A new 5,355 square metre tourism hostel has opened its doors in the heart of Dublin, which An Bord Pleanála described will ‘contribute positively to the animation of the area and provide an active use in itself.” The 634-bed hostel spreads over eleven floors and has been designed and delivered
In a significant acknowledgement of the sustainable construction practices undertaken on the construction of a 56,000 sq ft warehouse development Glencar was honoured with the award of the highly prestigious international ‘Helping the Environment Green Apple Award’ at the International Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice. The completed warehouse,
Research by Yopa, the award-winning national estate agency, has revealed that the total value of the property market across England is estimated to have climbed by £1.6tn as a result of the pandemic property market boom, driven by a 25% increase in the average value of a home. Yopa analysed
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has responded to HM Treasury’s Autumn Statement, yesterday, Wednesday 22 November 2023. RIBA President Muyiwa Oki said: “Today’s Autumn Statement shows that the Government is gearing up for an election, focusing on much-needed financial help for small businesses and the self-employed. In terms of addressing the housing and climate crises, our expectations
Uppsala-based Radonova has been commissioned to manufacture a new highly sensitive radon instrument. The instrument, ARMON, was developed by the Technical University of Barcelona (UPC) and will be manufactured under license. With the new instrument, it is possible to measure radon levels in outdoor air with great precision, even when
Ideal Heating has received the green light to establish a new £12.5m research and development facility to support low carbon technologies including heat pumps. The company has been granted full planning permission for the UK Technology Centre its headquarters site in Hull. The R&D facility will create a testbed for
Construction site wages increased by an average of 2% in 3Q 2023 compared to 3Q 2022, the latest data from the Hays/BCIS Site Wage Cost Indices, published by the Building Cost Information Service shows. This represents the lowest annual growth since 2Q 2021. Against the second quarter of 2023, average
A new road designed to improve the flow of traffic in and around Aylesford has been officially opened. The £8m road linking Station Road and Bellingham Way, has been delivered by Panattoni as part of its £180m redevelopment of the former Aylesford Newsprint site. Creating more than 1 million sq
Torsion Group forms a Joint Venture to deliver one of Yorkshire’s largest Build-to-Rent Residential Developments with Khalbros Group and Oliver Cookson’s Family Office. Leeds-based Real Estate company Torsion Group is celebrating the successful sale of 50% of the freehold and shares in The Phoenix residential scheme. The Phoenix consists of
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of private and public sector construction and civil engineering projects has given 16 Design, Surveying and Planning T-Level students from Walsall College hands on experience at three sites as part of the Winvic Enrichment Programme. Over
A new 5,355 square metre tourism hostel has opened its doors in the heart of Dublin, which An Bord Pleanála described will ‘contribute positively to the animation of the area and provide an active use in itself.” The 634-bed hostel spreads over eleven floors and has been designed and delivered by HKR Architects for Abbey Cottages Limited and Clink Hostels. It features dining facilities, café, in-house bar, travel shop, luggage lockers and guest kitchen and a range of accommodation to suit travellers needs with private ensuite rooms, non-ensuite rooms, female only and mixed dorms with private or shared bathrooms and all air conditioned. Designed to contribute positively to the character and appearance of the area, the façade composition and mix of materials creates an interesting and playful frontage in keeping with the street conditions on Abbey Street Upper. Kola Ojeyomi, Director of HKR Architects comments, “Tourism is important to Ireland and Dublin and across the globe the growth for hostels is growing, primarily driven by the rising millennial population. It is vital that cities, including Dublin, have a wide range of differing accommodation types to align with this demand. “At Abbey Street Upper we have replaced existing commercial buildings on site to create a scheme with a plot area ratio of nine. This level of density has allowed us to achieve the optimum site value, something we take pride in delivering on all our sites.” The design has included setting back the upper two floors and roof of the development and has ensured that it reinforces and strengthens the civic character and dignity of its central location. Ivan Dolan from Clink Hostels comments, “Our new hostel, which is in the heart of one of the most up and coming areas of the city, is creating a new standard for the Irish market. We are delighted to have worked with HKR Architects to deliver the biggest hostel in the city, which forms part of our ambitious growth plans. “This high specification, modern and centrally located property also has sustainability at the forefront, making it the highest energy-environmentally rated hostel in Ireland.” The use of glazing in the design for the first two floors, who houses the communal amenities allows light to flood into the space, while other windows are finished with obscure glazing to allow for privacy to the nearby residential apartments. For details on HKR Architects please visit www.hkrarchitects.