The government has revealed a portfolio of 13 projects to offer £5 billion of opportunities to potential investors from China in the Northern Powerhouse. Chancellor Phillip Hammond presented the schemes to a delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai. Hammond commented: “As we seek to take to take the
Kier Property has secured a double deal in Manchester City Centre and revealed it will begin work on an 80,000 sq ft office project on Fountain Street in 2017. Kier Group’s development arm will revamp Oldfellows House, which it brought from Aberdeen Asset Management, to provide floor plates of between
Production is underway at a new £400,000 ready mixed concrete plant at Lynemouth in Northumberland. The new facility is the second to be opened in just 18 months by H-Mix at Lynefield Park, the site of the former Alcan aluminium smelter, which is now owned by Harworth Group plc, one
A complex brief from the client and historic buildings to deal with were two of the challenges that Comelit had to overcome in its latest door technology entry project. In partnership with two separate developers, Comelit helped provide security at converted Grade 2-listed period houses and apartments, as well as
BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE [gdlr_video url=”https://youtu.be/MY6yrBk4MNg” ] The BALI National Landscape Awards, in association with Horticulture Week, are the premier landscaping awards. Celebrating their 40th year, the Awards return for 2016! Use this website to see the categories available for entry and entry deadlines. The Awards will be open for entry in
It’s not a big project but for the University of Oxford it has a certain significance. Above: CGI of Kellogg College’s new social hub The university has this week started construction of a new £2m social hub at Kellogg College. It will be the first building on the University of
One of Britain’s longest-established construction and heritage restoration companies has fallen into administration after attempts to secure a deal with creditors failed. Above: William Anelay started the business 269 years ago On 8th September 2016, Julian Pitts and Bob Maxwell of Begbies Traynor were appointed as joint administrators of William
Ms Howlison joins the government-owned operator from the Department for Transport where she spent three years as its finance director. She will take up her new role on the 20 June, taking over from Steve Dauncey who has held the position since 2009. The appointment comes a year after Highways
Annie Hampson, who replaced Peter Rees as the City’s chief planning officer, has confirmed she will address the Summit on the Square Mile’s skyline and property development. Beijing Construction Engineering Group’s operations director Gavin Taylor will take to the Summit stage as the Chinese contractor continues to grow in the
Construction and infrastructure firm Morgan Sindall has reached a major milestone in its work on a £15.4 million special educational needs school in Essex. Glenwood School is being built for Essex County Council and will offer support for 210 children and young adults who have severe, and multiple, learning difficulties.
The government has revealed a portfolio of 13 projects to offer £5 billion of opportunities to potential investors from China in the Northern Powerhouse. Chancellor Phillip Hammond presented the schemes to a delegation led by Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai. Hammond commented: “As we seek to take to take the golden era of UK China relations to the next step, we have a major opportunity to open up investment opportunities across the Northern Powerhouse. “This portfolio, opening up billions of pounds of investment ready projects to Chinese investors, will support our work to grow and create jobs across the north, as well as underpin our ambitions to bring world class infrastructure to every corner of Britain.” The Department for International Trade has also confirmed that they are working with 15 investors from China on property development and infrastructure schemes in the North of England. Some of the projects within the Northern Powerhouse Investment Portfolio are: AeroCentre, Doncaster: working with Sheffield Airport in the next phase of development to create new offices, logistic units and aviation hangars. Future Carrington, Trafford: opportunities for investment in a large scale residential and employment development in a prime location, providing over 14,000 new jobs and contributing an additional £720m GVA per annum. Kampus, Manchester: an exciting opportunity to create new city centre apartments and retail including bars, cafes and shops. Kirkstall Forge, Leeds: an opportunity to develop a new neighbourhood of 1,050 new homes, office space, retail, leisure and community space. Liverpool Waters, Liverpool: this offers sale of land to develop a full range of uses, as part of an overall £5 billion project which transform the city’s northern docks. MediaCityUK, Salford, Greater Manchester: home to the BBC, ITV and more than 250 smaller creative and digital businesses, an investment would double the size of MediaCityUK, creating studio, office, residential and retail space.
