Local housebuilder Harron Homes North Midlands has recently announced that Julia Portington, who has 38 years of experience in the housebuilder industry, has been promoted from Sales Executive to Senior Sales Executive at Brierley Heath, Stanton Hill, Sutton in Ashfield. Prior to joining Harron Homes in July of 2022, Julia
Proposals for Kirklees Council’s £210 million Cultural Heart development, which is set to transform the heart of Huddersfield town centre, were approved by the Local Planning Authority. With approval now secured, construction of the first phase of the scheme is set to get underway in Spring 2024. Initial works will
The Hill Group has been chosen as delivery partner by Buckinghamshire Council to build two key housing developments, at Bellfield Road, High Wycombe and Ashwells Field, Tylers Green in an agreement which will deliver over 177 high-quality sustainable new homes for the area. Hill will redevelop land on Bellfield Road
Kadans Science Partner has submitted plans for a new, purpose-built laboratory and office building at Merlin Place, Cambridge. Investment of this scale and Kadans’ dedication to design demonstrates the significance of new laboratory space in the Science and Technology industries and addresses the lack of space that is felt countrywide
Construction firm Kier has been selected by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to develop a new £25 million net zero carbon teaching block in south Wales. The Hawthorn All-Through School project will deliver new and exciting facilities for staff and pupils from Heol y Celyn English Medium Primary, Hawthorn
Work is to commence on the Kingsgate development in Huddersfield. Supported by Kirklees Council, developer WD Kingsgate will make major changes to the centre bringing cinema and engaging leisure activities to the offering, alongside the existing shops. Work to redevelop the 90,000 square foot, former House of Fraser store will
Derbyshire based civil engineering contractor Roger Bullivant (RB) has made significant CAPEX investments to meet environmental initiatives as part of the business’s strategic growth plans. RB is a UK subsidiary of group company Soletanche Bachy. As part of the groups environmental strategy to reduce its carbon footprint by 40% by
Yorkshire-headquartered Smith Brothers has opened applications for its popular apprenticeship programme, which seeks to find the next generation of talent to join the electrical engineering industry, and keep Britain connected. With applications open for budding substation fitters, the apprenticeship is the perfect springboard to a career in the utilities industry,
Those responsible for the safety of high-rise residential buildings in England have six months from April to register with the new Building Safety Regulator. The Building Safety Regulator was established to protect high-rise residents from unsafe building practices in England in response to the Grenfell Tower fire. Under the Building
Wakefield-based granite and quartz worktop supplier, Roann Limited, is stepping away from single use plastic and replacing all worktop packaging, with fully recyclable cardboard – preventing 140kg of single use plastic going to landfill in 2023, through just one average customer partnership. As part of a wider sustainability initiative, Roann
Local housebuilder Harron Homes North Midlands has recently announced that Julia Portington, who has 38 years of experience in the housebuilder industry, has been promoted from Sales Executive to Senior Sales Executive at Brierley Heath, Stanton Hill, Sutton in Ashfield. Prior to joining Harron Homes in July of 2022, Julia had racked up 16 years of experience as a sales executive for another house builder, which meant that she joined Harron Homes with a ready set of skills and a wealth of experience. She also gained 22 years of experience as a sales manager in previous roles, which has complemented her skillset in her new role. “At Harron, I spend a lot of time liaising with our Sales Managers. I find that my own experience as a Sales Manager has enabled me to view things from both perspectives, which really makes our communication that much more effective. “I’m definitely a people person, and I think it’s this that encouraged me to apply as a Sales Executive. Being able to interact with both customers and fellow employees every day is definitely the most rewarding aspect of the job for me.” Originally starting her career with Harron Homes at The Grange, Harron’s Shireoaks development, Julia’s new role has her overseeing Brierly Heath, Stanton Hill, Sutton in Ashfield. “At Brierley Heath, I’m involved in coaching other Sales Executives, and feeding back marketing ideas to the company. We’re the troops on the ground really – we have first-hand experience of what the customers are looking for. It really helps us tailor our marketing ideas and approaches to what is most convenient and satisfying for the customer. “Brierley Heath is a lovely development,” adds Julia, “I’m genuinely enthusiastic about the houses I’m selling and am always keen to have my customers feel excited and satisfied with their purchase. “There’s a great variety in the customers you meet each day – some are old-hands in the housing business, purchasing their second or third home, while others are first time buyers. It’s wonderful to be instrumental in helping people get their first foot on the property ladder. “Our Part Exchange Scheme has made purchasing a home all the more convenient for new customers, and offers them easy moves. Schemes like this are one of the many ways I can ensure we leave the customer delighted with their purchase. “What’s really stood out about Harron Homes for me is how we all work together. There’s a real sense of collaboration in everything we do, and I’ve always felt I can turn to people for support or advice. I want this company to be the best, and am very excited to be playing my part in that.