September 30, 2021

Nottingham Castle ‘Refurbishment project of the year’ shortlisting for G F Tomlinson at prestigious Building Awards

Midlands-based contractor G F Tomlinson has been shortlisted for ‘Refurbishment of the year’ at the annual Building Awards, recognising work undertaken at Nottingham Castle. The historical landmark has undergone a significant transformation to become a world-class visitor destination and heritage site following its £31million redevelopment which began back in November

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Kempton to Kew white caps replacement contract awarded to Barhale

Barhale has extended its role in the maintenance of the Thames Water Ring Main (TWRM) after securing works to replace almost 100,000 white caps in the tunnels between Kempton and Kew. The £1.47M project will see the civil engineering and infrastructure specialist isolate, drain, clean and inspect two sections of

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Investment Plans for Bradford Timber Business

Investment Plans for Bradford Timber Business Following Acquisition

Commercial property estate agency Ernest Wilson has sold Bradford timber merchants Baildon Timber to the Myers Group, a Huddersfield-based building supplies business, for £1 million. The Myers Group, which has been owned and run by the same family for four generations and employs 350 people across West Yorkshire, now plans

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Why You Should Call An Expert To Replace Your Carpet

Introduction We have all been there — sitting in the living room with a dirty, dingy carpet with stubborn stains from who-knows-when. It can be unsightly and frustrating to come home to an old and worn carpet especially after countless exasperated attempts to steam clean, scrub the dirt off, or

