HS2 Ltd has reached an agreement with Bruntwood, one of the UK’s leading property providers, to purchase Square One on Travis Street in readiness for construction of Manchester’s brand new high speed railway station. The sale marks HS2’s second major property acquisition in the city centre in just over 12
One of Europe’s largest new logistics development sites, West Midlands Interchange (WMI), the 734 acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) at M6 Junction 12, has appointed Winvic Construction Ltd as its design stage delivery partner. The £1bn project will offer over 8m sq ft of commercial space, with state of
The last piece of concrete has been laid at Dandara Living’s brand-new build-to-rent development, U&A (Unity & Armouries) on Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham. U&A will bring 162 one, two, and three bedroom apartments to central Birmingham alongside co-working spaces, lounges, a gym and fitness studio, as well as outdoor spaces for
CITB Chief Executive Tim Balcon is one of 15 construction industry leaders on a new Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce. The aim of the taskforce, which will meet for the first time in May, is to look at addressing skills gaps around the construction, retrofit and maintenance of low
Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses has today announced that it has been appointed by St George, a leading mixed-use developer and member of the Berkeley Group, and SEGRO, a leading owner and developer of warehouse space to construct their first
Keystone Group has appointed Jemma Ison as Group Sustainability Manager to help build decarbonisation into all business operations. Jemma, who has been with the Group for five years, has played an integral part in developing Keystone’s sustainability strategy, which is based on three key sustainability pillars: ‘Our Nature’, ‘Our Resources’
Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings has announced that it will open an OpenBlue Innovation Centre in its global HQ at One Albert Quay, Cork, Ireland. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Cork aims to create a future-ready built environment for both local and global customers
HS2 Ltd has reached an agreement with Bruntwood, one of the UK’s leading property providers, to purchase Square One on Travis Street in readiness for construction of Manchester’s brand new high speed railway station. The sale marks HS2’s second major property acquisition in the city centre in just over 12 months, following its purchase of the Store Street site in April 2021. Both sites have been purchased by HS2, on behalf of the Department for Transport, and are pivotal to the creation of the new high speed station that will be built adjacent to the existing Piccadilly Station. Manchester’s new station is forecast to open between 2035 and 2040 and includes six platforms at surface level, allowing passengers to access both HS2 and future NPR services. The plans also include provision for a new four platform Metrolink station beneath the HS2 station. Ruth Todd, Chief Commercial Officer at HS2 said: “Following submission of the Bill earlier this year, seeking powers to construct and operate the railway between Crewe and Manchester, this acquisition represents another major milestone in our programme to bring high speed rail to the North. “HS2’s purchase of Square One is a vote of confidence for investors locally and internationally to leverage the wider regeneration potential of the surrounding area, knowing that Manchester is set to become so brilliantly connected.” A large proportion of the area surrounding Piccadilly station is underdeveloped, making it a prime location for investment in new commercial space, housing and public realm. Investment would see businesses, residents and visitors benefit from a 41 minute connection to Birmingham on HS2 (a 46-minute saving), with direct services from London Euston set to more than halve, cutting one hour and 12 minutes off the current fastest journey time. Bruntwood, who sold the Square One site to HS2, has already set out its ambition to use the proceeds to continue investing in the UK’s regional centres. Pete Bearpark, Asset Management Director at Bruntwood, said: “We are committed to creating thriving places and communities, and after 15 years under Bruntwood stewardship, we have agreed to the sale of Square One and the land surrounding it to HS2 in advance of a formal compulsory purchase process. “We will use the proceeds to continue to reinvest into regional cities to drive economic growth and have a positive impact on businesses and communities.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
