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February 8, 2021

Former MD of J Murphy & Sons Ltd, and Commercial Director of Balfour Beatty Major Projects, join DGP Infrastructure expansion.

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

As DGP continues to grow its newly formed UK Infrastructure arm, it has announced the appointment of Darren Ramsay (Non-Executive Director), David Pateman (Managing Director) and Michael McMillan (Operations Director). Joining between late December and January, Darren, David and Michael represent a number of additions to the Company Group’s executive

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SEGRO to deliver greenest site in London

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

SEGRO has secured planning consent from Haringey Council and the Greater London Authority to speculatively develop what is set to become London’s greenest industrial estate. Located in London’s Zone 3, SEGRO Park Tottenham will create 190,000 sq ft of modern, high quality space developed with the latest environmental designs, raising

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Office Principles secures £15 million of new business in the Midlands

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

An interior design consultancy that invested in new regional headquarters in the Midlands, has continued its expansion by securing seven new projects worth a combined contract value of more than £15 million. Office Principles, which recently signed a five-year lease on a standalone building at Coleshill Manor Office Campus, has

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780 construction opportunities created via new South West Wales Onsite Hub

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

Cyfle Building Skills, on behalf of the Region, is set to launch an innovative new programme in 2021 that will offer 780 fully funded onsite work placements within the construction industry over the next three years. Funded by the Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Onsite Experience Commission, the programme is designed to

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National Apprenticeship Week: One in five tradespeople consider apprentices more important than ever despite Covid-19 decline

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

Over a fifth of companies that regularly hire apprentices took on fewer in 2020  A quarter of tradespeople and companies plan on hiring new apprentices in 2021  Percentage of female, BAME and apprentices with learning difficulties continues to grow year on year IronmongeryDirect launch competition to win £5,000 towards funding an apprentice  A

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ACE OUTLINES VISION FOR PROJECT SPEED

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has launched a series of briefings exploring how Project Speed can improve delivery of hospitals, schools, homes and rail. The output from four industry roundtables hosted by ACE in partnership with construction firms Laing O’Rourke, Mace and Reds10, as well as Network Rail

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Issue 322 : Nov 2024

February 8, 2021

Former MD of J Murphy & Sons Ltd, and Commercial Director of Balfour Beatty Major Projects, join DGP Infrastructure expansion.

