LEADING regional procurement specialist EN:Procure has revealed the winning 27 contractors for its latest £700m new build housing framework. The procurement arm of social housing consortium Efficiency North previously welcomed bidding across four lots of predominantly social housing new build schemes of various sizes generally in Yorkshire and the Humber,
The ceremony which marked the start of construction was attended by representatives from Housing 21, Kirklees Council, Homes England and Robertson Group. The development located off Kenmore Drive will comprise of 80 homes: 61 one-bedroom and 19 two-bedroom apartments, all of which will be available for social rent. The £20
In response to growing demand across the healthcare, pharma, education and commercial sectors, NI-based offsite manufacturer McAvoy continues to invest strongly in the growth of its SmartSpace temporary building fleet. It recently launched additional new innovative space solutions via its QSpace and ESpace single modular buildings. The business continues to
East of England construction firm R G Carter is celebrating after completing a state-of-the-art commercial building at Parkside on the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus – the largest new office complex of its kind in the eastern region. Located on the Knowledge Gateway Research and Technology Park, the 41,571 sq.
GMI Construction Group has been appointed principal contractor to deliver the North East’s first Dakota Hotel. The luxury 118 room boutique hotel will transform the vacant St Anne’s Wharf at 112 Quayside, which fronts onto the River Tyne, and is scheduled for completion in Spring 2025 The development will generate
Specialist UK Development Manager, Bankfoot APAM, has appointed Beard Construction as the Main Contractor for the transformative £24.5M redevelopment of Bristol’s One Friary building. This flagship project is being delivered on behalf of Britannia Invest A/S and is set to commence in April 2024. Once complete, it will provide 80,000
A stray cat seen wandering the Hitchin streets is now living it up in a bijou property designed and built by an award-winning construction company. The open-plan home, built over one level, has access to all local amenities with regular food deliveries and a constant supply of fresh water. Nick
In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, Balfour Beatty has featured on TalkTV and in Construction News, outlining the multitude of benefits Apprenticeships bring to businesses and individuals, the importance of industry collaboration, and the rewarding career opportunities the construction and infrastructure sector offers. During the live TalkTV broadcast, Ryan
‘Safety, Quality, Value and Production’, were the watchwords of Jim McPhillips, founder of McPhillips Wellington, words that continue to underscore the work of the company today as it celebrates sixty years of trading in 2024. In the beginning it was all about digging footings and drainage for local house builders.
An award-winning construction company has been appointed to deliver a £31million building project at a school which was founded more than 157 years before the Great Fire of London in 1666. St Paul’s School, which is located on a 45-acre site adjacent to the River Thames in Barnes, West London,
LEADING regional procurement specialist EN:Procure has revealed the winning 27 contractors for its latest £700m new build housing framework. The procurement arm of social housing consortium Efficiency North previously welcomed bidding across four lots of predominantly social housing new build schemes of various sizes generally in Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands and the North West but could be used in other regions of England. The selected contractors will carry out work covering all aspects of new build housing, including design, site preparation and remediation, civil engineering and infrastructure works, and new build construction and refurbishment. The lots, to run from 4 March 2024 to 3 March 2028, include the new build construction of residential and commercial buildings as well as mixed-use developments They include schemes up to 10 units, between eight and 45 units, one with between 30 and 100 units and a fourth scheme of 70 units and over. Around 78% of the contractors are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), reflecting EN:Procure’s commitment to providing fair access to organisations of any size. The new framework was procured under EN:Procure’s latest Gen-4 generation of tenders, incorporating the FAC-1 Framework Agreement and dynamic models for ESG delivery, reflecting many of the themes in the government’s Constructing the Gold Standard report. It will provide a wide range of social, economic and environmental benefits for communities served by Efficiency North’s membership of social housing providers. Emma Mottram, director of operations at EN:Procure, said: “It has been an exciting start to the year as we announce the successful bids for our