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Proposals for Kirklees Council’s £210 million Cultural Heart development, which is set to transform the heart of Huddersfield town centre, were approved by the Local Planning Authority. With approval now secured, construction of the first phase of the scheme is set to get underway in Spring 2024. Initial works will concentrate on the major refurbishments of the historic Queensgate Market, as well as the creation of a brand-new outdoor public square. The Grade II Listed Queensgate Market building will be sensitively adapted to become a vibrant food hall, with space for around ten independent food stalls. Centred around large communal seating areas, the food hall will be a new social focal point for the town centre and will help provide activity in the area throughout the day and into the evening. Within the same building will be a new contemporary library venue. Designed with the town’s community needs in mind, this flexible, glass-fronted building will feature group meeting amenities, quiet breakout rooms, a dedicated children’s area, a local history room, computer facilities and more. Once complete, a special event space and terrace on the top floor of the library will look out over the scheme’s landmark new public square – an attractive outdoor space with water features that will double up as a destination for community and cultural events and will look out over the park. To enable these initial works, a section of the existing Piazza building along Princess Alexandra Walk will need to be demolished. The remainder of the Piazza building will stay in place until demolition is required to progress work onsite, with units including Boots and WHSmith also staying open during this period. “The Cultural Heart is all about delivering genuine long-term community assets, where friends and families can gather, relax and socialise. We are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and we understand that times are challenging right now for many. This reinforces our ambition to grow our town centre offer and give people more reasons to visit and spend time here. The public square, food hall, museum and library will be amazing new spaces that provide free and low-cost activities – ultimately bringing our diverse community closer together,” commented Leader of Kirklees Council, Councillor Shabir Pandor. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Hill Group has been chosen as delivery partner by Buckinghamshire Council to build two key housing developments, at Bellfield Road, High Wycombe and Ashwells Field, Tylers Green in an agreement which will deliver over 177 high-quality sustainable new homes for the area. Hill will redevelop land on Bellfield Road which will transform the site of a disused storage facility into a collection of 68 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments. All available through affordable rent, Hill will be finalising a reserved matters planning application for the scheme in the spring. “As a leading housebuilder, we are honoured to have been entrusted by Buckinghamshire Council to play a pivotal role in the transformation of two prominent land sites in the High Wycombe area. This is a testament to our commitment to delivering sustainable and thriving communities that align with the needs and aspirations of residents,” said Andy Hill, Group Chief Executive of The Hill Group. “We wholeheartedly embrace the opportunity to shape the future of these sites and create enduring value for the people of High Wycombe. Our teams will collaborate closely with local stakeholders to bring our shared vision for these communities to fruition, and we are confident that together we can make a lasting impact that will benefit generations to come,” Andy continued. Plans for Ashwells Field feature a range of over 100 two, three, four, and five-bedroom houses set around landscaped gardens and open communal space, including a children’s play area. The homes at Ashwells Field will include private sale, and a mix of affordable tenures. Working closely with the local community and the planning authority, detailed designs will go to planning in the summer. “As a council we are committed to supporting our communities and ensuring that there is enough affordable housing across Buckinghamshire that is accessible for our residents. Using land we own at Bellfield as one of the sites, we are committed to building a range of affordable options for renters and buyers across the two developments in High Wycombe. Not only will we work to deliver high quality designs, we are also ensuring that the new homes will be sustainable to run with an enhanced energy performance. We are pleased to work with The Hill Group and are hoping to produce high quality homes that create thriving communities at these two High Wycombe sites,” concluded John Chilver, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Accessible Housing and Resources. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Kadans Science Partner has submitted plans for a new, purpose-built laboratory and office building at Merlin Place, Cambridge. Investment of this scale and Kadans’ dedication to design demonstrates the significance of new laboratory space in the Science and Technology industries and addresses the lack of space that is felt countrywide across the UK, but most acutely in the so-called ‘Golden Triangle’. The new build development has been designed by Kadans’ in-house team alongside specialist professionals. To respond quickly and innovatively to the ever-changing landscape of scientific requirements, flexibility was a core driver in the design inception for Merlin Place. Considering structural grids, floor loadings, servicing, and operations, Kadans provides long-lasting and highly adaptable spaces. Matching these principles with informed space planning, the design of this building enhances space and light, fundamental to modern working environments and talent retention. “After extensive design work over 18 months and collaboration with the Cambridge City Council Planners, it is exciting to reach this important milestone in the programme and take a step closer in delivering our best-in-class science focused buildings,” said Edward Joslin, Development Director, Kadans Science Partner. The scheme delivers robust lab infrastructure and empowers an ecosystem for further innovation. It offers a communal space and much-needed additional café to the Cambridge North Cluster. Providing this will encourage tenants from across the cluster to come together and collaborate, while bringing Kadans’ world class knowledge in the design, development, delivery and operations of R&D buildings to the cluster. This development furthers the implementation of Kadans’ long-term model to bolster their presence and facilities within the world leading Cambridge cluster, one of the largest research & development clusters in Europe. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction firm Kier has been selected by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council to develop a new £25 million net zero carbon teaching block in south Wales. The Hawthorn All-Through School project will deliver new and exciting facilities for staff and pupils from Heol y Celyn English Medium Primary, Hawthorn Primary and Hawthorn High. It has been designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation though the installation of on site renewable energy sources such as air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels alongside purchase of renewable electricity from an energy supplier. Three of the school’s existing buildings will be demolished to make way for a new teaching block. One of these buildings is the old caretaker’s house, with the stone from the Victorian building used in the building of the new structure. “This project presents a unique opportunity to provide not one but three schools with state-of-the-art facilities which will be a significant asset to the community of Pontypridd for generations to come. With the recently completed Ffynnon Taf Primary School just 10 minutes down the road using a nearby hot spring to heat its classrooms, this project further demonstrates our commitment to providing sustainable buildings in south Wales,” said Jason Taylor, Regional Director at Kier. The new school will include 27 classrooms, a staff room, offices, reception area, therapy room, library, ICT suite, meeting rooms, DT and music areas and two new multi-use games areas, which are in addition to the existing one and current all-weather pitch. A new car park and pick up-drop off spaces will also be built as part of the project, as well as a designated bus drop off zone. Procured through the SEWSCAP framework, work is expected to be completed in 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Work is to commence on the Kingsgate development in Huddersfield. Supported by Kirklees Council, developer WD Kingsgate will make major changes to the centre bringing cinema and engaging leisure activities to the offering, alongside the existing shops. Work to redevelop the 90,000 square foot, former House of Fraser store will begin in early March, with a target opening date for the complex of September 2024. “We are committed to helping businesses thrive in Kirklees and I am delighted that the council has worked very closely with WD Kingsgate to help them to deliver this scheme. Kingsgate is a key destination within the town centre, and the redevelopment will complement the existing shops and become an important family-friendly leisure destination. The developer’s vision for the project is in line with our own