A unique development in Stafford which saw a former 19th century hospital restored to become a collection of luxurious apartments, has now been completed. Previously named St George’s County Asylum, the grade II listed building on Cooperation Street first opened in 1818 and housed over 1,000 patients with dysentery and
Willmott Dixon will be delivering a £46.5 million new home for the School of Engineering within the University of Birmingham. Construction work for the development, which will accommodate both the School and the UKRRIN Rail Digital Systems Innovation Centre, will begin in August. The building will offer a variety of
Charcon Hard Landscaping, a division of Aggregate Industries, has completed the development of a central campus square to provide a multi-use outdoor venue at the University of Leicester. The project, which was part of a wider scheme to renovate the area, saw the Fielding Johnson car park transformed into a
Construction work is underway at a £5.6 million primary school located on the old Filton Airfield in Patchway. The Charlton Wood Primary Academy is being built by Bristol-based Beard Construction and it will open its doors in September 2019. The scheme includes the addition of 14 classrooms – eight rooms
The University of Southampton and dormakaba, the access and security solutions manufacturer, have agreed on a new three year service contract, which will see the company provide its 5 Star service programme to access systems throughout the campus. Having the contract under one provider, as well as having valuable technical
The pressure to meet an ever-increasing demand for school places is one that has been felt by local authorities across the UK for a number of years, with the requirement for places across primary, secondary and special education on the rise. The London Borough of Hounslow is one local authority
Three school projects worth over £33 million in Denbighshire have been given the green light and construction work is underway. A new £5 million school building is being developed for Ysgol Carreg Emlyn, Clocaenog, as well as a new £5.3 million building for Ysgol Llanfair. Elsewhere. In addition, a new
The £11.7 million contract to create a new learning hub for Coventry University has been won by Willmott Dixon, who will renovate the former 72,000 m2 BT building on Mile Lane into the standards required for education in the 21st century. The finished facility will feature teaching rooms, IT suites,
The £14.2 million expansion project of a primary school in London has been offered to Morgan Sindall. The project will allow Tufnell Park Primary School to double its capacity from 315 pupils to 630 pupils by 2025. “Tufnell Park is a well-established and much-loved part of a growing community in
Nottingham-based consulting engineers Howard Ward Associates (HWA) has been appointed to work on a major £20M student accommodation scheme on Westwood Way, Warwickshire. The site of the planned 380-bed student accommodation project is currently occupied by an office building, which has been vacant for more than four years. When works
A unique development in Stafford which saw a former 19th century hospital restored to become a collection of luxurious apartments, has now been completed. Previously named St George’s County Asylum, the grade II listed building on Cooperation Street first opened in 1818 and housed over 1,000 patients with dysentery and syphilis, before it closed in 1995. When work began to transform the structure, floors and walls were crumbling and some parts of the building had to be demolished, following 20 years of neglect. However, today the building is unrecognisable. What was once a decaying and uninhabitable building, is now a collection of beautiful one, two and three-bedroom apartments and has been renamed St George’s Mansions. Behind the incredible transformation is housebuilder, Shropshire Homes who has been working on the development since 2015. The team was keen to preserve the history of the hospital and maintain the Georgian architecture. In order to achieve this, Shropshire Homes worked closely together with leading roof tile manufacturer Russell Roof Tiles, who has extensive experience in re-roofing and restoration projects. The manufacturer supplied 20,000 of its Lothian tiles in Slate Grey. The cost-effective tiles were able to replicate the look of other natural slate tiles on the building, whilst providing the sustainable benefits of concrete. The Lothian tiles form part of Russell Roof Tiles’ Natural Range – an expanding selection of thinner leading edge interlocking concrete tiles. When laid, the tile gives the appearance of a small format tile with the commercial benefit of a larger format tile. “This is the first project that we worked with Shropshire Homes on and we are proud to have been part of such a fantastic transformation. With significant experience in re-roofing, the Russell Roof Tiles team is equipped to provide suitable roofing solutions which not only meet the current building requirements but which also provides sustainable benefits for many years to come,” said Andrew Hayward, Managing Director at Russell Roof Tiles. Managing Director for Shropshire Homes, Howard Thorne added: “These magnificent old buildings deserve some TLC invested back into them. The original architecture is captivating and we enjoy the challenge and are motivated by the outcomes we can achieve – characterful, luxurious homes with attractive period features. “We work with the best of the original features and combine innovation and vision with craftsmanship to transform the old and unloved into something new and desirable. “It’s been a privilege to deliver this project and give Stafford a truly wonderful building that will stand with dignity for many years to come.” Russell Roof Tiles is a leading independent roof tile manufacturer providing products for leading UK house builders and high-profile social housing and commercial projects, where sustainability and eco-credentials are of the utmost priority.
