber panels, its restoration required a lot of specialist carpentry works. For health and safety purposes, we couldn’t put any additional weight on the roof so a complex, self-supporting scaffold bridge was constructed so work could be carried out. “It was of great importance that the lantern remained true to its roots, so the original sand-cast lead was removed, melted down and re-cast using the same traditional method that was applied when it was made in the 1950s. “Now the repair and restoration of the lantern is complete, the temporary crash deck has been removed, which has once again opened up its true magnificence to all walking through the hall.” Westminster Hall’s grand roof, which was commissioned by Richard II in 1393, is the largest medieval timber roof in Northern Europe. It is home to 13 oak hammer-beams, weighing some 660 tonnes, that were largely manufactured off site and transported to Westminster by barges and horse-drawn wagons for assembly. Gary said: “When essential repairs and cleaning were being carried out on the roof, 360 litres of dust was removed from each roof truss. A fully automated fire detection and voice-activated alarm system was also installed as part of the works. The equipment has been obscured from view – remaining sympathetic to the traditional design but updating the technology to suit modern standards and safety requirements.” Part of the project’s vision was for Westminster Hall to remain open to the public throughout the construction works, subject to closures as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. “One of the biggest challenges was to maintain health and safety and the operational requirements of the hall so the public wasn’t inconvenienced by the works,” said Gary. “This involved installing large vinyl canvases that included photos of the windows before the temporary, complex scaffolding was put up. Not only did these cover up the supporting framework but, as lots of tourists visit the hall, it meant they could still experience the oldest parts of Westminster rather than seeing a construction site. “A lot of the work was also undertaken out of hours during evenings and weekends so as not to disrupt the sitting of the House of Lords and House of Commons.” SCAPE Consultancy is fully OJEU-compliant procurement route that brings together the strongest collaborative team with value for money, while contributing substantially to local social value. Victoria Brambini, managing director of Perfect Circle, said: “We are delighted to have been involved in such a prestigious project to restore certain elements of one of Britain’s most iconic buildings, which has played a central role in our country’s history.” Mark Robinson, SCAPE chief executive, added: “After almost a millennium of service, it takes extreme diligence, skill and care to give a building like Westminster Hall the restoration it deserves. The expert guidance and consultation that Perfect Circle has provided to support this high-quality project is befitting of this unique building that contains volumes of British history. “The refurbishment of the public estate, including that at the very highest end of government, will play an important role in enabling the nation’s economic recovery. This project is an outstanding example of how it can be accelerated through the use of a framework that promotes collaboration and a collective effort to deliver outstanding project results.” For more information on Perfect Circle, please visit www.perfectcircle.co.uk.
Leading Italian render specialist, Fassa Bortolo, has recently finalised a prestigious project for The Duchy of Cornwall, in collaboration with Midas Construction. The project launched in November 2017 after Fassa was recommended by one of its largest applicators to transform the external envelope of the new Nansledan school. A final build design was agreed which saw the structure made from steel frame with block, and a sand and cement render finish that would be painted on completion. As a result, the team specified Fassa’s MS20, a cement-based masonry render, with a roughcast finish and a finishing propriety paint for added durability. The Fassa team worked closely with contractor A P Williams, who offered their technical expertise on window surrounds, demonstrating how the roughcast render would look by spraying MS20 onto a prefabricated mock wall for the Duchy of Cornwall to approve. A roughcast finish provides superior water-resistant properties, something which is considered a priority in Cornwall due to extreme costal weather. Paul Williams of A P Williams raised concerns about applying the render from a scaffold as it could cause “scarring”, which would cause imperfections in the finish. To achieve a look as consistent and even as possible, Genie lifts were brought in to apply the render, enabling the applicators to spray the surface and maintain a perfect finish. This willingness to meet the applicators needs is one of the many examples of the main contractor and the applicator working together to attain the best outcome for the client. The school was handed over on time in two phases, the first in June 2019 and the final in September 2019. Linden Williams, Fassa’s ASM for the south west comments: “It was amazing just how much time and effort was involved in every stage of the process. Relationships have grown over this project, with all parties including the main contractor, the architect, and our render contractor forging new connections. We’re delighted to have been selected to offer our services to such a prestigious project and are very satisfied with the outcome.” Visit www.fassabortolo.co.uk or call 01684 218 305.