Kier Property has secured a double deal in Manchester City Centre and revealed it will begin work on an 80,000 sq ft office project on Fountain Street in 2017. Kier Group’s development arm will revamp Oldfellows House, which it brought from Aberdeen Asset Management, to provide floor plates of between 10,211 sq ft and 11,668 sq ft. There will also be two retail units on the ground floor. When finished, Oddfellows House will be known as Eleven York Street. Furthermore, Kier Property has sold nearby 81 Fountain Street to real estate investment firm Aprirose. Constructed in 1988, a comprehensive refurbishment of the 40,100 sq ft property is underway and should complete in December. Managing Director for Kier Property (North), Tom Gilman, commented: “These two deals demonstrate the high demand for office space in the heart of Manchester, and we are excited to be involved in the transformation of the transformation of the CBD. “We have been looking for the right opportunity for some time and Eleven York Street provides us with a perfect platform to break into Manchester and expand our already successful northern operations. “81 Fountain Street is a fantastic space, and the sale demonstrates the demand for high quality office space.” Managing Director of CBRE, John Ogden, advised Kier on the purchase of Eleven York Street. He said: “With a number of high profile lease events over the coming 18 months there are certainly some high calibre suitors for this highly desirable HQ opportunity.” Last month, Kier announced the completion of the disposal of Mouchel Consulting to WSP Global Inc. for £75 million cash. Mouchel Consulting, bought in June last year as part of Kier’s acquisition of Mouchel, provides engineering, environmental and asset management consultancy services, principally to infrastructure markets. Kier announced in July that it was undertaking an evaluation of the strategic options for the Mouchel Consulting business including a possible disposal.
Production is underway at a new £400,000 ready mixed concrete plant at Lynemouth in Northumberland. The new facility is the second to be opened in just 18 months by H-Mix at Lynefield Park, the site of the former Alcan aluminium smelter, which is now owned by Harworth Group plc, one of the largest property and regeneration companies in the UK. The new plant for H-Mix will see the firm double its production capacity to more than 500 cubic metres of concrete – around 1,200 tonnes – per day. Managing director John Hudson says the business is now ideally placed to win new business while continuing to serve its existing customers. “We really haven’t looked back since opening our first production facility at Lynefield Park in May 2015,” explained John. “Security of supply is critical to our customers so the new plant provides important back-up to the first. It also provides us with the capability to tender for the new business opportunities that will come on the back of the growth in house building, commercial property and other infrastructure investments that are being made across the North East.” With the new plant in production, John’s targets for 2017 include doubling his workforce to 12, taking on an apprentice and investing in additional delivery vehicles. One of the main customers for H-mix is its Lynefield Park neighbour, Lynx Precast, which makes beams for flooring in the construction of homes, offices and public buildings. Other businesses operating on the 320 acre site include C&J Marine, which is involved with caravan disposal and storage and construction firm Sisk. And Paul Scott, a former Alcan employee, has returned to the site to set up a business recycling wooden pallets. Aluminium production ended at Lynemouth in March 2012 and Harworth Group took over the site in April 2015. Since then, some of the smelter’s buildings have been demolished including the eight distinctive potroom chimneys, while others have been retained for alternative commercial uses. We’re making good progress Harworth Group director, Eddie Peat, said: “We’re making good progress on the redevelopment of the site and H-Mix’s investment in a second facility here provides a very clear example of what ambitious businesses can achieve at Lynefield Park. “This is an ideal location for business growth and Harworth Group is committed to attracting high-value, secure employment back to the site.” Businesses interested in the opportunities at Lynefield Park should contact Harworth Group’s retained agents who are Cushman & Wakefield (telephone Richard Scott on 0191 223 5711) and HTA (telephone Nick Atkinson on 0191 245 1234).
