Modern methods of construction (MMC) specialist Rollalong has created a partnership with pioneering regeneration company Be First on a new project in London. The new £6.3 million partnership will see Rollalong design and build 19 modular homes for the London borough of Barking and Dagenham from its 11-acre manufacturing and
‘First fire’ has been achieved at SSE Thermal’s Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 (FM2) project in West Yorkshire – a major milestone ahead of the plant becoming operational later this year. FM2, which entered construction in 2016, is being developed as a joint venture between SSE Thermal and Wheelabrator Technologies at a
The second stage of demolition works has commenced at HS2’s Euston station site in London. The HS2 project will see capacity doubled at Euston station with eleven new high speed platforms. New images released of the site show progress on the two 1970s towers at the front of the station.
The Beech Hill area in Halifax, West Yorkshire, has been successfully cleared to make way for hundreds of new affordable homes. Rhodar completed the demolition of three, 18-storey high rise tower blocks, nine garages and a council depot as part of the development project. The 40-week project saw the recycling
Construction work has commenced on a £7 million school expansion in Great Yarmouth. A new two-storey school with room for 420 places will be built for North Denes Primary School. This forms part of a £169 million county-wide investment to create thousands of new school places in Norfolk. “We are
A recent government report supporting the use of advanced asphalt technology on UK roads has been backed by a major industry player. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Highways released a report calling for the widespread adoption of warm mix asphalt (WMA), which despite its environmental, safety and performance benefits
Balfour Beatty Living Places has secured a prize at this year’s Public Service Excellence awards. The firm along with partner Southampton City Council won the Best Public / Private Partnership Working Initiative award at the annual event. These awards recognise the very best in local government frontline services across the
The UK government has announced the next round of renewable energy projects under the flagship Contracts for Difference scheme. The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme is the government’s primary method of supporting low-carbon electricity. It encourages investment in renewables by providing projects with a stable income while protecting consumers from
It appears that there is a bewildering gap between the supply and demand of retirement housing. Research by property consultants Bidwells shows there is a current demand for 30,000 new rental retirement homes but only 2,000 have been built. The number for sale is marginally better with a requirement for
The Chartered Institute of Building has announced the 2019 Construction Manager of the Year. Sir Robert McAlpine manager Joseph McNeil beat off competition from 79 other finalists to claim the award. Mr McNeil secured the award for his first project as lead, working on complex refurbishment work at 120 Oxford
Modern methods of construction (MMC) specialist Rollalong has created a partnership with pioneering regeneration company Be First on a new project in London. The new £6.3 million partnership will see Rollalong design and build 19 modular homes for the London borough of Barking and Dagenham from its 11-acre manufacturing and head office site in Dorset. “We are proud to have been awarded the design and build of two modular apartment blocks in partnership with Be First. These builds will provide a range of high-quality, affordable housing for people in Barking and Dagenham,” said the Managing Director of Rollalong, Steve Chivers. “There is a shortage of housing in the borough and with traditional methods of home building taking up to two years, our modular alternatives offer a real opportunity to start to address the shortfall in approximately half the time.” The two developments of spacious and energy-efficient homes will include a three-storey apartment block featuring six individual apartments at Mellish Close and a four-storey apartment block that will house 13 individual apartments on Sugden Way. With production of the homes already under way at Rollalong’s Dorset factory and site works, Sugden Way is scheduled to reach completion early next year. Meanwhile, site works are due to start at Mellish Close in November and are expected to be completed in the middle of next year. “Our goal is to speed up regeneration by creating great places and building successful communities. We are not just about bricks and mortar, we’re about making our borough an attractive and vibrant place to live, work and play,” added Iain Ferguson, Commercial Director at Be First.
‘First fire’ has been achieved at SSE Thermal’s Ferrybridge Multifuel 2 (FM2) project in West Yorkshire – a major milestone ahead of the plant becoming operational later this year. FM2, which entered construction in 2016, is being developed as a joint venture between SSE Thermal and Wheelabrator Technologies at a total cost of £325 million. When completed, the facility will have a generation capacity of 70MW, converting waste-derived fuel into enough electricity to power around 180,000 homes. In doing so, it will help divert an estimated 570,000 tonnes of waste from landfill annually. The project is located next to SSE’s existing FM1 facility and adjacent to the company’s decommissioned coal-fired Ferrybridge ‘C’ Power Station. “We’re delighted to have reached ‘first fire’ at FM2, which is one of the last big milestones before the plant becomes operational. This achievement is the culmination of three years of hard work and I want to say a big thank you to our lead contractor Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI), and the entire project team, for getting to this point safely and on schedule,” said Stephen Davis, Head of Construction (Multifuel) for SSE Thermal, about the milestone. At peak construction over 900 people were working on the FM2 project, and 34 full-time roles are expected to be created once the plant becomes fully operational. SSE’s thermal plants provide important and complementary flexible electricity generation to support increasing renewable power across GB.
The second stage of demolition works has commenced at HS2’s Euston station site in London. The HS2 project will see capacity doubled at Euston station with eleven new high speed platforms. New images released of the site show progress on the two 1970s towers at the front of the station. Four floors have already been removed from the office blocks. HS2’s early works contractor, a Costain and Skanska joint venture (CSjv), working with demolition sub-contractor McGee have wrapped the towers in an acoustic wrap designed to limit dust and noise. They have also stripped out the interiors leaving just the shell of the buildings. This progress has been reached over the last seven months. “HS2 has the potential to transform Euston, more than doubling the number of seats out of the station during peak hours, freeing up more space for commuter services and improving links to the London Underground. The complex demolition of these two towers will be a turning point for Euston – the first major change to the skyline for almost fifty years,” said Euston Programme Director Rob Carr. This next stage sees the team carefully lifting excavators equipped with pneumatic breakers and hydraulic munchers to the top of the towers, where, 60m up in the air, they have begun gradually breaking up the structure of the building. Material from the building is then lowered by crane, or dropped down the former lift shafts in the centre of the building to limit disturbance caused by dust and noise. The work has been made more complex by the discovery of a huge 2.8m thick heavily reinforced concrete pedestal supporting the weight of One Euston Square. Over the next year, the two towers are set to be reduced to just over 28,000 tonnes of crushed concrete, with the material stored on site ready to be reused during the construction of HS2’s London terminus. In total, 98% of the structure is expected to recycled. The 40m and 60m towers are expected to get down to first floor level by January 2020.
The Beech Hill area in Halifax, West Yorkshire, has been successfully cleared to make way for hundreds of new affordable homes. Rhodar completed the demolition of three, 18-storey high rise tower blocks, nine garages and a council depot as part of the development project. The 40-week project saw the recycling of 150,000 tonnes of brick rubble, 700 tonnes of metal waste, 210 tonnes of general waste and 140 tonnes of hard core. Over 100 operatives were on site during key phases, with one of the UK’s largest excavators – a 120 tonne, 54m super high-reach excavator – used to demolish the flats from the top down. This will help drive forward the regeneration plans for Beech Hill from the Calderdale Together Investment Partnership, a partnership between Together Housing and Calderdale Council. The new homes will be delivered on site over the next five years. This project has received £2.2 million investment from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), delivered in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, through the Leeds City Region Growth Deal – a £1 billion package of Government investment to accelerate growth and create jobs across Leeds City Region.
Construction work has commenced on a £7 million school expansion in Great Yarmouth. A new two-storey school with room for 420 places will be built for North Denes Primary School. This forms part of a £169 million county-wide investment to create thousands of new school places in Norfolk. “We are delighted to have started work on North Denes Primary School, which will help to provide pupils with the chance to access a high level of education that will help them throughout their educational journey,” said John Stedman, framework manager at Morgan Sindall Construction in the East. “Fostering strong links with project neighbours and the wider community is incredibly important to the team, and where possible, we will be sourcing labour and materials from Great Yarmouth, helping to ensure social, economic and environmental benefits are seen by the community. “Morgan Sindall Construction has long standing expertise in building first-class educational facilities, and we look forward to furthering our long-standing collaborative relationship with Norfolk County Council and NPS.” Contractor Morgan Sindall was joined by the headteacher and pupils of the school to mark the major milestone. “I am absolutely delighted to have reached this stage. After all the planning and consultation that has gone before, it is exciting to begin to see our new school start to take shape. The children in Great Yarmouth deserve to have a state-of-the-art school in which to learn – both those here now and future generations to come. We can’t wait to move in next year and open a new chapter for education locally,” added Headteacher Debbie Whiting. The school will feature photovoltaic panels on the roof, drawing on passive environment design principals to create a naturally ventilated, energy efficient, environmentally friendly building. Classes will continue in the current school building while works on the project progress, with the team implementing processes such as traffic management systems and noise reduction during exams in order to minimise disruption to the school users and neighbours. The new school is expected to be complete in time for the 2020 academic year.
