Public Sector : Local Authority News
Timelapse video captures stunning £164m transformation of Barking estate

Timelapse video captures stunning £164m transformation of Barking estate

A leading construction and fit-out company has captured the dramatic transformation of a major estate in a three-minute timelapse film showcasing the incredible rejuvenation of the 1960s-built neighbourhood. The film from Willmott Dixon shows remarkable footage of Barking’s Gascoigne East regeneration that sees a tired and outdated estate disappear to

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Drop-in to hear about new homes on Liberton Hospital site

Drop-in to hear about new homes on Liberton Hospital site

A trio of community consultation events will take place next week in Liberton ahead of the council’s major transformation of the site into much needed homes.  In partnership with Anderson Bell + Christie, HTA landscape architects, G3 Consulting Engineers and arts organisation WAVEparticle, the pop-up events will give those living in

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LABC spotlight exemplary construction projects at industry awards

LABC spotlight exemplary construction projects at industry awards

LABC has showcased projects that demonstrate high quality, and exemplary standards in construction at an industry event in London attended by more than 900 leading industry figures. A panel of industry experts at the LABC Building Excellence Awards Grand Finals judged the highest quality projects, professionals, and teams from around

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GMCA’s Brownfield Housing Fund.

£50m Brownfield Funding to boost home building in Manchester

Major funding bids will help build 3,380 new homes in Manchester – including 1,761 genuinely affordable homes – following successful submissions to GMCA’s Brownfield Housing Fund.   Manchester City Council has been awarded £51.6m that will allow the development of 31 long-term underused sites over the next two years – and

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Construction starts on hundreds of new homes in Oxford

Construction starts on hundreds of new homes in Oxford

Work will shortly begin to deliver hundreds of affordable homes, retail spaces and community facilities across Blackbird Leys, now formal planning permission has been granted by Oxford City Council. The council’s planning committee approved plans to carry out the transformational redevelopment in August, following more than four years of engagement

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Catterick Garrison receives go ahead for town centre revamp

Catterick Garrison receives go ahead for town centre revamp

Plans have been approved to redevelop Catterick Garrison town centre in a move aimed at bringing jobs and vital new facilities for local communities as well as military personnel on one of England’s largest Army bases. Permission to build a new community and enterprise building and a multi-use events space

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Latest Issue
Issue 322 : Nov 2024

Public Sector : Local Authority News

Tackling the housing crisis: 500 new social homes coming to Oldham announced at Oldham Housing Roundtable event

Tackling the housing crisis: 500 new social homes coming to Oldham announced at Oldham Housing Roundtable event