A complex brief from the client and historic buildings to deal with were two of the challenges that Comelit had to overcome in its latest door technology entry project. In partnership with two separate developers, Comelit helped provide security at converted Grade 2-listed period houses and apartments, as well as at a private gated riverside development called Fitzroy Gate in Old Isleworth, Middlesex. The project involves leading UK retirement developer Beechcroft Developments and nationwide property developer St James (part of the Berkeley Group). This site on the Thames waterfront includes the White House, a stucco Georgian building created in 1832, in addition to an Edwardian red-brick chapel and a range of new apartments. Systems integrators Standing Power Electrical have installed Comelit’s Ikall panel at the entrance to Fitzroy Gate. The Ikall panel is modular in design, which allows easier installation and customisation. The standard unit features a 128×64-pixel display and 21-button backlit keypad. It is easily programmable via USB and RS485 ports. Once inside the parkland estate, visitors use a secondary audio-only entrance panel from Comelit’s 3one6 range to gain access to an apartment block. These panels have a 4-mm stainless steel plate and are flush-mounted. Green solution Many of the new apartments have been fitted with SimpleHome, Comelit’s home automation system, which gives residents full control of their lighting by enabling them to create their own ‘scenarios.’ SimpleHome reduces the building’s carbon footprint by showing occupants frequent updates of their energy usage by connecting to pulsed output meters installed by the utility companies. This seems to be the goto technology that will be incorporated into many housing projects. SimpleHome won a Benchmark Innovation Award earlier this year, with judges praising it for turning appliance management into a lifestyle product. It is compatible with any type of switch and is used on other projects for a broader range of utility readings, including water usage. SimpleHome also allows customised management of audio-visual entertainment by zone for individual family members. This aspect of the Fitzroy Gate project was implemented by EML Installations. Versatile monitor In the houses and apartments, residents use either Icona or Icona Manager monitors to speak with visitors. Icona Manager combines door entry functions with home automation. It uses touchscreen technology and responds to gesture and ‘swipe’ conventions similar to that of a smartphone technology or tablet device. John Line, Business Development Manager at Comelit Group UK, said: “Fitzroy Gate is interesting insofar as Comelit’s door entry and SimpleHome automation system have met the differing requirements of two developers and two installers. The estate is extensive and has multiple building types, but we have succeeded in responding to current needs, as well as supplying a future-proofed IP solution. The project shows Comelit excelling on yet another project of historical interest by providing a really flexible and adaptable installation.” Twickenham-based EML Installations Ltd, designs, installs and tests electrical systems for new properties and refurbishments. The company has a track record stretching back over 20 years. Disciplines covered include access control, fire alarms, CCTV and data cabling. The company is a NICEIC-approved contractor. Standing Power Electrical Contractors is Camberley-based and has a portfolio that includes many high-end domestic projects of this type. Six apartments are the result of the conversion of the Grade 2-listed White House at Fitzroy Gate, which has a classical Georgian façade. It was designed by Edward Blore in 1832 for Sir William Cooper, a former chaplain to George III. Blore is best known for his work on Buckingham Palace. Fitzroy Gate has also been used in the past by the Sisters of Nazareth, who formed a convent on the site in 1892. Their chapel, with little structural change, is part of the new complex.
BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE [gdlr_video url=”https://youtu.be/MY6yrBk4MNg” ] The BALI National Landscape Awards, in association with Horticulture Week, are the premier landscaping awards. Celebrating their 40th year, the Awards return for 2016! Use this website to see the categories available for entry and entry deadlines. The Awards will be open for entry in March. To receive a BALI National Landscape Award is one of the landscape industries’ highest accolades. Recognition of a high level of achievement, from within the industry, has a positive motivational effect on staff. Winning one of these awards offers a company great marketing opportunities, with the benefits lasting long beyond the ceremony and the Awards’ association with Horticulture Week will enhance a winner’s profile even further. To learn more about BALI itself, please visit the association’s main site: www.bali.org.uk
