City Electrical Factors, Huws Gray, Jewson, NMBS, Travis Perkins and Wolseley are among 13 merchants to have secured spots on a large-scale materials framework for UK housing associations and local authorities, worth up to £1.42bn over four years. Launched by Procurement for Housing (PfH), the sixth generation of this framework
Award-winning housebuilder Crest Nicholson has purchased the Wheatley Campus site from Oxford Brookes University, as they look to deliver much needed high-quality housing to meet local demand in the area. The 53 acre site has outline planning consent for the development of 500 homes, of which 35% will be affordable
GMI Construction Group has been awarded the contract to deliver the first industrial unit at Teesside Airport’s £200m business park. The start on site was announced by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen as he officially opened the firm’s new North East headquarters in Stockton. GMI will begin work early next
GMI Construction Group PLC has completed a 260,000 square foot medical distribution centre in West Yorkshire. The facility at Wakefield Hub has been built on behalf of developer HBD and Yorkcourt for PHOENIX Group and will serve the NHS and pharmacies across the UK. The build programme generated around 150
Leading flexible workspace prepares to launch its 5th London flex space. Orega, the flexible workspace provider, has completed a new Management Agreement with Thames Estates Limited to create a high spec flexible workspace at Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn EC1 in the heart of Midtown. The new space will open
Darlington market will have a distinctly 1920s feel next weekend as its exciting new venue – a Prohibition-themed bar opens to the public. Friday March 31 sees the much-anticipated launch of The Vault. Oozing sophistication the bar will be home to everything from a grand piano to top quality craft
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been appointed by commercial property developer, Stoford, to deliver two industrial warehouses. This second development phase at Redditch Gateway will complete the 78-acre site, near Junction 3 of
British Land unveils first homes at Canada Water, London’s newest sustainable district surrounded by green space and waterways British Land launches its first homes, a collection of 186 studio, one, two- and three-bedroom net zero apartments, at The Founding, Canada Water. The launch of this 35-storey residential building – designed
As the industry looks to address the gender imbalance, Jackie Maginnis was certainly ahead of her time not only as a high-profile woman in construction but also in promoting the benefits of advanced building technologies. With a long and illustrious career, more recently in the modular and portable building industry,
Southern Construction Framework (SCF), a leading construction procurement framework delivered by the public sector for the public sector in the South of England, has announced the awarded contractors for its 5th generation SCF Construct framework, which includes new £1-5million value lots for the South West region. 20 contractors have been awarded a
City Electrical Factors, Huws Gray, Jewson, NMBS, Travis Perkins and Wolseley are among 13 merchants to have secured spots on a large-scale materials framework for UK housing associations and local authorities, worth up to £1.42bn over four years. Launched by Procurement for Housing (PfH), the sixth generation of this framework sees a complete restructure with sixteen different lots allowing housing providers to procure plumbing, heating and gas, electrical and building materials, aids and adaptations, through either specialist merchants, managed stores (set up for their sole use) or branch networks. The framework has a number of regional lots, enabling Scottish and Welsh housing providers to procure from suppliers local to them and it also offers self-serve options, so operatives can pick up materials even when branches are closed. An ‘on-demand’ category enables housing associations and councils to use merchant branch networks for ad hoc purchases, when needed. Social landlords can also procure a tech platform that allows direct labour organisations (DLOs) and subcontractors to manage van stock, source products locally and have oversight of all spend across the framework. The framework links with PfH’s widespread support for social landlords around asset management, which includes spend analytics reporting and a range of procurement insights delivered through its customer portal. For a significant proportion of the social housing sector, buying materials for repairs, planned maintenance and retrofit accounts for over half their total spend. More than 450 housing providers used PfH’s previous materials framework. Judy Ashcroft, materials category manager at PfH said: “Rising costs and severe shortages have made the last few years pretty turbulent for social landlords procuring materials. The cost of living crisis is compounding this with housing associations and councils seeing a spike both in demand for homes and their own costs. More than ever, certainty is needed so the sector can meet tough targets on improving stock, but social landlords also need flexible, forward-thinking ways to source materials and deliver insights so they can manage their spend effectively.