Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect, said: “At the height of the pandemic in 2020, almost 80,000 construction workers were jobless. However, new data shows that the situation has vastly improved in recent months, and the sector’s unemployment rate is now at its lowest level since records began
Monthly construction output increased by 0.4% in volume terms in August 2022, which is the second consecutive monthly growth following the upwardly revised increase to 0.1% in July 2022 Commenting on last weeks ONS Construction Output for August, Stuart Law, CEO of the Assetz Group, said: “This month’s data reveals
With 266,000 extra workers needed within the construction sector by 2026 according to the Construction Industry Training Board, employers are being urged to use apprenticeships as a vehicle to home grow the people they need – a tactic that is reaping dividends for Polypipe Building Services. The Kent-based drainage system
A Lancashire not-for-profit housing association has invested £24.8m to provide affordable homes as part of its ongoing work to tackle the current social housing crisis. With a commitment to support the local community, Progress Housing Group has pledged to provide 1,000 affordable new homes by 2024, with 226 homes built
Panattoni, the largest logistics real estate developer in the UK and Europe, has signed a pre-lease agreement with Alliance Automotive Group (“AAG”), a leading distributor of passenger and commercial vehicle parts, with significant international brands such as NAPA, BOSCH, Apec and FPS for a 630,000 sq ft facility at Panattoni
Young people are already enjoying the state-of-the-art facilities that include an indoor climbing wall, 3G pitch and dance studio Caddick Construction has completed on the state-of-the-art Warrington Youth Zone which is offering a huge range of sports, arts and social facilities to the town’s young people. Construction began on the
The Leader & Deputy Leader of Barnet, Cllr Barry Rawlings & Cllr Ross Houston, and Cllr Claire Farrier joined Pocket Living’s Chief Commercial Officer, Nick Cuff, to lay the first ceremonial brick at the innovative housing developer’s first scheme in the borough. The visit represents a significant milestone in the
Eight of the 14 health boards in Scotland have asbestos in over 50% of their buildings. The figure rises as high as 92% of buildings for the NHS Lothian health board. Asbestos takes around 5,000 lives every year in the UK, with around 20 tradesmen dying each week from past exposure.
Work is now underway on creating a vast outdoor plaza at the heart of Sheffield’s Pennine Five – one of the UK’s largest office renovations outside of London. Work to date on Pennine Five, the former HSBC headquarters located on Tenter Street in the city centre, has seen the exterior
Verdion announces a major £300 million speculative development programme that will deliver all remaining warehouse capacity at iPort, the 6 million sq ft multimodal logistics hub just outside Doncaster. Totalling 1.75 million sq ft, this final stage of development at iPort will offer five buildings from 82,000 sq ft upwards,
Dominick Sandford, Managing Director at IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect, said: “At the height of the pandemic in 2020, almost 80,000 construction workers were jobless. However, new data shows that the situation has vastly improved in recent months, and the sector’s unemployment rate is now at its lowest level since records began in 1995. “In fact, at 36,000 (June-August 2022), the number of people out of work in the industry is now less than half of what it was two years ago. It’s also 11,000 fewer than the last data period (May-July 2022), and down 27,000 year-on-year (YOY). “Furthermore, job vacancies in the sector are on the rise, so the number of employed workers could increase further. Between July and September, there were 45,000 listings advertised, which was 1,000 more than the previous quarter, and 1,000 more than this time last year. “Compared to 2021, there is seemingly more work available too, as the average number of hours worked each week is higher. Twelve months ago, construction employees typically did 36.1-hour weeks, but that has now risen to 36.3. “Accordingly, earnings are also considerably greater. In construction, average weekly income now stands at £692, which is £29 higher than last year, while in the electricity, gas and water supply sector, weekly wages are now at £767, up £40 YOY. “These pay increases must be interpreted in the context of the current Cost of Living crisis and rocketing inflation rates. The recent statistics indicate that salaries have increased approximately 4% vs. this time last year, however current inflation rates sit at around 9%. Tradespeople are fuelling Britain’s growth, and salaries must continue rising to help offset soaring living costs in order to attract more professionals to the sector. The new data suggests that the industry is in a fairly healthy position to be able to support its workforce moving forwards, however there’s still more to be done.” For more information on IronmongeryDirect, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/ For more information on ElectricalDirect, visit: https://www.electricaldirect.co.uk/
