Barratt Homes, one of Scotland’s largest house builders, is supporting its plans for future growth with a number of promotions and new appointment in its senior management team. “This year we are planning to deliver more high quality homes for customers across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife than we’ve done
Caddick Construction has been appointed by Williams Group for the development of its £41 million flagship Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and Mini Automotive Retail Centre near Manchester Trafford Centre. The construction work is underway and the project will include a three-storey BMW showroom, two-storey Jaguar Land Rover showroom and a
A site in Gateshead will welcome both modular homes and traditionally built houses; therefore potential buyers have the possibility to compare the quality of both methods. Gateshead Innovation Village is a live research project led by housing provider Home Group, which will see a range of houses designs take shape
The former hall of residence, Thwaite Hall, situated on the corner of Thwaite Street and New Village Road in Cottingham, will be put on the market by the University of Hull. The over 200-years-old property was closed as a hall of residence in August 2017 because of changes in students’
Nina Bressington decided to change the outside appearance of her property in Bristol, which had a red brick exterior like many ex-local authority houses. She chose an Andura coating due to its durability, the no maintenance required and the 20 year guarantee, as well as the professionalism of Andy Gazzard
The offices of Hesselbrand, a major architectural practice in London, have benefited from the installation of over 200 m2 of the StoSilent Direct acoustic system from Sto, which was specified for its outstanding acoustic performance, ease of installation and attractive aesthetic appearance. The offices are located in a refurbished warehouse,
Construction work has started on a new £3.3 million health centre in Neath, which will become the home of the Vale of Neath Practice, DR Cecil Jones Pharmacy and Health Board Services. The 17,911 sq ft project is being developed by The Healthcare Property Company Wales, in partnership with the
Barking and Dagenham Council has ambitious plans to deliver a £1 billion town centre rebuild and is looking for a select list of builders capable of delivering it. Entirely owned by the council, the urban regeneration company Be First aims to create a panel of contractors to deliver over 40
Ahead of the International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2018, celebrated on the 23rd of June, Emma Cygan, design and development engineer at steering system supplier Pailton Engineering, has decided to crush a few misconceptions about women working as engineers. ‘Women are only good at soft skills’ Due to stereotypical
Thames Water’s directors were found to not have enough oversight and control of the company’s leakage performance, with the company losing approximately 25% of all water that it treats and puts into its system. For its mistakes, Thames Water agreed to pay £65 million back to customers on top of
Barratt Homes, one of Scotland’s largest house builders, is supporting its plans for future growth with a number of promotions and new appointment in its senior management team. “This year we are planning to deliver more high quality homes for customers across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife than we’ve done in any other year. Our new moves and appointments will ensure that we are in an excellent position to build on our success to date and I am delighted to have new senior team members who have the skills, knowledge and experience to continue to grow our business,” said Alison Condie, managing director at Barratt Homes East Scotland. Development director Mansoor Ali from East Scotland division has been promoted to regional development director with a remit for land buying and strategy across Scotland. With an experience of over 25 years, Ali has worked for Barratt Homes since 2001 and had led the identification and purchasing of land for the developer across Edinburgh and the Lothians since joining the firm. In his new role he will be responsible for leading Barratt Homes’ Scotland-wide land strategy. Furthermore, Donald Borland has been appointed as regional finance director, a new dedicated role for Barratt’s Scottish business. Donald joined from Havelock Europa PLC where he was CFO and prior to that he spent 18 years with Miller Group, latterly as group finance director. Apart from the Scotland-wide appointments, new ones have been made across the Scotland East division as well. Nicholas Wright took up the development director role in the East of Scotland following Ali’s move. With 15 years’ experience in housebuilding, Wright began his career as a chartered surveyor and joined Barratt Homes five years ago after holding senior roles at Bett Homes. The East Scotland team also welcomes new operations director Andrew Morrison. Morrison was previously construction director at Bellway Homes, where he was responsible for the management and delivery of the whole construction process across all of the house builder’s Scottish developments. The senior moves and appointments follow consistent growth and acquisition of new sites for the East Scotland team, as well as supporting its continued investment in new developments across Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. Barratt Homes has a number of new sites launching later in 2018, including St Clement’s Wells in Wallyford, and Preston Square in Prestonpans, East Lothian, as well as Harwood Park in Livingston.
