GMI Construction Group and Luminate Education Group hosted a visit by Leeds MP Alex Sobel to update him on the progress being made on the city’s Mabgate Campus development. Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel, accompanied by Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s Executive Member for Children and Families,
Developer, Cityheart and Wigan Council have signed agreements allowing Principal Contractor Galliford Try to deliver the first phases of construction work at the former Galleries site in Wigan Town Centre. Galliford Try will start work in mid-October 2024, following directly on from the large-scale demolition and site investigation works already
Bensons for Beds has launched 15 new stores within three weeks, occupying former Carpetright locations across the UK. This expansion follows the furniture retailer’s acquisition of 19 ex-Carpetright sites in August, after the flooring company entered administration. The move forms part of Bensons for Beds’ long-term growth strategy, which aims
Vistry, Britain’s biggest housebuilder, has joined forces with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring
Clowes Developments and its partners are pleased to announce that practical completion has now been achieved on Phase Two of Beauchamp Business Park, a new commercial development in Kibworth, Leicestershire. The development has been delivered by Clowes Developments and its team including IMA Architects, TanRo, Millward Consulting Engineers, Gateley Legal
A multimillion-pound renovation project at Bradford College has transformed a derelict mill into a flexible digital, science, and allied health training facility for higher-level students. Garden Mills on Thornton Road opened its doors to staff and students this week after months of construction work on the 1900s five-storey building. The development results from £5.8 million in
Housbuilder Vistry has teamed up with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring 250 of
HS2’s engineers have celebrated a double milestone in the construction of two huge viaducts that will eventually carry the high-speed railway across a floodplain. The work, near Brackley, saw the successful completion of a 2,695 tonnes deck slide for the Westbury viaduct as well as construction of the abutments at
Five-acre elevated walkway to act as a green gateway between the University of Salford’s campus and Crescent innovation zone Construction of Salford Rise – a transformative element of the wider £2.5bn, 252-acre Crescent Salford masterplan – has begun. Delivered by ECF – a joint partnership between Legal & General, Homes
A national construction charity is marking this year’s World Mental Health Day by renewing its efforts to signpost tradespeople and construction workers to places where they can get support for their mental health. This is made all the more important in the wake of the devastating collapse of major construction
GMI Construction Group and Luminate Education Group hosted a visit by Leeds MP Alex Sobel to update him on the progress being made on the city’s Mabgate Campus development. Leeds Central and Headingley MP Alex Sobel, accompanied by Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s Executive Member for Children and Families, toured the construction site, which, upon its completion in summer 2025, will mark a significant expansion of Leeds City College. Milestones completed include the installation of the structural steelwork and the completion of a section of concrete forming a wall of the library. The development will provide around 70,000 sq. ft of additional educational space, while contributing to the area’s regeneration and providing much-needed community resources. Mabgate Campus already holds Leeds City College’s School of Events, Enterprise and Employability, together with studio space for Leeds Conservatoire – both members of Luminate Education Group. Leeds-headquartered GMI’s £26m contract involves partial demolition of existing buildings fronting onto Mabgate, allowing for the construction of the flagship five-storey campus for University Centre Leeds and a new building for Leeds City College’s English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) centre. As part of the construction of the ESOL building, GMI will also build a new atrium cafeteria, located between the new building and existing converted warehouse space, which is the hub of the Mabgate Centre, providing eco-friendly open-plan learning spaces and specially designed classrooms. Alex Sobel MP said: “It was wonderful to see the buildings taking shape, we really appreciated being able to sign the library wall and look forward to another visit when the buildings are complete, and students are benefitting from purpose-built provision. We know that there is need for more post 16 provision in the city and welcome this development whilst working for further space for post 16 education in Leeds.” Helen Hayden, who represents the Temple Newsham ward on Leeds City Council, added: “I was delighted to visit the Mabgate Campus development which represents a significant investment in education and regeneration of this part of Leeds. This project will deliver long-term benefits for the city by creating new opportunities for learning and community engagement, which are key to enhancing our skills base.” Andy Hurcomb, Regional