Health and safety standards are of paramount importance in the residential property management sector, so leading managing agent Rendall & Rittner is pleased to have retained the British Safety Council’s highest accreditation. The company was awarded the British Safety Council’s Five Star award for the second year running, scoring 96% in its latest audit. It also retained its ISO 45001 accreditation, which was assessed at the same time. The British Safety Council audit is the most comprehensive and detailed occupational health and safety standard available, testing a company’s health and safety performance against the latest legislation and best practice. The in-depth assessment inspects the company against 56 different criteria and only those marked above 92% receive the five-star rating. Alongside this, the ISO 45001 is an international standard, marked through meeting standard criteria. Together the two accreditations create a framework to increase safety and wellbeing at work, aimed at continual improvement of occupational health and safety performance. In its audit report, the BSC praised Rendall & Rittner in continuing to implement the highest standards of health and safety management. It stated: “There is clear commitment from senior management who are supported by a competent and enthusiastic health and safety management team. There is an extensive and well documented occupational health and safety management system, with good processes for stakeholder engagement, compliance monitoring and process planning.” Specific initiatives that were commended included Health & Safety Week, the Virtual Café and wellbeing calls to on-site staff during the COVID lockdown, all of which support employee engagement. Catherine Riva, Director at Rendall & Rittner comments: “Our commitment to the highest standards of health and safety is at the core of our business and it is our priority to protect the safety and wellbeing of our employees, residents, lessees and clients. The outcome of this external, independent assessment by the British Safety Council demonstrates just how seriously we take all health and safety matters. It is also testament to the hard work of all of our staff that we have maintained our five-star standards in all areas of occupational health and safety while also managing the many challenging additional risks that COVID-19 has placed on us all.” For more information on Rendall & Rittner please visit www.rendallandrittner.co.uk.
Building materials supplier CEMEX has provided Vertua low carbon concrete for a new office development in the Climate Innovation District in Leeds. The Vertua Classic concrete, which offers a 30 – 50 per cent CO2 reduction versus a standard mix, has been used for the foundations of the three-storey building, which will be known as The Place and house sustainable property developer Citu’s UK head office plus a new 15,000 square foot office rental opportunity. This building forms an important part of the latest construction phase at the District, which is located at the heart of Leeds’ South Bank Regeneration scheme. This innovative project will accelerate the transition for Leeds to become a zero-carbon city and act as a transformative driver for sustainable development in the Yorkshire region. “We are very proud to have supplied our Vertua Classic concrete to the latest phase of work at Citu’s Climate Innovation District in Leeds, particularly as this will be their head office. This is a development that priorities sustainable construction, making our low carbon concrete the obvious choice for the office building foundations,” said tracey Craden, Readymix Technical Manager at CEMEX UK. The Climate Innovation District been designed around recognised key principles for creating truly sustainable places to live, focusing on promoting positive behaviours linked to transport, energy, housing and ecosystems. CEMEX provided over 70m3 of Vertua Classic concrete from its Leeds Readymix plant, the first time this site has provided this product since its launch. Vertua Classic is easy to use and place, perfect for a range of applications such as structural elements, foundations including piling, light to heavy industry floors and suspended slabs. Vertua is part of CEMEX’s ambition to deliver net-zero CO2 concrete globally to all of our customers by 2050. “The Place is holistically designed to create a zero-carbon workplace, as one part of a wider sustainable district. To achieve this, we’ve worked to reduce embodied carbon emissions at every stage – from building using structural timber to using Vertua Classic low carbon concrete. The low carbon concrete mix allows us to achieve a large reduction in CO2 emissions from one of the materials that previously has been among the most difficult to decarbonise,” commented Jonathan Wilson, Development Director at Citu. “We believe progressive businesses value design-led, low carbon workplaces set within a walkable environment to improve wellbeing. Vertua Classic helps us deliver this sustainable workplace which will soon be home to both Citu and a forward-thinking business wishing to take advantage of this one-off opportunity.” CEMEX R&D, Innovation and Business Development projects are part of the global R&D collaboration network, headed by CEMEX Research Centers, based in Switzerland.