Caddick Construction has been appointed by Williams Group for the development of its £41 million flagship Jaguar Land Rover, BMW and Mini Automotive Retail Centre near Manchester Trafford Centre. The construction work is underway and the project will include a three-storey BMW showroom, two-storey Jaguar Land Rover showroom and a single-storey MINI showroom. The dealerships will occupy a 14.3-acre site opposite Event City and next to John Lewis at the Intu Trafford Centre. Designed by Wilmslow-based architects Taylor Design, the development is scheduled for completion in late summer 2019. “Our vision includes a striking range of contemporary showrooms including the new Jaguar land Rover ARCH concept featuring a dual-branded showroom and service drive through for Jaguar and Land Rover,” said Nick Cook. Williams Group managing director. “Our stunning new flagship retail centre at this premium site will provide the perfect platform to display our range of prestige vehicles.” Alongside the showroom space, Caddick Construction will also deliver workshops, including service drive through for both centres, valet and car washing facilities together with roads and drainage works with the development. Part of the wider TraffordCity redevelopment by Peel Land and Property, the scheme will create a further 3.4 million sq ft of retail, leisure and commercial space around Intu Trafford Centre. “We have built an extensive portfolio of car showrooms and dealerships, which demonstrates the strength and capability of our teams working in partnership with clients in the automotive sector,” said Ian Threadgold, North West construction manager at Caddick Construction. “We are extremely proud of our long association with Manchester, where we are currently working on the landmark 34-storey Angel Gardens project in the city centre.” “Undertaking this major development enables us to continue contributing to its future prosperity by engaging with local suppliers, as well as creating local job opportunities,” concluded Ian Threadgold.
A site in Gateshead will welcome both modular homes and traditionally built houses; therefore potential buyers have the possibility to compare the quality of both methods. Gateshead Innovation Village is a live research project led by housing provider Home Group, which will see a range of houses designs take shape on the one site. The site will be a place to compare and contrast modern methods of construction, improving the public image of modular homes. The first homes are being manufactured in the Yorkshire factory of Ilke Homes at the moment and they will be ready for delivery to the Gateshead site in just ten weeks’ time. “We’re all incredibly excited about this project as it will see a wide range of homes and construction methods being tried and tested together on the one site,” said Joy Whinnerah, Head of Delivery at Home Group. “Not only that, but we are really keen to understand what our customers like and don’t like about living in these types of homes. So we will be monitoring a range of aspects to check how these homes perform for the customers who live in them.” Apart from Home Group, the project is also being backed by Homes England and development partner ENGIE. “Not only is this unique project creating a step change for the way in which people view modular homes, but it is allowing us the opportunity to upskill the next generation of industry trainees, apprentices and graduates on modern methods of construction,” said Andrew McIntosh, Regional Managing Director for ENGIE. Neil Graham, Head of Accelerated Delivery, Yorkshire, North East and The Humber, Homes England also commented on the project: “In addition to Ilke Homes, Home Group is also working with Premier Modular, Xella UK and Icarus Light Steel Framing. There will also be six traditionally built, semi-detached homes on site. All homes will be for affordable rent and residents will have the opportunity to trial and test a wide range of smart technology products and green energy solutions.”
The former hall of residence, Thwaite Hall, situated on the corner of Thwaite Street and New Village Road in Cottingham, will be put on the market by the University of Hull. The over 200-years-old property was closed as a hall of residence in August 2017 because of changes in students’ accommodation preferences. “Accommodation is a deciding factor for many when choosing where to study and the University has experienced a shift in demand towards high-quality, on-campus accommodation,” said Stephen Dale, director of estates at the University of Hull. “We have been investing in out accommodation portfolio as part of our ongoing commitment to provide an outstanding experience for students, which includes The Courtyard and Westfield Court on our Cottingham Road campus.” Handling the sale would be commercial estate agent Cushman & Wakefield. “Although the University no longer has a use for the building, we are keen to see a long term plan for its future be put in place and have been working closely with the local authority planning department to discuss the potential future use of the site,” added Stephen. The eventual purchaser and their intended use for the building will determine the nature and extent of work carried out on the site. Any proposal would be subject to relevant planning processes and legislation. “Thwaite Hall presents a rare and exciting opportunity to revitalise a high-profile building within a popular village location,” said Oliver Salisbury, senior surveyor in Cushman & Wakefield’s residential development team. “Discussions with the local authority have been positive and indicate that a number of uses are considered appropriate, subject to a high quality design which takes into account the conservation area setting and adjoining Grade II listed botanical gardens. We look forward to engaging with parties and maximising the site’s future potential,” he continued. Until a purchaser is found, the University will continue to ensure the site is secure.