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

September 30, 2021

REGENERATION OF LONDON’S HOUSING ESTATES WILL DELIVER THOUSANDS OF NEW HOMES, SAYS INSIGHT REPORT

Tens of thousands of much needed new homes for London could be provided through the effective regeneration of the city’s housing estates, according to a new report from planning experts. The ‘Great Estates – Planning for Estate Regeneration in London’ Insight report from national planning and development consultancy Lichfields, reveals the significant opportunity presented by regeneration of the capital’s housing estates. The study demonstrates that estate regeneration projects in London currently have the combined potential to deliver more than 90,000 new homes. The Insight report demonstrates how estate regeneration across London offers an unparalleled opportunity to help tackle the capital’s housing crisis, while delivering better homes, enhancing neighbourhoods and improving lives. The research by Lichfields analysed data from 200 estate regeneration projects across London to identify key trends. It shows that there are opportunities through investment and renewal for effective estate regeneration to deliver greater inclusivity, economic growth and enhanced well-being for their communities. The London-wide analysis demonstrates that the greatest concentrations of estate regeneration are currently happening in Inner North, East and South London boroughs such as Tower Hamlets, Islington and Lambeth where clusters of small and medium estate regeneration projects are progressing alongside isolated strategic developments. Outer London boroughs such as Barnet, Brent and Ealing include fewer larger-scale projects while other outer London boroughs showed little or no estate regeneration activity. Ben Kelway, Senior Director at the London office of Lichfields, said: “Through this important research, we can see that estate regeneration provides a profound opportunity for significant housing and affordable housing delivery alongside meaningful improvements to many neighbourhoods across the capital – in London we have witnessed progressive growth in this sector in recent years and we expect this to continue. “The opportunity is there to more than double the number of homes on London’s housing estates and provide much needed improvements in housing quality, community well-being and the public realm. Investment in estate regeneration has the potential to unlock high levels of new affordable housing and the capacity to create well-designed, sustainable, mixed tenure communities.” The report outlines Lichfields’ best practice guidance on the components of successful estate regeneration and the lessons that can be learnt from previous projects. Clare Catherall, Associate Director at Lichfields and co-author of the Insight report, said: “There’s a number of common themes associated with successful estate regeneration. These include positive engagement with local residents, encouraging communities to become involved in the process as early as possible, together with good housing design and well thought out urban design and public realm. “Navigating these projects through the residents’ ballot process and developing an effective phasing and decant strategy are also paramount to their success. A positive ballot provides a mandate for good estate regeneration and community consensus, enabling delivery of the vision residents, the GLA and planning authorities all want to see.” This reflects Lichfields’ own experience across London on regeneration projects such as the South Kilburn Estate in Brent. There, a well-managed project is being delivered on the back of strong buy-in from residents, who voted overwhelmingly (84%) in a ballot in favour of regeneration. Clare Catherall added: “A positive ballot like this certainly carries weight among residents and decision-makers, helping to expedite projects quickly and smoothly. Indeed, we find that the Mayor of London’s approach to the ballot process is providing clarity and support for well-conceived regeneration.” The emphasis on collaboration and inclusion, she explained, along with the introduction of ballots all provide a ‘solid’ mandate for regeneration, helping sensitive developments to progress in a way that is both politically and socially acceptable. The needs of existing residents and an estate’s capacity to provide better housing for people has a profound effect on the nature, programme and delivery of regeneration, so it’s essential to understand the needs and aspirations of residents occupying the estate and to engage residents in assessing the options for development from the outset. “Residents have to take centre stage and should be at the forefront of estate regeneration,” added Clare Catherall. “Alongside, sensitive and robust consultation, early analysis of the estate and an upfront phasing and decant programme are all important lessons learnt for these types of projects.” The Insight provides Lichfields’ guidance on how to navigate estate regeneration projects through planning and illustrates the latent opportunity for London’s estates to contribute more to help tackle the capital’s acute housing crisis through imaginative regeneration strategies, considerate planning and far greater community involvement. Ben Kelway said: “The transformation of London’s estates has a central role to play if we are to tackle the housing crisis, but estate regeneration also provides huge opportunities to enhance the fabric of the city and to improve people’s lives. Too many Londoners still live in substandard homes on poorly designed estates. Regeneration offers an unparalleled opportunity to deliver more better homes and the vibrant neighbourhoods where people want to live and build their lives. “This all requires a bold vision, effective planning, strong design, political collaboration and extensive community engagement, but on the evidence contained in this report, it’s definitely possible to look forward to a strong, confident and successful future for the city’s housing estates.” A copy of the ‘Great Estates – Planning for estate regeneration in London’ Insight report is available at https://lichfields.uk/content/insights/great-estates Founded in 1962, Lichfields offers a broad range of planning and development consultancy services including development management, consultation, economics, EIA, heritage, neighbourly matters and urban design. Its clients include developers, landowners and operators in the housing, retail, leisure, commercial, waste and recycling and infrastructure sectors; as well as local authorities and government bodies.

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Nottingham Castle ‘Refurbishment project of the year’ shortlisting for G F Tomlinson at prestigious Building Awards

Midlands-based contractor G F Tomlinson has been shortlisted for ‘Refurbishment of the year’ at the annual Building Awards, recognising work undertaken at Nottingham Castle. The historical landmark has undergone a significant transformation to become a world-class visitor destination and heritage site following its £31million redevelopment which began back in November 2018.  Funded by the National Lottery through the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), Nottingham Castle Trust, D2N2 and client Nottingham City Council – the brief for the construction phase of the overall castle transformation involved specialist restoration and refurbishment works to the 17th century Grade I Listed Ducal Palace, a new extension to house new galleries, and the construction of a visitor centre with a ticketing office, café and outdoor seating area. Responding to the brief, the design of the new visitor centre features external oak cladding, chosen due to its association with Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest – home of the famous 1,000-year-old Major Oak tree. The project has transformed the historical landmark enhancing the heritage and history of the city, helping to realise the castle’s vision of attracting more than 400,000 yearly visitors.  Chris Flint, managing director at G F Tomlinson said: “We are delighted to have been recognised as a finalist for such an acclaimed award. The project was a real highlight of the last two years and a huge achievement for the business, even more so given that the majority of the work took place during the COVID-19 pandemic which posed its own set of challenges. “Throughout the project we ensured that labour was sourced from local businesses and organisations and we are proud to say we were able to recycle 97% of the onsite construction waste as we continue to take responsibility of our sustainable footprint.” The contractor provided opportunities for the local community including 27,000 hours of employment, training and social value initiatives – such as local school and college site tours, graduate work experience placements, apprenticeships and employment opportunities, alongside support for a local charity called Framework who provide support with employment, housing and health for people cross Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Derbyshire and Sheffield. The works were well-received by the client, as the current Lord Mayor of Nottingham Dave Trimble said: “The completion of this part of the castle works on such a historic site, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and periods of adverse weather, is a big achievement. “The impact of these works will have a lasting impression on the city, bolstering tourism with the restoration of the fascinating building which lies on an iconic cave network, and the construction of the new visitor centre.”               The Building Awards recognise the most impressive UK businesses and projects within the building and construction sector. Projects will be judged on design, sustainability, innovation and construction performance, procurement and team work with the client. Winners of all categories will be announced during a black-tie dinner in November at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. 

