The National Federation of Demolition Contractors [NFDC] has today announced a change in officers at its Annual General Meeting [AGM], having appointed a new CEO, President, and 2nd Vice President. Established in 1941, the NFDC is the driving force behind the evolution of the demolition sector, uniting over 130 contractors
The Chief Executive Officer of Ibstock plc has been recognised for championing sustainability at this year’s East Midlands Leaders Awards (EMLA). The EMLA category of Green Leader recognises regional business figures who are committed to being a ‘force for good’ and use their position to respond positively to climate change
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is calling on all construction workers to help improve fire safety across the industry. Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 and subsequent inquiry, the industry has worked hard to increase safety standards to prevent such an incident from happening again. One outcome has
The donations were made as part of Esh’s work with Sheffield Housing Company on the Lytton Road development Two new allotments have been created in Sheffield as part of the NHS ‘Green Social Prescribing Places’ initiative thanks to Esh Construction, Sheffield Housing Company and YORhub teaming up to provide funding.
Bellway South London has submitted plans to build 180 new homes in the West Sussex village of Ashington. The housebuilder hopes to deliver the new properties on a plot of land to the west of Ashington CE Primary School, accessed off Church Lane. The proposals include 117 new homes for
Work on a major retail development including new Tesco and Home Bargains stores set to open next year is now underway. The new £20m development at Houghton Colliery is set to bring around 100 new jobs to the area. A 45,000sq ft Tesco supermarket and 20,000sq ft Home Bargains store
A Topping Out ceremony has been held to mark a significant milestone at an exciting development that will bring more than 350 new homes to the London Borough of Ealing. On Friday 17 February, representatives from local housing association A2Dominion and contractor and developer Higgins Group oversaw the structural frame completion
Peel L&P’s plans for a brand-new public park and essential infrastructure to enable the delivery of approximately 2350 homes, with biodiversity, sustainability, and heritage at its hearts, have been approved by Liverpool City Council. Located within the Central Docks neighbourhood at Liverpool Waters, just south of Collingwood Dock by the
Wilton Developments has purchased the 33-acre Dynamo Park site on Cheltenham Road in Stockton-On-Tees for an undisclosed sum. The developer behind the successful 70-acre Turbine Business Park in Sunderland intends to capitalise on its extensive experience in the region to deliver another high quality commercial scheme, as part of its
Barings Real Estate, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has leased the 7th floor of its Landmark office development in Manchester to Vanguard, one of the world’s leading investment companies. The move represents the first office outside of London for the investment management firm, which has
The National Federation of Demolition Contractors [NFDC] has today announced a change in officers at its Annual General Meeting [AGM], having appointed a new CEO, President, and 2nd Vice President. Established in 1941, the NFDC is the driving force behind the evolution of the demolition sector, uniting over 130 contractors to raise industry standards, ensure maximum safety on sites and promote peer to peer learning and engagement. Having led the federation for nearly 20 years, Howard Button will be officially stepping down as CEO of the NFDC from June 2023. During his impressive tenure, Howard has played an integral role for the progression of the Federation, where he has leveraged his own extensive onsite demolition career to spearhead multiple initiatives for the benefit of the entire industry. In stepping down as CEO, Howard will be continuing to support the Federation as National Secretary. Taking over Howard’s role as CEO is Duncan Rudall, previous London and Southern Counties Regional Chairman of the NFDC and President of the Institute of Demolition Engineers (IDE). Boasting extensive experience within the demolition sector, Duncan has made significant contributions to building the image of demolition as a highly skilled, specialist trade, which he will continue to build on as new CEO while driving the Federation forwards. Joining Duncan in leading the NFDC will be John Lynch, newly appointed President, Gary Bishop, remaining Vice President, and Simon Barlow, newly appointed 2nd Vice President. With nearly 50 years of experience within the sector, John Lynch has seen the industry evolve significantly. Having already been integral in a number of important projects for the Federation during his time as 2nd Vice-President, John’s key priority for his presidency is to continue to raise the profile of the NFDC and see its membership grow. A proven and trusted business leader with extensive experience in the demolition sector, Simon is the Managing Director of Rye Group, a leading provider of demolition, remediation and ground and enabling works. Previously Chair of the