Later living developer-operator Untold Living has submitted plans to Eastbourne Borough Council for a 139-home seafront integrated retirement community (IRC). The mid-market retirement specialist, which is backed by Matter Real Estate, completed the acquisition of a prime 2.5-acre seafront site at Sovereign Harbour in November from Birch Limited, a Richardson
As the requirement becomes compulsory In advance of the statutory requirement for biodiversity net gain (BNG) for new developments from January 2024, Carter Jonas has analysed the emergence of BNG policies and guidance within local planning authorities (LPAs) in a series of research from spring 2022. Carter Jonas’ Q4 2023
As the UK Government’s deadline for the digital transformation looms, industries across the board are diversifying strategies, internal and external approaches and implementation of services to ensure cutting edge digital technology is embedded to drive business efficiencies and meet new industry standards. Rapid change and adoption of digitisation is paramount
Shared ownership provider St Arthur Homes has unveiled its vibrant new branding, designed by creative specialists AF OLIVER. Featuring soft, muted shades of teal, yellow, salmon, charcoal and white, the branding has been created to position St Arthur Homes as the industry leader it is – posited around the central
FCC Environment is putting its quarry plant operators and managers through their paces with Finning training experts to improve fuel efficiencies and cut fuel burn. More than 30 FCC machine operators and plant managers have completed the Finning Eco-Drive™ operator training programme so far, which is part of a company-wide
AtkinsRéalis, a global design, engineering and project management company, has bolstered its major programme leadership team with the appointment of Rob Ewen as Strategic Programme Director for UK and Europe. Rob brings a wealth of experience to the business from a career spanning 40 years in industry, and will drive
Following the delivery of sanitation facilities earlier this year for Arena Church in Nottingham, Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson has transformed another disused space to help vulnerable city residents who need it most. As part of the company’s commitment to delivering social value in the region and building on its
Housebuilder Cavanna Homes has chosen Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) as its official charity partner. Staff at the family-owned Westcountry developer, which last year marked 100 years in business, unanimously backed the decision to support the charity, which provides care for children with life-limiting conditions. 2023 was the fifth consecutive
Later living developer-operator Untold Living has submitted plans to Eastbourne Borough Council for a 139-home seafront integrated retirement community (IRC). The mid-market retirement specialist, which is backed by Matter Real Estate, completed the acquisition of a prime 2.5-acre seafront site at Sovereign Harbour in November from Birch Limited, a Richardson family company. Subject to planning consent, Untold Living will deliver an IRC comprising a range of one and two-bedroom apartments overlooking the English Channel. The development will include a range of high-quality amenity spaces, some of which it intends to make available for use by the wider Eastbourne community. The scheme, designed by architects Gaunt Francis, will provide much needed, high-quality, independent later living accommodation to the older elderly in Eastbourne and beyond. Homes will be available across a range of different mid-market tenures, including to buy, for rent and purchase via shared ownership. Russell Jewell, CEO at Untold Living, said: “The urgent need for more purpose-built later living accommodation in the UK cannot be overstated, particularly in East Sussex, where the population of over-70s is growing more quickly than the national average. “Many thousands of older people are living in accommodation that is wholly unsuitable to their needs, which poses a serious risk to their mental and physical wellbeing. “Our Eastbourne scheme will not only offer round-the-clock care and support to residents when needed but also relieve pressure on local health and social services by lowering the frequency of residents’ hospital and GP visits. “We are grateful to the people of Eastbourne for all of the valuable feedback we have received so far and look forward to announcing further details in due course.” It comes after Untold Living launched a consultation to which members of the public, the council, and local interest groups were invited, to gather feedback on the proposed plans and to ensure it is designed to serve the entire community – not just the older population. The Eastbourne scheme is the newest addition to Untold Living’s portfolio alongside an existing retirement community in Westbury, Wiltshire and sites in Crawley, West Sussex, and Newport, Shropshire. Untold Living is targeting a GDV of £300m for its initial development pipeline. The developer-operator is actively seeking to acquire other suitable sites and assets across the UK to expand its portfolio and is open to discussions with landowners, landlords and agents. Untold Living will contribute to the 50,000 new purpose-built homes required for older people in the UK each year, tackling the acute shortage of adequate later living accommodation. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As the requirement becomes compulsory In advance of the statutory requirement for biodiversity net gain (BNG) for new developments from January 2024, Carter Jonas has analysed the emergence of BNG policies and guidance within local planning authorities (LPAs) in a series of research from spring 2022. Carter Jonas’ Q4 2023 research of the 306 LPAs in England has revealed a gradual increase in the number requesting in excess of the 10% biodiversity net gain. The local plans of Guildford, Brighton and Hove and Worthing (1% of all LPAs) require or encourage a percentage net gain higher than 10%. However, this figure is set to increase substantially as 17 (5.6%) have such a policy emerging through their local plan review. This is an increase of 33.3% from our Q4 2022 research. Although not included in the analysis because of the early stage of adoption, numerous LPAs are actively considering a higher level of net gain, including Birmingham and Chelmsford. Kingston Upon Thames and Tower Hamlets are set to have the most ambitious policies to date: both would require a minimum of 30% net gain but these policies are emerging through the local plan process and not yet adopted. Commenting on the importance of the research, David Alborough, Natural Capital Consultant at Carter Jonas said, “Our analysis provides developers, landowners and planning consultants with valuable insight into where the greatest demand for off-site BNG is emerging, which has important implications for developers and identifies opportunities for landowners.” Specifically, the research identifies some significant regional variations. BNG policies with a requirement in excess of 10% tend to be located in the south of England. In the South East, 11 LPAs have a BNG policy (either emerging or adopted) calling for greater than 10% net gain, accounting for 16.7% of LPAs in the region. This compares starkly to the North West, North East, West Midlands and East Midlands where no LPAs make this requirement. Sophie Davidson, Associate in the Research Team explains, “Some regional variation can be attributed to the influence of Local Nature Partnerships, which is evident in the south. For example, the Kent Nature Partnership is promoting a county-wide target of 20% within Kent and Medway. In response to this, Kent County Council (with funding support from Natural England) commissioned a strategic viability assessment of BNG in Kent. The report concludes that the biggest cost in most cases is to get to 10% net gain, and the increase to 15% or 20% is ‘generally negligible’. This has influenced emerging policies in Sevenoaks, Maidstone, Canterbury and Swale so far, representing 30.7% of the county. Likewise, the Surrey Nature Partnership and Sussex Local Nature Partnership have directed higher net gain targets in their counties.” In addition to showing an increasing number of LPAs deviating from the national position, either in the percentage net gain required or in their guiding framework for delivery, Carter Jonas’ research also identifies which LPAs are adopting measures to direct investment to local sites and accelerate the local market. Sophie Davidson concludes, “In areas with higher net gain requirements, we can expect the local market to develop at a faster rate. Many LPAs have stalled their local plan reviews in the face of significant changes to national planning policy, so BNG policies have taken longer to develop than expected. But as changes are formalised and local plan reviews progress, expect to see more LPAs progressing higher levels of BNG. We are aware of several which have included an option to consider a greater scope for BNG in early consultations. “Conversely, LPAs may drop their emerging 20% BNG policy before adoption. For instance, Rossendale Borough Council was seeking a 20% net gain in its draft submission but reduced the requirement to the statutory 10% in its final local plan. “In the coming months, developers will be assessing their options and refining their BNG strategies. Meanwhile, demand for land for BNG will rise substantially, affording diversification opportunities for landowners.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As the UK Government’s deadline for the digital transformation looms, industries across the board are diversifying strategies, internal and external approaches and implementation of services to ensure cutting edge digital technology is embedded to drive business efficiencies and meet new industry standards. Rapid change and adoption of digitisation is paramount in the construction industry to position the UK market alongside construction markets globally and general business infrastructure worldwide. Richard Clement, Deputy General Manager at Smart Construction, offers his thoughts on the biggest digital and technological trends in construction for 2024. The rise of Smart Technology – why 2024 is the year to implement change Richard says: “Businesses across multiple sectors have been implementing smart tech at a rapid pace – but construction has historically fallen behind, meaning that 2024 is the year to take the bull by the horns and invest in smart technology. “We are now seeing businesses of all sizes investing in smart technology to reduce supply chain hurdles and improve forecasting capabilities at all points of the construction journey. Due to uncertainty at the job site, investing in technology and smart solutions will help identify and prevent issues before they happen. At the close of a tumultuous year for inflation, savings are more important than ever and precise calculations are made possible by accurate insight and data collection.” One such example of smart technology benefiting supply chain hurdles and improving internal cost saving is that of Smart Construction customer , ECOSOIL Nord West GmBH. The firm employs around 300 people, and specialises in brownfield activities including land rehabilitation, environment-friendly earthworks and landfill construction. Working in partnership with the solution provider, ECOSOIL Nord West leveraged as-built data from its intelligent machines to monitor daily productivity at the Lager Waldteich project site. The Lager Waldteich project site’s primary objective was to build a retaining structure for the former Waldteich coal storage site, into which contaminated soil could be deposited. Site data was required by site manager Thomas Vent, who wished to manage and track in real time the