One of Europe’s largest new logistics development sites, West Midlands Interchange (WMI), the 734 acre Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) at M6 Junction 12, has appointed Winvic Construction Ltd as its design stage delivery partner. The £1bn project will offer over 8m sq ft of commercial space, with state of the art units ranging from 200,000 to 1.2m sq ft, all supported by its own dedicated rail hub enabling multi-modal movement of goods around the UK. The Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) role is the first of four phases of the development programme, followed by early enabling works, infrastructure works and vertical unit delivery. The site is one of a number of new SRFIs around the UK designed to enable occupiers to move increasing volumes of freight off our roads onto the rail network, with one rail freight carriage capable of replacing 44 to 72 HGV, and generating up to 70% less carbon. The site also boasts a range of other sustainability credentials, including providing 109 acres of country park to protect and promote biodiversity, and a wide range of renewable energy features, as well as providing 8,500 new jobs for the region during its development, construction and operation. The project is being financed and delivered by Oxford Properties, the property arm of Canadian pension fund OMERS, in partnership with European developer Logistics Capital Partners (LCP), who are already working on a 15 acre scheme at Heathrow together. They acquired the WMI site in July 2021. Andy Busby, UK Construction Director at LCP commented on this key milestone for the project; “We are pleased to welcome Winvic to the delivery team. They bring extensive experience of constructing large-scale complex logistics projects like this, and demonstrated a clear understanding of the leading approach we want to take to sustainable design, cutting edge automation, and lasting economic and social impact for the region. James Boadle, Head of Logistics and Residential, Europe at Oxford Properties, commented; It’s an important milestone for the project as we begin delivery in earnest, having spent Q3 and Q4 of 2021 preparing the site and building a collaborative approach with key partners including the local community, South Staffordshire District Council and Staffordshire County Council. With huge demand in the logistics market, we are keen to have a first offering ready in 2023.” Rob Cook, Winvic’s Director of Civils and Infrastructure added; “We’re thrilled that Oxford Properties and LCP values Winvic’s sustainability credentials and experience in designing and constructing similar schemes, as well as our commitment to community and stakeholder collaboration. As the leading main contractor in the UK for delivering complex Strategic Rail freight Interchange (SRFI) projects, we’re able to draw on our extensive project knowledge and assemble a skilful team to meet requirements, find innovative efficiencies and ultimately deliver the design stage output in a considered and forward-thinking way.” For more information on the project visit www.westmidlandsinterchange.co.uk Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
The last piece of concrete has been laid at Dandara Living’s brand-new build-to-rent development, U&A (Unity & Armouries) on Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham. U&A will bring 162 one, two, and three bedroom apartments to central Birmingham alongside co-working spaces, lounges, a gym and fitness studio, as well as outdoor spaces for relaxation and socialising. Part of Dandara Living’s work at U&A involves giving a new lease of life to Unity House, a building dating back to the 19th century. The restored façade of Unity House will sit alongside a brand-new building, together allowing U&A to be a true combination of old and new. Construction of the concrete frame began in July 2021, with the development expected to be ready for resident occupation in Summer 2023. Councillor Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “I’m delighted to see the scale of progress being made at Dandara Living’s landmark U&A development. They are making great use of the Unity House site, which has been vacant for many years. “The regeneration of this brownfield site contributes to the wider urban revival of the area. It represents a significant investment into Birmingham’s City Centre while offering a different choice for residents who are keen to live in purpose-built rented accommodation at the heart of a vibrant community. I look forward to seeing residents moving to the development next year.” U&A is situated just south of Birmingham City Centre, near to the popular Gay