Nina Bressington decided to change the outside appearance of her property in Bristol, which had a red brick exterior like many ex-local authority houses. She chose an Andura coating due to its durability, the no maintenance required and the 20 year guarantee, as well as the professionalism of Andy Gazzard at Protective Wall Coatings, a Registered Andura Contractor, to carry out the work. “I had a friend who had a similar Andura coating done to their house which had lasted extremely well, compared with a neighbour’s house which had been just painted, and was already flaking after a couple of years,” said Nina. The property is a 1940’s three bedroom semi-detached house, located in a great residential area. Nina has modernised the interior and more recently added a conservatory to the rear, a front porch and a side extension. It was after these additions in March 2018 that Protective Wall Coatings were brought in and the whole job took just five days on site to complete. When Protective Wall Coatings came to look at the mortar joints and brick faces, there would have been a lot of repairs to do in re-mortaring and so the Andura process was to be a much more effective solution. There was some preparation and repair to be done to the outer surfaces and then the first stage was to apply the GRC base coat, a high performance, breathable polymer render (unlike sand and cement) which gives increased flexibility. As the mortar joints were deep, two coats of GRC were applied, the first a rough coat then a finer flatter coat. Once this base coat had cured, the top coat of Andura Trowel & Roll coating was applied. Protective Wall Coatings find that this coating gives a thicker application and then they use a nylon roller for downward texture ensuring that when it rains, the water runs off and the surface is self-cleaning. Andura’s Trowel & Roll coating gives an attractive textured appearance and has been specifically formulated for the protection and decoration of brick, cement renders and many other masonry surfaces. It provides a hard wearing, long lasting and beautiful finish to keep exterior walls in top condition. Andura Trowel & Roll coating comes in 16 standard colours, plus a colour matching service is available. It is a solvent-borne high performance acrylic coating conforming to Building Regulations. Andura is accredited to IS0 9001:2015 quality management standards.
The offices of Hesselbrand, a major architectural practice in London, have benefited from the installation of over 200 m2 of the StoSilent Direct acoustic system from Sto, which was specified for its outstanding acoustic performance, ease of installation and attractive aesthetic appearance. The offices are located in a refurbished warehouse, where Hesselbrand shares the space with a visual art installations gallery. “The building features brick walls, polished concrete floors and large picture windows,” explained Patrick Morris from the Hesselbrand. “During the refurbishment project we wanted to create a modern, clean, minimalist, open-plan working area, and the products in their natural form complimented my thoughts for the final aesthetic. However, they have little or no acoustic value with regards to attenuation, reverberation and other considerations like foot traffic and speech clarity, so achieving the overall acoustic design and balance within our building was a major consideration.” The practice decided to choose the StoSilent Direct system after discussion on a number of solution and budget costs with Mike Wallace, Sto’s Technical Consultant for Acoustics. The system offers a particularly effective option for this type of project as it can be applied directly onto walls and ceilings. The system features a porous texture and sandwich structure which provides excellent sound absorption characteristics, and it is finished in StoSilent Décor M. This classic fine-stipple finish is spray-applied and can be tinted to match a wide range of colours, a benefit to both the installer and main contractor as there is no mixing or tinting on site. “The results were a huge success. The acoustic balance we achieved within the overall environment is very noticeable, making the space more comfortable to be in. Speech clarity is also improved, so communication between ourselves and clients is complemented, particularly with face-to-face and telephone discussions. Overall a much more relaxed atmosphere has been achieved,” said Patrick.
Construction work has started on a new £3.3 million health centre in Neath, which will become the home of the Vale of Neath Practice, DR Cecil Jones Pharmacy and Health Board Services. The 17,911 sq ft project is being developed by The Healthcare Property Company Wales, in partnership with the Vale Neath Practice and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, and is being supported by the Welsh Government. The new centre is to be located at former Washery Site at Aberpergwm and will serve Glynneath, Cwmgwrach, Pontneddfechan, Ystradfellte, Rhigos, Resolven, Melincourt, Clyne and Abergarwed. “All of the GP partners and staff at the Vale of Neath Practice are delighted to witness the witness the commencement of work on the new health centre, which will undoubtedly be a vast improvement to the facilities that we are currently utilising to provide primary care services,” said senior partner, Dr Paul Westwood. “Our registered patients in the various surrounding local communities have patiently waited more than 13 years for the development to reach this stage but there is a buzz of excitement within the locality as the new health centre ‘dream’ develops into a structural reality which will hopefully be open to our patients in early 2019,” he added. The building has been designed by architects’ firm Austin-Smith:Lord and will be built by John Weaver Contractors. “This development will significantly enhance the health offering for the Vale of Neath,” said Paul Stacey, HPC Wales managing director. “Our team has carefully considered the requirements of the surgeries, pharmacy and health board to ensure that we build a facility that is sustainable and flexible for future use. We are delighted that work has started on-site to see this much-needed centre come to fruition.” HPC Wales is a joint venture between The Healthcare Property Company Ltd and Gaufron Healthcare Ltd of Llandrindod Wells. With more than 30 years’ experience developing healthcare facilities, HPC Wales can handle every aspect of a development from financing and design, through construction and maintenance for the long-term.
