Kirklees Council has approved a £2.38 million grant to refurbish Fieldhouse into Station Apartments. Fieldhouse is a four-storey building which stands opposite Dewsbury Railway Station, in the area around Daisy Hill and Bond Street. The council plans to create a new neighbourhood around Daisy Hill, made up of homes which
Consulting civil and structural engineering company Will Rudd has completed the latest project from a series of long-term collaboration with PureMalt Haddington. The project involved the complete refurbishment of the Maltings Building, which laid in a state of near ruin for over 25 years. Will Rudd provided scope of work
Equans has announced its partnership with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to deliver important decarbonisation measures across the housing market in Maltby. For this project, the council has secured £1.5 million from the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), which will serve as a pilot to retrofit other homes in the
Plans for the major redevelopment of a former Ministry of Defence (MoD) site in Hounslow West have been given the green light. A resolution to grant planning permission has been received for a mixed-use development at Cavalry Barracks to build a vibrant community that includes 1,525 new homes, as well
Work on the final phase as Seacroft Hospital regeneration development has officially commenced and once ready it will be welcoming 185 new homes to the area. To mark the occasion, Keepmoat Homes and Strata welcomed Local Councillors Cllr David Jenkins and Cllr Katie Dye, alongside Homes England representatives Nancy Atkinson
Leeds College of Building is celebrating the National T Levels Week, a celebration of the successful new two-year vocational training programme, with the introduction of the Design, Surveying & Planning for Construction T Level course. T Levels are qualifications for people aged between 16 and 19, who, after their GCSEs,
A new partnership announced by Payapps, the cloud-based construction software, and Eque2, a construction, contracting and housebuilding software firm that offers a range of cloud solutions to manage the end-to-end lifecycle of a construction project, is due to give the construction industry a boost of cloud solutions. As part of
A recently launched innovative removals company has announced it is on the hunt for partners that would help it increase its services and offering across the UK. With a high demand from homeowners and renters, the experts need transport and logistics operators that want to join them on this journey
Construction engineering company Bouygues UK is the only construction company to have been shortlisted at the Wales STEM Awards. Bouygues UK was nominated in the ‘STEM Educational Programme of the Year (Private Sector)’ Category for its STEM schools programme of activity, which includes its ‘Girls Believe Academy’. Running across the whole
People involved heavily in the local property community in Reading have recently completed a 20-mile sponsored walk along the Thames Towpath, managing to raise over £5,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. The was was organised and sponsored by Mike Feasey, Relationship Director at Secure Trust Bank Real Estate Finance, following the
Kirklees Council has approved a £2.38 million grant to refurbish Fieldhouse into Station Apartments. Fieldhouse is a four-storey building which stands opposite Dewsbury Railway Station, in the area around Daisy Hill and Bond Street. The council plans to create a new neighbourhood around Daisy Hill, made up of homes which are both excellent quality and affordable to rent or buy. Once completed, the neighbourhood will feature both new buildings and converted ones. The plans will give Fieldhouse – and other buildings – a new purpose and lease of life, and will future-proof some of Dewsbury’s beautiful historic architecture for future generations. Fieldhouse itself will be the flagship of the development, transformed into 23 spacious apartments and commercial space. Once finished, the building will be known as Station Apartments. “There’s a growing need for quality, affordable housing, not just in Kirklees but nationally. To address this, we don’t just want to keep building new homes – we want to make the most of the beautiful structures we already have,” said Councillor Eric Firth, Cabinet Member for Transport and Dewsbury Ward Councillor. “This project, like others across Kirklees, isn’t just about tackling our housing shortage. It’s also about future-proofing our great historic buildings, giving them a new lease of life, and maintaining that personality in our town centres. Fieldhouse is the flagship of our development at Daisy Hill, which will be a turning point for Dewsbury as a living town and a major milestone in our Dewsbury Blueprint.” The aim of the neighbourhood is to create a type of residential development that doesn’t currently exist in Dewsbury. The plans will drive more spending in the town centre, supporting local retailers and boosting Dewsbury’s economy. Fieldhouse is perfectly situated – central, and just opposite the train station. It’s a particularly fantastic location to make the most of Dewsbury’s excellent transport connections, which make it a great commuter town. Fieldhouse is also a Grade II* Listed building, part of the Dewsbury Town Centre Conservation Area and the Dewsbury Heritage Action Zone (HAZ). The area was awarded HAZ status in 2017. The developer plans to start construction work in November this year. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Consulting civil and structural engineering company Will Rudd has completed the latest project from a series of long-term collaboration with PureMalt Haddington. The project involved the complete refurbishment of the Maltings Building, which laid in a state of near ruin for over 25 years. Will Rudd provided scope of work for much-needed essential repairs and to provide temporary stability, including removing and replacing original concrete flooring, installing new steelwork and a new roof. The project was delivered in partnership with design team Unum Architecture, PMC Commercial Ltd Contractors, M&E consultant Hawthorne Boyle Ltd and surveyors Neilson Partnership. Following years of housing germinating malt, the atmosphere slowly eroded the original building’s floors and structure. This required careful, complex and systematic thinking and action to ensure a robust structural solution which maintained the integrity of the building. Contractor PMCC began refurbishment work on the Maltings Building in December 2019. Phase one, comprising essential repairs, structural work and new flooring, was completed in the summer of 2021. Phase two, internal fit outs, installing the new staircase, lift and finishing touches, concluded in July 2022. “We have enjoyed a fantastic working relationship with Pure Malt Haddington for eight years and delivered over 30 projects, from the installation of elements to aid the company’s business such as new tanks with associated structural supports to highly complex projects like the Maltings Building,” said Stephen Rudd, Technical Director at Will Rudd Glasgow. “This particular project presented some highly complex challenges which required us to work closely with the wider design team to solve. The building itself was not in good condition, having been in a severe state of disrepair for a number of years. This presented an immediate need to ensure we could make the building safe and start a programme of essential repairs. With much of the original walls and flooring unsalvageable due to deterioration over time, we had to work very strategically to ‘design out’ any risk of collapse and maintain temporary stability holistically with the contractor,” he added. The project was also reviewed continuously from a Conservation Engineering perspective and whilst maintaining the structural integrity of the building, the designs were able to include retaining of the existing cast iron internal columns and external walls as well as the majority of the steel support beams above the first-floor level. These elements were able to be treated in-situ with new paintwork to the steel, extensive stonework repairs and repointing to the building’s façade to extend their lifespan in line with the project’s requirements and restore the building to its former glory. It was announced in September that the Maltings Building is shortlisted in the ‘Refurbishment of an Historic Building’ category of the inaugural Institution of Structural Engineers Scottish Structural Awards. Winners will be announced on 27 October. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Equans has announced its partnership with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to deliver important decarbonisation measures across the housing market in Maltby. For this project, the council has secured £1.5 million from the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF), which will serve as a pilot to retrofit other homes in the region. Known as a former mining town with some of the UK’s highest levels of fuel poverty, Maltby would benefit immensely from this project. Unfortunately, the town is currently in top 10% most fuel-poor areas in the UK, and current EPC ratings on the selected properties range from C to G. “We’re delighted to be working with Rotherham Council on this vital energy efficiency and decarbonisation project in Maltby. With energy bills set to continue rising for the foreseeable future, pushing more and more people into fuel poverty, it’s more important than ever that the private and public sectors work together on projects like this,” commented Steve Batty, Head of Sustainability at Equans UK & Ireland. The 141 homes due to benefit from the Equans measures are traditional cavity brick-built, which is typical of the housing stock in Rotherham and can therefore help to shape the future borough-wide net zero carbon specification. As well as fabric improvements, including external wall and loft insulation, triple-glazed windows and energy efficient doors, the scope of work also be combined with a previously-planned re-roofing programme, in order to minimise disruption for residents. “Initiatives like this are a crucial part of the Council’s housing strategy. The efficiencies that will be saved through schemes like this one will make a huge difference to people’s lives. We are now looking at how we can extend this good practice in other parts of the borough,” added Paul Walsh, Assistant Director for Housing at Rotherham Council. Rotherham Council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and has pledged to cut carbon emissions in the borough to net zero by 2040. This scheme in Maltby is expected to save more than 96,000kg of CO2 per year, while also helping residents reduce their energy bills. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Plans for the major redevelopment of a former Ministry of Defence (MoD) site in Hounslow West have been given the green light. A resolution to grant planning permission has been received for a mixed-use development at Cavalry Barracks to build a vibrant community that includes 1,525 new homes, as well as commercial space and more than 10 acres of open space. The new masterplan focuses on creating high-quality homes in a sustainable environment that celebrates the site’s history and supports the ongoing regeneration of the area. Housing developer and regeneration specialist Inland Homes developed the plans on behalf of the project’s investor, together with architects tp bennett and planning consultants Planning Potential. At nearly 37 acres, the former Ministry of Defence site is one of the largest remaining undeveloped brownfield sites in London and benefits from excellent public transport links to nearby Heathrow Airport and central London. Alongside much-needed homes to suit a wide range of residents, the redevelopment will bring 2,700 square metres of commercial space for shops, cafes, workspace and community uses. The old parade ground will be revived as a new public park twice the size of Trafalgar Square, with sports pitches, play areas and green open space. Other landscaped areas will help form an ecological corridor that connects to nearby Hounslow Heath and Beaversfield Park. With a permanent barracks on site from 1793 to 2021 and links to Oliver Cromwell, Florence Nightingale and Winston Churchill, Cavalry Barracks and the surrounding area is steeped in history. Heritage assets across the site will be celebrated and restored, with key buildings opened up for wider community benefit. In total, 14 Grade II listed buildings and 9 locally listed buildings will be refurbished. “Cavalry Barracks is an exceptional development site with its historical significance, excellent location and sheer scale of opportunity. We are delighted to have received a resolution to grant planning permission on behalf of the project investor to secure additional new housing for Hounslow, in a way that celebrates the site’s rich history and builds on its legacy for the whole community benefit. We look forward to seeing the next chapter in the Cavalry Barracks story come to life,” commented Nish Malde, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Inland Homes. Inland Homes is now working to finalise the terms of the section 106 agreement as quickly as possible on behalf of the project investor. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Work on the final phase as Seacroft Hospital regeneration development has officially commenced and once ready it will be welcoming 185 new homes to the area. To mark the occasion, Keepmoat Homes and Strata welcomed Local Councillors Cllr David Jenkins and Cllr Katie Dye, alongside Homes England representatives Nancy Atkinson and Marie Kiddell, on site for a sod cutting ceremony. “We are extremely excited to have commenced work on the final phase in Seacroft. The development is part of a wider regeneration project in East Leeds and aims to provide a tremendous opportunity for the city’s growth, and the much-needed high-quality homes will contribute to making the area a great place to live and work for both local residents as well as those new to the area,” said Michael Orgill, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes. “We have a strong track record of breathing new life into brownfield land such as this and are driven to make a big impact on the local community. By generating local employment and training opportunities during the construction period, we aim to deliver real value to the area and ensure the re-development is a benefit for all.” Comprising one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom houses, available for both open market sale and affordable housing provision, the development is due to complete in Summer 2025 and will bring the total homes delivered at the scheme to 686. “The development has been a flagship scheme for developers, Leeds Council and Homes England, showcasing brownfield regeneration, the construction of mixed tenure homes, fast paced delivery, key infrastructure investment and socio-economic outputs for local people,” commented Mark Leaf, Director of Land and Planning at Strata. “A Skills Hub, in partnership with Leeds College of Building has also been implemented to maximize the use of local labour and skills development; ensuring local people and businesses are benefitting from the investment. We look forward to completing this scheme and working in partnership with Homes England and Leeds Council on forthcoming sites to continue to transform brownfield sites and assist helping local people with job and training opportunities.” As part of its commitment to the local community and the city of Leeds, Keepmoat Homes has pledged to support local people and maximise the use of local labour through the use of sub-contractors, along with creating opportunities in training and work placements, with an aim of creating the next generation of workers. Finally, Nancy Atkinson, Project Manager for Homes England, the Government’s housing agency, added: “We’re excited to see the start of the final phase of the Seacroft Hospital development, unlocking land for over 680 new homes. This final phase of development reflects the strong partnership work with Homes England, Keepmoat Homes and Strata to bring much needed housing to meet demand in the area. “Homes England have assembled the site over the past ten years, re-purposing surplus public sector land for much needed housing contributing to the Government’s housing targets,” she concluded. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Leeds College of Building is celebrating the National T Levels Week, a celebration of the successful new two-year vocational training programme, with the introduction of the Design, Surveying & Planning for Construction T Level course. T Levels are qualifications for people aged between 16 and 19, who, after their GCSEs, want to focus on technical and vocational skills. Having been designed in collaboration with leading employers to provide the skills businesses across the region need, the goal of these qualifications is to help students into skilled employment, higher study, or apprenticeships. “Leeds College of Building is the UK’s only general Further Education college specialising in Construction and the Built Environment. As such, we are perfectly placed to work with our established network of regional and national employers to enhance T Level opportunities for students,” commented Nikki Davis, CEO & Principal at Leeds