The ARDEX Group is a global is leading solution and service provider of innovative building systems, with 55 subsidiaries and 3,450 employees in over 100 countries on all continents. As part of the ARDEX Group of companies within the UK, both ARDEX UK and Building Adhesives Ltd (BAL) businesses are
Places for People is excited to release aerial images to show the progress being made at its Chapelton development, which is located just eight miles outside of Aberdeen. The development of high quality two, three and four-bedroom homes, offers the very best of rural and modern life, with beautiful scenery
A property maintenance company has announced two senior promotions. Platform Property Care – a subsidiary of one of the UK’s largest social landlords, Platform Housing Group – has appointed Adam Rudge as Head of Service for Voids and Duncan Palmer as Head of Service for Responsive Repairs; both roles are newly created ones. Previously
Plant and tool hire chain Speedy has posted annual results ahead of expectations, representing a solid come-back from the initial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Speedy ended the year to 31st March 2021 with revenues back at pre-Covid levels and has started the current year ahead of 2019. Revenue for
Like any other industry, the construction sector is highly susceptible to the volatility of the stock market. Price movements that impact the production costs of materials can have a butterfly effect on wider development projects and building contracts. The movement of oil prices and energy cost all impact the manufacturing
NEW images of the proposals for The Island Quarter have been released as part of an event to mark the progress of works on Canal Turn, the opening phase of the development. Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood, Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen, chief executive Mel Barrett, and other guests were shown
A new building to house teams of staff from across Imperial War Museums in a collaborative and creative space has been completed on Austral Street in Southwark, London; The scheme was constructed by Reds10 off-site using modular construction and was designed by Jestico + Whiles; The three-storey building consists of
Operator training can save on costs, increase productivity and maximise site safety, all for less than one per cent of the cost of the equipment. So, how do you find out what training is available so that you can choose the right course? Here Ian Barnes, Head of Business at
Planning Submitted For Phase 1 Renovations At Three Graces Building Acting on behalf of Amtrak Real Estate, CBRE’s Planning and Development team has submitted a planning application to Liverpool City Council for the first phase of renovations to reposition Liverpool’s Grade II* Listed Port of Liverpool Building into a 21st
Work is ‘progressing well’ on the new £53m Poynton Relief Road scheme – with the first two beams for the new bridge now in place. The design and build contract for the 3km road was awarded in autumn 2019 to construction and civil engineering specialist contractor Graham, which carried out
The ARDEX Group is a global is leading solution and service provider of innovative building systems, with 55 subsidiaries and 3,450 employees in over 100 countries on all continents. As part of the ARDEX Group of companies within the UK, both ARDEX UK and Building Adhesives Ltd (BAL) businesses are quite rightly very proud of their history and their own distinct cultures and it is this heritage we have been building on, to progressively develop one culture, with one mindset, with everyone acting as one team and sharing one vision. At the beginning of 2021, ARDEX UK and Building Adhesives Limited (BAL) have moved ahead with the next phase of their “Stronger Together” strategy with a new leadership structure taking responsibility for the UK Commercial teams. Reporting into David Hackett, General Manager – Building Adhesives Ltd (BAL), David Lyman, formerly BAL Sales & Marketing Director will take on the new role of UK Commercial Director with responsibility for the key functional areas of Tiling, Flooring and the Home Improvement Channel (HIC). UK Marketing and Training will also report into David Lyman. Andy Reid, formerly ARDEX Business Development Director takes on the recently formed role of UK Business Development Director overseeing major project specification selling across the UK for both ARDEX and BAL, also reporting into David Hackett. Peter Bell remains as the Managing Director of both businesses and member of the ARDEX Group Global Management Committee. As part of his pre-retirement plan until July 2021, Lee Kidd – ARDEX Sales & Marketing Director will provide support to the newly re-structured UK Commercial Team and support the business transformation with his vast experience of the respective markets. The move consolidates the activities of all UK teams and more formally combines the forces of ARDEX and BAL for a stronger and more coordinated approach to the market. Ardex.co.uk Building-Adhesives.com
Places for People is excited to release aerial images to show the progress being made at its Chapelton development, which is located just eight miles outside of Aberdeen. The development of high quality two, three and four-bedroom homes, offers the very best of rural and modern life, with beautiful scenery on its doorstep and excellent transport links into the city. With over 40 new homes under construction, we have released a range of two and three-bedroom homes that are available through shared equity, and a range of mid-market rental apartments and bungalows. Sales and Marketing Director, Allison Sutherland said: “It’s great to see the site coming to life in these aerial photos. Chapelton is located in a beautiful area and will create a thriving community. “The development has been very popular, due to the desirable location and the range of high-quality homes available. Homes at Chapelton are finished