Willmott Dixon will be delivering a £46.5 million new home for the School of Engineering within the University of Birmingham. Construction work for the development, which will accommodate both the School and the UKRRIN Rail Digital Systems Innovation Centre, will begin in August. The building will offer a variety of contemporary and flexible design and research spaces, which were designed by Birmingham-based Associated Architects and will act as an incubator for innovation and strengthens teaching and research partnerships. Moreover, office, meeting and lab spaces will be arranged around a generous atrium containing flexible learning environments that will also enable greater collaboration between staff and students. “This new building represents a celebration of engineering and will be a centrepiece of our new engineering hub. The ongoing collaborative relationship that we have with Willmott Dixon, along with the quality of delivery of their completed projects, gives us significant confidence that they will deliver this landmark building,” said Daniel Holmes, University of Birmingham. “The School of Engineering has been designed, and will be delivered, with collaboration between the University and industry at its heart, enabling research and teaching excellence to be celebrated and showcased,” he continued. Featuring exposed structural elements such as supports, pipework and services, the building’s interior will a practical display of its own engineering. On the outside, the facility will feature a half-brick, half-clad facade to provide a strong visual impact, with visual cues taken form railway lines and trackside signalling that connects it to its core specialism. “The new School of Engineering provides a clear visual statement for the University. It will be driving interest in the STEM subjects, something that we will be supporting ourselves through the creation of opportunities for work placements,” said Nick Gibb, Deputy Managing Director for Willmott Dixon in the Midlands. Earlier this year, Willmott Dixon was chosen to to deliver the University’s Teaching and Learning Building, scheduled for completion in 2020. Together with this latest contract, the company is delivering over £90 million worth of work for the University.
Charcon Hard Landscaping, a division of Aggregate Industries, has completed the development of a central campus square to provide a multi-use outdoor venue at the University of Leicester. The project, which was part of a wider scheme to renovate the area, saw the Fielding Johnson car park transformed into a public space for students and staff, offering the opportunity to hold a wide variety of events. Charcon was appointed for the job to provide a robust solution which would add visual appeal to the campus. Over 1,500m2 of Andover Textured Block Paving in Mid Grey, Silver Grey, Pink Granite and Heather Porphyry was specified for the main central square, having been carefully selected to complement the architectural styling of the campus. A combination of sliver grey concrete aggregate paving was selected for the square, with deeper colours also chosen to add depth. Perfectly suited to high volume pedestrian areas, the Andover Textured Block Paving offers exceptional durability whilst incorporating uniquely formulated Cornish aggregates to provide both enhanced performance and superior aesthetics. The upgraded square, which was designed to create an open space with clear access routes to the surrounding campus buildings, is now being used as a shared area for socialising, relaxing and studying. Since completion, the space has hosted Christmas markets, career festivals and Freshers’ Week activities. Mark Bodman, Director at Barry Chinn Associates, said: “We specifically chose Charcon as opposed to other key manufacturers of hard landscaping as we felt the quality of product successfully met our precise brief. The Andover Textured Block Paving lent itself extremely well to the project as it seamlessly accompanied the surrounding campus aesthetic.” Clinton Young, National Specification Manager at Charcon, said: “This project demonstrated our capabilities perfectly and we’re delighted that we have been able to deliver a full solution to the University of Leicester and we hope that the transformed space can be used to its full potential.” For further information, visit www.charcon.com. For technical support, please call 01335 372 222 or email landscaping@aggregate.com.
Construction work is underway at a £5.6 million primary school located on the old Filton Airfield in Patchway. The Charlton Wood Primary Academy is being built by Bristol-based Beard Construction and it will open its doors in September 2019. The scheme includes the addition of 14 classrooms – eight rooms for juniors, four for infants and two for reception – and it will provide places for 60 students in reception and year one. Each year, 60 new places will be created, aiming for a total of 420 pupils by 2025. The academy, which was designed by South Gloucestershire Council and BBA Architects, will include four breakout spaces, a library, kitchen, offices, staffroom and a large hall with a stage. There would also be play facilities outside, such as an outdoor timber classroom with a grass mound amphitheatre and a tepee village outdoor learning area, a multi-use court for netball and tennis and a grass sports pitch. “There are some really interesting outside features to this scheme which will be fun for our team to build, and even more fun for future students to use,” said Sean Franks, Beard Construction contracts manager. The primary school is part of Charlton Hayes – a brand-new 2,200- home extension to Patchway. The mixed-use development is named after the village of Charlton, which was demolished in the 1940s to make way for a runway extension at Filton. “Over the last year we have been working really closely with residents to ensure that the school is at the heart of the community. We are really excited to be opening next year and look forward to welcoming our first cohort,” said Headteacher Neil Lankester. The school is being run by Endeavour Academy Trust and South Gloucestershire Council awarded the building contract to Beard after a tender process.
