Work has commenced on the £74 million industrial warehouse scheme – Project Holst – located in Coventry’s renowned Prospero Ansty Park. A ground-breaking ceremony held on 12 July marked the start of the pivotal scheme at the landmark technology hub, attended by representatives of McLaren Construction (Midlands and North) and
Southend Council has appointed Willmott Dixon as its construction partner for a proposed major upgrade of the Cliffs Pavilion. Under a pre-construction agreement with the council, Willmott Dixon will undertake essential tasks, including design development and preparation of a pre-construction health and safety plan. Additionally, they will create a construction
Muse has been chosen by Oldham Council to develop a town centre regeneration. The partnership will involve the creation of 2,000 new homes, including a range of different types and sizes. The homes will be built on the site of the civil centre as well as at the sites of
A piece of Hull’s timekeeping history is now rising and falling again after 100 years following a major restoration by Yorkshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter. Hull’s Time Ball has reclaimed the city’s skyline, situated on top of The Guildhall’s clock tower, 196ft (60m) above ground level. It is just
A PIONEERING construction business well-known for creating better places for people to live and regenerating communities is approaching a major milestone on properties across a North-West town. Evolution takes pride in delivering quality private housing, social housing, and sheltered housing to create sustainable communities across Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester
Calderdale Council has launched a tender scheme for its proposed new business park in Clifton. The council had been seeking funds to develop the site, but was unable to secure funding through the UK Government’s levelling up scheme. The council has now launched a search for a suitable developer to
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
Work has commenced on the £74 million industrial warehouse scheme – Project Holst – located in Coventry’s renowned Prospero Ansty Park. A ground-breaking ceremony held on 12 July marked the start of the pivotal scheme at the landmark technology hub, attended by representatives of McLaren Construction (Midlands and North) and Manse Opus. Consisting of four industrial warehouses with associated offices, construction works led by McLaren Construction (Midlands and North) on behalf of Manse Opus, started earlier this year and are due to complete in March 2024. Spanning a total of 1,739,598 sq. ft, the four commercial speculative units will predominantly comprise a cladded portal frame with a CAT A open plan layout and the site will feature an external logistics yard with a level and dock access area and dedicated car parking spaces with electric charging points, alongside landscaped communal areas. Designed to meet a BREEAM Excellent rating, units will be highly energy efficient in design with the application of roof top PVs and rainwater harvesting tanks. Offices have been designed as largely open plan to provide flexibility to prospective tenants, and the architecture has focused on the business culture and purpose of the technology park, reflecting the current variety of highly skilled professions already present within the surrounding developments. The scheme will also entail a large and complex earthworks operation prior to construction with extensive infrastructure works needed to access the plots and associated balancing ponds to accommodate storm water. All removed earth will also be reused back within the site to reduce waste and provide a greater circular approach. Prior to works commencing, great crested newts were identified and relocated, and protective fencing was erected to the perimeter of the site. As part of the wider landscaping scheme, new ecological areas will continue to be developed during the construction and population of the site. Giving back to the local community, voluntary works are due to be carried out at the Grace Academy during the summer, to create a sensory open space for the students to enjoy. Last year, McLaren Construction (Midlands and North) completed construction works for Manse Opus, on a new 94,000 sq. ft regional headquarters for Cadent Gas – the UK’s largest gas distribution network. Project Holst marks the second scheme at the park that McLaren Construction and Manse Opus have partnered together for, following more than three years of collaboration. Managing director, Gary Cramp, said: “It’s excellent to be partnering with Manse Opus again for the further expansion of Prospero Ansty Park and we have a strong relationship formed over many years successfully working together. “Prospero Ansty Park is a fast-growing business and industrial hub for the West Midlands, and we’re very pleased to be bringing our client’s vision to life with Project Holst, providing central high-specification commercial office space, ideally positioned to cater to clients in the industrial and logistics sector. “We have managed to overcome challenges with this site – including battling with the wettest March on record in 20 years. However, our dedicated team of skilled contractors managed to stay dedicated to the programme and timeline.” Richard Smith, director of Manse Opus, said: “I am delighted for the third time now to be working with McLaren in delivering this massively important logistics and industrial scheme comprising four buildings between 117,000 sq. ft and 300,000 sq. ft, to be completed between December 2023 and March 2024.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Southend Council has appointed Willmott Dixon as its construction partner for a proposed major upgrade of the Cliffs Pavilion. Under a pre-construction agreement with the council, Willmott Dixon will undertake essential tasks, including design development and preparation of a pre-construction health and safety plan. Additionally, they will create a construction methodology and program planning, including phasing strategies. Once these preliminary stages are complete, the company will finalise a full contract, contingent on planning approval, an agreed cost plan, and a works program. The work at Cliffs Pavilion Theatre will help secure its long-term future as one of the top ten regional theatres in the country. It is owned by the council and operated by Trafalgar Theatres (for Trafalgar Entertainment). Over £8 million is set to be invested into the theatre to fund a major expansion of the restaurant, a new entrance and lobby to improve the customer experience, upgraded ventilation, a new outdoor piazza and several other improvements to the bars, toilets, lifts and other areas. The theatre will remain open throughout the project, which is expected to start in January 2024, with £5.5m of the project funded through Round 1 of the Levelling Up Fund announced by Government on 27 October 2021, with additional investment from the City Council and Trafalgar Entertainment. A revised planning application will be submitted in July, when a resident event will take place and artists impressions will be available. Cllr Derek Jarvis, cabinet member for arts, culture, heritage and leisure, said: “The Cliffs Pavilion Theatre is one of Southend’s key venues for culture, arts and events and adds so much to our reputation as a cultural destination and brings millions of pounds into the local economy. This work will ensure that we reinforce its position as one of the top ten regional theatres in the country. “The proposed expansion and upgrade of the theatre will also help us to secure the future success of the Cliffs Pavilion, in the hopes of benefiting from larger touring shows and bringing larger audiences to Southend whilst also benefitting our local economy.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Muse has been chosen by Oldham Council to develop a town centre regeneration. The partnership will involve the creation of 2,000 new homes, including a range of different types and sizes. The homes will be built on the site of the civil centre as well as at the sites of several former leisure centres. The scheme will also include the development of a new town centre park. The project is the latest phase of wider improvements to Oldham including the new Spindles shopping centre and offices; a new home for Tommyfield market, a new theatre, new space for businesses, and and a restored Old Library with cultural, civic and community spaces. The new partnership could last as long as 25 years. Muse were chosen after an in-depth procurement process. They have been responsible for developing similar projects such as the Stockport Exchange, Salford Central and Lewisham Gateway schemes. Commenting on the new partnership, Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “This is absolutely fantastic news. I’m delighted that, today, we can announce that together, we and Muse will be creating a new town centre for not just the people who live here now, but for generations to come. “These new homes will create new communities right in the heart of Oldham; which is a brilliant opportunity not just for the Oldhamers who will get the chance to live there, but also for people across the borough who can enjoy greener, more attractive, and more enjoyable places to shop, eat, drink and spend their leisure time. “I know today’s announcement will also be welcomed by our fantastic local businesses, who will soon be seeing more and more people spending time in our town centre throughout the day and into the evenings, as new communities move in, settle, and raise their families. “I’m so pleased to be leading on these exciting, ambitious, and truly game-changing plans – and I’m also truly excited that we’ve secured a partner from Oldham, who knows Oldham so well, and is just as passionate as me to make our borough a better place for all of us who call Oldham home.” Reflecting on their involvement, Phil Mayall, Managing Director – North West at Muse, said: “We’re proud to have been selected by the council to deliver its ambitious vision for regeneration in the town and we’re excited to get started. “As a business, we’re all about placemaking. We create kinder places in our towns and cities that focus on quality, community and sustainability. It’s regeneration with people at its heart; that will celebrate the proud town of Oldham, its rich heritage, along with its aspirations for the future. “We’re at the start of our journey with the council and we’re very much looking forward to getting out in the community as soon as we’re able, as we build a brighter future for Oldham, together.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A piece of Hull’s timekeeping history is now rising and falling again after 100 years following a major restoration by Yorkshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter. Hull’s Time Ball has reclaimed the city’s skyline, situated on top of The Guildhall’s clock tower, 196ft (60m) above ground level. It is just one of a small number still working in the country and one of the last remaining examples of this type of timekeeping in Britain. Funded by Hull City Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Time Ball and its significance has been saved for the city and its residents. Restoration includes the Time Ball returning to full working order, renovating the clock tower as well as installing a new internal mechanism, maintaining history whilst adding a modern twist. Councillor Mike Ross, Leader of Hull City Council, said: “It is great to see the city’s Guildhall Time Ball in full working order again after over a century of not working. Residents can now learn about this nationally significant timepiece and the important role it played for sailors on the Humber. “It is important to continue to tell the story of the Guildhall Time Ball and ensure this maritime story lives on for decades to come.” Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “It’s wonderful news that the Guildhall Time Ball, a timepiece of such great heritage significance has been restored to full working order. “We’re thrilled that thanks to money raised by National Lottery players we have played a key role in keeping the story of this historic landmark alive and ensuring this unique aspect of Hull’s heritage can be enjoyed by future generations.” Joe Booth, Business Development Director at Hobson & Porter, said: “The Time Ball is a very special part of Hull’s Maritime Project and the restoration of The Guildhall. To see it working again is hugely rewarding for the city as a whole and everyone involved in this intricate project. “The feedback from both local people and Hull visitors passing the site has all been extremely positive, with people genuinely happy to see this famous landmark restored to its former glory, and it’s fantastic to see the Time Ball taking pride of place on the city’s skyline once more.” The Time Ball was last in operation in 1922 and is a rare historic timepiece. It played a key role to help ship’s navigators tell the time on the Humber and River Hull by dropping at 1pm in the summer. Hull’s Time Ball is the highest Time Ball in the UK and one of the last to be built. It is the only timepiece of its kind on a municipal building and one of only a few nationally. Installed between April 1915 – November 1916, it is a very late example of this method of timekeeping. As well as the restoration, musician and Director of Music at Hull Minster, Mark Keith, worked with Year 4 classes at Oldfleet Primary School and at Priory Primary School, both members of Hull Museum’s Magical Museums membership scheme. The two classes of children worked to create a new piece of music to be played on the Guildhall carillon. Pupils created their original compositions on glockenspiels and these compositions have been combined to create the final piece that will be played on the Guildhall’s carillon bells. This piece will be showcased at the Time Ball launch and at special events in the future. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A PIONEERING construction business well-known for creating better places for people to live and regenerating communities is approaching a major milestone on properties across a North-West town. Evolution takes pride in delivering quality private housing, social housing, and sheltered housing to create sustainable communities across Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. After more then a decade of success in the construction industry, the business is approaching a total of 5,000 jobs – either refurbishing or maintaining properties – in its hometown base of Blackpool. Evolution, set up by JJ Fitzgerald in the bedroom of his mum’s council house in nearby Fleetwood, creates positive social impact across the communities it serves through more than a decade of success in the construction industry. Evolution Managing Director JJ said: “We renovate houses to give people quality homes and we provide jobs which help people build a better life. “We believe business is a force for good. We put people, places and the planet at the centre of everything we do, offering a brighter, sustainable future to those living in our communities.” JJ is passionate about giving young people a better start in life and supports a range of pioneering training and employment initiatives, including giving young people from disadvantaged backgrounds opportunities to build a career in the construction industry. JJ said: “At Evolution we are a family and we care about our people and our communities. “Providing opportunities to young people is really important to us. It’s about changing people’s lives.” Evolution employs a team of 20 tradespeople across Blackpool bringing empty properties back to life with complete refurbishments and maintains 650 properties managed by My Blackpool Home. Evolution’s refurbishment projects, which often include installing new kitchens, new bathrooms, full rewiring, plastering, damp work and decoration, take from six to 12 weeks to complete. Ben Reader, Evolution Contract Manager, said: “We pride ourselves on the speed and quality of our work. We always deliver on time, on budget and to an industry-leading quality standard, creating better places to live for people across the region. “It is very satisfying to walk into a property when we first start a job and then a few weeks later walk back in and see how it has been completely transformed and is ready for new tenants to make it their home.” Dave Spalding, Evolution’s Helpdesk, Fleet and HR Manager, manages the maintenance of 650 My Blackpool Home properties. Dave said: “We enjoy working with My Blackpool Home which is raising the standard of the rented accommodation market to provide better quality homes – the work we do improves the living conditions of people across Blackpool.” Evolution employs up to 80 people renovating private housing, social housing and sheltered housing across the North-West. For more information visit: http://www.evolution-ltd.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Calderdale Council has launched a tender scheme for its proposed new business park in Clifton. The council had been seeking funds to develop the site, but was unable to secure funding through the UK Government’s levelling up scheme. The council has now launched a search for a suitable developer to work alongside them to provide funding, planning, construction and marketing of the project. The site already holds planning permission and the council remains confident in its ability to develop the site. Members within the council feel the site’s proximity to the M62 as well as the nearby town of Brighouse would make it an attractive prospect for developers. Additionally, they believe there are a sufficient amount of businesses that would be willing to move to the site once work is complete. The tender process is expected to take place throughout the remainder of this year with reports about the next steps for the scheme set to be discussed by the council in early 2024. Commenting on the plans, Cllr Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Leader, said: “We want people to feel pride in the place where they live and do business, and a key part of this is the Council’s commitment to support all parts of Calderdale to thrive. We also want to build on our borough’s strong contribution to the wider West Yorkshire economy. “The proposed Clifton Business Park – a major regeneration project – aims to do just that. It’s an example of our ambition for Calderdale, and our aim to make things happen in line with our Vision 2024 for Calderdale and the Local Plan. “The site has the potential to create 1,300 high-quality new jobs for Calderdale and West Yorkshire, attract significant investment and new businesses into Brighouse, support our inclusive economic recovery through sustainable development, and add to local climate action through new walking and cycling routes, trees and plants. “So, we’re being bold and saying Clifton is worth investing in. We’re determined to make the Business Park a reality through an enterprising new route, exploring the option of bringing in an external partner with expertise in moving sites like this forward.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
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