Barking and Dagenham Council has ambitious plans to deliver a £1 billion town centre rebuild and is looking for a select list of builders capable of delivering it. Entirely owned by the council, the urban regeneration company Be First aims to create a panel of contractors to deliver over 40 projects. Architects West Williamson + Partners have drawn up the town centre regeneration plans, which have at its heart the existing listed station building. 2,200 new homes will be built, together with new commercial and social infrastructure, all connected by over two hectares of new clean, green, accessible open spaces. Moreover, the masterplan also includes significant over-track development, which will create a series of urban quarters linked by a reinvigorated high street and capillary routes. The construction framework will be divided into two lots – one covering projects worth up to £20 million and the other projects valued at over £10 million. Lot one has an estimated value of £250 million over the next four years, while Be First expects Lot two to account for up to £750 million worth of projects. Firms interested in the scheme have until the 9th of July to complete proqual documents, available on the e-sourcing site: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Barking:-Construction-work./SY8JJ34E6T. Be First has already confirmed the appointment of architects to deliver the next phase of the Gascoigne Estate East rebuild, known as Weavers Quarter. White Arkitekter will deliver the detailed design for phase two, while HTA Architects will deliver phase three of the scheme which involves over 500 homes. In total the estate renewal will see over 1,575 new homes being built, along with the new primary and secondary schools, an energy centre, community centre, play areas and retail space. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2024.
Ahead of the International Women in Engineering Day (INWED) 2018, celebrated on the 23rd of June, Emma Cygan, design and development engineer at steering system supplier Pailton Engineering, has decided to crush a few misconceptions about women working as engineers. ‘Women are only good at soft skills’ Due to stereotypical gender roles, some women reach adulthood and have a subconscious idea that they must find a career that uses their communication skills and empathy. However, interaction skills are not gender-exclusive and both men and women should strive for it. If you are particularly affluent in the soft skills department, do not suppress this quality, as they are highly sought by employers and they are often required to enable the harder, more technical skills. ‘Women can’t reach top positions in engineering’ Women should be confident that they have the same potential for career progression as their male equivalents. “So far in my career, I have progressed from an apprentice, to my current role as a Design and Development engineer. In the future, it will continue to be my skills that determine how quickly I will move up the job ladder, not my gender,” said Emma. This point is also validated by the Women in Engineering annual Top 50 Women in Engineering under 35, in which many of the women featured are in senior and managerial roles and at a relatively young age. Statistically, there are more men at the top of the engineering industry, but that’s inevitable, providing there are more men at the bottom. However, initiatives such as INWED will change this and help more women see a career in engineering as a viable and rewarding option. ‘Women aren’t supported by their employers’ At Pailton Engineering, Emma is currently receiving the right support to study for an engineering bachelor’s degree, while keeping her job. “If Pailton Engineering wasn’t invested in me, or didn’t see a future with me as a key decision maker in the company, then this investment wouldn’t have been made,” said Emma. While the INWED 2018 is raising the bar for women in engineering, there are still plenty of myths and misconceptions about working in the industry that must be quashed. “I hope I’ve raised the bar for other women to start an engineering career, even if I did use this bar to obliterate the myths that are currently circulating —someone had to do it,” concluded Emma.
Thames Water’s directors were found to not have enough oversight and control of the company’s leakage performance, with the company losing approximately 25% of all water that it treats and puts into its system. For its mistakes, Thames Water agreed to pay £65 million back to customers on top of £55 million in automatic penalties leakage. Moreover, the company has committed to getting its leakage performance back in line with what it has previously promised it will deliver for its customers in 2019-2020. It will publish its performance each month in tackling leaks, appoint an independent monitor to certify the information in its monthly leakage reports and make addition reductions of 15% by 2025. “High leakage creates unnecessary strain on the environment, excess costs for customers and increased risk of water shortages. A well-run water company will have a good understanding of the condition of its pipes and will be able to reduce leakage over time. Ofwat has set all water companies a target of bringing down leakage by at least another 15% up to 2025 and expects further reductions beyond this date. Thames has assured us that they now have a grip on the leakage situation, but this should serve as a catalyst for the company to improve how it delivers on its wider commitments to customers,” said Ofwat chief executive, Rachel Fletcher. Thames Water will be now investing record amounts in personnel and infrastructure to find and fix leakage, including using the latest technology. However, the company pointed out that big water companies are in no better of a situation, with United Utilities having leakage rates of 25%, Severn Trent of 23% and Yorkshire Water of 23% as well. “Reducing leakage is really important to us and to our customers. We met our leakage targets for a decade but our recent performance has not been good enough. We let our customers down and for that we’re sorry. We have taken more control of how we manage the network and are investing significantly more in people and resources to tackle leakage, get back on track and then go beyond. Thanks to these changes already in place, our current leakage repair performance is our best ever at around 1,000 a week,” said Steve Robertson, Thames Water chief executive.