latest framework process – congratulations to all those appointed. “The framework was structured to encourage SME engagement as we always aim to give as many such businesses as possible the chance to take up these wonderful opportunities. “However, the framework also delivers a range of national and local contractors with a call-off mechanism that ensures the most suitable contractors are selected for the specifics of the job. Call off methods also provide opportunities for early contractor involvement and utilising preconstruction service agreements. “The successful applicants will be expected to complete the works to a high standard and share our commitment to regeneration. We will support them in delivering dynamic ESG targets and ensure their backing for Efficiency North’s drive to improve training and skills development, including the use of apprenticeships.” Emma added: “Our new generation Gen4 frameworks will provide a higher level of transparency and forge the way for the social housing sector to fully embrace sustainability and achieve decarbonisation targets that are so crucial to the industry and the UK.” EN:Procure has supported social housing landlord members to deliver nearly £1bn of works through its frameworks and DPSs since 2014. Today’s announcement follows the appointment of 100 contractors for EN:Procure’s £3.2bn installation and repairs framework in February. More than £272m of repairs, maintenance and installation work has been delivered by the current version of the framework since its launch in 2019. A further £2m was gifted to members to fund social value initiatives for local communities, with £1.5m being given through EN:Able Communities since 2015. To find out more information about EN:Procure and the framework including contractors appointed by lot visit: https://www.efficiencynorth.org/procure/frameworks/new-build/new-build Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The ceremony which marked the start of construction was attended by representatives from Housing 21, Kirklees Council, Homes England and Robertson Group. The development located off Kenmore Drive will comprise of 80 homes: 61 one-bedroom and 19 two-bedroom apartments, all of which will be available for social rent. The £20 million Extra Care scheme is being delivered by Housing 21, a national leading provider of Retirement Living and Extra Care, in partnership with Kirklees Council. Homes England are providing a grant of over £7 million, Robertson Group are the main contractors working with Brewster Bye Architects. Bridget Faughnan-Bing, Housing 21’s Development and Delivery Director said: “We are delighted to announce the start of construction on our first Extra Care scheme in Kirklees. The Extra Care scheme at Kenmore Drive will be a great addition to the housing choices for older people of modest means in the area.” “This development will provide homes that will enable local older people to live independently for longer and still remain within the community that they know and love.” Councillor Moses Crook, Cabinet Member for Housing and Highways said: “I am really pleased to see that works are about to start on Kenmore Drive. This is our fifth Extra Care scheme in Kirklees, including a scheme nearing completion at Ashbrow and building upon our existing schemes located in Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Heckmondwike. This development will be another vital step in our ongoing efforts to provide high-quality, accessible housing in Kirklees.’’ Once open, the scheme will provide residents with a selection of modern communal spaces including a residents’ lounge, on-site café/bistro and hair salon, which will be available for use by the neighbouring community. Jonathan Sizer, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction Yorkshire & East Midlands, commented: “With a focus on supporting the health and wellbeing of residents, the development will feature attractive facilities that allow independence while benefiting and connecting the local community. As delivery partner, we will ensure that we create quality homes and facilities that meet the needs and priorities of residents, staff and the wider community. This development will be an asset to Cleckheaton and marks our first project with Housing 21.” The development is scheduled to complete in spring 2026. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In response to growing demand across the healthcare, pharma, education and commercial sectors, NI-based offsite manufacturer McAvoy continues to invest strongly in the growth of its SmartSpace temporary building fleet. It recently launched additional new innovative space solutions via its QSpace and ESpace single modular buildings. The business continues to experience high demand for rental projects in both the healthcare and education sectors, including a second, significant 10-year rental contract for University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. Investment in manufacturing capability has continued with the acquisition of a custom-built mobile gantry, increasing efficiency, and improving workplace safety. This commitment to investment in the business also includes ESG, digital technologies, recruitment, and people development. CEO, Ron Clarke said: “The group continues to see strong interest in its proposition, and with the continued support of our shareholders the company is in an excellent position to deliver its strategic growth plan. We are confident that our high performing temporary and permanent buildings will continue to deliver modern, flexible, and sustainable space solutions to our customers. Looking ahead we are on track to deliver a significant increase in performance in 2024.” During the past year, the business has delivered a number of key projects across the country, including a new Collaborative Research & Innovation Centre in Wiltshire, the pioneering “Low Carbon Pathfinder” 900 pupil school at Redhill in Surrey for the Department for Education and two 24-bed ward buildings at Antrim Area Hospital. The company has also been chosen by the Department for Education to design and build a £37.5m, 1,200-place Academy in Essex. Furthermore, several of the company’s projects and innovations have been recognised by independent peer group awards, including Healthcare Project of the Year at the recent Offsite Awards. McAvoy is a leading provider of high-quality temporary and permanent modular buildings across the UK and Ireland. Its adaptable and sustainable space solutions are sought after in both public and private sectors including healthcare, pharma, education and commercial. Innovation continues to be a central part of the company’s activities. For the period ended 31 May 2023 McAvoy reports a strong performance within its rental division with revenues of £12m and EBITDA growing to £3.8m primarily due to rental fleet expansion in the health and education sectors in the UK. The business also reports a steady performance in its permanent offsite division. In its latest set of consolidated accounts McAvoy’s revenues were c.£60m and also generating c.£5m EBITDA. For the period ending FY24 the business is on track to achieve revenues in excess of £70m, primarily driven by investment in the fleet and further success in the temporary segment. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
East of England construction firm R G Carter is celebrating after completing a state-of-the-art commercial building at Parkside on the University of Essex’s Colchester Campus – the largest new office complex of its kind in the eastern region. Located on the Knowledge Gateway Research and Technology Park, the 41,571 sq. ft. office complex, which is already 25% let, offers a host of new possibilities for businesses seeking top quality workspace and advanced facilities. Ewan Dodds of Whybrow, joint agent for Parkside with Carter Jonas, commented that the development was the largest speculative office building in the eastern region and features many unique qualities. “Parkside represents the pinnacle of modern architecture and business innovation, offering a range of flexible spaces to suit diverse business needs, from single suites from 2,000sq. ft to single floors of just under 11,0000sq. ft.” Ben Le Coq of Carter Jonas added: “The strategic location near major transport links like London Stansted Airport and major regional cities positions Parkside as an ideal hub for businesses targeting regional expansion from a high quality and energy efficient building.” James Wilson, Director and General Manager at R G Carter, the main contractor for the new building, said: “We are delighted to have worked in partnership with the University of Essex to deliver this exciting flexible office development on its ever-growing campus. We look forward to seeing the positive impact the completed project will now have in supporting future business and wider economic growth in the county.” University Registrar Bryn Morris said: “This is a stunning landmark building which will provide a fantastic base for companies keen to move onto our Knowledge Gateway research and technology park and join our thriving business community. “The completion of the building also marks an exciting new era for the Knowledge Gateway. From this spring the ground floor will be home to our Public Health and Wellbeing Hub, which will deliver new services for the public in partnership with the NHS, drive forward our research agenda and offer fantastic new training opportunities.” The new office complex is not only equipped with premium amenities, including 24-hour CCTV, advanced air conditioning systems, passenger lifts, and showers, but it also proudly boasts a ‘very good’ BREEAM rating and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A. BREEAM, which stands for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method, is a leading global sustainability assessment method for master planning projects, infrastructure, and buildings. While an EPC is a document that rates the energy efficiency of a building on a scale of A to G, with A being the highest possible score. These ratings underscores Parkside’s commitment to environmental performance, making it an ideal choice for businesses invested in sustainability. In addition, Parkside offers an optional concierge service, on-site parking, and access to an outstanding-rated children’s nursery. It is also on the doorstep of the 18th century Wivenhoe House Hotel, which offers an ideal environment for business dining or accommodation. For further information about Parkside and the Knowledge Gateway, visit www.knowledge-gateway.co.uk For more on R G Carter, visit www.rgcarter-construction.