College of Building. “T Level students at Leeds College of Building will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and specialist teaching expertise. Students also benefit from established progression opportunities within higher and degree-level apprenticeships at the College and employment opportunities through our construction partners. Leeds College of Building is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. This new qualification will help us to better serve the region’s young people and workforce, opening up even more opportunities into high paying, skilled jobs.” Leeds College of Building is among a select number of education providers across England chosen to deliver this T Level programme from September 2022. At the heart of the course, a 45-day industry placement opens opportunities for the brightest talent entering the market. Time is split between 80% classroom learning and 20% industry placement lasting approximately seven weeks. All students will develop a general understanding of construction, including accurate and appropriate measurements, construction methods and building regulations, digital engineering techniques, design principles and processes, CAD, mathematical problem-solving, and sustainability and environmental impact. Amongst the employers on offer from Leeds College of Building for T Level students work placements is Caddick Construction Limited. “The new T Levels are a great alternative to entry-level qualifications as they help students gain valuable ‘on the job’ experience whilst undertaking their qualification, which will give them a great advantage going forward in their career. It will also help employers gain an early insight into the latest talent pool, helping with recruitment and social value benefits. It also helps us to develop the knowledge, attitude, and skills of the students entering the built environment,” said Debbie Watson, Social Value Manager (Yorkshire) at Caddick Construction Ltd. “Whilst working with us, students will spend time in each department at both our offices and on our sites to understand the workings of the main contractor. Students will also spend time with our consultants, such as the Architect, to understand how projects get to site, as well as spending time with subcontractors on our projects learning more about life on site,” Debbie concluded. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
A new partnership announced by Payapps, the cloud-based construction software, and Eque2, a construction, contracting and housebuilding software firm that offers a range of cloud solutions to manage the end-to-end lifecycle of a construction project, is due to give the construction industry a boost of cloud solutions. As part of this partnership, Eque2’s contracting and subcontracting customers will benefit from an extended use of their existing construction accounting and commercial management solutions. With added functionality, they will be able to better manage the submitting of applications for payment, and the assessment and approval of payment notices. Critical for any construction business, it is mandatory to keep track of the progress of applications for payment throughout the entire project and across multiple projects. This ultimately leads to an excellent and healthy cashflow, as well as the opportunity to build strong relationships with its supply chain. “We are delighted to partner with Payapps and provide our customers with technology which allows them to take control of such a crucial part of their business. We were very impressed by the level of support Payapps provides to customers from the initial onboarding process through to on-going support,” commented Justin Moule, CEO at Eque2. Payapps, which has almost almost 12,000 customers worldwide, provides a unique solution that removes the need for inefficient manual tools, such as spreadsheets to value applications for payment, and emails to track communications. Instead, these are replaced by an innovative, online process where contractors and subcontractors collaborate to standardise and streamline the management of applications, making it simpler, faster, fairer and more transparent. “The Eque2 philosophy of supporting all tiers of construction companies is aligned with ours. It is very exciting to be partnering with another well-established construction software provider with an outstanding pedigree. We are delighted with this partnership and look forward to a successful future,” concluded Neal Hooks, Head of UK & Ireland at Payapps. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
A recently launched innovative removals company has announced it is on the hunt for partners that would help it increase its services and offering across the UK. With a high demand from homeowners and renters, the experts need transport and logistics operators that want to join them on this journey by offering local storage and removal services as part of their partnership. “Convenience and transparency is what makes our service stand out ahead of the competition. Homeowners and renters are time poor which is why we’ve taken the admin and pricing online. Upfront pricing means the customer knows exactly how much they’ll be spending on removals, and being online rather than lengthy phone calls means this can be booked out of hours, when busy urban dwellers are more likely to have time to spare,” commented Will Edwards, CEO at Lovespace, the removals company. “We aim to keep costs low. If a customer is moving from a studio apartment, they’d expect to pay from around £259 and from a two bed property, they’d be looking at prices from £359.” Faced with a high demand from urban dwellers, including renters, young professionals, and families, Lovespace launched its removals services earlier this year to make life easier and has since seen a monthly increase of both customers looking for removal services and partners keen to get on board. One of the biggest advantages when using their services is the online booking process that comes with an upfront price instantly. “Competitive pricing and flexibility is vital for our customer and also for our partners. For those that want to work alongside us, we can be flexible on when they can carry out removals, pay promptly and rates will be agreed ahead of any removals jobs,” added Will. “Being transparent with both customers and partners is important to us as a business. Money is tight for most people at the moment so being clear in pricing and payments to partners is essential in building trust and a good working relationship.” Lovespace offers a UK-wide removals service with convenient online booking and an upfront price, on top of its storage with collection and delivery service, which can help renters and homeowners make the most of their space at home. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
Construction engineering company Bouygues UK is the only construction company to have been shortlisted at the Wales STEM Awards. Bouygues UK was nominated in the ‘STEM Educational Programme of the Year (Private Sector)’ Category for its STEM schools programme of activity, which includes its ‘Girls Believe Academy’. Running across the whole of the UK, the innovative ‘Girls Believe Academy’ programme addresses the skills gap by demonstrating to young girls who are at the critical stage in their career decision-making, the diverse career options that can be had in construction and engineering. Selected ambassadors from Bouygues UK’s women’s network WeLink then share their own career experiences, offering real-world examples of how they got their role, the subjects they studied at school and the enriching experiences they have had following a career in construction and engineering. “The focal feature of the academy is to showcase the amazing women who have been instrumental in the construction of some of the most challenging and recognisable buildings around the world. This project also helps promote our internal network of STEM ambassadors, building a sense of community and shared responsibility within our own organisations,” said Leigh Hughes, Bouygues UK’s Business Growth and Social Value Director. “Using the academy as a springboard for further engagement and opportunity, young people who have taken part have gone on to do work experience with Bouygues UK and in companies within our supply chain. The opportunity for industry engagement is significant, especially for those who are facing barriers to engagement or are at a disadvantage due to social and economic circumstances. “Bouygues UK is committed to addressing the skills gap in our industry, while also achieving gender parity in construction and engineering roles by inspiring young women to consider a career in construction and engineering. By developing ambassadors for the academy we are building our own internal network of STEM collaborators, creating a sense of community and shared responsibility within Bouygues UK.” The awards, which celebrate those making a difference to and championing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) in Wales, will shine a spotlight on businesses who are creating an impact on the Welsh economy, those addressing the STEM diversity gap and skills shortage and those inspiring and raising aspirations of the next generation. All finalists across the 12 categories will now be considered by an industry-leading panel of judges, with the winners being announced at the awards ceremony at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel on 27th October 2022. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
People involved heavily in the local property community in Reading have recently completed a 20-mile sponsored walk along the Thames Towpath, managing to raise over £5,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. The was was organised and sponsored by Mike Feasey, Relationship Director at Secure Trust Bank Real Estate Finance, following the company’s decision to nominate Prostate Cancer UK as its charity of the year. “Our Real Estate Ramble was a great success, both in terms of giving colleagues from our industry a chance to network in a much more dynamic way than we might do usually, but most importantly in raising funds for a very worthy cause,” said Mike Feasey. “I’d like to thank everyone who joined us for their efforts on the day, and to those who made generous donations before, during and after the walk. We’re already in discussions about our next charity initiative and hope to add to the amount raised so far.” Part of the Real Estate Ramble was a team of employees from the Real Estate Finance division of Secure Trust Bank, located in Reading’s Abbey Gardens. The team led the group, comprising 16 colleagues and representatives from local partner businesses, on the walk from Goring to Henley-on-Thames. Starting at Pierreponts Café in Goring and finishing at The Angel on the Bridge pub in Henley-on-Thames, the walk took the group just over seven hours, including a lunch stop at the bank’s Reading office. Part of the team were representatives from Reading-based solicitors, Field Seymour Parkes; Thames Valley based property investor and developer, Winslade Group; and law firms, Acuity Law and Clyde & Co, all joining Secure Trust Bank Real Estate Finance in their mission to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK. Secure Trust Bank is an established, well‐funded and capitalised UK retail bank with a 70 year trading track record. Secure Trust Bank operates principally from its head office in Solihull, West Midlands, and had an average of 983 employees (full‐ time equivalent) as at 30 June 2022. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction and Property News