It’s not a big project but for the University of Oxford it has a certain significance. Above: CGI of Kellogg College’s new social hub The university has this week started construction of a new £2m social hub at Kellogg College. It will be the first building on the University of Oxford estate built to Passivhaus standards. “This building will not only provide an exciting new social hub at the heart of the College campus, open to all members of the college, it will also be a low-energy model for the university, both in terms of energy use and running costs,” said Chris Davies, acting president at Kellogg College. Construction company Speller Metcalfe was appointed as building contractor at design stage alongside architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. “We have a real specialism in delivery of highly sustainable projects, including Passivhaus design, which can see a reduction of up to 90% in energy bills,” said Adrian Speller, director of sustainability at Speller Metcalfe. “It is fantastic to work with a client who is so forward-thinking and willing to invest in a building that will have a much lower impact on the environment in the longer term.” Located on Banbury Road, the new hub will provide social space for post-graduate students and incorporates a new kitchen, café and common room. The project is set to complete in April 2017. Further Images This article was published on 14 Sep 2016 (last updated on 14 Sep 2016). Source link
One of Britain’s longest-established construction and heritage restoration companies has fallen into administration after attempts to secure a deal with creditors failed. Above: William Anelay started the business 269 years ago On 8th September 2016, Julian Pitts and Bob Maxwell of Begbies Traynor were appointed as joint administrators of William Anelay Ltd. The York-based company has now ceased trading and 126 staff have been made redundant. William Anelay is a £38m turnover, eighth-generation family business that had been trading since 1747. It has completed scores of high-profile historic and listed buildings schemes throughout the UK including Lambeth Palace and Wilton’s Music Hall, London. It had 17 live projects on site at time of collapse, including at York Mansion House, Bradford City Hall and Lancaster Castle. Following cash flow difficulties, the business sought a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) with creditors, but was placed into administration when a CVA proved unviable. The administrators said that they were assessing how best to maximise value for creditors as well as liaising with the 140-strong workforce. William Anelay also operates associated businesses Lowery Roofing, Hare & Ransome Joinery, Anelay Traditional Masonry and Anelay Building & Conservation. All of these are unaffected by the administration and will continue to trade as normal. Andrew Walker and Doug Robertson from law firm Irwin Mitchell in Leeds are advising the administrators. “It is very sad to see the demise of such a historic Yorkshire family business,” said Julian Pitts, joint administrator. “Unfortunately, William Anelay ran into cash flow difficulties following a period of expansion and problems with some complex projects. Despite attempts to secure a CVA, this did not prove viable and there was no alternative but to place the business into administration. “We will be working closely with the management to realise returns for creditors and will keep the employees fully informed as the situation becomes clearer. We are now in discussions with various interested parties and are hopeful that it may prove possible to novate some of the company’s contracts to ensure that work can be completed with the minimum of disruption to clients.” Chairman and special projects director, Charles Anelay, the eighth generation of the founding family, said: “We have worked very hard to save the business and do the best for our creditors by proposing a CVA. We really believed that we had a good plan to get through our cash difficulties, and were supported by our bank and HMRC. “The last few weeks have been the worst of my life. We are hugely disappointed that it has come to this. We thank all our staff for their commitment and loyalty, apologise to those clients and creditors who have given their support and who will now lose out, and thank all past friends of the firm and members of the public who kindly gave their support. “All I can hope is that at some point in the future people will look back at William Anelay Ltd and recognise 260 years of skilled craftsmanship which gave us the privilege to restore parts of our country’s architectural heritage with some amazing projects on some very special buildings which will be admired far into the future.” William Anelay Ltd was founded in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and built many of the town’s most prestigious properties with many, including the Mansion House, still in daily use. The company moved to York In the early 1900s and by the middle of the 20th century, it had gained a reputation for quality construction which enabled it to work throughout Yorkshire and eventually the whole of the UK. This article was published on 9 Sep 2016 (last updated on 9 Sep 2016). Source link
Ms Howlison joins the government-owned operator from the Department for Transport where she spent three years as its finance director. She will take up her new role on the 20 June, taking over from Steve Dauncey who has held the position since 2009. The appointment comes a year after Highways England replaced the Highways Agency as the body to oversee England’s strategic roads network. Ms Howlison will play a key part in the delivery of Highways England’s £15bn roads investment strategy, with funding for roads projects set to grow by £1.2bn between now and 2020. The appointment marks the latest in a list of high-profile public sector roles held by Ms Howlison. Before the DfT, she spent four years as FD at the Department for Energy and Climate Change as well as four years leading Ofsted’s finance team. Source link
