A new student accommodation development is due to arrive in Leeds as construction work commences on the site after funding is provided. The Refinery scheme progressed after local developer Gregory Property Group announced forward funding from Curlew. “We are pleased to have secured funding for an immediate start on site.
Members of the construction industry benefit now from a newly launched app that offers practical advice on how to manage a range of protected species commonly encountered on construction sites. The Working with Wildlife app includes information on species like badgers, bats, birds, dormice, great crested newts, otters, reptiles and
A new tailored health and wellbeing programme will be incorporated by Caddick Construction, benefiting a total of 140 employees. The firm agreed a partnership with health and wellness provider – hero, which will deliver the programme. “Our employees are our greatest asset and we want to ensure they feel valued
Kier Property has acquired part of a major regeneration scheme in Birmingham, which allows the project to finally move forward. The development division of Kier Group purchased Arena Central from Miller Developments in a deal that will see three further phases of the site’s existing masterplan to be delivered. “We
The City Ground stadium redevelopment is moving forward, with Nottingham Forest soon being able to increase its capacity to 38,000. Following extensive discussion with the local council, the club reached an agreement to extend the lease on the ground. The project includes the development of a new, world-class Peter Taylor Stand,
The Sunday Times has listed Wilmott Dixon as one of the top companies to work for, leading the way in employee satisfaction in its industry. Situated on the fourth position in the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to work for list, the company is the highest of any construction firm.
Essex is due to see the arrival of 5,000 new homes delivered by Grosvenor Britain & Ireland. The property group announced plans to deliver a new distinctive community on a 1,160 acre site east of the city after securing a new partnership with landowner Hammonds Estates LLP. “This new partnership
A new research undertaken by the team at www.MyJobQuote.co.uk as part of an ongoing study into apprenticeships ahead of National Apprenticeship Week has revealed that 64% of Britons felt pressured to go to university by teachers whilst they were at school, and a further 41% felt pressured by their parents. More than
A report called ‘Prefabricated Volumetric Building Systems Market Report – UK 2018-2022’ has unveiled an increased demand for portable buildings. Since 2016, where there was an evident dip in market value (possibly due to the EU referendum), the demand has shown a significant improvement with a 6% increase in 2017.
David Kenkinson has been appointed by the British housebuilder Persimmon as the company’s new Chief Executive (CEO). He has been serving as the group’s interim CEO since late last year and now he will take over the role with immediate effect. “Persimmon is a great company with a bright future and
A new student accommodation development is due to arrive in Leeds as construction work commences on the site after funding is provided. The Refinery scheme progressed after local developer Gregory Property Group announced forward funding from Curlew. “We are pleased to have secured funding for an immediate start on site. The scheme’s design is impressive, delivering high quality accommodation for Leeds students in a prime location that connects student life to the vibrant city centre in a matter of minutes,” said Barry Gregory, Chairman of Gregory Property Group. The development is worth more than £30 million and it will include 407 beds comprising studios and bedroom clusters with terrace and garden features, along with share social hubs, a cinema, gym, games room, concierge and state-of-the-art 24-hour security. “Leeds remains a top ten university destination in the UK and with a growing student population of around 60,000 students the city needs more homes. We expect to complete the development in time for occupation from the September 2020 University term and Fresh Student Living will be managing that occupation on behalf of Curlew,” added Barry. The nine, 10 and 11-storey scheme on Bingley Street was designed by AHR Architects. Planning permission was granted for the project in November 2018, with GMI Construction Group securing a £21.5 million contract to build the development.
Members of the construction industry benefit now from a newly launched app that offers practical advice on how to manage a range of protected species commonly encountered on construction sites. The Working with Wildlife app includes information on species like badgers, bats, birds, dormice, great crested newts, otters, reptiles and water voles. Moreover, the app also details information on how to recognise these species and what signs to look for on site, allowing decisions to be made on whether works can continue or whether they need to stop whilst further advice is sought. As well as species information, it also contains an introduction to the key aspects of current legislation, a gallery of photographs to help identify species, signs of their presence and habitats, a glossary of some of the terms used, plus references and further reading. “The adaptation of the Working With Wildlife guidance into app form enables construction companies to easily share our guidance and puts it directly into the hands of their on-site employees. This will be invaluable in helping developers meet legislation requirements and encourage an understanding of the issues around wildlife conservation that their projects may come up against,” said John Newton, Founder and Strategic Advisor, Ecology Consultancy. The app was introduced by CIRIA and The Ecology Consultancy in order to allow contractors and construction workers to easily access key information about species on the go. “This new resource further enhances CIRIA’s commitment to champion biodiversity in the built environment. Alongside the BIG Biodiversity Challenge and Awards, we hope that this app will enable construction professionals to ensure that industry can be even more widely proactive in ensuring the future of our endangered species,” added Leanne Clowting, Executive Director, CIRIA. Working with Wildlife is available for free on the Apple App Store and the Google Play store.