Director at GMI Construction Group, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Alex Sobel MP and Cllr Helen Hayden to the site to show them the significant progress being made. Their visit highlighted the importance of this project to the local community, and we’re honored to partner with Luminate Education Group to deliver a state-of-the-art facility that reflects both the ambition of our educational partners and the aspirations of the wider Leeds community.” David Warren, Group Vice Principal of Development at Luminate Education Group, added: “This project will create a flagship campus that will provide a dynamic learning environment that meets the needs of today’s students and the future workforce. We are thrilled to see this project progress. It project represents a significant investment in education in Leeds, and we are confident it will play an important role in shaping the future of education in this region.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Developer, Cityheart and Wigan Council have signed agreements allowing Principal Contractor Galliford Try to deliver the first phases of construction work at the former Galleries site in Wigan Town Centre. Galliford Try will start work in mid-October 2024, following directly on from the large-scale demolition and site investigation works already completed by BCEGI and PP O’Connor. The agreement means construction can start immediately for the new 90,000sqft market hall, located in the heart of the town centre. Alongside commencing delivery of the new market hall, Galliford Try will also undertake ground and enabling works across the wider site to progress the next phases of the new mixed-use neighbourhood. Earlier this year Hampton by Hilton were announced as one of the first occupiers at the development, signing up for a 144-bed hotel. A series of Meet the Buyer events have also been held for local businesses to find out how they can get involved with the project and to ensure that Wigan borough businesses benefit from the contracts and investments that are being made. Councillor David Molyneux MBE, Leader of Wigan Council, said “The new market hall is at the heart of the project and set to be the first new building to open. Wigan is a traditional market town, receiving its Royal Charter in the 13th century. This development will bring our market into the 21st century, creating a vibrant, modern and thriving space for our traders and visitors to the town, ensuring it has a strong and exciting future with a lot of job opportunities for people both during and after construction.” Darren Jones, Development Director for Cityheart added: “We are delighted to be working with Galliford Try to bring forward the next stage of redevelopment at this transformational Wigan Galleries site. We are progressing the delivery of the site in various phases in accordance with the planning consents we have secured. Throughout the phased development and once the scheme is complete the focus will be on community wealth building with job opportunities for local businesses and residents. We’re proud to be part of delivering a destination which will enhance the offer in Wigan town centre and bolster the economy in the borough for many years to come.” The complete scheme is set to create circa 660 full-time jobs generating Gross Value Add (GVA) impacts of £26.5m per year. During the first phase of demolition, jobs apprenticeships and training placements were provided for local people through projects with Wigan Youth Zone and Wigan and Leigh College. Darren Parker, Managing Director for Galliford Try Building North West, commented: “We are pleased to be getting under way with this initial construction phase of the Wigan Galleries project and look forward to working with all the stakeholders involved to deliver social value back into the local community and support Wigan’s investment.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bensons for Beds has launched 15 new stores within three weeks, occupying former Carpetright locations across the UK. This expansion follows the furniture retailer’s acquisition of 19 ex-Carpetright sites in August, after the flooring company entered administration. The move forms part of Bensons for Beds’ long-term growth strategy, which aims to establish up to 40 new stores over the coming years. In addition to these openings, Bensons has launched its first high street store in Sutton and made a return to Northern Ireland after a four-year absence with a new outlet in Belfast. The new store locations include: Nick Collard, Chief Executive of Bensons for Beds, commented: “The scale of store openings we’ve achieved in such a short period is unprecedented for us as a business, and it’s a significant accomplishment for any retailer, especially given the current economic climate. “While market conditions remain tough, Bensons is positioned to take advantage of a market recovery. This success is a direct result of our ongoing transformation into the leading bed specialist, providing expert advice and great value to help our customers enjoy a good night’s sleep.