Tees Valley Combined Authority has awarded Willmott Dixon a £30 million contract to develop Darlington train station’s entrance. The work will consist of the creation of a new multi-storey car park that will be incorporated into the station’s new wider entrance. The project is part of Network Rail’s £140m masterplan
Work is now underway on the much-needed 420-place new primary school in Cringleford near Norwich. A ground-breaking ceremony, which traditionally marks the beginning of construction for new building projects, was attended by: Norfolk County Council, which is funding and commissioning the new school; Inspiration Trust, which will be running it;
Nationwide refurbishment contractor, Fortis Vision, has announced that it has been recertified with its three ISO accreditations following a five-day audit. The accreditations are for ISO 9001:2015 quality management system (QMS) – a recognised world leading standard, ISO 14001:2015 – the international standard for environmental management systems (EMS) and the
Fusion21 has selected suppliers to its national Refurbishment, Construction, New Build and Modular Buildings Framework. It is worth up to £305 million over a four-year period. A total of 61 specialist firms, 64% being SMEs, have secured a place on the framework which has been developed to support public sector
A NEW organisation has been created with a core mission to collectively deliver high-quality energy efficiency measures and low carbon technologies at scale across the UK’s housing stock. Backed by the country’s leading contractors and residential retrofit specialists and with widescale delivery in mind, the National Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) will support
Industry leader John Carlin joins as Regional Director for the Scottish arm of the business McLaughlin & Harvey – a privately-owned construction and civil engineering company employing over 800 in the UK and Ireland – has announced the appointment of John Carlin as a Regional Director, with responsibility for central
This year W.B. Simpson & Sons celebrates 190 years as a London and Midlands-based tiling contractor – and has introduced a new section on its website to celebrate a vast portfolio of tiling projects. With a heritage in the manufacturing of hand-painted tile panels and stained glass, craftsmanship has been
Horizon Construction, based in Colchester, has fought off stiff international competition to scoop a prestigious RoSPA Award, demonstrating its commitment to health and safety excellence. Horizon Construction won a Silver Award in the construction industry sector category, demonstrating its dedication to ensuring all personnel in its construction operations get home
For the second time this year, midlands-based contractor, G F Tomlinson, has been announced as a successful partner for a major national Pagabo framework. Running from 2023 to May 2027, the contractor has been reappointed to the National Framework Agreement for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions, which comprises of 93 high-quality
Construction works are now underway at Taylor’s Bellfoundry in Loughborough to protect and enhance the Grade II* Listed Bellfoundry buildings and onsite museum, the last of their kind in Britain. Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Loughborough Town Deal alongside many others, the project is being led by
Tees Valley Combined Authority has awarded Willmott Dixon a £30 million contract to develop Darlington train station’s entrance. The work will consist of the creation of a new multi-storey car park that will be incorporated into the station’s new wider entrance. The project is part of Network Rail’s £140m masterplan to deliver extra train capacity and better passenger facilities at the station. This will include work to build two additional platforms at the site. The scheme is set to be complete by 2025 in time for the Stockton and Darlington Railway bicentennial celebrations. Commenting on the project, Nick Corrigan, North East director for Willmott Dixon, said: “We’re proud to say that, as well as creating a vibrant and transformative new gateway into Darlington, the station development really will be changing lives and creating opportunities for local people. In addition to new local jobs, apprenticeships and training weeks, in partnership with Tees Valley Combined Authority, we are creating employment opportunities for local people facing barriers to work through our dedicated Building Lives Academy programme. “Over the coming months, we will be working with the likes of Darlington Borough Council’s Youth Employment Initiative and Aycliffe Secure Centre, to deliver Building Lives Academies for local young people who are not in education, employment or training. This is a project for the people of Darlington, built by the people of Darlington and we’re committed to spending £12m with local supply chain businesses.” Reflecting on the potential impact of the development, Tees Valley Mayor Mayor Houchen said: “With hundreds of Government jobs coming to Darlington, the town and its people deserve a modern and vibrant station to provide a gateway to the rest of the great developments on their way. This is another significant milestone and I’m thrilled the station project is steaming ahead.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Work is now underway on the much-needed 420-place new primary school in Cringleford near Norwich. A ground-breaking ceremony, which traditionally marks the beginning of construction for new building projects, was attended by: Norfolk County Council, which is funding and commissioning the new school; Inspiration Trust, which will be running it; and RG Carter which is building it. The new school is being built on land off Colney Lane on the edge of Norwich. It will be a second primary school for the growing village of Cringleford, which is due to see around 1,300 new homes built. Cllr Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “It’s really exciting to see work starting, it demonstrates the council’s commitment to making sure there are the right number of school places so children can go to school in their local communities.” Cllr David Bills, local member for the county council’s Humbleyard division, said: “I know local residents will be pleased to see that the project to make this new school a reality is underway, enabling more children in this growing community to go to school close to home.” Mario Rackham, Director and General Manager at R G Carter, said: “We are extremely pleased to have been appointed to deliver this much-needed school for the local community and to have hosted this celebration to mark the start of its construction. “We have extensive experience in providing high-quality educational facilities across the region and are looking forward to working in partnership with Inspiration Trust and Norfolk County Council Children’s Services to deliver this exciting new project in Cringleford.” Gareth Stevens, Chief Executive Officer of Inspiration Trust, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the opportunity to open a new free school in Cringleford and it was wonderful to see the building works underway. “We have a clear mission across all our schools – to provide the children of our county with the best possible education and being able to open this new free school in Cringleford will enable us to expand further on this, improving outcomes for even more children and setting them up to succeed in the next stage of their education.” The new school will be two storeys with car parking for staff and visitors, including electric charging spaces, and external hard and soft surfaced outdoor play areas. Its design and layout has been carefully done to reduce net carbon in the operational energy demands of the school and respects the local area and new housing. The new building would have solar panels, passive stack natural ventilation, air source heat pumps and an all-electric kitchen. The school is due to open in September next year. It is one of a proposed 26 new schools proposed for the county within the next 10 years as part of Norfolk County Council’s £308 million Local Growth and Investment Plan to ensure sufficient places in areas of major planned housing growth. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Nationwide refurbishment contractor, Fortis Vision, has announced that it has been recertified with its three ISO accreditations following a five-day audit. The accreditations are for ISO 9001:2015 quality management system (QMS) – a recognised world leading standard, ISO 14001:2015 – the international standard for environmental management systems (EMS) and the most widely used EMS in the world, and ISO 45001:2018 – an international standard that specifies requirements for an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system. Obtaining these recertifications involved significant effort from the Fortis Vision team and included a – a site audit, a remote audit and three days at the office and warehouse. The team worked collaboratively to ensure management systems conformed to the requirements of the audit standard, providing procedure and policy documentations, as well as statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements. Organisation was also key to the effective implementation of the planned management system and making sure the system was meeting its specified objectives. The recertifications are every three years and verify the quality of work as well as the financial, administrative, operational and health and safety practices carried out by the company. David Borthwick, managing director at Fortis Vision, said: “This a huge achievement for Fortis Vision and our three ISO Certifications place us in a very select group of companies that prioritise best practice. “Quality and assurance have always played a vital part in the delivery of our work, which is all about continual improvement and driving innovation. Not only do these awards showcase the hard work of our team and our quality and sound practices, but they can inspire confidence in our existing and new clients as we continue to grow.” To find out more about Fortis Vision and its projects, please visit: www.fortisvision.com.
Fusion21 has selected suppliers to its national Refurbishment, Construction, New Build and Modular Buildings Framework. It is worth up to £305 million over a four-year period. A total of 61 specialist firms, 64% being SMEs, have secured a place on the framework which has been developed to support public sector organisations, including housing, education, and healthcare providers to deliver construction programmes. The framework offers internal and external refurbishment, construction, new build and modular buildings. Peter Francis, Executive Director of Operations at Fusion21 said: “Having responded to member and supply chain feedback, we have created a commercially efficient framework solution that will support the delivery of regeneration programmes, modernisation and upgrade works as well as the expansion of public sector estates. “Fusion21 members accessing this compliant framework will benefit from support given by our technical procurement experts and an experienced supply chain, measurable efficiency savings, flexible call-off options – including direct award and geographical coverage across the UK down to a regional and local level – and social value delivery aligned to organisational priorities.” Suppliers appointed to Fusion21’s refurbishment, construction, new build and modular buildings framework are: Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A NEW organisation has been created with a core mission to collectively deliver high-quality energy efficiency measures and low carbon technologies at scale across the UK’s housing stock. Backed by the country’s leading contractors and residential retrofit specialists and with widescale delivery in mind, the National Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) will support retrofit installations for all housing tenure types, including social, owner-occupied and private rental homes. It will operate on a membership basis and represent Tier 1 contractors and energy suppliers that specialise in retrofit residential decarbonisation at scale. The group’s objective will be to create a collaborative platform for its members to focus on three core areas critical to achieving the government’s ambitious targets for the sector; growing the retrofit supply chain, advising on policy and stimulating innovation. All of which will underpin support for households during the on-going energy, cost of living, health, and climate crises. Derek Horrocks, chair of the National Home Decarbonisation Group, said: “The formation of the group and the commitment already seen from founding members is a defining moment for the residential decarbonisation retrofit industry. “The industry has seen commitment to retrofit projects diluted or under-delivered in the past and we believe that central and devolved governments need to hear a strong, positive message from experienced industry contractors and stakeholders, confidently confirming the ability of the supply chain to deliver on current and ambitious future targets. “The continued long-term government commitment for the decarbonisation of 26 million UK homes to meet net zero targets by 2050 is critical, and we have already seen this ramp up significantly with £6.6 billion of Government investment over the current parliament and a further £6 billion pledged between 2025 and 2028 for the sector. As an industry we must ensure we are able to grow and facilitate the long-term far-reaching ambition to achieve net zero. “NHDG will be spearheading the charge for improvements, especially in skills and innovation, including the digitalisation of retrofit, increased off-site solutions, and the development of finance solutions to support the decarbonisation of the UK’s housing stock. “This will help create a strong, more efficient industry with robust solutions for the fast-growing demand in the sector. Our links across government and industry are already robust, and the creation of the group will ensure our combined membership will put us in a prime position to move forward as one voice on one mission. “We’re aware of our own targets, such as the need for 200,000 more competent retrofitters by 2030, which is why powerful collaboration is needed to create the necessary infrastructure. We’re ready to invest and increase our wider resources collectively to ensure scaling the industry is a success.” NHDG has been founded through the National Insulation Association (NIA), a long-standing trade association with its members already delivering large-scale, PAS:2035 compliant installations funded by various government schemes – such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and Home Upgrade Grant (HUG). Member experience is also vast in the area of home energy efficiency improvements available to the private rental and owner-occupier market, under schemes such as the Energy Company Obligation (ECO). Meanwhile, close collaboration and relationships with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), as well as devolved nation governments and key sector stakeholders, supports the group’s focus on three core streams – policy, skills and training, and innovation. Derek continued: “The stature of our founding members cannot be ignored, and we’re all excited about embracing what the future holds.” NHDG predicts that the majority of the large-scale domestic retrofit work in the UK will be carried out by members in the coming years. The full list of founding members includes: Expert professional services consultancy Gemserv will act as the group’s secretariat. To learn more about NHDG, visit its website at: www.nhdg.org Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Industry leader John Carlin joins as Regional Director for the Scottish arm of the business McLaughlin & Harvey – a privately-owned construction and civil engineering company employing over 800 in the UK and Ireland – has announced the appointment of John Carlin as a Regional Director, with responsibility for central England. A proven leader in the construction industry, with over 40 years of experience, John has held Director and Managing Director roles in national and regional businesses for the last 20 years. He will be responsible for the operational delivery of regional projects and for building a commercial pipeline of future work using his extensive network of contacts. Paul Griffen, Managing Director, McLaughlin & Harvey, commented: “I’m delighted that John has agreed to join the business and help to grow our presence in the region. We already have several projects on the ground for blue-chip clients such as BMW, Rolls Royce and Etex, and have recently delivered Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, which was the centrepiece venue for the 2022 Commonwealth Games athletics programme and opening and closing ceremonies. Bringing John into the business now allows us to build on this solid foundation and I look forward to working with him and drawing on his considerable experience.” John’s experience has included senior positions with Wates and Bowmer & Kirkland and operational delivery on-site, having started his career as an apprentice joiner and working his way up as Site Manager and Project Manager. John Carlin, Regional Director, McLaughlin & Harvey, added: “My experience in the industry is extensive and varied. Since 2005, managing all aspects of a high-performing region within two highly regarded construction companies, I have gained invaluable insight and expertise in not only construction-related challenges but transferable skills to any kind of business in the region. I have been impressed by McLaughlin & Harvey’s professionalism and capabilities since joining, and I’m excited to be part of their continued growth.” Carlin will be based in McLaughlin & Harvey’s Birmingham office. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
This year W.B. Simpson & Sons celebrates 190 years as a London and Midlands-based tiling contractor – and has introduced a new section on its website to celebrate a vast portfolio of tiling projects. With a heritage in the manufacturing of hand-painted tile panels and stained glass, craftsmanship has been at the heart of what W.B. Simpson & Sons have done since the company’s founding by William Butler Simpson in 1833. The range of projects it has been involved in is enormous, including London Underground projects, shopping centres, airports, hospitals, hotels, leisure centres and stadiums, as well as residential. Working in partnership with some of the UK’s largest main contractors, its high profile projects have included stations on the Jubilee Line Extension, Heathrow Terminal 2, Gatwick South Terminal, Canary Wharf, Athletes’ Village for 2012 Olympic Games. With a portfolio this strong, it is not surprising that W.B. Simpson often achieves Category 1 or Preferred Contractor status. The company’s unbroken record of service to the construction sector in and around London and the Midlands is unique in the industry, and its 190th anniversary is truly an event that needs celebrating! During the year, the company will be rolling out a number of activities to mark its historic achievement – details to be revealed in due course! To kick off the commemoration it has added a new section to its website at https://wbsimpsonsons.co.uk, which features information and imagery from a huge range of heritage projects that the company has been involved in since 1833. These include London Underground projects, churches, castles, hospitals, theatres, public houses and art galleries. The company has worked on projects around the country such as Cardiff Castle, York Art Gallery and the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. The common thread that links all these projects is their craft-based, artisanal attention to detail which historically has formed the basis for the reputation for quality and excellence which the company is known for today. “The importance of our heritage as a business is not just that we can look back with pride at what the company has achieved 50, 100 or 150 years ago – although that is important too,” says Managing Director Billy Valler. “But the main thing is the way in which it is a living heritage which still informs the way that the company works today. Our aim, as it always has been, is to translate our customers’ aspirations as accurately as possible into what they see in the finished tiled project, whether it is a large area of plain tiles in a railway station or a detailed artwork in a traditional London public house. It is the diversity of work that we are involved in which gives our heritage its variety and dynamism, and which keeps us at the leading edge of our business, as we seek to delight today’s customers, as we have been doing for 190 years.” Watch this space for details of events during the year to commemorate W.B. Simpson & Sons’ 190 years in business! Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Horizon Construction, based in Colchester, has fought off stiff international competition to scoop a prestigious RoSPA Award, demonstrating its commitment to health and safety excellence. Horizon Construction won a Silver Award in the construction industry sector category, demonstrating its dedication to ensuring all personnel in its construction operations get home safely at the end of every working day. The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the UK. Now into its 67th year, the Awards have almost 2,000 entries every year, covering nearly 50 countries and a reach of over seven million employees. The programme recognises organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work, looking at entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement. While most awards are non-competitive – recognising individual organisations’ achievements – competitive awards are presented in 20 industry sectors and for specialist areas of health and safety management. Phil Holding, Horizon Construction’s Managing Director, said: “The achievement and recognition by RoSPA of our Health and Safety practices are crucial in ensuring we are up-to-date and implementing the latest methods in safeguarding our employees and people working on our construction sites. We continuously invest in health and safety and benefit from our in-house HSQE department to develop our culture. “The health, safety and well-being of our people are at the forefront of everything we do. This also demonstrates to our clients, along with the use of other industry-recognised frameworks such as ISO, that we have everyone’s best interests in mind and aspire to be a leader in our field for high-quality construction practices. “This achievement does not occur without an unwavering commitment from our team, so I would like to pay particular thanks to our team for their hard work. We are all very proud of the recognition by RoSPA and being part of a highly esteemed awards community.” Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said: “Accidents at work and work-related ill health don’t just have huge financial implications or cause major disruption – they significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. That’s why good safety performance deserves to be recognised and rewarded. “We are thrilled that Horizon Construction has won a RoSPA Award and would like to congratulate them on showing an unwavering commitment to keeping their employees, clients and customers safe from accidental harm and injury.” The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest running of its kind in the UK, and receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for the health and safety industry. For more information about Horizon Construction visit https://hcgroup.uk and for RoSPA visit https://rospa.com.
For the second time this year, midlands-based contractor, G F Tomlinson, has been announced as a successful partner for a major national Pagabo framework. Running from 2023 to May 2027, the contractor has been reappointed to the National Framework Agreement for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions, which comprises of 93 high-quality contractors covering a range of refurbishment and refit projects across five value bands and 44 regions. G F Tomlinson was also reappointed to Pagabo’s National Framework for Medium Works in January and since 2020, the contractor has partnered with Pagabo on several frameworks including the Major Works Framework, the previous Framework for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions, and the previous Medium Works Framework, which the new iteration now supersedes. As part of the partnership, G F Tomlinson has been appointed to deliver projects from £500,000 up to £15million throughout Yorkshire and the East and West Midlands. Focusing on public sector refit and refurbishment works, G F Tomlinson will deliver schemes across the education, healthcare, civic, leisure, housing, blue light, highways and infrastructure industries. G F Tomlinson demonstrated relevant experience, stability and a strong commitment to social value and the carbon reduction agenda in order to be successful in its framework bid. Alongside providing value for money for clients, it was important that the contractor provided evidence of delivering quality builds on time and to budget, as well as managing the supply chain to a high standard. G F Tomlinson have delivered several projects under the Pagabo suite of frameworks, including the £3.7m extension and remodelling of Cardinal Newman Catholic School and the £6.5m expansion and remodelling of Barr’s Hill School, both for Coventry City Council plus the £2.4m Urgent Treatment Centre for Lincoln Hospital. They are also currently on site constructing the £15.4m new Air and Space Institute (ASI) in Newark for Lincoln College Group. Looking to the future, the contractor has more projects in the pipeline being procured via Pagabo with a cumulative value of over £64.0m. Chris Flint, Managing Director at G F Tomlinson, said: “We’re extremely proud to have secured our place on yet another national high-value framework with Pagabo, which will be our second since January this year. “Our reappointment to the National Framework Agreement for Refit and Refurbishment Solutions is our sixth agreement with Pagabo which continues our success on public sector frameworks where we have delivered in excess of £500 million worth of projects via this procurement route. “We look forward to improving and restoring a range of public sector buildings through renovation and retrofitting techniques, incorporating new technologies wherever possible, and are delighted to be given the opportunity to continually support the regeneration of local communities. “With our expertise, commitment to delivering high-quality projects and our passion to enhance social value for local communities, we are best placed to serve public sector clients on all their project requirements.” Elliott Talbot, Framework Manager at Pagabo, said: “We’re delighted to see G F Tomlinson secure their place on our new Refit & Refurbishment Framework. Their position on our suite of construction frameworks has enabled them to deliver a range of public sector works in recent years. This appointment will allow us to continue to work closely together and we can’t wait to get started.” To find out more about G F Tomlinson, please visit: https://gftomlinson.co.uk To find out more about Pagabo’s Refit and Refurb framework, please visit: www.pagabo.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction works are now underway at Taylor’s Bellfoundry in Loughborough to protect and enhance the Grade II* Listed Bellfoundry buildings and onsite museum, the last of their kind in Britain. Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Loughborough Town Deal alongside many others, the project is being led by the Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust working in partnership with the ancient bellfounding firm of John Taylor and Company. The Trust was set up in 2016 to begin the work of restoring the bellfoundry’s buildings and redeveloping the site’s museum to protect the ancient craft of bellmaking for generations to come. Taylor’s Bellfoundry – which was built in 1859 just a stone’s throw from Loughborough town centre – has cast more than 25,000 bells located in more than 100 countries. Bells from the foundry hang in famous landmarks including London’s St Paul’s Cathedral, the Washington National Cathedral in the US capital, Australia’s National Carillon in Canberra, and South Africa’s Cape Town City Hall. In spring 2022 contractors were invited to tender to deliver the programme of works, with specialist heritage conservation firm Messenger BCR winning out. The Messenger team will work alongside internationally renowned architects Caroe, who drew up comprehensive plans to restore the Victorian site. Other specialist practices involved include exhibition designers Redman Design and museum retail experts cre8. Phase one of the programme of works is now underway. This includes the stripping out of the existing museum, removing internal walls – which were added to the bellfoundry in the 80s – and replacing the leaking roof. A new lift is currently under construction as are new disabled and baby changing toilets. Major repairs to the roof over the bellfoundry’s main covered yard are also underway. The museum will be improved and enhanced by increasing its footprint to incorporate a multi-function activity room in the old Victorian laboratory and by reimagining the museum displays to provide an interactive and inclusive experience. There will be two primary spaces for visitors to explore within the museum. Firstly, a ground floor timeline detailing the history of both the bellfoundry and the art of bellfounding. Secondly, the Patternmaker’s Gallery, which will display a series of objects that have been recovered from existing foundry spaces, located in the original patternmaking workshop. Throughout the museum visitors will have the opportunity to touch and handle objects, making it an immersive and authentic experience for families, schools, bell enthusiasts and history lovers. Phase two of the project, which will start in 2024, will see the reconfiguration and improvement of the company archive room, offices, and board room, the last of which will be available to hire as a meeting space for outside organisations and community groups. Further ongoing and exciting developments include the restoration of the original historic entrance to the site, used by generations of the Taylor family, and the relandscaping of the Carillon Courtyard for visitors to explore and enjoy the grounds upon arrival. Bellfoundry museum director Dr Chrissie Van Mierlo said: “We are thrilled to see work getting underway. This project has been years in the making and will help preserve and protect our historic buildings for generations to come. “Our vision has always been to create a place where people of all ages can visit and learn about the craftmanship and art of bell making, as well as the history of the Loughborough site. Thanks to generous funders, and National Lottery players, we can now address the most urgent repair and conservation works to bring our vision to life. “Not only will the project allow us to welcome more visitors into the site, but it will also create additional volunteering opportunities for local residents. Our volunteers are the life and soul of the bellfoundry and we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without them.” Robyn Llewellyn, director for England, Midlands and East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “We are delighted to support The Loughborough Bellfoundry Trust in saving the last, purpose-built bellfoundry in Britain. The funding, which has been made possible thanks to National Lottery players, will secure the future of this industry, unique skills, and rich history in a way that everyone can enjoy and be proud of.” Loughborough Town Deal comprises a number of organisations and people who have come together to deliver over £40 million of investment for the Leicestershire town. The Town Deal secured £16.9 million from the Government’s Towns Fund to boost skills and support the visitor economy and town centre of Loughborough. It is backing 11 projects, including the bellfoundry which it awarded £835,000. John Taylor’s Bellfoundry, also known as Taylor’s Bellfoundry or simply Taylor’s, is the last major bellfoundry in the UK and Commonwealth. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