volume of material movement each day, ensuring new material could be ordered and delivered in time to reduce bottlenecks and pressure points. Working with experts from Smart Construction, it was advised that ECOSOIL make use of as-built intelligent machine data. Benefits were instantaneous. Vent saved around 16 hours a month – two full working days – in time that would otherwise have been lost to travelling, surveying and processing data. Vent and his team were also able to identify any anomalies in daily performance and correct problems before they became more prominent, meaning he was also able to manage unforeseen costs. “At Smart Construction, we’ve designed an innovative portfolio of solutions, utilising hardware and software to create a full complement of IoT (Internet of Things) tools. This encompasses as-built data presented on our Dashboard gleaned from 3D Machine Guidance retrofit equipment as well as intelligent Machine Control, which is installed on a number of Komatsu machines. Smart Construction’s Remote offers site management the flexibility to send new design data to the field remotely, ensuring that teams are working off the most up-to-date plans for a project. These are simply a few ways smart technology and IoT can support in creating an even more profitable job site. Drones and surveying: a new way to approach the site Survey data has long been a prerequisite for construction, with regular site surveillance common practice for earthworks projects and prep for vertical builds. Regular site data has been historically collected with survey teams journeying to site and taking individual readings to build a comprehensive view of the site, pinpointing any areas of concern and building an ongoing view of the works. Richard believes this has seen a huge shift, saying: “Surveying was historically time consuming, labour intensive and fairly short sighted in terms of outputs, with results delivered back to clients over a course of days or weeks, by which point many measurements can be out of date. With the introduction of drone technology at the job site, managers are able to take more regular measurements of the terrain, with more data available to them including material moved over a given time period, changes in terrain profile, and more. These changes have been rapid, and have helped the industry reach new levels of efficiency, making surveying much more self-sufficient. “Not only does this reduce cost due to the fact that external surveying teams no longer need to make long journeys to site, but also offers more effective insight in much quicker time to make decisions.” Connected Construction sites and their impact on the landscape Using IoT connected sensors, devices and software, Connected Construction sites connect people, equipment and data. This allows real time communication and collaboration between all stakeholders, according to Richard. He says: “One of the significant challenges faced in earthmoving tasks is the unpredictability of what lies beneath the surface. Despite careful planning, unexpected conditions often emerge once digging commences, disrupting original plans. Instead of merely dealing with these unforeseen circumstances as they arise, a connected site offers a more dynamic solution. It monitors site activities, assesses any deviations, and modifies the plan accordingly, ensuring continuous alignment with the project’s requirements. “Employing an updated digital twin for all job sites will allow the industry to visualise, plan and execute with precision. Instead of using the digital twin as a reactive tool to troubleshoot issues, it can be utilised proactively in the planning stage. This proactive approach will ensure that projects are executed with confidence, knowing that the plans are well-informed and feasible.” As technology continues to be at the forefront of investment and business growth, the efficient application of connected construction sites looks to be revolutionising the industry in 2024. For more information about Smart Construction, please visit smartconstruction.io.
Shared ownership provider St Arthur Homes has unveiled its vibrant new branding, designed by creative specialists AF OLIVER. Featuring soft, muted shades of teal, yellow, salmon, charcoal and white, the branding has been created to position St Arthur Homes as the industry leader it is – posited around the central message: ‘What would St Arthur do?’. Adverts have been created to support the launch which seek to dispel any stigma around shared ownership, or ‘the elephant in the room’, telling would-be buyers that although St Arthur is not the biggest shared ownership provider around, it is the biggest thinker. It’s a name people can trust, one which has been cementing its place as a thought leader in the industry for some time now. Louise Mills, Sales Director for St Arthur Homes, said: “Our new branding reflects who we are – forward-thinking experts that buyers can trust. We want people to know that they can rely on us, that they can turn to us and that they can ask us anything. “There can be some stigma around shared ownership but we are on a mission to change that, and to show how fantastic it can be as an option – not just for first-time buyers but those who have already owned a home too. “When people discover shared ownership as an option and explore it further, we really do want them to ask themselves: ‘What would St Arthur do?’. We are confident that we have the answers that can help many onto or up the housing ladder, in a home they truly love.” For more information on the energy-efficient new homes provided by St Arthur Homes, visit starthurhomes.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
FCC Environment is putting its quarry plant operators and managers through their paces with Finning training experts to improve fuel efficiencies and cut fuel burn. More than 30 FCC machine operators and plant managers have completed the Finning Eco-Drive™ operator training programme so far, which is part of a company-wide initiative called ‘Don’t Be Fuelish’. The campaign aims to crack down on machine idle time and minimise fuel burn, as well as improving CO2 emissions and reducing operating costs. Finning, the world’s largest dealer of Cat® equipment and parts, launched its Eco-Drive™ operator training in 2009 aimed at refining operator skills to increase performance and crucially cut costs by giving operators the skills they need to better utilise the tools and technologies available in the equipment. Due to the popularity of the operator training, Finning recently added an Advanced Performance programme specifically aimed at managers and supervisors to enable them to better manage the fleet operations and deliver greater efficiency, safety, and productivity. Bill Stone, Group Plant Manager at FCC Environment, said: “We’ve been doing business with Finning for some time and enjoy a good working relationship with them. We started looking at all our operational data to identify how we can improve idle times – and vitally cut fuel costs – and the training delivered by Finning was an important part of that. “We’ve done four sessions of the operator training so far and feedback has been good. Many of our quarry operators have been with us for 10 years or more, but many of them don’t typically use the technology that is fitted as standard in new Cat machines which can save them time and fuel. The great thing was when they came out of the sessions, they were all fired up and telling other operators’ things they’d picked up – which was great. “I think they really appreciated the fact that they had the opportunity for one-to-one interaction with the trainer – who were on their level as former operators, so they really engaged with them. “I attended the advanced course for managers, and it was very good. For example, we learnt about the impact of using incorrect ground engaging tools and how this affects machine productivity.” The advanced course also addresses topics such as assessing and measuring equipment capability to optimise fuel usage, identifying inefficiencies as well as looking into best practice operating techniques and the fundamentals of machine application. Participants on the course develop their own site improvement plan, with the Finning team providing a follow-up review to provide any ongoing guidance and support. Bill adds: “We’ll never completely cut out zero idling, but this campaign and dedicated training with Finning experts helps the operators understand how much money is wasted in terms of fuel and repair and maintenance. Educating the managers so they understand the economic and environmental gains achieved by only having machines working when they’re needed is already yielding savings across the company.” Jonathan Davies, Finning UK & Ireland Industry Manager for Industrial & Waste and Paving, said: “When you’ve got a quarry working 2000 hours a year every penny counts, and you must make sure you get the best per cost per tonne. “While we can supply efficient and reliable machines, the greater the operator skill and efficiency the less wear and tear there is on the machine and fuel wastage and the greater the site efficiency.” Both the Eco-Drive™ Operator Training and Advanced Performance Training courses are Institute of Quarrying CPD accredited and are available from one of Finning UK & Irelands’ facilities, or group training can be delivered at a customer site. To find out more about Finning Eco-DriveTM Operator and Manager Training courses go to www.finning.com/en_GB/services/customer-training/operator-training.html Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
AtkinsRéalis, a global design, engineering and project management company, has bolstered its major programme leadership team with the appointment of Rob Ewen as Strategic Programme Director for UK and Europe. Rob brings a wealth of experience to the business from a career spanning 40 years in industry, and will drive forward opportunities to develop AtkinsRéalis’ project delivery capabilities further – complementing its global design and engineering expertise. Drawing on his experience leading on some of the biggest engineering and infrastructure projects in the world, including the delivery of THE LINE at NEOM, Rob will focus on projects and programmes across key markets including transportation, energy and defence, as well as large-scale public sector property programmes. Having worked on major programmes such as the 2012 Olympics, the UK New Hospital Programme and Heathrow Expansion, Rob brings a strong focus on the industrialisation of design and delivery models, and the consequent potential for performance improvement of this industry at every level. He is passionate about improvement through data-empowered change and innovation, having previously chaired the delivery group of i3P. James Butler, managing director of Project and Programme Services at AtkinsRéalis, said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Rob Ewen into this important role, with the vast range of experience he brings with him. “We are already taking a lead in delivering on major national infrastructure projects such as Sizewell C and HS2, and in sectors including education and transportation, where we are deploying a range of project and programme management services and digital tools. By doing so we are able to ensure better outcomes and provide improved visibility, control and predictability. “Rob will help to provide a strategic focus to our programme, building on the great work we’ve seen from our teams in the past few years and ensuring our clients are able to benefit from greater use of data and technology.” Rob Ewen added: “This is an exciting time to join AtkinsRéalis with a real sense of unity and renewed purpose following the recent re-brand. “I’m looking forward to bringing my experience of working on nationally significant infrastructure projects and working in closer collaboration with delivery teams and supply chains to help realise AtkinsRéalis’ ambitious plans for global growth.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Following the delivery of sanitation facilities earlier this year for Arena Church in Nottingham, Midlands contractor, G F Tomlinson has transformed another disused space to help vulnerable city residents who need it most. As part of the company’s commitment to delivering social value in the region and building on its long-standing relationship with the church, the contractor has provided ventilation upgrades and enhancement works for the basement area of the central city shelter in Western Street, Hockley. The contractor partnered with Amptron Electrical Services to provide upgraded ventilation systems which allow mechanical air change movements, to help with the lack of natural air flow, due to the location within the building. The G F Tomlinson Client Care team also carried out redecoration works to the space. These enhancements have enabled the basement area to become a more comfortable space within the church, providing vulnerable Nottingham residents with shelter, sanitation facilities and hot refreshments. New bollards were also installed to car parking bays, enabling the church to rent out the spaces to local businesses in the city centre, providing much needed revenue for the shelter. A drone survey was also completed of the building’s roof, to assist Arena Church with assessing repair and maintenance needs. In February, G F Tomlinson worked with local sub-contractors alongside Pastor, Jono Kirk, from Arena Community, to convert previously unused space into a shower and washer / dryer facility for vulnerable Nottingham residents to use who lack access to basic sanitation facilities. This year, the contractor has provided a total of £67,782 worth of social value-added opportunities for Arena Church, and the vital additions will act as an extension of the church’s mission to ‘Go, Grow, Love and Serve’ in Nottingham City, with facilities and spaces on hand ready for the church’s ‘Care for a Coffee’ initiative, which launches early next year. ‘Care for a Coffee’ will provide warm, safe spaces for vulnerable people to get a weekly hot meal, with an option to clean and dry clothes and make the most of a ‘shower hour.’ Stephen Green, project manager at G F Tomlinson, said: “It has been a pleasure to return to the Arena Church and to build on the great work we did previously, providing further necessary renovations to this community asset and provide help and facilities where most needed, especially in the wintertime. “As a company, we are strong advocates of the incredible work that Arena Church does for the local area, and it’s a privilege that the team have again been involved in further enhancing spaces to provide refuge for vulnerable people in Nottingham.” Jono Kirk, Pastor at Arena Church, said: “We’re very grateful for our relationship with G F Tomlinson and other subcontractors who have helped us on our journey to improve support services for city residents who need our help. Our community can now access vital facilities and safe, comfortable spaces which they wouldn’t have been had without the help of this partnership. Thank you to everyone involved.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Housebuilder Cavanna Homes has chosen Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) as its official charity partner. Staff at the family-owned Westcountry developer, which last year marked 100 years in business, unanimously backed the decision to support the charity, which provides care for children with life-limiting conditions. 2023 was the fifth consecutive year that Cavanna Homes’ employees have undertaken fundraising events on behalf of CHSW, which have included a corporate golf day, the £50 challenge, homemade pizza lunches and bake sales, as well as the epic 225-mile Ride for Precious Lives charity bike ride. Melanie Potter, Head of the Charity Committee at Cavanna Homes said: “We have a long association with CHSW which does such marvellous and important work. It makes perfect sense to make them our official charity partner and we’re really pleased to be dedicating our future fundraising efforts to support them.” The charity provides hospice care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions, offering support for their whole family. It has hospice accommodation at Little Bridge House in Devon, Charlton Farm in Somerset and Little Harbour in Cornwall. Last summer, a team of eight cyclists from the firm rode from the Little Harbour hospice, near St Austell, to Charlton Farm hospice in North Somerset, a distance of 225-miles over three days, raising more than £11,000 for the charity. They joined around 100 cyclists for the marathon Ride for Precious Lives, crossing Bodmin Moor, Exmoor and the Mendip Hills to reach their destination. In total more than £300,000 was raised from the challenge. Daniela Hopkins, Area Fundraiser for CHSW said: “Cavanna Homes has partnered with CHSW since 2019, and in that time, they have raised in excess of £100,000! We are delighted that they continue to show their commitment to CHSW by choosing to partner with us again. “Their support over the years has made such a huge difference and we are incredibly grateful for all of their hard work and commitment in supporting our hospices. The funds raised by Cavanna Homes will help our hospices continue to provide care for families with children and young people who have life-limiting conditions and are not expected to live into adulthood.” Cavanna Homes’ Managing Director Grayham Tucker added: “As a business deeply embedded in the South West it is important for us to support good causes in the region with our charity fundraising. CHSW has become a charity very close to all our hearts. We’re proud to make them our official charity partner.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
