Plans for a new £20 million leisure centre in Nottinghamshire have been submitted and, if approved, construction work may start in Summer 2020. The concept to build a leisure centre in Bingham has already been approved by Rushcliffe Borough Council. In October 2018, the investigations into the feasibility of a
A Westcountry homebuilder has welcomed its highest number of apprentices to date as part of the firm’s commitment to nurturing up-and-coming talent in the construction industry. “Apprentices are the future of the industry and we believe we should be doing everything we can to encourage young people to consider job-based
KDM Hire has been announced as a Winner in the 2019 Executive Hire Show Passionate Hirer Awards, which took place at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. The company was nominated in the Outstanding Multi-Depot Hire Company category, from no fewer than 750 outlets throughout the UK and Ireland that members
The Preferred Bidder to develop 11,500 homes at Thamesmead Waterfront in London is Lendlease. The firm was selected by housing charity Peabody and it is subject to contracts being finalised. Lendlease will work alongside Peabody in a corporate joint venture to masterplan and deliver the mammoth scheme over the next
Drax, the UK-based power plant, has become the first in the world to capture carbon dioxide from the burning of wood fuel. It has started a demonstration of a new technology that will capture 1 t/day of CO2 from a 100% biomass feedstock. The £400 000 project brings the prospect of
Mace Interiors has been appointed to deliver Woolwich’s new Creative District, which will see a historic military complex transformed into a major cultural destination. Mace’s fit-out will work alongside architect Bennetts Associates and creative consultancy The Chase and Land Design Studio on the project. Phase one of the project has already
PJ Plumbing Heating & Maintenance Ltd benefited from a total floor solution from Gaia, including insulation and screed works, to a new sports facility in Norwich. The sports hall, built at the Hewett Academy, is expected to be used by Jane Austen College, the Hewett Academy, Charles Darwin Primary, and
The world’s largest offshore wind farm off the coast of East Yorkshire has produced clean renewable energy for the first time. Once completed, Hornsea Project One will be almost double the size of the world’s current largest offshore farm. All of the 174 turbine blades for the wind farm are being
Tecom Group has been chosen by the University of Birmingham to build the second phase of its campus in Dubai International Academic City (DIAC). As part of the agreement that the two signed, Tecom will build a new purpose-built 50,000m² campus. Designed by Hopkins Architects, the facilities will be located
A new sustainability director has been appointed by global architecture and design firm Perkins+Will in London. Joining the Lodon office is Asif Din who will lead strategic initiatives for sustainable building across the firm’s practice areas, including urban design, architecture, hospitality, and workplace design. He comes to the company with
Plans for a new £20 million leisure centre in Nottinghamshire have been submitted and, if approved, construction work may start in Summer 2020. The concept to build a leisure centre in Bingham has already been approved by Rushcliffe Borough Council. In October 2018, the investigations into the feasibility of a centre at Chapel Lane, Bingham have started when Gleeds was initially appointed to produce a study into the business case for a mixed leisure and commercial development at the site. The council, after a review of the company’s findings, has opted to go ahead with the reports proposals as part of the delivery of its wider masterplan for the Town. The initial proposal was submitted by CPMG, the architect responsible for the Rushcliffe Arena development in West Bridgford, as part of the study. In addition to the leisure centre, which includes both swimming and fitness space, outline proposals illustrate much-needed community space, 10,000 ft 2 of commercial office and plans to bring an adjacent industrial unit back into use. “Rushcliffe Borough Council is set to deliver a high specification leisure and community facility for residents of Bingham and at Gleeds we are delighted that it has accepted our recommendation to proceed. The planned new facilities perfectly dovetail with the council’s overarching masterplan for the area, which seeks to support healthy lifestyles and complement the continued growth of the town and the local economy,” said Michael Davies, Director of Gleeds in Nottingham.