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, HKR Architects, Instagram hkr_architects and Twitter @HKR_architects Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In a significant acknowledgement of the sustainable construction practices undertaken on the construction of a 56,000 sq ft warehouse development Glencar was honoured with the award of the highly prestigious international ‘Helping the Environment Green Apple Award’ at the International Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice. The completed warehouse, delivered for customer JP Morgan prioritised sustainability at all levels, from energy consumption through to recycled material options. Glencar, a leading UK construction company that was recently ranked amongst Europe’s fastest growing businesses, yesterday announced that it is been awarded the prestigious international ‘Helping the Environment Green Apple’ Award on its Bardon Hill project in Leicestershire. The project saw the construction of a new 56,000 sq ft warehouse for JP Morgan with sustainability prioritised throughout the build process from energy consumption through to recycled material options. The International Green Apple Awards, presided over by The Green Organization honour achievements for International Environmental Best Practice and are much coveted. The ceremony on the 20th November was held at the iconic Palace of Westminster and served as a momentous occasion both for the industry together with Glencar and its project delivery partners. The project brought together a paragon of highly sustainable, leading edge construction practices, integrating innovative and environmentally friendly techniques, alongside extensive waste management, recycling, resource efficiency and carbon reduction initiatives. It involved building a 56,000 sq ft warehouse with office space, parking, and landscaping. Lime stabilisation and prefabricated steel frame construction were used to reduce energy consumption and promote recyclability. Other sustainability initiatives included waste management, biodiversity promotion, mental health campaigns, and supporting local communities. The award directly recognises the project team’s achievements with the scheme achieving a BREEAM Outstanding score for the build of 87.2% and 100% for waste category performance. It exceeds industry standards, and implemented innovative solutions like rainwater harvesting and solar panels, Attending the event to collect the award was Glencar Operations Director; Kevin O’Connor, Commercial Manager; Adam Scott and Project Manager; Mat Stowe who oversaw construction and the processes involved from start to finish. Speaking about the award Kevin, Adam and Mat said: “The International Green Apple Awards serve as a highly prestigious international level recognition, celebrating and honouring those companies and organisations in the built environment that demonstrate environmental best practices. Winning this award therefore places Glencar Construction within a select group of companies at the forefront of the sustainable construction movement within the industrial and logistics sector, confirming its position as a pioneer in the field. This project exemplifies our commitment to creating a sustainable future and dedication to excellence, integrity, customer satisfaction and innovation. We are honoured to receive this recognition and will continue to innovate in our projects, ensuring environmental considerations are at the forefront of everything we do. On behalf of the full Bardon project team I would like to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication towards creating a more sustainable future. For further information about the award and Bardon Hill project please visit: https://glencar.com/case-study/bardon-2-unit-3-coalville/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Research by Yopa, the award-winning national estate agency, has revealed that the total value of the property market across England is estimated to have climbed by £1.6tn as a result of the pandemic property market boom, driven by a 25% increase in the average value of a home. Yopa analysed the total value of the bricks and mortar market based on the total number of dwellings and the average value of a home, looking at how both have changed since the market went into overdrive during the pandemic. National look The research shows that in December 2019, prior to the pandemic, the average home across England was worth £248,097. With some 24.4m dwellings found across England in 2019, this put the total estimated value of the property market just shy of £6.1tn. Fast forward to today, and the average house price has climbed by 25%, now sitting at £309,602. There has also been an increase in the number of homes, albeit more marginal at 