Annie Hampson, who replaced Peter Rees as the City’s chief planning officer, has confirmed she will address the Summit on the Square Mile’s skyline and property development. Beijing Construction Engineering Group’s operations director Gavin Taylor will take to the Summit stage as the Chinese contractor continues to grow in the UK. Property developer Irvine Sellar will be interviewed by BBC presenter Andrew Neil on the first day. Leaders of major infrastructure clients Crossrail 2, Gatwick Airport, Highways England, Horizon Nuclear, Network Rail and Tideway are also among the many confirmed speakers for this year’s Summit, which becomes a two-day event for the first time. Airport City Manchester, Land Securities’ Nova site and the Forth Replacement Crossing will be among the project case studies. The Summit will also include technical talks on subjects including: building better offices; the next generation of tall buildings; regional regeneration; and disruptive technology. Other themes planned for discussion include the evolution of government policy and construction skills, the role of the National Infrastructure Commission, the future of transport and energy, and turning the Northern Powerhouse into a reality. New in 2016 This year the Summit contains brand new workshops for delegates to work together to deliver tangible outcomes for the entire industry. The event’s new Skills Hackathon, in partnership with Build UK, will work collaboratively on day one to generate real-life solutions to the skills challenges that hold businesses back, which will be presented to the whole audience on day two with a commitment to take them forward. A tech hackathon will also take place, to be judged by a panel including HS2 head of innovation Iain Roche. Plenary sessions will once again be chaired by BBC journalist and Daily Politics host Andrew Neil. CN Summit 2016 floorplan The Construction News Summit takes place on 11 & 12 October at the Hilton Bankside in London. CN readers can get a 20 per cent discount on delegate passes when they use the promotional code: CNREADER Visit summit.constructionnews.co.uk for further information. Confirmed speakers include: Irvine Sellar, founder, Sellar Property Group Sadie Morgan, co-founding director, dRMM and commissioner, National Infrastructure Commission Andy Mitchell, chief executive officer, Tideway Jim O’Sullivan, chief executive, Highways England Ged Fitzgerald, chief executive, Liverpool City Council Lynda Shillaw, divisional chief executive, property, Manchester Airport Michèle Dix, managing director, Crossrail 2 Simon Blanchflower, major programme director – Thameslink, Network Rail Simon Hesketh, director of regeneration, U+I David Climie, project director – Forth Replacement Crossing, Transport Scotland Mike Grice, construction director, Battersea Power Station Development Company Justin Black, development director, Land Securities Gavin Taylor, operations director, BCEGI Suzannah Nichol, chief executive, Build UK Paul Morrell, former government chief construction adviser Iain Roche, head of innovation, HS2 Peter Henry, development director, Harworth Estates Carl Delvin, programme director, Horizon Nuclear Jeroen Pat, TDI Chris Williamson, director, Weston Williamson Trevor Burns, executive director of development, East Thames Annie Hampson, chief planning officer, City of London Paul Williams, director, Derwent Ray Melee, development director, Gatwick Airport Francis Keenan, managing director, FK Group Tech Sprint Judges – How to reduce construction costs Iain Roche, head of innovation, HS2 Kuldeep Gharatya, head of technical strategy, systems performance and innovation, London Underground Malcolm Taylor, head of technical information, Crossrail Rick Robinson, IT director for smart data and technology, Amey Source link
Construction and infrastructure firm Morgan Sindall has reached a major milestone in its work on a £15.4 million special educational needs school in Essex. Glenwood School is being built for Essex County Council and will offer support for 210 children and young adults who have severe, and multiple, learning difficulties. Morgan Sindall has now begun working on the timber frame structure of the building. Once finished next year, the site will feature 26 spacious classrooms, a hydrotherapy pool and specialist facilities to help meet the sensory needs of the young people. This will include swing therapy rooms and a trampoline room to help promote organisation of the senses, postural control, sequencing space and body awareness. The Morgan Sindall project team will also deliver an independent living area within the school, which will help older students to prepare for adulthood, along with an immersive room that will use projection imagery to simulate a series of different environments. Morgan Sindall Area Director, Gavin Napper, commented: “We’re very pleased to be celebrating this key milestone at Glenwood School. The project team is committed to delivering a truly inspirational space where young people with special educational needs can really enjoy learning and feel safe and secure. “The school includes a number of outstanding facilities and will provide the very best support and learning opportunities for those individuals.” Meanwhile, Morgan Sindall jumped to the top of the monthly league of contract wins in October and took pole position for the first time in the rolling 12 months total of work secured. According to information specialist Glenigan, a trio of big project wins for the contractor tipped the tables. These wins included a £44m school in Tonyrefail for Rhonda Cynon Taff council, a £36.6m infrastructure package at Sighthill in Glasgow for the city council and a £23.6m multi-deck vehicle storage facility in Southampton for ABP.