London and Southern Counties region for NFDC, Simon now plans to champion the importance of sustainability in his new position as 2nd Vice President of the organisation, while also bringing to the forefront the talent and skills crisis and other key issues that sit across both the demolition and construction industries. Discussing the new change in officers, incoming President, John Lynch said: “I am honoured to have been appointed President of the NFDC. Having been part of the industry for 50 years, I have seen the Federation evolve significantly during this timeframe and play a vital role in shaping industry standards and ensuring maximum safety on sites throughout the UK. As the sector continues to evolve, respond to new challenges, and move into a new era, I look forward to working closely with Duncan, Gary, Simon, and the rest of the leadership team and in ensuring continued and positive progression for the Federation. Finally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Howard. His dedication to both the NFDC and demolition industry as a whole is nothing short of impressive and I am grateful that he will continue to support us as National Secretary in the coming years.” The NFDC’s AGM concluded with several important announcements including the donation of £100,000 to charitable causes over the last 12 months, together with an update of activity from the NDTG, which included a record intake of Trailblazer Demolition Apprentices. Held at the Royal Lancaster, the NFDC AGM was extremely well attended by both contractor members and industry service provider [ISP] members and was followed by its annual NFDC awards ceremony. For more information, visit: https://demolition-nfdc.com/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Chief Executive Officer of Ibstock plc has been recognised for championing sustainability at this year’s East Midlands Leaders Awards (EMLA). The EMLA category of Green Leader recognises regional business figures who are committed to being a ‘force for good’ and use their position to respond positively to climate change and environmental issues. Joe Hudson was rewarded for his demonstration of leadership on the green agenda as well as his encouragement of positive change within Ibstock’s supply chain and the wider construction industry. Having worked for the leading building products manufacturer since 2018, Joe Hudson has taken Ibstock on a journey towards greater sustainability, ensuring it evolves responsibly. Judges noted Mr Hudson’s role in driving change at Ibstock and the contribution this makes to minimising the environmental impacts of the construction sector as a whole. The award also recognises the many steps he has taken to build a sustainable future for the business. Under Joe Hudson’s leadership as CEO of the FTSE250 listed Ibstock business, the company has benefited from a significant investment programme. This has resulted in the successful delivery of several significant decarbonisation projects. These projects have led to production efficiencies and the adoption of new technologies that will accelerate Ibstock’s path to Net Zero. With Mr Hudson at the helm, Ibstock achieved its Sustainability Roadmap to 2025 ahead of time. As such, the company published its ESG 2030 Strategy in 2022, which has defined a new era of responsible business and serves as an important accelerator in speeding up the pace of positive change. Over the last 5 years, the company has been widely credited for its commitment to raising the bar for sustainable performance across its sector. As such, Ibstock can claim several ‘industry firsts’ and transformational investment projects including: Under Joe’s leadership, Ibstock is now widely credited as leading the way in sustainability within the construction products industry. Emily Landsborough, Head of ESG at Ibstock PLC, commented: “We are all absolutely delighted about this award win for our CEO Joe Hudson. The East Midlands Leaders Award for ‘Green Leader’ is all about strong leadership and the ways in which businesses can act as a ‘force for good’ – this resonates precisely with the way Joe leads Ibstock. Although Joe would be the first to say that this award would not be possible without the wider Ibstock team we all know – and recognise – the enormous role he has played on an individual basis. He has worked so hard to lead different groups of people and inspire others to share his vision for a more sustainable, decarbonised future. “I know that Joe would want to make a particular mention of our long serving Group Sustainability Manager Michael McGowan who retires, after 47 years in the industry, at the end of this week. Michael has pushed relentlessly and worked tirelessly on the green agenda finally finding, with Joe’s leadership, that the business can move quickly to make the changes we need to make positive, transformational change to address climate change. Leadership comes from many places, and we have been lucky at Ibstock to have both Michael and Joe banging the drum!” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is calling on all construction workers to help improve fire safety across the industry. Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 and subsequent inquiry, the industry has worked hard to increase safety standards to prevent such an incident from happening again. One outcome has been the recognition of a lack of knowledge and adherence regarding fire safety across the industry. To help improve standards CITB, in consultation with the industry, has been developing two new online courses, both related to fire safety. The first course – Fire Safety Awareness in Construction and the Built Environment – has been launched across the UK for workers of all levels and occupations. Although not mandatory, workers are being urged to complete the free eCourse, which offers an overview of basic fire safety awareness in construction and the built environment. Employers are also being asked to direct all workers, staff or subcontractors, to complete the course. It covers topics such as how fires start, grow and spread, as well common sources of ignition and fuel on site, fire prevention and protection measures, safe evacuation and the impact of fire on the environment, communities and individuals. The second eCourse – Fire Safety in Buildings – will be available this summer. The course has been created in collaboration with Working Group 2 and Build UK and is pitched at a higher level than the first course, with the aim of providing industry a greater level of knowledge of fire safety in buildings, following the construction stage. It builds on the FSA course by focusing further on key topics such as how legislation and regulations have changed since the Grenfell tragedy. It also offers guidance on holistic fire safety, fire prevention (materials), protection (passive and active), compartmentation, protected escape routes, workmanship, competence, quality, reporting issues and concerns. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The donations were made as part of Esh’s work with Sheffield Housing Company on the Lytton Road development Two new allotments have been created in Sheffield as part of the NHS ‘Green Social Prescribing Places’ initiative thanks to Esh Construction, Sheffield Housing Company and YORhub teaming up to provide funding. Working in partnership with SOAR Community in Sheffield, a regeneration charity that provides services to improve a person’s health, wellbeing and employability, the donation has funded allotments at Foxhill Medical Centre and Grenoside Medical Centre. The NHS ‘Green Social Prescribing Places’ initiative allows GP’s, health and care practitioners, and local agencies, to refer people to nature-based interventions and activities, such as local walking for health schemes, community gardening and food-growing projects. Megan Ohri from SOAR Partnership said: “We’re grateful to Esh for supporting the development of these community gardens so that we can work with the GP surgeries to support more people via green social prescribing.” Chris Stocks, Practice Manager at Grenoside Surgery, said: “Grenoside Surgery has a long-standing relationship with SOAR in their role as a provider of social prescribing to our patients. One of the areas that the surgery has been interested in is the concept of green prescribing which encourages patients with issues of social isolation to meet socially and undertake projects around gardening. “We were therefore delighted when contacted by SOAR to hear that Esh, who are building new homes in our area, had this as one of their objectives and would be able to support a project at our main Grenoside site. Community Health Partnerships (CHP), owned by the Department of Health and Social Care, is head tenant for 310 primary and community health care buildings across England including Foxhill Medical Centre. Simon McKinna, Community Health Partnerships (CHP) Operations and Relationships Manager at Foxhill Medical Centre said: “We worked with the GP team at Foxhill Medical Centre and SOAR to help set up the project, identifya suitable location with the building owners, facilitate hard landscaping deliveries and access arrangements. We’re pleased to see so many patients involved in the project and the positive impact it’s had on their health and wellbeing.” A donation has also been made to Foxhill Medical Centre’s Art Group which has allowed the project to continue operating for another seven months after it became at risk of closure due to lack of funding. Esh Construction pledged the funding as part of its commitment to YORhub’s, YOR4Good Fund, a community grant initiative which supports economic regeneration projects through schemes awarded through the YORhub construction frameworks. The donations were made as part of the Lytton Road development, a 44-home project being delivered on behalf of Sheffield Housing Company, procured via the YORbuild2 framework. Megan Roberts, social value manager at Esh Construction, said: “We are always striving to support organisations, charities and community groups that work within the local communities surrounding our construction projects. The two medical centres are located just one mile from our site which will allow us to leave a lasting legacy in the area. It has been a pleasure to work alongside Sheffield Housing Company and YORhub on yet another successful project, helping support great charities who make an important difference for people in need.