1.9%, although this still equates to an increase of 459,191. As a result, Yopa estimates that the total value of the property market currently stands at £7.7tn, an increase of £1.6tn (27%) since the start of the pandemic. National look The research shows that in December 2019, prior to the pandemic, the average home across England was worth £248,097. With some 24.4m dwellings found across England in 2019, this put the total estimated value of the property market just shy of £6.1tn. Fast forward to today, and the average house price has climbed by 25%, now sitting at £309,602. There has also been an increase in the number of homes, albeit more marginal at 1.9%, although this still equates to an increase of 459,191. As a result, Yopa estimates that the total value of the property market currently stands at £7.7tn, an increase of £1.6tn (27%) since the start of the pandemic. Regional increases The South East has seen the largest jump in the total value of the region’s property market, increasing by £311bn as a result of the pandemic property market boom. Despite the capital underperforming compared to the rest when it comes to pandemic house price growth, the London market is worth some £251.3bn more today versus the pre-pandemic market in 2019. While the North East has seen the smallest increase in total market value, the region’s bricks and mortar market is still worth £45bn more today versus the 2019. Local authority look Cornwall ranks top at local authority level, with £24.3bn added to the value of the Cornish property market as a result of the pandemic, no doubt driven by those looking to escape city life during lockdown restrictions. Buckinghamshire (+£23.4bn), Birmingham (+£22.2bn), Leeds (+£21.4bn) and North Yorkshire (+£20.1bn) have also seen some of the largest monetary increases in the value of their respective property markets since the start of the pandemic. CEO of Yopa, Verona Frankish, commented: “With all the current doom and gloom surrounding the property market it’s quite easy to forget that we’ve just witnessed one of the most sustained periods of house price growth in living memory. “So while higher mortgage rates and buyer uncertainty may have dampened the current rate of house price growth, this reduction is just a drop in the ocean compared to the meteoric increases seen since the start of the pandemic property market boom. “To think that the bricks and mortar market across England is estimated to be worth £1.6tn more compared to just a few years ago is quite incredible and it really does demonstrate the strength of the property market when viewed on a long-term basis.” Sources Average house price data sourced from the Gov – UK House Price Index – December 2019 vs September 2023 – latest available) Dwellings stock levels sourced from Gov – Subnational estimates of dwellings by tenure, England (2019 vs 2021 – latest available) Total market value based on dwellings stock multiplied by the average house price in each area Full breakdown of England by each local authority available via the link below. Data tables and sources can be viewed online, here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has responded to HM Treasury’s Autumn Statement, yesterday, Wednesday 22 November 2023. RIBA President Muyiwa Oki said: “Today’s Autumn Statement shows that the Government is gearing up for an election, focusing on much-needed financial help for small businesses and the self-employed. In terms of addressing the housing and climate crises, our expectations have not been met. While steps to deliver more local authority homes and speed up the planning system are welcome, funding levels for public sector housing continue to fall short. Fees for an improved planning service to businesses are welcome, but we also need systemic reform of our dysfunctional planning system. It’s also disappointing to see no long-term plan to retrofit our existing housing stock – a critical step to decarbonise our built environment, create jobs and level up the country. We will continue to work with the Government to ensure we build the high-quality, sustainable homes and places we desperately need.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Uppsala-based Radonova has been commissioned to manufacture a new highly sensitive radon instrument. The instrument, ARMON, was developed by the Technical University of Barcelona (UPC) and will be manufactured under license. With the new instrument, it is possible to measure radon levels in outdoor air with great precision, even when the levels are very low. Several different techniques helping researchers understand how the climate is changing are based on the use of “tracers”. Radon is an inert gas (does not chemically react with other substances), which makes it an excellent tracer for measuring other pollutants in the atmosphere like carbon dioxide (CO2). Radon is most known for causing lung cancer when at elevated levels in our indoor environments. Radon also exists in our outdoor environments but in very low concentrations. The ARMON is capable of measuring very low radon levels in the atmosphere.Radonova’s expertise is being used in a new context Radonova has a long tradition of working with radon measurement and is currently a