March 14, 2025
Local dignitaries join Vistry to celebrate the start of work on Walton Bridge

Local dignitaries join Vistry to celebrate the start of work on Walton Bridge

Vistry Group, the UK’s leading provider of mixed-tenure homes, was joined by stakeholders from South Derbyshire District Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council and Staffordshire County Council to celebrate the start of work on the new bypass and road bridge in Walton-on-Trent. Phil McHugh Divisional Director of Vistry

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Construction milestone on mammoth Teesworks watercourse

Construction milestone on mammoth Teesworks watercourse

CONSTRUCTION of a crucial £18m surface water drainage system at the giant Teesworks site has reached a vital milestone. Water has now broken through from the River Tees into the South Bank Watercourse, which is designed to handle and manage the extensive quantities of surface water run-off from the Teesworks

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Why Silver Is Integral to Sustainable Building

Why Silver Is Integral to Sustainable Building

Green buildings are among the pillars of modern environmental initiatives, and architects and contractors are looking for efficient and long-lasting materials. Silver, in most individuals’ thoughts, is normally associated with trinkets and money, yet it is unexpectedly critical in green building applications. Its properties range from energy-saving to natural antimicrobial,

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Latest Issue
Issue 327 : Apr 2025

March 14, 2025

Local dignitaries join Vistry to celebrate the start of work on Walton Bridge

Local dignitaries join Vistry to celebrate the start of work on Walton Bridge

Vistry Group, the UK’s leading provider of mixed-tenure homes, was joined by stakeholders from South Derbyshire District Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council and Staffordshire County Council to celebrate the start of work on the new bypass and road bridge in Walton-on-Trent. Phil McHugh Divisional Director of Vistry North West Midlands, said: “I want to extend a big thank you to the four local authorities, Environment Agency and numerous other stakeholders who have been instrumental in getting us to this important milestone. The new Walton bridge will provide much improved transport links across the River Trent for both current and future residents alike.” “The bridge and bypass scheme forms an important part of our Dracan Village Development and shows that Vistry is committed to doing more than regenerating the former Drakelow power station into 2,000 beautiful new homes. We are building a new community providing investment in education, healthcare, and highways as well as building new infrastructure including a local centre, a new school later this year and large areas of public open space with play areas along with the new bridge which will really drive employment and economic growth in the region.” The new bridge and bypass will provide vital two-way vehicular access over the River Trent, replacing the inadequate one-way bailey bridge which has acted as a bottle neck for traffic in the area for many years. The new bridge will provide better access for current inhabitants and for the 2,000 current and expected residents of the new development on the site of the former Drakelow power station. Justin Ives, CEO at South Derbyshire District Council said: “It’s fantastic to see the start of the new bridge at Walton, this vital piece of infrastructure will not only assist the residents of the new development at the former Drakelow power station but also relieve congestion for the entire area” Derbyshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Councillor Charlotte Cupit, said: “We are pleased work has started on this long-awaited new bridge and that it will be completed as soon as possible, as we know it will provide an important additional route over the Trent for local communities.” Cllr Michael Fitzpatrick, Leader of East Staffordshire Borough Council said: “I was delighted to be invited to this ‘commencing event’, a milestone reached at long last. Along with our local authority partners, stakeholders and engineering experts it was great to see that diggers have indeed broke the ground, and a spade of course. “An exciting village is starting to emerge and with much needed homes and the infrastructure and community facilities planned, I can only welcome and support the significant progress made. I would like to thank Vistry for their vision and commitment to delivery. I am very grateful for the work of our planning teams in East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire who working together have, in a relatively short time, turned proposals for this by-pass and bridge, into a deliverable scheme. It now seems highly likely that we will be invited to an opening ceremony in the very near future and this would be a momentous occasion. “The economic, social and environmental benefits for our area, together with the relief for the residents of Walton, Dracon Village and for Stapenhill will be most welcomed. This will be the time, working with our Highway Authority, to restrict HGV traffic using our Stapenhill Main Street and Rosliston Road and at the same time protect the Leicester Line Bridge from the weight it has carried for several years.” Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills Philip White added: “I am pleased that Vistry Group is committing to the start of work on this very important piece of infrastructure, and I welcome the start of works. However, we are clear that there is still a lot to do to get the detailed design and approvals in place before we know it is safe, and that it will be built in its entirety. “The county council will work tirelessly with partners to ensure the Vistry Group keeps its promises to the local community to build this bridge and that the cost and burden does not fall on local taxpayers.” Vistry is already working in earnest on the bridge and anticipates seeing the main structure of the bridge installed later this year with the commissioning and opening to follow shortly after. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Construction milestone on mammoth Teesworks watercourse