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Award-winning housebuilder Crest Nicholson has purchased the Wheatley Campus site from Oxford Brookes University, as they look to deliver much needed high-quality housing to meet local demand in the area. The 53 acre site has outline planning consent for the development of 500 homes, of which 35% will be affordable housing. The development will provide a mixture of two, three, four, and five bedroom houses, along with some apartments. There are also community facilities planned, such as public open space, a sports pavilion, bowling green, and a cricket pitch. CBRE advised Oxford Brookes University on the transaction. Situated close to the villages of Wheatley and Holton in Oxfordshire, the development is just a few miles away from Oxford city centre. Wheatley high street contains a number of independent shops, pubs, and restaurants, and the location also provides a great link to London via the M40. Nicholas Daruwalla, Land Director at Crest Nicholson South, commented: “This is a key purchase for Crest Nicholson, given the site’s prime location and scale. It is in close proximity to major employment, retail, leisure, and education hubs, making it a highly desirable location. These characteristics, coupled with the area comprising high levels of housing demand and low levels of supply, makes this deal an important purchase for the business. We are pleased to be working with Oxford Brookes University to bring this development to fruition, and with this deal, we will provide a number of much needed homes, including affordable housing, to help meet local demand. At Crest Nicholson, we invest in placemaking, aiming to deliver attractive homes, amenities and open green space to improve the quality of life for residents, helping to build future proof communities to be proud of.” Jerry Woods, Director of Estates & Campus Services at Oxford Brookes University, comments: “We’re pleased to have worked with Crest Nicholson and our real estate advisers CBRE on this sale which will facilitate the move of our remaining activity from the Wheatley Campus to new, state-of-the-art facilities at our Headington campus. The Wheatley site will provide a high-quality residential environment, offering an assortment of housing types to meet local needs. Oxford Brookes has been proud to call the Wheatley Campus home for close to fifty years and the University will continue to engage with local groups and individuals while we remain on the site over the next 18 months.” Jasper Masters, Executive Director, CBRE said: “We are delighted to help deliver such a successful outcome on behalf of the University for this premium asset. The Wheatley sale represents the largest single family housing site to have exchanged in the UK since last September’s mini budget. A sale of this nature will provide the development land market with a strong sense of optimism. As an Oxford Brookes alumnus, I’m really proud to have played a part in the Campus’ next chapter and look forward to seeing Crest Nicholson’s vision for the site being realised.” Crest Nicholson hope to begin works at the end of 2024, with the first completions to be expected in Autumn 2025. Local residents, businesses and users of the Oxford Brookes Wheatley Campus will be kept updated on the works as they develop. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GMI Construction Group has been awarded the contract to deliver the first industrial unit at Teesside Airport’s £200m business park. The start on site was announced by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen as he officially opened the firm’s new North East headquarters in Stockton. GMI will begin work early next month on the 25,000 sq. ft unit situated on the south side of the airport. Three further units are due to be constructed later as part of the first phase of development, including direct access from the A67. Once fully operational, the business park is expected to create up to 4,400 jobs, and will be made up of logistics, distribution and industrial buildings. Speaking at the official office opening at Cavendish House, Ben Houchen said: “Spades will be in the ground in a matter of weeks and the first unit should be up and running ready for business by the end of the year. Creating more jobs and bringing in rent to help us get our airport into profit. “I’ve always said that whilst important, our airport is so much more than flights to Alicante, and this is just another example of how our airport is supporting local businesses and benefiting local people.” “It’s great that GMI are growing and setting up new offices in Teesside creating good-quality, well-paid jobs for local people. GMI, one of the largest independent construction firms in the North of England and the Midlands, initially established itself at