Monthly construction output increased by 0.4% in volume terms in August 2022, which is the second consecutive monthly growth following the upwardly revised increase to 0.1% in July 2022 Commenting on last weeks ONS Construction Output for August, Stuart Law, CEO of the Assetz Group, said: “This month’s data reveals an increase in monthly construction output, rising for the second time consecutively. The data suggests that the heatwave in July inhibited construction growth, but as the high temperatures cooled towards the end of August, activity started to increase again. However, looking forward as we move out of summer, we cannot ignore broader socio-economic and political ongoings that are likely to have a significant impact over the winter months. The construction sector is among the industries that will be the hardest hit by the challenging economic environment. “This is particularly significant for SMEs who are disproportionately impacted by exponential increases in the cost of materials, labour shortages, rising energy bills, supply chain issues and the looming threat of at least a modest recession driven by sharply rising interest rates. This instability is also aggravated by uncertainty in economic policy that has often failed to prioritise small and medium sized businesses. As a result, we do expect construction to slow materially into 2023 as this combination of further factors comes to bear on the market. “While we have seen the UK construction industry welcome the new Energy Bill Relief Scheme from 1 October, the pressure will be on the Government to uphold long-term support for the sector in the face of steadily rising energy bills. “Whilst macro-economic conditions can’t be easily solved, a key solution to this is supporting SMEs through innovative funding solutions so they can properly play their part in boosting construction, and most importantly, meeting the urgent need for new homes as we face a housing crisis in the UK. SMEs are agile and favourable when it comes to sustainable growth in the construction sector and through revitalising the SME sector, we can support companies that are pioneering innovative construction methods. “Intervention couldn’t be more needed, particularly as high street banks are visibly pulling back funding due to decreasing risk appetite. Private investors already play a huge part in stimulating and mobilising the SME sector, but we need to consider the future of construction carefully and private investment needs to play a bigger part of supporting the sector going forward.”
With 266,000 extra workers needed within the construction sector by 2026 according to the Construction Industry Training Board, employers are being urged to use apprenticeships as a vehicle to home grow the people they need – a tactic that is reaping dividends for Polypipe Building Services. The Kent-based drainage system company has found success using apprenticeships not only as a means of attracting new talent into the company and giving people their first step on the career ladder, but also to support staff looking to upskill or change roles. Luke Pollington and Kim Gleadhill are among 12 apprentices currently at Polypipe Building Services, after the company began taking on apprentices to drive a transfer of skills and knowledge which support the growth of the business. Luke began working at Polypipe Building Services in 2019. Having recently left university where he studied Business Studies and Marketing, he’d never considered that construction would offer him a role in digital marketing. He said: “Working here has changed my view of construction, as I never thought something like drainage would involve subjects like Building Information Modelling (BIM) or Research and Development (R&D) and I’ve found it really interesting. “On the digital side it’s opened my eyes in terms of how different learning the theory has been to actually doing it in practice. When you apply it in the real world there’s so much more to think about and having a team around to help you makes a difference. Kim Gleadhill decided to make a career switch following lockdown moving across to Polypipe Building Services from the water industry as an HR & Payroll Coordinator. She attends college one evening a week and has a half day a week devoted to her studies to complete her HR apprenticeship and diploma course. She said: “Training is supported here and there is a learning culture. I began my course in January and I get a lot out of studying, as there are 10-15 other women on the course and we talk about the different ways of doing things which helps you to look at things differently and not get too set in your way of doing things.” Andy Cullum, managing director at Polypipe Building Services said investment in people is key to growth and success at the company, as well as being essential to retention and in creating a workplace culture that recognises and values new ideas. He said: “We are a proud member of The Genuit Group 5% Club – which means we aim to have at least 5% of our workforce in sponsored training, graduate schemes or apprenticeships at all times. “Apprenticeships are a great way for businesses to foster a culture of continuous development through a mixture of on the job training and a structured college courses which allows people to apply their skills as they learn them. “Not only does it help our employees feel valued and more confident in their work, but as a business it helps us to maintain high standards, as well as develop and grow from the fresh ideas they bring back to Polypipe.” For more information about careers at Polypipe Building Services go to https://www.polypipe.com/careers-hub