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GMI Construction Group has been appointed principal contractor to deliver the North East’s first Dakota Hotel. The luxury 118 room boutique hotel will transform the vacant St Anne’s Wharf at 112 Quayside, which fronts onto the River Tyne, and is scheduled for completion in Spring 2025 The development will generate 150 new jobs and provide an additional 65,000 visitor nights per year, creating an estimated £1.5m boost to the local economy. The contract win sees GMI Construction Group continue its strong relationship with the lifestyle luxury brand – having previously completed three Dakota Hotels in Manchester, Leeds, and Glasgow. The UK hotel chain, which also has hotels in Edinburgh and Motherwell, regularly welcomes celebrity guests. The contemporary hotel will retain much of the building’s current features and details, complementing its architectural heritage, while a new-look entrance lobby, reception and signature ground floor Bar & Grill. An existing courtyard at the front of the Quayside property will be reconfigured to provide a vehicle drop off area, while the first floor will feature bedroom terraces. In addition, PV panels and Air Source Heat Pumps will be installed to provide renewable energy. The building previously held a number of tenants, including law firm Womble Bond Dickinson. It had been based on the Quayside since 1998 until relocating its 400 staff into the Spark building at Newcastle Helix. Gary Oates, GMI’s Regional Director, said: “We are delighted that GMI has once again been chosen as principal contractor to deliver what will be our fourth Dakota development, and the first in the North East of England. “This project will regenerate and upgrade what has been a vacant landmark building, transforming it into a deluxe hospitality venue that will further bolster Newcastle’s national reputation as a destination city.” Marc Banks, Evans Property Group said, “We are incredibly proud to be delivering another synonymous for style and impeccable service, into the heart of Newcastle’s famous and bustling Quayside.” “Our commitment is to create not just a building, but a luxury hotel that encapsulates the city’s dynamic spirit, setting new standards in style and contemporary hospitality excellence”. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Specialist UK Development Manager, Bankfoot APAM, has appointed Beard Construction as the Main Contractor for the transformative £24.5M redevelopment of Bristol’s One Friary building. This flagship project is being delivered on behalf of Britannia Invest A/S and is set to commence in April 2024. Once complete, it will provide 80,000 sq. ft. of best-in-class office accommodation in the heart of Temple Quay. One Friary, a well-established office building situated opposite Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station, will undergo a comprehensive redevelopment, adding three new floors on top of the existing structure and introducing a new high-performance GRC façade. Beard Construction, who are a leading regional contractor, have been appointed as Main Contractor to deliver the project. Chris Moore, Managing Director of Bankfoot APAM, emphasised the company’s commitment to modern, flexible and sustainable workspace, stating, “One Friary is a prime example of our dedication to delivering sustainable workplaces, with One Friary in Bristol being one of a number of highly sustainable development schemes being delivered across the UK. We are hugely excited about the project and we believe it will be one of the best buildings to work in Bristol once finished.” Matt Cooper, Beard’s Bristol Director, said “This exciting flagship project puts sustainability front and centre – the carbon savings through the reuse of the building’s existing structural frame will be significant. Drawing upon our extensive track record in sustainable redevelopment and our modern construction management skills, we are perfectly placed to deliver this project with Bankfoot APAM.” The redevelopment focuses on maximising sustainability by reusing 99.5 per cent of One Friary’s existing structural frame, supporting Bankfoot APAM’s ethos of delivering sustainable, forward-thinking real estate solutions for the next generation of working environments. Patrick Vincent, Senior Development Manager for Bankfoot APAM, outlined their methodology, “We aim to reuse as much of these existing buildings as allows, future-proofing the underlying asset while aligning them to a forward-facing investment strategy. This work happens at every stage of the project and is a key factor when it comes to creating long-term successful outcomes. Once redeveloped, One Friary will offer grade-A office space and premium amenities, including a roof terrace and high-quality end-of-journey facilities.” The project is set to achieve BREEAM Excellence, as well as NABERS and WELL certification evidencing Bankfoot APAM’s commitment to creating environmentally conscious and occupant-friendly spaces. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A stray cat seen wandering the Hitchin streets is now living it up in a bijou property designed and built by an award-winning construction company. The open-plan home, built over one level, has access to all local amenities with regular food deliveries and a constant supply of fresh water. Nick Claessen, Senior Operations Manager, of Willmott Dixon, enlisted the help of his wife and children to create the Grand Design for Wilbury, named after the name of the street where the home is located. He said: “Wilbury turned up around our office a couple of years ago. We assumed he was a stray as he was always hanging around. “This year, the winter seems to have been particularly cold, and we started to feel sorry for Wilbury that he didn’t have somewhere warm to hunker down and be protected from the elements.” Nick picked up discarded materials from site, had it cut to size and took it home where he worked with his family to build and paint the home from home. “A number of our people took on responsibility for feeding him and worming him and he obviously decided he liked it round here. His little house has become quite a talking point for everyone.” Willmott Dixon, which won a King’s Award for Enterprise last year, puts social value at the heart of its business. “Community is so important to us, and I think we have shown that it’s not just the humans that matter. It may seem a small thing, but it shows the kind of company we have.” And as a pawnote, the Willmott Dixon team has confirmed that Wilbury has now found an even cosier foster home and is looking forward to a purrfect happy ending. For more information on Willmott Dixon, click here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, Balfour Beatty has featured on TalkTV and in Construction News, outlining the multitude of benefits Apprenticeships bring to businesses and individuals, the importance of industry collaboration, and the rewarding career opportunities the construction and infrastructure sector offers. During the live TalkTV broadcast, Ryan Mayor, Early Careers Development Manager and Jalilah Chesshire, former Balfour Beatty Apprentice and current Assistant Quantity Surveyor, sat down with Presenter Ian Collins. Ryan explained: “It’s been transformational for Balfour Beatty. We’ve brought Apprentices into our business for many decades now and it’s absolutely critical. We are developing that skilled workforce for the future and without the Apprentices, we wouldn’t be able to have the presence on some of the projects we do have.” Ryan Mayor was also featured in Construction News discussing why collaboration is so crucial in addressing the skills gap in the infrastructure and construction industry. Commenting, Ryan said: “As we navigate the successes and challenges, we must collectively commit to improving our Apprenticeship programmes. By embracing innovation, fostering collaboration, and engaging with students early, we can create an Apprenticeship environment that not only meets current industry demands but also sets the stage for the future.” Balfour Beatty is committed to attracting the next generation of talent, with 6.5% of the company’s UK workforce made up of Apprentices, Graduates, Trainees and Sponsored Students as part of its membership of The 5% Club – a dynamic movement of employers committed to providing ‘Earn & Learn’ positions. To watch the Talk TV interview, click here. Balfour Beatty is live from 44:50. Or read the Construction News article in full, here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
‘Safety, Quality, Value and Production’, were the watchwords of Jim McPhillips, founder of McPhillips Wellington, words that continue to underscore the work of the company today as it celebrates sixty years of trading in 2024. In the beginning it was all about digging footings and drainage for local house builders. This was followed by expansion during the 1980’s into larger industrial buildings for businesses moving into Telford. Further expansion saw complex civil engineering projects bearing the name of McPhillips on site banners. Today McPhillips provides industry leading design, construction and development to the residential infrastructure, public civil engineering and building sectors throughout the Midlands, North West England and Wales. This diverse experience of civil