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Vistry, Britain’s biggest housebuilder, has joined forces with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring 250 of the proposed homes, ensuring that more than 35% of the homes on this development will be affordable, against a 20% requirement. The housing association will make 132 homes, 19% of the total number being proposed, available for social rent, against a 4% requirement as part of the planning consent. An additional 118 homes will be available to part-buy, part-rent through Bromford’s shared ownership scheme. A further 209 units will be destined for the private rental sector and the remaining 236 properties will be available on the open market for private ownership, ensuring the development will offer something for everyone. The scheme will also stimulate economic growth through on-site employment, as well as providing further benefits for the local community with designated spaces for community uses and public open space. The new homes will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, and larger two-, three- and four-bedroom family houses. With a focus on sustainability, they will include air source heat pumps rather than gas boilers; PV panels will provide renewable electricity; and wastewater recovery will minimise water usage. The houses will be built using modern methods of construction (MMC), reducing the carbon footprint of every property. The homes will be manufactured off site using open panel timber frames from the Vistry Works East Midlands factory in Leicestershire. Each home built using these panels emits 14,460kg CO2e less than a traditional brick-and-block house. Phil McHugh, Managing Director of Vistry North West Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to have acquired this site and to be working with Bromford on this exciting project that will contribute to Birmingham’s economic growth by providing new jobs and high-quality places to live. “Like many major cities, Birmingham has a severe shortage of affordable homes; that’s something we’re aiming to address by going the extra mile to deliver affordable and social rent homes over and above what is required of us, and delivering them at pace. We’re also hugely proud of the sustainability of the homes we’ll be providing, with features and construction methods that reduce their impact on the environment and will lower energy bills for future residents. “We’re excited to be a part of Birmingham’s growth and to be entrusted with the build of these much-needed new homes which will contribute to the character of the area and create a thriving and sustainable community.” Alice Phillips, Regional Development Manager at Bromford, said: “Working with Vistry to bring new affordable homes to Birmingham as part of the Longbridge redevelopment is a perfect opportunity for us. With the work that’s already taken place at Longbridge and everything that’s planned over the years ahead, our future customers will have great prospects to live, work and thrive in these new homes and community. “Providing 132 homes for social rent as part of this partnership will make a real difference to the lives of families who are currently waiting for affordable housing in Birmingham. And they’ll be living in some of the most energy efficient homes we’ve ever built in the West Midlands thanks to all of the sustainability measures that will be installed.” Simon Vick, Head of Development at Bromford, added: “We are absolutely delighted to be working in partnership again with Vistry to deliver this project. It’s one of our largest ever partnerships in the West Midlands and will help meet the acute shortage of high quality, affordable homes in Birmingham.” Professional services group Gateley supported on the purchase from St. Modwen, as well as the development agreement and sale to Bromford. Lauren Jeffrey, Residential Development Senior Associate at Gateley Legal, added: “The Longbridge site was previously brownfield land and holds significant historical importance as the former home to the MG Rover factory, as well as links to war activity. So, it’s brilliant to see the iconic location being given a new lease of life and developed into a community with much-needed housing, shops and offices. “The success of this scheme is the result of the great working partnership between all parties, as well as the collaborative effort from Gateley’s residential development, planning, tax, litigation and built environment consultancy teams, and I look forward to seeing the development continue to take shape.” A reserved matters planning application has been submitted with a decision notice due shortly. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Clowes Developments and its partners are pleased to announce that practical completion has now been achieved on Phase Two of Beauchamp Business Park, a new commercial development in Kibworth, Leicestershire. The development has been delivered by Clowes Developments and its team including IMA Architects, TanRo, Millward Consulting Engineers, Gateley Legal and Postins Project Services. Phillips Sutton and TDB Real Estate have been the agents marketing the scheme. Beauchamp Business Park is situated on a 15-acre site located on the outskirts of Kibworth between Leicester and Market Harborough on the A6. The site features a series of freehold and leasehold industrial units ranging from 1,270 sq ft to 16,272 sq ft. Phase One, which completed back in July, saw a huge number of interested parties, with over 80% sold before completion. This therefore boosted Clowes’ decision