The University of Southampton and dormakaba, the access and security solutions manufacturer, have agreed on a new three year service contract, which will see the company provide its 5 Star service programme to access systems throughout the campus. Having the contract under one provider, as well as having valuable technical expertise, will massively benefit the University. The University of Southampton has been looking into combining all access solutions, new installations and service maintenance programmes with one company for a while. Due to dormakaba’s quality access solutions and deep knowledge of the site, the University trusted its ability to provide an excellent service by warranting a three year contract. Dormakaba understands the importance of systems and access solutions working efficiently, safely and remaining compliant with building regulations, which is why they provide a bespoke, web-based integrated management system that delivers less breakdowns, extended operation life, low rate of repairs and increased security and safety. Its contracts are also tailored to suit the specific requirement of the business, including how frequently the buildings are used and plans for future modernisation. The 5 Star contract includes a full year’s servicing for one price, planned preventative maintenance (PPM), call-outs within working hours and all labour and parts free of charge for necessary replacements. The maintenance of all the access systems covering Southampton University’s campus is conducted by dormakaba’s accredited and fully trained engineers 24/7. Moreover, the contract includes the servicing of both dormakaba and non-dormakaba equipment, allowing all access needs to be met by one sole supplier.This is a crucial benefit for the university as its complex campus is spread across the city. Facilities management are able to save time, foresee complications and manage expenses easily by dealing with one single supplier who is familiar with the site requirements. The company has had a working relationship with the University for over a decade, having a detailed knowledge of the campus and its specific needs. Nick Hopkins, Project Sales at dormakaba, said they were “really proud” of its relationship with the University of Southampton and given this new service contract is the first to be renewed under dormakaba, it shows they are “able to offer the highest quality technical support and expertise.”
The pressure to meet an ever-increasing demand for school places is one that has been felt by local authorities across the UK for a number of years, with the requirement for places across primary, secondary and special education on the rise. The London Borough of Hounslow is one local authority that has proactively approached the challenge and worked with its partners to devise and deliver a solution. David Nisbet, partner at Pick Everard looks at the approach and its results so far. In 2012, Hounslow Council commissioned leading property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard to deliver multiple new primary, secondary and special education needs school places over a five-year period within challenging cost parameters. The requirement for new school places in Hounslow is extensive and as such, a dedicated multidisciplinary team has been allocated to develop the new and improved facilities. The £300 million Capital Expansion Programme once completed will have delivered 3,000 new primary places, a further 5,000 in secondary education and 600 new SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) places. The story so far Since the Capital Expansion Programme was established, more than 6,000 school places have been created by the local authority: 2,840 primary school 2,820 secondary school 440 SEN Working in partnership, Pick Everard has contributed significantly to this successful outcome, with new buildings and extensions at 24 primary, infant and junior schools, and some selected secondary schools. Alongside this, the firm has also undertaken a programme of dedicated refurbishment and new build projects to expand nine of the borough’s existing SEND sites culminating in substantial new build, all through specialist schools. Facing unique challenges Unlike many traditional school expansion and improvement schemes, Hounslow presented the team with a series of unique challenges as a result of the borough’s location under the flight path for Heathrow Airport. At its busiest, one plane lands or takes off here approximately every minute – meaning potential disruption to the teaching and learning environments sitting below. Working in collaboration with our acoustic sub-consultants to undertake detailed surveys at each school to determine exactly what impact the aircraft noise has on each site and what measures must be employed to mitigate this to provide a high-quality learning environment. Findings from these early site investigations allowed us to develop an affordable yet flexible design concept, incorporating a highly insulated concrete structural envelope combined with a sophisticated ventilation strategy, balancing noise insulation with thermal comfort. This bespoke acoustic design was adapted and applied to the new buildings as well as pre-existing schools throughout the programme, demonstrating value for money while delivering top quality facilities for staff and pupils. The completed projects have all been designed to withstand the effects of the evolving environment and any impact it might bring on the schools such as the Heathrow Airport expansion. An innovative approach An important part of ensuring best value and devising the most appropriate solutions was delivering an innovative approach throughout. As well as assessing the most suitable route for each project – an extension or refurbishment, or a full new build – for each individual school requirement, we also worked to deliver savings through modern methods of construction. We also implemented BIM throughout the programme to achieve an integrated approach, advancing designs and increasing stakeholder engagement during the design. For example: BIM training through free workshops to help the client understand and use the data efficiently Producing 3D walkthroughs and visuals to share with key stakeholders Community benefits Engaging with and providing opportunities for the communities in which we work is priority for the team at Pick Everard and this programme is no different. As well as addressing the need for additional school places across