to a high specification, which includes tiling in bathrooms, beautiful high-quality shaker style kitchens with integrated appliances and French doors connecting to the rear gardens. “With a range of two, three and four-bedroom homes, available to buy or rent, there’s never been a better time to take a look at Chapelton – we really do have something to suit everyone’s budget. “With our updated marketing suite and show home now open, we are looking forward to welcoming visitors to view our Chapelton development.” Chapelton is a long-term vision to create a new sustainable town, comprising 8,000 homes and an equal number of job spaces, as well as all the amenities you would expect. Located just eight miles south of Aberdeen, the development pays homage to the established buildings of north eastern Scotland, with homes integrating local materials such as slate, granite and stone. For further information about homes available at Chapelton and ways to buy, contact our Sales Executive on or click on www.homestobuy.placesforpeople.co.uk/find-a-home/chapelton/
A property maintenance company has announced two senior promotions. Platform Property Care – a subsidiary of one of the UK’s largest social landlords, Platform Housing Group – has appointed Adam Rudge as Head of Service for Voids and Duncan Palmer as Head of Service for Responsive Repairs; both roles are newly created ones. Previously Operations Manager for Voids and Grounds, Adam’s new role will see him responsible for the operational and financial delivery of all Platform Property Care’s group void servicing teams. Adam – who has worked in social housing maintenance for more than 18 years – started his career as an apprentice plumber and gas engineer before qualifying as a gas engineer. Over the course of his career, Adam has studied horticulture and gained accreditation from The Royal Horticultural Society. He has also successfully completed an advanced level management apprenticeship as well as a qualification from The Institute of Leadership and Management. Adam said : “I am thrilled with my new role, which will, I hope, allow me to influence a sector I am passionate about. Delivering a consistently excellent service to all our customers is at the very heart of what we do and I am excited about my part in this as we move forward.” The promotions are part of a wider restructure within the business which has created five new service areas; the objective being to offer a designated service function for each area of the maintenance business as well as providing a consistent approach to how services are delivered group wide. Previously Operations Manager for Responsive Repairs, Duncan Palmer has been promoted to Head of Service for Responsive Repairs. This new role will see Duncan managing the delivery of the group’s responsive repairs service which aims to deliver more than 100,000 responsive repairs each year. Duncan – who has twenty years’ experience in social housing – originally started out as an electrician. Duncan explained : “This new role is an exciting step forward for my career. Platform Property Care is a great place to work and I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity. By supporting my team and providing a clear purpose, I hope to make a positive impact on PPC’s aim to become a sector leading repairs organisations that puts our customers and colleagues first.” Since the merger of Fortis Living and Waterloo Homes at the end of 2019 to become Platform Housing Group, changes and development within the property maintenance arm have been ongoing. Establishing Platform Property Care has included bringing gas servicing and breakdown in house to ensure a seamless service to customers; these, and other initiatives, have resulted in the organisation winning the coveted status. Dennis Evans, Executive Director at Platform Property Care said : “We are delighted to announce these two new roles and the promotions of both Adam and Duncan. Their new responsibilities are testimony to the hard work and dedication that they have shown throughout their careers within social housing. We wish them all the best as we continue on our journey to become a truly modern housing association.” Platform Property Care – launched in October 2018 – employs more than 300 people, including 27 apprentices. Its growth plans include a turnover of £50million by 2023. Recent improvements include better diagnostics, intelligent scheduling, assertive supply chain management and investment in new technologies. Results include 100 per cent of homes being both gas and electrically compliant. For further information about Platform Property Care please visit www.platformhg.com.
Plant and tool hire chain Speedy has posted annual results ahead of expectations, representing a solid come-back from the initial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Speedy ended the year to 31st March 2021 with revenues back at pre-Covid levels and has started the current year ahead of 2019. Revenue for the year (excluding disposals) was down 11% to £359.4m (2020: £402.5m), while pre-tax profit was down 41% to £12.3m (2020: £20.7m). However, operating profit was up 21% to £17.0m (2020: £14.0m) and net debt was reduced during the year from £79.3m to £33.2m. After a tricky start to the year with the first national lockdown – revenue fell 35% in April 2020 – Speedy recovered progressively, with hire revenue up 4% on a like for like basis in the fourth quarter. Utilisation improved in the second half to 58.8% (2020: 55.9%). Speedy initially closed two-thirds of its network in April 2020 but by September the network was operating at full capacity again following a review of the depot footprint. This resulted in the permanent closure of 13 depots and the consolidation of a further 22 depots into larger service centres. Approximately 200 staff were laid off. As a result, there were £5.6m of exceptional property related costs and £1.9m of redundancy costs incurred during the year.
