Construction company, Seddon, turns Shire Hall library into an enterprise centre for Staffordshire County Council and local businesses Stafford’s 224-year-old Shire Hall has received a £2m regeneration, with Seddon turning the former library space into a new business enterprise centre. The new facilities offer a range of 97-323 sq. ft
Brett Martin is set to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings around the world with a remarkable new Polycarbonate glazing product largely based on bio-circular attributed material such as used cooking oil, produced in a ISCC Plus certified mass balanced approach. Called Marlon BioPlus, the new sheet offers a major
A formal planning application has now been submitted to West Lothian Council to create a major new park on the site of the historic Winchburgh Brickworks. Daisy Park, which is part of the approved masterplan for Winchburgh, sits adjacent to the Union Canal and the new marina in the heart
A major makeover underway at a building located at the foot of the Millennium Bridge, between St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tate Modern, has been secured with EnviroHoard™ sustainable hoarding from Panthera Group as the first part of a contract for multiple site services. Millennium Bridge House was originally completed
The Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) is on track to train a record number of apprentices this year. It would normally expect to enrol between 60 and 80 a year but the 2022 figure already stands at around 130. Demand from employers for skilled apprentices is being fuelled by an
Study Inn, the luxury student accommodation owner, developer, and operator are delighted to share its excellent results in the latest Global Student Living survey, with over 65,000 student responses from around the globe – giving some insight into what makes the best student accommodation. Student accommodation statistics Study Inn Group’s
A38 opened 12 hours earlier than scheduled Between Friday 22 and Sunday 24 July, Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading Main Contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, erected a new pedestrian bridge over the A38 as part of its Peddimore project, being
First roll-out of ‘smart grid’ technology by a major developer on a gas-free site Latest innovation by St. Modwen to deliver greener, carbon-free homes West Midlands Mayor Andy Street welcomes “innovative green homes of the future” St. Modwen, a leading developer of new communities and high-quality homes, plans to deliver
A new public park in the heart of Sheffield has got off to a flying start before construction work has even been completed. Henry Boot Construction is transforming the former fire station site between Rockingham Street, Wellington Street and Carver Street into a beautiful green urban park, as part of
HS2 has published its annual Equality, Diversity and Inclusion report. The report shows how the company delivering Britain’s new railway is continuing to challenge its national supply chain, and the wider rail engineering and construction sectors, to champion inclusivity. Across the supply chain, HS2’s performance continues to beat industry averages
Construction company, Seddon, turns Shire Hall library into an enterprise centre for Staffordshire County Council and local businesses Stafford’s 224-year-old Shire Hall has received a £2m regeneration, with Seddon turning the former library space into a new business enterprise centre. The new facilities offer a range of 97-323 sq. ft office spaces, a reception room and meeting areas to facilitate networking opportunities and knowledge sharing, with flexible hot desking and PO box rental also on offer to local businesses. The new business centre will create accessible provisions to help support local small and start-up businesses with flexible tenancies and an on-site support team. Stafford Chamber of Commerce is among the first of the occupants to move into the market square centre, which blends modern office aesthetics with the historical features of the building’s architecture, having been built for use as a courthouse in 1798. During the 28-week project, a bespoke lath and plaster ornate ceiling, an original part of the building, was repaired and redecorated by a specialist. As Shire Hall is Grade II listed, Seddon and its delivery partner, Entrust, worked to standards and expectations set by the Heritage Authority to uphold the integrity of the building, whilst optimising it for its new life as a business enterprise centre. Peter Jackson, managing director of Seddon said: “The Shire Hall project has been an excellent project for us, modernising the interior of one of Stafford’s landmark buildings whilst still keeping its history and integrity in place. Regeneration projects like this are important to both Seddon and the communities we serve. The project is a testament to our relationship with Staffordshire County Council which continues to go from strength to strength.” Staffordshire Council deputy leader, Philip White added: “It’s fantastic to see the Shire Hall open for business and with the first tenants ready to make the most of the superb facilities. “Having Shire Hall open again as a thriving business centre is exciting for Stafford and will play an important part in the wider regeneration of the town. It is an iconic landmark in the heart of Stafford town centre and we’re pleased to have brought it back into productive use for the community.” Taken on by the North West based contractors, the project sees Seddon building on its recent growth in the Midlands, which has resulted in a 117% turnover in the region since 2018 and brings a new era of usage for the Grade II listed building. Seddon’s current projects in the Midlands include the refurbishment and remodelling of Sandwell secondary school in West Bromwich, converting its use from a technical college into a general teaching facility. It is also refurbishing category 2 bioscience labs at the University of Derby, with Seddon now firmly established in the region.
