Work will begin on the new Countesswells Primary School and Nursery next Monday 11 October, ahead of the school being completed in 2023. Construction of the new school, led by Aberdeen City Council, will begin with the formation of a new vehicle access and boundary fencing at the start of
AN ESSEX secondary school has become the first in the county to benefit from a net-zero carbon, modular building, creating hundreds of additional places for youngsters in the area. The £2.2m project at Sweyne Park School in Rayleigh has been led by independent property, construction, and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard.
NATIONAL contractor The Input Group has started work on site at St Edmunds Catholic Academy with an extensive multi-million-pound expansion of three school buildings. Located in Compton Park Road, adjacent to the Wolves Academy and training ground in Wolverhampton, The Input Group was appointed by the academy to carry out
As the hotel sector thrives amid the UK ‘staycation’ boom, a report has revealed opportunities for hotel design to include further wellbeing and comfort measures to meet changing expectations from prospective guests. This comes as research from a survey of 130 M&E contractors and architects working in hotel construction revealed
Pupils in south east Edinburgh have started the new term in the new Frogston Primary School following the completion of works by Will Rudd Davidson (Edinburgh), consulting engineers. The new two-story building, designed by architect Holmes Miller, also offers great outdoor spaces to promote outdoor learning and a love of
Family-run construction firm Beard has completed one of the biggest contracts in its history with a major redevelopment at St Hilda’s College, in the University of Oxford. The city’s famous skyline and its dreaming spires, have another architectural gem added to them with the completion at St Hilda’s, and the
Innovative construction and infrastructure-focused partnership hub South West has appointed Robertson Construction Central West as the preferred Tier 1 Contractor for a new £12.5 million primary school in Irvine, Ayrshire. The new school, for North Ayrshire Council (NAC), will support the continued expansion of new housing within this area of the coastal town. Taking in the
Leading construction and fit out company, Gilbert-Ash, has handed over another ground-breaking project which has been part-inspired by a murmuration of starlings over Brighton’s iconic pier at University of Brighton Business School. Construction comprised concrete piled foundations, an insitu fair faced concrete frame including soffit walls and columns, a polished
Artists across the region are being given a boost thanks to a new digital event space that will showcase their talent to the city – Trinity Leeds will transform the former Topshop storefront on Briggate into ‘Trinity Stage’, complete with an impressive 6m wide digital screen. With the arts having
Contractor Henry Brothers has broken ground and started work to build a new £4million extension at Glossopdale School, funded by Derbyshire County Council. The new block will provide an additional nine teaching spaces comprising eight standard classrooms and a demonstration science lab. It will also provide flexible options for dining
Work will begin on the new Countesswells Primary School and Nursery next Monday 11 October, ahead of the school being completed in 2023. Construction of the new school, led by Aberdeen City Council, will begin with the formation of a new vehicle access and boundary fencing at the start of next week. The new school is being built to the north of Countesswells, overlooking the Cults Burn Park and adjacent to the neighbourhood centre and next to the new Sainsbury’s Local which opened last week. Countesswells Development Limited (CDL) will ensure that, where possible, disruption to the local community is minimised. Alex Goodfellow, director at CDL, said: “Breaking the ground of our much-anticipated school is another significant milestone for our community, and a further demonstration of the commitment to deliver a highly attractive community to live, work, play and learn.” Parents and school pupils have been eagerly awaiting the new school which will have provision for over 400 pupils as well as around 60 nursery children. Plans for the modern school include a space for early years’ education, an all-weather pitch and two separate playgrounds as well as an outdoor classroom which will offer an innovative approach to teaching and learning. Residents got a preview of what their first new primary school would look like and were able to comment on the design and lay-out at a consultation event last year. Karen Watt, community liaison officer at Countesswells added: “All our residents were really excited by the final designs revealed last year, which took into account their feedback and ideas. This approach is part of our ambition to grow and nurture the community ethos we have created at Countesswells. The school will cater for the wider community, with designated community areas that can be accessed out of school hours. This includes the gym hall which can be used for evening classes and events and a meeting room – perfect for community groups to get together.” Countesswells Primary School pupils are currently being taught in the former Hazlewood School, overseen by Countesswells Primary School headteacher Paula Rough. Countesswells will eventually comprise 3,000 homes, along with healthcare facilities, local business units and shops, neighbourhood centres, green and civic spaces and extensive parkland. Ms Watt added: “The last few years have seen the community continue to prosper, with the addition of new house builder David Wilson Homes, as well as the continued development of homes from Stewart Milne, Kirkwood, Barratt and Chap. “Our first retail unit, Sainsbury’s Local has been very much welcomed by residents, and we’re sure that families and couples looking to start a family will be even more attracted to Countesswells now that they can see the state-of-the-art teaching and learning environment that will be in place for their children. This, in turn, will accelerate the delivery of other community facilities.” To date the infrastructure brought onto the site includes new roads, utilities and fibre optic broadband alongside extensive landscaping throughout the new community. This has included the construction of a new West Link access road, connecting the community at Countesswells with the existing Kingswells roundabout, while also providing a fit-for-purpose route for cars, cyclists and pedestrians, along with improved green space throughout the town that allows travel from one woodland to another. For information about Countesswells, visit https://countesswells.com/.