Hounslow, the programme has also delivered a number of benefits for the local community. Some 30 per cent of the workforce involved in this series of projects lived within 40 miles of the site and the entire supply chain spend was delivered through SMEs – ensuring a positive economic impact locally. It is hoped that sports facilities included within school projects across the borough will be available for wider community use outside of school hours in addition to pupils and teachers during term time – creating an important legacy for local people and benefitting not only school children but their families and neighbours. Value engineering Building in value was vital for the London Borough of Hounslow, which needed to keep to strict budgets and timescales throughout the programme – and this needed to be balanced with the requirement to deliver high quality new teaching and learning spaces. As well as looking at ways to save money on the actual build costs – through developing a standardised palette of materials and considering various modern methods of construction – Pick Everard worked with the client to provide construction solutions that will deliver value through greater longevity and reduced maintenance during the whole building life. New build or extension? This was most clearly demonstrated when initial plans proposed an extension to Hounslow Town Primary School but, upon examining the project in further detail, it was identified that a new build scheme on an adjacent site would actually offer better value and provide a long-term solution to pupil provision for the local authority. Not only did this mean that the school could be delivered with less disruption, but it also acted as a catalyst for further projects, including a brand new music centre for the community to use. What next? Pick Everard is working with the London Borough of Hounslow into 2020, completing an estimated £120m of school projects across the borough. It is expected that this second phase will be completed in September 2020. The firm boasts significant experience in the education sector, especially within London having worked on hundreds of schools within the M25 boundary in recent years. For example, the firm completed ten primary school expansions and five master plans for projects within the London Borough of Richmond. Our expertise has allowed us to work in collaboration
Three school projects worth over £33 million in Denbighshire have been given the green light and construction work is underway. A new £5 million school building is being developed for Ysgol Carreg Emlyn, Clocaenog, as well as a new £5.3 million building for Ysgol Llanfair. Elsewhere. In addition, a new £23 million 3-16 Catholic school is being built in Rhyl. These are the last three projects to be delivered as part of the first phase of a £90 million investment in Denbighshire’s schools under the 21st Century Schools programme. The contractors working on the projects are Willmott Dixon, Read Construction, Wynne Construction and Kier construction. The first phase of the programme included a new £24 million replacement school of 1,200 places for Rhyl High School and Ysgol Tir Morfa, a £16.5 million extension and refurbishment for Ysgol Glan Clwyd in St Asaph and a new £10.5 million joint site for Rhos Street School and Ysgol Pen Barras in Ruthin. “This investment has radically altered the learning environment for thousands of pupils. They are no longer being taught in outdated classrooms, they are now in state-of-the-art, bright and fit for purpose areas. The evidence is already showing this has changed pupils’ approach to learning and helping them achieve even more at school,” said Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts. Also included in the project was a £3.5 million seven-classroom extension and refurbishment with new reception area and hall at Bodnant Community School, Prestatyn, as well as a £1.4 million three-classroom extension and refurbishment at Ysgol Bro Dyfrdwy, Cynwyd. “Making sure young people have the right skills is a key priority under our Corporate Plan and we will continue to invest in the county’s schools as we look towards the next phase of the 21st Century Schools programme with the Welsh Government,” added the Councillor. The second phase of the 21st Century Schools programme is due to start in April 2019.
The £11.7 million contract to create a new learning hub for Coventry University has been won by Willmott Dixon, who will renovate the former 72,000 m2 BT building on Mile Lane into the standards required for education in the 21st century. The finished facility will feature teaching rooms, IT suites, engineering and science labs, a moot court and a cafe, as well as extensive breakout areas for social learning to make teaching more flexible. Overall, the campus will be offering a range of academic qualifications, including honours degree courses, foundation years, access to higher education diplomas, higher national certificates and higher national diplomas. “We are very excited to announce the plans for our new state-of-the-art campus, which reflects the considerable investment, modern technology and innovation, and will enhance our student experience, propelling us forward for years to come,” said a spokesperson from Coventry University. “The new campus is ideally situated adjacent to Coventry University’s Technology Park, which is already host to a variety of Coventry University activity as well as a number of exciting start-up businesses. It is also close to the railway station and includes good parking facilities.” This project is part of a wider £33 million campus transformation by CU Coventry to accommodate up to 3,000 students. The work on site is expected to be completed in early 2019. “We are delighted to be working with Coventry University again to help create another state-of-the-art campus for generations of students to enjoy,” said Peter Owen, Managing Director for Willmott Dixon in Midlands. Willmott Dixon is a privately-owned contracting and interior fit-out group, dedicated to leaving a positive legacy in its communities and environment. In 2018 the company was one of only six other companies to receive a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the promoting opportunity through social mobility category. The team at Willmott Dixon creates value for customers, stakeholders and communities by working in a sustainable and responsible way to shape the built environment and make a positive impact to society’s well-being.