Brett Martin is set to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings around the world with a remarkable new Polycarbonate glazing product largely based on bio-circular attributed material such as used cooking oil, produced in a ISCC Plus certified mass balanced approach. Called Marlon BioPlus, the new sheet offers a major carbon footprint reduction by cutting the use of fossil-based material by 70%. This raw material delivers an 84% decrease in carbon emissions and in addition Brett Martin achieves further reductions in carbon by producing the sheet using 100% renewable energy, generated at its own site. Marlon BioPlus has already achieved International Sustainability & Carbon accreditation with ISCC Plus certification. ISCC PLUS is a globally recognised sustainability certification program for bio-based and bio-circular (recycled) raw materials with a focus on the traceability of raw materials within the supply chain. What makes Marlon BioPlus unique is the combination of this certification and Brett Martin’s 100% onsite renewable energy which together represents a huge step towards a zero-carbon polycarbonate sheet. As the UK’s largest producer of polycarbonate roofing and facades Brett Martin supplies high profile projects as diverse as London’s Royal College of Art or Manchester’s Old Trafford stadium as well as a wide range of commercial and industrial buildings. This new low carbon alternative retains all the physical and performance properties of the company’s other Polycarbonate ranges and will be available to be specified in any Brett Martin’s Marlon polycarbonate multiwall, corrugated or flat sheets for use in roofs and walls. Employing over 1,000 people in total and with sales of £220million, Brett Martin is already one of Europe’s largest plastic sheet producers for the construction industry, and the new range is expected to create strong demand from a construction market eager to reduce its environmental impact. Brett Martin Director, Paul Martin said: “The drive for sustainable, carbon neutral plastic materials is progressing well, and our launch of Marlon BioPlus is the latest milestone in our journey to that end. Our extensive investment in renewable energy at our Mallusk site is unique in our industry and an important part of our plan. We extrude the sheet using energy generated from our own wind turbine and dedicated solar farm at Mallusk.” “This development of this new product reflects the newest technology in the plastic industry to introduce bio-based material. The process, known as mass-balancing, certifies the input of the material through the production system, similar to the way renewable energy enters the power grid. Importantly, the material is a recycled source and therefore the bio-based content does not compete with food production. “And because the substitution occurs at the earliest stage of the resin production process, all the visual and mechanical properties of the finished sheet remain completely unchanged. So, we anticipate strong demand for the product which is soon to be available to the market globally and we will begin to see it being used in all kinds of buildings soon,” he adds. www.brettmartin.com
A formal planning application has now been submitted to West Lothian Council to create a major new park on the site of the historic Winchburgh Brickworks. Daisy Park, which is part of the approved masterplan for Winchburgh, sits adjacent to the Union Canal and the new marina in the heart of the Winchburgh community. The designs for Daisy Park have been heavily influenced by the local community. They respect and reflect the historic brickworks as well as retaining major areas of biodiversity. The park will also include a wild learning garden and viewing points across to the Forth bridges. Daisy Park will become a central meeting place for and provide connections across the whole of the community by footpaths and cycle paths. Connecting directly onto the Union Canal, it can be easily used as a stop-off for those cycling the wider canal network. John Hamilton, Chief Executive, Winchburgh Developments Ltd, commented: “This isn’t just another new park for the community. Its design has been significantly influenced by the community too. The plans have been subject to extensive consultation and the proposals that are going in for approval reflect the feedback that we had from many Winchburgh residents. Some of the locals still remember the brickworks when it was operational and we know many of them are looking forward to seeing the old industrial site take on a new lease of life.” The planning application can be viewed by searching for ‘daisy’ on the West Lothian Council planning portal. The