AN ESSEX secondary school has become the first in the county to benefit from a net-zero carbon, modular building, creating hundreds of additional places for youngsters in the area. The £2.2m project at Sweyne Park School in Rayleigh has been led by independent property, construction, and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard. Work involved the creation of an energy efficient building to house six new classrooms, a new staff room, office and storage space. The new building has been designed specifically to support the teaching of children who are deaf or have a hearing impairment, using enhanced lighting and acoustic standards. Energy saving measures include photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof, used to generate the electricity of the building, as well as LED lighting, trace heating on hot water supply pipework and a high-efficiency, fresh air heating system combined with air source heat pumps. This type of heat pump has been proven to be three times more efficient than a gas boiler. Pick Everard was appointed by Essex County Council (ECC) in January this year to deliver project management and quantity surveying for the development. It produced multi-disciplinary designs for the council prior to planning, later fostering a collaboration with project partners Morgan Sindall to see the development through from April until completion. Sweyne Park is one of three secondary schools in Essex that Pick Everard is working on for the council’s modular innovation project, with completion also due at Clacton County High School in Clacton-on-Sea, and Colne Community College in Brightlingsea in the near future. Keith Prendergast, national director at Pick Everard, said: “We are really pleased to have completed this project with Essex County Council to improve the school facilities and increase the number of pupil places in the county. This marks the first of three projects to be delivered by Pick Everard for the council, continuing a longstanding relationship. “We have worked closely with the client and a modular supplier to ensure the brief was achieved, to provide the high-quality education facilities the next generation of students deserve.” Modular buildings are constructed off-site using the same materials and designed to the same codes and standards as conventional buildings – but in about half the time and with minimal disruption to the school. The build process is more environmentally-friendly as it reduces embodied carbon emissions. Build waste is also reduced by around 75 per cent. The units also do not rely on refined fossil fuels like gas, and therefore avoid around 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere annually. Pick Everard quantity surveying associate, Tom Wint, said: “Modular builds are still a relatively new concept for schools but offer a greater level of flexibility and innovation. When compared to traditional on-site methods, Essex County Council has reduced the overall project time by six months by opting for modular builds, providing an efficient solution and allowing Sweyne Park School to open its new building at the start of the new academic year in September.” Property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Perfect Circle – a company jointly owned by Pick Everard, Gleeds and AECOM – was appointed by Essex County Council to deliver project management and quantity surveying services, which have been procured via SCAPE Consultancy, a direct award framework that drives collaboration, efficiency, time, and cost savings. Cllr Tony Ball, cabinet member for education, skills and training at Essex County Council, said: “The modular innovation project is successfully delivering essential new teaching space for schools to meet the needs of the local community. At the same time, we are delivering our ambitions to tackle climate change and working towards making Essex carbon neutral, as announced in the recent Essex Climate Action Commission report. “We know that buildings are currently responsible for 39% of global energy related carbon emissions. This project plays a part in reducing those carbon emissions, while providing a high-quality, bright, fresh, and comfortable learning environment for children. “Building this way also leaves schools with more money to spend on educating children rather than paying bills and maintenance.” Pick Everard employs more than 600 staff across its 13 offices, providing a range of project, cost, and design consultancy services. For more information, please visit www.pickeverard.co.uk.