global leader in the field. The company offers various detectors, instruments, applications, and services that can be used to measure radon in different contexts and environments. “In most cases, we work with indoor radon measurement where harmful high radon levels can occur through various types of leakage. That we now have the trust to manufacture a precision instrument like ARMON for outdoor measurement makes us very proud. It feels very valuable to contribute our expertise in radon measurement even in this context. Issues related to sustainability and climate change are also high on our agenda,” comments Karl Nilsson, CEO of Radonova Laboratories. How ARMON will be used “There are different types of networks for measuring radioactive emissions from nuclear power plants and from nuclear weapons testing. Measurement of the radioactive radon levels in the atmosphere provides an understanding of how greenhouse gases spread. With this, ARMON becomes a new tool in today’s global warming issues,” says Radonova’s Dag Sedin, senior advisor and product manager at Radonova. ARMON will be used in the ICOS network of measurement stations. ICOS stands for “Integrated Carbon Observation System” which is a European research infrastructure aimed at measuring, monitoring, and understanding the carbon cycle in the Earth’s atmosphere, land, and sea. Its focus is on investigating and quantifying the exchange of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases between different parts of the environment, as well as assessing the role of carbon dioxide in climate change. ICOS requires extremely high quality for an instrument to be used at the stations. ARMON meets these requirements and is approved by ICOS. Read more about ICOS Sweden at https://www.icos-cp.eu/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ideal Heating has received the green light to establish a new £12.5m research and development facility to support low carbon technologies including heat pumps. The company has been granted full planning permission for the UK Technology Centre its headquarters site in Hull. The R&D facility will create a testbed for product development and advancements in the heating solutions to help decarbonise UK homes and business premises. The state-of-the-art facility will also see the UK market leader expand its R&D team. The facility represents a significant investment from Ideal Heating and will play key role in the company’s transition to low carbon heating solutions, including heat pumps. Pre-construction work on the site of the UK Technology Centre is expected to begin by the end of this year, with the main part of the facility due to be completed by the end of 2024. The R&D centre is set to be operational in 2025. Ideal Heating Engineering Director Helen Villamuera said: “Our UK Technology Centre is part of a major £60m investment we’re making in our Hull site, to support heat pump manufacturing, distribution and innovation in heating technologies. “From the outset, Hull City Council has been fully supportive of our plans, which will create highly skilled jobs and expand our existing R&D capabilities at our site in Hull. “We’re delighted to have secured full planning permission for the UK Technology Centre. We will now begin a competitive tender process to appoint a contractor to deliver this project.” The two-storey building, with an additional partial storey to accommodate plant rooms for the centre, will help to develop and refine the low carbon heating technologies, including heat pumps, needed to decarbonise UK’s 25 million homes. The Government has set ambitious targets for head pump deployment, including for 600,000 heat pumps to be installed in domestic properties annually by 2028. The UK Technology Centre will provide a purpose-designed new home for Ideal Heating’s expert R&D team, which has an increasing range of engineering roles related to design, development, electronics, simulation and product testing disciplines. Laboratory facilities within the 38,000 sq ft (3,500 sq m) building will enable Ideal Heating’s R&D team to simulate a range of scenarios and conditions to test new innovations and advancements. The centre will also house environmental chambers, a heat pump testing area, workshop spaces and a training room. In designing the building, Ideal Heating has practiced what it preaches. The R&D facility features roof-mounted solar panels to generate renewable electricity for the building, with air source heat pumps serving the mechanical heating system. LED lighting and controls will help reduce energy consumption within the building and high-performance building fabrics will reduce heat loss. The R&D facility is one of a series of major investments at Ideal Heating’s Hull site. Construction work has been completed on a heat pump production facility and expanded distribution centre, totalling £20m of investment. Ideal Heating also announced recently it had started producing its new monobloc heat pump, Logic Air, in Hull as the company supports the rollout of renewable heating products. Ideal Heating has also opened a £2.2m National Training and Technology Centre in Hessle, on the outskirts of Hull, with capacity for up to 5,000 installers every year to learn the skills needed to supply and maintain heat pumps. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction site wages increased by an average of 2% in 3Q 2023 compared to 3Q 2022, the latest data from the Hays/BCIS Site Wage Cost Indices, published by the Building Cost Information Service shows. This represents the lowest annual growth since 2Q 2021. Against the second quarter of 2023, average site wages were up by 1.2%. Source: BCIS, Hays While the greatest annual growth was seen among unskilled and semi-skilled workers, whose pay was on average 7.2% higher than in 3Q 2022, there were significant differences between skill categories, perhaps reflective of movement in national wage awards agreed among trades over the summer. Building trades skilled workers’ pay was up by 4.8% on 3Q 2022 while, on a quarterly basis, Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Trades Skilled workers saw the biggest rise on 2Q 2023, with a 5.2% increase. BCIS solutions architect, Paul Burrows, who compiles the indices for BCIS and Hays, said: “BATJIC and the CIJC respectively agreed 8.0% and 7.6% increases for builders in the summer, while a 7% rise is due in January 2024 for the electrical contracting industry under the JIB collective agreement. After a 3% increase for plumbers under JIB-PMES in England in January 2023, a 7% rise is planned for January 2024. “As salaried workers have sought inflation-matching pay, so too do other workers on site look for better rates, particularly when there have been uplifts in wage awards. “The underlying data also suggests lower demand for groundworkers is reflected in site wages, which, given the delayed starts to projects and seasonal conditions, is not surprising.” Source: BCIS, Hays Hays also reported fewer construction job placements in 3Q 2023, continuing a decrease which has been seen since 2Q 2021. Burrows said: “At the moment we have these opposing factors of both declining construction volume in new work, which we are no doubt seeing in the frequency of placements in the industry, and a skills shortage. “In some cases, I’m sure there’s an element of contractors retaining some of the agency workers they have on site on PAYE, so that they have the skilled labour available when they need it. At the same time, with the cost of living that all workers face, everyone on site is determined to see wage rises.” Latest figures from ONS show that while overall construction output in 3Q2023 was slightly up, by 0.1%, it was driven by repair and maintenance work, with new work down 0.3% on 2Q 2023. While new orders, based on submitted planning applications in 3Q 2023, were up by 3.9% on 2Q2023, on the year they were down 20%, and by 38.5% specifically in infrastructure. The Hays/BCIS Site Wage Cost Indices are produced using market data from Hays Recruitment, generally representing short-term labour requirements for immediate fulfilment. Because of this, the indexes tend to be more volatile and faster to react to changes in market conditions than other labour indices. The BCIS Labour Cost Index, for example, incorporates the movement in nationally agreed wage awards, which are generally updated annually, across the industry. Source: BCIS, Hays, ONS For more information about BCIS, visit the website at www.bcis.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new road designed to improve the flow of traffic in and around Aylesford has been officially opened. The £8m road linking Station Road and Bellingham Way, has been delivered by Panattoni as part of its £180m redevelopment of the former Aylesford Newsprint site. Creating more than 1 million sq ft of high quality logistics and distribution space, the site near Junction 4 of the M20 in Kent is the South East flagship development of Panattoni, the largest logistics real estate company in the UK and Europe. The road was jointly opened with a cutting of a ribbon by Cllr Roger Gough, Leader of Kent County Council; Cllr Matt Boughton, Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, and Tony Watkins, Panattoni’s Head of Development for South East and London. Tony Watkins said: “It’s great to be able to deliver on a key part of our promise to the local community. This new road has been designed to relieve congestion on the local road network and enable the site to support high quality businesses and the people they will employ.” As a result of the new road, all non-HGV traffic destined for Panattoni Park Aylesford or New Hythe Business Park can now access them via junctions 4, 5 and 6 on the M20, via Bellingham Way and Station Road. KCC Leader Roger Gough, added: “This investment in new infrastructure shows why it is so important to attract positive investment from market leaders such as Panattoni. “The timely provision of the new link assists with local connectivity, complementing the area’s highway network, and has enabled the redevelopment of the vacant Aylesford Newsprint site, creating thousands of new jobs. We look forward to supporting Panattoni’s continued investment in Kent and see this as a great vote of confidence in the importance of the county’s economy.” Thanks to its location, the site called Panattoni Park Aylesford, is now home to Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer; DHL, the