to begin Phase Two. Kevin Webster, Associate Director at Clowes Developments comments: “We are delighted to have achieved Practical Completion on Phase Two at Beauchamp Business Park. Phase One has proven to be a great success with occupiers and investors and with deals already agreed for several of the units in Phase Two we are certain that popularity will continue. I now look forward to seeing it fully operational and a thriving business park over the coming months.” Clowes Developments retained agents TDB Real Estate and Phillips Sutton for Phase Two of the scheme. Sam Sutton, Director at Phillips Sutton comments: “We are thrilled with the success of Phase One at Beauchamp Business Park, with 100% take up. As we move into Phase Two, we are excited to see continued interest, with several units already under offer. This growth not only highlights the strategic importance of our location, but the demand for good quality freehold units in Leicestershire.” Jack Brown, Associate Director at TDB Real Estate adds: “It is fantastic news that we have now reached Practical Completion of Phase Two of Beauchamp Business Park. With Phase One being so popular with both local businesses and investors we anticipate Phase Two will continue this trend. The Units all look fantastic, and present really well in a market which has a shortage of good quality stock” Phase Two has seen the creation of two additional terraces and a semi-detached unit to be used for B1 and B2 use class, ranging in sizes from 2,271 sq ft to 16,272 sq ft. Clowes Developments is one of the UK’s largest and strongest privately-owned property investment and development organisations. Headquartered in Ednaston, Derbyshire, the company are experts in land acquisition and promotion, property development and asset management. Whilst available space at Beauchamp Business Park is limited there does remain some opportunity. Interested parties are invited to contact the site agents, Sam Sutton, Phillips Sutton on 07794 081 052 and Jack Brown, TDBRE on 07969 291 660. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A multimillion-pound renovation project at Bradford College has transformed a derelict mill into a flexible digital, science, and allied health training facility for higher-level students. Garden Mills on Thornton Road opened its doors to staff and students this week after months of construction work on the 1900s five-storey building. The development results from £5.8 million in funding from The Office for Students (OfS) Higher Education Capital Fund with a £1.1 million College contribution. The site is now Bradford College’s dedicated building for HNC, HND, and degree programmes in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), including digital and ophthalmic courses. The site supplements the extensive STEM facilities established across other College campuses. Contractors Tilbury Douglas led the Garden Mills project and installation of industry-standard equipment, including six digital IT labs, an ophthalmic dispensing suite, a prep room, a clinical suite, a real-life work environment with consulting and testing booths, a collaboration area, and academic teaching spaces. Christopher Malish, Bradford College’s Vice Principal of Finance & Corporate Services, said:“Seeing Garden Mills return to life has been extremely rewarding. This new facility will enhance the student experience, create more graduate opportunities, and counter regional skills shortages in STEM-related sectors. These aspirations align with our vision of creating ‘a better future for all through education and training.’ “Our strategic objectives include delivering curricula that meet the needs of students, employers, and our community. We’re delighted that Garden Mills will help to upskill local people in specialisms that are in demand while supporting vital regional economic growth.” Garden Mills is the first of several Bradford College capital developments to be completed. Over the last two years, Bradford College secured nearly £32 million in funding, which is being used to enhance, refurbish, and build aspirational new facilities in the heart of Bradford. Other construction projects include new vocational T Level facilities in the College’s David Hockney Building, overseen by Sewell Construction and funded by £3.5 million from the Department for Education (T Level Capital Fund – Wave 5). Set to complete in Autumn, the project will create a commercial barbering salon, nail bar, collaborative lecture spaces, TV studio, media editing and recording studios, and a remodel of The Grove training restaurant. Work on the College’s purpose-built Future Technologies Centre is also underway with Phase 1 of the scheme led by contractor Morgan Sindall. This new site will support the growth of technology and low-carbon skills capability within West Yorkshire and be the home of modern automotive and digital engineering curricula, such as electric/hybrid vehicles and advanced manufacturing. The College’s Automotive, Digital and Engineering Department will relocate to the new premises once completed in 2025/2026. Students will use industry-relevant facilities to gain skills in new technologies for careers in a fast-moving sector. The project was made possible by a £15 million investment from the Department for Education’s Further Education Capital Transformation