NATIONAL contractor The Input Group has started work on site at St Edmunds Catholic Academy with an extensive multi-million-pound expansion of three school buildings. Located in Compton Park Road, adjacent to the Wolves Academy and training ground in Wolverhampton, The Input Group was appointed by the academy to carry out vast double and single storey extension and refurbishment works to existing structures across the campus. This includes doubling the size of the dining area with a single storey extension and refurbishment, alteration works to the sports hall, creating a two-storey additional classroom space, the refurbishment and reconfiguration of existing areas to form supplementary science labs, a staff room, and lecture theatre as well as all associated external works. Chris Monk, managing director at The Input Group, said: “We really enjoy working on education projects and supporting the learning environment of the next generation, so this is a really exciting, flagship scheme for The Input Group team and we’re very pleased to have commenced works on site. “The project spans the entire campus, with extensive expansion works giving the school much needed additional space, especially when it comes to teaching areas – which is certainly required post Covid.” Project manager, Paul Greaves added: “Logistically, the site will present some challenges as it shares an access road with neighbouring homes and the training ground. However, since we started on site last week everyone has been incredibly friendly and accommodating, which has created a really nice working environment. We’re therefore looking forward to cracking on with construction and reaching the next milestone.” The Input Group has also designed and provided all the safety signage for the site to ensure there is clear wayfinding for the campus and surrounding area, especially when the students arrive back at school in September. The design team, alongside The Input Group, includes architecture firm CBP Architects, principal designer GNA Surveyors, M&E consultant I.E.B.S, and structural engineers Moran Structural Consultants. The works are due to be completed by March 2022. To find out more about The Input Group, please visit www.inputgroup.co.uk or contact marketing@inputgroup.co.uk.
As the hotel sector thrives amid the UK ‘staycation’ boom, a report has revealed opportunities for hotel design to include further wellbeing and comfort measures to meet changing expectations from prospective guests. This comes as research from a survey of 130 M&E contractors and architects working in hotel construction revealed that over half (52%) of respondents believe wellbeing is ‘value engineered’ out of projects later on in the build. As research suggests occupant wellbeing may have to be compromised for cost saving during the project, Designing Healthy Hotels, the latest report from REHAU, has been released to demonstrate the role of designing guest wellbeing and comfort in attracting more custom. Steve Richmond, Head of Marketing and Technical – Building Solutions at REHAU, explains: “Guest expectations of comfort, silence and premium finish arguably exceed that of their own home, so pressure falls on consultants and contractors to deliver building services meeting these requirements. Juggling the competing design priorities to deliver suitable hotels is a challenge that we aim to unpack with this report, while demonstrating the opportunities that healthy design can provide during the hospitality recovery.” With around 700 hotel projects currently in planning and bookings being up 300% this summer compared with 2019, it is clear there is high demand from consumers in the UK for hotels. However, according to hotel technology provider Avvio, inner city hotel books are down 30-40%, underlining the gaps where hospitality recovery in urban areas is still in progress. Therefore, attracting guests with high quality design represents an opportunity for professionals in the sector to harness this boom as tourism returns to cities. “Hotels being soundproofed and sealed to drown out the city noise while increasing energy efficiency makes acoustic performance of building services more of a priority than ever,” says Steve. “Hotel rooms being so close together in this environment means there is more potential for noise to travel and disturb guests, particularly from running water and flushing toilets. “Increasingly eco-conscious guests expect hotels to become more sustainable in line with society’s shifting attitudes on environmental issues, while tech-savvy customers will come to expect the latest smart technology for controlling temperature in their rooms. Hotel guests will also not appreciate the sound of running water, lack of adequate temperature control ability nor the lack of action when it comes to improving sustainability. With the risk of negative reviews worsening the already precarious situation hotels find themselves in, consultants and contractors could support in the delivery of positive guest experience right from the design stage. “To help hotels contractors and consultants meet these design challenges, our guide outlines potential solutions for new build and renovations hotel developments in all applications. As a supplier to many sectors, it is our responsibility to make sure we understand pain points in each one and demonstrate ways in which we can support construction professionals to overcome them.” For more information on designing wellbeing into hotels and to download the report, Designing Healthy Hotels, visit: www.rehau.uk/designinghealthy