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bellway South London has submitted plans to build 180 new homes in the West Sussex village of Ashington. The housebuilder hopes to deliver the new properties on a plot of land to the west of Ashington CE Primary School, accessed off Church Lane. The proposals include 117 new homes for private sale and 63 affordable properties available for local people through low-cost rent or shared ownership, with a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three, four and five-bedroom houses. The project would also include allotments, a sports pavilion, two sports pitches – an artificial turf Multi-Use Games Area and a natural turf pitch – and retained woodland. Following public consultation, a planning application has been submitted to Horsham District Council. Daniel Bradbury, Managing Director of Bellway South London, said: “This site is allocated for housing in the Ashington Neighbourhood Plan and would deliver 180 much-needed new homes to the area. We have been engaging with Horsham District Council and Ashington Parish Council to try to produce a plan that would help meet the specific needs of the local housing market. “This development will provide a wide range of housing for a variety of purchasers including first-time buyers, growing families and people downsizing after retirement. More than a third of the properties being delivered on the development will be affordable homes to allow local people who can’t afford to buy their own home secure a new property close to their support network of family and friends.” As part of the development, Bellway South London would contribute around £2.25 million in Community Infrastructure Levy to improve local services and facilities, with around a quarter of this allocated to Ashington Parish Council. Daniel said: “Bellway is a socially-responsible developer and as such, we see our role as not only to build new houses but also to help better the daily lives of new and existing residents alike, with the Community Infrastructure Levy helping to finance projects which will improve services in the area. “We are aiming to deliver a sustainable development which will embrace its rural surroundings and blend in seamlessly with the existing character of the village. The site will see the retention of a large area of woodland in the west of the site and a tree belt to the north of the development. “The landscaping scheme maintains and enhances the existing mature boundaries and internal hedgerows and trees to provide a green framework and strong sense of place. “This development is designed to encourage residents to connect with the nature on their doorstep with allotments available to help people to grow their own vegetables. In addition, local wildlife will be protected, with bird and bat boxes providing roosting and nesting opportunities.” Bellway South London is building new homes across West Sussex, Surrey and South London. More information is available at https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/south-london. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Work on a major retail development including new Tesco and Home Bargains stores set to open next year is now underway. The new £20m development at Houghton Colliery is set to bring around 100 new jobs to the area. A 45,000sq ft Tesco supermarket and 20,000sq ft Home Bargains store will be built on the former Colliery site with an opening date of Spring 2024 on the cards. Work at the site is now underway with preparation work being carried out to clear the site ahead of building work beginning. A 300 bay carpark will also be built including disabled spaces and electric car charging points. Sunderland City Council’s cabinet agreed to sell the former colliery – which had been empty for 40 years – to developers Hellens Group and Fintry Estates in 2019. Cllr Kevin Johnson, Dynamic City Cabinet Member at Sunderland City Council, said: “The redevelopment of the former Houghton Colliery site is a project we have been working on for some time, so we’re absolutely thrilled to see work progressing on the scheme.” Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive at Hellens Group said: “We are delighted to begin clearance work on the former colliery site with construction due to commence in May this year. “As a Sunderland-based company, we are committed to supporting local regeneration projects and seeing the area benefit from multi-million pound developments. “The support from Sunderland City Council has been invaluable in unlocking this particularly challenging brownfield site.