Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has acquired a 22-acre site in an established industrial location in West Sussex for a last-mile logistics development. The site, which Panattoni has just acquired is located at Burgess Hill, fronting the A2300 dual carriageway and providing fast access to the
Premier Modular, one of the UK’s leading offsite specialists, has delivered a £2.6m contract to provide a bespoke, sustainable higher education facility at Canada Water in London. Occupied by The Engineering and Design Institute London (TEDI-London), the building is the first phase of an innovative new modular campus for research
A bespoke hotel design that sets itself apart in a sea of monotonous modern structures. Spinningfields is a vibrant district in the centre of Manchester. The river Irwell defines its western edge and history, as the focus of docks and warehouses in the eighteenth century. The traditional pattern of historic
APPROVAL FOR SUSTAINABLE APARTMENTS BY HAMPSTEAD HEATH Planning permission has been granted for a luxury residential development of 93 sustainable apartments for over 65s on The Bishops Avenue, by Hampstead Heath. Designed by multi-disciplinary design practice, rg+p for retirement living developer, Riverstone, the approved scheme comprises a four-six storey building.
Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings today announced that it will open an OpenBlue Innovation Centre in its global HQ at One Albert Quay, Cork, Ireland. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Cork aims to create a future-ready built environment for both local and global customers
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter has landed a place on the largest part of a £415m, five-year design and build framework for ports. Associated British Ports (ABP) has named 11 partner contractors to deliver an ambitious building programme at its 21 ports, across five regions of the
CBRE Seeking Proposals For Unique Development Opportunity One of Sheffield City Centre’s most prominent development opportunities has been launched to market by CBRE’s UK Development Advisory team, acting on behalf of Sheffield City Council (SCC). The Barker’s Pool Building, a c.200,000 sq ft former department store, forms a significant element
Commenting on the publication of the Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Chair of the District Councils’ Network said: “The Levelling Up Bill is mixed news for DCN councils. We want to work with the Government to deliver their commitment to level up the country and empower
WORK on a three-storey, specialist training facility for those in the healthcare sector has now been completed at Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) Clifton Campus. The renovation of existing NTU buildings and the completion of a new building will serve as a base for the Institute of Health & Allied Professions,
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) welcomes the inclusion of the planning system within the a ‘Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill’. Planners can be an asset to the Bill, increasing living standards and home ownership, cultivating pride in place, improving transport infrastructure and population health and strengthening local leadership. Victoria
Panattoni, the largest industrial real estate developer in Europe, has acquired a 22-acre site in an established industrial location in West Sussex for a last-mile logistics development. The site, which Panattoni has just acquired is located at Burgess Hill, fronting the A2300 dual carriageway and providing fast access to the A23/M23, Crawley, Brighton and the south coast markets. The new speculative park is already home to DPD and Roche. Panattoni is intending to speculatively develop the whole site, called Panattoni Park Burgess Hill, which will provide facilities from 7,466 sq ft to 141,460 sq ft, although design and build opportunities with a number of occupiers already showing interest bespoke units. Panattoni expects to start construction in the fourth quarter of this year with the intention of delivering units to a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and an EPC rating of ‘A’ in the middle of 2023. It will take advantage of the site’s outline planning consent to build the units quickly offering opportunities for both B2 and B8 occupiers. Panattoni vast experience of buy, build and let was recently demonstrated at the former Benthalls site in Farnborough, which it bought, built and let in just 11 months. Tony Watkins, Development Director at Panattoni, said: “This well-located site provides us with the opportunity to meet the high occupier demand for logistics space in the Crawley, Brighton and south coast markets, where the supply of available space is very low. We will be offering a wide range of unit sizes to occupiers in an area where there is a critical lack of stock to serve such a big market of consumers”. Letting agents are DTRE, Lambert Smith Hampton and SHW. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Premier Modular, one of the UK’s leading offsite specialists, has delivered a £2.6m contract to provide a bespoke, sustainable higher education facility at Canada Water in London. Occupied by The Engineering and Design Institute London (TEDI-London), the building is the first phase of an innovative new modular campus for research and development. The new facility was designed and built in just nine months in time for the first cohort of students. Premier’s modular solution allowed its rapid and sustainable construction, whilst minimising disruption to the local area. Designed by internationally-renowned architects Hawkins\Brown, the building will be in use for the next seven years to allow British Land to work with TEDI-London to develop a permanent home for its students within the Canada Water masterplan. Minimising impact on the environment was therefore a key part of the project brief. David Walters, Programme Director at British Land, said, “We are using modular construction in a really different way on this campus. It is enabling our tenants to grow with us, only taking the space they need at any one time, with the knowledge that we can respond rapidly to expand the building when they need to add more space. This is achieved with the least possible disruption, and an architectural quality that enhances the surroundings enormously.” “This project successfully demonstrates excellent design, a highly efficient building system, and outstanding collaboration at every stage.” “The partnership between Premier and Hawkins\Brown continues to work exceptionally well and has definitely added value to the project. We can utilise all the benefits of offsite – speed, less impact on the environment, ease of expansion, and less disruption – whilst creating a high-quality education facility which looks fantastic.” “The first cohort of students was able to occupy the building after just nine months, which is an impressive achievement.” Sarah Whittaker-Gilbey, Head of Facilities, Health and Safety at TEDI-London said, “This is a wonderful building. All the feedback has been so positive – from other higher education providers to property developers, staff, students, and the local community. It flows really well and has been designed with disability and inclusion in mind. It encourages interaction and collaboration, and has a strong community feel – exactly what we wanted. We all just love it!” Andrew Tindale, Associate at Hawkins\Brown, said, “This project has been a huge success and we love the finished building. It has really brought a brownfield site to life and has created significant social value and a sense of community. This is a welcoming, safe, and inspiring learning environment that TEDI-London and its students can be genuinely proud of.” “It has been a pleasure working alongside Premier and main contractor Galldris to design and deliver the building and landscape within the budget and time constraints. We believe this working relationship was critical to the project’s success.” “Both Hawkins\Brown and Premier have also been working as industry partners to the Institute, contributing to the curriculum by setting and participating in an engineering challenge.” David Harris, Managing Director of Premier Modular, added, “This use of modular construction brought a number of important environmental benefits to the project. As with all our buildings, this scheme was manufactured by Premier generating zero waste to landfill. When the Institute relocates to its permanent home, the modular structure can then be dismantled for sustainable re-use or recycling.” “The lightweight nature of the Premier steel-framed offsite system also meant the campus building could be sited on the existing concrete base of a disused carpark, avoiding the need for intrusive deep pile foundations.” Other environmental features include low energy LED lighting with PIR sensors, highly efficient heating and cooling using air source heat pumps and mechanical heat recovery ventilation, and Siberian larch cladding which can be re-used or recycled when the building is dismantled. The modules were engineered to create a large double span exhibition, events, and cafeteria space. There are four large ‘makerspaces’ for practical learning, viewing galleries, smaller conference-style meeting and teaching rooms, a full-height glazed entrance, offices and student common room. One corner of the building was extended to three storeys to add visual interest and to create a large roof terrace for social interaction and with views over the Rotherhithe peninsula. Services in the ceiling are exposed to allow students to understand the complexities of the building as part of their learning experience. The Canada Water masterplan is a 53-acre regeneration scheme which is owned in a 50:50 joint venture by leading UK property company, British Land and AustralianSuper, Australia’s biggest profit-to-member pension fund. The masterplan will deliver a new town centre for London including around 3,000 homes, alongside a mix of commercial, retail and community space. TEDI-London is a new engineering higher education enterprise founded by three global universities – Arizona State University, King’s College London, and UNSW Sydney. For further information, visit www.premiermodular.co.uk, call 0800 316 0888 or email info@premiermodular.co.uk. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
A bespoke hotel design that sets itself apart in a sea of monotonous modern structures. Spinningfields is a vibrant district in the centre of Manchester. The river Irwell defines its western edge and history, as the focus of docks and warehouses in the eighteenth century. The traditional pattern of historic narrow streets is relieved by dramatic modern public spaces. Corporate headquarters, shops, fine dining and street food, bars and libraries, nightclubs and opera houses all coexist in this diverse and eclectic neighbourhood that is always busy. Given its 24-hour economy, it’s surprising that Spinningfields has never had a hotel. It’s not surprising however that KE Hotels acquired a site right at the heart of Spinningfields which had been destined to be another corporate headquarters. They had the vision to develop a hotel and started to explore opportunities with hotel designers Ica. The first challenge was getting a hotel layout to work. The site was very deep and square with low rise listed buildings including Invicta House, an eighteenth-century former textile warehouse. Ica maximised the space and included an entire additional floor level within the existing planning consent, condensing 147 guestrooms into the tight 750sqm plot. The hotel also features a living-room-style lobby and a stylish bar. “Ica’s knowledge of the main hotel brands is second to none. They’ve got a great track record in providing creative solutions as and when challenges arise on projects. Having worked with them for over five years, I’ve found them to be of the highest calibre, consistently delivering top quality, cost-effective schemes.” Anil Khanna, Director KE Hotels. KE Hotels found the perfect brand in Moxy by Marriott, a playful concept for the young at heart. The depth of expertise and research delivered by Marriott alongside this non-conforming rebel brand allowed Ica to complete the design with a very strong theme. After the design was refined and perfected, delivery of the hotel on-site was the next challenge. An incredibly tight site surrounded by narrow lanes and buildings, as well as restricted vehicle access, a tall building, façade retention and listed buildings. This was going to be a challenge to build and a challenge to estimate and price. Ica introduced the client to Gilbert Ash as a trusted construction partner with experience in hotels as well as historic and high-profile landmark buildings. They quickly produced a well-considered construction strategy at a competitive price which was negotiated to allow work to start on site quickly. Despite the Covid pandemic, work progressed, and Ica delivered the finished hotel faithful to the original design and vision. This hotel emerges with optimism and energy in a crucial year for hospitality as society looks forward to doing business and having fun!
APPROVAL FOR SUSTAINABLE APARTMENTS BY HAMPSTEAD HEATH Planning permission has been granted for a luxury residential development of 93 sustainable apartments for over 65s on The Bishops Avenue, by Hampstead Heath. Designed by multi-disciplinary design practice, rg+p for retirement living developer, Riverstone, the approved scheme comprises a four-six storey building. The 93 apartments are a mix of one-four bedroom properties together with extensive amenities including swimming pool, sauna and steam room; ballroom; gym; cinema; salon and treatment rooms; concierge and coffee lounge; restaurant and bar with outdoor terrace; library; cycle storage and off-street parking. The interior concept and design have been prepared by Bowler James Brindley. Widely considered one of the most exclusive streets in London, The Bishops Avenue falls just outside the Hampstead Garden Suburb Conservation Area so rg+p’s design has been devised to respond to the neighbourhood. Grant Giblett, rg+p’s London director, explains: “In keeping with nearby properties, the front of the scheme follows a mansion house appearance with ground floor arched windows and decorative chimneys that compliment rich brick detailing that is synonymous with the arts and crafts movement. The rear of the property takes a more playful approach inspired by subterranean vaults and architectural follies.” Ben Walton, rg+p’s design director and the project’s lead architect continues: “The rear of the development uses a simplified language which retains the high level of workmanship and crafted details from which the project takes its inspiration. Comprising two distinct elements united with a glazed shadow gap, these share a common material palette encompassing red brick and a bronze metal panel featuring a motif that flows into metalwork balustrades.” One of the focal points for the scheme is an oak framed entrance canopy, designed to create a sense of arrival. This entrance references a more traditional porch and features a living wall system and biodiverse roof to connect the building to its natural woodland landscape and soften the overall aesthetic. Three further biodiverse roofs are also included. The scheme’s landscape design was heavily influenced by existing mature trees and ferns, which are being retained, and features a woodland walk concept devised by Chelsea Flower Show winner, Andy Sturgeon Garden Landscape & Design. This will optimise the natural setting and enhance biodiversity, with targeted bird, mammal and insect habitats, nature pond and regenerated historic native woodland. Paul Vesty, chief development officer, Riverstone, comments: “The successful acquisition of Riverstone’s third residence marks another important milestone as we prepare to open Riverstone Kensington in June and Riverstone Fulham in late summer 2022. The approved, 230,000 sq ft project at The Bishops Avenue is focused on an all-electric energy strategy targeting a net zero carbon plan. “There will be habitat creation and improvement to the mature landscape, together with green walls to enhance biodiversity, renewable energy generation with bio-solar roof panels, electric vehicle charging points for every parking space, heat recovery technology, heightened thermal performance and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation. Modern methods of construction will also be used to reduce waste and time on-site. We look forward to expanding Riverstone’s mix of prime London locations, wide ranging amenities and expert team to include sector-leading sustainability and social value credentials.” The Bishops Avenue marks the third scheme for rg+p with Riverstone, following on from the successful delivery of Riverstone Kensington and Riverstone Fulham. The first apartments are expected to be ready for occupancy by 2025.
Johnson Controls (NYSE: JCI), the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings today announced that it will open an OpenBlue Innovation Centre in its global HQ at One Albert Quay, Cork, Ireland. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Cork aims to create a future-ready built environment for both local and global customers and is part of an international network of OpenBlue Innovation Centres working to pioneer new ways to provide smart, healthy and sustainable spaces for customers. “We are very pleased to be launching our OpenBlue Innovation Center in Cork. This centre will be focused on working with our customers to identify solutions for them to hit decarbonisation and renewable energy goals while optimising building performance,” said Tomas Brannemo, vice president and president, Building Solutions EMEALA at Johnson Controls. “This centre will serve as our regional centre of excellence to bring clients to see Johnson Controls’ latest cutting-edge innovations on how to solve for net zero”. Fitted with the most advanced Johnson Controls building technology solutions, the OpenBlue Innovation Centre will be a showcase of the latest and most innovative solutions from the company in a live environment. The research and development grant Johnson Controls received from the Irish government will support engineering activities at the centre, including developing a professional services hub for the Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America region over a two-year period. Johnson Controls’ research and development presence has grown substantially in recent years and it is expected that 18 new research and development roles will be created as a result of the OpenBlue Innovation Center, in addition to 40 roles already in place working on the next generation solutions for Johnson Controls and its customers. Research and development at the OpenBlue Innovation Centre will focus on the global priority to reduce carbon emissions in the building sector. The building sector accounts for nearly 40 percent of global annual CO2 emissions, making it a key focus area in the pursuit of a net zero world. “Our partnership with the Irish government through IDA Ireland shows how governments and industry can drive real change. The financial support will allow us to increase our headcount, which will contribute not only to the local economy, but also to the development of our OpenBlue net zero solutions globally to have a positive impact on climate change,” said Eamonn Hughes, vice president and general manager, Digital Solutions EMEALA at Johnson Controls. Welcoming the investment, IDA Ireland’s Head of Engineering and Green Economy, Eileen Sharpe added: “IDA Ireland is committed to supporting the work of world class companies such as Johnson Controls to utilise the latest developments in AI, Data Analytics and Cloud Architecture to build new technologies to enable a more sustainable world. This is a most welcome investment for Cork and for Ireland and is in line with our strategy aim to develop Ireland as a leading location for Sustainability Engineering solutions.” OpenBlue, Johnson Controls’ suite of connected solutions, is a key enabler changing the face of sustainability for customers today, through smart buildings technologies designed for operational energy efficiency, occupant comfort and sustainability. Cutting-edge solutions such as OpenBlue Net Zero Buildings can help drive significant improvements in energy efficiency and corresponding carbon emissions. The OpenBlue Innovation Centre in Cork will launch on May 12, 2022. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Yorkshire and Lincolnshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter has landed a place on the largest part of a £415m, five-year design and build framework for ports. Associated British Ports (ABP) has named 11 partner contractors to deliver an ambitious building programme at its 21 ports, across five regions of the UK. The work will be focused on the design and build, as well as construct-only agreements, of buildings at the ports. Hobson & Porter, which operates throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, has been selected for the framework’s Humber region, which covers ABP’s largest port area including Hull, Immingham, Grimsby and Goole. The news follows Hobson & Porter recently securing a place on two new regional medium works YORbuild frameworks, which are expected to account for over £640m of spending over the next four years. These cover the YORhub east region led by East Riding of Yorkshire Council, and the west region led by Leeds City Council. These complement Hobson & Porter’s growing portfolio of frameworks including North Lincolnshire Council, Pagabo Medium Works, Efficiency North, Brierley Homes, Lidl and North East Lincolnshire Council. Joe Booth, business development director at Hobson & Porter, said: “Securing a place on the ABP framework follows a rigorous selection process and it is a fantastic achievement for both Hobson & Porter and our valued supply chain across East Yorkshire and North East Lincolnshire. “It has the potential to shape the future development of the main ports on the Humber, which will ultimately benefit global trade for the UK and the local economies in the areas surrounding these ports.” Hobson & Porter has a wealth of experience in industrial, logistics and distribution projects throughout the region, which includes recently extending Ørsted’s flagship £9m East Coast Hub, at the Royal Docks in Grimsby, to create the largest offshore wind operations and maintenance facility in the UK. As a vital part of the supply chains of businesses throughout the nation, ABP’s 21 ports support 119,000 jobs and contribute £7.5 billion to the economy every year, handling approximately a quarter of the nation’s seaborne trade. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
CBRE Seeking Proposals For Unique Development Opportunity One of Sheffield City Centre’s most prominent development opportunities has been launched to market by CBRE’s UK Development Advisory team, acting on behalf of Sheffield City Council (SCC). The Barker’s Pool Building, a c.200,000 sq ft former department store, forms a significant element of the council’s £470M Heart of the City regeneration scheme and proposals are being sought by June 2022 for the redevelopment of the strategically located property. Originally opened in 1962 as a department store with integrated car park, the property freehold is now owned by SCC who acquired the lease from John Lewis in January 2022. Sitting across 1.25 acres, the five-storey building can be sustainably redeveloped or repurposed for a wide range of uses, subject to planning approval. Holding a prime position alongside the core central streets of Fargate, The Moor and Division Street, the building offers a pivotal location benefitting from nearby landmarks including Sheffield City’s Town Hall and the award-winning Peace Gardens, as well as many food, retail and entertainment destinations. The property is also at the heart of one of the UK’s largest urban regeneration schemes, the 1.5m sq ft Heart of the City which represents a multi-million pound investment into Sheffield City Centre and which will provide active cultural, leisure, retail, residential and office uses to three sides of the property. Since acquiring The Barker’s Pool Building in January 2022, SCC has been busy with securing the building and commissioning various surveys. Works to remove asbestos and strip out redundant plant and machinery are currently out to tender and will commence in the next few months, with anticipated completion in Spring 2023. CBRE is openly marketing the property in a two-stage process, seeking expressions of interest by the end of June, with the second stage starting at the end of the summer once initial expressions of interest have been assessed and discussed with bidders. SCC is seeking proposals that add to the vibrancy and attraction of the widest possible number of visitors and local people into the city centre. Proposals must be of very high quality to enhance what SCC is achieving across the rest of the Heart of the City project and wider city centre. Proposals will be judged on economic, social and environmental benefits rather than purely financial, but will need to be commercially deliverable. Alex Andrews, CBRE’s UK Development Advisory Team, commented: “The Barker’s Pool Building presents an exceptional opportunity for a developer to bring forward a creative solution for this prominent building, delivering a sustainable, environmentally friendly scheme, which in turn will capitalise on the growth and development already being delivered across Sheffield City Centre. The building’s location at the core of the Heart of the City scheme will ensure its long-term prominence and we are looking forward to receiving proposals and discussing with prospective developers”. Kate Martin, Executive Director at Sheffield City Council, said: “We know how important this property is to the people of Sheffield and this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape a key city centre location. The decision on how the property and location is reimagined and its future use will be carefully considered. “Although removing the existing building is an option, we are keen to ensure we examine all the options on the table, so we can make a fully informed decision. We plan to make the most of this rare opportunity and develop something truly special for Sheffield. “As part of this process, we are inviting imaginative and deliverable proposals for either refurbishment or redevelopment of the property and are open to ideas around its future use. We look forward to receiving submissions of outstanding quality that will genuinely add to the vibrancy of the city centre and attract the widest possible number of Sheffield residents and visitors to the city.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
Commenting on the publication of the Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill, Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Chair of the District Councils’ Network said: “The Levelling Up Bill is mixed news for DCN councils. We want to work with the Government to deliver their commitment to level up the country and empower our local communities. “However, we’re concerned that district councils’ local knowledge and ability to deliver on levelling up is being overlooked when it comes to delivering new County Deals. The legislation would prevent district councils being constituent members of the new-style combined authorities and appears to allow district powers to be transferred to the combined authority without their consent. We think this is unnecessary and counter-productive. District councils are well placed to help the Government deliver ambitious deals to improve outcomes for our residents. We want the opportunity to do that as equal partners in county deals and call on the Government to recognise that in the legislation. “We’re pleased with the change of direction on planning reform. It’s right that local plans should drive development and that councils’ powers to regenerate their high streets and local places should be strengthened. Stronger compulsory powers, rental auctions for empty high street properties, and the new local infrastructure levy – to name a few – are all positive on paper. We look forward to working with the Government to make sure they deliver on their promise. “We also welcome the principle of encouraging positive public participation in local planning. The acid test for the idea of street votes will be implementing it in a way that boosts neighbourhood involvement without the unintended consequence of stopping developments that enhance our local places and support economic development “Increased numbers of second homes present challenges to local councils, particularly in rural and coastal communities, and exacerbate housing shortages and affordability for ordinary people. It’s excellent news that the Bill will give councils the power to increase council tax on underused second homes, allowing us to reinvest in improving local infrastructure and services.” Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
WORK on a three-storey, specialist training facility for those in the healthcare sector has now been completed at Nottingham Trent University’s (NTU) Clifton Campus. The renovation of existing NTU buildings and the completion of a new building will serve as a base for the Institute of Health & Allied Professions, which offers a range of specialist courses such as adult and mental health nursing and paramedic science. The whole facility is focused on equipping the healthcare providers of the future with the knowledge and hands-on skills required for modern healthcare. Leading independent property, construction, and infrastructure consultancy, Pick Everard provided architecture, interior design and principal design services from concept to completion, working with main contractor Henry Brothers during the construction period. Devika Parmar, director of architecture at Pick Everard, said: “We are delighted to have provided services for such an important scheme for the university and its healthcare students. We won this project via a competition under the NTU consultancy framework, where we put forward our concept proposals to create a gateway building to the campus that would be visually striking, functional and inspirational for anyone hoping for a career within health services. We’re thrilled that the completed building aligns very closely with our original concept sketch. “Blending our healthcare and HE knowledge, we designed a building that caters to nursing, paramedical, and other healthcare professionals. It accommodates a variety of clinical simulation spaces that support teaching, assessments, and learning opportunities. “Underpinning our design approach was a modular grid and a simplicity in design to create flexibility and standardisation in space planning and construction delivery. Working closely with university stakeholders, we meticulously planned the building to meet user requirements and allow for new educational technologies to support the evolving learning demands.” With flexibility of use in mind, multi-use spaces have the potential to provide students with fully immersive experiences. The new building also provides a welcoming gateway building to the campus with the external façade treatment and quality materials providing aesthetic interest. One floor of the new development is dedicated to realistic simulated healthcare environments for the training of healthcare students. This includes hospital wards, consultations and counselling rooms and a mock flat for home and emergency care scenarios. Meanwhile, a further two floors provide office and flexible teaching space to accommodate creative learning approaches. David Shaw, national design director at Pick Everard, said: “The architecture of the new development has been designed for maximum visual impact on arrival to the campus. We wanted to ensure this new addition to an evolving campus would be complimentary but also distinctive both externally and internally. “The whole consultant team worked closely to deliver this project to ensure the architecture, interior design and engineering has been holistically considered. We were intent on combining the existing building into the project, with the atrium space connecting the refurbished and new accommodations to bring people together in a central collaboration space. “With such unique requirements for its end use, this development provided room for a number of innovations to be adopted. This included the inclusion of virtual reality training spaces that completely immerse students into situational experiences, which is an incredibly valuable experience for their training. “The pandemic has reaffirmed the need for training facilities like this to make sure that the healthcare professionals now and tomorrow have the best quality teaching experience possible. We very much look forward to seeing the building fully occupied by students and professionals and seeing them make the most of their new teaching spaces.” Dr Anne Felton, head of the Institute of Health & Allied Professions at NTU’s School of Social Sciences, said: “We’re incredibly excited that our new teaching centre is now open. The courses we’re providing will directly increase the supply of professional qualified staff into the NHS and related services, as well as providing a dedicated facility to allow greater opportunities for Continuing Professional Development for existing health practitioners within the local area. “The virtual reality training facilities that will provide students with fully immersive situational experiences are a demonstration of NTU’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of the learning experience, while the audio-visual recording equipment installed within the simulation suites will enable feedback and reflection on students’ performances, creating a truly modern learning experience.” Ian Taylor, managing director at Henry Brothers Midlands, the contractor for the development, said: “It’s great to see this project reach completion and I look forward to seeing it full of students. Despite being a challenging project delivered during difficult times, I’m really pleased with how the whole team came together to deliver a great looking building for the university’s students and staff.” For more information about Pick Everard, please visit www.pickeverard.co.uk Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) welcomes the inclusion of the planning system within the a ‘Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill’. Planners can be an asset to the Bill, increasing living standards and home ownership, cultivating pride in place, improving transport infrastructure and population health and strengthening local leadership. Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the RTPI said: “We welcome government recognition that a strong planning system will be essential to levelling up. We hope that such a system will help communities better shape the places they live, work and enjoy. “Our members stand ready to support the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to develop a system. But, if we’re going to achieve the overall ambitions of Levelling Up and regeneration, we need to ensure we’re building the right homes in the right places. “It is essential that any reform comes forward as soon as possible to help prevent further delays. It is also key that all local areas have an up to date local plan, are sufficiently resourced, and open to a dialogue with their local communities, including businesses and residents current and future.” The RTPI will continue to work with Government, officials and parliamentarians based on its member’s experiences, its expertise and timely research to help shape these planning reforms. The RTPI will follow up with further analysis on the role of planning within the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill as news develops. Building Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction & Property News