Pupils in south east Edinburgh have started the new term in the new Frogston Primary School following the completion of works by Will Rudd Davidson (Edinburgh), consulting engineers. The new two-story building, designed by architect Holmes Miller, also offers great outdoor spaces to promote outdoor learning and a love of nature. To meet the architectural vision for the design, the Will Rudd Davidson team delivered complex engineering solutions to ensure no steel columns were present in the circulation spaces. The roof design also presented some challenges. William Taylor, Project Engineer, Will Rudd Davidson (Edinburgh), said: “The prominent roof arrangement makes a great feature with multiple peaks and troughs to replicate the Pentland Hills. To deliver the structure a series of inventive steel connections were adopted and we worked closely with the architect and construction team to ensure they did not compromise the architectural vision. We are really pleased with the finished result and the project is a great example of the complex engineering solutions we can deliver.” Situated on a greenfield site, Frogston Primary School is one of three schools that Will Rudd Davidson is currently working on for the City of Edinburgh Council, and will cater for a growing population in the south east of the city, accommodating pupils from new housing sites in the surrounding area.
Family-run construction firm Beard has completed one of the biggest contracts in its history with a major redevelopment at St Hilda’s College, in the University of Oxford. The city’s famous skyline and its dreaming spires, have another architectural gem added to them with the completion at St Hilda’s, and the crowning of its tower in gold foliage. The £20m Front of College project also represents the largest redevelopment of the college in its history, having been completed to mark its 125th anniversary. Described as ‘architecturally stunning’ by the College, key aspects of the estate have been altered as part of the project, including the entrance, the street-view and the riverside frontage. The brief was to provide student accommodation (54 bedrooms), and to bring together key College administration functions into one place. The specifics of the work include: New main entrance to the college New accommodation for students New Boundary Building to house the Middle Common Room, Chapel and Porter’s Lodge New high-quality teaching and office space New riverside pavilion for entertaining Crowning of the tower using aluminium gold leaves mounted around a steel frame, painted by hand with bespoke St Hilda’s Gold. The new accommodation is a key element in the redevelopment as it relieves both the financial pressure for students of finding accommodation in the private rental market, and also eases some demand for accommodation in the city. Dean Averies, director at Oxford-based Beard, said the construction firm was successful in its bid for the work due to its track record in the education sector and especially with the University of Oxford. He said: “St Hilda’s has been a fantastic project for Beard to work on, especially as it marks a special anniversary for the College. “We understood the constraints of the College from the start, so the two-stage procurement route gave us time to work through issues before we got to site. “There were some challenges along the way as we had identified a number of significant gaps in the design information, which we had to fill to enable the project to progress. Of course, we subsequently had the ongoing restrictions due to coronavirus, which we were able to absorb and work around. “However, we were able to hand over on schedule and delivered on the original vision to create an inspiring place to live, work and study, for the next 125 years.” Neil Hyatt, Head of Buildings, St Hilda’s College added: “Beard has worked tirelessly with the novated design team and subcontractors, to ensure that the best possible outcome was achieved for St Hilda’s College. “Despite the challenges due to Coronavirus, as promised, our study rooms were ready on time for the start of the academic year. This was a collaborative project and the successful outcome was driven by contracts manager Steve Lambourne and his team. “Everyone is stunned by the architecture, the quality of finish and above all Beard’s commitment, to meeting client expectations.”