Oldham Council has pledged to get 500 new social homes built in the borough over the next five years.   The announcement was made at the council’s inaugural Housing Roundtable, which took place at Oldham Civic Centre on Thursday 1 February and was led by Leader of the Council, Cllr Arooj Shah.  Senior representatives from all of of Oldham’s major social housing providers were at the event, along with private landlords, letting agents, developers and housebuilders, charities and more. Together with the Council, they discussed Oldham’s housing crisis and how partners can work together to tackle it.  Cllr Shah, who is also Cabinet Member for Reform and Regeneration, said: “Nationally, there’s been a growing issue with housing for years and now places like Oldham are bearing the brunt of it. “Thousands of social homes have been sold under right to buy with no government policies in place to replace them. Wages haven’t kept up with house prices or private rents and the cost of living crisis has piled even more pressure on. “I hear from local people every day whose lives are being ruined by this broken housing system. “For me, a home is a place where memories are created, where children and parents are safe and where there is love. “But for far too many families in Oldham, this is not the reality. And we know from our own work in communities that the dire situation is getting worse. “There are more than 7,500 families on the council housing register and thousands of applications waiting to be processed. There are over 500 families in temporary accommodation – and among them are 500 children. That’s 500 kids without their own bed, a place to do their homework, living in places like hotels and B&Bs. It’s tragic. “This is why we have to do everything in our power to respond locally to this national crisis. “With the support of our housing providers, we’ll be building 500 new social homes over the next five years. We have to act now, and we are.” Issues under discussion included the national problems with housing supply, driven by factors such as the high costs of renting and home ownership, the lack of Government funding to invest in social homes, differences in the definition of truly “affordable” homes, and a reduction in the supply of social and affordable housing. Nationally, Government has stopped incentivising developers to build truly affordable homes, with funding provided through the Government’s Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) being slashed. Figures from charity Shelter show that around 39,500 new social houses were delivered nationally in 2010, compared to 6,600 a decade later. At the same time, demand for those homes is increasing, as people are affected by the cost of living crisis and are struggling with rising mortgage interest rates – meaning they may not be able to afford to pay, or get on the housing ladder at all. Among those discussing the reality of the crisis were three members of Oldham Poverty Truth Commission, who shared their own experience of navigating the social housing system.  They included Simon Carrigan who said: “I owned my own home but I was cockooed and forced to sell my house and declare myself bankrupt to pay off the debts they said I owed them. I got a social home but they found me and the cuckooing started again. “I asked for help and the housing association tried – but they put bars on the windows and that just trapped me. I had to walk away again. “I’m 41 now and I’m still in poverty because of this. A good life starts with a good home. It’s so important.” Nadia Masood talked about her battles with mould and the lack of action from her landlord to keep up repairs saying: “I have a lot of health conditions and I’m living in a house covered in mould. “I’ve had to rip up the carpets and I’m now living with concrete floors. The buzzer doesn’t work so I never know if there’s someone at the door, the bath leaks and living on my own, I’m trying my best to deal with it, but it’s really hard. It gave me a really serious asthma attack. “I’ve been asking for help since last summer, I’ve done so much myself to try and sort it, but nothing ever happens.” Yaasmin Mughees told the roundtable about facing homelessness with three young children immediately after being granted right to stay in the UK. She said: “I was new to the system and I was scared, I experienced things I wouldn’t expect any human to experience. “I did get temporary accomodation for six months and it was good – but I know the quality of it was far better than where many other people are living. It really hurts to know so many people are living in these situations.” The roundtable discussed housing standards, demand and supply in Oldham and called on partners from across the room to make a commitment to building a local solution to a national crisis. This included: social and private landlords pledging to improve the quality of the homes we already have; letting and estate agents signing up to charters aimed at raising housing standards and developers working with the Council to get spades in the ground. Cllr Elaine Taylor, Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “We promised the housing roundtable would put firm plans in place to tackle the housing crisis.   “Social housing changes lives, giving people a stable, affordable home – but there’s not enough social homes to go round.   “That’s why we’re building more – with the support of our partners – I’m proud to say Oldham will have an additional 500 new social homes for local residents with the highest need. “It’s a huge step in the right direction and we’ll keep bringing people together to make sure Oldham fights its way out of this horrendous housing crisis as soon as possible.” For more information and support with

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Timelapse video captures stunning £164m transformation of Barking estate

Timelapse video captures stunning £164m transformation of Barking estate

A leading construction and fit-out company has captured the dramatic transformation of a major estate in a three-minute timelapse film showcasing the incredible rejuvenation of the 1960s-built neighbourhood. The film from Willmott Dixon shows remarkable footage of Barking’s Gascoigne East regeneration that sees a tired and outdated estate disappear to be replaced by high quality, environmentally friendly homes and recreational space for the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham’s direct delivery company Be First. Willmott Dixon director Steve Kitchen, who led the team behind the transformation, said: “The video is a testament to the huge amount of work that’s gone into transforming a large 1960s-era residential area into a beautiful and vibrant new community with green space and a bustling playground. It’s four years of hard work condensed into a fraction of the time, bringing the project to life in a truly impactful way.” The £164m phase two regeneration of Gascoigne East created 434 new homes and six retail units, as well as a large park and play area, a climbing wall and extensive planting and trees. The homes have been built around a landscaped internal courtyard and all properties have a balcony. With Willmott Dixon committed to active travel in the area, 300 cycle spaces have also been included in the full Gascoigne East development. Tim Porter, director of delivery at Be First, said: “This video brings to life the progress we’ve made across this phase of the Gascoigne neighbourhood since we began the regeneration project in 2019. When completed, over 2,800 homes will have been delivered across the entire neighbourhood. This project is part of our wider commitment to build 50,000 new homes by 2037 across the borough.” Further emphasising the project’s focus on placemaking, affordability and sustainability, Tim said: “Providing large green spaces, below market rent options, and helping residents reduce their carbon emissions and energy bills are core to our vision for Gascoigne neighbourhood.” Steve said: “This is the best way to capture for history what is happening across Gascoigne East, and the work to regenerate it into a modern, sustainable community that’s fit for the future, which we’re proud to be delivering in collaboration with Be First.” Throughout the Gascoigne East phase two development, Willmott Dixon has breathed new life into the area with: Beyond the physical transformation, Willmott Dixon made a significant impact on the local community through various initiatives: For more information on Willmott Dixon, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Drop-in to hear about new homes on Liberton Hospital site