Homeowners and those searching for their next property can look to these five simple considerations for finding and achieving a happy home to ensure a richer quality of living. As many of us are spending more time at home than ever, it’s important that your home works to enhance and complement your living habits and routines, rather than leaving you feeling restricted by a lack of space or inadequate, uncomfortable places to work, study or relax. From interior décor and quality of fixtures to scope for improvement, the property experts at North Sands Developments have shared their top ingredients for creating a happy home that suits all of your needs. Director at North Sands Developments, James Hartley, said: “Whether you’re a homeowner, or you are new to the property market searching for the right house, creating a home that works for you, your family and your living habits is an important step in ensuring it’s a place you feel at your most content and comfortable. “In these uncertain times, many of us have found ourselves spending more and more time indoors – so it almost goes without saying that your home should enrich your daily routine, and these considerations touch upon the importance of ensuring a happy home includes spaces to accommodate remote working and offer supreme comfort. “At North Sands Developments, we design homes with futures and families in mind, and it’s crucial to consider your own needs, as well as that of any family members, when searching for a home or choosing to update an existing property.” Here are five considerations for a happy home: Natural light One of the easiest ways you can enhance your surroundings is to ensure plenty of natural daylight enters the rooms in your house. If you’re spending time working from home this year, setting up a comfortable, bright and airy office will give you a dedicated space to concentrate throughout the day – and opening any blinds and curtains to let the light in can aid in helping you stay focused. Consider installing a sky light window into the ceiling of an upstairs home office, as this is a great way to let light flood in – it can make a huge difference to a room and is a desirable feature that will likely add value to your home. Downstairs, sliding or patio doors can transform a kitchen, dining room or living room, allowing natural light to stream into the home, often making rooms appear larger and more spacious, as well as providing you with views of the garden or patio beyond, connecting you closer to nature. Open plan living There are many benefits to open plan living – not least the multi-functional space it gives you. Whether you have a family, live with a partner or by yourself, an open plan dining, living and kitchen space provides versatility and flexibility in spades, improving the overall flow of your home and allowing you to make the best use of space. A luxurious L-shaped sofa, a small breakfast bar, a reading corner by a window or a cosy armchair in front of the fireplace – there are so many ideas you can introduce into your home to give it that added charm and cosiness that makes the space truly your own. It may seem like a daunting task, but creating open plan space is not too difficult and may simply involve knocking down an existing wall between a living room and kitchen or dining room. Do your research and hire a professional to assess the work required – providing that a wall can be knocked down, it is a relatively straight forward job for an experienced tradesperson that could cost less than you might expect. High spec tech To keep your home running smoothly, it’s important to choose quality appliances and electronics to improve your quality of living. Spending a little extra money on a quality appliance will ensure it lasts longer and performs better in the long run – it’s a small difference, but the ease and convenience of it will help to boost your overall enjoyment of being at home. Smart technology – such as lighting, heating, speakers, even a coffee machine – are also a good way to give your home added sense of efficiency and style that is designed to work around your living patterns. Add your own personality One of the simplest ways to create a happy home is to stamp your mark on it – choose striking artwork and accessories that you love to add your personality to each room, particularly those where you spend most of your time. From sentimental trinkets and photographs to bold, colourful art prints – the introduction of these accessories will brighten up any room, making it feel extra homely with plenty of character. Extension space Whether you own a home already or are searching for a new one, considering the potential for an extension could be an excellent way to get any extra space you need, making your home work better for you and ultimately transforming your house into a happier home that works for everyone. Increasing the space in your home with an extension can be a great investment for your family, and is another option to consider rather than moving to a larger house and paying stamp duty.
