Offsite manufacturing specialist, TALO, is expanding its transformational timber superstructure systems for low rise housing in the UK. Developed in Finland and widely used across the Nordic countries for over 40 years, TALO’s offsite manufacturing solutions can eradicate energy bills for homeowners and residents of social and affordable housing. As
Ahead of the 2025 update cycle for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) announces its forthcoming NDC Scorecard – a tool to support the evaluation and strengthening of nation-level policy on the built environment. Today, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) announces its new initiative: ‘NDC
Actis continues seven-year relationship with LABC by renewing CPD partner support The renewal this autumn of insulation specialist Actis’ CPD partner support with LABC marks the seventh year of a relationship between the two organisations. The renewed arrangement will see Actis specification team members take part in LABC’s monthly technical
Housing association believe housing has appointed a new chair of its board. The not-for-profit landlord, which manages more than 18,000 homes across County Durham and beyond, has appointed John Marshall as its new chair. A board member since 2019, he takes over the post from Hazel Dale, who came to
Virgin Media O2 has signed a commitment to invest in a new state-of-the art office space in central Manchester, agreeing a contract with Island that will see the new and innovative net zero carbon workspace become the company’s central Manchester office location from late next year. With the lease of
New 78-unit assisted living rental community close to Hampton Court Palace set to open next year Birchgrove, the UK’s leading provider of rented retirement homes, has celebrated its latest construction milestone with the topping out of Hampton Court Estate, a new 78-unit development close to Hampton Court Palace. The ceremony
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the findings of its latest Future Trends Survey, a monthly report of business and employment trends affecting the architects’ profession. The September 2024 findings show that over the next three months, architects continue to expect higher workloads and staffing levels, with
SEGRO plc has completed the sale of SEGRO Park Victoria Road, a 10-acre urban warehouse estate in Park Royal, West London, to Imperial College London for £115 million, marking a strategic milestone for both parties. This sale, made at a premium to the asset’s book value, highlights SEGRO’s successful management
Having long called for greater investment in the development of brownfield land, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has welcomed £68 million to turn brownfield land into new homes, as announced by the Prime Minister. But the Institute cautioned against focusing solely on residential projects for urban brownfield sites, warning that
TWO major contracts have been awarded through Pagabo’s civil engineering and infrastructure framework, which will shape the future of the London Underground’s famous Piccadilly line. The ambitious Piccadilly Line Upgrade project will modernise one of London’s busiest Underground lines, which originally opened in 1906. The work will see the introduction
Offsite manufacturing specialist, TALO, is expanding its transformational timber superstructure systems for low rise housing in the UK. Developed in Finland and widely used across the Nordic countries for over 40 years, TALO’s offsite manufacturing solutions can eradicate energy bills for homeowners and residents of social and affordable housing. As part of its expansion in the UK, TALO has just been awarded ICW Endorsed accreditation from ICW Group – one of the country’s largest structural insurance warranty specialists, which serves all major mortgage lenders. This certification follows a robust technical assessment of TALO’s timber superstructure system and its manufacturing processes to meet ICW’s stringent MMC requirements. The endorsement means that the TALO offsite system is now pre-approved, subject to satisfactory site audits, for use in conjunction with ICW’s structural warranties across multiple housing projects. Philip Quinn, Director of Surveying Services at ICW, said, “TALO’s commitment to quality is clear, as attested by their comprehensive technical design and robust manufacturing processes. Working with TALO has been refreshing and their approach to sustainability is impressive.” “We found TALO’s team to be responsive, technically minded and engaging professionals. We are thrilled to be working in partnership together as we look ahead to future MMC projects.” Leona Wikman, TALO’s Technical Director said, “The accreditation from ICW gives our housebuilding customers the reassurance that the TALO system meets ICW’s requirements for their structural warranties.” “We have an exciting project pipeline in place for both housebuilders and social and affordable housing providers. This certification will open the doors to more opportunities in the residential sector, as well as provide our existing customers with independent verification of the consistently high-quality standards we work to.” “ICW’s MMC team visited our