Fusion Hive in Stockton in 2021, but quickly outgrew the space as its staff expanded in response to a pipeline of major projects. Its 25-strong construction management team now occupies 5,200 sq. ft of space on the third floor of Cavendish House in Stockton, which the company itself built in 2002. The Mayor also has a strong connection with the riverside building – having occupied the same space, along with the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA), prior to moving to new offices at the airport. Gary Oates, appointed to the newly created position of Divisional Managing Director North East, in January, said the investment in Tees Valley and the wider region reflected the area’s significance to the business. He said: “We chose the Tees Valley for our North East office because of the many exciting developments that seek to re-establish this area as an economic powerhouse and we are proud to have been selected to deliver the first unit of this prestigious Teesside Airport development. “Moving to Cavendish House gives us the capacity to expand our headcount in the coming months and years as we respond to an ever-growing pipeline of work. “I’d also like to thank Ben personally for making the decision to move the offices of the Mayor and TVCA to Teesside Airport and, in doing so, freeing up this fantastic space for a business that aims to be at the forefront of levelling up in this region.” GMI Construction Group has forged strong links in the North East over many years, having built the 450,000 sq. ft Thorn Lighting factory at Spennymoor, and the Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Advanced Manufacturing (CESAM), part of the International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) at East Boldon. It is currently principal contractor on several high-profile North East projects, including 362,600 sq. ft of commercial units at Hillthorn Business Park, Washington, and the 650,000 sq. ft Connect warehouse and logistics scheme at the Integra 61 development, near Bowburn, Durham. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GMI Construction Group PLC has completed a 260,000 square foot medical distribution centre in West Yorkshire. The facility at Wakefield Hub has been built on behalf of developer HBD and Yorkcourt for PHOENIX Group and will serve the NHS and pharmacies across the UK. The build programme generated around 150 construction jobs and the completed facility has the potential to create 100 new jobs. Constructed over 12 months, it features 22 dock level loading bays and seven level access doors to enable the productive arrival and distribution of medical products. The building is also highly energy efficient, with the inclusion of solar PV panels and 46 electric car charging bays. It also sits among landscaped grounds incorporating a balancing pond plus improvements to surrounding paths and bridleways. Wakefield Hub is a prime location for industrial and logistics operators, boasting unrivalled access to the M62, M1 and A1. Existing occupiers include Kitwave Wholesale Group and Newcold. It is being delivered in joint venture by HBD and Yorkcourt and, spanning 200-acres, is one of the largest regeneration projects of its kind in the North of England. Andrew Hurcomb, Managing Director Yorkshire at GMI Construction, said: “This has been another landmark project for GMI both in terms of the benefits it will bring to PHOENIX, its pharmacies and their customers, but also as another important investment in the Yorkshire economy. “This project is generating valuable employment opportunities and further enhancing the area’s reputation as a key logistical hub. We are proud to have delivered this scheme as part of our longstanding relationship with HBD and its JV partner Yorkcourt.” Tom Wheldon, Director and Head of Region at HBD, said: “We’re pleased to be able to welcome PHOENIX Group to Wakefield Hub – its new purpose-built base coupled with unrivalled access to the motorway network will no doubt prove a successful new location as it targets further growth.” Scott Mackie, Director at Yorkcourt, said: “PHEONIX is an excellent addition to Wakefield Hub and their choice to open here, along with the successful forward funding agreement with clients of Abrdn, is not only a vote of confidence in the scheme but in the region as a place to invest. It’s very positive news for the city.