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PICK EVERARD COMPLETES £2.2M SUSTAINABLE EXPANSION PROJECT AT ESSEX SCHOOL

AN ESSEX secondary school has become the first in the county to benefit from a net-zero carbon, modular building, creating hundreds of additional places for youngsters in the area. The £2.2m project at Sweyne Park School in Rayleigh has been led by independent property, construction, and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard. Work involved the creation of an energy efficient building to house six new classrooms, a new staff room, office and storage space. The new building has been designed specifically to support the teaching of children who are deaf or have a hearing impairment, using enhanced lighting and acoustic standards. Energy saving measures include photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof, used to generate the electricity of the building, as well as LED lighting, trace heating on hot water supply pipework and a high-efficiency, fresh air heating system combined with air source heat pumps. This type of heat pump has been proven to be three times more efficient than a gas boiler. Pick Everard was appointed by Essex County Council (ECC) in January this year to deliver project management and quantity surveying for the development. It produced multi-disciplinary designs for the council prior to planning, later fostering a collaboration with project partners Morgan Sindall to see the development through from April until completion. Sweyne Park is one of three secondary schools in Essex that Pick Everard is working on for the council’s modular innovation project, with completion also due at Clacton County High School in Clacton-on-Sea, and Colne Community College in Brightlingsea in the near future. Keith Prendergast, national director at Pick Everard, said: “We are really pleased to have completed this project with Essex County Council to improve the school facilities and increase the number of pupil places in the county. This marks the first of three projects to be delivered by Pick Everard for the council, continuing a longstanding relationship. “We have worked closely with the client and a modular supplier to ensure the brief was achieved, to provide the high-quality education facilities the next generation of students deserve.” Modular buildings are constructed off-site using the same materials and designed to the same codes and standards as conventional buildings – but in about half the time and with minimal disruption to the school. The build process is more environmentally-friendly as it reduces embodied carbon emissions. Build waste is also reduced by around 75 per cent. The units also do not rely on refined fossil fuels like gas, and therefore avoid around 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere annually. Pick Everard quantity surveying associate, Tom Wint, said: “Modular builds are still a relatively new concept for schools but offer a greater level of flexibility and innovation. When compared to traditional on-site methods, Essex County Council has reduced the overall project time by six months by opting for modular builds, providing an efficient solution and allowing Sweyne Park School to open its new building at the start of the new academic year in September.” Property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle – a company jointly owned by Pick Everard, Gleeds and AECOM – was appointed by Essex County Council to deliver project management and quantity surveying services, which have been procured via SCAPE Consultancy, a direct award framework that drives collaboration, efficiency, time, and cost savings. Cllr Tony Ball, cabinet member for education, skills and training at Essex County Council, said: “The modular innovation project is successfully delivering essential new teaching space for schools to meet the needs of the local community. At the same time, we are delivering our ambitions to tackle climate change and working towards making Essex carbon neutral, as announced in the recent Essex Climate Action Commission report. “We know that buildings are currently responsible for 39% of global energy related carbon emissions. This project plays a part in reducing those carbon emissions, while providing a high-quality, bright, fresh, and comfortable learning environment for children. “Building this way also leaves schools with more money to spend on educating children rather than paying bills and maintenance.” Pick Everard employs more than 600 staff across its 13 offices, providing a range of project, cost, and design consultancy services. For more information, please visit www.pickeverard.co.uk.

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Kempton to Kew white caps replacement contract awarded to Barhale

Barhale has extended its role in the maintenance of the Thames Water Ring Main (TWRM) after securing works to replace almost 100,000 white caps in the tunnels between Kempton and Kew. The £1.47M project will see the civil engineering and infrastructure specialist isolate, drain, clean and inspect two sections of the TWRM from the Kempton shaft to the Mogden shaft (6.875km) and from the Mogden shaft to the Kew shaft (4.820km). Barhale will then replace the existing push-fit caps covering the lifting eye sockets on each tunnel plate with new, screw-fit types. The Thames Water Ring Main was built between 1988 and 1994. It is 2.5m diameter and 80km long and is a critical part of London’s water infrastructure carrying around one-sixth of the capital’s daily water demand. Access to this section of the Ring Main is only possible through access flanges at the Kempton, Mogden and Kew shafts so some enabling works may be required. Barhale regional manager, John Prendergast described the works as an important element in the ongoing maintenance of the Ring Main  “We have worked alongside Thames Water on the Ring Main for many years and we are pleased to be extending our long-standing relationship with this latest programme.” he said. “The close relationship between the two teams and our collaborative approach continues to yield positive outcomes for customers – not only in programme delivery but also in terms of the longer-term benefits where we are improving the network’s resilience and safeguarding the future supply of drinking water to London.”

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Investment Plans for Bradford Timber Business

Investment Plans for Bradford Timber Business Following Acquisition

Commercial property estate agency Ernest Wilson has sold Bradford timber merchants Baildon Timber to the Myers Group, a Huddersfield-based building supplies business, for £1 million. The Myers Group, which has been owned and run by the same family for four generations and employs 350 people across West Yorkshire, now plans a £500,000 investment in the business in order expand the stock range and carry out a full refurbishment of the site and buildings. “Baildon Timber is the perfect fit for us and there are clear synergies between our two family businesses, particularly as we both serve a customer base that is largely made up of small construction companies. The acquisition meets our aspirations for growth in the timber sector, as well as expanding our geographic footprint into the Baildon and east Bradford area of Yorkshire,” said James Berry, managing director of the Myers group. The Myers Group, whose range of building supplies services to housebuilders and renovators spans skip hire, ready mix concrete and aggregates, as well as kitchens and bathrooms, plans to create three new jobs immediately at Baildon Timber, with further hires scheduled for the coming months. “We pride ourselves on being a growing, progressive business and we’re really pleased to be able to invest in Baildon Timber to make it a bigger and better business. As well as a total refurbishment, we are creating a new, larger shop and trade counter and diversifying the product range to include other building supplies as well as timber,” said James. “Myers Group’s acquisition of Baildon Timber is a really good example of how the sale of a small business has triggered new investment and growth. Demand for small businesses like Baildon Timber is currently outstripping demand so the current market really is an ideal one for any business owner looking to exit the business,” added Michael Peel, Ernest Wilson sales manager. Acquired by property consultant Eddisons in 2019, Leeds-based Ernest Wilson was founded in 1956 and specialises in buying and selling hundreds of small businesses every year, from fish and chip shops to convenience stores and hotels. It has sold businesses worth more than £36 million of since the start of the pandemic.