offsite manufacturing centre in Finland as part of the assessment process. The depth of technical knowledge of MMC and competence of their team made the approval process very straightforward.” TALO is now working towards its first UK offsite manufacturing centre as demand increases for its zero energy housebuilding solutions in the UK. Its timber superstructure system is currently manufactured in Finland for its UK customers. Once production in the first factory nears capacity, there are plans for further manufacturing centres which will be rolled out across the UK to meet customer demand and create local jobs for local housing. This will accelerate the construction of TALO’s zero energy homes – from Scotland to the South West of England. TALO specialises in the offsite manufacture and installation of advanced timber superstructures to deliver new low-rise homes for sale, rent and social housing more efficiently. The high level of thermal efficiency of the TALO system removes the need for energy bills and snagging, and at no cost premium for the developer or housing provider. For further information, visit www.talo.co.uk, call 03301 334121 or email hello@talo.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ahead of the 2025 update cycle for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) announces its forthcoming NDC Scorecard – a tool to support the evaluation and strengthening of nation-level policy on the built environment. Today, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) announces its new initiative: ‘NDC Scorecard for Sustainable Buildings’. This tool is currently being co-developed with five pilot Green Building Councils (GBCs), alongside the GBC global network including the Global Policy Taskforce, and local stakeholders including governments, to ensure nations are being bold on buildings in their climate action plans, which are due to be updated in early 2025. Under the Paris Agreement, each country must draw up a national climate action plan (known as NDC – Nationally Determined Contribution) outlining their strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to enable the collective global goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5ºC and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Current NDC commitments fall far short of this target, with current commitments on track for 2.5-2.9ºC of warming. The WorldGBC NDC Scorecard tool will allow all policymakers, GBCs and others to assess and compare their countries’ NDCs, and reveal where further action is necessary on the built environment to increase the ambition and effectiveness of their NDCs and national policies so they are putting the sector on a trajectory for 1.5ºC. The tool will also enable stakeholders to conduct a gap analysis to ensure that NDCs, national policies and implementation are all aligned so that commitments are being put into practice. “Being bold on buildings is essential if countries are to live up to the welcome ambitions signalled by the Buildings Breakthrough, the UAE Consensus and the Déclaration de Chaillot,” said Cristina Gamboa, CEO of WorldGBC. “It is absolutely critical that this next batch of revised NDCs accelerates the transition and closes the gap to 1.5ºC. This can be achieved by not overlooking the role of buildings and encouraging governments to send strong policy signals that unlock finance and enable the private sector to scale existing climate solutions.” The tool enables the evaluation of NDCs using a number of criteria, such as carbon, resilience and adaptation, circularity, water, biodiversity, health, equity and access, and finance mechanisms, and establishes if the NDC is supported by national policies and building codes to ensure implementation. Most current NDCs overlook the potential of buildings Only with strong action on the built environment, which is responsible for 37% of global emissions, can the world hope to succeed in building the transition and achieving the 1.5°C limit targeted by the Paris Agreement. Yet most country’s NDCs and policies are not currently close to meeting the challenge. According to the GlobalABC Global Status Report 2023, despite a growth in the number of adopted codes globally, over 30% of building codes have not been updated since 2015. Only three places have codes aligned with Zero Emission Buildings (ZEB) principles. Mandatory building energy codes are lacking altogether in 110 countries. And these include the places where 82% of global population growth will occur, and consequently increased building, in the period to 2030. A global pilot phase WorldGBC is working with five GBCs in different regions of the globe to develop the Scorecard. The project involves Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Nigeria and the Philippines. Its development process is designed to identify best-practice building policies that should be in revised NDCs and integrated into national buildings regulatory frameworks. The project will also produce tailored action plans for each of the five countries. The Scorecard tool will be developed using a collaborative process that engages the GBC network, local stakeholders and political actors from the outset, ensuring that the communities who are