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Leading flexible workspace prepares to launch its 5th London flex space. Orega, the flexible workspace provider, has completed a new Management Agreement with Thames Estates Limited to create a high spec flexible workspace at Holborn Gate, 330 High Holborn EC1 in the heart of Midtown. The new space will open in early Summer 2023. The 33,500 sq. ft flexible workspace will be newly refurbished to provide around 550 workstations on the 1st and 5th floors of the building. In addition, there will be substantial collaboration and meeting spaces. Holborn Gate is a highly prominent office and retail building comprising approximately 175,000 sq. ft and was recently acquired by Thames Estates Limited in November 2022. The building is less than a minutes’ walk from Chancery Lane station, giving access to the Central Line, and is less than a ten-minute walk to Farringdon Station which gives access to the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines and is a key interchange on the Elizabeth Line. It is close to many local amenities including restaurants, coffee bars, gyms and hotels within a short walk. The area appeals to a wide tenant mix: it is home to many large corporate and legal and other professional firms including Sainsburys, Deloitte UK, Hogan Lovells, Mishcon de Reya and Irwin Mitchell. The Fleet Street Quarter bid is set to transform the area which will only enhance its desirability. The new workspace is designed to be a modern, flexible base for the area’s professional and financial businesses, and will offer brand new: It is the fifth flexible workspace that Orega has launched in London and the fourth in the Midtown. The company now offers flex space from 23 locations across the UK and is the UK’s leading provider of flexible workspace under Management Agreements (as opposed to leases). Ben Hutchen, Real Estate Director at Orega, commented: “We have seen great opportunities for flex space in both Midtown and the City of London, and we now have five flexible workspace centres in London as a whole. This acquisition certainly bolsters our Midtown presence.” We believe we are successfully catering for the demand from businesses who are increasingly looking for a flexible way to occupy property but also require high quality “state of the art” space. We believe this trend will continue with the current economic uncertainty and reluctance of businesses to be tied into long leases.” BH2 advised Thames Estates Limited. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Darlington market will have a distinctly 1920s feel next weekend as its exciting new venue – a Prohibition-themed bar opens to the public. Friday March 31 sees the much-anticipated launch of The Vault. Oozing sophistication the bar will be home to everything from a grand piano to top quality craft beers, real ale, creative cocktails, small plates and charcuterie. The launch weekend will also see those sampling the bar for the first time able to soak up an array of 1920s-themed entertainment including jazz singers, burlesque performances and flapper girls. The bar, which opens from Thursday to Sunday 12noon until 11pm, is the centrepiece of the transformational works at the much-loved market and part of a successful blueprint from operators Market Asset Management Darlington Ltd and Darlington Borough Council for the venue to grow as a food, retail, and live entertainment destination. Phase 2 of the redevelopment which began in August 2022 also includes revamped shop front fascia and entrances, a new shop floor café, new public and trader toilets on the ground floor and new toilets to the basement. Impressed Councillor Jonathan Dulston, leader of Darlington Borough Council has visited the bar as the finishing touches were being put in place. He said: “This is an amazing transformation and fantastic to see unused parts of this historic building brought back into use, adding to the appeal of the market for a wider variety of people. “We’ve got an excellent bar and evening entertainment scene in Darlington and I’m sure The Vault will become a firm favourite for many.” Market officials describe the bar as “a cavern of historic and industrial splendour offset with glamorous, velvet furnishing, softening the rough edges”. A century-old Grand Piano takes centre stage, to be used by established acts and any passing musicians who wish to entertain the crowd. As you would expect from a bar with a New Orleans-inspired jazz music vibe it will play host to live performances from jazz musicians throughout the year. And its drinks menu is as impressive as the décor and furnishing. The Vault will be offering a selection of 12 keg beers and four cask ales including a variety of styles, from pilsners and Weissbier to stouts and IPAs sourced from local producers, continental breweries, and a couple of more commercially recognisable products to cater for different tastes. Officials said the bar also offers a “rather seductive cocktail menu” with a range of both classic and contemporary cocktails, along with a carefully selected range of whisk(e)y, gin, rum, tequila, wine, and more. The market has remained fully open during the second phase of the development with minimum disruption to traders and shoppers. Works have seen the exterior of the building revamped with a new black and cream colour scheme replacing the old green one complete with traditional handwritten signage lovingly crafted by local artist and sign writer Ste Robson. An old walled-off area has been demolished to create a new glazed space which will be complemented with a new café next year. New toilets have also opened and there will be more opening in the basement when the new bar opens. MAM’s Darlington General Manager, Michael Harvey said: “The Vault is a