A Westcountry homebuilder has welcomed its highest number of apprentices to date as part of the firm’s commitment to nurturing up-and-coming talent in the construction industry. “Apprentices are the future of the industry and we believe we should be doing everything we can to encourage young people to consider job-based training as a sound start to their careers,” commented Cavanna Homes’ Managing Director, Keith Miller. “We’re major supporters of apprentices and help subcontractors by funding apprentices so they can pass on their knowledge, which in turn helps us to be confident that the skills we’ll need in the future for housebuilding will be available locally.” Ten apprentices aged between 16 and 23 years of age have joined Cavanna Homes as paid full-time apprentices, the largest intake in the homebuilder’s 95-year history. Aaron Jones, Jesse Acutt, Matt Churchill, Max Dorothy, Jack Walker, Sam Perkins, Joe Darlow, Cameron Quinn, Lewis Duce and Owen Musk are based at Cavanna Homes’ head office in Torquay gaining experience both on-site and in the office. The apprentices will be completing qualifications in a range of specialist sectors including; carpentry, land, technical, commercial, build, electrical, painting and decorating, and plastering. “I am forever grateful to Cavanna Homes for providing me with such an amazing opportunity. They support me day in and day out, which has fuelled my drive even more. I’m surrounded by considerate colleagues who I now call friends and I can honestly say that there is no looking back, only looking forward. My one regret is not signing up to an apprenticeship scheme sooner – it’s the best decision I have ever made and I’m truly lucky,” said Sam Perkins, Land Apprentice at Cavanna Homes. The apprenticeships will be completed over four years which, depending on the scheme, will combine on-site work experience with skilled sub-contractors and attendance at college to gain an NVQ. “We’re increasing the number of apprentices that we support year on year, and we hope to see this number continue to grow in 2019. We strongly believe that providing open career paths within the construction industry will encourage young adults to explore the opportunities available to them,” Keith added. As a regional recruiter, Cavanna Homes takes pride in nurturing and investing in its apprentices to ensure they receive the best skills and experience in their trades to pass onto the next generation, and integral part of Cavanna Homes’ ethos.
KDM Hire has been announced as a Winner in the 2019 Executive Hire Show Passionate Hirer Awards, which took place at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. The company was nominated in the Outstanding Multi-Depot Hire Company category, from no fewer than 750 outlets throughout the UK and Ireland that members of the Show team visited in the lead-up to the annual exhibition for tool and equipment hire professionals, held on 6 and 7 February. Finalists were scrutinised under a broad range of criteria, including presentation and functionality of premises; staff enthusiasm and competence; efficiency in handling enquiries and orders; quality of products and delivery vehicles; and innovation in offering a wide range of equipment and exploring new technological opportunities, following ‘mystery shopper’ visits and calls to their depots. Also part of the criteria were the company’s printed promotional materials and website, alongside its use of social media and supporting local community initiatives. KDM Hire & Sales has a depot in Belfast complementing its head office in Cookstown, which recently added a four-acre facility as a base for its dedicated accommodation and storage division, K-Cabin. The breadth and depth of the KDM hire fleet, the professionalism of all staff, and the company’s commitment to staff training and development were was impressed the Award judges the most. “KDM Hire displays a level of professionalism and commitment throughout its entire business rarely seen in the hire industry. The investment in not only equipment, but also the training of each employee is outstanding. As well as offering an extremely comprehensive fleet, it holds regular board meetings and Health & Safety audits, giving a clear sense of identity and purpose. It plays a role in its local community supporting sports teams and charitable causes,” commented the judges. Having been successful in the Passionate Hirer Awards ten years ago, the business has kept moving forward, with the Awards judges adding that “this company is extremely pro-active in everything it does. With a new dedicated site for its K-Cabin welfare and site accommodation business, there are certainly exciting times ahead for the team at KDM Hire.” KDM Hire was the Winner of the Passionate Hirer Award back in 2009, and the Runner-Up in the Show’s 2016 10/10 Anniversary Awards celebrating the tenth exhibition and recognising the outstanding companies from the previous winners.
The Preferred Bidder to develop 11,500 homes at Thamesmead Waterfront in London is Lendlease. The firm was selected by housing charity Peabody and it is subject to contracts being finalised. Lendlease will work alongside Peabody in a corporate joint venture to masterplan and deliver the mammoth scheme over the next 30 years. The details of the new Joint Venture (JV) vehicle will be finalised by Summer 2019. “As one of London’s largest areas of opportunity to develop new housing and to support business and employment growth, Thamesmead can offer a fresh approach to living in London. Surrounded by water and outstanding wildlife, but within reach of the heart of the capital, we are excited at the opportunity to collaborate with Peabody, the local community and businesses, to bring new high-quality homes and workspaces to this exciting part of south-east London,” commented Dan Labbad, CEO at Lendlease, Europe. The 250-acre site is currently undeveloped and underpopulated, benefiting from 2.5 km of undeveloped river frontage, with an abundance of green space, open grassed and wooded areas, canals, two major lakes and an existing town centre. To transform the area, the scheme includes a new waterfront district of 11,500 new homes, focused around a proposed new DLR station in the heart of the development. Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan instructed TfL in 2017 to carry out detailed work on a DLR crossing connecting east and south-east London. “We are pleased to have selected Lendlease as a development partner for Thamesmead Waterfront. Our shared vision is to create thousands of new homes by the Thames and drive the local economy through new jobs and commercial spaces. With a new DLR river connection complementing the Elizabeth Line on the other side of town, Thamesmead would be more connected to the city than ever before. This would unlock enormous potential and could be a real game-changer for this part of London,” added Peabody Chief Executive Brendan Sarsfield.