global logistics company; Evri, the UK’s biggest dedicated parcel delivery company; Fowler Welch, the temperature-controlled logistics company, and Marley, a UK leader in the manufacture and supply of pitched roof systems to the construction market. Planning permission has also recently been granted for the development of 630,000 sq ft to be constructed on the site. The only remaining space is Plot 6A which offers the design and build of a further 16,500 sq ft of space for another logistics industry business. Cllr Matt Boughton, said: “Since first unveiling its plans in 2020, the team at Panattoni have been true to their word and transformed this derelict 90-acre site. They must be congratulated for delivering a really high quality home for world-class businesses offering a wide range of modern jobs here in Tonbridge and Malling.” As part of an agreement with Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council during the planning process, Panattoni will support the refurbishment of the Aylesford and New Hythe railway stations. It will also extend the provision of local bus services in the area, and put new cycle paths and footpaths in place. The existing buildings on the site have been built to achieve high environmental performance. DHL’s building is a net zero carbon facility with a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and an EPC rating of ‘A+’ to support its last-mile facility serving the South East. The 97,891 sq ft building taken by Fowler Welch incorporates a 1.5MVA photovoltaic array covering the roof; a bespoke car park canopy; and cycle shelter. The peak electrical output from the solar panels is equal to the incoming supply, which means the Fowler Welch facility will be able to operate fully from the power generated onsite. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Torsion Group forms a Joint Venture to deliver one of Yorkshire’s largest Build-to-Rent Residential Developments with Khalbros Group and Oliver Cookson’s Family Office. Leeds-based Real Estate company Torsion Group is celebrating the successful sale of 50% of the freehold and shares in The Phoenix residential scheme. The Phoenix consists of two tower blocks in the centre of Leeds. Tower Block A is a 156 Build-to-Rent apartment development. Tower Block B is a private build-to-sell residential development. The combined GDV of the development is in excess of £90m, making this one of Yorkshire’s biggest residential developments, and it expects to bring high-end, affordable living into a prominent Leeds market. The Joint Venture structure consists of 50% of the freehold being sold to Oliver Cookson’s Family Office, with the remaining 50% being retained by Torsion Group and Joint Venture partner Khalbros Group. Tower Block B, which represents the Build-to-Sell element of the scheme, has been pre-sold to private owners, and it will be ready for occupation in the first quarter of 2024. Upon completion in 2024, The Phoenix will be the fourth tallest residential building on the Leeds city skyline. Block A reaches an impressive 21 storeys at 223ft high, and Block B stands at 180ft with 17 storeys. The transaction team consisted of Shakespeare Martineau, DWF, Shoosmiths, Addleshaw Goddard on Legals, Cowgils and Saffery on Tax, Maslow Capital on Debt Financing with additional professional services provided by Abacus Cost Management, Gardiner & Theobald and Dalbergia Group. Dan Spencer, Group CEO of Torsion Group Limited, said: “The Phoenix represents our continued growth in the Living sector and the Company’s first venture into the Build-to-Rent and Build-to-Sell market. This sale is a truly significant milestone in the evolution of Torsion Group.” “When set against the backdrop of a challenging economic, financial, and housing market, it is clear to see just what a remarkable achievement it is for everyone involved. This deal shows that prime assets in great locations like The Phoenix are proving to be resilient and remain attractive to investors. I am incredibly proud of the Torsion team and their determination to develop and construct this landmark Leeds development.” “The Build-to-Rent assets complement our delivery model and operational business and deliver excellent returns for ourselves and investor partners. Having a fully vertically integrated delivery model including developer, contractor, facilities management, and operator allows us to ensure we deliver best-in-class sustainable buildings.”. “We have a strong secured pipeline across all our living sectors, including Purpose Built Student Accommodation, Residential, Later Living and Care Homes. We will continue to grow in the Build-to-Rent sector and have recently secured planning on our subsequent three schemes in Leeds, Manchester, and Sheffield.” Oliver Cookson, said: “My roots are in the North – it’s where I’ve launched my latest nutrition venture, Verve, and it’s where I grew up and bought my first house. So I feel passionate about this investment as it allows me to drive local economic growth even more, while providing high quality new housing for the area’s growing population of professionals. Leeds is a great place to invest for the long term. It’s a leading business hub with key growth industries bringing new opportunities, and a huge student population with the talent to make it even better.” To find out more about The Phoenix, visit https://www.torsiongroup.co.uk/the-phoenix-leeds/ For more information on Torsion Group Ltd, go to https://www.torsiongroup.