Fund (FECTF), boosted by a £2m College contribution. The Future Technologies Centre, Garden Mills, and T Level facilities all form part of Bradford College’s ambitious estates strategy. The capital masterplan centres around building facilities that open up pioneering student careers and support regional economic growth.Find out more about the Garden Mills project and other ongoing capital projects: www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/capitalprojects Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Housbuilder Vistry has teamed up with Bromford to build up to 695 sustainable homes in Longbridge, south-west Birmingham, formerly home to the MG works. Vistry has joined forces with Bromford, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, which will own and manage the affordable homes. Bromford is acquiring 250 of the proposed homes, ensuring that more than 35% of the homes on this development will be affordable, against a 20% requirement. The housing association will make 132 homes, 19% of the total number being proposed, available for social rent, against a 4% requirement as part of the planning consent. An additional 118 homes will be available to part-buy, part-rent through Bromford’s shared ownership scheme. A further 209 units will be destined for the private rental sector and the remaining 236 properties will be available on the open market for private ownership, ensuring the development will offer something for everyone. The scheme will also stimulate economic growth through on-site employment, as well as providing further benefits for the local community with designated spaces for community uses and public open space. The new homes will be a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, and larger two-, three- and four-bedroom family houses. With a focus on sustainability, they will include air source heat pumps rather than gas boilers; PV panels will provide renewable electricity; and wastewater recovery will minimise water usage. The houses will be built using modern methods of construction (MMC), reducing the carbon footprint of every property. The homes will be manufactured off site using open panel timber frames from the Vistry Works East Midlands factory in Leicestershire. Each home built using these panels emits 14,460kg CO2e less than a traditional brick-and-block house. Phil McHugh, Managing Director of Vistry North West Midlands, said: “We are thrilled to have acquired this site and to be working with Bromford on this exciting project that will contribute to Birmingham’s economic growth by providing new jobs and high-quality places to live. “Like many major cities, Birmingham has a severe shortage of affordable homes; that’s something we’re aiming to address by going the extra mile to deliver affordable and social rent homes over and above what is required of us, and delivering them at pace. We’re also hugely proud of the sustainability of the homes we’ll be providing, with features and construction methods that reduce their impact on the environment and will lower energy bills for future residents. “We’re excited to be a part of Birmingham’s growth and to be entrusted with the build of these much-needed new homes which will contribute to the character of the area and create a thriving and sustainable community.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
HS2’s engineers have celebrated a double milestone in the construction of two huge viaducts that will eventually carry the high-speed railway across a floodplain. The work, near Brackley, saw the successful completion of a 2,695 tonnes deck slide for the Westbury viaduct as well as construction of the abutments at either end of the nearby Turweston viaduct. Set low in the landscape to the east of the town, the twin viaducts cross the floodplain of the River Great Ouse which passes under the new high-speed railway twice as it meanders through Buckinghamshire and West Northants. Three miles apart and built using similar designs, the two structures use an unusual ‘double composite’ approach, with layers of reinforced concrete above and below the steel beams, creating a super-efficient box-beam. This approach uses less carbon-intensive concrete and steel than a more traditional design. The deck of the Westbury viaduct – which stretches for 320m – was assembled in three stages, ranging from 84m to 135m with each one pushed out from the north abutment before the next section was attached behind it. This painstaking, six-month long process meant that the weight of the deck increased with each push, up from an initial 1,145 tonnes at the start of work in March – to 2,695 tonnes by the time it reached the south abutment last week. During the slide, special pads covered in Teflon – a material usually found on the surface of a non-stick frying pan – were used to cut friction between the deck and the temporary steel bearings on top of each of the concrete piers. Engineers were also celebrating at the nearby Turweston viaduct this week with the completion of the two abutments, which will support either end of the 80m long structure. Focus will now turn to assembling the deck girders ready for launch of the 591-tonne structure early next year. HS2 Ltd’s Senior Project Manager, Elizabeth Longinotti said: “It’s been incredible to watch the enormous deck at Westbury come together