Construction milestone on mammoth Teesworks watercourse

CONSTRUCTION of a crucial £18m surface water drainage system at the giant Teesworks site has reached a vital milestone. Water has now broken through from the River Tees into the South Bank Watercourse, which is designed to handle and manage the extensive quantities of surface water run-off from the Teesworks development. The watercourse will initially manage the large volumes of water draining from the 90-acre SeAH Wind turbine monopile manufacturing facility which is nearing completion. The vast scale of this facility means that rainwater run-off from the development will be significant, particularly under heavy storm conditions. As a result, all developments on the South Bank and Dorman Point areas of Teesworks need to have a means of efficiently discharging surface water so as not to hamper their operations, a role which the South Bank Watercourse performs. Extending up to 8m in depth and 1.9km in length, the new watercourse has been constructed largely as an open channel, natural stream, which supports the mitigation of water pollution through its natural filtration. It incorporates a gravel bed and carefully landscaped banks, discharging to the River Tees. The system also incorporates over 350 linear metres of buried culvert – where the watercourse passes beneath development land. The project incorporates a very large intertidal section where the watercourse meets the river. This will see an ecologically valuable salt marsh habitat created, which will be a natural haven for wildlife. The watercourse features extensive gabion basket walls – cages filled with stones – providing structural support to the open channels in most areas. These have been created using recycled aggregates sourced from land remediation projects on Teesworks – a former steelworks site – in lieu of importing natural quarried stone, saving cost and significantly mitigating the environmental impact of the scheme. In total, over 100,000 cubic metres of recycled aggregates were used on the project. John McNicholas, engineering and programme director at Teesworks, said: “We’re delighted to see the South Bank Watercourse reaching this pivotal milestone. “The sheer scale of the works has been something to behold, but equally, the logistical challenges that have had to be overcome in delivering the scheme through live construction sites where multiple remediation, infrastructure and building projects have been progressing simultaneously. “We are particularly pleased to see the extent to which we have been able to make best use of the resources on our own doorstep, through the extensive recycling of earthworks materials for use in the project’s channel bed and banks.” This important civil engineering project has been carried out by a number of different companies. The main civils contractor for phase one of the project was Hall Construction Services; for the other phases, including the final phase, it has been Applebridge Construction. The overall scope includes the diversion and upgrade of two existing watercourses – Holme Beck and Knitting Wife Beck – traversing the 60ha Dorman Point development zone on Teesworks, which will discharge into the South Bank section. For the Dorman Point section, the main civils contractor for the Holmebeck diversion and upgrade was Seymour Civil Engineering Ltd and for the Knitting Wife Beck diversion and upgrade first phase, it was Hall Construction Services Limited. The primary subcontractors used on the project were Phi Group on phase one, providing gabion basket retaining wall construction, and Enviromesh on subsequent phases, also providing gabion basket retaining wall construction. Following the watercourse works completion, the next phase of similar works will see the construction of the £3m second and final phase of the Knitting Wife Beck diversion on Dorman Point , followed by the £10m reconstruction of an existing four-bay bridge underpass beneath the Saltburn to Darlington railway corridor, which will enable the Holmebeck and Knitting Wife Beck channels on Dorman Point to connect through to the South Bank Watercourse. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Why Silver Is Integral to Sustainable Building