Drop-in to hear about new homes on Liberton Hospital site

A trio of community consultation events will take place next week in Liberton ahead of the council’s major transformation of the site into much needed homes.  In partnership with Anderson Bell + Christie, HTA landscape architects, G3 Consulting Engineers and arts organisation WAVEparticle, the pop-up events will give those living in the local area the opportunity to hear about plans and share views. The events will take place throughout the day on Monday 29, Tuesday 30 and Wednesday 31 January in the Malbet, Ellen’s Glen and Carnbee areas of Liberton and an online survey is also available. This is the second community engagement activity for the sustainable neighbourhood project which will deliver around 400 new homes within the Liberton area, a significant number of which will be accessible and affordable for social or mid-market rent. These new homes will be built on the grounds of Liberton Hospital including the former Blood Transfusion Centre, as part of the Council’s direct purchase of the land from NHS Lothian, and the aim is to retain as many of the original features of the historic Victorian hospital as possible. NHS services will continue to occupy the premises until March 2025 once the hospital’s remaining services have been relocated. Councillor Jane Meagher, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said:  “For over 100 years Edinburgh residents have been cared for under the roof of Liberton Hospital. I’m delighted that we’ll be able to pay that care forward as we tackle our housing emergency and convert the site into much needed new homes. “We’re committed to putting care-based housing at the centre of this redevelopment and I’d like to thank our partners at the NHS for working with us to secure the land. It has been many years in the making. “By demolishing the 1960s built extensions, including the disused Blood Transfusion Service, we’ll be able to design an accessible green neighbourhood of low-carbon housing from scratch. This should help lots of people with specialist needs particularly older residents to live comfortably and with independence. Plus, it will allow us support people who are in desperate housing need as we’re determined to make more than half of the homes on site affordable or social rent. “Tackling poverty and striving for net zero are two of the biggest priorities for the council and we must do everything within our power to work against the housing crisis. This project supports all of these aims. I’m really looking forward to seeing the plans take shape and for the community to have a real say.” Sarah Brown, Senior Architect at Anderson Bell + Christie, said: “Community consultation events such as this are extremely important as they give the local community a chance to share their opinions and help shape a future neighbourhood. “We’re hoping we will meet and talk with plenty of local residents on what they’d like to see from this project, so we can support on a range of housing needs and set them within a rich and beautiful greenspace.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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LABC spotlight exemplary construction projects at industry awards

LABC spotlight exemplary construction projects at industry awards

LABC has showcased projects that demonstrate high quality, and exemplary standards in construction at an industry event in London attended by more than 900 leading industry figures. A panel of industry experts at the LABC Building Excellence Awards Grand Finals judged the highest quality projects, professionals, and teams from around England and Wales to showcase solutions to complex technical or construction issues, site constraints and technical innovation. One of the unique aspects of the awards is their recognition of the vital contribution public sector building control teams make as part of the project team in all manner of projects, from individual housing extensions to large housing developments. To this end, winners in the ‘place’ categories included nationally significant projects such as the conversion of Battersea Power Station, as well as residential projects including the conversion of Smithy Cottage in Yorkshire, and the high-volume new housing development of The Green in Devon alongside the small social housing development of Hen Orsaf in Gwynedd. Further categories included Best Non-residential New Build, won by Lancaster Energy Centre and Best Purpose-Built Accommodation, won by Eign Gate in Herefordshire. Smaller Build Projects Within smaller build projects, Best Individual New Home was awarded to Above Town in Devon and Best Residential Extension was taken by Whin Hill Road in South Yorkshire. Black Pheasant Barn in Suffolk took Best Residential Conversion to a Single New Home and Best Non-Residential Extension, Alteration, or Conversation was taken by Ince Benet in Merseyside. This year’s awards are especially timely thanks to new measures coming into force as part of the Building Safety Act. This includes professional registration of Building Control Professionals backed by competency assessments. LABC’s chief executive, Lorna Stimpson commented: “These awards showcase the breadth of projects that building control is involved in, each with their own building regulations and standards, as well as the skills and expertise needed in our industry to support them. “When Dame Judith Hackitt threw down the gauntlet to the whole construction industry in 2017, the building control sector was the first to focus on improving skills, proving its competence and bringing in new generations of talented workers. “The winning projects at this year’s Building Excellence Awards are shining examples of quality, professionalism, and high standards expected of registered professionals. They clearly demonstrate the progress made since 2017, as well as setting a bar for future projects to aspire to.” Criteria used to choose the winners included employing creative solutions to improve sustainability and energy efficiency, as well as cooperative team working. The Best Small New Housing Development was taken by Chestnuts, Hertfordshire, whilst the Best Medium Volume New Housing Development was named as St Mary’s Vale in Leeds. The Best Large Social Housing Development was the Former George Gay Gardens in Swindon. Entries for the 2024 Building Excellence Awards are now open. Find out more on the LABC website: www.labc.co.uk/awards Winning projects www.labc.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Keepmoat invests £25.25million into Hull regeneration project at former council estate