Drax, the UK-based power plant, has become the first in the world to capture carbon dioxide from the burning of wood fuel. It has started a demonstration of a new technology that will capture 1 t/day of CO2 from a 100% biomass feedstock. The £400 000 project brings the prospect of a carbon-negative power plant closer to reality, according to Drax. It is the first of several planned bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) projects planned at the site. “Proving that this innovative carbon capture technology works is an exciting development and another important milestone in our BECCS project. Climate change affects us all so this is of real significance – not just for us at Drax, but also for the UK and the rest of the world,” said Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO. “The successful deployment of BECCS requires us to identify ways in which the carbon dioxide we’re now capturing can be stored or used in other processes and we’re working with the government and other businesses on that. We’re focused on working together to make the progress required for us to tackle climate change and enable a zero carbon, lower cost energy future,” Will added. The demonstration started by Drax uses a solvent-based technology developed by UK-based C-Capture. The system started being commissioned by engineers in November 2018. The data that is obtained about the CO2 capture process will continue to be analysed throughout the pilot to fully understand the potential of the technology and how it could be scaled up at Drax. Identifying and developing ways to store and use the carbon dioxide being captured is part of it. “Working at this scale is really where the engineering gets interesting. The challenge now is to get all the information we need to design and build a capture plant 10 000 times bigger,” concluded Caspar Schoolderman, Director of Engineering at C-Capture.
Mace Interiors has been appointed to deliver Woolwich’s new Creative District, which will see a historic military complex transformed into a major cultural destination. Mace’s fit-out will work alongside architect Bennetts Associates and creative consultancy The Chase and Land Design Studio on the project. Phase one of the project has already commenced and it involves the redevelopment of five Grade II listed buildings, the delivery of a 1200-seat venue, three professional studios, two community studios, three professional/educational studios, two reception spaces, public spaces and a café/bar. It is expected to be completed some time during 2020. Woolich Creative District will bring a significant boost to local development, with 400 long-term jobs expected to be created as a result of the work. Mace Interiors will also be supporting the local area, offering a number of construction apprenticeships and graduate placements on the project. “The development of Woolwich Creative District begins a new chapter in this history of Woolwich and will make the town a destination for Londoners and visitors from across the country. Punchdrunk is a truly world class organisation and I’m thrilled that so many internationally renowned artists and companies are making Woolwich their home; cementing its position as a new cultural hub, which will benefit communities across the wider borough. We are absolutely committed to ensuring local people feel the effects of this development by embedding community benefits into leases and contracts across the board,” commented Cllr Danny Thorpe, Leader of Royal Borough of Greenwich. Other important announcements included Punchdrunk as a resident company for the Creative District and the appointment of Valerie Vaughan-Dick as the Chair of the Woolwich Creative District Operating Trust.
PJ Plumbing Heating & Maintenance Ltd benefited from a total floor solution from Gaia, including insulation and screed works, to a new sports facility in Norwich. The sports hall, built at the Hewett Academy, is expected to be used by Jane Austen College, the Hewett Academy, Charles Darwin Primary, and the new Wherry School, an independent specialist free school. “This is a great new facility for both our students and those from Hewett Academy, and a great example of how our schools work together across the Inspiration Trust,” said the head of Jane Austen College David Thomas. The company supplied tamper-proof room thermostats, a popular product in schools and public areas to the new facility. Named after Eileen Ash, a pioneering female test cricketer who lives in Norwich and is now 107 years old, the facility was officially opened in Autumn last year. Since then, the sports hall has been kitted out with new equipment, supporting a range of sports offered at the schools including netball, cricket, trampolining and basketball. “The Hewett Academy already has some of the best sports facilities in the city and we regularly welcome pupils from nearby schools for swimming, hockey and football. This brilliant new centre is a great way to continue that tradition,” commented Academy Principle Rebecca Handley Kirk of Hewett Academy. The system installed was Gaia Wet Underfloor Heating into screed, and placed in the changing facilities and lobby areas. “We worked closely with a trusted screeding contractor to deliver the total package including screed laid to falls in the shower areas. The project was a joy to work on, and there was great communication from PJ Plumbing and the main contractor from start to finish,” concluded Senior Account Manager William Theobald, who oversaw the project for Gaia.