The £14.2 million expansion project of a primary school in London has been offered to Morgan Sindall. The project will allow Tufnell Park Primary School to double its capacity from 315 pupils to 630 pupils by 2025. “Tufnell Park is a well-established and much-loved part of a growing community in Islington and we’re delighted to be working together with Islington Council on our third school in the last two years. The new building will enable teachers and staff to continue to deliver an outstanding teaching experience for pupils, ensuring that every child is given the best start to their educational journey,” said Richard Dobson, Area Director at Morgan Sindall’s London office. “Our project team is extremely experienced and adept at delivering high-quality education projects, often working in logistically challenging urban environments across London, and on live sites. We will bring this knowledge to bear on this development, doing our utmost to minimise disruption, engage both school users and the local community and manage the project to a high standard to ensure the journey to completion is a positive one for all stakeholders,” he added. The new building will feature bright and spacious interior with light wells reaching up three floors in the main corridor, as well as double-height foyer with a glass-fronted library designed to give an impressive, inspirational feel to the entrance space. Designed to create a new ‘heart’ at the centre of the school building, the library is located near the main entrance to encourage visitors and the wider community to celebrate learning.The new multi-use games area (MUGA) and halls will be available to both the school and local residents for community use outside of the school day. “Tufnell Park primary school is hugely popular with local families and rightfully so,” said Cllr Joe Caluori. “With strong demand for school places here, we wanted to make sure the expanded school would create a high-quality, pleasant and airy learning environment that helps to get the best out of pupils and teachers – and with facilities and spaces that are fit for the future, too. I am already looking forward to taking a tour of the finished building.” The new building is expected to be completed by the spring of 2020.
Nottingham-based consulting engineers Howard Ward Associates (HWA) has been appointed to work on a major £20M student accommodation scheme on Westwood Way, Warwickshire. The site of the planned 380-bed student accommodation project is currently occupied by an office building, which has been vacant for more than four years. When works start towards the end of 2018, the building will be demolished to make way for the new sustainable residential scheme to be built. The Oaks, which received planning permission in April, is due for completion for the 2020/2021 academic year. HWA has been chosen to work on the scheme on behalf of McLaren Property to provide advice and a range of engineering services, including civil and structural engineering and pre-planning engineering services such as ground investigation, transport planning and flood risk assessment. Dan Bailey, partner at HWA, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with McLaren Property having worked on numerous student accommodation schemes across the country since 2013 with them, which is why we are very pleased to be working with the team again on this exciting bespoke project. “This is an interesting residential project within the education sector that incorporates a historic watercourse running through it. The watercourse has dried up but needs to be maintained throughout the development in case flows are able to be restored, meaning it has become an interesting landscape feature. “Both Coventry and Warwick University continue to see an increased demand for student accommodation, so we are pleased to be able to help fill that gap in the market locally and to be helping to deliver a high-quality scheme.” The Oaks will feature a number of social learning spaces as well as fitness facilities, onsite bicycle storage, excellent pedestrian links and easy access to local bus services when complete. Bruce Ruddle, development director at McLaren Property, said: “We are delighted that planning permission for our new student accommodation scheme on the site of 1 The Oaks has been approved by Coventry City Council. “The building has been vacant for several years and we are looking forward to regenerating the site and providing high quality student accommodation close to existing educational establishments. “It is anticipated that construction of the scheme will commence later in 2018, with the scheme expected to be completed for the 2020/2021 academic year.” HWA is also working on a number of other high-end projects in the West Midlands, including two other student accommodation projects in Birmingham, a distribution park and church in Dunchurch, and is currently undertaking roof inspections on a commercial premise in connection with PV solar panel installations. The firm, whose head office is located on Walkers Yard, Nottingham, delivers construction engineering consultancy services across a range of sectors, including education, healthcare, emergency services, commercial and residential across the country.