A recent government report supporting the use of advanced asphalt technology on UK roads has been backed by a major industry player. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Highways released a report calling for the widespread adoption of warm mix asphalt (WMA), which despite its environmental, safety and performance benefits accounts for just 4% of asphalt production in Britain. The figure is significantly lower than other developed nations including the US, where 40% of asphalt is warm mix, and France, where it stands at 15%. As it is laid at lower temperatures than traditional asphalt, WMA uses less energy and cools to usable temperatures faster – reducing the length of time roadworks are in operation and cutting CO2 emissions by up to 15%. As a result, this not only improves productivity for contractors but tackles congestion by ensuring traffic flows more smoothly. Throwing its support behind the recommendation, Aggregate Industries has also called on decision makers to take a more holistic approach to sustainability. Bob Allen, Head of Research & Development and Technical Services at Aggregate Industries, said: “Under the Construction Sector Deal, the UK has ambitious targets to halve emissions in the built environment by 2025, and the pressure on the road construction industry to become more environmentally friendly is now greater than ever before. “As such, local authorities, highways agencies and other contractors must take action now, firstly by taking heed of the APPG’s report. It estimates that if all asphalt production in Britain were switched to warm mix, it would save at least 61,000 tonnes of CO2 each year – the equivalent of almost 300 million car journeys. “However, with the report citing red tape and a reluctance to try new ideas as key barriers to WMA adoption, it’s more than just about materials. Clearly then, as an industry we still have a huge job to do in incorporating sustainability into all aspects of road construction including investment in cleaner automated road surfacing machinery and greener waste management practices.” He added: “The good news is that when it comes to finding a more eco-friendly alternative – in many cases, there’s no need to wait for a ‘silver bullet’ solution as many of the products, practices and technology are already available. It’s just a case of making the most of the latest innovations. After all, with the government’s recent pledge to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, if we are to successfully transition to a low carbon society, we will all need to do ‘our bit’.”
Balfour Beatty Living Places has secured a prize at this year’s Public Service Excellence awards. The firm along with partner Southampton City Council won the Best Public / Private Partnership Working Initiative award at the annual event. These awards recognise the very best in local government frontline services across the UK and provide an opportunity for best practice to be shared with other local authorities and organisations. “We are delighted to have received the Best Public / Private Partnership Working Initiative award for our considerable efforts to deliver a digitally focused Highways service for Southampton City Council. The award is testament to our commitment to driving innovation and embedding new practices across our business and also to our people who work tirelessly to provide an exemplary service for our customers,” said Brian Hammersley, Contract Director, Balfour Beatty Living Places. Balfour Beatty Living Places was awarded a five-year Highways Services Partnership contract extension by Southampton City Council in 2017 following a history of good performance and collaborative working with the local authority. The extension further builds on the 10-year contract which commenced in October 2010, extending it until the end of September 2025. The firm’s digitally focused approach led the team to success; identifying, trialling and implementing systems and technological innovations such as 3D laser scanning and BIM to support and enhance the delivery of its Highways service. The ‘Digital by Design’ initiative has been implemented across its Southampton City Council Highways Services Partnership contract, resulting in improved customer satisfaction, enhanced quality and accessibility of information while also delivering significant cost efficiencies. “It was fantastic to accept the award for Best Public/Private Partnership Working Initiative on behalf of our highways team. This is well earned recognition of the hard work that staff at both Southampton City Council and Balfour Beatty put in every day to deliver for our residents,” added Cllr Jacqui Rayment, Cabinet Member for Transport & Place at Southampton City Council.
The UK government has announced the next round of renewable energy projects under the flagship Contracts for Difference scheme. The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme is the government’s primary method of supporting low-carbon electricity. It encourages investment in renewables by providing projects with a stable income while protecting consumers from paying increased support costs when electricity prices are high. “The UK is leading the way in the fight against climate change, and it’s great news that millions more homes will be powered by clean energy at record low prices. Seizing the opportunities of clean energy not only helps to protect our planet, but will also back businesses and boost jobs across the UK,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Twelve new renewable energy projects have been unveiled, which are set to provide power for over seven million homes at record low prices. They will provide around 6GW of capacity – 2.4GW more than the last round. The costs of offshore wind are now around 30% lower than the second auction held in 2017, with projects now being delivered for as low as £39.65/MWh. These improvements are part of the government’s work to reach net zero emissions by 2050. “Offshore wind is a British success story, with new projects at record low prices creating new opportunities for jobs and economic growth as we leave the EU. The support we’re announcing today will mean that over 7 million more homes will be powered by renewable energy as we decarbonise our energy system – crucial as we continue on the road to net zero emissions by 2050,” added Energy and Clean Growth Minister Kwasi Kwarteng.