A new tailored health and wellbeing programme will be incorporated by Caddick Construction, benefiting a total of 140 employees. The firm agreed a partnership with health and wellness provider – hero, which will deliver the programme. “Our employees are our greatest asset and we want to ensure they feel valued and supported. We are thrilled to be leading the way when it comes to mental resilience and wellbeing in the workplace – issues which should not and cannot be ignored. As employers we take our responsibility to our team members seriously and want to support them in as many ways possible to ensure they are both healthy and happy inside and outside of work,” said Caddick Construction Managing Director Andrew Murray. “The hero team impressed us with the depth and level of support they provide behind the scenes. I’m confident this project will deliver tangible results for our staff that will enhance and improve the health and wellbeing our employees, whether office based or on site,” Andrew added. The programme will cover both mental and physical health and includes one-to-one health checks and screenings, wellbeing training for all direct line managers, mental health first aid training and ongoing workshops throughout 2019. This comes as current statistics show one in six construction workers in the UK is experiencing depression, anxiety or stress. “It’s always rewarding to see businesses waking up to the fact they play a large and important part in the health and wellbeing of their team. It’s great to see Caddick Construction leading the way and championing wellness at work in such a bold and committed manner. The ‘Mindset’ programme of events have been purposely designed to offer comprehensive screenings and health checks that cover everything from blood pressure to cholesterol and blood tests too,” commented Joe Gaunt, CEO of hero. “We have been working with Caddick to understand the current ‘state of the workforce’ enabling us to create a bespoke programme, which will deliver results and have immediate and long-term effects. The hero Discovery Report demonstrated clear indicators of specific support around what the Caddick team wanted to see. And, as a result, we were able to design a bespoke and tailored programme perfect for Caddick employees,” Joe concluded.
Kier Property has acquired part of a major regeneration scheme in Birmingham, which allows the project to finally move forward. The development division of Kier Group purchased Arena Central from Miller Developments in a deal that will see three further phases of the site’s existing masterplan to be delivered. “We are delighted to announce the purchase of this significant 9.2 acre development opportunity at Arena Central. This acquisition will substantially increase our activities in the West Midlands and will enable Kier to continue the development of the area as a place where people will want to work, shop and socialise in Birmingham,” commented Tom Gilman, managing director for Kier Property North. Kier Property will be in charge of delivering 3 Arena Central, as well as the development of three office buildings, totalling 526,009 sq ft. The 5 Centenary Square, 4 Arena Central and 5 Arena Central buildings will be phased over the next five-seven years. “Having been involved in the project for a number of years, Arena Central is now firmly established as one of Birmingham’s prime office locations, and we’re delighted to hand the baton to an organisation of Kier Property’s calibre for delivery of the remaining phases,” added Andrew Sutherland, Miller Developments. This scheme is part of a major redevelopment of 10 buildings consisting of offices, shops, bars, cafes, restaurants and a hotel through to Q4 2026.
The City Ground stadium redevelopment is moving forward, with Nottingham Forest soon being able to increase its capacity to 38,000. Following extensive discussion with the local council, the club reached an agreement to extend the lease on the ground. The project includes the development of a new, world-class Peter Taylor Stand, housing facilities such as a museum, a new club shop, range of hospitality lounge options and restaurants and executive boxes. More space will also be created for general-admission supporters as well as improved facilities for supporters with disabilities and a substantial increase in wheelchair spaces. “I would like to thank Councillors Jon Collins and Simon Robinson and all the representatives of both the City and Rushcliffe Borough councils for their co-operation and engagement in this project. The City Ground has iconic history and memories for our supporters and these legacies were fundamental in our decision us to remain on the banks of the River Trent and not relocating to an alternative site. This is our home and we will remain here forever,” commented Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis. Helping the club deliver this project are Architects Benoy, who will now enter a period of consultation and engagement with the relevant supporter groups before making the necessary planning application. “We want our supporters to play an important role in the decision-making of the club. Our intention is to now consult with our supporters and the wider Nottingham public to gain your views before making a formal planning application. I encourage you all to participate. This investment is about our club and the city of Nottingham and we are all committed together to deliver a place that we will all feel proud of, The New City Ground, our home forever,” Nottingham Forest owner added. Construction work is expected to begin at the end of the 2019/20 season.