fantastic addition and I know people can’t wait for it to open and sample its splendour. “Balanced background music and a mellow temperament will make this the perfect hideaway to unwind with friends, chat with strangers, and let evenings get lost in good times. Every corner is littered with curiosities, history, and secrets waiting to be uncovered by those who venture into The Vault. “It is a fitting centrepiece to the tremendous transformational works at the market as part of our unwavering commitment to ensure this is a place people love to shop, eat, drink and be entertained. As well as our amazing global cuisine and independent retail offering we are proud Darlington Market continues to shine as an events venue.” The exciting new chapter follows the successful first phase of the revamp which opened to the public in August 2021. It saw one third of the shop floor transformed into a street food scene with independent food traders offering cuisine from around the world from purpose-built units and a large communal seating area. Doors open to the public on launch night, Friday March 31 at 6pm. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been appointed by commercial property developer, Stoford, to deliver two industrial warehouses. This second development phase at Redditch Gateway will complete the 78-acre site, near Junction 3 of the M42, south of Birmingham. Works commenced on 13 March and handover is scheduled for the end of 2023. Stoford and Winvic are targeting Net Zero Carbon in operation for both buildings, as well as BREEAM Excellent and an EPC ‘A’ rating. BIM Level 2 is being utilised to help achieve these goals, but also to accelerate the end-to-end process, identify and resolve construction package clashes rapidly, and help end-users to efficiently operate in line with the building’s design intent. One industrial warehouse is 142,100 sq ft with two-storey offices totalling 18,400 sq ft and the second comprises 257,100 sq ft of warehouse and 29,600 sq ft of three-storey office space. They have been designed to meet the widest of occupier demands with 50 kN/m2 floor loading capacities and 15m clear heights, as well as access to high-power supplies of 9.5MVA, more than six times the institutional standard. The earthwork programme to create the development plateaus has begun and will comprise 108,000m3 of cut and fill and the diversion of two courses of Blacksoil brook, which currently cross the site. The foundations will be installed from May and the eight-week steel frame erection programme commences in July. Ecological enhancements to grasslands will also be undertaken as part of the project. The industrial facilities have been forward funded by specialist European independent real estate investor, Blackbrook, which will acquire the freehold interest in both new developments upon their completion in Q4 2023. Phase one of Redditch Gateway saw the development of a new 534,000 sq ft warehouse building that was pre-let to Amazon and included a £6.5 million investment in infrastructure works and a signalised traffic junction. Winvic is also currently constructing and fitting out a 667,000 sq ft UK parts distribution centre at Ellesmere Port for Stoford, which will be complete in winter 2023 and has pre-let to Peugeot. Danny Nelson, Winvic’s Head of Industrial, Distribution and Logistics, said: “We have built a relationship with Stoford over a number of years, and I’d like to thank them for once again appointing Winvic as their construction partner. The latest approach to digital design is being employed on the Redditch Gateway scheme and it’s facilitated faster and clearer insights and solutions across the design, materials, construction programmes and sustainability. The team has already made some great progress in the past week preparing for the watercourse diversion and we look forward to handing over the two facilities in December 2023.” Stoford Joint Managing Director, Dan Gallagher said: “We are developing two highly specified logistics assets with Blackbrook, that will offer significant benefits to occupiers in terms of connectivity, power supply and future-proof ESG credentials. Redditch Gateway is an exciting logistics manufacturing development in a key distribution area that is serving demand in a supply constrained regional marketplace. Winvic is a long-term, trusted partner and we are looking forward to seeing these quality assets rise out of the ground in the coming months.” Jon Strang, Managing Director of Blackbrook, said: “We’re delighted with Stoford’s progress on this project and to be closer to bringing two new logistic facilities to the market. Both assets boast a high power supply and are being built to the highest sustainability standards, making them high in demand and perfectly aligned with Blackbrook’s strategy to develop future-proof supply chain infrastructure.” 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 Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