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

As DGP continues to grow its newly formed UK Infrastructure arm, it has announced the appointment of Darren Ramsay (Non-Executive Director), David Pateman (Managing Director) and Michael McMillan (Operations Director). Joining between late December and January, Darren, David and Michael represent a number of additions to the Company Group’s executive committee and bring with them a wealth of industry knowledge and experience. Darren brings extensive experience spanning 36+ years in contracting, particularly in the infrastructure sector, including executive leadership positions with JN Bentley and J. Murphy Group. As the Managing Director at J. Murphy Group, he influenced the business strategy to support growth, advancing the £450 million business to a circa £1 billion organisation with multiple profitable divisions, including key infrastructure sectors such as Water, Utilities, Rail, Power, Tunnelling & Piling. Darren Ramsay, newly appointed Non-Executive Director at DGP Infrastructure said: “I am both extremely delighted and excited to have joined the recently formed DGP Infrastructure business, working in parallel with the existing DGP businesses and the newly appointed DGP Infrastructure Leadership Team. As we start our journey to develop our future business strategy and grow the business, we seek to encompass the many opportunities that will emanate from the expanding UK infrastructure sector”. David most recently held the position of Commercial Director with Balfour Beatty Major Projects, where he was a member of the Senior Leadership Team working with HS2 Area North. Prior to that, he amassed over 31 years’ experience across major projects in Rail, Air, Civil Engineering, Utilities and Telecommunications. He has previously acquired knowledge with McNicholas Construction, where he played an instrumental part in the merger and acquisition with Kier Group. His earlier career was developed with industry giants including Ferrovial, Colas Rail, Laing O’Rourke and Mott MacDonald, where he built a reputation for driving improved commercial arrangements and attaining the delivery of programmes for key contracts and customers. On his appointment as Managing Director at DGP Infrastructure, David Pateman said: ” I’m excited to be joining DGP Logistics and heading up the Infrastructure division. With my commercial background and DGPs’ operational capability, we are able to offer our clients an alternative approach to project delivery. With the UK government signalling its backing for significant infrastructure projects to proceed, being at the forefront of innovative resilience, collaborative mindsets and flexible commercial solutions will be key. 2021 is set to be an exciting year for DGP Infrastructure.” Michael joins DGP Infrastructure with over 17 years professional experience working in various sectors including Highways, Civils, Rail, Local Authority and Utilities. He brings 6+ years with the Kier Group (Highways), where he oversaw multimillion pound budgets to deliver maintenance and operations activities, including the recent M20 Smart Motorway. His earlier career saw him working within the design team at Mott MacDonald before moving on to Balfour Beatty/Mott MacDonald JV, on behalf of the Highways division. Michael McMillan, Operations Director at DGP Infrastructure, said: “I’m thrilled to have joined DGP Infrastructure at a really exciting time for the business. It has been great to see that the rest of the team share my passion for finding better ways of doing things collaboratively within construction, with a renewed focus on environmental, operational and well-being perspectives. It is fantastic to be joining DGP Infrastructure and I’m excited to lead on both the operational strategy and the deliverables at ground level of this exciting infrastructure business. DGP’s focus on innovative solutions and strong client care, alongside their industry-leading client portfolio, have set them apart in the construction sector. I’m looking forward to working with the wealth of brilliant clients, both existing and new, and continuing to put them first as we develop our footprint in the infrastructure space.” The newly created roles will see David, Michael, and Darren charged with growing the DGP Infrastructure Contracting business alongside DGP Logistics Group Managing Director Saheb Dhesi. Saheb Dhesi, DGP Logistics Group Managing Director said: “We continue to attract great talent and David’s appointment follows our recently announced appointments of Darren Ramsay, who has joined as a Non-Executive Director, and Michael McMillan, who joined us as our Operations Director in December. This aligns perfectly with our strategic direction, as DGP Logistics PLC launches its new Infrastructure division. I am looking forward to working with Darren, David, and Michael, who will all play an important role in our senior leadership team. The new roles will accelerate the implementation of our Construction and Infrastructure strategy with a specific focus on growing our business, initially in the Southern region, as well as implementing our core values agenda which underpins our successful operational delivery to clients and partners”. Saheb added: “We’re taking the opportunity now to respond to a very different world and increase the business, to ensure it remains resilient and future-proofed to meet the continuing operational and commercial challenges which face the construction sector as a whole. Between Darren’s proven leadership qualities, David’s commercially astute mind, and Michael’s excellent operational capability we have secured an expert team that bring a wealth of cross-industry experience, and who share our ambition at DGP to become a key player in infrastructure, construction, highways, utilities, rail, data centres and the airports sectors respectively”. The company says these changes will help support the successful execution of many schemes delivered by DGP across the UK, which will support communities, create infrastructure, and enable economic growth.

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SEGRO to deliver greenest site in London