The Sunday Times has listed Wilmott Dixon as one of the top companies to work for, leading the way in employee satisfaction in its industry. Situated on the fourth position in the Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies to work for list, the company is the highest of any construction firm. Employee feedback showed an 87% positive score, meaning that “employees have no wish to leave this family-run outfit”. Further results showed Willmott Dixon people value the chance to learn and grow with the company, which has a training programme with over 50 modules for personal growth, plus a personal learning fund of £750 for its people to learn a new skill. Best Companies, which runs national awards to highlight the UK’s best places to work, said Willmott Dixon gained the highest score of all 100 companies in three areas. It said: “Chief executive Rick Willmott is the fifth generation of his family to lead the firm. Of its 1,693 employees at 100 UK sites, 330 have worked for the business for 10 years or more. Loyalty is rewarded with a learning fund of £750 per head so workers can try something new, such as learning a language or taking singing lessons. These initiatives contribute to the firm winning our special award for Discovering Potential. People value the opportunities to learn and grow (75%, first), which may help to explain its industry-leading 6% staff turnover rate. “Giving Something Back is another of this enterprise’s strengths (85%, first on this factor), reflecting the firm’s ‘purpose before profit’ philosophy since it began trading in 1852. The Willmott Dixon Foundation, set up in 2011, has distributed £286,058 to good causes in the past year and the business aims to leave a positive legacy in the communities it touches. One recent project, completed in December, was the refurbishment of the east wing theatre at Alexandra Palace, north London, a grade II listed venue unused for 80 years.”
Essex is due to see the arrival of 5,000 new homes delivered by Grosvenor Britain & Ireland. The property group announced plans to deliver a new distinctive community on a 1,160 acre site east of the city after securing a new partnership with landowner Hammonds Estates LLP. “This new partnership exemplifies our target model for our Strategic Land business. Working with Hammonds Estates LLP – as with our existing partners on our other schemes – we will focus both on delivering new homes at pace, and creating exceptional communities that create a positive legacy for residents and landowners alike,” commented Alex Robinson, Director of Development, Strategic Land, Grosvenor Britain & Ireland. “This requires a considered approach and a long-term view. It means deploying capital patiently to unlock development through up-front investment in infrastructure and placemaking, as well as maintaining careful stewardship over the design and management of new communities as they grow,” he added. The scheme will feature a mix of residential tenures set within a high-quality environment supported by amenities and community facilities such as education, leisure and health spaces. The masterplan seeks to enable social mobility and better life outcomes through high quality design, placemaking innovations and long-term stewardship. “Our vision is to establish a different model for development. Working with Grosvenor, we want to challenge and innovate – shaping a sustainable and inclusive new community which goes beyond just delivering new homes, but which offers inspiration and opportunities not available elsewhere for all sections of the community that live and work there,” said Matthew Lynwood, Development Manager at Hammonds Estates LLP.
A new research undertaken by the team at www.MyJobQuote.co.uk as part of an ongoing study into apprenticeships ahead of National Apprenticeship Week has revealed that 64% of Britons felt pressured to go to university by teachers whilst they were at school, and a further 41% felt pressured by their parents. More than half of Britons felt that they weren’t given the full range of options in the lead up to leaving school, yet over three quarters of those that had undertaken apprenticeships felt that they made the right choice. 2,846 people over the age of 18 were polled, 1,403 of which stated that they had gone on to complete an apprenticeship. Of the 1,443 respondents who didn’t do an apprenticeship, 30% revealed that they had been to, or were currently at, university. Of those that didn’t attend university, the most popular reasons for not doing so were ‘I was put off by the cost’ (32%), ‘I didn’t need to for the job I wanted’ (23%) and ‘I wanted to start earning money straight after school’ (21%). Initially it was found that as many as two thirds of Britons (64%) felt pressured by teachers to go to university whilst they were at school, and a further 41% said that they felt the same pressure from their parents. When questioned on their options whilst at school, it was found that the majority of Britons felt that they weren’t told what their full range of options were for when they left school (53%). In order to find out more about the experiences of the apprentices, those that had done an apprenticeship were asked a series of questions. It was found that 22% of these had dropped out of sixth form or college to undertake an apprenticeship. When asked about their choice to undertake an apprenticeship, over three quarters of respondents (77%) said that they felt that they made the right decision. Interestingly, 17% of those that had finished an apprenticeship said that they were no longer in same profession they had undertaken their apprenticeship in and a further 11% of these had changed to a different trade and been accepted on to another course. “Apprenticeships are a great way to get into a trade and learn the craft, and are a really good option for school leavers. There still seems to be a lack of information and teaching on why apprenticeships are the right option for many and a genuine alternative for going to university. Apprenticeships have received a great deal more attention recently, but more still needs to be done to teach school children about their potential options,” commented on the findings of the study Lisa Evans, spokesperson for www.MyJobQuote.co.uk.