British Land unveils first homes at Canada Water, London’s newest sustainable district surrounded by green space and waterways British Land launches its first homes, a collection of 186 studio, one, two- and three-bedroom net zero apartments, at The Founding, Canada Water. The launch of this 35-storey residential building – designed by architects Allies and Morrison – is the first chance to buy at this new central London district as it undergoes a rejuvenation as a place to live, work, play and relax. The expansive open plan homes within the flagship residence, The Founding will provide unique panoramic views across London from large, metal framed feature windows and private balconies. The bespoke interiors have been carefully curated by award-winning design studio Conran and Partners. Brushed stainless steel, matte finish feature ironmongery, polished concrete-style worktops and European oak flooring have been incorporated to reflect the area’s rich heritage as a former shipping and timber heartland and a working dock during the 18th and 19th centuries. In homage to the 160 acres of surrounding woodlands, parks, docks and waterways, and in keeping with the sustainable vision of the Canada Water masterplan, a mix of natural and sustainable materials have been incorporated to create a contemporary and elegant feel. High recessed ceilings feature exposed concrete and designer track lighting, while soft furnishings include 100% wool carpets, linens, textured fabrics, and recycled materials. Three separate and distinctly designed roof terraces on floors 6, 29 and 32 will feature extensive and lush planting inspired by Ecuadorian rainforests. From these rooftops residents will have exclusive skyline views to enjoy sunrise looking east over the River Thames to Canary Wharf, and sunset looking west with the stunning London skyline of Tower Bridge, The Shard and St Paul’s Cathedral. Amenities within the building include an impressive mezzanine-level resident lounge that will provide home working and social spaces, in addition to flexible areas for private gatherings and entertaining. Emma Cariaga, Head of Residential and Joint Head of Canada Water, at British Land, said: “Canada Water is the most ambitious and sustainably driven regeneration project underway in London. The launch of The Founding presents a rare opportunity to purchase a home at the very start of a high-profile masterplan and be a part of an incredible revitalisation story. A whole new district and destination for London, will be created at Canada Water, with the rest of London on the doorstep. Canada Water is incredibly well-connected to central London, minutes from London Bridge, and has huge untapped potential – it’s incredibly exciting. “Sustainability has been prioritised through the design and delivery of every element of the new homes and reflects rising consumer awareness of the need to make sustainably driven decisions in every aspect of our lives. The apartments at The Founding will benefit from panoramic views across London’s skyline while being surrounded by an incredible amount of greenery, from parks to woodlands and the River Thames.” Nina Coulter, director at Savills, comments: “The demand for not only green spaces but homes near water continues to grow from all types of buyers. Canada Water will provide an abundance of wide green spaces adding huge health benefits to residents from cleaner air to improving well-being. Increasingly, buyers are looking for areas that provide a natural environment and a resilient, sustainable urban fabric, that will add value to their recreational time as well. Schemes such as Canada Water in particular provide a valuable opportunity to build nature into the core of a development offering. “British Land is creating a new district for London focusing on providing not only great apartments to live in, but a whole new way of living in the capital. The apartments at The Founding have been created with huge attention to detail, and stunning outside spaces. The incredible, uninterrupted views show how close Canada Water is to the City and Canary Wharf, and with the Jubilee Line and Elizabeth Line both easily accessible, West London is not far away either. Savills views Canada Water as the most exciting launch of 2023.” Culture, Creativity and Community | Canada Water, British Land’s 53-acre masterplan is set to deliver 3,000 net zero homes, office space for an estimated 20,000 workers and up to one million sq. ft. of leisure, cultural and education facilities. This once in a lifetime project will be a net-zero neighbourhood by 2030, achieved through materials innovation and a sustainability first approach to all elements of design and construction. From earth friendly concrete to an all-electric energy strategy which uses 100% renewable electricity, to heat sharing between offices and homes, to finding inventive ways to give old buildings a new lease of life. Canada Water will have 12 acres of new open space, including a 3.5-acre park, a new Town Square, the first new high street in London in a generation and 16 new streets. The destination is served by the Jubilee Line, London Overground and TfL bus services, with proximity to the best of art, culture, nature and nightlife that London has to offer. Prices for homes at The Founding at Canada Water start from in the region of £696,650. First homes at The Founding are scheduled to complete in Autumn 2024. For sales enquiries, please visit www.thefounding.