Providing vital online access and technological support for those in need, McLaren Construction is launching a new initiative to donate repurposed laptops to charities across the UK with the first donation taking place in the Midlands and North. Kick-starting the initiative, 20 repurposed company laptops were donated to the St
McLaughlin & Harvey have been awarded the main construction works at a major new green transport initiative in Dundee. McLaughlin & Harvey have been awarded the main construction works at a major new green transport initiative in Dundee. Councillors accepted their £11.1m bid for the main contract works on Friday.
Brighton & Hove City Council has appointed Cheesmur Building Contractors to construct a groundbreaking net zero carbon youth centre in Knoll Park. Work on the facility is set to begin this winter. The new centre, purpose-designed to support young people and families, will double the capacity of existing youth services
Appointment follows nearing completion of demolition work undertaken by Salter Construction Art-Invest Real Estate (Art-Invest) has appointed RED Construction Group as lead construction contractor to deliver the redevelopment of Sackville House on Piccadilly. A historic office building in the West End, it is set to offer 30,000 sq ft of
RED Construction Group, the specialist main contractor, has announced its results for the 2023/24 financial year. Reaching a key milestone for the business, RED Construction Group has reported a turnover of £115m, as the company continues to deliver targeted revenue and achieve sustainable profit. Across the financial period, from 1st
Bishop Auckland new bus station is taking shape as the building’s steel frame reaches completion. Marking a key construction milestone on the project, more than 120 hot rolled steel girders weighing a total of 23.49 tonne have been installed. The steel was fabricated less than two miles from the development
GMI Construction Group has completed the steel framework of a £15.7m waste to energy facility in the North East ahead of schedule. To mark the milestone in the delivery of the 75,000 sq. ft development, Gary Oates, GMI’s Divisional Managing Director, and Ian Jones, Joint Managing Director of Fornax Environmental
Construction and engineering specialist Spencer Group has been appointed to reconfigure part of a world-class research and development facility in Hull on behalf of global consumer hygiene, health and nutrition company Reckitt. Opened in 2019, the £105m Science and Innovation Centre is the global technical innovation hub for household name
Three new senior roles have been announced within McLaren Construction’s Midlands and North division. Operations Director – Luke Arnold, Divisional Director – Darren Harding, and Regional Commercial Director – Adam Craven, have been appointed to positions within the Midlands and North team as part of its continued growth strategy. Luke
RED Construction Group, the specialist main contractor, has been appointed on two projects in Bristol, valued at a combined £35m. RED’s South West division will carry out the work, including a prominent, £20m student accommodation scheme and the South West’s biggest façade remediation project. RedOak Property has instructed RED Construction’s
Providing vital online access and technological support for those in need, McLaren Construction is launching a new initiative to donate repurposed laptops to charities across the UK with the first donation taking place in the Midlands and North. Kick-starting the initiative, 20 repurposed company laptops were donated to the St Helens-based Martin Murray ThinkFAST academy, providing young people with online support to help with educational development. McLaren Construction Midlands and North has a long-standing relationship with the Martin Murray academy, which aims to help young people with high-quality social support and development through the discipline and ethos of boxing. The laptop drop off is the latest support initiative for the academy and it follows a joint donation of £30,000 that was provided in 2023, by the contractor and Miller Developments. As part of McLaren Construction’s commitment to giving back to the communities in which it operates, alongside its sustainability strategy for 2025 – legacy computing assets that are fit for reuse will now go through an IT repurposing programme instead of secure disposal, to enable monthly laptop donations by the McLaren Construction Group. The new scheme will see approximately 250-400 laptops repurposed and donated annually to chosen charities across the UK and drop-offs will include protective equipment alongside the laptops to ensure longevity. The next donation will be a drop-off to Sele SEND School in Hertford and the ‘London & South’ region. Gary Cramp, managing director of McLaren Construction Midlands and North, said: “We are proud to be kick-starting our laptop donation initiative with our first drop off of the year at the Martin Murray academy in St Helens – helping young people and offering online and technological support at a fundamental time of their lives. Martin Murray, founder of the ThinkFAST academy, said: “The opportunities that can be harnessed through having laptop access cannot be underestimated and we can’t thank the team at McLaren enough for the laptops and their continued support over the past couple of years. The joint donation that we received from them along with Miller Developments in 2023 has helped to ensure that our academy can keep on doing the much-needed work that we do. “These laptops will provide access to a vast amount of information, enable interactive learning experiences and will be used to personalise learning, dependent on the young person’s individual needs.” Dan Blackman, Group IT and Security Director at McLaren Construction Group PLC, said: “Launching this initiative will enable our high-quality fit-for-use legacy assets to be repurposed and donated to those in need, and we are delighted to be contributing to our communities in this way, providing online access and a resource for educational development, to change lives for the better.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McLaughlin & Harvey have been awarded the main construction works at a major new green transport initiative in Dundee. McLaughlin & Harvey have been awarded the main construction works at a major new green transport initiative in Dundee. Councillors accepted their £11.1m bid for the main contract works on Friday. McLaughlin & Harvey have already undertaken the enabling works at the Bell Street multi-storey car park and will continue transforming it into a Green Transport Hub. The main works project, delivered as part of SCAPE Scotland’s framework, will include installing 350 electrical vehicle charging points supported by a solar panel array on the roof, a battery storage system, car share spaces, and an e-bike hire service. When completed, the existing ground floor of the car park will be fully pedestrianised and include information points and meeting spaces. Framework Director at McLaughlin & Harvey, Chris Boyle commented, “We are delighted to continue our relationship with Dundee City Council at the new Green Transport Hub. This project has harnessed collaborative engagement through the SCAPE framework to fast track the design and construction processes to deliver to the Council’s objectives and timescales. The regeneration of the Bell Street area and re-purposing the existing carpark into a 21st century sustainable transport hub for the city centre will help deliver a greener city, providing active travel options for the communities of Dundee”. Convener of Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure Cllr Steven Rome from Dundee City Council said: “This project represents an ambitious redevelopment of the car park into a pioneering green transport hub which is designed to help change people’s travel habits for the future. “It will make a significant contribution towards our goal of creating a greener city made up of strong communities where people feel empowered and safe, and where we are tackling climate change to reach our target of net zero emissions by 2045. “The hub will accommodate infrastructure to provide people with access to sustainable transport options that improve connectivity and make the city centre greener, safer, and a more attractive place to live, work and visit.” The area surrounding the car park will include enhanced landscaping with active travel routes designed to accommodate future active travel connections and development. The Green Transport Hub & Spokes initiative was allocated £14.4 million from the previous UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. £1.6 million for the main works came from Transport Scotland’s Active Travel Infrastructure Fund. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Brighton & Hove City Council has appointed Cheesmur Building Contractors to construct a groundbreaking net zero carbon youth centre in Knoll Park. Work on the facility is set to begin this winter. The new centre, purpose-designed to support young people and families, will double the capacity of existing youth services in the area. It will provide a dedicated space for advice, support services, and community engagement. Local residents had the opportunity to meet the contractor and learn about the project’s progress at an event on Tuesday, November 26, held at Knoll Pavilion. The project is made possible by the Youth Investment Fund Pilot scheme, a government initiative led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The Hangleton & Knoll Project, in collaboration with Brighton & Hove City Council, secured funding through a competitive bid process, which highlighted the quality of local youth work, strong community ties, and the council’s commitment to sustainable development. The Knoll Park youth centre is one of only four youth-based projects across England to receive funding through the scheme. The grant will cover all aspects of construction, including groundworks, landscaping, and associated costs. The project also follows extensive public consultation, which received council approval in June 2023. The centre will host services such as employment training, wellbeing workshops, and specialist support sessions for young people. Beyond its community benefits, the building will be a model of sustainability. Designed to achieve net zero carbon, the centre will incorporate energy-efficient designs, renewable energy sources, and cutting-edge low-carbon technology. The facility has been designed to harmonise with the existing Knoll Park brick pavilion and minimise its environmental footprint on the surrounding green space. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Appointment follows nearing completion of demolition work undertaken by Salter Construction Art-Invest Real Estate (Art-Invest) has appointed RED Construction Group as lead construction contractor to deliver the redevelopment of Sackville House on Piccadilly. A historic office building in the West End, it is set to offer 30,000 sq ft of new Grade A workspace alongside a new roof terrace, amenity space and a retail offer across the ground floor. Sackville House is an iconic building that is being significantly repositioned by RED Construction’s London team, with an extension to both the roof and rear and a comprehensive internal refurbishment, allowing the building’s fabric and heritage to be retained whilst delivering an exemplar commercial building back to the area for the next generation. Given RED Construction Group’s renowned ability with unique construction projects and its experience and understanding of building similar to the historic significance of Sackville House, the team is the ideal partner for Art-Invest. Start on site is expected in the first quarter of 2025. In the first half of this year, Art-Invest successfully secured planning permission for Sackville House, a Grade II listed building, located on the corner of Sackville Street and Piccadilly. Early enabling and strip out works undertaken by Salter Construction are well underway and expected to complete early in the New Year. With seven floors of workspace and an outdoor pavilion on the roof terrace, Sackville House will be a unique offer for occupiers wanting a premium workspace balanced with this quantum of exceptional amenity space in the form of a gym, fitness and spin studio on the lower ground floor in the bank’s original vault. Art-Invest Real Estate is targeting practical completion by the end of 2026. Will Oakes, Senior Development Manager, Art-Invest Real Estate, said: “It is great to have RED Construction Group on board and we look forward to working with the team to continue the progress that has been made on site. Sackville House is a really exciting proposition for the West End office market. The amount and quality of amenity space that is prioritised in the building sets it apart and ensures it is ideally placed to capitalise on increasing demand for Grade A spaces that support a better work life balance, in the best London locations.” Mark Iori, Managing Director at RED Construction London, added: “Our appointment to deliver Art-Invest’s iconic Sackville House is testament to RED Construction London’s proven track record working on heritage-rich sites in the heart of the capital. We are known for delivering considered refurbishments across London, and we are pleased to add yet another landmark Grade II listed building to our project portfolio.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
RED Construction Group, the specialist main contractor, has announced its results for the 2023/24 financial year. Reaching a key milestone for the business, RED Construction Group has reported a turnover of £115m, as the company continues to deliver targeted revenue and achieve sustainable profit. Across the financial period, from 1st April 2023 to 31st March 2024, RED Construction Group has maintained a pre-tax profit margin of 1.7%, while taking turnover to nine figures for the first time in the company’s history. RED Construction Group forecasted more than 60% growth for 2023/24 in the previous financial year results, a figure that has been exceeded. Maintaining a stabilised income stream, The Group has already secured over £100m in contracts for its 2024/25 financial year. Operating year-on-year as a stable, profit-generating business, RED Construction Group is firmly established across multiple regions and sectors through an ambitious, controlled growth strategy. Key project wins and completions in that timeframe include South West’s team work on the £22m Net Zero Carbon Zeal Hotel in Exeter, creating a benchmark for the industry. RED Special Projects’ delivery of Warwick Castle Hotel, part of Merlin Entertainment’s £16.4m investment in Warwick Castle, following works delivered at Merlin Entertainment’s £35m LEGOLAND Woodland Village scheme in Windsor during the previous financial year. RED Construction London completed phase one works at The Sheppard Trust’s redevelopment of the Royal Cambridge Home in Surrey, alongside delivering Barwood Capital’s multi-million-pound redevelopment of Explore, the office building in Richmond. Graham Sturge, CEO, RED Construction Group, commented: “12 months ago, we predicted 2023/24 would be a huge milestone for the business, and I’m proud that we’ve met that and more, with a turnover comfortably over the £100m mark for the first time. We’ve also sustained a robust profit margin, an important element of the stable, considered growth we want to achieve year-on-year. “Whilst we celebrate this, we’re also very conscious of the volatility of our market. Our focus for the coming year remains the same – risk management, stable growth, and supporting our supply chain partners, that are often hit hard by that volatility and rarely spoken about publicly. With contracts secured and work underway that will guarantee more growth for 2024/25 – alongside our ongoing relationships with clients, new partnerships, team growth, and project delivery across London, the South West, and beyond – we’ve built a sustainable platform to serve one of the biggest industries in the UK with excellence in the years to come.” RED Construction Group is currently delivering a portfolio of works across hospitality, commercial, office, and student accommodation sectors. Projects include the landmark 130,000 sq ft office scheme in the heart of Westminster for Tellon Capital, Berkeley Estate Asset Management (BEAM)’s comprehensive refurbishment of 8 Lancelot Place, a live office building in Knightsbridge, and significant works to Manhattan Loft’s iconic St Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bishop Auckland new bus station is taking shape as the building’s steel frame reaches completion. Marking a key construction milestone on the project, more than 120 hot rolled steel girders weighing a total of 23.49 tonne have been installed. The steel was fabricated less than two miles from the development by South Durham Structures Ltd. The bus station – which is being delivered by Esh Construction on behalf of Durham County Council – will offer modern and accessible facilities to passengers. Sustainable technologies to boost the building’s environmental credentials feature within the design, including solar photo voltaic panels on the roof, a rainwater harvesting and re-use system and a Sedum green living roof to promote biodiversity. Durham County Council’s deputy leader, Cllr Richard Bell, learnt more about the work being undertaken during a site tour. He said: “It was great to have a tour of the site and see how well the construction of Bishop Auckland’s new bus station is progressing. “The new bus station is a key part of our regeneration plans for Bishop Auckland to bring new life to the town centre and make it a thriving place to live, work and visit. When complete, the station will be a modern transport hub that will attract more visitors to the town, address shortages in car parking and increase town centre footfall, helping to support the area’s businesses.” The bus station will include eight stands and improved passenger information alongside a retail kiosk, toilet facilities, a changing places unit, and a parent and child facility. Alongside it there will be a new 124 space car park which will include 22 electric vehicle (EV) charging points, high quality paving, street lighting, landscaping and cycle stands. The development forms part of the council’s wider plans to regenerate Bishop Auckland town centre through a range of leisure and recreation projects, including the repurposing and reopening of vacant properties and improving public spaces. Esh Construction first commenced a package of enabling works on the site in February this year, with the existing hard surface having to be excavated and cleared to pave the way for the new building. The station is set to open in winter 2025. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GMI Construction Group has completed the steel framework of a £15.7m waste to energy facility in the North East ahead of schedule. To mark the milestone in the delivery of the 75,000 sq. ft development, Gary Oates, GMI’s Divisional Managing Director, and Ian Jones, Joint Managing Director of Fornax Environmental Solutions, performed a steel signing ceremony. Work on the high temperature thermal treatment facility in County Durham began in June and is due for completion by April 2025, after which it will undergo a three- month commissioning period. Developed for Fornax Environmental Solutions, it will process up to 10,500 tonnes annually of hazardous and clinical waste produced by the industrial and healthcare sectors, largely within the region. Using advanced rotary kiln combustion technology, the energy and heat generated will be made available to neighbouring businesses, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The facility, located on Millennium Way, is the second development at Merchant Park in Newton Aycliffe, a £90m, 65-acre scheme that includes Hitachi Rail Europe. Creating 75 construction jobs and a further 27 permanent roles, the facility aims for a BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ and an EPC grade B, depending on fit outs. The building will feature first-floor offices, high eave heights, advanced warehouse floor loadings, secure yards, and EV charging stations. Gary Oates, GMI’s Regional Director, said: “This milestone marks an exciting chapter for the project and highlights the incredible progress we’ve made. Completing the steel framework ahead of schedule highlights the dedication, skill, and teamwork of our staff and delivery partners and reaffirms our commitment to providing high-quality industrial facilities in the North East.” Ian Jones, Joint Managing Director of Fornax Environmental Solutions, added: “The completion of the steel framework is a significant step toward fulfilling our mission of delivering this sustainable waste management solution. “We are investing in a critically underfunded sector within the UK, addressing the limited capacity for the disposal of clinical and hazardous waste. Instead of exporting it offshore, we’re offering a local solution to a local problem. “However, this facility will also provide energy to local businesses. Many have already expressed interest in the heat offtake, helping them reduce their reliance on carbon-based fossil fuels for heating and electricity.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction and engineering specialist Spencer Group has been appointed to reconfigure part of a world-class research and development facility in Hull on behalf of global consumer hygiene, health and nutrition company Reckitt. Opened in 2019, the £105m Science and Innovation Centre is the global technical innovation hub for household name consumer health products such as Nurofen and Strepsils. It features state-of-the-art laboratories, as well as large open-plan working and collaboration areas. Spencer’s experienced Building and Civil Engineering team will remodel part of the ground and first floor of Reckitt’s Science and Innovation Centre and fit out vacated areas for laboratories and fragrance evaluation, as well as creating new ancillary spaces. The project brings together Hull-based Spencer Group and global giant Reckitt, which also has its roots in the Yorkshire city, to ensure the Science and Innovation Centre continues to fully meet the company’s evolving needs. Rob Bratherton, Operations Director at Spencer Building and Civil Engineering, said: “This is a very exciting project and an excellent fit for us, as we’re highly experienced at working in tightly-regulated sectors which have high levels of quality control. “Our Spencer Building and Civil Engineering team brings together expertise from other sectors, to ensure we’re able to deliver facilities of the highest quality, to precisely meet the needs of our clients. “This is especially important for research and development facilities, which incorporate complex laboratory rooms and sensitive technology.” The two businesses also have a shared commitment to providing education and opportunities to young people in the city, with both being founding partners of Hull’s employer led school, Ron Dearing UTC. This commitment is highlighted in the research and development facility reconfiguration, with former Ron Dearing UTC students, Isaac Barton, Alex Burr and Matthew Hunter, now being employed by Spencer Group and working on the project. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Three new senior roles have been announced within McLaren Construction’s Midlands and North division. Operations Director – Luke Arnold, Divisional Director – Darren Harding, and Regional Commercial Director – Adam Craven, have been appointed to positions within the Midlands and North team as part of its continued growth strategy. Luke Arnold will be working alongside managing director, Gary Cramp, to expand the Midlands and North business – developing into new sectors through public sector frameworks, alongside building the current teams to deliver success. He brings 25 years of experience to the role and will be concentrating on building and motivating high performing teams alongside maximising both operational and commercial performance within the region. On his new role, Luke said: “I am extremely proud of my client relationships and my ability to develop long standing relationships with supply chain and customers. With a wealth of experience across many different sectors of the industry, along with strong regional knowledge and long-standing customer and supply chain relationships – it’s exciting to have the opportunity to work with Gary and develop the Midlands and North region and I look forward to bringing new opportunities to the business.” Darren Harding will be responsible for the full day-to-day responsibility of all PBSA (Purpose Built Student Accommodation) schemes across the Midlands and North regions, continuing to build on the success of the contractor’s completed schemes, whilst building new high-performing site teams for opportunities in the pipeline. With over 40 years’ experience in the industry – relationship building will be a key focus of Darren’s new role – allowing him to build strong, professional connections to fortify teams and create new streams of work. On his new position, Darren Harding, said: “In my new role I will continue to reinforce my client relationships across the Midlands and North region, whilst pursuing a variety of varied workload opportunities. I thrive on the ‘team building’ aspect of my role by means of listening, nurturing, and encouraging all team members to take full ownership for their roles, which ultimately allows them to grow and develop, whilst allowing me to build professional and high performing teams. The future is looking very positive for the business with a full pipeline of new opportunities.” Regional Commercial Director, Adam Craven, will lead and oversee the commercial function within the regional business. Bringing over 22 years’ experience to the role, his position will include ensuring that consistent commercial performance is delivered across the board within the commercial team, at both pre-construction and delivery stages. Providing key technical skills in commercial governance and control including forecasting discipline, robust contractual knowledge and cash management, Adam will provide commercial and management support to the Regional Director to ensure that the financial performance of the region meets and exceeds profitability targets, as well as supporting the Group Commercial Director in all commercial activities across the region and wider business. Adam said: “I’m really delighted to be here, and excited for the future of the business. I will be pushing to support and develop our people and will be part of continued growth, ensuring it is done so in a sustainable and profitable way. Whilst the business has already demonstrated its success and resilience over many years, what really appealed to me and differentiates Mclaren Construction Midlands & North was the empowerment given to me to influence and make a meaningful difference to an already successful business, as we seek those marginal improvements which will make all the difference. “With the quality of the existing skillset within the business, together with developing the right recruitment strategy, this will enable us to diversify our workload and allow for controlled, sustainable, and profitable growth.” Gary Cramp, Managing Director at McLaren Construction Midlands and North, said: “We are pleased to welcome Luke, Darren and Adam into their respective roles and are confident that their expertise and capabilities will drive the positive change we are spearheading, as part of the division’s growth strategy.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
RED Construction Group, the specialist main contractor, has been appointed on two projects in Bristol, valued at a combined £35m. RED’s South West division will carry out the work, including a prominent, £20m student accommodation scheme and the South West’s biggest façade remediation project. RedOak Property has instructed RED Construction’s South West team to deliver a prestigious student accommodation scheme on Moon Street. Situated in the Stokes Croft Conservation Area, Bristol’s cultural quarter, the project has been designed by Bristol-based practice Angus Meek Architects to provide 184 high-quality student rooms across five stories. At ground floor, the development will feature a flexible commercial space situated on the primary Stokes Croft façade wrapping around to Moon Street, providing a new active frontage and business opportunities to local enterprises. Technical specifications of the design include a bespoke light gauge steel frame with cranked steel sections, to form a stepped-back mansard roof. The substructure of the building will consist of piled foundations at a depth of 8m, utilising the shallow underlying bedrock, with the South West team reinstating traditional cobbled roads around the development to reflect the historical setting of the area. The Moon Street student accommodation scheme has been designed with a recessed courtyard and twin pitched roof areas, replicating the original silhouette of the Stokes Croft School which occupied the site from 1772, until it was destroyed in the 1941 Blitz. RED Construction South West has also been appointed to deliver £15m worth of fire safety remedial works across three key buildings in Bristol City Centre. Across the three buildings, RED South West will undertake cladding remediation to over 400 flats, marking the biggest scheme of its type in the region. The three buildings – The Crescent, 10 Harbourside, and Panoramic – are managed by property agents Hillcrest. The Moon Street scheme and cladding projects confirm RED South West’s reputation for unparalleled regional expertise, further exemplified by winning both ‘Construction Firm of the Year’ and ‘Sustainable Project of the Year’ at the Insider Media South West Property Awards, earlier this month. Derek Quinn, Executive Director of RED Construction South West, commented: “Our management team have lived and worked in the South West for many years, so they have a real respect for the area and its heritage. Working on projects like the Moon Street development and façade remediation projects is a personal investment for us and we’re so pleased to be a part of such major regeneration schemes in the Stokes Croft Conservation Area and wider harbour area of the city.” Adam Scott-Avis, Development Director, at RedOak Property, added: “RED Construction South West are highly regarded in the region for their expertise and the quality they provide, making them an ideal partner to deliver the Moon Street scheme. We have worked closely and collaboratively with RED South West throughout the preconstruction period and feel confident the project is in safe hands. It’s very important on a project like this to ensure we curate a team that’s in touch with the local community, with project members who understand the significance of the area and who will be proactive in preserving its unique personality.” Since launching in 2021, RED South West has seen significant growth, attracting highly skilled talent from the industry. The South West team has expanded to over 40 employees, recently strengthening its senior operational and commercial departments with two key industry leading hires. This announcement follows the news that RED Construction Group’s South West division has recently been appointed to complete works on Alumno Group’s Hollis Wharf, the former Jubilee Centre, in Bath. Spanning 45,000 sq ft across five storeys, the team is set to carry out the £13m mixed-use development, creating purpose-built student accommodation and commercial space, set for completion in summer 2025 Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