engineering and building contracts provides a unique ‘single source’ solution. McPhillips have always been based in Shropshire, the firm moved to its current purpose built headquarters at Hortonwood, Telford in 1989. Over the decades McPhillips has recognised the value to the business of directly employing its workforce. In contrast to a growing industry trend for subcontracting on a project by project basis, McPhillips employs over 240 personnel including a 170 strong in-house workforce for on-site labour, eighty percent of whom live within 20 miles of Head Office in Telford. Over 20% of McPhillips’s direct workforce began life as apprentices. Every year a fresh intake of apprentices are placed into suitable teams, each fulfilling genuine roles within the company, they receive a competitive wage whilst also studying towards an NVQ Level 2 in Construction Operations at Telford college. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
An award-winning construction company has been appointed to deliver a £31million building project at a school which was founded more than 157 years before the Great Fire of London in 1666. St Paul’s School, which is located on a 45-acre site adjacent to the River Thames in Barnes, West London, has awarded Gilbert-Ash the contract to construct a new junior school along with playgrounds and associated landscaping works. The project will consist of two new buildings. Junior School West will be a three-storey building housing a teaching block and changing facilities while Junior School East will be a two-storey facility comprising a teaching block and double height hall. The Junior School West building forms the central ‘heart’ space of the school. It will provide generous multi-functional exhibition space, surrounded by teaching spaces to encourage high levels of social interaction between pupils and staff. The Junior School East building will be linked to the West building by a covered external play space named ‘The Barn’. Gilbert-Ash Managing Director, Ray Hutchinson, said the company is delighted to be taking on such a prestigious project and to be teaming up once again with Hawkins\Brown Architects. He said: “St Paul’s School is steeped in history and has been providing first class education for boys for hundreds of years. This project will ensure this legacy continues in Barnes for generations to come. “Gilbert-Ash has a growing reputation for delivering excellent projects in the education sector, with many of these in partnership with the team at Hawkins\Brown. “Together we have delivered stand-out projects at both City of London Freemen’s School, Central Foundation Boys’ School and The Bartlett School of Architecture. “We are looking forward to once again working in collaboration with Hawkins\Brown, St Paul’s School and of course the other teams on this exciting project.” Targeting a BREEAM rating of excellent, the new buildings will be heated with air source heat pumps with photovoltaic panels on the roof which will also house a green roof system. External drainage incorporates storm and foul water diversion, porous surface overflow pipework and a rain garden. Interior fit-out plans include acoustic wall panels and slatted timber acoustic panels and lining, while flooring will vary from engineered hard wood flooring, linoleum and carpeted areas. Soft landscaping will include shrub herbaceous planting, hedge planting and grassland meadow, in addition to a rain garden. Hard landscaping will include linear concrete block paving, permeable black and coloured tarmac, permeable resin bound aggregate, play bark and a hybrid turf system, in addition to insitu rubber safety surfaces. School life will continue during the construction period, which is due to complete in autumn 2025, with pupils and staff decanted to temporary accommodation. The school was founded in 1509 by John Colet, the Dean of St Paul’s. Its governance was entrusted to the fellowship of the Mercers of London, the Premier Guild of the City of London, to act as governors of the new school. Following the great fire of London in 1666, St Paul’s School moved location four times before settling in 1968 at the present site at Barnes where it provides education for around 1,000 boys from the ages of 4-18 years old. Its initial renewal campaign was successfully achieved with the redevelopment of on-site buildings between 2011-2019. In 2014, the construction of the new drama centre and Samuel Pepys Theatre was completed, in addition to a general teaching building, dining hall and library build completed in 2020. The majority of previous work has been focused on the senior school, with current works seeking to redevelop and provide new facilities for the junior school. Gilbert-Ash has a unique approach to construction, fit-out and refurbishment based on the belief that great buildings come about through hard work, inspired innovation and genuine collaboration. To find out more about Gilbert-Ash visit www.gilbert-ash.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