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As the industry looks to address the gender imbalance, Jackie Maginnis was certainly ahead of her time not only as a high-profile woman in construction but also in promoting the benefits of advanced building technologies. With a long and illustrious career, more recently in the modular and portable building industry, for over 50 years she has been involved in construction related businesses. Starting her working life at SGB (Scaffolding Great Britain) in the Plant Hire Division, later transferring to SGB Rovacabin (the hire division now part of Wernick Group), Jackie held various positions from Northern Regional Manager to National Operations Manager and everything in between. It was her work involving the product design and development of modular buildings that caught the attention of the Modular and Portable Building Association (MPBA) and in 2005 she was invited to join and take up the position of Chief Executive – a role she still holds today. With a mission to develop a wider understanding of what can be achieved using volumetric modular construction, Jackie gives credit to the public sector. “As an early adopter of modern methods of construction (MMC), councils and local authorities were using volumetric modular technology across all sectors in the 70’s and 80’s particularly to cope with a rapid increase in the need for education buildings as a result of the post war baby boom. This was very much the development ground for MMC – backed by thinking way ahead of its time.” “We cannot yet claim to be ‘mainstream’, but we have seen a dramatic uptake in volumetric modular technology which is now considered as category one in the MMC Frameworks,” said Jackie. “The support for government projects, particularly in healthcare and education, has come from lobbying over the years from the MPBA and our members, to get specification and procurement changes in place. In the wake of more backing from Westminster, we have witnessed an increase in investment and modular construction frameworks across all public sector projects.” Jackie states that as the industry association, the MPBA has a mission to educate and dispel misconceptions and highlights an example. “A few years ago, there was a mistaken belief that a volumetric approach stifles design capabilities. But then new architects came to the fore that not only embraced modern methods of construction but proved without doubt the design potential of modular technology.” Jackie agrees that we have since moved on and most understand the predictability, productivity, quality and safety gains achieved in volumetric manufactured buildings. But when asked if she had any frustrations, Jackie said: “As ever ‘the devil is in the detail’ and there is still an element of confusion particularly in some areas of government and wider trade bodies which is naturally causing some disconcert within the MPBA fraternity. “This is predominately driven by a lack of understanding of the different requirements between the modular commercial and residential sectors. Policy is being dictated by the perceived growth in residential markets and then applied to the mature commercial sector – the pitfalls surrounding this approach are obvious. Then there are the global markets, particularly in the US and EU where construction methods are totally different and we cannot apply the same protocols as the UK, which is a world leader in not only volumetric modular technology but building standards. “The term ‘modern methods of construction’ was reintroduced in 2019 by Communities and Local Government following a specific commitment made in the 2017 white paper fix our broken housing. The MMC Framework that followed as a result was specifically written for large scale housing projects but has been continually implemented across the wider non-domestic sectors where modular construction techniques have matured over several years. There are significant differences in the supply chain, design factors, risk profiles and significantly, terminology used. The MPBA has released a Non-domestic Guide to Modern Methods of Construction Categories to raise awareness.” “Modular construction quite rightly has to conform to Building Regulations, so for example, combustible materials have been banned for use on the external walls of new buildings of at least 18 metres containing one or more dwellings since 2018. To our dismay a brochure promoting a trade body in the building safety arena, has an image of a timber module being craned onto about the tenth storey. Clearly not a UK development, but this lack of attention to detail, particularly by those who are involved in setting the standards, is disappointing to say the least.” After all these years in the industry, Jackie is still totally committed and fiercely