Village and Chinese Quarter, home to a large number of vibrant restaurants, bars and other amenities. Jim Davies, Managing Director BTR at Dandara Living, said: “Dandara Living was born out of our ambition to deliver excellent places to live that reflect the way people want to live today, and U&A perfectly embodies this. “Birmingham is an ideal fit for us – as the UK’s second largest city, it is home to the largest number of start-ups outside of London, and a unique and exciting cultural offering which makes it one of the UK’s most popular places to live and work. “U&A will be a vibrant and inclusive community for residents to work, live and play and we look forward to welcoming residents to the development next year.” U&A has environmental sustainability at its core. The former brownfield site has been fully remediated – effectively recycling the land and contributing to the delivery of new high-quality homes in Birmingham without the need to build on greenfield land elsewhere. From its Local Growth Fund programme, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) provided a £855,000 Unlocking Stalled Housing Sites grant for land remediation, arrangement, security & monitoring costs. Henriette Breukelaar, Acting CEO, Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) commented: “Over the last 11 years, GBSLEP has supported local councils and businesses to unlock and revitalise commercial and residential development sites across the city-region. This has been critical to delivering our mission to deliver inclusive economic growth. “This latest project is another example of how our triple helix structure of public, private and education partners is creating better places for our local communities to visit, work and importantly live in. Combining this with wider investments like our £8.7 million Enterprise Zone funding, Southside is continuing to transform into a vibrant, welcoming area of our city.” The development’s concrete construction reduces the building’s embodied energy and carbon footprint by shortening the overall build programme and reducing the number of deliveries to site, saving transport miles. The development exceeds current building regulations by approximately 10%, and features energy efficient windows fitted throughout; dual flush toilets, flow reducing taps and shower heads to help reduce water usage; low energy lighting in all apartments and PIR motion sensor lighting in all communal areas to reduce energy usage. U&A expands Dandara Living’s residential offer in Birmingham, which already includes Aston Place – completed in 2020. Looking to the future, Dandara Living’s emerging Warners Fields development will be one of the greenest neighbourhoods in Birmingham, comprising 3,000 homes with construction works scheduled to begin in 2023. For more information and to register your interest, please visit: U&A · Dandara Living (dandarabtr.com).
CITB Chief Executive Tim Balcon is one of 15 construction industry leaders on a new Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce. The aim of the taskforce, which will meet for the first time in May, is to look at addressing skills gaps around the construction, retrofit and maintenance of low carbon commercial buildings in Central London boroughs. Commenting on his new role Tim said: “CITB is in the business of skills and training which is why I am pleased to be part of the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce’s Strategy Steering Board. “Decarbonisation is a major challenge – and opportunity – for the construction industry. A green-skilled workforce will be vital as the UK strives to achieve the government’s net zero targets. “CITB has conducted extensive work on skills and sustainability, most recently in our Net Zero and Construction: Perspectives and Pathways report. “The report examined the skills and training needed to deliver retrofit work. It shows how training and recruitment must move with the times. This means new methods of working and the need to diversify the workforce. Construction must encourage and welcome under-represented groups, like women and people from ethnic minorities, into industry. “CITB is working with stakeholders to promote construction careers in a variety of ways, our Go Construct website is a good example. We want to see new, diverse recruits raring to use their green skills, for the good of everyone, from day one of their careers. “For this to happen governments, employers, the training sector and businesses must collaborate effectively on green skills. I’m looking forward to making progress on the challenges ahead with the Skills for a Sustainable Skyline Taskforce’s Strategy Steering Board.”
Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses has today announced that it has been appointed by St George, a leading mixed-use developer and member of the Berkeley Group, and SEGRO, a leading owner and developer of warehouse space to construct their first multi storey industrial development in the London Borough of Brent. The development, to be called SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, will provide 134,500 sq ft of flexible light industrial space over six storeys and is an innovative new concept for delivering multi-storey light industrial property and is designed to maximise employment space and accessibility on the 1.7-acre plot and support up to 500 jobs and apprenticeships. The concept fully supports the aspirations in the GLA’s new London Plan to intensify industrial land, delivering jobs and homes as part of the regeneration of a wider brownfield site. It forms part of Grand Union, a new canal-side destination which is being delivered by St George. The 22-acre former derelict Northfields Industrial Estate is being transformed into a vibrant new mixed-use neighbourhood in Alperton compromising 3,350 homes, 35% of which is affordable with the first residents already moved in, delivering much needed homes and jobs to the London Borough of Brent. Grand Union will provide 10.2 acres of publicly accessible landscaped gardens, a net biodiversity gain of 240%, community centre, health centre, local supermarket and a range of onsite amenities. The new neighbourhood will also open up previously inaccessible parts of the Grand Union Canal and River Brent to the local community, creating improved routes around Grand Union and to nearby Stonebridge Park Station. Within SEGRO V-Park Grand Union, the ground and first floors will be utilised to provide over 100 parking spaces, with electric vehicle charging points also being incorporated. The flexible industrial space is arranged over four upper levels which can be configured for individual units offering a range of sizes, supported by shared meeting rooms, breakout areas and wellness spaces, including a green roof terrace. The development will incorporate sustainability features such as photovoltaic cells and an internal green wall. Construction is expected to begin in Summer 2022. SEGRO V-Park Grand Union expands SEGRO’s footprint in North West London. It is located close to Tudor Estate and Premier Park at Park Royal and will front onto the North Circular (A406), providing excellent connectivity to the M1 and M25. Commenting on the appointment Glencar Managing Director Eddie McGillycuddy said: “As the first multi storey logistics development of its kind to be developed in London and the UK more generally we are absolutely delighted to be appointed by St George and SEGRO to deliver this ground-breaking development. Glencar are working on an increasing number of urban logistics development projects right across London and the south as the strong pent-up demand for last-mile fulfilment coupled with the ongoing challenges of land supply continue to be driving factors. The six storey, multi-floor unit is a highly innovative concept in terms of the way the building functions and how the employment space is used. We are very much looking forward to working with St George, SEGRO and the full project team to bring this fantastic design to life and seeing it in action.” Also commenting Piers Clanford, Chairman St George Plc, said: “Grand Union has been carefully designed with the local community and the London Borough of Brent to create an exciting new canal side neighbourhood, delivering high quality homes and job opportunities together with offering a wealth of community amenities from the outset. SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is a key part of the redevelopment of this complex brownfield regeneration site, delivering even further opportunity for job creation, aligning with the Borough of Brent and the GLA’s ambitions. We look forward to working with SEGRO and Glencar on this exciting project.” Alan Holland, Managing Director, Greater London at SEGRO, said: “SEGRO V-Park Grand Union is a new model for delivering much-needed light industrial space as part of mixed-use communities. We are strong advocates for multi-storey warehousing in some urban settings given the pressure on land supply and the need to create space that supports different types of employment. We have successfully delivered multi-storey logistics at scale in Paris and now have the opportunity at Grand Union to adapt this format for a smaller urban site. “This regeneration project is a template for how to revitalise under-utilised industrial land to deliver much needed housing and jobs and we look forward to working with the GLA, London Borough of Brent, St George and Glencar to bring forward these exciting plans”
Keystone Group has appointed Jemma Ison as Group Sustainability Manager to help build decarbonisation into all business operations. Jemma, who has been with the Group for five years, has played an integral part in developing Keystone’s sustainability strategy, which is based on three key sustainability pillars: ‘Our Nature’, ‘Our Resources’ and ‘Our People’. In her new role, Jemma has been invited to join the NHBC Foundation Expert Panel and also to work with BSI to support the development of sustainability criteria for construction materials. This will provide clarity to the industry of high quality but low environmental impact products. Under the Science Based Targets Initiative, a global organisation responsible for setting the world’s targets to ensure a more sustainable future, Keystone has embarked on a journey of monitoring and improving its carbon emissions and has committed to the ambitious target of becoming Net Zero by 2050. As part of this journey, Keystone’s Sustainability Taskforce, comprised of a ‘Sustainability Champion’ from each business, is working through the identification of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions to provide clarity on the environmental impact of Keystone Group operations and raise opportunities for carbon reductions throughout the organisation. As the first step towards the creation of this strategy, Keystone’s Sustainability Taskforce is currently working with Carbon Footprint to help measure the scope of carbon consumption across the Group. Once this is determined, Keystone will affectively measure improvements against this benchmark going forward. Jemma Ison, Keystone Group Sustainability Manager, says: “Sustainability is a topic I am extremely passional about – both professionally and personally. Keystone is committed to reducing the environmental impact of all Group operations through continued reduction of its carbon footprint and I am focussed on helping the business achieve Net Zero by 2050. “In 2021, I led the implementation of IG Masonry Support’s sustainability strategy by looking for ways to decarbonise our operations as well as offsetting our emissions to achieve carbon neutral status. I am looking forward to drawing on the learnings of last year to help support all Keystone Group brands on their sustainability journeys.” Sean Og Coyle, Keystone Group Commercial Director, adds: “Due to the fantastic progress of IG Masonry Support in its sustainability objectives and the leadership Jemma has shown in the area of sustainability, I am delighted to add the title of ‘Keystone Group Sustainability Manager’ to Jemma’s current role. “We hope this latest appointment exemplifies Keystone’s commitment to lead the way with innovation in construction and sustainable performance. The Group is passionate about investing in our sustainability strategy and implementing affirmative action, to safeguard our future for all.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings has announced that it will open an OpenBlue Innovation Centre in its global HQ at One Albert Quay, Cork, Ireland. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Cork aims to create a future-ready built environment for both local and global customers and is part of an international network of OpenBlue Innovation Centres working to pioneer new ways to provide smart, healthy and sustainable spaces for customers. “We are very pleased to be launching our OpenBlue Innovation Center in Cork. This centre will be focused on working with our customers to identify solutions for them to hit decarbonisation and renewable energy goals while optimising building performance,” said Tomas Brannemo, vice president and president, Building Solutions EMEALA at Johnson Controls. “This centre will serve as our regional centre of excellence to bring clients to see Johnson Controls’ latest cutting-edge innovations on how to solve for net zero”. Fitted with the most advanced Johnson Controls building technology solutions, the OpenBlue Innovation Centre will be a showcase of the latest and most innovative solutions from the company in a live environment. The research and development grant Johnson Controls received from the Irish government will support engineering activities at the centre, including developing a professional services hub for the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America region over a two-year period. Johnson Controls’ research and development presence has grown substantially in recent years and it is expected that 18 new research and development roles will be created as a result of the OpenBlue Innovation Center, in addition to 40 roles already in place working on the next generation solutions for Johnson Controls and its customers. Research and development at the OpenBlue Innovation Centre will focus on the global priority to reduce carbon emissions in the building sector. The building sector accounts for nearly 40 percent of global annual CO2 emissions, making it a key focus area in the pursuit of a net zero world. “Our partnership with the Irish government through IDA Ireland shows how governments and industry can drive real change. The financial support will allow us to increase our headcount, which will contribute not only to the local economy, but also to the development of our OpenBlue net zero solutions globally to have a positive impact on climate change,” said Eamonn Hughes, vice president and general manager, Digital Solutions EMEALA at Johnson Controls. Welcoming the investment, IDA Ireland’s Head of Engineering and Green Economy, Eileen Sharpe added: “IDA Ireland is committed to supporting the work of world class companies such as Johnson Controls to utilise the latest developments in AI, Data Analytics and Cloud Architecture to build new technologies to enable a more sustainable world. This is a most welcome investment for Cork and for Ireland and is in line with our strategy aim to develop Ireland as a leading location for Sustainability Engineering solutions.” OpenBlue, Johnson Controls’ suite of connected solutions, is a key enabler changing the face of sustainability for customers today, through smart buildings technologies designed for operational energy efficiency, occupant comfort and sustainability. Cutting-edge solutions such as OpenBlue Net Zero Buildings can help drive significant improvements in energy efficiency and corresponding carbon emissions. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Cork will launch on May 12, 2022. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