Keepmoat invests £25.25million into Hull regeneration project at former council estate

Top 10 UK housebuilder Keepmoat has invested more than £25million into a housing regeneration scheme at Preston Road in Hull, now named Liberty Rise, as part of Hull City Council’s ‘city wide’ regeneration project. The scheme, being delivered by the housebuilder, is part of a long established partnership with the council to deliver new, energy-efficient homes that will replace 11 acres of brownfield scrubland that once formed part of the Preston Road Estate. The Liberty Rise development will form part of one of the largest housing-led regeneration programmes in the UK and 514 homes on the former council estate, that were no longer fit for purpose, have already been demolished.  Following the final phase of the transformation, delivering up to 500 new mixed tenure homes, the housebuilder has created a modern, well-designed neighbourhood with a range of modern homes, including homes to rent  from Hull City Council to meet the needs of the local community. The project has also created a raft of new local jobs, training and apprenticeship opportunities, further boosting the local economy. Daniel Crew, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat, Yorkshire East, said: “We’re thrilled to be continuing delivery under the Hull City Wide partnership to deliver quality, sustainable homes for the latest phase in this historic Hull regeneration project. “As the Liberty Rise project nears completion and our communities begin to flourish, it’s extremely rewarding to hear positive feedback from residents and breathe new life into the  Preston Road area. We’re also working with the Environment Agency to create a nature trail near the site, where one of our urban nursery projects will grow plants, shrubs and trees – a further step in our mission to create sustainable communities for the future.” Councillor Paul Drake-Davis, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Housing at Hull City Council, added: “The council has enjoyed a longstanding and successful partnership with Keepmoat.  Thanks to this, we can regenerate former rundown areas and build comfortable, affordable, modern and energy efficient new homes which our residents deserve.” Keepmoat is a top 10 UK partnership homebuilder with a track-record of delivering quality new homes across the UK at prices people can afford. To date, almost 70% of its current developments are on brownfield sites. To find out more about Liberty Rise, please visit: www.keepmoat.com/liberty-rise-hull  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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GMCA’s Brownfield Housing Fund.

£50m Brownfield Funding to boost home building in Manchester

Major funding bids will help build 3,380 new homes in Manchester – including 1,761 genuinely affordable homes – following successful submissions to GMCA’s Brownfield Housing Fund.   Manchester City Council has been awarded £51.6m that will allow the development of 31 long-term underused sites over the next two years – and 52% of the homes built will be affordable to Manchester people.   The funding is part of the trailblazer agreement between the Government and Greater Manchester over three years to unlock brownfield land to be used to build new housing.   The total fund allocated to the region amounts to £128m in this phase of bidding (£150m overall).  Some of the housing developments that will receive funding include:  Manchester City Council has previously successfully bid for £3m the national Brownfield Land Release Fund (administered by One Public Estate), which was used to kickstart development at the Council’s inaugural This City site in Ancoats and a range of Project 500 housing sites. Find out more.  These new homes are part of the ambitious target set in Council’s Housing Strategy up to 2032, which includes the target to help build 36,000 new homes across the city. 10,000 of these new homes will be affordable and 3,000 of those will be located in the city centre.    Find the GMCA report here Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said:   “We have been necessarily ambitious through our housing strategy, committing to helping to build 36,000 new homes up to 2032 – of which at least 10,000 will be genuinely affordable to Manchester people.   “This is a challenge both in terms of available land and the funding necessary to build new housing at scale – but we are on course to meet these targets. However, we must be innovative and use the resources available to use.   “As a post-industrial city, we have lots of brownfield sites that are sometimes difficult to develop, but this land represents a massive opportunity to deliver the homes – particularly the affordable housing our residents need. This funding is hugely welcome and we will help bring these unused areas of Manchester back into use.”  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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MC Construction begins work on scheme to transform Crewe’s Civic and Cultural Quarter