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

SEGRO has secured planning consent from Haringey Council and the Greater London Authority to speculatively develop what is set to become London’s greenest industrial estate. Located in London’s Zone 3, SEGRO Park Tottenham will create 190,000 sq ft of modern, high quality space developed with the latest environmental designs, raising the bar of sustainable industrial development and workplace wellbeing. The building is designed to net zero energy standards for base build, with exemplary level energy efficiency. The building’s energy supplies will be sourced from renewables on-site and off-site, to achieve net zero carbon in operation. The estate will be split over eight units, ranging in size from 6,815 sq ft to 50,050 sq ft, providing industrial space on the doorstep of London from which businesses can meet their customer demands. As the first of its kind in industrial development, each unit at SEGRO Park Tottenham will have green walls – helping purify the air, regulate the temperature and promoting biodiversity in the local area, as well as creating a more enjoyable surrounding for those working in and around the site. Along with the green walls which will grow a variety of species of plants, carefully selected to remove pollutants from the air and reduce carbon dioxide, mature trees will be planted in the landscaped areas, attracting native wildlife and playing an important role in reducing carbon dioxide levels. Customer wellness will be enhanced, by increasing natural light at the estate, providing outdoor seating and gym equipment and improving air quality and noise reduction. Secure bike sheds will also double up as ‘insect hotels’ with specifically designed wooden habitats to house bugs and insects as part of a holistic approach to biodiverse estate management. Electronic vehicle charging points will be installed across the estate to encourage occupiers to use electronic vehicles around the capital and the low emission zone. During construction, no material will be sent to landfill and once complete, the development will be targeting ‘Outstanding’ by the environmental benchmark ‘BREEAM’. The roof areas will be fitted with photovoltaic panels which will capture solar energy and convert it into electricity, generating 10% more energy than the building uses. 255 jobs will be created, and working with the London Borough of Haringey and local agencies, SEGRO will deliver a skills and training programme to help members of the local community secure employment opportunities provided by the development of SEGRO Park Tottenham. Apprentices will be invited to work on site as part of this programme and a wide range of interactive Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) events will be hosted throughout the duration of scheme for school and college students. A local supply chain initiative will also be rolled out to ensure that inward investment remains in the area. Councillor Gideon Bull, London Borough of Haringey, said: “SEGRO Park Tottenham will be a high quality sustainable industrial park that will attract business investment into the borough and create new job opportunities for the local community” Alan Holland, SEGRO’s Managing Director, Greater London, said: “SEGRO Park Tottenham will be a game changer for industrial development and will show what can be done to meet our environmental responsibilities as property developers. “The increasing demand from our customers and the wider market for space ever closer to the end consumer supports our decision to build this estate speculatively and we’re excited to bring forward this development and the positive impact it will bring to the local employment market and economy.” The estate will deliver a well-connected and modern urban logistics hub that is virtually unrivalled in its proximity to central London. It will enable quick and easy access to the North Circular and M25. This prime location will further support SEGRO’s occupiers, enabling them to meet the increased demands of their customers. SEGRO is London’s largest industrial developer with over 13.5 million square feet of space which is home to 450 businesses employing around 25,000 people.

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Office Principles secures £15 million of new business in the Midlands

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

An interior design consultancy that invested in new regional headquarters in the Midlands, has continued its expansion by securing seven new projects worth a combined contract value of more than £15 million. Office Principles, which recently signed a five-year lease on a standalone building at Coleshill Manor Office Campus, has been chosen to deliver the new projects across the Midlands and London. They include the design and refurbishment of 148 and 154 Great Charles Street in Birmingham city centre on behalf of Ergo Real Estate and the Solihull offices of utilities consultant, Xoserve. The new project appointments follow 18 months of continued success since the regional business was formed by joint managing directors, Gary Tailby and Tina Batham. Office Principles’ Birmingham-based team delivered £7.5 million of projects in its first year and a further £12.5 million in 2020. It plans to further expand its regional workforce to deliver the new projects, employing 18 staff. Gary Tailby, Office Principles in Birmingham, said: “This is a terrific way to start the year and gives us a platform from which to continue to grow our business. These new contract wins have been secured on the back of a successful 18 months during which we have consistently demonstrated the added value we bring in the design stage of a project and the highly skilled team we have in place to deliver on-site. We’re very much relishing the opportunity of reimagining spaces within some of our most recognisable regional buildings and delivering impressive new workplaces for a diverse range of clients.” Office Principles’ Birmingham-based team delivers multi-disciplinary design, consultancy and construction solutions across a variety of sectors within the built environment. The Midlands operation is supported by three established Office Principles sites in London, Reading and Manchester. For more information, please visit: https://officeprinciples.com/

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780 construction opportunities created via new South West Wales Onsite Hub