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Why You Should Call An Expert To Replace Your Carpet

Introduction We have all been there — sitting in the living room with a dirty, dingy carpet with stubborn stains from who-knows-when. It can be unsightly and frustrating to come home to an old and worn carpet especially after countless exasperated attempts to steam clean, scrub the dirt off, or get the smell out to no avail. In times like this, it is tempting to rip the carpet all off and replace it with a plush new one by yourself. However, you might want to call a professional for this, replacing your carpet on your own may not be the best idea. Ripping Up a Carpet Is Not Easy There is more than meets the eye when it comes to ripping up a carpet, they are extremely bulky and weigh more than you think. Carpeted floors are firmly attached to the floor and walls by tack strips. Tack strips refer to the pieces of wood, hammered down with lots of nails that help to grip onto the carpet and keep it in place. It takes a lot of upper-body strength to pull the carpet from these strips and can be quite dangerous as well. Once the carpet is pried off the tacks, the tack strips will have to be separated from the floor too, after which the carpet pad will have to be taken out. This can prove a challenge as some carpet pads are stapled on, while others are adhered to by glue, which will require you to scrape the old glue off. It is not as easy as just tearing the carpet off, the process of carpet removal can be physically exhausting. If you ever need extra help, you can consider Ride On Floor Scrapers. Fixing Up The Subfloor There are many unexpected surprises that people encounter hidden underneath the carpets on the subfloor. Ranging from large cracks, termite infestations, or rotting wood due to an unknown leak. The damage will then have to be addressed before the new carpet is installed onto the floor especially if the damage is severe.  Choosing the Right Carpet Pad Picking the right carpet is more than choosing colors and textures from the samples available at your nearest hardware store. In fact, we think that the part that others tend to overlook is when picking out the appropriate carpet padding. Many tend to spend more money on an expensive carpet and skimp out by getting a cheaper carpet pad. This can be quite problematic as low-quality pads will not be able to properly;y support the carpet, causing it to deteriorate at a faster rate. The carpet pad also affects the foot feel of the carpet, hence it is imperative for most people to test out the pads first before committing to the purchase. Getting the right carpet and padding to suit your lifestyle can be difficult particularly because there is a large range to choose from. For instance, most pet owners will want to opt for a carpet and padding that will not retain the pet’s smell or hair, especially if the pet is not litter trained. In cases like these, guidance from an expert will really help to ease the process. They will help you assess what type of carpets are suitable for your family and allow you to test out the carpet and padding before it is set up in your home.  Finding Specialized Equipment  There are some specialized tools to make sure the carpet is installed properly. Basic tools that are needed for carpet installation include a dolphin knife in order to trim the edges straight, a carpet seam iron to join carpet pieces uniformly, and carpet stretchers to ensure that the carpet is tightly stretched across the floor. The cost of purchasing these tools can add up, and may not be worth it for one-time use. Additionally, they are hard to source, and might not be readily available at your local hardware store. These tools are not easy to use either, and they take some trial and error before getting it right. Fortunately, most professional carpet installers have these tools on hand and can be of great help.  Arranging The Carpet is Tough The misconception that many have is that you can simply arrange and measure the amount of carpet to purchase by the square foot of the space. This is unfortunately not true, as are other things to consider when arranging the carpet so as to avoid unsightly seams and mishaps. If your carpet of choice has graphic prints on it, then you will need to arrange it so that the graphics line up properly. Some professional assistance can save you the headache of trying to figure out the best arrangement by yourself, as it can be hard to visualize. They will also help to account for extra allowances needed and ensure that the carpet’s direction remains continuous throughout the whole area. Exposed seams are not only an eyesore but can also cause the carpet to come apart after some use.  Installing The Carpet Takes Skill Most rooms are quite awkwardly shaped, they are hardly ever an ideal square or rectangle. Hence, trying to install a carpet might be a tricky task if you are inexperienced. There might be ripples and creases if the carpet is not properly stretched, and any columns in the space will require techniques to circumvent them. If this is your first time installing a carpet, the finished product might not be ideal, which may be a great source of frustration in the future.  Conclusion Flooring makes up a big bulk of the aesthetics of your house, especially for a carpet which should ideally last a pretty long time. It may be a little pricey to engage the help of an expert, but you might want to think twice before attempting to replace your carpet by yourself. As much as doing it yourself might seem attractive, the costs will add up and you might end up with an end product that you

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