MC Construction begins work on scheme to transform Crewe’s Civic and Cultural Quarter

A multimillion-pound scheme to transform the civic and cultural quarter of Crewe town centre is under way. The project involves: Salford-based MC Construction has completed the first phase of the scheme, which involved enabling works to strip out the former library next to Memorial Square where the history centre will be developed, clearing the structure over the existing Civic Centre car park and erecting a temporary entrance to the magistrates’ courts. MC Construction will begin the next phase in February when it dismantles the former library building and the existing concourse. This phase is expected to be completed by summer 2024. The works by MC Construction are being undertaken for Cheshire East Council. Russ Forshaw, managing director of MC Construction, said: “This scheme will transform the civic and cultural quarter of Crewe town centre by providing new and greatly improved facilities for the public. “Having successfully completed numerous other projects for Cheshire East Council, we are proud to be working with the authority once again and to further strengthen our relationship with this valued client.” The revamp is being supported by the government’s Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund. The history centre, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will co-host the regional’s written and pictorial history collections with a second history centre being built in Hoole, Chester. This scheme has been driven by Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, a shared service of Cheshire East and Cheshire West and Chester councils. The centres will replace the archive service’s current facility and open the collections to new audiences across Cheshire. The centres will have climate-controlled environments and will feature event and gallery areas to host performances, workshops and exhibitions, more space for people to conduct research and better spaces to make the collections more accessible to the public. Other professionals involved alongside MC Construction include Bowker Sadler Architecture, Davis Partnership and Wardell Armstrong. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Construction starts on hundreds of new homes in Oxford

Construction starts on hundreds of new homes in Oxford

Work will shortly begin to deliver hundreds of affordable homes, retail spaces and community facilities across Blackbird Leys, now formal planning permission has been granted by Oxford City Council. The council’s planning committee approved plans to carry out the transformational redevelopment in August, following more than four years of engagement with the Blackbird Leys community and more than 1,500 pieces of feedback from local residents and stakeholders.  The plans by housing association Peabody (formerly Catalyst) and development partner Oxford City Council include 294 homes across two sites, which will help to tackle Oxford’s housing shortage. A new district centre will include 210 homes, 83 percent (174 homes) of which will be for social or affordable rent and 17 percent (36 homes) for shared ownership. A further 84 houses for shared ownership will be built at Knights Road.   The district centre is also set to provide new high-quality facilities to support the Blackbird Leys community and others that live and work in the local area.  This will include green spaces, shops and a community centre, as well as improved roads with a segregated cycle route. Beginning in April 2019, Peabody and Oxford City Council held more than 15 events for Blackbird Leys residents to feed into plans, engaging with the local community through door knocks, leaflet drops, webinars and in-person events.    With planning permission secured and agreements now finalised, the project’s contractor Hill has begun preparation work on site, including putting up hoardings at the existing Community Centre and Evenlode Tower parking and garages. Demolition will begin shortly, with the old Community Centre expected to be taken down at the end of the month.   Hill will be hosting a ‘Meet the Builder’ event on Wednesday 31 January for local residents to meet the construction team, learn more about the construction process and ask the project team questions. The drop-in session will take place in the hall of Church of The Holy Family in Cuddesdon Way from 3pm to 6pm.  Peabody and the council have also been working with local communities since August to understand their views about the new Blackbird Leys Community Centre and the public space surrounding it, which will be delivered as part of the first phase of the redevelopment.  Along with events, meetings and consultations, the Leys Community Review Panel – made up of local residents – has been set up to communicate the community’s needs to the design team.   Planning consent for the Community Centre has been granted in ‘outline’, and there will be further opportunities for the community to influence plans until the submission of a detailed planning application in the spring.  Peabody and Oxford City Council will soon set out further information about how local people can access opportunities to work on the Blackbird Leys redevelopment project, learn skills in construction, and get involved with artwork on construction hoarding.   Simon Barry, Managing Director, Development at Peabody said: “We’ve come a long way since we first engaged with the community in 2019 about our proposals for Blackbird Leys, so I’m delighted to now see work beginning on site. This marks a critical step forward in our programme to rejuvenate this area with much-needed affordable homes and purpose-built high-quality public spaces.    “The next stage is to finalise our plans for the Community Centre, and we’ve had brilliant conversations with local residents and organisations over the past few months – that’s thanks to the fantastic energy of this community.  We’re looking forward to building on this as we move through the final design stage.”  Councillor Linda Smith, cabinet member for housing, Oxford City Council, said: “The start of construction work on site is a major milestone in the long history of this project. Some people believed we’d never get to this stage, and the current difficulties in construction and property development mean it’s taken more time and lots of hard work to get here.  “I’d like to thank local people for bearing with us over the years as the scheme was paused and re-started and the vision for a new district centre for Blackbird Leys was developed. We now have work commencing on a scheme which will deliver nearly 300 much-needed new affordable homes, modern shops and a brand-new community centre, which will be a big boost for residents of Blackbird Leys.” Homes England played an important role in the funding of the Blackbird Leys project, with their housing grant and infrastructure funding supporting the delivery of the much-needed homes.  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Wexford County Council Appoints Ayesa to design the €120m Trinity Wharf Project