Innovative construction and infrastructure-focused partnership hub South West has appointed Robertson Construction Central West as the preferred Tier 1 Contractor for a new £12.5 million primary school in Irvine, Ayrshire. The new school, for North Ayrshire Council (NAC), will support the continued expansion of new housing within this area of the coastal town. Taking in the catchment areas of Montgomerie Park and Knadgerhill to the east of the bustling community, the new facility will be non-denominational and will run to 12 classes. It will also have early learning and childcare classes, with 32 spaces for three- to five-year-olds and 15 spaces for two-year-olds. It is funded as part of the £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme, which focuses on delivering high quality, sustainable, low carbon and digitally-enabled learning environments that support sustainable and inclusive economic growth. Shaun Sands, Project Director for hub South West, said: “We are pleased to be working once again with Robertson Construction, whose experience and expertise will create a truly first-class facility for North Ayrshire Council. “The school is due to open in August 2023 and, in line with the Scottish Government’s targets of achieving net zero carbon by 2030, will aim to achieve a yearly figure of 67 kwh per square metre.” Andrew McClelland, Head of Service (Education) North Ayrshire Council commented: “Importantly, the new school will ensure that there is sufficient primary and early years capacity to meet future demand in this growing area of Irvine. The new facility will be at the heart of the community which it serves and will be well placed to be at the forefront of promoting health and wellbeing with fantastic outdoor learning space on site and access to the local Country Park, which is on their doorstep. “This offers exciting opportunities for the children to experience outdoor adventures beyond those possible within the school grounds. The space and sheltered learning and teaching facilities required to maximise the outdoor experience for children, will be a key priority for this exciting project. This will provide positive outcomes not only for the children and young people who will attend the school, but also for the wider community in the area.” The building will be designed by JM Architects, one of the UK’s foremost architectural practices, with PassivHaus design contributed by Glasgow-based ECD Architects. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing and sustainability work is being delivered by environmental design consultants Atelier Ten and civil and structural work by consulting engineers Blyth & Blyth. Stewart Preston, interim Managing Director, Robertson Construction Central West, said: “Our continuing relationship with hub South West will see the delivery of a sustainable new school for Irvine, which will enhance the learning experience of pupils and conserve and save energy during its operations. “Over the coming months we will be working closely with our appointed design team to ensure that the building meets the needs of Scotland’s Learning Estate Investment Programme funding. This high-quality learning environment will introduce exciting outdoor learning spaces; integrate with the local community; create an environment to enhance wellbeing and promote inclusivity which will benefit both attainment and the environment while supporting sustainable and inclusive economic growth.”
Leading construction and fit out company, Gilbert-Ash, has handed over another ground-breaking project which has been part-inspired by a murmuration of starlings over Brighton’s iconic pier at University of Brighton Business School. Construction comprised concrete piled foundations, an insitu fair faced concrete frame including soffit walls and columns, a polished concrete living stair with Spanish steps and bespoke ceramic veil cladding. The building also incorporated exposed services and baffled ceilings, an extensive CAT B fit out with bespoke joinery, wall and ceiling panelling, as well as complex service installation including combined smoke extraction and natural ventilation. The new six-storey Business School at University of Brighton provides event space, creative breakout within a triple-storey atrium, workplace and teaching spaces, meeting rooms, offices and consultation rooms, a café, kitchenettes and plant space. Extensive public realm works are also included to provide an enhanced external experience. The works form the centrepiece of a major redevelopment project taking place across the University. One of the most striking features of the new Business School is the bespoke terracotta tiled ceramic veil façade with six different tile types and three different degrees of gloss finish. A first of its kind in façade design, it takes its inspiration from starling murmurations seen over Brighton pier on winter evenings. Gilbert-Ash Contracts Manager, Chris Fletcher, described the new Business School as one of the most impressive buildings he has ever worked on. “It really is an outstanding building. With large rooms and lots of open spaces it is an enhanced space going above and beyond being fit for purpose.” “This was a highly complex project, full of challenging details, finishes and build techniques, none of which were straightforward, but there was little in 2020 that went exactly to plan as the pandemic struck. Despite the many challenges, through working collaboratively with the Client team, Gilbert-Ash handed over another first-class project on budget and on time. We would highlight that without a very supportive and collaborative Client team the success of this project would have been much more challenging.” Chris also paid tribute to the Gilbert-Ash team who came together ‘as one’ to face down the challenges of the pandemic. “The teamwork was amazing, both from the people on the site, and those back at headquarters, who were working tirelessly to make sure we had the materials we needed as the global shortage took hold. I was proud to see how everyone at Gilbert-Ash and our Supply Chain Partners rolled their sleeves up with the goal of overcoming any issues to deliver a first-class project for our Client.” The new Business School will now help the University remain competitive on both the national and international stage. Gilbert-Ash attributes its continued success to its ‘As One’ approach and its unique working culture and family environment as an employee-owned company. It continues to complete a broad portfolio of successful construction projects across sectors including arts and culture, workplace, hotels and leisure, education, science and technology, retail, residential and student accommodation.