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A Topping Out ceremony has been held to mark a significant milestone at an exciting development that will bring more than 350 new homes to the London Borough of Ealing. On Friday 17 February, representatives from local housing association A2Dominion and contractor and developer Higgins Group oversaw the structural frame completion of Phase 2 at Hanwell Square located on Boston Road. Phase 2 comprises 169 modern apartments, of which, 110 will be available for Private Sale via A2Dominion’s FABRICA brand, 20 for Shared Ownership and 39 for Affordable Rent. Completion is expected in Summer 2024. Danny Lynch, Director of Special Projects at A2Dominion, said: “We’re delighted to reach this exciting stage of the build and once again demonstrate our commitment to bringing high-quality new homes to the area. Phase two will help with the demand for housing in the London Borough of Ealing and provide an opportunity for first-time buyers to get onto property ladder.” Declan Higgins, Partnerships Director for Higgins comments, “The topping out of phase two marks a significant milestone in our joint venture with A2Dominion, which is delivering much needed new homes as well as high quality public realm for the whole community to enjoy. It’s also wonderful to see residents moving into the first phase of the development which has proved extremely popular.” The Hanwell Square development in West London is centered around a stunning village square and landscaped courtyards, allowing apartments, shops and businesses to come together. The development will provide 360 high-quality homes to the leafy London borough, with a mix of studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments, to accommodate a range of lifestyles. Phase 1 of the development completed in January 2023 , with the first residents moving in this month. The first phase comprises of 191 modern homes, with 124 for Private Sale, 34 Shared Ownership and 33 Affordable Rent. The three-block site designed by Assael Architects and delivered by Fourpoint Architects, features contemporary soft brickwork, which contrasts against the dark frames of the windows, balconies and shop frontages. The picturesque village square and landscaped courtyards is complemented by flexible space, ground floor retail shops, garden terraces, staffed concierge, a gym, roof tops gardens and play areas for children. Hanwell Square is ideally located just a few minutes away from Hanwell train station which is now served by the new Elizabeth Line. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Peel L&P’s plans for a brand-new public park and essential infrastructure to enable the delivery of approximately 2350 homes, with biodiversity, sustainability, and heritage at its hearts, have been approved by Liverpool City Council. Located within the Central Docks neighbourhood at Liverpool Waters, just south of Collingwood Dock by the historic Tobacco Warehouse, Central Park will become one of the city’s largest green spaces, spanning 1.9 hectares (or 4.7 acres), and will form an important part of the next stage of the Liverpool Waters development. The approved plans also include the creation of a network of public spaces in the Central Docks neighbourhood, with green streets and rain gardens; the delivery of high-quality public realm; and new street infrastructure, such as high-quality footpaths and a variety of street types to support vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. Hundreds of trees will also be planted across the Central Docks neighbourhood. The development of this 11ha site will enable and accelerate the delivery of around 2,350 homes over the next 10 years, in line with the Liverpool Waters Central Docks Neighbourhood Masterplan. This planning application and the development it will enable demonstrates the scale of ambition for Liverpool Waters and the transformative impact it will have on this historic brownfield site. Coastal and woodland planting, wetland planting, community gardens and open parkland will all help to create a unique, world class environment at Central Park, celebrating the site’s post-industrial heritage and its coastal locality. The park will also include shelters and canopies, areas for sport, recreation and fitness, and spaces designed to support local wildlife. Connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists between the city centre, Princes Dock, Everton’s new stadium at Bramley Moore Dock, and the city’s northern docks will also be significantly improved as part of this development. Central Docks will become the largest of the five planned neighbourhoods in Liverpool Waters and will directly enable the delivery of thousands of new homes, alongside commercial, retail, leisure and community developments over the next ten years. Chris Capes, Peel L&P’s Development Director for Liverpool Waters, said: “The Council’s approval of our plans for Central Park, and its surrounding infrastructure and public realm, paves the way for ten years of development across the whole Central Docks neighbourhood and will set a quality benchmark for later phases of Liverpool Waters. “Central Park and the public realm have been designed to provide a unique environment that will enrich the lives of everyone in Liverpool as well as the millions of people who visit the city every year and we’re looking forward to moving this project forward in 2023. Central Docks and will enable the delivery of new residential, commercial and leisure development and be a catalyst for the delivery of 10 Streets and North Liverpool.” The consultant planning team for this development includes: Planit-IE – Master Planners, Landscaping and Urban Design, Visualisation; Arup Planning – Planning Consultant; Walker Sime – Project Management; John Sisk – Infrastructure and Design; Curtins – Civils and Structures; Hannan Associates UK – MEP; Hatch – Social Value; Safer Sphere – CDM; RSK – Ecology, HRA, Aquatic, Noise, BNG; Rob Burns – Heritage; Civic Engineers – Transport; Social – Consultation and Engagement. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Wilton Developments has purchased the 33-acre Dynamo Park site on Cheltenham Road in Stockton-On-Tees for an undisclosed sum. The developer behind the successful 70-acre Turbine Business Park in Sunderland intends to capitalise on its extensive experience in the region to deliver another high quality commercial scheme, as part of its commitment to logistics and industrial space in the Northern Power House. The scheme has the capability to deliver circa 600,000 sq. ft. of industrial, storage and warehouse space on a prime A19 frontage, adjacent to the junction for the popular retail and trade location at Portrack Lane. The site benefits from an outline planning permission for almost 400,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and reserved matters (detailed) permission for circa 220,000 sq. ft. Together this could foster more than 1,070 jobs on the site, with many more in associated supply chains linked to the scheme. Jason Stowe, Managing Director of Wilton Developments, said: “The scheme will deliver high quality employment space, job opportunities, inward investment and economic growth in the area, capitalising on the lack of available opportunities in the wider north east for businesses wanting to upgrade their facilities to new levels of design and ESG credentials. “The acquisition provides a great opportunity to deliver a variety of industrial, storage and warehouse space adjacent to the A19.” Wilton Developments is active across the north of England, where the company has delivered prime new build and refurbished commercial space, including the recently completed Latitude logistics development on the M62 near Leeds and Enterprise Park in Barnsley, both for CBRE Investment Managers. The company is also behind the recently completed four unit scheme at Turbine Business Park for Block Industrial and the forthcoming Leeds 500, which is the largest single unit distribution scheme in the city, with reserved matters consent providing approximately 500,000 sq. ft. of BREEAM Excellent logistics/industrial space alongside the M1 at Junction 47. The company also secured the largest single reserved matters planning permission in the UK for 1.15 million sq. ft. of industrial space at Doncaster North, as part of a 2.26 million sq ft of reserved matters consents in the first phase. These consents are part of Wilton’s wider 3.5 million sq ft industrial and logistics development close to the M62/M18 interchange which is set to create around 8,500 jobs for the region. More information will be available at the UKREiiF in Leeds this May, where Wilton Developments will be exhibiting and speaking. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Barings Real Estate, one of the world’s largest diversified real estate investment managers, has leased the 7th floor of its Landmark office development in Manchester to Vanguard, one of the world’s leading investment companies. The move represents the first office outside of London for the investment management firm, which has more than 900 staff across European offices. The global investment management firm has signed a 10-year lease for the 14,013 sq ft 7th floor at Barings’ 180,000 sq ft Landmark office building on St Peter’s Square in Manchester. Vanguard has been attracted to Manchester by the opportunity to access the exceptional pool of talent in the city, and to add additional operational capacity for its European business in an exciting new location, in one of its fastest growing markets. With this latest letting, circa 70,000 sq ft has been leased at Landmark in recent weeks to Starling Bank, Santander UK, RSM and Xero with only 3 floors now remaining available. Vanguard will join additional global occupiers HSBC UK, Allianz Insurance, Grant Thornton, JLL and social enterprise Change Please in the building. Barings credits the success of its BREEAM Excellent and Wired Score Platinum development to the keen attention paid to technological infrastructure, sustainability, well-being and customer experience. Features such as contactless technologies enabling touch-free movement within the building, a dedicated cycle storage and maintenance hub, high-quality showers and changing facilities, electric car charging spaces and Amazon lockers for package delivery and returns all add to the world-class environment. Ian Mayhew, Managing Director, UK Asset management at Barings, said: “To be the home of Vanguard’s first regional office is a huge coup and continues a very strong run of lettings at Landmark. We’ve worked really hard putting all the building blocks in place to provide an exceptional workspace and building experience. We are pleased this is being recognised by occupiers and we are continually evolving our offer to ensure that we are leading from the front.” Sean Hagerty, Head of Europe, Vanguard said: “We are delighted to confirm we plan to expand our footprint in the UK, and open an office in Manchester. The office will allow access to a new talent pool, and help us serve investors across the UK and Europe.” Leasing agents for Barings were CBRE and Colliers. Vanguard was advised by JLL. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals