With a national housing shortage and ambitious housebuilding targets for developers and local councils to meet, is now really the time to put the pressure on the industry to explore more sustainable methods of construction? The answer is a very clear yes from Wayne Oakes, a director at the sustainable
Beard Construction has completed a meticulous £6.2m restoration of Cleveland Pools in Bath, the UK’s oldest lido. As well as calling on Beard’s expertise in heritage restoration, the 15-month project to restore the decaying, 207-year-old Georgian site to its former glory had significant logistical challenges – as all plant and
Amid rising energy costs, Rippon Homes, a Midlands-based housebuilder, has urged people to buy new. The house itself can be a potential factor in the rising energy bills, with studies showing that new homes have significantly lower bills on average than their older counterparts. Dedicated to reducing fuel usage in
Research by Warwick Estates reveals that Scotland is set to continue its domination over Britain’s new-build market with the total number of annual sales once again dwarfing those of any other region in 2022. In 2021, there were 54,788 new-build sales transactions in Great Britain. Scotland was, by far, home
Sovini Construction, part of The Sovini Group, has been appointed to LHC’s £1bn new build housing framework (H2) which will deliver public sector construction projects across England. Following the appointment to the framework, Sovini Construction will have access to a wide range of exciting projects until 2026 as part of
Tellon Capital have appointed Henry Construction Projects Limited as the main contractor for the construction phase on their site at 40 Broadway in the heart of Westminster. The 40 Broadway site originally comprised a mid-1960s office building at 40/48 Broadway with large car park, 1920s “warehouse” style building at 1/11 Carteret Street
Acquired by Capital & Centric, a historic warehouse in Manchester is due to be renovated into new workspaces, as well as turned into headquarters for the company. The developer will be joining Piccadilly East neighbourhood, next to its owner occupier community at Crusader Mill on Chapeltown Street. As part of
Construction at Rosemead Place development in Horam has reached its final stages and with it all of its properties have been sold. Developed by Bovis Homes, Rosemead Place consists of 80 private sale and 43 affordable properties. Built on the site of a former farm off Horebeech Lane, with nearly
Beckton Parkside development in Beckton, part of Bellway London’s collection of homes, has announced the handover of their first homes to their new owners. This milestone was marked by the completion of an apartment building at the development, in which 55 home owners received the keys to their apartments. Out
Ashberry Homes, a trading division of Bellway Homes, has announced the completion of a development in Rochford comprising 401 homes. Residents at the Elizabeth Gardens development in Rochford have now moved into the final completed properties, following the conclusion of construction work at the site. Elizabeth Gardens is located off
With a national housing shortage and ambitious housebuilding targets for developers and local councils to meet, is now really the time to put the pressure on the industry to explore more sustainable methods of construction? The answer is a very clear yes from Wayne Oakes, a director at the sustainable engineering consultancy, Dice. He believes a greener modular building approach can increase sustainability, reduce construction time and begin to tackle the huge volumes of waste generated by the construction industry. The UK’s housing crisis is well documented, with ambitious targets set by the government of 300,000 new homes a year. With that comes a secondary problem, that of construction waste. A DEFRA report highlighted that in 2018, construction, demolition and excavation accounted for 62% of the UK’s total waste. So how do developers continue to build at speed, reduce the volume of waste materials and create more sustainable methods of construction? The answer is staring us all in the face – modular homes. Modular homes are designed to be energy efficient and very efficient to manufacture. They’re created off site – where waste can be kept to a minimum – and different elements of a build can all be happening at the same time. Offsite construction enables phases of work to be undertaken concurrently. Onsite substructure and infrastructure work can be taking place whilst the superstructure is being built in a factory. Factory conditions also mean that there are no delays due to inclement weather. And there are environmental benefits to working offsite, helping us to fight the climate crisis. It is more straightforward to manage waste in a factory environment rather than on a construction site. It allows for far more control meaning less contamination, more recycling and less overall waste. Another large contributor to climate change is pollution and energy output. Modular designs see a 40% reduction in HGV movement at construction sites, and manufacturing off site also minimises the time and energy spent on site. This cuts travel and transport, as workers are more likely to be concentrated around a specific factory. Due to these factors, overall pollution is reduced. Recycling is another big focus across every sector. Materials in traditional construction like timber, brick and concrete, are very rarely re-used and it can be hard work to do so. The volumetric and panelised systems found in modular building lend themselves to recycling in a much more practical and efficient way. There are challenges, as there are with every construction project, and they do require a different approach to traditional methods of construction. Modular projects and units do differ from the traditional, standard residential units. They have specific requirements in terms of their sub-structures and external works. This is particularly the case in sites with gradients and water management requirements. On our first modular project, we worked very closely with the manufacturer on specific design standards, in particular with regards to the National Housebuilding Council’s requirements for the substructure. This was a condition of the offsite manufacturing partner, to ensure that each of the plots met the requirements of building control. As engineers, we need to be agile, responsive to site specific needs and challenge design to ensure modular methods of construction get the recognition they deserve. We’ve realised technology’s potential and are driving the change. It’s our duty to think creatively to develop new, more sustainable ways of construction and ultimately living.
Beard Construction has completed a meticulous £6.2m restoration of Cleveland Pools in Bath, the UK’s oldest lido. As well as calling on Beard’s expertise in heritage restoration, the 15-month project to restore the decaying, 207-year-old Georgian site to its former glory had significant logistical challenges – as all plant and materials could only be brought to the site by boat on the adjacent River Avon. Machinery, building materials, equipment and everything else required to carry out the major refurbishment work on the Grade II* listed site was loaded up at the nearby Avon Rugby Club, which was used as a base, and carried up-river by barge. The barge was limited to carrying five tonnes of material per trip and made about six trips a day -navigating around everything from pleasure craft to the canoeists and kayakers who shared the river. The work saw the creation of a new crescent-shaped waterproof concrete main pool within the footprint of the original, listed red-brick pool, which was preserved beneath it. Work began with the draining of the existing pool, followed by the installation of a system of drainage crates to allow natural spring water to continue to flow into the listed pool and around the shell of the new one. The existing children’s pool walls were temporarily held in place while the team excavated out the base to construct the waterproof, below-ground plantroom which is now home to the pool filtration equipment, along with hi-spec water source heat pumps which will be used to heat the pool water. A refreshment kiosk and seating area is now housed above the plantroom. Curving around one length, the original Georgian changing rooms and a central cottage with archway were made structurally safe, restored, stripped of centuries of paint back to their original Bath stone and re-roofed in Welsh slate – some of which was reclaimed from the original roofs. New terrace seating was also added, as well as a new toilet and shower block. Outdoor chrome showers also flank both pools. As well as allowing for access, water from the river will feed the water source heat pumps, providing the Pools with a sustainable heating solution when the pool fully re-opens to the public in spring next year and heating the pool to 28 degrees centigrade. The pool is now ready to welcome its first swimmers. Hundreds entered a competition to be the first to swim and the winning 100 will do so on Saturday, September 10 – from when the pool will be open to the public for a preview, cold-water season. The restoration is the culmination of an extraordinary 18-year community campaign by the Cleveland Pools Trust, supported by thousands of Bathonians. The trust’s tireless campaign has taken the 207-year-old, Grade II* listed site from the lows of its closure in 1984 and a threat of demolition in 2003, to the highs of its stunning, present-day restoration. The overall cost of the project is £9.3m, £6.47m of which came from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The project has also had significant support from the DCMS Capital Kickstart Fund, Historic England and Bath and North East Somerset Council. Bath-based architectural practice Donald Insall Associates were lead designers on the project with Hydrock carrying out the structural design. The restoration has been led by project director Anna Baker, a chartered architect who specialises in historic buildings. Anna said: “I am proud to have played a part in a restoration that many didn’t believe was possible. It’s been complex and very challenging. But it’s also been unique, the project of a lifetime. “We are a small project team and could not have done it without the help of our hundreds of volunteers. It’s been a real privilege to work on such a community-driven undertaking. “I’ve especially enjoyed taking this from a community heritage scheme to a project which engages with wellbeing, culture, sustainable energy and the natural environment.” Beard’s project manager Mark Tregelles added: “This has been a rare opportunity to restore a heritage building to its original use. Although logistically challenging, the overriding theme of this project has been collaboration. Working together with Anna, her team, volunteers and local residents has meant that no problem has been insurmountable. “Having access only by river has really tested our initiative, not only getting materials in and out of the project but also in the method of construction, given the limited plant and equipment that we could get to the site. Overall, it has been an honour to breathe new life into an historic landmark which can now be enjoyed for generations to come.” David Barnes, associate director at Donald Insall Associates, said: “We are delighted to have had the opportunity to lead the design team for the restoration of this precious historic outdoor public pool. The restored and updated facilities at Cleveland Pools present a new and exciting chapter for continued enjoyment of this much-loved site that is inescapably part of Bath’s rich bathing heritage”.
Amid rising energy costs, Rippon Homes, a Midlands-based housebuilder, has urged people to buy new. The house itself can be a potential factor in the rising energy bills, with studies showing that new homes have significantly lower bills on average than their older counterparts. Dedicated to reducing fuel usage in its properties, Rippon Homes has partnered with technology company Etopia Group to deliver energy-efficient homes with the aim of Net Zero carbon. In fact, if homeowners opt to install solar panels, the property will be energy positive with a potential EPC rating of 104. Moreover, the housebuilder is implementing the Powered by Etopia (PBE) system at its Marquis Gardens development in Old Dalby, Leicestershire and involves the Etopia Group providing pre-manufactured panels to site that will form a home’s structure. While this particular system is so far being used on one site, Rippon Homes work hard to ensure all their properties are energy efficient, not only saving money for their homeowners, but also reducing their impact on the planet. “We realise the concerns a lot of our customers have right now. Rising energy costs are hitting many people hard. That’s why Rippon Homes is committed to making our homes as energy efficient as possible. Not only are we conscious of our environmental impact, but we also want our customers to live as comfortably as possible. Our energy efficient homes are designed to reduce carbon emissions and our customers’ energy bills. We always go above and beyond at Rippon Homes and we’re proud to say we are constantly adapting to bring our customers the best possible experience,” said Ian Dyke, Managing Director at Rippon Homes. On average, people living in existing homes are paying £1,457 a year for their energy since the 54% energy price increase. As comparison, those living in new homes have seen half as much of an increase and are paying only £713 a year. Even with the energy price cap coming into place in October, those living in an existing home will still see much higher energy bills than those in new homes. This happens because older homes usually feature outdated insulation and technology, preventing them from retaining heat and increasing fuel usage. New homes, such as those built by Rippon Homes, feature double-glazed windows, improved air tightness, high quality insulation, highly efficient boilers, and water saving systems. While older buildings inevitably suffer from wear and tear, the technology and materials in new-builds are up-to-date, making them more energy efficient. On average, it costs £38,000 – £74,000 to renovate a three-bedroom house. A new home requires no renovation and will help the buyer to save on energy bills from day one. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
Research by Warwick Estates reveals that Scotland is set to continue its domination over Britain’s new-build market with the total number of annual sales once again dwarfing those of any other region in 2022. In 2021, there were 54,788 new-build sales transactions in Great Britain. Scotland was, by far, home to the largest proportion of these sales with a total of 11,677. The next closest region was England’s South East with 7,335 sales. Warwick can now reveal that Scotland is once again on track to dominate the market this year. Of an estimated 16,158 new-build sales in Britain in 2022, it looks like 10,914 will be in Scotland with the next closest region, the South East, far behind with 1,191 sales. Scotland’s strong performance comes despite a forecasted annual new-build sales decline of -70.5% across Britain as a whole in 2022. In fact, Scotland’s annual decline of -6.5% is nothing compared to the rest of the British regions where annual declines have exceeded -80%. However, when looking back over the last five years of new-build sales data, Scotland slips into second place behind the South East. Of 473,630 new-build sales in Britain since 2017, 70,060 have been in the South East – an average of 14,012 per year. In Scotland, there have been 56,669 – an average of 11,334 a year. And in London, there have been 53,957 sales which works out at 10,791 a year. The worst performing new-build market over the past five years is Wales, home to just 13,721 sales – or 2,744 a year, followed by the North East where 21,357 sales equate to an average of 4,271 a year. Data tables Data tables and sources can be viewed online, here.
Sovini Construction, part of The Sovini Group, has been appointed to LHC’s £1bn new build housing framework (H2) which will deliver public sector construction projects across England. Following the appointment to the framework, Sovini Construction will have access to a wide range of exciting projects until 2026 as part of the deal. The framework offers a range of traditional housing solutions to the public sector, as well as low, medium, and high-rise construction, care homes, mixed-use sites and sheltered, student and key worker accommodation. In addition, the framework also provides a focus on creating net-zero homes which Sovini Construction proudly back through their own Group’s Net-Zero Carbon Commitment. LHC is a not-for-profit, central purchasing body providing procurement services across England, Scotland and Wales. Dean Fazackerley, Head of Technical Procurement at LHC, said: “The new H2 framework in England will equip providers to meet ongoing housing challenges within the public sector, addressing local housing demand while maintaining momentum in their journey towards the production of zero carbon homes. It’s hugely important that we continue to respond to the housing needs of local populations while at the same time looking to the future, creating healthier environments that embody social, human, and environmental considerations.” LHC frameworks are used by over 700 publicly funded organisations including local authorities, housing associations, registered social landlords, tenant management organisations, education authorities, publicly funded schools, further education authorities, NHS bodies and other publicly funded organisations. Sovini Construction has been successfully appointed their North West new build housing projects up to value of £10m. Steve Parrington, Managing Director of Sovini Construction, said: “The LHC framework provides a flexible and efficient procurement route for local authorities and social housing landlords. We are proud to have secured our place on their North West new build framework. “We look forward to strengthening our relationship with the LHC to deliver vital infrastructure for communities across the North West and working with local supply chain partners to leave lasting legacies in the areas in which we work”. Sovini Construction are delighted to partner with LHC, one of the UK’s leading, not-for-profit procurement consortiums within the built environment. To learn about the positive impact Sovini Construction in creating across the North west visit – https://sovini.co.uk/construction/ or follow them on LinkedIn @Soviniconstruction
Tellon Capital have appointed Henry Construction Projects Limited as the main contractor for the construction phase on their site at 40 Broadway in the heart of Westminster. The 40 Broadway site originally comprised a mid-1960s office building at 40/48 Broadway with large car park, 1920s “warehouse” style building at 1/11 Carteret Street and a further 1980s office building at 13/15 Carteret Street. Tellon secured planning permission in 2018 for a comprehensive redevelopment. The scheme proposes complete redevelopment to create a distinct office building providing approximately 135,000 sqft GIA of new high quality bespoke accommodation in this sought after location. The scheme includes a series of terraces at various levels with views across St James’s Park. Demolition of the existing buildings is now nearing completion and Henry Construction Projects Limited have been appointed for the construction phase to bring the proposed plans to reality from the end of October. Tellon Capital was established in 2014 and via the acquisition of high quality investments patiently unlocks asset potential and has developed a reputation for delivering high level returns through innovative and well executed asset management initiatives. James Burchell, a partner at Tellon said “We are excited about delivering a top quality ESG compliant office building in this prime location and are thrilled to have appointed Henry Construction Projects Limited to be our main contractor for the construction phase at 40 Broadway. Their focus on delivering many services in-house means we can deliver a scheme of the highest standards. We look forward to working with them” Henry is one of the UK’s leading construction firms. Their focus is on using traditional building techniques and modern methods of construction and can now deliver between 50-70% of the trades in-house. Mark Henry, Director of Henry Construction Projects Limited said “We are delighted to have been appointed as main contractor for the construction of new offices at 40 Broadway. We look forward to delivering a high quality scheme in a prime location.”
Acquired by Capital & Centric, a historic warehouse in Manchester is due to be renovated into new workspaces, as well as turned into headquarters for the company. The developer will be joining Piccadilly East neighbourhood, next to its owner occupier community at Crusader Mill on Chapeltown Street. As part of the restoration plans, the Manchester warehouse will be transformed into a 20,000 sq ft of stripped back work space for creative industries, with modern spaces that retain the historic charm and original features of the building. The workspaces will be split across four floors of the mill, with the plan to turn the ground floor into a café bar and social hub for businesses and residents from the surrounding community. If everything goes well, the building is expected to greet its first occupiers in 2023. “We were early investors in the Piccadilly East neighbourhood as we knew it could be something special. Years later, it’s still growing in popularity and we’re plotting our next restoration. Chapeltown Warehouse is the missing piece of the puzzle in that block, a rundown former textile mill in need of a decent future,” said Adam Higgins, Co-Founder at Capital&Centric. “To be successful, it’s important that new parts of the city aren’t just full of apartments. We’ve already delivered the Jenga hotel and now we want to add the workplaces and ground floor coffee shop to ensure that Piccadilly East is vibrant and active during the day too. Whilst we’ll keep all of the historic features like the cast iron beams and exposed brickwork, of course we also want to give it the trademark Capital&Centric design edge too.” Also being created is a Capital&Centric HQ at the warehouse, moving its expanding team to the setting. Dating back to the mid-19th century, the building was previously part of Manchester’s booming textile industry. Its restoration will mark Capital & Centric’s next major investment in the Piccadilly East neighbourhood. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
Construction at Rosemead Place development in Horam has reached its final stages and with it all of its properties have been sold. Developed by Bovis Homes, Rosemead Place consists of 80 private sale and 43 affordable properties. Built on the site of a former farm off Horebeech Lane, with nearly all the homes now occupied, the development has started selling its first homes back in 2019. The due date set for Rosemead Place is the end of this year, with all properties ready to be handed over to their owners in perfect condition. “At Vistry, we are focused on building new homes which meet the needs of buyers in the local area, and we’ve achieved this at Rosemead Place, where all the properties are now sold. This location is now thriving with a mix of new residents, including families and first-time buyers, settling into their new properties. We’ve had great feedback from customers on the quality of their new homes,” said Millie Groves, marketing manager of Vistry Kent, which comprises brands Bovis Homes and Linden Homes. “The development forms a natural extension to Horam, with the design of the houses reflecting the character of this attractive village, while existing trees, hedgerow and woodland have been complemented by new planting. As well as providing new homes, we have also created new play areas and public open space for residents to enjoy. And we have also played our part in the local community, with the sale of the show home furniture from Rosemead Place generating more than £6,000 which we donated to the local charity Demelza Hospice Care for Children,” Millie added. Although all the new homes at Rosemead Place are now sold, Vistry Kent continues to build new homes across East Sussex and Kent under the Bovis Homes and Linden Homes brands. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
Beckton Parkside development in Beckton, part of Bellway London’s collection of homes, has announced the handover of their first homes to their new owners. This milestone was marked by the completion of an apartment building at the development, in which 55 home owners received the keys to their apartments. Out of the 391 properties due to be built at Beckton Parkside, consisting of studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, a total of 200 are finished and occupied. Currently, the choices available at the development are studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments within the Parkside Court and Redwood Court apartment buildings, with prices starting from £265,000. Further homes will be released for sale as building work progresses, while all work on site is due to be completed next year. “A new community is forming in Beckton as more new residents arrive at Beckton Parkside. The latest completions here take the number of finished homes to 200, which means the development is now more than 50 per cent complete. Beckton Parkside has been particularly popular with first-time buyers, young single people and couples, and the Help to Buy scheme in London has helped many buyers to get a foot on the property ladder and realise their dream of homeownership,” said Emma Hamlett, Sales Director for Bellway London. “The development still has new homes for sale with Help to Buy, but only on those reserved by 31 October 2022, and ready for build completion by the end of the year, so we’d urge anyone interested in Beckton Parkside to make an appointment with the sales team to find out more.” The London Help to Buy scheme, which is due to come to an end in March 2023, allows first-time buyers to purchase a new-build home up to the value of £600,000 in London with a five per cent deposit and 55 per cent mortgage. The remaining 40 per cent is provided in the form of a Government-backed equity loan which is interest free for the first five years. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
Ashberry Homes, a trading division of Bellway Homes, has announced the completion of a development in Rochford comprising 401 homes. Residents at the Elizabeth Gardens development in Rochford have now moved into the final completed properties, following the conclusion of construction work at the site. Elizabeth Gardens is located off Hall Road on the western edge of Rochford and it includes a range of two, three, four, and five-bedroom homes. It was delivered as part of a larger project that saw Ashberry Homes join forces with fellow homebuilder Bellway to deliver a total of 620 homes, of which 219 were built by Bellway at its Eastbury Park development next door. “This partnership has significantly increased the provision of housing in Rochford through the delivery of more than 600 new homes in the town. There was a noticeably high demand for more housing in the area which was reflected by the large volume of enquiries received by our sales team. Such was the popularity of the development that the final homes for sale here were reserved off plan in March, several months ahead of construction work being completed,” said Jenny Walker, Sales Director for Ashberry Homes. “The varied mix of house types has enabled buyers at various stages of the property ladder to find a home here and this has helped to create a diverse neighbourhood with people of different ages and backgrounds. Now that the keys to all the homes have been handed over to their respective buyers, we can see a thriving community starting to bloom,” she added. As part of the planning agreement for the wider 620-home scheme, Ashberry Homes and Bellway have contributed more than £6.1 million towards education in the local area. They have also provided around £395,000 for healthcare, £60,000 towards local conservation, £496,000 for highways, and £15,000 towards measures to improve air quality. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Home of Construction Industry News