Civil engineering specialist contractor GRAHAM has completed a £15m redevelopment of the Victoria Terminal 2 (VT2) ferry terminal ramp which services the Belfast to Birkenhead route. The existing berth has been upgraded to handle the next generation of modern Roll-On / Roll-Off (RoRo) ferry vessels, Stena Line’s new E-Flexer series ships. The project involved the installation of a new double deck linkspan that allows vehicles to be loaded or discharged simultaneously over two decks of the ferry. This investment will allow Stena Line to increase capacity, reduce turnaround times, improve customers’ experience and enhance connectivity to one of Northern Ireland’s key markets. As part of the works, GRAHAM’s project team also constructed new berthing infrastructure including dolphins, walkways and automatic mooring system, and a new approach ramp to the linkspan upper deck. To increase the efficiency of piling operations during the scheme, the project team designed and fabricated a hydraulic piling gate that was utilised on a floating crane barge on site, reducing the time taken to complete the piling works. Throughout the works materials were procured through the local supply chain and GRAHAM also recruited a new engineering apprentice to work on the scheme. The project forms part of Belfast Harbour’s long-term investment strategy in Port infrastructure and futureproofs Belfast’s ferry facilities. The new E-Flexer ships, which entered service earlier this year, will enhance freight capacity by 40%. At 215m long, the new ships will have a freight capacity of 3,100 lane metres and space to carry 120 cars and 1,000 passengers and crew. They will also utilise the most modern marine technology available and be the most sustainable vessels operating in the Irish Sea. Thomas Craven, Contracts Manager for GRAHAM, said: “We’re delighted to have been part of this important infrastructure project for Northern Ireland, which will unlock further potential for freight capacity between Belfast and Liverpool. “Our team called upon its vast expertise in port and marine engineering to deliver this first class terminal and associated infrastructure. The facilities will provide major benefits to Northern Ireland’s importers and exporters, improving the customer experience as well as enhancing capacity on the route.” The VT2 project follows GRAHAM’s recent work at the Port of Tilbury, where the firm delivered the UK’s newest and largest unaccompanied freight Roll on/Roll off (Ro-Ro) terminal. Trevor Anderson, Belfast Harbour said: “The upgrade of the Victoria Terminal 2 ferry terminal represents another significant investment by Belfast Harbour in Northern Ireland’s transport infrastructure and will provide world class facilities for Northern Ireland’s importers and exporters. “The project is an important step in our ambition to become the World’s Best Regional Port. By supporting the introduction of larger vessels the investment also futureproofs Belfast Harbour’s ferry facilities and strengthens our long-term partnership with Stena Line.” Last year the contractor also completed the first phase of a multi-million-pound upgrade to the Port of Southampton’s Ocean Cruise Terminal and is currently delivering a £10m repair project at Swansea West Pier and a new wharf and land upgrades as part of a £40m redevelopment to the Port of Dundee.