Blueprint ambitions for the town centre and will help create the perfect mix of retail, culture and leisure,” said Councillor Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Regeneration. The Kingsgate Centre is a key focus of Huddersfield’s town centre offer and is in a prime location next to the council’s planned Cultural Heart project. These complementary projects will transform the leisure offering in the town centre and improve the experience for residents and visitors alike. The cinema and leisure proposition will be operated by The Light, who already operate 12 other venues across the country with another opening in Surrey this year. The Light will offer six state of the art cinema screens, ten bowling lanes, alongside a variety of other leisure activities and food offerings which will be revealed in the lead up to the opening. “I am grateful for the council’s support in delivering this scheme. We are excited about bringing a high-quality cinema in to Huddersfield town centre alongside a variety of other food and leisure outlets. Our redeveloped centre will create a new destination within the town centre that gives the opportunity to shop, eat and see the latest films all within a stone’s throw of the other planned town centre developments,” added Peter Everest of WD Kingsgate. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Derbyshire based civil engineering contractor Roger Bullivant (RB) has made significant CAPEX investments to meet environmental initiatives as part of the business’s strategic growth plans. RB is a UK subsidiary of group company Soletanche Bachy. As part of the groups environmental strategy to reduce its carbon footprint by 40% by 2030, RB has implemented key initiatives to drive environmental improvements within the business. Over the last 18 months, projects such as additional cement silos, electric forklift trucks, electric fleet vehicles, photovoltaic (PV) panels and REGO certified green tariffs have been implemented. The additional cement silos installed at its Swadlincote headquarters has tripled the storage capacity and reduced supply chain risk. More importantly it has facilitated the move to low carbon concrete. The company has reduced cement content by 50% though the use of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) and reduced embodied carbon by four thousand tonnes per year. The latest innovations qualify the company as being recognised as a producer of CEMIII A products. RB are continuing to develop even lower carbon concrete to maximise environmental impact and enhance performance and strength. In just under twenty-four months of operation, the PV panels installed at HQ produced 152,589kWh. To put this into context, RB’s annual renewable energy generation is sufficient to power twenty-eight homes for a year. A third phase of PV panels will be completed by January 2023. “We support the governments’ ambition to transition the UK to a net zero carbon by 2050 and tackling climate change and creating sustainable solutions remains a strategic priority. With a considered and scientific approach, our low carbon concrete moves us a step closer to net-zero. Our in-house research, design, plant, and manufacturing teams are continuously looking at cutting edge technologies that allow us to innovate and inspire the industry,” said Managing Director Cliff Wren. “The significant investments we have made over the last eighteen months highlights our commitment to raise environmental standards within the sector as we drive down on our carbon footprint,” he added. Roger Bullivant Limited are the one of the UK’s leading ground engineering foundation companies, employing over 500 staff specialising in the design and manufacture of precast foundation solutions. The company operates across seven regional offices in England, Scotland and Wales. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Yorkshire-headquartered Smith Brothers has opened applications for its popular apprenticeship programme, which seeks to find the next generation of talent to join the electrical engineering industry, and keep Britain connected. With applications open for budding substation fitters, the apprenticeship is the perfect springboard to a career in the utilities industry, offering vital hands-on experience of working on overhead lines, with underground cables, and in substation fitting. As part of the course, Smith Brothers will provide direct, practical advice to a pair of trainee fitters — with one of the positions already filled. This will be dovetailed by a two-year City & Guilds academic course and three years with Utility and Construction Training (UCT). “Apprenticeships provide people of all ages with a fantastic opportunity to combine practical learning with earning an income — something which is more pertinent than ever, in the current economic climate. As an employer, it’s our responsibility to support the ambitions of those in our sector and region. If you qualify as a fitter, you have a ready-made, lifelong career – anywhere in the world. It’s important that we do our bit in fostering the brightest and best in engineering talent,” explained Dave Ogden, director at Smith Brothers. The course is designed