Like any other industry, the construction sector is highly susceptible to the volatility of the stock market. Price movements that impact the production costs of materials can have a butterfly effect on wider development projects and building contracts. The movement of oil prices and energy cost all impact the manufacturing output of many common building materials such as steel, cement, bitumen and glass. Now that we have a clearer picture of the pandemics overall impact it is easy to identify where some of the financial burdens originate. Supply chains are now under great pressure to deliver materials across the globe, and with shortages in key elements such as timber, prices are inflating. In this post we will identify how businesses reduce the risk of financial loss in the face of changing market conditions. What is Financial Hedging? In simple terms, financial hedging is an investment practice that can offer protection on riskier trades and situations. For example, a company may be in the market to acquire a certain amount of steel. This company can create a hedge contract that stipulates the price of steel for a set amount of time. If the market value of steel changes, the company will still pay the contractual price for the same material. Businesses and investors who trade futures in UK markets often rely on hedge bets to ensure they have a clear and transparent financial investment, regardless of market conditions. Hedging can be categorised into long and short contracts. Longer contracts protect against volatile price changes for an investor during the term of their contract. However, there is greater risk in long hedges that could see the market price of a material drop considerably. In this scenario, the business would still have to pay the contract amount, causing a financial loss. Short hedges are simply a shorter contract and offer much more flexibility and the potential to reduce losses. Risk Management in Construction Finance Financial loss is a huge consideration when running a time sensitive project and so understanding marketing conditions can be a crucial step. Ensuring a project has a dedicated construction finance manger can help mitigate the risks in construction. Not only this, a CFM should make proper use of an operational budget, predict profitability, employ and maintain compliance, and anticipate any future financial needs. Having the foresight to plan out and predict future financial commitments will enable a construction project to run smoothly over the projected timeframe. Relating this back to financial hedging, having a dedicated CFM could provide an opportunity to plan out any financial losses caused by stock market movements, socioeconomic events and impacts to material prices. Determining costs early on within a project will enable a more balanced approach to the overall financial targets and will stabilize the risk factor. Due to so many uncertainties brought on by the pandemic, hedging can be a reliable way for managing costs for the construction industry.
NEW images of the proposals for The Island Quarter have been released as part of an event to mark the progress of works on Canal Turn, the opening phase of the development. Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood, Nottingham City Council leader David Mellen, chief executive Mel Barrett, and other guests were shown around the 36-acre site by Robert Ware, chief executive of The Conygar Investment Company PLC. The dignitaries were joined by children from Sneinton C of E Primary, who planted a time capsule as part of the ongoing work on Canal Turn, which is due for completion in early 2022. The images released at the event included an updated masterplan for the site, showing increased amounts of green space and the positioning of the currently active phases in the wider context of the site. The event was the first chance to welcome guests onto the site since work started in November 2020, with lockdown restrictions limiting outdoor social gatherings. Robert Ware, chief executive at Conygar, said: “We’re thrilled to have been able to welcome people down to The Island Quarter to see both the progress that is being made at Canal Turn and the wider plans for the site. “Canal Turn will be a true entertainment spot for the city, with event spaces, restaurants and panoramic views across the waterfront. When completed, it will open up the canal basin area, enhancing one of the city’s most under-utilised assets.” Plans for the opening phase also feature a bandstand and a substantial area of new, attractive public space, which will link with a network of public realm and access routes for pedestrians and cyclists. The Island Quarter masterplan, which received outline planning approval in April 2019, has been designed with a full lifecycle of uses – including hotels and hospitality, office space and community living – and green spaces at the heart of the plans. Ware said: “The Island Quarter is one of the biggest projects of its kind in the UK and is a huge part of the regeneration of Nottingham’s Southside. The masterplan images released today reiterate the scale of what we are trying to achieve with the development, as we look to create something that will make the city stand out on a national and international stage.” As part of the development of the site, Conygar has applied for Homes England funding and is in the process of exploring the Levelling Up Fund, which is designed to support investment in places where it can make the biggest difference to everyday life. Cllr David Mellen, leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “It was great to see progress on The Island Quarter site and to get a sense of the scale and potential for the area. Conygar has some really exciting ideas for what is a huge site, which will become a significant new destination as it develops. “The mixture of proposed developments for The Island Quarter will really complement what’s going on elsewhere in the Southside area, reanimating this part of the city as a place to live, work and play. It’s transformative developments like these that put Nottingham in a strong position to bounce back from the pandemic and forge a bright future.” Julie Doyle, partnership and enrichment lead at Sneinton C of E Primary School, said: “We have been very appreciative of the support that Conygar has given to our school over the past 12 months. “The children were very excited to be involved in this special event today and have enjoyed deciding what should go into the time capsule. We are delighted to have an ongoing partnership with Conygar and look forward to the opportunities that this will bring to our children in the future.”
A new building to house teams of staff from across Imperial War Museums in a collaborative and creative space has been completed on Austral Street in Southwark, London; The scheme was constructed by Reds10 off-site using modular construction and was designed by Jestico + Whiles; The three-storey building consists of flexible workspace for 180 of the museum’s staff. Off-site construction specialists Reds10, working with architect Jestico + Whiles, have completed new staff offices for Imperial War Museums (IWM) in Southwark, London. The new building, called Parkside, will provide the principal workspace for Imperial War Museums’ staff in London, acting as a central hub for over 180 of its employees from a number of different directorates. Parkside is nestled behind the All Saints Building, which historically provided office and archive space for IWM. The purpose-built Parkside offers a creative hub for innovative thinking and collaboration between the museums’ teams, supporting IWM to fulfil its vital mission to improve public understanding of war and conflict through its exhibitions, events and programming. The new space will also support IWM’s commitment to develop smarter working practices across the whole organization. Jestico + Whiles was appointed to translate and develop IWM’s vision into a striking, flexible building of modest scale. The building was delivered using the latest off-site construction techniques, enabling the highest architectural standards and integrity to be achieved, even given the constraints of a Central London location. The building’s exterior consists of a light grey tone brickwork arranged to form a regular grid of recessed bays, within which vertical paired windows echo the local Georgian townhouse vernacular. The outermost masonry planes are vertically coursed to reinforce the openings, and the deep recesses are accentuated with angled brick cills and vertical corduroy panels. Dark, bronze-framed windows and cladding contrast with the masonry and reference the tone of the existing All Saints Building beyond. The historic boundary wall to Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park was reconstructed with deep notches forming windows to the ground floor welfare spaces behind, and the main entrance gate from the park. The unrivalled design of the building, with its brick slip façade, multi-angle splays and double-height windows, relied heavily on striking the fine balance between work on-site and in the Reds10 factory. Techniques including 3D laser scanning of the building’s units, production of multiple building prototypes and meticulous attention to detail in selecting materials in the factory, meant the required tight tolerances, while minimising risk and reaching the highest levels of quality were achieved. The successful coordination of detail on and off-site and project team collaboration, has not only meant complete architectural integrity, but also a truly beautiful building; its flawless finish marrying the best of modern methods of construction, with the latest techniques in architectural design in a way that has not been seen before. On the inside, Parkside is arranged simply, with the ground floor providing shared facilities such as a café and breakout spaces. The two upper floors provide a combination of open workspace and formal and informal meeting areas. Raised access floors with the ability to fully reconfigure both the first and second floor shared spaces in layout, offer complete flexibility to suit a multitude of long-term of needs for the space. The floor plates are column-free, providing 14 m clean spans, despite having to support 100 tn of material to carry an extensive brown roof and photovoltaic panel array. Coupled with unique double-height windows spanning multiple modules, the internal spaces benefit from breathtaking natural light and unobstructed views of the neighbouring park. The project team was digitally connected through the use of Reds10’s common data environment ‘Autodesk Construction Cloud’, which allowed a singular place of input for all parties, from client to architect, factory to site staff. The single system, with its ability to generate Virtual Reality walkthroughs in real time, allowed the collaboration between numerous specialist parties to run flawlessly throughout the project lifecycle. The project team also carried out extensive stakeholder engagement throughout the design and development stages, working with IWM’s teams to understand how the workspace would be used whilst developing the scheme to address feedback from IWM’s neighbours. Working collaboratively, the project team have delivered an impressive building that marries the best of modern methods of construction, with the latest techniques in architectural design. Reds10 achieved a Considerate Constructors score of ‘exceptional’ in relation to community engagement. The team went above the minimum standards demonstrating industry best practice at the very highest level, including hosting several apprentices from the local area and investing in projects to benefit the local community. Sustainability was another key driver for IWM and the building is set to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. The triple aspect workspace uses natural ventilation and daylight strategies to lessen the energy demand on the active systems, the roof has been fitted with solar energy panels and the site includes a large cycle store for 70 bicycles and an electric car charging port, to encourage more sustainable modes of transportation. As part of Reds10’s commitment to deliver better than carbon neutral, whole life carbon and embodied construction impact assessments were also carried out, and SMART building technology installed to help reduce overall energy use and drive 100 per cent space productivity. Paul Ruddick, CEO, Reds10, said: “This project sets a new standard for off-site construction. It pushes the design to a higher level and truly shows the quality that can be achieved when architecture is embedded in the modular construction process from the start. We hope it leads to many more enlightened occupiers and developers selecting off-site construction, not just for its flexibility, efficiency and sustainability benefits, but to deliver truly amazing spaces where people thrive.” Howard Pye, Associate Director, Jestico + Whiles added: “Parkside champions the very best off-site construction methods have to offer – bringing forward the highest quality in build and design with an impressive and finely detailed, demure façade. Working alongside Reds10, we have relished the challenge that off-site manufacture has brought to this project. Parkside demonstrates the benefits to speed, quality of
Operator training can save on costs, increase productivity and maximise site safety, all for less than one per cent of the cost of the equipment. So, how do you find out what training is available so that you can choose the right course? Here Ian Barnes, Head of Business at SITECH UK & Ireland, explains how site managers can get the most from their equipment by training their workforce. To get the maximum return on investment, it is important for construction companies to select the right equipment for the job and for machine operators to understand how to use it in the most efficient way. If operators have the necessary training behind them, they will be able to understand the equipment’s benefits and limitations, work safely and achieve the desired results more quickly and with minimal errors. Investing in the correct initial training allows site managers to lay a solid foundation of knowledge across the entire workforce. Operators can look to industry experts for training support to gradually build employee’s skills and help unlock the full operating potential of the machinery. As well as better use of equipment, training can help employees pick up new digital and software skills. Choosing your training Understanding the needs of operators and their roles can help site managers plan employee training sessions. For example, if the site manager becomes aware that the team is not using an excavator’s in-built technology to its full potential, they can bring experts into the company to train the staff the specific issue, whether this is to engage automatic functions, or how to calibrate the machine for different types of material. Training provides operators with more experience using guidance software, such as Trimble® Earthworks, to control the excavator boom, stick and bucket in a smooth and efficient motion. Therefore, they can apply this knowledge to accurately achieve a consistent grade in much less time than beforehand, increasing productivity and boosting the business’s return on investment. The future of training Looking ahead, it is important that essential workers get hands-on training safely, so they can get to grips with any new equipment they are required to use. As restrictions lift, we will see training group sizes slowly increase, but we also predict a longer-term shift in how businesses want training delivered. Some construction businesses prefer the convenience of instructors going to their sites or offices to train their employees, rather than sending them to dedicated centres. However, many businesses enjoy the enhanced experience of attending a training facility, such as SITECH’s new venue in Norton Canes. Centres like this offer different training systems, such as the Tenstar simulation, which allows operators to see and feel how the excavation equipment works in a classroom environment before they set foot in an expensive piece of equipment. The best training approach depends on the technology, application and team. However, in future, training companies may have to be more flexible in their offering to meet the preferences of individual customers. As more companies begin to use advanced technologies, such as augmented reality (AR) cameras and automated mapping, we can also expect to see a host of new training techniques emerge. Being fully trained to use digital technology can give operators a better understanding of the work in-hand, while enabling them to benefit from improved communication between the site and office. Ensuring that operators are fully trained and can use their construction technology and equipment to its full potential will enable site managers to boost project productivity and get the most out of their equipment. SITECH has many experienced Trimble certified trainers with an expert level of product knowledge in Earthworks and GCS900. SITECH can tailor any course to suit the specific requirements of the learner and business, so get in touch to tell us about your specific training needs https://www.sitechukandireland.com/sitech-academy.
Planning Submitted For Phase 1 Renovations At Three Graces Building Acting on behalf of Amtrak Real Estate, CBRE’s Planning and Development team has submitted a planning application to Liverpool City Council for the first phase of renovations to reposition Liverpool’s Grade II* Listed Port of Liverpool Building into a 21st century office building. The planning application includes the delivery of new Grade A office space across the ground and first floors including small suites and lounges to the ground floor together with a mix of flexible sized office suites and collaboration spaces, informal meeting with quiet zones to the first floor. Whilst the initial phase of proposed work to refurbish currently vacant ground and first floor space will address the types of work space on offer, a more holistic approach to the provision of amenities, such as high quality food and beverage offer, shower, changing, cycle and fitness facilities is on-going. The renovated building will ultimately combine amenity, health and vitality, high quality office space and social/community aspects all under one roof in a magnificent waterfront setting. Amtrak has appointed the best in class team to sensitively revitalise the building and preserve its future viability by creating a sought after address that appeals to the evolving needs of occupiers in a post-pandemic world. CBRE’s Project Management and Building Consultancy, Planning and Development and Property Management and Asset Management teams are working together with lead architect Corstophine+Wright, 2M2 Studio Interior Designers, Orion building heritage advisors, Curtins structural engineers and Hoare Lea fire engineers to evaluate the existing building. Avison Young and Hitchcock Wright are appointed office agents. As part of a masterplanning exercise for the building, the repositioning scheme embraces the heritage value of this Grade II* Listed property to deliver a world-class office building to meet modern day office occupier requirements. Simon Hepple, Director, National Building Consultancy team in Liverpool said: “Following the recent completion of our award winning refurbishment at another of the Three Graces, Royal Liver Building, we are delighted to be instructed to undertake a truly complementary, considered and sympathetic refurbishment which will return this magnificent building into its former glory preserving its future viability by delivering a wide range of flexible Grade A office accommodation and stunning amenities, whilst respecting the heritage value of the building.” Grade A office suites from 250 sq ft to 14,000 sq ft on the ground and first floor will be offered to suit a wide range of contemporary occupiers from diverse sectors. The aim is to appeal to professional services, SMEs, creative and digital businesses, but also to appeal to the flexible requirements of blue chip, corporate occupiers. Hepple continues; “With homeworking making it harder to attract employees back into the workplace there is now a greater emphasis on the office providing leisure, lifestyle and wellbeing facilities along with opportunities for social engagement.” Hannah Cornthwaite, Senior Planner at CBRE, said “Working collaboratively with Amtrak, CBRE is developing a long-term vision to re-position the magnificent Grade II* Port of Liverpool Building with the aim of creating a truly vibrant and revitalised destination in Liverpool.” Ed Baverstock, Director, lead architects Corstophine + Wright commented: “We are delighted to be working on this exciting project. Attracting people back to the workplace and providing resilient and flexible space that accommodates new ways of working post the Covid-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on health and wellbeing is central to the plans and we look forward to developing this project with the team.”
Work is ‘progressing well’ on the new £53m Poynton Relief Road scheme – with the first two beams for the new bridge now in place. The design and build contract for the 3km road was awarded in autumn 2019 to construction and civil engineering specialist contractor Graham, which carried out a detailed design work and site surveys. The latter included archaeological and ecological appraisals and creation of new ecological habitats before the main construction began. A recent major milestone on the project, which is due to be completed late next year, saw the lifting into place of the first two precast concrete bridge beams for the new Chester Road overbridge. A 400-tonne crane was used to lift the 21.4m beams into position, with each weighing 38 tonnes. The operation was completed within a day and the beams will form part of the largest structure in the scheme. Key earthworks operations began in April. These must be carried out during the dry months of the year and are essential to the progress of the scheme. The ‘cut and fill’ work will involve excavation, transportation, placement and compaction of about 240,000 tonnes of material. The road is expected to open to traffic in Autumn 2022. Funding for the scheme was agreed by government earlier this year, following a successful bid by Cheshire East Council for local growth funding administered by Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership. Councillor Craig Browne, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council and chair of the authority’s highways and transport committee, said: “It’s great to see significant progress being made on this long-awaited scheme. The council has maintained a clear vision and commitment to investing in infrastructure throughout the pandemic. This new road will improve links to Macclesfield and the surrounding area, open up some much-needed employment land and also reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in Poynton.” Graham project manager Nick Hodder said: “Despite the challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic to the project, our team has worked tirelessly with the council and our stakeholders to ensure great progress across this much-needed scheme.” “The lifting into place of the first two concrete bridge beams for the largest bridge along the route marked a major milestone of the construction phase and the team have received plenty of interest in our construction activities taking place on Chester Road. It was great to see many members of the public watching the beams being lifted into place from a safe distance.” “Earthworks recently started, with various machines now based full time on the project, performing different roles to fulfil these operations. I would like to thank the local residents and commuters for their continued patience while we deliver this important infrastructure programme.”