over the last year and see it so carefully slid into position. I’d like to thank everyone who helped make it happen – and I look forward to seeing similar progress at Turweston in the coming months. “The innovative double composite structure they share has huge potential to cut carbon in construction by enabling more efficient bridges and I hope that the lessons we have learnt can be successfully applied to other projects across the UK in the future.” Both viaducts are being built by HS2 Ltd’s main works contractor, EKFB – a team made up of Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall – with the manufacture and installation of the beams being led by specialists at Eiffage Metal. With the steelwork now in position at Westbury, engineers can begin the challenging job of lowering the deck 60cm onto the permanent bearings which will support the full weight of the structure. The two-month long operation will see the steelwork above each pier carefully lowered by 20cm at a time, pier-by pier, until the whole 320m long deck settles into its final position. EKFB’s Project Director, Tony Wehby said: “As the Project Director for the Twyford to Greatworth area, I am immensely proud of our team’s dedication and hard work in achieving this double milestone. The innovative ‘double composite’ design not only showcases our commitment to engineering excellence but also highlights our efforts to reduce carbon emissions in construction. “This achievement is a testament to the skill and perseverance of everyone involved, and I look forward to seeing continued progress on the Turweston viaduct.” The last few months has also seen significant progress at HS2’s other major viaducts, including the key structures that will form the Delta Junction in North Warwickshire and the viaducts taking the railway into Birmingham Curzon Street. In total, HS2 is building more than 500 bridging structures – ranging from small road bridges to the record-breaking Colne Valley Viaduct which became the longest railway bridge in the UK when the deck was finished earlier this year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Five-acre elevated walkway to act as a green gateway between the University of Salford’s campus and Crescent innovation zone Construction of Salford Rise – a transformative element of the wider £2.5bn, 252-acre Crescent Salford masterplan – has begun. Delivered by ECF – a joint partnership between Legal & General, Homes England and Muse on behalf of Salford City Council – the infrastructure and public realm project will remove physical barriers between the communities to the north of the Crescent area, replacing them with walking and cycling routes focused on accessibility and active travel, significantly improving connectivity between these communities and Crescent Salford. In addition, there will be large areas of new, high-quality green spaces, trees, planting and public squares for pop-up events and festivals. At the heart of the ambitious regeneration of Salford Crescent, is a near five-acre elevated walkway spanning Frederick Road which will enhance connectivity and act as a key gateway between the University of Salford’s campus and the Crescent innovation zone. Eric Wright Civil Engineering has been appointed as the main contractor to deliver the walkway designed by MAKE, Planit and Cundall. It stands at 11 metres wide and 220 metres long and will be a green and safe haven for pedestrians and cyclists, encouraging active travel and facilitating improved collaboration across the development. The project is partially funded by £13.17m from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund. Preparatory and ground works will be carried out for the remainder of 2024, while work on the bridge structure is expected to begin in early 2025 and complete in summer 2026. Salford Rise forms a key part of the Crescent masterplan which will deliver more than 3,000 homes, 1m sq ft of offices, retail and leisure, a multi-model transport hub and vast areas of green space. Commencement of work on the project follows the approval of plans by Salford City Council to bring forward Crescent Innovation, another pivotal element of the Crescent Salford masterplan. Creating a high-quality innovation ecosystem around the University of Salford, Crescent Innovation will build on existing world-class research and development capabilities; help drive further economic growth in the city and wider region; and facilitate enhanced links between academia, research, and business. Salford Rise will physically connect economic assets across the innovation zone to unlock significant development opportunities and enable collaboration between academia and industry. Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, said: “I am delighted that this important project is now moving into the delivery phase. Salford Rise will better connect our communities to the Crescent and University campus and provide transformational change across Crescent Innovation, helping to unlock world-class innovation-led research and development opportunities that Salford residents and businesses can benefit from.” Vice-Chancellor at the University of Salford, Professor Nic Beech, commented: “Salford Rise is a great example of innovative regeneration work as part of the wider Crescent masterplan to benefit our Salford community, connecting people and fostering collaboration between businesses. This work will develop and enhance our local environment and provide vital sustainable travel options for students, colleagues, and visitors accessing our University campus and the surrounding areas.” Max King, Project Director (North West) at ECF, said: “Starting on site at Salford Rise and seeing the first spade in the ground marks a landmark staging post as we begin to bring the vision for Crescent Salford to life. This project is a pivotal part of the wider masterplan, and particularly the innovation zone, unlocking opportunities and fostering collaboration to enable the people that live, work and study in Salford to thrive.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A national construction charity is marking this year’s World Mental Health Day by renewing its efforts to signpost tradespeople and construction workers to places where they can get support for their mental health. This is made all the more important in the wake of the devastating collapse of major construction company. The call by the organisers of the Big Brew comes as shockwaves continue to affect the construction industry. Not only has the 2,200-strong workforce made redundant but there has also been a huge knock-on effect throughout the supply chain – with material suppliers and subcontractors being left high and dry. Speaking ahead of the start of the fourth annual Big Brew – a campaign organised by Band of Builders (BoB) – CEO Gavin Crane believes there needs to be greater visibility and accessibility of mental health services and support “now more than ever before” for construction workers and tradespeople. “The Big Brew campaign was conceived to shine a light on the mental health crisis in the construction industry, and to do this it’s timed to coincide with World Mental Health Day each year,” said Gavin. “Construction is a challenging industry at the best of times, but recent events have escalated the mental health crisis to unprecedented levels and providing mental health and support scaffolding for everyone who works in it is needed now more than ever before – as the suicide rate in our industry is estimated to be as high as two people every day. “Research from our Media partner On the Tools has found that 93% of UK tradespeople have experienced mental ill health in some way. The findings also showed that tradespeople are 26% more likely than workers in other industries to experience these challenges and that less than a third (32%) of employed UK tradespeople who have struggled with mental health problems have access to free counselling or helplines from their employers.” Gavin added: “We feel that one way that we can make a positive difference is through the Big Brew – which encourages construction industry workers and tradespeople to come together over a cuppa to support one another and remove the taboo around mental health in the sector. “Inspired by the Macmillan Coffee Morning, the Big Brew offers a simple, familiar way for workers to come together, support each other, and break down the stigma surrounding mental health in the construction industry.” This year’s campaign is shaping up to be the best yet – especially in the builders’ merchant sector, where SIG Roofing and Jewson between them will be hosting Big Brews at more than 170 of their branches right across the UK. And for the second year, a Big Brew will be held by Jewson in conjunction with On the Tools, who will livestream a panel discussion from Jewson Castleford about how to break down the stigma surrounding mental health, with representatives from Jewson, JPS and BoB. The stream will be available on the Jewson Facebook page. The Big Brew campaign has been able to fund a wellbeing service, which supports members of the UK construction sector by providing a free 24-hour counselling service offering support and guidance from a trained counsellor. This can be accessed from https://bandofbuilders.org/pages/wellbeing-support. It’s also funded a 24 hours a day text service (text BOB to 85258) that can be accessed at any time to get help or support. And recently, NHS England teamed up with BoB to promote NHS Talking Therapies. Gavin summed up this year’s Big Brew by praising the commitment of all those who will be hosting events throughout the month. “It’s amazing to see the Big Brew go from strength to strength, with more events being hosted each year,” he said. “And given all that’s gone on recently, the Big Brew is well timed. But it’s important to note that Big Brews can be held at any time of year. For example, our Landscaping Partner Talasey always hosts an event around Blue Monday in January, as it’s supposedly the most depressing day of the year. “As the mental health crisis in construction continues to deepen, now is the time for everyone in the industry—whether you’re a worker, employer, or supporter—to take action. Hosting or attending a Big Brew is a simple but powerful way to make a difference. By coming together over a cuppa, we can break the silence around mental health and offer vital support to those who need it. Get involved today, and let’s work together to ensure that no one in our industry faces these challenges alone.” To get hold of a Big Brew kit, go to https://bandofbuilders.org/pages/the-big-brew Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