Wexford County Council Appoints Ayesa to design the €120m Trinity Wharf Project

Wexford County Council has appointed Ayesa as the Design consultant for the Trinity Wharf project in Wexford Town. The project, with an estimated total investment of €120 million, including €24 million of public investment, is slated to commence construction works in the fourth quarter of 2024. The Trinity Wharf project, spanning 10 acres, is a vital element of Wexford County Council’s strategy to attract foreign direct investment and generate high-quality employment opportunities. The initiative is funded under ‘Call 2’ of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), aimed at enhancing urban areas to make them more appealing for residents, businesses, and investors. This multi-use development includes modern office spaces, hotel accommodations, a multi-story car park, a cultural and events building, residential units, a new marina, and a boardwalk connecting Trinity Wharf to Paul Quay and the Crescent. The project is integral to the long-term regeneration and enhancement of Wexford town and environs. Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council, councillor John Flemming commented: “The appointment of Ayesa marks a significant milestone in Wexford’s economic development. Today’s announcement signals a crucial step forward in delivering this project for the people of Wexford and beyond,” Luke O’Connor, Design & Build Lead for Ayesa, commented on the appointment: “Ayesa, with our delivery partners, is delighted to play a crucial role in the regenerative project for Wexford town. Our involvement aims to craft a sustainable legacy for businesses, the town, and its citizens,” “With works set to commence on site by Q4 2024, the Trinity Wharf project is a major multi-use development that will greatly enhance the quality of life for people in Wexford,” said Mayor of Wexford, Councillor John Hegarty. “This is a rare opportunity to transform an under-utilised brownfield site and bring renewal to a historic part of Wexford Town deserving of a new lease of life.” Tom Enright, Chief Executive of Wexford County Council, characterised Trinity Wharf as one of the most exciting and ambitious economic development projects in the county. “Trinity Wharf is a prime example of how the local authority has integrated a diverse set of economic, social, and recreational needs into a generational opportunity,” he said. Ayesa’s strength lies in its multidisciplinary expertise across waste management, geotechnical engineering, marine and coastal engineering, and civil engineering. These diverse disciplines will aim to collaboratively contribute to the development’s success by ensuring that the design not only meets regulatory requirements but also aligns with sustainable practices. Ayesa’s holistic and integrated approach demonstrates its commitment to overcoming challenges and crafting a resilient design that respects both the historical significance and ecological sensitivity of the site. To find out more about Ayesa’s award-winning water engineering work click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Catterick Garrison receives go ahead for town centre revamp

Catterick Garrison receives go ahead for town centre revamp

Plans have been approved to redevelop Catterick Garrison town centre in a move aimed at bringing jobs and vital new facilities for local communities as well as military personnel on one of England’s largest Army bases. Permission to build a new community and enterprise building and a multi-use events space as well as create a new public square was given by members of the Richmond (Yorks) Area Constituency Planning Committee. Plans also include landscaping improvements, upgrades to Coronation Park and Shute Road, improved play spaces, accessible routes to the town centre and improvements to footpaths and cycleways. Richmond (Yorks) Area Constituency Planning Committee chairman, Cllr David Webster, said: “This scheme will see significant improvements to the centre of Catterick Garrison as well as contribute to our work to reduce carbon emissions through the use of sustainable design and renewable energy.” The redevelopment of the town centre, which covers four acres of land around Shute Road, will see us working with the Ministry of Defence (MOD). We have received £19 million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, with the remaining match-funding coming from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and ourselves. It is hoped they will be brought to fruition by summer next year (2025). The community building will house offices for small businesses and include space for community groups and food retail. Improvements to the park will include new play areas for all ages from toddlers and woodland play areas to a skatepark for older users. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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