The world’s largest offshore wind farm off the coast of East Yorkshire has produced clean renewable energy for the first time. Once completed, Hornsea Project One will be almost double the size of the world’s current largest offshore farm. All of the 174 turbine blades for the wind farm are being manufactured by Siemens Gamesa at its facility in Hull’s Alexandra Dock. “The UK renewables sector is thriving. Last year we saw the world’s largest wind farm open off the coast of Cumbria, and today it’s joined by an even bigger one starting to produce power for the first time. British innovation is central to our modern Industrial Strategy and our upcoming sector deal will ensure UK offshore wind is a global leader as we transition to a greener, smarter energy future,” said Claire Perry, Energy & Clean Growth Minister. Located 120km off the East Yorkshire coast, Hornsea Project One will consist of 174 Siemens Gamesa turbines. The first turbine blade for the wind farm left Hull on February 5, and was installed just five days later. The wind farm is a joint venture between Ørsted, a global leader in offshore wind, and Global Infrastructure Partners. “Hornsea One is the first of a new generation of offshore power plants that now rival the capacity of traditional fossil fuel power stations. The ability to generate clean electricity offshore at this scale is a globally significant milestone, at a time when urgent action needs to be taken to tackle climate change,” said Matthew Wright, UK managing director at Ørsted. “Ten years ago, the thought of a project of this size was just a dream, but thanks to continued innovation, a determined effort from both the industry and supply chain to drive down costs, and the natural geographical benefits that surround us, the UK has positioned itself as a world-leader in offshore wind. Our company’s vision is a world that runs entirely on green energy, and this flagship project is a significant step on that journey, proving that large-scale renewable energy is not just an idea of the future, it’s here, right now,” Matthew added. So far, 172 out of 174 monopile foundations have been installed at the site, with turbine installation expected to continue until late summer 2019. The electricity generated by the turbines will pass via undersea cables through one of three massive offshore substations, before reaching shore at Horseshoe Point, Lincolnshire. The electricity is then transported via underground cables to the onshore substation in North Killingholme, where it connects to the UK National Grid.
Tecom Group has been chosen by the University of Birmingham to build the second phase of its campus in Dubai International Academic City (DIAC). As part of the agreement that the two signed, Tecom will build a new purpose-built 50,000m² campus. Designed by Hopkins Architects, the facilities will be located opposite the city’s first custom-designed student housing community and provide an academic home for up to 2,900 students. “This innovative and iconic facility has been designed to echo our beautiful and historic Edgbaston campus, whilst providing a flexible, modern setting for our students in Dubai to obtain maximum benefit from our teaching and research expertise,” said University of Birmingham principal and vice-chancellor Professor David Eastwood. Created to encourage collaboration across all academic disciplines, the campus to be built by Tecom will feature flexible learning spaces and formal teaching spaces. It will also feature a student ‘hub’, sheltered courtyards and social spaces, a 300-seat lecture theatre, a similarly sized auditorium, three laboratories to accommodate 200 students, and seminar and tutorial rooms. “The bespoke campus, which is set to be complete in 2021, is a testament to the innovative ecosystem that is needed to meet the demands of the rapidly changing international student landscape. As our vibrant community continues to expand, we are committed to supporting our academic partners and collaborating with top academic institutions in order to fulfil global demand for quality international higher education,” added DIAC and Dubai Knowledge Park managing director Mohammad Abdullah.
A new sustainability director has been appointed by global architecture and design firm Perkins+Will in London. Joining the Lodon office is Asif Din who will lead strategic initiatives for sustainable building across the firm’s practice areas, including urban design, architecture, hospitality, and workplace design. He comes to the company with over 20 years of experience working on a number of PassivHaus and Zero Energy Developments. “As a practising architect and environmental expert, Asif joins Perkins+Will at a time of growing global demand for leadership in sustainable design that looks at the entire lifecycle of a building. We are excited for our sustainability initiatives to have a strong director at their helm. Asif is perfect for the newly created Sustainability Director position, and I look forward to working with him to create designs that are economically and environmentally resilient, built to last, and focus on the occupants’ experience,” said Steven Charlton, managing director of Perkins+Will’s London studio. Asif Din also commented on his appointment: “It is imperative that the architecture profession takes a proactive, not reactive, approach to tackling the realities of climate change through building design. I’m excited to join Perkins+Will to explore the range of sustainability opportunities in the London office, while also engaging with the firm’s breadth of research and expertise at a global level.” This appointment supports the recent announcement by the Mayor of London to make the capital a zero-carbon city and at least 50 per cent green by 2050.