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

Cyfle Building Skills, on behalf of the Region, is set to launch an innovative new programme in 2021 that will offer 780 fully funded onsite work placements within the construction industry over the next three years. Funded by the Construction Industry Training Board’s (CITB) Onsite Experience Commission, the programme is designed to help tackle the skills gap within the construction industry and will allow Cyfle to develop the first construction training hub in South West Wales.  Programme delivery will take place across the five Local Authority areas within the Region, which includes Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea.  Due to commence in March 2021, the programme will offer construction opportunities to 780 individuals over the three-year funding period.  This includes onsite experience placements and associated training, and reskilling opportunities. A mentoring programme designed to help individuals take the next step into a career in construction, ensuring they benefit from the onsite experience, will also support the programme. The programme is open to individuals of any age considering a career in construction either as a first job or by retraining from a different profession. It will look to promote social mobility and provide opportunities to those under-represented within the industry, as well as those not currently in education, employment or training (NEET). Cyfle Building Skills Ltd is an innovative South West Wales initiative and registered charity enabling young adults to gain sustainable employment within the construction industry through shared apprenticeship training, mentoring and meaningful work experience opportunities. The South West Wales Onsite Hub involves an extensive partnership, which includes the Construction Wales Innovation Centre (CWIC), The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), Regional Training Groups, Local Colleges, Construction Contractors and Local Authority Schemes.  Onsite opportunities within the Hub will be linked to construction projects through Regional Housing Associations, Local Authority Frameworks, South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework and the Swansea Bay City Deal. Anthony Rees, Regional Manager, Cyfle Building Skills, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured the funding to develop the first construction onsite training hub in South West Wales. This is an important initiative that will make a big difference to the lives of hundreds of individuals while also encouraging many more people to consider construction as a career, tackling the industry’s skills gap in the process. “Over the next three years, 780 individuals will be given the opportunity to have a real-life taster of what they can expect from the construction industry and whether they should consider the industry as a longer-term career choice. We would now encourage companies interested in participating in the scheme to contact us.”

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National Apprenticeship Week: One in five tradespeople consider apprentices more important than ever despite Covid-19 decline

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

Over a fifth of companies that regularly hire apprentices took on fewer in 2020  A quarter of tradespeople and companies plan on hiring new apprentices in 2021  Percentage of female, BAME and apprentices with learning difficulties continues to grow year on year IronmongeryDirect launch competition to win £5,000 towards funding an apprentice  A third of companies and tradespeople (31%)1 who regularly hire apprentices feel that the program has been made harder due to the pandemic, as new ONS figures2 show a 30% drop in new construction apprentices between August and October 2020, compared to the same period the previous year.  Demonstrating the effect of Covid-19 on the scheme, more than one in five (22%) companies that usually hire apprentices took on fewer in 2020, despite a fifth (19%) of tradespeople believing that the program is more important now than ever.  Commissioned by IronmongeryDirect, the UK’s largest supplier of specialist ironmongery, in the run up to National Apprenticeship Week (8th to 14th February), the study also reveals that one in 12 tradespeople (8%) believe that the government has not done enough to support apprentices throughout the pandemic.  Looking at the year ahead, the positive news is that a quarter (23%) of businesses and tradespeople plan to bring on apprentices in 2021. Building surveyors (34%) and electricians (28%) are the most likely trades to be looking for apprentices this year, while painter/decorators and landscapers are least likely (15% and 5%, respectively).  Men in the industry are more likely than women to think that an apprenticeship is a great way for people to learn skills (31% vs 23%). Contrastingly however, it is tradeswomen and female-led companies that are most likely to be looking for an apprentice in the year ahead, with a quarter of women (25%) planning to hire a trainee compared to only one in five tradesmen (20%).  According to the Office of National Statistics, female apprentices in construction are also on the rise, increasing by 19% in the 2019/20 academic year compared to the previous 12 months. This represents a much larger trend in growth as there are a huge 333% more female construction trainees than in 2014/2015. So far in the 2020/2021 academic year, the percentage of female new starters has increased to 9%, suggesting that this growth is set to continue.  The statistics also reveal a changing story for apprentices of colour. While BAME apprentices made up only 6% of new construction apprentices in 2019/2020, this represents a 16% increase to the previous year and an 82% rise since 2014/2015. What’s more, despite the challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic, the proportion of BAME trainees continues to grow as they make up 8% of new starters so far this academic year.  The proportion of new apprentices with learning difficulties is also on the increase, making up 14% of the 2019/2020 intake. This is a 53% increase from 2014/15. This trend seems set to continue as 16% of the 2020/2021 year’s new starters so far have learning difficulties.  Commenting on the research, Marco Verdonkschot, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect, said: “It’s great to see many tradespeople and companies are still looking to make use of the apprenticeship program, despite the difficulty of the past year.   “We think the apprenticeship scheme is an amazing way to help shape the next generation of tradespeople. That’s why we’ve launched a competition for a UK based tradesperson or company to win £5,000 towards funding an apprentice.”    “There are so many people who do amazing work in the industry today who started out as apprentices, so it’s important that the program continues to be well-funded. More needs to be done to support apprentices throughout this pandemic to ensure that we continue to have great talent in the future, and we wanted to do our bit to help!”  To enter the competition or learn more about this research, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/blog/apprenticeships-and-covid-19-looking-ahead-to-2021

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ACE OUTLINES VISION FOR PROJECT SPEED

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

The Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) has launched a series of briefings exploring how Project Speed can improve delivery of hospitals, schools, homes and rail. The output from four industry roundtables hosted by ACE in partnership with construction firms Laing O’Rourke, Mace and Reds10, as well as Network Rail and housebuilder Thakeham, the briefings explore how the industry can meet aspirations to deliver “faster, better and greener”. Taking inspiration from the rapid delivery of NHS Nightingale hospitals, the briefings explore practical steps that need to be taken to unlock delivery. Case studies shared from across the UK demonstrate the tangible measures that can already be taken to make Project Speed a reality. Common themes that emerge from the four briefings on rail, homes, hospitals and schools include: Strengthening the evidence base and use of data in project development and decision making. The digitising of previously paper-based process such as planning consultations, assurance and approvals processes. Focusing projects on an new approach to value-based decision making which goes beyond the purely financial. A recognition that making time for good design can significantly improve health, education, housing and transport outcomes. Hannah Vickers, chief executive of ACE said: “I have no doubt that we have the vision, creativity, and problem solving skills to meet the Project Speed challenge head-on, which is why we brought the industry together for our roundtables.” “The briefings will form the basis of our engagement with Westminster over the coming weeks and months as we reinforce the message that our members, and the industry more widely, are key partners for Government if Project Speed is to become a reality.” The industry roundtable discussions covered a range of issues that are seen as vital to speeding up delivery in each sector: Hospitals – Programmes rather than distinct projects, project sequencing and early detailed design, and digital design models. Schools – More collaborative and value driven design and procurement, how a product mindset is needed to deliver with Modern Methods of Construction, and making use of live ‘performance’ data. Homes – The importance of the planning regime to this debate, how to create a sustainable vision, digitising the process to speed-up delivery, and the use of design codes and guides. Rail – How to best focus design on the start of projects, the role of the design integrator and a ‘one team’ approach, and how digital approaches lead to more efficient assurance. The four Project Speed briefings are available for everyone to download now at: www.acenet.co.uk/project-speed

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CADDICK NAMED CONSTRUCTION PARTNER BY WIGAN COUNCIL FOR EXTRA CARE HOUSING SCHEME

Kenneth Booth February 8, 2021

Caddick Construction has been appointed by Wigan Council as its construction partner for a £11.7m extra care housing scheme for the town. The project is part funded through Homes England, through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Work is scheduled to begin this month with completion in late 2022. The ambitious scheme on Sandalwood Drive, off Forest Avenue, will deliver a mix of housing for the extra care scheme including 48 new build one-bed apartments, 3 two-bed apartments and 18 bungalows. Caddick Construction will also undertake all associated external works, drainage and services. As part of the Council’s sustainability commitment, the development will also feature heating through Ground Source Heat Pump technology and Solar PV technology, electric vehicle charging points to allow visitors and residents to adopt greener lifestyles, as well as installation of several discreet eco-habitat boxes to encourage local wildlife in the area. Caddick Construction Managing Director Ian Threadgold said: “We are delighted to be working with Wigan Council on such an important scheme that will bring much-needed extra care housing provision to Wigan. “The mix of one and two bed apartments along with the bungalows as part of the development means there will be a more choice locally for those who want to still enjoy independent living but with the assurance of extra care when they need it.” Councillor Keith Cunliffe, deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for adult and social care, said: “We know having the right home in the right place has a direct impact on someone’s health and wellbeing and their quality of life. “That is why extra care housing developments like this in Sandalwood Drive are vital to our long-term vision of delivering a high standard of accommodation that is well designed, attractive, and affordable for residents.” “Once complete, the scheme should allow people who require extra support to live more independently in their own homes and help tackle social isolation issues.” Architects for the scheme are MHA Architects with designers AA Projects Ltd and structural engineers Sutcliffe.

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