responsible for implementation are involved in the process. This aims to maximise the chance for better and deliverable outcomes, and drives locally-relevant action that delivers on global priorities. “It’s been encouraging to see such strong support from local stakeholders. The recent flooding and heatwaves across Nigeria are harsh reminders of how vulnerable our communities are to climate change, and they show just how urgent it is to align our building policies with climate goals. This is why the project is so timely! We believe it will be a game-changer in shaping Nigeria’s built environment and setting the stage for our 2025 NDC update.” Danjuma Waniko, President, Green Building Council Nigeria “The NDC Scorecard for Sustainable Buildings Project can significantly influence the shaping of the Philippines’ NDC. Integrating sustainable buildings reduces emissions, enhances energy efficiency, and promotes green construction. It fosters job creation, strengthens resilience to climate impacts like typhoons and heatwaves, and improves living conditions — advancing national climate goals and driving sustainable urban development and economic growth nationwide.” Christopher Cruz de la Cruz, CEO, Philippine Green Building Council “At Colombia GBC we truly believe that the built environment can play a great role in dealing with climate change. We have been committed to work very closely with our government to integrate the built environment as part of the national agenda and as an important part of the NDC update processes. This process includes not only the impact of different policies, but also the work with the private sector to ensure an integrated approach.” Angélica Ospina, CEO, Consejo Colombiano de Construcción Sostenible (Colombia Green Building Council) “We are enthusiastic about discussing the best policies and opportunities to reinforce the green building agenda at the NDC scale. The green building movement in Brazil has influenced market behaviour towards decarbonisation, biodiversity, and resilience while guaranteeing economic results for developers and occupants. By better understanding and advancing our movement through policies and regulation, our contribution will be expanded to all.” Felipe Augusto Faria, CEO, Green Building Council Brasil “As Egypt faces increasing climate vulnerabilities and a rapidly growing construction sector, projected to expand by nearly 6% annually — the NDC Scorecard for Sustainable Buildings Project is a crucial tool for promoting climate-resilient, sustainable development. This project will provide Egypt with a framework to assess the carbon reduction potential of our construction practices and ensure that new developments prioritise
Actis continues seven-year relationship with LABC by renewing CPD partner support The renewal this autumn of insulation specialist Actis’ CPD partner support with LABC marks the seventh year of a relationship between the two organisations. The renewed arrangement will see Actis specification team members take part in LABC’s monthly technical seminars over the coming twelve months. Key presenters include Actis regional specification managers Amaret Chahal, Jason Docherty and Elijah Peters. They will share highlights of Actis’ updated RIBA-approved Tomorrow’s Insulation Solutions for Future Homes Standards CPD with architects, specifiers, builders and building control officers, while other industry experts share information on other pertinent subjects. As in previous years, the sessions will be a mixture of regional face-to-face and online events aimed at construction professionals working across England and Wales. The roadshows, which last two hours when taking place virtually and three and a half when in real life, have provided CPD training to more than a thousand delegates over the past year. Actis UK and Ireland sales director Mark Cooper said: “We’ve been running CPD training at LABC’s popular long-running roadshows since 2018 and we’re delighted to continue to support the construction community in this way. The sessions are always informative and interesting and are also great for networking and sharing best practice. The CPD partnership means we can continue to offer valuable advice which will help builders and specifiers comply with building regulations as we move towards net zero.” In addition to the 20-minute sessions it offers via the LABC roadshows, Actis has developed a number of full length CPD training courses including RIBA-approved modules on how to comply with changes to Part L and prepare for the Future Homes Standard – Tomorrow’s Insulation Solutions for Future Homes Standard – andAddressing the Performance Gap with Reflective Insulation . Another of its popular CPD sessions is on Proven Compliant Systems. Actis’ Hybrid range of insulation, vapour control layers and breather membranes and its two-in-one Eolis HC have been praised by users for their cleanliness, ease and speed of installation, lack of waste, lightness and ease of transportation as well as their impressive thermal performance. Their flexibility and ability to bend around corners and be squeezed into gaps means they are excellent at counteracting thermal bridging and ensuring air tightness. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Housing association believe housing has appointed a new chair of its board. The not-for-profit landlord, which manages more than 18,000 homes across County Durham and beyond, has appointed John Marshall as its new chair. A board member since 2019, he takes over the post from Hazel Dale, who came to the end of her term in September after serving nine years as a board member and one as chair. John’s background is as a solicitor, and he holds a broad range of high-profile roles across the northeast of England. They include chairing the North East Chamber of Commerce, Newcastle Gateshead Initiative (NGI), Newcastle United Foundation, as well as being Vice Chair of the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust and incoming Chair of Governors at St Chad’s College, Durham. “I first joined believe housing’s board because the importance of housing was very obvious to me, from the other roles I hold and some of the work I’ve done in the charity and health sectors. It is at the root of so much. “If somebody is able to have the right home for them, it gives them the opportunity to start a better life,” he said. “I feel honoured to be the chair of believe housing. “While there are many challenges that face the sector, I’m really encouraged by what I think believe housing can achieve with the people it has, the culture is has developed, and its real customer focus. “The future will include finding new ways to deliver our services to customers, continuing to develop a really high standard of new homes, and continuing to invest in existing homes particularly making them more energy efficient for our customers. “believe housing is a really important business in County Durham’s economy. “And I want customers to know that when we make decisions, we always have the impact on them and how they will feel in our minds.” Chief Executive of believe housing, Alan Smith, said: “John brings a wealth of experience from various sectors and is very knowledgeable about our business, with a clear understanding of the housing crisis regionally and nationally. “The role of chair is vital, helping to drive the direction of believe housing and the role we play in the business community and housing sector. “John is incredibly well-connected, he cares about customers and colleagues, and above all else he is a passionate and caring individual who makes a meaningful difference.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Virgin Media O2 has signed a commitment to invest in a new state-of-the art office space in central Manchester, agreeing a contract with Island that will see the new and innovative net zero carbon workspace become the company’s central Manchester office location from late next year. With the lease of its Wythenshawe office due to expire in early 2026, Virgin Media O2 undertook a comprehensive review of its property options in the area, drawing up a shortlist of several properties within 10 miles of central Manchester that could act as a base for employees to get together in person, while also supporting Virgin Media O2’s flexible working policies. Island, a net zero carbon workspace being developed by joint venture partners HBD (part of Henry Boot plc) and Greater Manchester Pensions Fund, was the company’s preferred choice, with employees set to benefit from excellent local amenities and in-building facilities. The site has strong transport links, excellent cycle storage and shower facilities, and features a rooftop terrace among its 12,500 sq ft of communal spaces, which include a wide range of food and drink options for employees. Among the teams moving to Island will be Virgin Media O2’s multi-skilled customer service teams who provide bespoke and specialist support on a range of customer issues, including sales and retentions, service issues, bereavement and telecare support. Having first moved to Wythenshawe in 1991, this new agreement with Island further extends Virgin Media O2’s long-term association with, and investment in, the Manchester area. Island is targeting an Excellent BREEAM Sustainable Building Certification, demonstrating the innovative strategies and green technologies it uses to achieve an exceptional level of environmental performance. A net-zero workspace from day one, Island’s sustainable features include centralised air handling units and demand-controlled CO2 sensors to improve indoor air quality, 350m² of solar panels, real-time energy consumption data screens, efficient lifts and LED lighting. This major investment from Virgin Media O2 will provide a modern, future-proof space for its people to meet and collaborate in the North West, consistent with the company’s flexible working policies. Virgin Media O2 will provide clear communication and support for employees currently based at Wythenshawe to ensure a smooth transition next year. Patricia Cobian, Virgin Media O2’s Chief Financial Officer, said: “This significant investment demonstrates our commitment to retaining a sizeable presence in Manchester, with a flagship new office that places us in the heart of the city’s thriving technology hub. “The state-of-the art office will provide a vibrant space for our employees in the North West to get together in person and collaborate, meeting our needs now and helping to attract future talent. Improving our people’s experience was a key focus in the selection process, and Island offers our employees a wide range of amenities and facilities that are not currently available to them. “With enviable environmental credentials and excellent transport links, this move will help reduce our carbon emissions and make it easier than ever for our employees to choose more environmentally-friendly modes of transport.” Ed Hutchinson, Managing Director at HBD, said: “Virgin Media O2’s decision to invest in Island and call this remarkable building its new home in Manchester is testament to the exceptional space we have created here. Island has been carefully designed around the needs of the occupier. Not only is it a highly intelligent and sustainable building, but it’s one which prioritises people’s health and well-being. Virgin Media O2’s values are perfectly aligned with ours and we’re proud to welcome them to Island. “At Island Virgin Media O2 will enjoy a building which has achieved Well Building Gold Rating. Designed to ensure that occupiers can be highly inclusive, Island features design elements and spaces which support neurodiversity, people of different faiths and gender identification as well as spaces for nursing mothers. “There is strong interest in the remaining space that is available at Island, with plenty of options to join Virgin Media O2 across the remaining four floors.” Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “It’s very positive to see Virgin Media O2 bring their new North West HQ to Manchester in a state-of-the-art facility with net-zero carbon workspaces that enhance our carbon neutral plans. This multi-million-pound investment will bring a significant boost to the city-region and highlights Greater Manchester as a place where companies want to invest.” Island will become Virgin Media O2’s third major new office space since the merger in June 2021. The company is currently preparing to move teams into a new state-of-the-art HQ in Paddington by the end of the year, while it was recently confirmed that staff in Lanarkshire will transfer to a new office in Maxim Park in early 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
New 78-unit assisted living rental community close to Hampton Court Palace set to open next year Birchgrove, the UK’s leading provider of rented retirement homes, has celebrated its latest construction milestone with the topping out of Hampton Court Estate, a new 78-unit development close to Hampton Court Palace. The ceremony was attended by a number of potential residents as well as Birchgrove CEO Honor Barratt, who inserted a ceremonial roof tile to mark the conclusion of the project’s construction. Hampton Court Estate will offer contemporary, self-contained assisted living one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments available to independently minded renters aged over 65, together with extensive communal facilities including a restaurant, club room, licensed bar, wellness suite, library and landscaped gardens. Research commissioned by Birchgrove shows that the project will deliver 107 bedrooms and help free up a further 179 bedrooms of family housing in the local area; as a result, a net increase of 72 bedrooms could be released onto the private market by using this site for assisted living, thereby helping address the local housing shortage. Having launched its first community in 2019, Birchgrove currently operates four rented communities in the South-East, with a further community in Godalming, Surrey set to open later this year. Hampton Court Estate will be the sixth Birchgrove community to open, and the second in London after Mill Hill, when it opens in 2025, with a further three communities currently under construction. The development of Birchgrove’s portfolio comes amid a chronic shortage of high-quality retirement properties for the over-65s in the South-East, and surging demand for senior living rented accommodation: according to the English Housing Survey, the number of pensioners in rented accommodation is set to double to over 1m in the next decade. Honor Barratt, Chief Executive, Birchgrove said: “I’m immensely proud to have topped out our sixth baby. We only delivered our first in 2019, so to be scaling at this rate is both a testament to the Birchgrove team and our backers and a clear indicator of surging market demand for high quality senior living rented accommodation. We’re so excited to be launching Hampton Court Estate in 2025 – the local oldies won’t know what hit them.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has published the findings of its latest Future Trends Survey, a monthly report of business and employment trends affecting the architects’ profession. The September 2024 findings show that over the next three months, architects continue to expect higher workloads and staffing levels, with an improved outlook compared to August. Architects expect more work as confidence returns to London and private housing sector In September, the RIBA Future Trends Workload Index rose by 1 point to +3, indicating that architects expect workloads to increase overall. Over the next three months, 26% of practices expect workloads to increase, 22% expect them to decrease, and 52% expect them to stay the same. While the outlook for small practices (1-10 staff) deteriorated by 3 points to a Workload Index figure of -5, outlook for medium (11-50 staff) and large (51+ staff) practices rose by 27 points to a very optimistic figure of +60. Positively, all monitored work sectors have an improved outlook, with the crucial Private Housing sector (+5) rising by 5 points to its most optimistic level since summer 2022. The outlook for the Commercial sector (+1) improved by 7 points to its highest level since spring 2022, while the Public sector (-1) and Community sector (-2) each improved by 3 points. The regional picture is mixed. Confidence among practices in London (+8) recovered by 12 points, returning to positive territory. The outlook remains positive in the North of England (+13), which rose by 1 point, and the South of England (+3), which fell by 5 points. The outlook for Wales and the West (0) rallied by 9 points, but the Midlands & East Anglia (-10) deteriorated by 16 points, falling into negative territory. Practices expect to recruit more permanent and temporary staff In September, the RIBA Future Trends Permanent Staffing Index rose by 1 point to +6, indicating that more practices intend to increase staff numbers than reduce them. The Index’s upward trajectory suggests growing confidence in long-term prospects. RIBA Head of Economic Research and Analysis Adrian Malleson said: “This month’s encouraging findings show that business conditions are improving. Practices anticipate increased workloads and staffing levels. After a long spell of pessimism, there is an increasingly positive outlook for the private housing sector, which provides the largest share of commissions for smaller practices. The outlook for the commercial sector, which includes offices, entertainment and retail, is also optimistic. Commentary received from practices this month includes some notably positive assessments of the market, highlighting growth returning, workloads increasing, a rise in enquiries, an unprecedented number of new tenders, and practices focusing on recruitment and raising fee levels. Nevertheless, the picture is not universally positive. Other practices report planning delays, a lack of upcoming projects, cash-flow pressures, and client hesitancy in committing to new projects. While the market shows encouraging signs of recovery, significant barriers to sustained growth remain. We will continue to report our findings to the Government and work with other built environment bodies to monitor these trends.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
SEGRO plc has completed the sale of SEGRO Park Victoria Road, a 10-acre urban warehouse estate in Park Royal, West London, to Imperial College London for £115 million, marking a strategic milestone for both parties. This sale, made at a premium to the asset’s book value, highlights SEGRO’s successful management and long-term strategy for the site. Since acquiring the estate in 2009 as part of its purchase of Brixton plc, SEGRO has focused on active management, achieving significant rent growth. However, the site’s age and layout have led to a strategy shift towards securing vacant possession for redevelopment. Currently, the estate is 64% occupied and generates a rental income of £3.2 million annually. The sale marks an exciting new chapter for the site, as Imperial College plans to transform it into a hub for commercial science innovation, supporting early-stage companies whose interests align with the university’s academic mission. This initiative will be part of the ‘WestTech Corridor’, an ambitious development aimed at establishing West London as a globally competitive innovation ecosystem. The site also forms part of wider regeneration plans for the area, developed in collaboration with the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) and Ealing Council. Bonnie Minshull, SEGRO’s Head of London, said: “SEGRO Park Victoria Road has delivered strong results for us over the past decade. This sale enables us to reinvest in our broader London portfolio while supporting the creation of cutting-edge innovation facilities by a world-class institution.” Hugh Brady, President of Imperial College London, added: “Our vision for the WestTech Corridor represents a significant step towards building a deep tech innovation ecosystem in West London. It will drive investment, inclusive growth, and job creation at local and national levels, aligning with the Government’s emerging Industrial Strategy.” The sale represents a win for both SEGRO and Imperial, with SEGRO focusing on reinvestment in its core industrial and logistics spaces, while Imperial College furthers its mission to foster innovation and economic development in London. Advising on the deal were Montagu Evans and Gowling WLG (UK) LLP for SEGRO, with Savills (UK) Ltd and CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP acting on behalf of Imperial College London. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Having long called for greater investment in the development of brownfield land, the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has welcomed £68 million to turn brownfield land into new homes, as announced by the Prime Minister. But the Institute cautioned against focusing solely on residential projects for urban brownfield sites, warning that prioritising housing could displace essential commercial, industrial, and logistics uses that are critical for sustaining local economic growth. The Institute cautioned the last government that brownfield and previously developed land can be more difficult to develop, and is encouraged to see steps taken proactively by the Labour Government to help councils. But any new developments would need to be of high quality and in sustainable locations, avoiding poor quality homes or poorly planned developments that people wouldn’t want to live in. To facilitate this process, the RTPI has suggested supporting local authorities to review and update their brownfield land registers, which could be instrumental in strengthening development pipelines quickly. Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI, said: “While it is encouraging to see the government driving the development of more homes on brownfield land, it will need to ensure these projects are carefully planned and maintain a high standard of design quality, while preserving essential commercial and industrial employment spaces that are vital to creating sustainable, mixed-use areas and supporting local economies. “Funding for these sites is essential, but we must also ensure that it both enhances communities whilst stimulating economic growth.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
TWO major contracts have been awarded through Pagabo’s civil engineering and infrastructure framework, which will shape the future of the London Underground’s famous Piccadilly line. The ambitious Piccadilly Line Upgrade project will modernise one of London’s busiest Underground lines, which originally opened in 1906. The work will see the introduction of new trains, increased capacity and an improved passenger experience. As part of the works, Transport for London (TfL) has – through Pagabo’s civil engineering and infrastructure framework – awarded contracts to VolkerFitzpatrick and Taylor Woodrow to deliver Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) services for the Cockfosters and Northfield Depots respectively. The new depots will be crucial in supporting the operation and maintenance of 94 new trains, with the two contractors being appointed under one procurement. The swift and streamlined process has allowed TfL to quickly appoint its preferred parties to get work underway, while adhering to all the usual compliancy required for such contracts. David Llewellyn, head of construction and infrastructure at Pagabo, said: “We are thrilled to have facilitated this important procurement for TfL, bringing together two exceptional contractors, VolkerFitzpatrick and Taylor Woodrow. “With our extensive knowledge and expertise in compliant procurement – particularly with the upcoming Procurement Act changes – our team was able to work closely with TfL throughout to ensure a swift and smooth process adhering to procurement regulations. This allowed the procurement of VolkerFitzpatrick and Taylor Woodrow to be accelerated, putting them both in place to get ECI services underway for the respective depots as soon as possible. “As one of Europe’s largest metropolitan transport authorities, it’s fantastic to be handling these two appointments for TfL, providing our support and experience throughout. This is just the first of many more large-scale infrastructure projects that have been procured through our civil engineering and infrastructure framework this year, including nine other projects for TfL and Places for London.” The project for the Piccadilly Line Upgrade depots at Cockfosters and Northfields has been split into two phases procured simultaneously, with the ECI stage proceeding the detailed design and build stage. Both phases will be delivered under the NEC3 form of contract. Paul Lilley, divisional director, rail and depots, at VolkerFitzpatrick, said: “We are delighted to be starting our first contract procured through Pagabo’s civil engineering and infrastructure framework by offering support to essential upgrades to the Piccadilly line’s Cockfosters Depot. Our collaboration with Pagabo, TfL, and our supply chain partners will be crucial for the successful and safe execution of this project. We look forward to sustainably modernising the Piccadilly line, ensuring it is fit for future use.” Evangelos Maltezos, Project Director at Taylor Woodrow said: “We are thrilled to have been appointed a key role in the Piccadilly Line Upgrade, and enhancing the lives of commuters. “We are looking forward to demonstrating our technical expertise, our capability in managing complex interfaces and fostering a collaborative approach to achieving success on the project.” As part of the Piccadilly Line Upgrade project, new facilities will be delivered to enable the operation and maintenance of the line’s new trains, which are being built by Siemens Mobility. Construction of the new facilities is expected to start in 2025. For more information, please visit https://pagabo.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