Why Silver Is Integral to Sustainable Building

Green buildings are among the pillars of modern environmental initiatives, and architects and contractors are looking for efficient and long-lasting materials. Silver, in most individuals’ thoughts, is normally associated with trinkets and money, yet it is unexpectedly critical in green building applications. Its properties range from energy-saving to natural antimicrobial, and it is a vital component of buildings of the future. Here are the reasons why silver is part of green buildings. Sustainable Sourcing and Recycling Potential Silver is a fascinating industrial material because it is recyclable and, therefore, does not have a strong demand for mining and extraction. It is used and reused again and again. Sustainable construction requires using materials that can, in principle, be repurposed or recovered at the end of a building’s lifespan; again, silver fits into this idea. Many companies source recycled silver from electronic waste, old jewelry, and even silver coins, which holds the idea of a circular economy for building materials. By including responsibly sourced Silver Maple Leaf bullion coins, developers will have an opportunity to contribute to efforts directed toward environmental conservation through the utilization of a resource that long since presented their acceptable sustainability attributes. The concept of recommending the reuse of some proportion of silver coins and silver bullion within architectural elements also helps raise awareness for the value of the metal beyond traditional applications. Superior Reflective Properties for Climate Control Silver has another unique quality that would work wonders for climate control solutions: reflective properties. In architectural coatings, silver has superior qualities because of its very high reflectivity. Silver coatings are typically used on windows, roof surfaces, and insulation systems to reduce heat absorption and keep the indoor temperature stable, enhancing autonomy from artificial heating and cooling. This means savings in energy, which can be significant in commercial and residential structures. With the global push for energy-efficient construction, incorporating silver into building materials regulates indoor environments: a more comfortable place to be and reduced energy costs. This is even more important in urban areas, where heat retention in buildings contributes to the urban heat island effect, making silver an asset in alleviating urban climate challenges as it contributes in some way towards moderating the expansion of climatic aggravations in urban centers. Water Filtration and Purification Systems Realizing water sustainability is a necessary element of any green building initiative. Incandescent silver has long been hailed for its aqueous antimicrobial activities, making it relatively rare and valuable in disinfection systems for water. Much of the advanced filtration technology employs silver ions and their bactericidal principles, clearing the drinking water of mammal microorganisms. Incorporating silver-based purification systems in eco-friendly in-built plumbing for residential and commercial spaces could provide better alternatives to chemical disinfectants that bring about harmful environmental impacts. Water conservation and hygiene are guaranteed through the implementation of silver Semiconductor filtration for use in buildings while minimizing pollution from chlorine-based treatment. Antimicrobial Surfaces for Healthier Buildings With excellent water filtration properties, these antimicrobial characteristics render silver a fitting material to be applied in contact with a hand, such as in door handles, countertops, and ventilation systems. Silver-coated materials are gaining traction in hospitals and commercial buildings because they prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading further and promote healthier indoor conditions. The modern built environment in sustainable architecture advocates not only for the environment but also for human life, and the application of silver in antimicrobial coatings goes hand in hand with building designs that favor hygiene. Loosely associated with those lofty ambitions is the hope that, in the long term, one would rely less on chemical cleaners, less on maintenance of a given building, and achieve better indoor air quality: the essence of sustainability in modern construction. Durability and Corrosion Resistance Sustainable construction ensures that the materials help buildings last longer as repair and replacement become infrequent. Silver is a superlative material with properties that resist corrosion and, therefore, can be well considered for electrical, plumbing fixtures, and coatings functioning in very adverse environments. The high conductivity and resistance to oxidation of silver have made it a material of preference in electrical wiring for long-lasting electrical systems. The longer an infrastructure inside the building remains operational, the lesser the overall damage inflicted on the environment, thereby requiring fewer resources for maintenance and replacements. Integration in Smart Building Technologies The rise of smart buildings will depend on several things in technology, such as silver, which will afford further technological innovation. For example, it comes within the sensors, wiring, and conductive inks that used intelligent energy grids and won such automated lighting and temperature controls. All of those augment energy efficiency by optimizing power usage with downgraded waste. Considering that the hottest opportunity for intelligent integration is based upon an expanding Internet of Things, silver’s credentials in connectivity solutions are almost unassailable. Recognizing the tech that uses silver to teach smart buildings will take the lead in reducing the world’s energy consumption while at the same time raising occupant comfort. Endnote Silver’s flexibility in sustainable construction makes it a valuable resource for modern architectural projects. Silver, from making solar panels more energy-efficient to supporting durability and antimicrobial defense, is an integral component of green architectural technologies. Further, promoting recycled silver – i.e., recycled silver coins – promotes sustainable sourcing and green-mindedness in design. As the building industry increasingly turns toward sustainability, silver’s place in enabling more sustainable, smart buildings will expand.

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