to give apprentices a sound working knowledge of a wide variety of fitting activity, as well as an understanding of safe working practices, and the practical skills and techniques to enable them to become valuable members of the workforce. The annual apprenticeship scheme is not solely reserved for school-leavers though, as Dave continued: “We take apprentices of all ages because we believe that everyone deserves the chance to learn a trade. Some of the best engineers left school and went straight into a labouring job, but years later, they might be keen to back up that ‘on the ground’ experience with a formal qualification.” As part of the programme, trainees will spend one month per year at the UTC training centre, 9-10 months on site with Smith Brothers, and the remaining time focused on completing the City & Guilds academic requirements. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Those responsible for the safety of high-rise residential buildings in England have six months from April to register with the new Building Safety Regulator. The Building Safety Regulator was established to protect high-rise residents from unsafe building practices in England in response to the Grenfell Tower fire. Under the Building Safety Act, high-rise residential buildings which are 18 metres tall or higher, or at least seven storeys, with two or more residential units are defined as ‘higher-risk’. Across England there are approximately 12,500 of these buildings and the new regulator will require all of them to be registered from April 2023, with a named person responsible for maintaining their safety. “This registration process is an important step towards building a safer future for residents of high-rise buildings. We want it to be clear where responsibility for safety in these buildings lies. As the Building Safety Regulator, we will draw from our experience to provide guidance and oversight for the industry and lay the foundation for a world-leading building safety regime, which is a part of our mission to protect people and places,” said HSE Chief Executive Sarah Albon. A new campaign aimed at owners and managers of high-rise residential buildings will highlight their new legal duties. It will call on those responsible for the safety management of higher-risk buildings to prepare for a new wave of regulatory change to ensure that they are ready to step up and comply. The registration process is a crucial stage in setting up the new building safety regime. Registering buildings in scope will be a legal requirement and owners and managers who fail to comply by October 2023 will be investigated and may face prosecution. “Our message is clear – industry must raise its standards and residents of high-rise buildings in England must be kept safe. This is a landmark moment for building safety, the information provided through registration will be an invaluable part of our crackdown on unsafe building practices. Those who are responsible for high-rise residential buildings must register; failure to do so will be against the law,” added Chief Inspector of Buildings Peter Baker. Building registration is a major step in a package of measures to ensure high-rise residential buildings are safe for residents and users. It follows the introduction of Planning Gateway One in August 2021 and will be followed by more robust building control of high-rise developments, and the certification of occupied high-rise buildings by the new Regulator. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Wakefield-based granite and quartz worktop supplier, Roann Limited, is stepping away from single use plastic and replacing all worktop packaging, with fully recyclable cardboard – preventing 140kg of single use plastic going to landfill in 2023, through just one average customer partnership. As part of a wider sustainability initiative, Roann Limited is reducing its impact on the environment and in turn, tackling a big contributor to global warming and pollution. It is predicted to save over 3000 kgs from going to landfill in the next 12 months. “The move to a more sustainable approach and environmentally friendly packaging is something that we’ve been working on very hard here at Roann Limited. As the business continues to grow, it was important for us to make this switch to benefit both the environment and our customers. This is just the start for us as we evaluate our wider sustainability initiatives, but we look forward to seeing how this progresses,” commented Nigel Hercock-Walker, Director of Health and Safety at Roann Limited. The business has been using single use plastic to protect worktops during delivery to installation, since it was founded in 1990. However, with this change, Roann Limited can create a more sustainable supply chain and reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste it uses as a whole. This announcement comes shortly after Roann Limited reported record-breaking revenue in 2022, with a 15% increase in sales year-on-year. This initiative will benefit the key stakeholders Roann Limited partners with, including the likes of Crest Nicholson, Barratt Homes and Taylor Wimpey. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