When creating a new 21st Century community at the scale of a traditional small market town (circa 4500 homes, large enough for a secondary school), the most critical element is its town centre – its beating heart – a thriving social and economic anchor, on which lies its success, writes Lord Matthew Taylor. In times gone by, towns would start up at a river crossing, crossroads or market square where travellers could rest and eat or simply wait for the ferry. Traders, innkeepers, blacksmiths, bakers and so forth would vie for the passing and resident trade. As demand grows, the street grows too alongside churches, schools, court houses and squares for markets and places to gather for public events and celebration. Over time, it becomes the High Street and the heart of the new town. England’s market towns are defined by these historic centres, with many traditional, although fewer modern, models to draw on. This was the vision of Ebenezer Howard, and delivered with the still thriving (and popular) centre in Letchworth Garden City, with a nod to Marlborough in Wiltshire or Faversham in Kent. Key Principles Looking ahead, I’d suggest four guiding principles for successful new Garden Communities: 1. A Clear Idea of Success The Garden Community Programme as a whole has to think beyond just attractive ‘homes and streets’. From the start there has to be both a clear vision of what success will look like, and even more critically, a clear, stage-by-stage delivery plan that will enable the sequencing and curation of this vision. 2. Human Scale Alongside this sense of place, communities that are planned with High Streets that are walkable, with densities that have an attractive, human scale urban form, are not just sustainable but also deliver better local commercial outcomes. Designing in focal points at the centre creates momentum of movement and patterns of behaviour, rather than losing people from day one to centres elsewhere. 3. Generating Local Economy Supporting a vibrant range of local enterprises and start-ups means including small premises with low rents, with low fit-out costs, below rateable value and suitable for a variety of uses. The best of these are proving not just resilient to the impact of the internet, but more and more attractive to locals. In Poundbury in Dorset, and Nansledan in Cornwall, an impressive range of shops, cafes and more were factored in at the start, with the early development curated to support and foster them. 4. Vibrant Settlements, not ‘Bolt-Ons’ The fundamental ambition of the Garden Community programme is to create new settlements that grow into vibrant 21st Century towns and villages – not commuter housing estates in the countryside. However, there is a notion that this historic quality and range of facilities cannot be delivered in a new community, and that the limited offer that can only be made viable late in the development, once significant housing has been delivered. Both views are a recipe for failure in place making. A wide range of shops and other facilities can thrive, if well planned, sized and priced for local entrepreneurs. creating the critical mass people will actually use. And this needs to grow with the community to establish patterns of internalisation and community from the earliest possible stages. Summary – Creating the beating heart In short, a successful community has to start with seeding a thriving centre. It will need to be planned from the beginning to grow this way, establishing a sense of place, and movement patterns that build local momentum. However, it does not rely purely on a backward glance to historic centres. New settlements such as Poundbury, with less than 1500 homes, have delivered distinct and successful retail neighbourhoods, coupled with a driving force of local entrepreneurs. Working out what that successful heart looks like, and then defining how it is sequenced and delivered, is the essential task. That is the only way to ensure that any new settlement, or major urban extension, meets the Garden Community ambition, the aspirations of the council, and above all what future residents will expect of a great community in the 21st century.
New safety and impact protection equipment from specialist Brandsafe has been specified for a major new warehouse and distribution centre in London. The move sees the UK based company supplying a range of its high-quality safety and protection equipment to online retailer Amazon’s 180,720 sq. ft. multi-storey site in Neasden. This includes products designed to facilitate pedestrian and parking safety while improving vehicle traffic routing and calming for the site. The work also involves Brandsafe, which is working on the product specification side with project architects SMR Architects, providing consultancy and project design, together with a comprehensive package of aftersales service support. The Neasden site is part of on-going plans by Amazon to upgrade its international distribution infrastructure to improve its operations and boost deliveries to millions of customers. Several sites across the UK and Europe are either under new construction or being upgraded to provide state-of-the-art centres to meet the current and future operational requirements. Hundreds of items of impact protection products, including Armco safety barriers featuring integrated safety ends, corners and post caps together with pedestrian safety handrails, column protectors, bollards, speed bumps and flexible traffic delineators, are among a package of equipment being installed onsite by Brandsafe’s service team. Security caging, fencing, gate posts and panels have also been supplied. The equipment is manufactured at the company’s Milton Keynes site and sees close cooperation between product supplier and contractor teams as part of an extensive scope of work to provide added safety planning services and expertise. The project is the latest success for Brandsafe, which has produced a strong business performance in the last three years on the back of significant contract wins and a focus on new product development and introductions. Paul Roehricht, UK strategic account manager, said this is another success and boost for Brandsafe, reflecting its growing reputation as one of the UK’s leading suppliers of warehouse and distribution safety and impact protection products and integrated systems. He said: “This project shows how we continue to meet the requirements of our global customers, adding value in the process through bespoke planning and consultancy services. It also vindicates our continued investment in building our capability and expertise to be able to deliver time critical, complex and high-profile contracts.”