Artists across the region are being given a boost thanks to a new digital event space that will showcase their talent to the city – Trinity Leeds will transform the former Topshop storefront on Briggate into ‘Trinity Stage’, complete with an impressive 6m wide digital screen. With the arts having been hit particularly hard over the past 16 months, Trinity Leeds is doing its bit to shine a spotlight on the region’s artists and performers, where they will be given the chance to showcase videos of their work to a walk-by audience of around 30,000 people per day. It is hoped that the eye-catching Trinity Stage screen will publicise the work of hundreds of artists, from emerging talent through to established regional organisations during the summer. The centre is calling for artists, performers or organisations across the city to send videos of their work so it can be broadcast, free of charge, on Trinity Stage. For the opening day, content will include: ‘Aquaplane’, a short contemporary dance video featuring Max Revell that was created by Declan Creffield who is a videographer and photographer based in Leeds ‘Lockdown, Dance Up’ an online children’s dance project created using lockdown video calls by Leeds-based Union of Dance and supported by Arts Council England ‘Petite Boheme’ a 30-minute animated section of La Boheme created by Opera North during lockdown “We are thrilled to launch Trinity Stage and we hope to promote the incredible talents that the city of Leeds has to offer. Showcasing our region’s artists and performers is our way of supporting the arts, which is a sector that’s been hit so hard this last year and a half. Be it emerging artists starting out, or established performers and groups, we want Trinity Stage to be a celebration of the arts and a vehicle to help promote their work to a wider audience,” commented David Maddison, Trinity Leeds Centre Director.
Contractor Henry Brothers has broken ground and started work to build a new £4million extension at Glossopdale School, funded by Derbyshire County Council. The new block will provide an additional nine teaching spaces comprising eight standard classrooms and a demonstration science lab. It will also provide flexible options for dining and social spaces and extra staff workrooms. Once finished, there will be room for a further 200 students aged 11 to 16, and 40 additional sixth form places. Construction director of Henry Brothers Midlands, Justin Hicklin, said: “We are excited to have started work on this site to build an extension for Glossopdale School. Henry Brothers built the main school complex, which has proved popular with students, and we are delighted to have strengthened our relationship with the school by being appointed to create this new block as well. “Henry Brothers has partnered with Derbyshire County Council and a number of Derbyshire schools on a variety of projects in recent years, helping them to enhance their facilities, and we are looking forward to building this extension at Glossopdale School to create extra spaces for pupils.” A small ground-breaking ceremony was held to mark the start on site by Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Midlands. Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Alex Dale said: “It’s great news that work has started. “We’ve worked hard to provide the extra places needed and this is a major step forward towards the much-needed expansion of this school.” Headteacher, Debbie McGloin said: “We are really pleased to see this extension move forward and are excited to be able to offer more places for the children in our community.” It is expected that the new block will be completed in spring 2022, allowing more children to attend from September 2022. Other members of the team involved in building the extension at the school in Hadfield are employers agent Concertus, DLA Architecture, civil and structural engineer Curtins and Couch Perry Wilkes for M & E services. Associate director at Concertus Andy Bates said: “We are thrilled to be working for Derbyshire County Council and Henry Brothers to deliver the expansion of Glossopdale Community College. We have extensive experience in providing high-quality educational facilities across the region and are excited to be able to celebrate the early stages of this new facility.” As well as having built the main Glossopdale School facility, which opened in 2018, Henry Brothers is currently building the new £13.2 million Alfreton Park Community Special School, having previously delivered a hydrotherapy pool for the school. The company also completed phase 1 and phase 2 of the Aldercar High School project for Derbyshire County Council, totalling £8.7m in value. Based at Beeston near Nottingham, Henry Brothers Midlands is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors. For more information, visit www.henrybrothers.co.uk