passionate about representing the MPBA and its members. But when asked ‘what’s next’ Jackie said: “We need to ensure policy decisions are evidence based for the good of not only the modular industry and the wider construction sector but most importantly to ensure the best outcomes for building owners and occupiers. There is still much work to be done, so I intend to continue on my mission to promote modular for some time to come!” MPBAThe MPBA plays a key role in the connecting of sectors in the modular and portable building industry. The association collaborates with specialist technical advisors to enhance innovation in the design and manufacture of volumetric modular buildings. These can be designed and manufactured from timber or steel in any size and shape to meet individual client needs while ensuring full compliance with building regulations. To discover how volumetric modular technology can benefit construction projects visit: www.mpba.biz Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Southern Construction Framework (SCF), a leading construction procurement framework delivered by the public sector for the public sector in the South of England, has announced the awarded contractors for its 5th generation SCF Construct framework, which includes new £1-5million value lots for the South West region. 20 contractors have been awarded a place on SCF Construct of which 12 are new to the framework. The winning contractors for the £4m+ lots are: South West – BAM Construction, Bouygues UK, Galliford Try Construction, ISG Construction, John Graham Construction, Kier Construction, Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure, Tilbury Douglas, VINCI Construction, Wates Construction, Willmott Dixon Construction South East – Bowmer & Kirkland, Galliford Try Construction, ISG Construction, John Graham Construction, Kier Construction, Mace, Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure, Tilbury Douglas, Willmott Dixon Construction London – Bowmer & Kirkland, Galliford Try Construction, ISG Construction, John Graham Construction, Kier Construction, Mace, Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure, Tilbury Douglas, Willmott Dixon Construction Winners for the £1-5m lots in the South West are: AJC Group, EW Beard, Halsall Construction, Kier Construction, Knights Brown Construction, Mildren Construction, Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure, Nevada Construction, Stepnell, Tilbury Douglas Construction. Created to support public sector construction and development in the region, across all sectors including education, health, local authority, leisure developments, SCF Construct is available to all public bodies in the South East, London and the South West. This latest generation includes additional lots for the South West, between £1m and £5m, which brings local expertise to clients in the region and the potential to access new local supply chains. Winning contractors were put through a robust bidding process for the new generation framework, which will be launched in May 2023. The framework will give public sector organisations access to a full range of public sector construction solutions and includes access to construct-only or design and build, construction, and management services. A commitment to provide a trustworthy, equitable, and ethical vehicle for delivery based on greater transparency and governance underpins the framework. For its 5th generation, SCF has chosen contractors that can demonstrate exemplary carbon benchmarking assessment for all builds and has prioritised carbon retrofit capabilities as part of its industry leading Carbon and Social Value targets. SCF is the market leader in Two Stage Open Book project delivery, under which the framework will operate exclusively. This Government-recommended delivery method is part of an initiative to reform UK construction practices and is unique in the way it brings the contractor, stakeholders and suppliers together at the very start of a construction project. Adam Sanford, SCF Operations Lead, London & South East, said: “It was important for us in approaching this latest SCF Construct bidding process to ensure that it was an open and transparent process to attract the widest set of contractors. As a result, we are delighted to have some new faces working with us, bringing valuable new expertise to our construction schemes.” Kingsley Clarke, SCF Operations Lead, South West said: “Via our new sub £5m lots, we’ve also opened the door to SME contractors in the South West and we’re very much looking forward to working with them and their local supply chains on some innovative schemes in the region.” The new generation SCF Construct complements the current SCF Residential and SCF Consult frameworks which have delivered over £8 billion worth of combined construction schemes in the last 16 years since SCF was first established. For more information on the 5th generation SCF Construct framework go to https://southernconstructionframework.gov.uk/our-frameworks/scf-construct/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals