A stray cat seen wandering the Hitchin streets is now living it up in a bijou property designed and built by an award-winning construction company. The open-plan home, built over one level, has access to all local amenities with regular food deliveries and a constant supply of fresh water. Nick
New research has revealed that half of construction workers (51%) would not know what to do in the event of a fire at work. The study1, commissioned by Phoenix Health & Safety, surveyed 1,500 participants UK-wide to uncover how well Brits understand fire hazards in the workplace. Each year there
Pick Everard has announces that Manchester City Council has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of ten derelict railway arches on Corporation Street in Manchester. Located on one of the key links between the city centre and the Victoria North regeneration area, the Corporation Street arches will be transformed by
A new study by Juniper Research, the foremost experts in technology markets, forecasts substantial growth of 182% in the number of smart parking spaces within cities; from 5.8 million in 2024. Smart parking utilises a combination of sensors and real-time data to provide road users with information on closest available
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is close to reaching the halfway mark of its ambitious aim to take on 590 apprentices across the rail upgrade between Manchester and York, via Leeds and Huddersfield. The number of apprentices on the multi-billion-pound programme has reached 264, primarily recruited from locations along the
A stray cat seen wandering the Hitchin streets is now living it up in a bijou property designed and built by an award-winning construction company. The open-plan home, built over one level, has access to all local amenities with regular food deliveries and a constant supply of fresh water. Nick Claessen, Senior Operations Manager, of Willmott Dixon, enlisted the help of his wife and children to create the Grand Design for Wilbury, named after the name of the street where the home is located. He said: “Wilbury turned up around our office a couple of years ago. We assumed he was a stray as he was always hanging around. “This year, the winter seems to have been particularly cold, and we started to feel sorry for Wilbury that he didn’t have somewhere warm to hunker down and be protected from the elements.” Nick picked up discarded materials from site, had it cut to size and took it home where he worked with his family to build and paint the home from home. “A number of our people took on responsibility for feeding him and worming him and he obviously decided he liked it round here. His little house has become quite a talking point for everyone.” Willmott Dixon, which won a King’s Award for Enterprise last year, puts social value at the heart of its business. “Community is so important to us, and I think we have shown that it’s not just the humans that matter. It may seem a small thing, but it shows the kind of company we have.” And as a pawnote, the Willmott Dixon team has confirmed that Wilbury has now found an even cosier foster home and is looking forward to a purrfect happy ending. For more information on Willmott Dixon, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New research has revealed that half of construction workers (51%) would not know what to do in the event of a fire at work. The study1, commissioned by Phoenix Health & Safety, surveyed 1,500 participants UK-wide to uncover how well Brits understand fire hazards in the workplace. Each year there are around 22,000 workplace fires around the UK2, highlighting the importance of having adequate fire safety knowledge. Phoenix Health & Safety has gathered insightful data to understand if Brits would know what actions to take in the event of a fire, and how businesses should take action to reduce the risk of fire-related workplace incidents. Overall, the study found that around half of construction workers (51%) would not know what to do in the event of a fire at work. Commenting on this finding, Nick Higginson, CEO of Phoenix Health & Safety, shares; “For fire safety to be most effective in a workplace, it’s key that individuals at every level of the organisation understand the procedures in full. “Without a well-rehearsed fire safety procedure, there can be delays to taking appropriate and immediate action, so it’s essential that businesses ensure their staff are fully aware of every aspect of the process.” The study also found that two-thirds (66%) of construction workers would not be able to locate their fire safety assembly point, and only around 6% have had a fire safety drill in their workplace in the past year. As well as this, barely over a quarter would be able to state who the fire officers in their workplace are. Technical Director of the IFE, Paul Trew, commented: “Fire extinguisher use is a small yet vital component of overall fire safety training, especially within the remote nature of construction environments. CPD programmes designed for the transitional work settings can provide useful insights and hands-on training on fire extinguisher usage, alongside fire prevention, evacuation, fire alarm use. Nick says: “According to government fire safety regulations, all workplaces should have a fire drill at least once a year and not doing so can result in a fine for the business3. Fire drills are important as they allow persons with fire safety responsibility to evaluate the effectiveness of the evacuation plan that is in place and make any necessary changes. To see that such a small percentage can recall a fire drill occurring in their workplace in the last year is a cause for concern. “Not knowing the location of the fire assembly point is just one example of why having a clear and well-rehearsed procedure is so important. All new staff should be made aware of the location of the assembly point and any fire exits, and should be reminded periodically through training to refresh their memory of fire safety protocol.” Only around a fifth of construction workers (20%) stated that they would know which fire extinguisher they could use to put out fires on different types of materials. To test fire extinguisher knowledge, respondents were given two scenarios to test their understanding of fire extinguisher types and their differences. In the first scenario, respondents were asked to identify which fire extinguisher was not safe to use to put out a fire caused by combustible materials such as paper and wood. A large majority of respondents answered incorrectly, with over four in five (82%) unable to identify that the black CO2 extinguisher is not safe to use. For the second scenario, respondents were tested on which fire extinguisher would be safe to use to put out a fire caused by an electrical fault. Once again, most respondents answered this incorrectly, with over three-quarters (78%) of respondents failing to identify that ‘black, blue or green’ extinguishers should be used. Nick says: “Understanding which fire extinguisher to use in the event of a fire could be the difference between the fire being dealt with quickly and safely, or a full-scale emergency. “In most workplaces, the fire extinguishers available should have signage that shows the extinguisher type and what sort of fire it can be used on. Whilst you may want to react quickly, taking a few seconds longer to identify the correct fire extinguisher could potentially be life-saving.” Nick continues: “It is the responsibility of organisations and their appointed persons with fire safety responsibility to ensure that all fire safety regulations are adhered to and a culture of following the rules is ingrained in the workplace, but it is also the responsibility of employees themselves to ensure the regulations are followed. Managers and supervisors who want to attain the necessary knowledge and skills to manage fire hazards can take a relevant fire safety course to get accredited, such as the NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Pick Everard has announces that Manchester City Council has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of ten derelict railway arches on Corporation Street in Manchester. Located on one of the key links between the city centre and the Victoria North regeneration area, the Corporation Street arches will be transformed by The Arch Company, following our multi-disciplinary services provided on-site. The railway arches are to become new destinations for food and drink, leisure and retail businesses to occupy. This will include new glazed frontages, new services and drainage and internal lining to make the accommodation dry and ready for new businesses to occupy. The design incorporates high-quality materials that will restore an attractive appearance to the elevations on Corporation Street, creating a ‘street’ of arches that will appeal to potential tenants in the current marketplace. Pick Everard provided structural, civil, mechanical and electrical services on the site, working in close collaboration with partners such as Stephen George + Partners, whose design has sought to overcome a number of technical, environmental and planning constraints that are inherent within existing urban infrastructure of this type. There are, for example, substantial level differences from the front to the rear of many of the units, which have required both the creation of new slab levels and ramps to ensure full accessibility. As the rear of the units back onto the River Irk, their layout has required clever design to orient them to the front, with elevations to include fire door escape and flexibility for mechanical system and ventilation provision via louvred or knock-out panels in the frame. Santosh Patel, Strategic account director at Pick Everard, said: “Manchester is famously proud of its industrial heritage, and this project not only maintains and celebrates that history, but rejuvenates it in an exciting and innovative way to bring added social value to the city’s modern landscape and its residents. “Manchester is famously proud of its industrial heritage, and this project not only maintains and celebrates that history, but rejuvenates it in an exciting and innovative way to bring added social value to the city’s modern landscape and its residents. “Seeing this project to completion will bring a new offering to Manchester, further regenerating its town centre in a way that makes sense within its larger community. The new spaces present a great opportunity for independent retail, restaurant, and other leisure businesses to develop in an area that will grow and thrive with them.” Corporation Street is the latest arch scheme in Greater Manchester on which SGP has been working with The Arch Company. It joins previously approved plans to turn ten neglected railway arches in Norton Street, Salford, into a thriving hub of bars, restaurants and cafes. The arches are located in Greengate, an area of the city currently experiencing a period of intensive development activity and growth. Both the Manchester and the Salford projects form part of Project 1000, The Arch Company’s £200m plan to bring a thousand empty or derelict spaces into use across England and Wales by 2030. Corporation Street and Norton Street are just two of over ten such projects for which SGP has been commissioned to develop designs. In London, four of SGP’s schemes have already received consent – Witan Street, America Street, Salamanca Street and Crucifix Lane. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new study by Juniper Research, the foremost experts in technology markets, forecasts substantial growth of 182% in the number of smart parking spaces within cities; from 5.8 million in 2024. Smart parking utilises a combination of sensors and real-time data to provide road users with information on closest available parking spaces and prices, through either signage, apps or dashboards. This helps reduce congestion and emissions produced by vehicles searching for suitable parking spaces. Find out more: Global Smart Traffic Management Market 2023-2028, or download a free sample. Dynamic Pricing Vital in Reducing City Congestion The report urges city municipalities to seriously consider investing in and implementing smart parking initiatives within highly congested cities. The advantages surrounding dynamic pricing in smart parking can not only be used to strategically increase revenue, but also have the ability to ease ongoing congestion issues. This is achieved by lowering prices in less congested parking areas; making them more attractive to drivers. Research Author Cara Malone commented: “With more data than ever available and the low latency that 5G provides, parking solutions have become highly responsive. In cities where on-street parking is a major issue, dynamic signage can be deployed to utilise available parking more efficiently at quieter times; significantly reducing congestion.” Data Analytics to Optimise Transit Routes Juniper Research recommends smart parking vendors offer data analytics services to municipalities and governments as a priority. This data is critical to analysing parking and occupancy patterns, which can be used to optimise transit routes and development; helping shift citizens to public transport and providing significant value for cities. About the Research Suite The new market research suite offers the most comprehensive assessment of the smart traffic management market to date; providing analysis and forecasts of over 31,900 datapoints across 60 markets over five years. It includes a ‘Competitor Leaderboard’ and examination of current and future market opportunities. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is close to reaching the halfway mark of its ambitious aim to take on 590 apprentices across the rail upgrade between Manchester and York, via Leeds and Huddersfield. The number of apprentices on the multi-billion-pound programme has reached 264, primarily recruited from locations along the route and amounting to £14.3 million in value to society, according to the Rail Social Value Tool. Apprentices on TRU identify the cost of living crisis, tuition fee debt, career prospects and enhanced hands-on learning as reasons for choosing apprenticeships. TRU, which recently secured a further £3.9 bn of governmental funding, marks the milestone during National Apprenticeship Week, taking place 5-12 February. TRU is creating tens of thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly, including 8,000 new and safeguarded roles, with 60% of the construction workforce employed from within 25 miles of the route and 80% within 40 miles. TRU is also set to deliver a minimum 50p value to society for every £1 spent on construction, generating £4.28 billion of social value, as outlined in the TRU Sustainability Strategy ‘Our Guiding Compass’ which was published last Summer. Apprentices are working in various disciplines across TRU, including Civil Engineering, Project Management, Quantity Surveying and Ecology. Many TRU apprentices have university degrees built into their apprenticeships, taking one or two days a week off work to study. Ellis Mills, TRU Project Management Apprentice based in Manchester said: “One of the reasons I chose an apprenticeship was to pay my parents a bit of rent. We’re a family of five and it’s quite hard. There are people my age who at 18, 19, 20 want to support their parents while times are tough.” “I have developed my communication and leadership skills and learned the art of dealing with challenging behaviours during my apprenticeship with TRU.” “But the part I have enjoyed the most is the networking; speaking with people from across such a large project every day has allowed me to learn so much.” Bethany Draper, TRU Commercial Apprentice based in Leeds and York said: “I was accepted into two Russell Group universities but If I were to have gone to university, I would have been in a lot of debt.” “Financial independence is a key part of choosing an apprenticeship. With expanded work experience in an office or site environment, you have a better start to your career than other students.” Christopher Walker, TRU Commercial Apprentice based in Manchester said: “Someone I know went to a good university and got a first-class honours degree in architecture, but couldn’t get a job due to a lack of experience. I didn’t want that to happen, I wanted to work in what I’ve chosen to do. That was the main deciding factor in choosing an apprenticeship for me.” “There’s a miscomprehension that you get paid very little to be someone’s printing assistant, getting told what to do. But the truth is that companies like TRU put time and effort into developing you as an apprentice.” Neil Holm, TRU Managing Director said: “Providing opportunities through apprenticeships is at the heart of the TRU story. A railway fit for the North of England is being built by the communities through which TRU travels. “Our nearly 590 apprentices are key to the TRU programme and reaching the halfway point of our ambitious apprenticeship intake underlines our commitment to developing skills and employment prospects for TRU communities.”TRU apprentices of various disciplines are available to interview across broadcast, digital and print media. Please contact alec.herron@networkrail.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