It appears that there is a bewildering gap between the supply and demand of retirement housing. Research by property consultants Bidwells shows there is a current demand for 30,000 new rental retirement homes but only 2,000 have been built. The number for sale is marginally better with a requirement for 30,000 and have built 8,000. As attitudes towards senior and retirement living are changing, Mike Derbyshire, Head of Planning at Bidwells goes into some of the reasons why it is time to bring policy agenda for senior living housing, out of retirement: Changing attitudes to senior housing Landowners and land promoters are now taking a keen interest in this market and having to recognise the Oliver Letwin report whilst also acknowledging the desire of Lasting power of attorney (LPAs) to speed up delivery. Previously, local authorities have been single issue entities. Most of the discussions within any authority in the South East are about the quantum of affordable housing and how much social rent can be provided. Everything else is simply lip service. The need for more senior living is undeniable but is mainly ignored along with the myriad of benefits that would follow. Retirement living leads to revitalising town centres One reason to provide more retirement living is that it can lead to the revitalisation of town centres and provide new and wonderful opportunities for policy makers that actively encourage senior living in town centres. These include accessibility to services, public transport and leisure – all of which are the key motivators for downsizers. Following the event, the government issued what was headlined as a significant update to the NPPF housing for older and disabled people. However, the update, which was nothing more than a generic list not fit to solve a growing healthcare crisis, left LPAs with the decision of whether to provide provision or not. One of the key issues relates to suitable housing and care. This is one of the greatest challenges the UK will face over the coming years and has been the subject of multiple studies and a recent Select Committee report. At present only a fraction of older households live in senior housing despite research finding far more people are interested in such options than actually live in them. This is an issue for the individuals involved, their families and capacity in the wider housing market. There are no short term fixes and the unfolding position will require we engage with alternative housing and lifestyles personally, but more importantly will demand change in fiscal structures and institutional initiative to drive new financing models for the future. According to the research, there are currently 12 million people over 65 in the UK with accelerating growth in these numbers over the coming years as healthcare advances progress. Official population forecasts suggest that there could be another 8.6 million by 2066, with more people living well into their 90s or beyond. Nearly 75% of the over 65s in the UK are homeowners and therefore any intervention to support the senior housing sector needs to tackle the issues facing this growing cohort of the population. The need for radical solutions for an emerging senior housing crisis is critical. The forecasts estimated the number of senior household (65+) over the coming 25 years will be equivalent to the household base of Inner London. Over the same period there will be an estimated five-fold increase in owner occupied specialised housing senior housing demand. This clearly presents opportunities for the senior developer and care sector but will depend on a fit for purpose fiscal and investment backdrop.
The Chartered Institute of Building has announced the 2019 Construction Manager of the Year. Sir Robert McAlpine manager Joseph McNeil beat off competition from 79 other finalists to claim the award. Mr McNeil secured the award for his first project as lead, working on complex refurbishment work at 120 Oxford Street, London. Sir Robert McAlpine was offered this job following the failure, two weeks after site start, of the more competitively priced contractor that had originally won the tender. Joseph McNeil took on his first role as project manager without any prior knowledge of the scheme and with the lower storeys of the building already vacated, the hoardings up and the client keen to get the works restarted as fast as possible. Joseph quickly mobilised his team and got the early works packages moving. Even more importantly, he challenged the demolition methodology of diamond-saw cutting without percussive breaking. His successful proposal to use hydraulic crunching instead achieved substantial programme and cost benefits, as well as disruption-minimising low levels of noise, and allowed a contract agreement to be finalised. He overcame the substantial challenge of managing an incoming tenant’s requirements that conflicted with the specification for the screeding. His proposal of a mix of repair works, levelling compounds and new screeds represented a significant saving on the tenant’s original request for the removal and replacement of all existing screeds. It also accelerated the programme, allowing for an earlier unit completion and tenant occupation date. By working closely with his supply chain, Joseph was also able to offer improvements on the design team’s proposals. The most significant was for the reconfiguration of the building’s main power supplies to feed the new retail units: by re-using some elements of the existing low-voltage infrastructure, he reduced the scope of the new works and saved costs. The direct benefit the power solution brought the client was a relationship of trust and this was one of the principal drivers for the extensive contract growth on the project. Combined with defect and snag-free delivery on time and on budget, it has also resulted in Joseph’s appointment as leader of a team to deliver further opportunities for the client. Stephen Bradbury MCIOB, one of the judges for the refurbishment category, said: “This was Joseph’s first project as the lead. He delivered with passion and took ownership from the start on a tricky scheme in a difficult location. Joseph demonstrated a maturity of thought and decision making beyond his age or experience. This project had many opportunities to go wrong, but the detailed and methodical approach taken by Joseph made sure this was a success – and he delivered to such a high standard that Joseph has subsequently negotiated another project with the same client.” On winning the Construction Manager of the Year award, Joseph McNeil said: “It’s amazing. Now I’m going to be on the Wall of Fame in the corridor next year! I want to thank my team and I want to add that the ladies on my table were instrumental in the success of my project; certainly, three of the most influential people on my work are present and I want to thank them.” The award was presented at a ceremony in London last night, 18 September.