extensive public consultation report detailing the full engagement and feedback activities are part of the submission. As part of the plans, Winchburgh will welcome adventure waterpark operators, Wild Shore, to the site. Wild Shore – which already operates in Dundee, Delamere (Cheshire), Liverpool and New Brighton – is set to develop a new facility within the park and create a major water-based visitor attraction. The people behind Wild Shore also operate Foxlake Adventures in East Lothian. The park will become home to award-winning water adventure activities including cable wakeboarding, stand-up paddleboarding, swimming and for the first time in Scotland – their unique floating ropes course over water – Aqua Chimp. The facilities will also include changing rooms and a café. Callum Mark, Director, Wild Shore, said: “‘We are delighted that the planning application has been submitted. The community consultation has been an invaluable exercise in gaining a unique insight into the village’s history, exciting future and the strong community driving expansion and change. We have been blown away by the support the project has received and can’t wait to start working with local schools, youth groups, voluntary organisations and the wider community to create a truly special facility for Winchburgh and beyond.” Wild Shore Winchburgh will manage the quarry water under a 30-year agreement with Winchburgh Developments. It will be easily accessible within one hour for more than half of the Scottish population, especially with new junction connecting local roads with the M9 expected to be completed early next year. Spanning 352 hectares, Winchburgh is one of the largest placemaking projects currently underway in the UK delivering at least 3,800 homes, improved transport links, employment opportunities, schools and outdoor spaces. Any enquiries should be directed to Penny Lochhead, Community, Sports and Greenspace Manager on 07802 500991 or penny@winchburghdevelopments.com. Callum Mark, Director, Wild Shore Winchburgh, 07507 331535 callum@wildshore.co.uk Planning application: https://planning.westlothian.gov.uk/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=RFEYCYRJH4I00 The full design boards from the consultation can be seen at www.winchburghgreenspaces.co.uk The artist impressions are courtesy of Optimised Environments Ltd (OPEN).
A major makeover underway at a building located at the foot of the Millennium Bridge, between St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tate Modern, has been secured with EnviroHoard™ sustainable hoarding from Panthera Group as the first part of a contract for multiple site services. Millennium Bridge House was originally completed in the late 1980s following demolition of the previous site and is set to be redeveloped by contractor ISG after approval by The City of London Corporation. Along with the sustainable site hoarding solution, Panthera Group will provide a variety of site services for the duration of the project. This includes the internal fit out for welfare facilities such as ISG offices, subcontractor offices, toilets, changing rooms, showering facilities and a canteen along with a security hut at the entrance. The £65 million project included a stipulation to redevelop the building sustainably by embracing circular economy, carbon reduction and resource efficiency principles. To that end, ISG worked with Piercy and Company Architects on a design to retain the majority of building structure whilst reconfiguring the internal layout to optimise space for retail facilities, offices, a roof level restaurant and roof. A new façade will embrace natural light and create energy efficiency throughout the building. One of the overall objectives of the project is to achieve BREEAM RFO 2014 (Excellent) which means sustainability compliance in the supply chain is key. Robert Ingram, Managing Surveyor at ISG, opted to work with Panthera Group on the project; “I have worked with the Panthera team for over 10 years and have always found them to be extremely professional and collaborative in their approach. It made sense to use EnviroHoard™ for our perimeter hoarding as it is a verified net zero carbon solution. Panthera was wholly supportive during the tender process; providing the environmental assessment and generally offering a great service to our project teams. Phase one works are underway and this includes the first elevation of EnviroHoard™ which is looking good. Phase two is imminent and will involve the site set up services.” EnviroHoard™ offers many commercial as well as environmental advantages. The flexible, modular system is quick to install and can be easily relocated as and when required.
The Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) is on track to train a record number of apprentices this year. It would normally expect to enrol between 60 and 80 a year but the 2022 figure already stands at around 130. Demand from employers for skilled apprentices is being fuelled by an ongoing boom in construction projects, combined with a post-Brexit exodus of EU workers. The sector has traditionally relied on recruiting self-employed contractors, many of whom hailed from eastern Europe, as a cost-effective and flexible way of bridging the skills gap. Due to the increased demand from within the sector, TICA launched an additional January intake for its Thermal Insulation Apprenticeships, which attracted 31 people, and is on track to recruit more than 100 apprentices to the September intake at its National Training Centre in Darlington. The only trade association representing the thermal insulation industry, it is also the sole provider of the industry’s Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeship standards. These involve a mix of on the job training, supported by classroom and workshop-based learning, allowing apprentices to gain the technical knowledge and practical experience to gain a nationally recognised qualification relevant to the thermal insulation industry. Marion Marsland, chief executive of TICA, said: “There is currently a dearth in independent insulation contractors due to a combination of Brexit and the pandemic – which has created a general shortage of qualified thermal insulation engineers. “The industry has always trained apprentices, but never on a sufficient scale and there has been a self-fulfilling reliance on agency contractors working a day rate. “Many companies in the UK now recognise the benefits of retaining the skills and knowledge by employing people directly. Recent events do seem to be changing the industry’s mindset away from the self-employed model.” TICA also provides its members with a full apprentice recruitment service, writing and placing apprenticeship vacancy adverts, providing an initial sift of applicants, and arranging interviews.
Study Inn, the luxury student accommodation owner, developer, and operator are delighted to share its excellent results in the latest Global Student Living survey, with over 65,000 student responses from around the globe – giving some insight into what makes the best student accommodation. Student accommodation statistics Study Inn Group’s high specification product and premium hospitality service have paved the way for it to reach 80% overall positive rating on the latest survey, far outperforming benchmarks. Similarly, it achieved 85% positive rating for Accommodation condition and quality, significantly higher than all other benchmarks. Study Inn’s hotel-like services, which sees a dedicated housekeeping team regularly clean all rooms and communal areas, remove all waste bins, and provide students with fresh linen and towels at no additional cost, supported the company achieve an excellent 90% positive rating for Cleaning, much higher than all benchmarks. The group has focused on student wellbeing since its inception in 2009, providing guests with fully equipped gyms and yoga studios, as well as state-of-the-art wellness spas with saunas, steam rooms and hot beds – the first ever seen in the sector. 65% of Study Inn resident students said their accommodation had a positive impact on their wellbeing, higher than all average benchmarks. Similarly, availability of communal space and sports facilities scored 86% and 80% respectively, both outperforming all benchmarks by more than 10% points. Study Inn’s strong scores mean it has been shortlisted for two Global Student Living Awards: Best Small Operator UK & Ireland Best Student Wellbeing UK & Ireland Commenting on the survey results, Matt Shakespeare, Study Inn’s Managing Director of Operations said: “We are delighted with the results our portfolio has achieved in the latest survey, and for being shortlisted for two awards. The Global Student Living Awards are so prestigious and highly sought after because there are no written nominations or expert judges – the awards are based 100% on direct student feedback. Our teams at our centres take so much pride in the service and product they offer to our guests, and I am so pleased that this can be seen in our scores. Having the best product is only part of the story, it is the people we employ that really bring it to life, and we are proud of each one of our employees. We will continue to build portfolio properties with a clear focus on providing the best student experience for our resident guests.”
A38 opened 12 hours earlier than scheduled Between Friday 22 and Sunday 24 July, Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading Main Contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, erected a new pedestrian bridge over the A38 as part of its Peddimore project, being delivered for IM Properties. IM Properties is Birmingham City Council’s development partner for the first phase of Peddimore, which comprises all infrastructure works and the development of 37-hectares of the 71-hectare site. The civils and infrastructure project at Minworth, close to Sutton Coldfield, is to enable a major employment park. The steel tied arch footbridge has a 60-metre span, is 6.5 metres wide and the arch peaks at 20 metres above the highway. It was manufactured off site and then transported to Minworth in three deck sections and three arch sections approximately four weeks ago. It was assembled in an off-line area adjacent to the new 75 metre diameter roundabout that Winvic has also been constructing as part of the scheme. The roundabout and bridge can be seen on the Peddimore Winvic Live feed and a video of the weekend installation can be found on Winvic’s YouTube. On the morning of Friday 22, the Winvic team tandem lifted the 90-tonne structure with two mobile cranes – one 330-tonne and one 220 tonne – on to six Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMT). Traffic management was put in place from 6pm that evening and at 8pm when the road was closed to traffic the installation could begin. The SPMTs were controlled remotely, moving the structure into place on to the concrete abutments and temporary jacks by midnight, and through the night the structure’s bearings were secured and grouted. The temporary compressive struts and hangers were removed in sequence throughout the day on Saturday. Between 4pm and 4am on Sunday 24 July, 18 permanent, stainless-steel finish Total Macalloy Struts were individually torqued and tensioned to a predetermined load before being fine-tuned. The footbridge installation programme was planned meticulously by Winvic, not least because further works to the bridge could be undertaken until 10 August, due to a three-week embargo on road closures for the Commonwealth Games, being held in Birmingham. With completion of the Peddimore infrastructure project scheduled for summer, any postponement with the bridge would delay handover. The timescales also meant that no lead-time could be lost, but the UK’s record-temperatures also presented challenging conditions for operatives. Therefore, the site team made the decision to begin work at 5am each day so activities could still be carried to programme out before temperatures increased in the afternoons. The Winvic team completed the works ahead of schedule and the road was re-opened 12 hours earlier than expected, at 5.30pm on Sunday 24 July. This week, Winvic will begin the construction a permanent footpath, east of the bridge, to the Peddimore site as well as a temporary footpath on the west side of the bridge, which will meet with Walmley Ash Lane. The bridge and pathways will give residents pedestrian access over the A38 into Minworth and forms part of the green travel planning for the scheme. The other focus areas during the final five weeks of the scheme are installing access steps, handrailing, cabling and lighting, undertaking a secondary reinforced concrete cast to the bridge abutments, backfilling the abutments and approach ramps and completing the drainage and ducting connections. Rob Cook, Winvic’s Director of Civils and Infrastructure, commented: “Our scenario planning, programme management, health and safety preparations and liaison with Birmingham City Council have led to a very successful weekend at IM Properties Peddimore project. Every step of the footbridge installation – from lifting it on to the SPMTs to putting it in place over the highway to fitting the struts – went to plan; in fact, so well, we were able to open the A38 twelve hours earlier than scheduled. It was a true team effort and numerous specialist subcontractors proved themselves to be leaders in their fields. “There was no room in error with the timings, or our upcoming agreed handover date to IM Properties could not be met due to the embargo on road closures during the Commonwealth Games. The soaring temperatures certainly didn’t help in the run-up and I’d like to give special thanks to the whole Peddimore team who went above and beyond, starting work extra early so tasks could be completed before temperatures increased in the afternoon. With the bridge in place, we’re on track for handover towards the end of summer.” Andy Reynolds, Project Director for IM Properties added: “Winvic Construction Ltd, is a trusted partner in our supply chain and having worked with them across a number of our schemes, they have continually demonstrated their commitment to meeting deadlines and ensuring a partnership approach is taken when liaising with key stakeholders and the local community to work considerately and minimise disruption. “The success of the bridge works is testament to the professionalism and determination of the whole team to plan and execute a complex and time critical operation of this nature. Working in difficult conditions, they really excelled themselves and they have once again underlined why we selected them to deliver one of the UK’s largest manufacturing and logistics schemes.” Winvic praised a number of specialist subcontractors that worked as one team with Winvic to successfully deliver the bridge works, including Carver Engineering Services, Mammoet, USL Ekspan and Rubix. For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit Twitter @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn.
First roll-out of ‘smart grid’ technology by a major developer on a gas-free site Latest innovation by St. Modwen to deliver greener, carbon-free homes West Midlands Mayor Andy Street welcomes “innovative green homes of the future” St. Modwen, a leading developer of new communities and high-quality homes, plans to deliver up to 350 new all-electric homes on the historic MG Rover site that was once home to the MINI in Birmingham. Powered by a dedicated ‘smart grid’, electricity will be supplied and tracked across a network of homes to ensure this first phase of homes will be 100% gas-free. The innovation is believed to be the first to be used by a major developer as St. Modwen continues to pioneer sustainable new ways to build and power homes. The smart grid design is being developed alongside SNRG, specialists in next generation energy infrastructure. This latest move follows the launch earlier in 2022 of St. Modwen’s first carbon-negative homes, a landmark trial that makes homes so airtight that they can return power to the UK grid. By using the latest construction techniques and embracing new renewable technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps, the carbon-negative homes are designed to produce more energy than they consume and could reduce a family’s total energy bills by 76%1 when compared with a standard new-build house. Aspects of this trial will be deployed in the new electric homes and in turn across all new developments by St. Modwen as carbon-reducing technology becomes standard. Sarwjit Sambhi, CEO of St. Modwen, said: “Every organisation needs to be taking steps to deliver more sustainable products and services, but at St. Modwen we have taken leaps by introducing carbon-negative homes and smart-grid powered developments. We’re proving that greener homes can be delivered at commercial scale, something which is not just the right thing for the environment but also allows us to meet the demand of our customers.” Caroline Hill, Managing Director, Europe, Head of Real Estate ESG at Blackstone, added: “This initiative demonstrates the role innovation can play in creating the greener, more sustainable homes we need for the future. Supporting our portfolio companies to be innovative is at the heart of what we do, and we hope it will lead to similar pioneering practices being adopted at scale and across different sectors.” Outline planning was secured for the Longbridge site in 2021 for a total of 350 new homes. Detailed planning for the first phase is currently with the local authority, meaning new homes are expected to be built by St. Modwen Homes from the Autumn 2022. Wider development delivering 1000s of homes and jobs The vast site in South Birmingham is boosting the local economy, with 7,500 new jobs expected over the coming years in Longbridge. Adjacent to the new electric homes, work has started to create a large veterinary hospital, creating over 100 new full-time jobs. Further new employers are anticipated to move to the area, including a global science business, as it becomes more established as a leading hub for science and technology, medicine, advanced manufacturing and R&D. The site has been made possible following £20 million of infrastructure investment in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). Longbridge has been extensively regenerated with homes, retail, education and green spaces delivered to date. On completion of the regeneration, St. Modwen plans to create a total of 3,000 new homes, 2 million sq ft of commercial floorspace and up to 10,000 jobs at Longbridge. Andy Street, Mayor of West Midlands Combined Authority, added: “I congratulate St. Modwen on building the innovative green homes of the future right here in our region. These new homes will be wonderful places to live, boost energy efficiency and affordability and help us to tackle the climate emergency. Longbridge is a brilliant example that points the way to a more sustainable future for the West Midlands – fast becoming a fantastic hub from which to live, work and play as well as creating high quality job opportunities for our local residents along the way. I’m pleased the West Midlands Combined Authority has been able to play its part – investing over £6m at Longbridge. I wish the scheme continued success.”
A new public park in the heart of Sheffield has got off to a flying start before construction work has even been completed. Henry Boot Construction is transforming the former fire station site between Rockingham Street, Wellington Street and Carver Street into a beautiful green urban park, as part of the £470m Heart of the City development programme. Monitors from the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS), who inspect construction sites to check employee wellbeing, environmental impacts and respect for the community, gave Henry Boot Construction’s site at Pound’s Park full marks in the three main categories. Inspectors praised waste recycling at the site, with the use of recycled materials in the design as best practice. They also praised the health-related support, including mental health care, available to site workers. Henry Boot Construction’s commitment to education was also spotlighted. The three local projects (Pound’s Park, Elshaw House & Cambridge Street Collective and Kangaroo Works) share a common community engagement plan which is updated with achievements monthly; between the three sites there are over 25 apprentices and nine site-based placements students gaining valuable on-site work experience. Named after Sheffield’s first Chief Fire Officer, Superintendent John Charles Pound, the new park is set to be completed in early 2023. The landmark green space will feature event space, imaginative play spaces, climbing features and areas for relaxing. Richard Grafton, Head of Policy & Compliance, at Henry Boot Construction said: “This is the highest score that we’ve achieved under the new CCS criteria and scoring system and is testament to all the hard work that goes on to engage communities, support our employees and make our sites safe. Well done to Rob Bell and Jonathan Scaife on site for guiding the project to this brilliant score. “One of our other sites in the Heart of the City development, which neighbours Pound’s Park, has already been registered as an Ultra Site – meaning it is recognised by CCS as a beacon of best practice. Our Cocoa Works site in York also has Ultra Site status and these are the only two sites in the whole of Yorkshire to be registered to this standard. “Henry Boot is committed to achieving the highest possible standards and raising the bar across the industry and it’s brilliant that we’re able to do this at the same time as creating a relaxing and inviting urban space.”
HS2 has published its annual Equality, Diversity and Inclusion report. The report shows how the company delivering Britain’s new railway is continuing to challenge its national supply chain, and the wider rail engineering and construction sectors, to champion inclusivity. Across the supply chain, HS2’s performance continues to beat industry averages for the number of female and BAME employees working on the project, with the supply chain achieving 28% and 18% respectively. With all three phases of the project now live, and HS2’s journey north beginning, challenge and opportunity come in equal measure. HS2 Ltd has set itself high standards, leading the way in the performance it expects from the 2,500 UK-based businesses engaged in its supply chain. Whilst just shy of the internal targets it set itself, HS2 Ltd’s own performance saw its female workforce reach 37% [40%], whilst the number of BAME employees peaked at 22%* [23%]. Natalie Penrose, Head of Legacy at HS2 said: “HS2’s construction is gathering pace by the day, and we now have a 25,000-strong workforce spread across more than 350 sites. HS2’s scale brings the reality of our challenge to life, given the white male dominance that has gripped the rail and civil engineering sectors for many years. “But every challenge brings opportunity, and I’m proud of the huge waves we are making to address national skills shortages, the threat of an ageing workforce in engineering and in attracting more women and BAME candidates into employment on the project.” At the heart of HS2’s drive for change is the growing network of employees who challenge the organisation to achieve excellence. With a collective membership of over 1,650 across eight bespoke networking groups, staff are empowered to share their experiences and expertise on a range of initiatives from gender balance, the inclusion of ethnic minority staff, challenging homophobia, biphobia and transphobia and promoting disability awareness. Engaging employees in the strategy, policy and decision making processes had driven positive change and key achievements during 2021/2022. On International Disabled People’s Day in December, HS2 launched its accessibility policy and digital accessibility hub, which seek to address the changing needs of disabled employees in the workplace and ensure that staff recognise the adjustments they can make to support their colleagues and the wider workforce. Learning from others remains a key focus for HS2 in the years ahead and we are proud of the partnerships we are forming with schools, specialist employment support services and charitable groups along the line of route to help us achieve best practice. Our work with SEND schools and specialist schools for the deaf helps us to understand the design changes we can implement to make our stations and trains accessible for all, as we strive to ensure that we build a railway that reflects the diverse needs of the communities it will serve. For more information about HS2’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, read the full report here.