A Lancashire not-for-profit housing association has invested £24.8m to provide affordable homes as part of its ongoing work to tackle the current social housing crisis. With a commitment to support the local community, Progress Housing Group has pledged to provide 1,000 affordable new homes by 2024, with 226 homes built last financial year. Recognising the necessity for a variety of affordable housing to reflect the needs of its tenants, 122 of these homes were for affordable rent, 69 for shared ownership, and 35 were supported living properties for people living with learning disabilities and mental health needs. Jacqui De-Rose, Chief Executive of Progress Housing Group, said: “We are on course and hope to meet our target. This financial year we invested £24.8 million into the development of new homes, with £4.4 million coming from government grants. “We have been working in partnership with Onward Homes to secure Strategic Partnership Grant funding from Homes England to support the delivery of 600 affordable homes by March 2026″.” Building homes is not the Group’s only focus, as it pledges to create a positive impact on its residents and the neighbourhoods where they live. Through this work, the Group has been named Corporate Fundraiser of the Year at the North West Employee Experience Group Awards. Mrs De-Rose added: “We believe housing associations have a wider role in society. We are committed to creating opportunities for people through access to personal and career development, and we have supported 304 people into training or employment through our Project Futures scheme. “We have also continued to work closely with communities across the country. “We invested £73,197 in supporting local groups and projects and activities at a number of our RWP supported living schemes. Projects have included a sensory garden, a pop-up Caribbean Carnival, digital engagement, youth activities, support for young carers, and activities for older people”. The Group has also carried out social value work, enabling its contractors and other suppliers to make a real difference. This has included community clean-up days, supporting a food bank, and sponsoring the Typhoon’s inclusive rugby club. With the cost of living crisis unfolding, Progress Housing Group remains steadfast in providing help for tenants who are struggling to manage their money or pay their rent. During the last financial year, the Group’s Financial Inclusion Team has helped 136 people increase their income by a total of £282,705. The Group has also created opportunities for 2,892 people to become more independent through its charity Key Unlocking Futures. Mrs De-Rose added: “We recognise that to make our communities great places to live, we need to help people achieve their aspirations and improve their prospects. Our Key Unlocking Futures team has been an integral force in achieving this. As well as securing accommodation, they have also been providing people at risk of losing their homes with vital advice on finding employment; and have provided family mediation sessions and budgeting support.” Progress Housing Group’s full annual report can be found on its website: https://www.progressgroup.org.uk/about-us/how-we-are-performing/annual-reports/corporate-annual-reports/
Panattoni, the largest logistics real estate developer in the UK and Europe, has signed a pre-lease agreement with Alliance Automotive Group (“AAG”), a leading distributor of passenger and commercial vehicle parts, with significant international brands such as NAPA, BOSCH, Apec and FPS for a 630,000 sq ft facility at Panattoni Park Rotherham. AAG has signed a 25-year lease for the facility, which will be one of the largest-ever speculative logistics buildings in the north of England. Construction of the facility along with a smaller 80,000 sq ft unit, has just begun, with completion expected in August 2023. They will be built to a minimum BREEAM sustainability rating of ‘Very Good’ and an EPC rating of ‘A’. The Park is located next to junction 1 of the M18 at Rotherham, the 40-acre Panattoni Park Rotherham bridges the last mile to the 1.4 million consumers of the Sheffield city region. Dan Burn, Head of Development, North West &Yorkshire at Panattoni, said: “This major pre-let to AAG endorses our continuing commitment to a significant speculative development programme across the UK and our continued confidence in the logistics sector. We look forward to working with AAG over the coming months as we bring significant investment and employment opportunities to Rotherham”. Steve Richardson, AAG’s Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Panattoni to secure this new facility for our FPS business. We’ve experienced significant growth since acquiring FPS in 2016 and this investment not only allows us to consolidate our three existing facilities in Sheffield, but also forms part of our wider programme to strengthen our distribution infrastructure to ensure we are prepared for future growth. “This will be a purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility, integrating best-in-class logistics operations with advanced technologies to put us at the forefront of aftermarket distribution. As we move forward customers can expect an even wider product offering alongside market leading service and support. It’s an exciting next step in our journey and we expect the new facility to be operational in the first quarter of 2025”. Letting agents are M1 Agency, Legat Owen and Knight Frank.
Young people are already enjoying the state-of-the-art facilities that include an indoor climbing wall, 3G pitch and dance studio Caddick Construction has completed on the state-of-the-art Warrington Youth Zone which is offering a huge range of sports, arts and social facilities to the town’s young people. Construction began on the £7million centre in 2020, on behalf of the national charity OnSide. Located in the stadium quarter next to the University Technical College (UTC) off Dallam Lane, Warrington Youth Zone boasts an indoor climbing wall, 3G rooftop kick pitch, four court sports hall, dance and drama studio, training kitchen, arts and crafts space, fully equipped gym, music room with recording studio and enterprise suite. OnSide now has a network of 14 Youth Zones across the country including similar centres in Wigan, Chorley, Bolton, Manchester, Oldham, London and Birkenhead. For just 50p per visit, they offer young people a space to enjoy a wide variety of sports, arts, learn new skills, or just socialise and have support from trained and dedicated youth workers. Warrington Youth Zone, which has become home to the well-established Warrington Youth Club charity, is now open seven days a week with over 2,000 members registered. More than 20 activities are on offer for up to 250 young people, aged between seven and 19 or up to 25 for those with additional needs, every day. Adam Poyner, Head of Construction for OnSide, said: “The Youth Zone looks absolutely amazing both inside and out. I would like to thank Caddick Construction for taking our designs and vision to the next level and skilfully brought this building to life.” David McNicholl, CEO of Warrington Youth Zone, added: “It has been an exciting journey to get Warrington Youth Zone up and running, and to see the young people already in and using the facilities make it all worthwhile. We’ve been open for a few weeks now and to see it packed out every evening really is a dream come true – it’s the building and the place they deserve. I’d like to thank all our supporters, particularly Warrington Borough Council, who have made this facility possible which will undoubtedly help improve the opportunities and life experiences of young people from across the district.” Ian Threadgold, Managing Director of Caddick Construction NW, said: “It has been a privilege to work on this project with Onside Youth Zones. Not only is it an eye-catching landmark that has been designed to really make a statement, the facilities are just awesome and will inspire young people to try new activities that just weren’t possible before. He added: “And this Youth Zone couldn’t have come at a better time for Warrington and its youngsters when so many hard-working families are feeling a real cost of living squeeze.” The project team consisted of Seven Architecture, HL Engineers, Hurstwood Environmental Consulting and Walker Sime.
The Leader & Deputy Leader of Barnet, Cllr Barry Rawlings & Cllr Ross Houston, and Cllr Claire Farrier joined Pocket Living’s Chief Commercial Officer, Nick Cuff, to lay the first ceremonial brick at the innovative housing developer’s first scheme in the borough. The visit represents a significant milestone in the delivery of this 100% affordable housing scheme, which is expected to complete by summer 2023. All 86 one-bedroom homes at Woodside Park will be sold to Barnet’s first-time buyers at a 20% discount to the local market, pricing those who either live or work in the area into home ownership. The forward-thinking scheme will be car-free, contributing to the Council’s wider sustainability ambitions to be Carbon Net Zero by 2030, with everyone living at Woodside Park also benefitting from access to two rooftop gardens with lush planting, allotment beds and dedicated wellness space. Pocket Living’s database already has registered approximately 1,000 local people who live or work in the Borough who are interested in buying a home at Woodside Park, with a third of those registered working in the public sector. This includes roles within the Metropolitan Police, Barnet General Hospital, local primary schools, Middlesex University Business School and Barnet Council. With building starts in London expected to be at a 10-year low and in light of the growing challenge of rising build costs, with cost inflation, according to the Office for National Statistics, increasing by 22% since 2021, Pocket still remains committed to delivering affordable homes. This year will represent the most productive year in Pocket’s history, with 480 homes starting on site across four London boroughs: Barnet, Waltham Forest, Harrow and Greenwich. Pocket Living is also expected to go to planning committee in late October for their Dolman Close application in West Finchley, which could deliver a further 60 homes to local people in the Borough. Nick Cuff, Chief Commercial Officer at Pocket Living, comments: “As the cost of living continues to rise, the need to deliver affordable homes in the capital has never been greater. It is clear from the significant number of people who have already registered their interest for this scheme that there is significant demand for high-quality but affordable homes in this area of Barnet and we are delighted that Barnet Council is proactively working with us to deliver schemes such as Woodside Park”. Cllr Barry Rawlings, Leader of Barnet Council, added: “This is an exciting and innovative new development which will help us deliver on our commitment to build more genuinely affordable homes in Barnet and contribute to our sustainability goals. We’re delighted to welcome Pocket Living to the borough and look forward to working with them on other schemes in the future.”
Eight of the 14 health boards in Scotland have asbestos in over 50% of their buildings. The figure rises as high as 92% of buildings for the NHS Lothian health board. Asbestos takes around 5,000 lives every year in the UK, with around 20 tradesmen dying each week from past exposure. Tim Turney, Global Marketing Manager at industrial hygiene and workplace hazard monitoring expert, Casella, comments “Despite being banned in the UK, asbestos can still be found in older homes and properties, posing a threat to anyone who disturbs the dangerous material. Left alone, the material is not harmful, but once disturbed or disintegrating, it can release asbestos fibres that infiltrate and progressively damage the lungs. The damage results in multiple health defects, such as the lung disease mesothelioma — a cancer that can take up to 20 years to develop, often proving fatal within five years or less. Whenever asbestos is removed, it is a legal requirement to use licenced contractors and to ensure strict regulations and guidance are followed to limit the potential release of dangerous, airborne fibres. The guidance, depending on national practice, typically includes personal air sampling and/or static air sampling, to ensure that there is no exposure during remediation work or during the cleaning and clearance processes at a removal site. In the UK, a four-stage clearance process is used, involving a preliminary check of the site condition and job completeness, a thorough visual inspection inside the enclosure or work area, air monitoring and a final assessment of the post-enclosure or work area following dismantling. Licenced contractors may also take air samples before work is undertaken to establish a background level measurement. Conducting a test before disturbing any materials could save thousands of pounds on decontamination and environmental cleaning fees and help to avoid exposure. Additionally, trained professionals may take air samples during work on or near asbestos to confirm that there is no leakage from the enclosure. Using air sampling pumps with remote connectivity, such as Bluetooth and a mobile ‘phone app, can help while gathering the necessary measurements. For example, the Casella Airwave App works with the ‘Pro’ version of its Vortex3 high flow pump to enable users to remotely start, pause or stop a measurement run, monitor battery life and memory capacity and check measurement progress direct from a mobile device. Ultimately, asbestos monitoring has the power to save lives, and innovations in technology can make this process easier and faster than ever before.”
Work is now underway on creating a vast outdoor plaza at the heart of Sheffield’s Pennine Five – one of the UK’s largest office renovations outside of London. Work to date on Pennine Five, the former HSBC headquarters located on Tenter Street in the city centre, has seen the exterior of the site’s five office blocks given a stylish dark makeover. The buildings interiors have also been updated to deliver over 230,000 sq ft of contemporary and multifunctional office space – suitable for up to 3,500 workers. Creating a central plaza at Pennine Five has long been seen as a key element in unlocking the potential of the campus, but in also acting as a catalyst for growth in this area of the city centre. With attractive green planting and plenty of accessible seating areas, the £1.5 million plaza at the heart of Pennine Five is designed to offer people a place to relax, socialise and collaborate. Chloe Brook, Director at RBH Properties, said: “We’re very excited to see work on the new plaza get underway. This office campus has always been very private and disconnected from the rest of the city centre, and our plans for Pennine Five are all about opening it up to wider business and local residential communities as well. “The plaza will be an inclusive and welcoming focal point. It will of course provide great outdoor space to support the wellbeing and creative thinking of our on-site businesses, but more than that, we believe that through regular art installations and event opportunities, it can help bring a new sense of place and identity to the whole area.” Leasing at Pennine Five has started strongly, with three occupiers – First Intuition, Department for Work and Pensions and Sheffield College – already taking space. Several other businesses are currently in negotiations, including one of UK’s largest co-working companies looking to occupy over 30,000 sq ft. “Interest in the campus has been strong, with lots of businesses supporting our bold and climate-conscious decision to renew the buildings rather than demolishing them and starting again,” added Chloe. “We believe that Pennine Five can act as a blueprint for how urban regeneration projects can be done in a way that is far more environmentally friendly today, and not decades down the line.” The final phase of the Pennine Five modernisation, which also includes modernising the 400 underground parking spaces, adding EV charging facilities and creating a cycle hub with over 280 spaces, will be completed within the next 12 months. The plaza expected to open in Spring 2023.
Verdion announces a major £300 million speculative development programme that will deliver all remaining warehouse capacity at iPort, the 6 million sq ft multimodal logistics hub just outside Doncaster. Totalling 1.75 million sq ft, this final stage of development at iPort will offer five buildings from 82,000 sq ft upwards, with delivery from June 2023. The largest of the five buildings will extend to 848,250 sq ft and complete in June 2024 – one of the largest speculative logistics units ever developed in the UK offering a significant proposition for businesses looking for a new national hub. All buildings will be built to very high standards of construction and certified to a minimum of BREEAM Very Good. John Clements, Executive Director of Verdion, said: “This is a major investment that underlines our unwavering confidence in both iPort and the UK market. Demand for high quality, efficient space in strategic locations remains extremely strong and this programme addresses the current scarcity in Yorkshire market and further afield head on. “Speed of delivery is important and we have a fantastic on-site construction team, planning permission is in place and contractors’ agreements are signed.” The decision follows recent lettings at iPort as well as the completion of the final building in its previous speculative phase, iP10, which is located adjacent to the on-site rail terminal. Woodland Group, Euro Pool Systems and Maritime Transport have all signed leases for new space at iPort this year. iPort is one of the UK’s most significant multimodal logistics hubs, and the largest in the north of England, with capacity for a total of 6 million sq ft of 24/7 of logistics and light industrial accommodation close to Junction 3 of the M18 and the East Coast Main Line. Occupiers include Amazon, CEVA, Fellowes, Lidl, Dusk, Kingsbury Press, Woodland Group, Maritime Group and Euro Pool Systems. In addition to large areas of landscaping and wetland, iPort benefits from an award-winning multimodal on-site rail freight terminal, iPort Rail, which is increasingly being used by companies based on-site and across the region looking to cut carbon across their supply chains, with rail connections to major UK sea ports. Gent Visick, Colliers and CBRE are the retained leasing agents for iPort. Verdion’s longstanding partner in the development of iPort is the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP). www.iportuk.com www.iportrail.com