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of private and public sector construction and civil engineering projects has given 16 Design, Surveying and Planning T-Level students from Walsall College hands on experience at three sites as part of the Winvic Enrichment Programme. Over a three-week period, the students spent a total of six days across three projects. Kent St Baths is a 406 apartment build-to-rent scheme in the centre of Birmingham being delivered for Edmond De Rothchild and Stoford’s Redditch Gateway is an industrial project where two facilities are being constructed. West Midlands Interchange is a 734-acre site where civils and infrastructure works have recently commenced for Oxford Properties Group and Logistics Capital Partners. The six days of on-site education not only upskilled and improved the confidence of students in further education, but it also contributes to the three projects’ social value commitments and Walsall College’s 35-hour enrichment activity aims. In total the sessions have provided 465 enrichment activity hours. Sessions in the Winvic Enrichment Programme have been designed to showcase several elements of a construction project, but they can also be tailored to meet the needs of each cohort and their course subject. Sessions enjoyed by Walsall College students included digital engineering, earthworks, planning, quantity surveying, CV writing, mental health and fairness, inclusion and respect (FIR); they were given activities to complete, site tours, got hands on and up close with various construction processes and were encouraged to ask questions at any time. The feedback received from the students and tutors was outstanding and a number of students contacted Winvic after the programme to express their thanks. One said: “I enjoyed meeting the QS and doing the task he provided us. I also enjoyed seeing how tasks are done and how knowledgeable the site team are and how they treat the site with respect and care.” Another student emailed: “I feel like I have learnt a lot in the past 6 days we’ve had on the different sites. I liked being able to meet new people and get their advice and opinions on the different sectors of the industry. I’ve definitely taken in a lot of information from everyone there and I think the thing that will stick the most is how you can always work your way up in the industry as long as you’re willing to put in the time and effort in.” “These 6 days gave me real experience and understanding of different processes in construction,” said another T-Level student. “Thank you to all the professionals who allocated time for us during their working day and showed us and told us about their tasks at construction sites, the work process, what difficulties they encountered, and what experience they had. It was very informative to listen to and ask each of the professionals questions.” The Programme has led to more engagement in the coming weeks including the provision of on-site block placements for four students; the new HTQ Level 4 in Construction Management for England students will also be visiting Crown Place Birmingham – Crown Student Living’s Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) project comprising 814 beds – for a bespoke one day site visit. Furthermore, Winvic collaborated with Walsall College over the summer to provide Continued Professional Development (CPD) training to two tutors, on site at IM Properties’ Peddimore industrial project, supporting them to gain knowledge about the very latest construction technologies, materials and methods of construction. Kayleigh Merritt, Winvic’s Talent Development Manager, commented: “This is the fourth time we have delivered an Enrichment Programme to students, and it has been wonderful to hear how much the students enjoyed each session and how the experience opened their eyes to different roles. Because we have a large number of projects in and around Birmingham, the students were able to visit projects in our three key sectors – multi-room, industrial and civils and infrastructure – and that was an added bonus to be able to show them even more than one site could offer. It’s no small task to organise a six-day programme so I’d like to thank our site teams and the numerous subcontract partners who contributed to providing this engaging learning experience.” Martin Lake, Lecturer in Advanced Construction at Walsall College, said: “We would like to thank Winvic’s talent and site teams for providing an excellent experience for our students and ourselves. A number of students have expressed that the induction placements provided an excellent insight into different sectors within the industry and have helped shape their future career choices.” For more details on the Winvic Enrichment Programme, please contact traning@winvic.co.uk. For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit X (formerly Twitter) @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals