Akela Construction Ltd, part of the Akela Group, has secured its latest in a series of contracts as part of the creation of a new neighbourhood and community in Penicuik. This new contract for Avant Homes will deliver a further 78 new homes at Mauricewood Road and follows the successful
Local architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) is launching a free interactive toolkit to introduce primary school children to the importance of building sustainably. Focusing on building materials and how much carbon is released during their manufacture, the engaging and interactive Better Buildings website is free to use
The unique steel structure covering the European Spallation Source (ESS) facility, designed by engineering consultants Buro Happold, has now been completed, marking a significant milestone of the construction works. The international research facility ESS, housing the world’s most powerful neutron source, is located in the Swedish city of Lund, and
Concrete Expo (3-4 May Excel.London) makes its debut in London this year with a comprehensive range of more than 100 concrete-related brands and product categories. It’ll be the first major dedicated trade show for the concrete supply chain for more than two years. This year there’ll be a selection of
NATIONAL framework provider Pagabo has announced the winners of its annual celebration of industry excellence ahead of the Pagabo Awards 2022. Being hosted at Pagabo’s headquarters in Hull city centre, the second iteration of the awards ceremony will take place in-person with many of the firm’s ecosystem partners in attendance.
Work has been completed on a refurbishment project to create flexible new office and meeting space for housing and homelessness services in north London. The fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor, Willmott Dixon Interiors has transformed the second floor of Edmonton Green Library in Enfield, to deliver contemporary and accessible office
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, along with repeat client St Modwen Logistics, has celebrated the start of the first phase of a significant project in Derby with a ground-breaking ceremony. St Modwen Park Derby,
Development Will Deliver First New Homes at 170 Acre Site Templegate Developments Limited, the joint venture partnership of Evans Property Group and Keyland Developments, has agreed terms of sale with Avant Homes and Evans Homes for the acquisition of strategic housing land at the 170 acre Skelton Gate site in
Partner Housing, in association with Flagship Homes, celebrated the start of works on a new housing development in Necton, Norfolk; The £9.7 million development will see 73 new homes built, with a mix of Shared Ownership and Social Rent properties; Work is expected to finish on the site, called Tower
Total value of the SCAPE Civil Engineering frameworks to increase from £2.1bn to £4bn The re-procurement includes a £3.25bn framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and a separate £750m framework for Scotland, managed and operated by SCAPE Scotland. SCAPE frameworks provide organisations access to net-zero ready specialist contractors to
Akela Construction Ltd, part of the Akela Group, has secured its latest in a series of contracts as part of the creation of a new neighbourhood and community in Penicuik. This new contract for Avant Homes will deliver a further 78 new homes at Mauricewood Road and follows the successful delivery of phase one of Avant’s Carnethy Heights Development. The Company is currently providing civil engineering services to three major housebuilders – Cala Homes, Avant Homes and Bellway Homes – worth a combined contract value of £28 million, resulting in approximately 500 new homes being built in the area. Nearly a decade and half after plans were initially submitted to Midlothian Council, works commenced onsite in 2018. One of the challenges overcome by the Akela Construction team was to maintain the existing Talla Aqueduct which has been operating since 1905. Critically, the Talla Aqueduct provides the Glencorse Water Treatment Works with raw water and the treatment plant is the primary source of water for the Greater Edinburgh area. The first phases of both Cala and Avant sites are due to complete at the end of 2022, however subsequent phases will be ongoing until 2026. The development will provide 57 affordable homes with provision for electric vehicle charging facilities for future tenants. Other environmentally friendly features on this site include solar panels, air source heat pumps and value engineering methods to reduce surplus soil to landfill. Mark Markey, Akela Group Managing Director, said: “Akela Construction Ltd has a significant role to play in the delivery of the Mauricewood Road development that will provide over 500 new homes to the north Penicuik area, including much needed affordable housing. We are delighted to continue our strong working relationships with Avant Homes, Bellway Homes and CALA Homes to drive the creation of this new neighbourhood and community. “This latest contract win, to deliver an additional 78 new homes as part of the Penicuik masterplan, is a testament to the successful delivery of house building projects we have already delivered for house building clients. This builds on our ambitious plans to continue to grow this area of our business, both in Scotland and in the north of England from our Leeds base.”
Local architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) is launching a free interactive toolkit to introduce primary school children to the importance of building sustainably. Focusing on building materials and how much carbon is released during their manufacture, the engaging and interactive Better Buildings website is free to use and aims to get children at Key Stage 2 thinking about sustainability and designing low carbon buildings. Project lead Simon Matthews, a member of the Social Responsibility group at SGP takes up the story: “We decided to create a set of learning aids that teachers can use with children of about 10 or 11 years old, to help them discover more about building materials and their impact on the environment, in a fun and accessible way. Buildings have a significant impact on the environment – 11% of global carbon emissions come from the construction of buildings and the materials used. The Better Buildings programme aligns perfectly with our company values – it is imperative for us to raise awareness and put our knowledge out there for everyone to share.” Steve Malkin, founder of sustainability champions Planet Mark, adds: “”As an engineer, I would have loved a lesson in imagining and designing buildings that are great for the planet and for people. I have seen first-hand the wonderful ideas school children can bring to creating better buildings and, this exciting classroom resource gives them the ideas to fuel their imagination.” The Better Buildings resource is web based and includes investigating traditional and alternative materials used around the world, followed by a module for children to design their own low carbon building. Throughout the site, children are encouraged to explore the subjects through activities and open discussions, discovering fascinating facts and using an interactive carbon indicator to assess each material. Cartoon avatars of SGP staff help to explain common terms used throughout Simon continues: “Sustainability is everyone’s issue and everyone needs to contribute what they can. We developed the Better Building website specifically for primary school children because they are the architects of the future – and a generation that will need to face the problems we have left. We know the interest in sustainability and climate change is there from our existing schools’ sustainability campaign, SGP + You, so the earlier we can engage the better. “SGP’s Better Buildings website celebrates the positives and what people can do, reaffirming the message that people do have the ability to make changes that will have a positive impact. We hope that this resource will help teachers explain sustainability in building materials to older primary school children and ignite their enthusiasm for the subject.” The website, an open-source asset, is now available, free to all teachers. Link to the website: https://betterbuildings.stephengeorge.co.uk/
The unique steel structure covering the European Spallation Source (ESS) facility, designed by engineering consultants Buro Happold, has now been completed, marking a significant milestone of the construction works. The international research facility ESS, housing the world’s most powerful neutron source, is located in the Swedish city of Lund, and will create a pioneering multi-disciplinary research environment. At ESS, neutrons generated through spallation, will enable scientists to study materials on an atomic and molecular level. This will greatly benefit a variety of research fields such as life and environmental science, energy, materials and archaeology. The facility, designed by Henning Larsen and COBE architects, required a robust steel structure to cope with complex operational requirements and maximise flexibility during its use. Taking this into account, Buro Happold’s team of specialist engineers developed a unique structural design with large open spans to cover the Target building and associated Experimental Halls. Due to the strict design criteria placed upon the building by the regulatory authorities, the Buro Happold team ensured the steel structure could meet stringent ‘worst-case’ design conditions. This included supporting up to seven metres of snow over portions of the roof and the ability to withstand an earthquake more severe than any recorded in modern history in this area. The cantilevering roof extending up to 35 metres beyond the perimeter of the building gives the facility a memorable visual identity, whilst still catering for extreme environmental loading. The cantilevered portions withstand dynamic wind conditions and snow, but also help counterbalance the deflections in the steelwork trusses over the adjacent Experimental Halls. Four operating overhead cranes, supplied by Munck and Dematek, provide great operational flexibility to the building. The crane in the central target building meets particularly high safety standards as it is required to transport heavy components and sometimes activated material resulting from the spallation process: It can lift 115 tonnes – the weight of a Boeing 787. The building’s outer structure was designed to cope with internal forces and movement caused not only by individual cranes, but also the many loading scenarios created when all cranes are in operation simultaneously. The various operational loads from the crane, together with the complex environmental loads, resulted in more than two million possible combinations of loading scenarios. This additional design challenge necessitated an engineering approach that benefitted from computational processes. As commercially available software was incapable of this level of analysis, Buro Happold developed an in-house programme to assist the selection of the critical combinations and enable efficiency in the design process. This added yet another computational element to the support provided by the project team, complementing the façade panelisation study conducted with the façade engineering team and architects. Adam Pekala, project leader at Buro Happold explains: “The cladding of the overhanging roof is clad in L-shaped aluminium lamellas mounted onto panels. The nature of these panels prevents detrimental snow accumulation on the overhang, reducing the total load acting on the large overhangs. We used parametric modelling to define the optimum shape and layout of the panels and reduced the number of bespoke assemblies by 87%. This helped to minimise wastage by using materials and production resources in a more sustainable way, whilst enabling much faster fabrication and assembly.” Paul Roberts, project director at Buro Happold: “It has been a close collaboration with the architects and the Client right from the beginning of the project, starting with the very first hand-sketches that we worked on together. Seeing the result with this impressive structure that marks a significant milestone for ESS is truly amazing. We’re proud of our contribution to the world’s most powerful neutron source that will help address some of the most important societal challenges of our time: enabling scientific breakthroughs in research related to materials, energy, health and the environment. ESS is due to be in full operations by the end of 2027. Following the completion of the civil construction works, the facility will now continue to be prepared for research.
Concrete Expo (3-4 May Excel.London) makes its debut in London this year with a comprehensive range of more than 100 concrete-related brands and product categories. It’ll be the first major dedicated trade show for the concrete supply chain for more than two years. This year there’ll be a selection of concrete batching plant suppliers, admixtures, additives and chemicals, concrete pumps, concrete mixers, volumetric mixers, formwork, lifting and handling concrete, precast equipment and accessories, tools, testing services – in fact just about everything needed to produce, deliver and install the most widely used building material to construction sites.
NATIONAL framework provider Pagabo has announced the winners of its annual celebration of industry excellence ahead of the Pagabo Awards 2022. Being hosted at Pagabo’s headquarters in Hull city centre, the second iteration of the awards ceremony will take place in-person with many of the firm’s ecosystem partners in attendance. With twelve winners set to celebrate on the night, companies that will take home silverware include VINCI, Willmott Dixon and Faithful + Gould for their contributions to major UK development projects, as well as local projects importantly supporting local people, economies and environments. Jason Stapley, managing director at Pagabo, said: “The whole premise of the Pagabo Awards is to celebrate and recognise the projects being procured through our frameworks and carried out by our ecosystem. “There is such a wealth of amazing work being carried out across the UK through our range of frameworks it makes for a very difficult judging process. Thankfully our team of experts have an eagle eye for spotting businesses going above and beyond ordinary expectations.” While some of the projects are categorised by financial value, such as ‘Best Project Delivered Under £5m’, the awards also recognise the wider responsibility of UK industry through awards including ‘Mental Health Ambassador Award’ and ‘Best Project Delivering Social Value’. A number of projects for each of the ten categories were nominated by internal teams at Pagabo, with the overall winners being selected by the experienced senior management team. Jason continued: “It’s going to be fantastic celebrating the industry success stories that we have helped play a role in making happen through our procurement support – and to be able to do so in person. Ultimately, we help connect the most suitable businesses to each public sector project and this is testament to the internal standards that we are seeing challenged and consequently bettered in all areas of the private sector.” The full list of award winners includes: Mental Health Ambassador Award – Rob Hall, Morgan Sindall Construction Best DPS Small Works Project Under £1m – ME Construction, The Tabernacle Community Centre Best Project Delivered Under £5m – Lindum, The National Centre for Craft & Design Best Project Delivered Between £5m and £15m – R G Carter, Swallowtail Place Best Project Delivered Above £15m – VINCI, Festival Gardens Best Consultancy Project – Edge, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Best Framework Collaboration Project – Faithful + Gould, Sir Robert McAlpine and Manchester City Council, Co-op Academy Belle Vue Best Goods Project – Jigsaw24, Windsor Academy Trust Best Project Delivering Sustainability Outcomes – Willmott Dixon, Oaklands College Phase 2 Best Project Delivering Social Value – Overbury, Marches Centre of Excellence in Health and Social Care
Work has been completed on a refurbishment project to create flexible new office and meeting space for housing and homelessness services in north London. The fit-out and refurbishment specialist contractor, Willmott Dixon Interiors has transformed the second floor of Edmonton Green Library in Enfield, to deliver contemporary and accessible office accommodation. Part of Enfield Council’s Build the Change programme, the new facilities will serve as a hub for the borough-wide Housing services. Willmott Dixon Interiors has carried out substantial alterations to the interior and exterior of the building at second floor level, to create a large, open plan office area with flexible meeting spaces. New partitions have been installed with glazed screens, as well as a new kitchen area, toilets and showers, and raised access flooring. The workspace benefits from an MEP installation throughout, with a new mechanical plant on the roof and new air handling, condenser and air conditioning units. Externally, new large windows have been added to the east elevation, which also incorporates new steel wind posts and beams to create the increased structural openings and now greatly improves natural daylight penetration into the floor plate. Construction of the building has been characterised by strong sustainability credentials, with 98% of project waste directed from landfill and harvested rainwater used to limit dust on site. Graham Shaw, managing director at Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “The way we work is continually evolving and we are placing new demands on our offices. Employers need modern and dynamic workspaces that can attract and retain talent, and enable their teams to work flexibly and efficiently. At the heart of the Council’s vision for Build the Change is also the wellbeing of their staff and residents; it’s investment in Edmonton Green Library has created a modern light-filled space that brings vital services closer to the people who need them most and will serve the local community for many years to come.” As part of the delivery of the project, Willmott Dixon Interiors and Enfield Council developed a strategy to maximise investment in local suppliers, with 74% of total project spend made within 10 miles of the site. Willmott Dixon Interiors also delivered a 71% social return on investment through deployment of a social value plan. Activities included a careers event with local sixth form students and a virtual site tour designed to give an insight into the construction industry to an audience of 300 secondary school students. The refurbishment was procured through SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities. It was delivered by a project team including architect, TP Bennett; quantity surveyor, Stace LLP; and Pick Everard as project manager and services engineer.
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, along with repeat client St Modwen Logistics, has celebrated the start of the first phase of a significant project in Derby with a ground-breaking ceremony. St Modwen Park Derby, which is located off the A52 and close to junction 25 of the M1, will initially see Winvic complete four modern industrial units at the new 67-acre business park in less than 10-months. Winvic will deliver over 224,000m3 of cut and fill works on the site adjacent to the River Derwent to enable the development plots, build 800m of new road infrastructure and create more than 20 acres of natural landscaped area in order to improve the working environment for those working within and living close to the Park. Works will be undertaken using two new Volvo EC300EL hybrid excavators – the first of their kind in the UK – which are powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) fuel. In line with Winvic’s, Collins Earthworks’ and St. Modwen’s carbon reduction goals, the plant reduces net CO2 emissions by up to 90 per cent and delivers a 17 per cent increase in fuel efficiency, all while maintaining the performance of a diesel equivalent machines. Units D39, D54, D79 and D131 will be completed in phases between July and October 2022. Project delivery includes the design and construction of the four buildings – which all comprise office space – mechanical and electrical installations, creation of service yards, drainage and service works, significant landscaping and associated roadworks. Each facility will achieve a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and an ‘A’ EPC rating. Unit D39 – 35,467 sq ft warehouse, with a 10m haunch height and 4,123 sq ft office accommodation Unit D54 – 49,577 sq ft warehouse, with a 10m haunch height and 5,680 sq ft office accommodation Unit D79 – 72,107 sq ft warehouse, with a 12.5m haunch height and 6,886 sq ft office accommodation Unit D131 – 121,987 sq ft warehouse, with a 15m haunch height and 8,962 sq ft office accommodation Winvic Project Manager, Adam Broadhurst, commented: “Having partnered with St Modwen Logistics on a number of occasions, we already have a great relationship with the company and we work very well together as one team, focusing on the end result. This, four-warehouse project in Derby will be delivered in quite a short space of time, but the rapid build illustrates Winvic’s ambition, our team’s experience in the infrastructure and industrial sectors and our exacting programme management skills. I’d like to thank the St Modwen team for having confidence in our ability to transform 70-acres of brownfield land into a high-profile business park within just 10-months.” Richard Carter, Senior Director, Construction, at St Modwen Logistics added: “Our partnership with Winvic strengthens as they continue to deliver St. Modwen Parks to our Swan Standard – a set of industry-leading sustainable development guidelines, with a focus on responsible building practices that meet the needs of our customers and their employees. The Park will deliver BREEAM Excellent standard, demonstrating significant investment and innovation in sustainability above current regulation and practice, as well as a number of health, wellbeing and biodiversity enhancements to improve the environment for those working at the Park and those living close by.” Previous projects that Winvic has constructed for the client include five industrial units at St Modwen Park Tamworth and the first phases of St Modwen Park Gloucester and St Modwen Park Chippenham. 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.
Development Will Deliver First New Homes at 170 Acre Site Templegate Developments Limited, the joint venture partnership of Evans Property Group and Keyland Developments, has agreed terms of sale with Avant Homes and Evans Homes for the acquisition of strategic housing land at the 170 acre Skelton Gate site in the Leeds Aire Valley. Both Avant Homes and Evans Homes are each purchasing half of phase one of the development which incorporates a total 27 acres and will enable the delivery of a combined 400 homes. The development has planning consent in place to build 1,800 new homes on the former open cast colliery site, which sits to the east of Junction 45 of the M1. As well as new homes, the Skelton Gate will also provide a primary and secondary school, public open space, a local centre and a convenience store as well as associated infrastructure. Peter Garrett, Managing Director of Keyland Developments, said; “The sale of phase one of what is one of the most significant regeneration schemes to be seen in the Leeds City Region, is a huge milestone in the transformation of Skelton Gate into a new sustainable community.” Richard Bean, Portfolio Director at Evans Property Group, said; “We are pleased to have concluded this transaction to enable the provision of much needed new homes and assist Leeds City Council in meeting its housing targets.” Subject to planning approval by Leeds City Council, Avant Homes look to launch its first homes for sale by the end of summer 2022. Avant Homes Yorkshire managing director, Chris Coley, said: “We have ambitious growth plans for development across the region so we’re very pleased to be moving forward with this acquisition. “With its fantastic location that will cater to a wide range of buyers, and its proximity to the Aire Valley Enterprise Zone, this will become an exciting flagship development for our growing portfolio.” John Carter, Director at Evans Homes, said: “Evans Homes is delighted to be involved in the Skelton Gate development. Following on from the successful launch of our scheme at Tockwith near York, the development at Skelton Gate presents an exciting opportunity to be involved in the creation of a vibrant new community on the edge of Leeds. “The first phase of over 213 homes will commence in mid 2022 and we look forward to welcoming our first homeowners early in 2023.”
Partner Housing, in association with Flagship Homes, celebrated the start of works on a new housing development in Necton, Norfolk; The £9.7 million development will see 73 new homes built, with a mix of Shared Ownership and Social Rent properties; Work is expected to finish on the site, called Tower Mill, in early 2024 United Living New Homes subsidiary Partner Construction and leading housing provider Flagship Homes held a ground-breaking ceremony this week to celebrate the start of works on the brand new £9.7 million Tower Mill housing development in Necton, Norfolk. The ground-breaking ceremony was attended by Frank Lincoln, Regional Managing Director of Partner Construction | United Living New Homes, and Tony Tann, Managing Director of Flagship Homes, to celebrate this milestone. On behalf of Flagship Homes, Partner Construction is creating 73 new homes on North Pickenham Road in Necton, delivering much-needed affordable housing for the local community. The residential development will feature a mix of two-bedroom bungalows, one-bedroom walk-up flats, and two, three-, and four-bedroom houses. Supported by Homes England funding, the properties are 100% affordable, with a mix of Shared Ownership and Social Rent ensuring genuine affordability for residents. The development is in a beautiful rural location and includes green open space, with landscaping plans to ensure the scheme looks attractive and in keeping with the surrounding area. This is one of two projects delivered in close partnership between Partner Construction and Flagship Homes, with a second scheme in Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex. The £8.4 million, 100% affordable development will create 53 new homes to provide much-needed new housing for the local area. Frank Lincoln said: “We are delighted to celebrate the start of construction works at Necton with a turf cutting ceremony. Working collaboratively with Flagship Homes, we look forward to delivering high-quality new homes that will provide a welcome housing boost to the local community. “We pride ourselves on supporting people with our affordable homes and employing a workforce on site that will be made up of local labour and contractors. With our homes, we are determined to ensure that the housing market better serves young first-time buyers and families on low to average incomes.” Tony Tann said: “We are delighted to have commenced construction on this site in Necton with Partner Construction. The development following a competition within our Development Team is named “Tower Mill” to associate it with the local Mill and the Village and we see this as the start of its integration within the community. The development provides essential housing to the area while respecting the beautiful rural landscape. We’re building a mix of 73 Shared Ownership and Social Rent properties to make sure that many local people and families will have access to quality affordable housing. It’s fantastic to see this development underway and are pleased to have Partner Construction working with us to share in that vision and provide a huge housing boost to the area.” The new homes are due to be completed in early 2024. You can find out more by visiting www.flagship-group.co.uk, and @_FlagshipGroup on Twitter and Instagram.
Total value of the SCAPE Civil Engineering frameworks to increase from £2.1bn to £4bn The re-procurement includes a £3.25bn framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and a separate £750m framework for Scotland, managed and operated by SCAPE Scotland. SCAPE frameworks provide organisations access to net-zero ready specialist contractors to help them achieve their aims around climate change. SCAPE, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement authorities, has outlined the timetable for its £4bn civil engineering frameworks, with contractors from across the UK now able to respond to a Pre-Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ) to submit their interest to bid. Following a period of extensive market engagement, involving more than 170 contractors, firms will have until 25th March to answer the PQQ following the contract notice being submitted on 15th February. The third-generation frameworks will enable local authorities and public sector organisations to accelerate the delivery of sustainably designed major infrastructure projects – including roads, rail, flood and coastal, broadband and electric vehicle infrastructure – with no defined upper limit for project value. Running for a period of four years from 2023, with an option to be extended for a further two years until 2029, the new generation follows the success of the existing frameworks which have commissioned more than 250 projects to date for public sector clients across the UK. The fully-managed frameworks include a £3.25bn framework for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and a separate £750m framework for Scotland, managed and operated by SCAPE Scotland. SMEs will sit at the heart of the new frameworks, with the successful principal contractor expected to engage with an extensive supply chain of local businesses. The framework has been designed to facilitate better access for small companies to major public sector contracts they might otherwise not have been able to bid for, while also allowing public organisations to procure local specialists. Part of SCAPE’s suite of direct award frameworks, the new civil engineering frameworks have been developed following engagement with local authorities and other public sector bodies across the country, as well as industry body the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA). SCAPE, which is currently accelerating the delivery of more than 1,800 publicly funded projects across the UK, intends to issue invitations to tender (ITT) in June 2022 before the successful contractors are named in November 2022. Bidders are invited to register their interest for either one or both frameworks. The fully-managed frameworks will more than double the capacity of infrastructure focused activity procured through SCAPE. The current civil engineering frameworks are due to expire in January 2023. John Simons, group procurement director at SCAPE, added: “As we emerge into a post-pandemic world, the delivery of infrastructure with a clear focus on community value – whether social, environmental or economic – has never been more important. “The successful market engagement has given us great confidence that we can help local communities receive much-needed infrastructure by providing fully-compliant, direct award frameworks. “Ultimately, the expansion of our civil engineering frameworks has been designed to offer greater certainty for contractors and to drive better outcomes for communities across the UK. This includes our termed service agreement option, which places a stronger emphasis on the long-term relationship between clients and supply chain partners allowing them to forge successful partnerships that will see them shine in years to come.” For full details of timescales and information on the SCAPE Civil Engineering frameworks re-procurement, visit www.scape.co.uk/liveprocurement.