A report called ‘Prefabricated Volumetric Building Systems Market Report – UK 2018-2022’ has unveiled an increased demand for portable buildings. Since 2016, where there was an evident dip in market value (possibly due to the EU referendum), the demand has shown a significant improvement with a 6% increase in 2017. This market value includes factory made, fully assembled, three-dimensional modules. Due to an increased demand for onsite accommodation on major infrastructure projects, such as The Thameslink Railway Construction Programme, volumetric construction has grown. It is also partly down to a spike in demand in other sectors such as portable offices and the education sector seeing request for flexibility and affordability. Temporary Accommodation The biggest market for portable buildings seems to be temporary accommodation on industrial sites and construction, including event hire. Education and healthcare are also key areas of use. The uses for these structures vary, with operating theatres and wards being the largest temporary application in the healthcare sector. In the education sector, modular structures are widely used as semi-permanent portable buildings for school classrooms, and in many cases, these buildings end up being permanent solutions. Major, permanent builds include blocks for sixth forms, specialist subject blocks, whole nurseries and extra sports facilitates for storage and more. House-building and Construction Many established construction and house-building companies have begun to adapt their semi-permanent work structures into off-site housing in recent years. With many big ‘players’ in the industry getting on board, it’s not hard to see the emerging trend. Well known names such as Berkeley Homes and Barratt homes, to name just two, are new market entrants amongst others. Over the next few years there are numerous factors that are likely to underpin steady growth in this sector. These include an increase in the number of public sector procurement frameworks – several which are specific to off-site construction, as well as the increased use of BIM (Building Information Modelling). More importantly there is now a strong likelihood of growth in the use of off-site construction methods and portable buildings to help meet the chronic housing shortage. It may be a viable solution in dealing with the lack of traditional construction skills within the industry. Off-site Manufacturing Techniques In the Housing White Paper of 2017, the government supported the use of off-site manufacturing techniques. This meant they backed the main benefits of high-quality, reliability, productivity, energy efficiency and required fewer people on site. The £2 billion Accelerated Construction Programme and the £3 billion Home Building Fund both supported this opinion. This includes those using modular construction and portable buildings. A higher demand for site accommodation on major infrastructure projects is most likely to be sustained through 2022 and beyond. Due to the implementation of the government’s Roads Investment Strategy and the continuation of Smart Motorways amongst other new developments, the need for portable buildings to be used as offices is forecast to grow at a rate of 3-5% per year. It wouldn’t be surprising that this growth is likely to continue with further innovations and plans. Excel Modular Buildings has more than 40 years of experience in the supply of Modular Buildings, Portable Cabins, Anti-vandal Units and Containers.
David Kenkinson has been appointed by the British housebuilder Persimmon as the company’s new Chief Executive (CEO). He has been serving as the group’s interim CEO since late last year and now he will take over the role with immediate effect. “Persimmon is a great company with a bright future and I am honoured to have been asked to lead it. My priorities will be to maintain the strong operational and financial momentum of the business, to develop further our customer care operations and to bring a greater focus to our wider responsibilities as a leading UK house builder. We have a strong and committed team and I look forward to continuing to work with all my colleagues to deliver the high quality, attractively priced homes that the UK needs,” commented David Jenkinson on his appointment. For over 22 years David has been part of the company, assuming roles like Group Managing Director and serving on Persimmon’s board for over five years. Over this time he has held particular responsibility for land purchase. “After a thorough search, both within the housebuilding sector and more widely, it was clear to the Board that Dave was the best candidate for the role. Since his appointment as interim CEO last year Dave has shown both strong leadership in maintaining the Company’s track record of operational excellence but also that he is listening carefully to the views of all our stakeholders. Persimmon remains committed to its goal of being the leading volume builder of good value, traditional family homes throughout the UK,” said Roger Devlin, Persimmon’s Chairman.