The Port of London Authority’s fist port infrastructure meeting has taken place and was attended by The Shipping Minister, John Hayes MP and Val Shawcross, the deputy mayor of London for Transport. There were also 30 different business leaders that attended the meeting which discussed the road, rail, river and
The CBI is a Construction Council that is made up of 35 Chief Executives from across the sector. The Council has asked a group labelled as future leaders within the construction industry to create some recommendations that will help with collaboration and digitisation of the sector. The future leaders group
In an industry that is forever changing and adapting, it can sometimes be hard to stay on top of all the latest construction and mining news. If we consider how far we have come since the days where we would have to do all the work machines do today by
The North Kent Enterprise zone was announced in the Autumn Statement in November 2015 by Chancellor of the Exchequer. The plans were for 26 new or extended enterprise zones to be added to the 24 zones that were created in 2012. These Enterprise Zones are thought to be a key
BAM Construct UK has announced that they have a new charity partner. The construction company has teamed up with CLIC Sargent, the children’s cancer support charity. Bam has also pledged to raise £100,000 for the charity over the next two years. The money that is raised by the construction company
Nicola Yates OBE has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Future Cities Catapult. Yates will begin her role on the 22nd May 2017. Future Cities Catapult is a company that works to expand companies in order to improve cities. The company aims to allow other businesses, universities and
Rotherham Council has given the go ahead for a Gulliver’s family theme park. It is thought that the development in South Yorkshire has been given planning permission by the council last month. Apparently the councilors on the Planning Board were unanimous in the decision to grant planning permission for the
The fourth office building for one of Europe’s largest commercial developments has received planning approval. The development is being carried out as a joint project between Lendlease and LCR, both of whom are joint partners of International Quarter London. The building has been designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners,
The world-leading modified wood, Accoya has been included in the development of two new build properties located in the South of England. The wood has been used in bespoke joinery products that have been delivered for the two properties. The first new build property in question is located in Berkshire
Novus Property solutions has announced that they will be undertaking a new project that will see the creation of a new apprentice training centre at The JCB Academy, located in Staffordshire. The national property maintenance, refurbishment and new build contractor has embarked on the development of this bran-new facility which
The Port of London Authority’s fist port infrastructure meeting has taken place and was attended by The Shipping Minister, John Hayes MP and Val Shawcross, the deputy mayor of London for Transport. There were also 30 different business leaders that attended the meeting which discussed the road, rail, river and crossings work that needs to go ahead in order to unlock the growth that has been forecasted for the Port over the course of the next 20 years. This forecast for the Port of London has come from the Thames Vision scheme which could lead to an increase of trade in the area. It is thought that the scheme allows for the potential for 30 million tonnes of trade to take place. This growth would mean that the trade in the port would increase to 80 million tonnes. This growth is a continuation on last year, where the port saw their trade increase by 10%. The infrastructure event was hosted by Thurrock MP and Jackie Doyle Price. The guests that were invited to the meeting included a number of different representatives for ports and terminals that can bring aggregates, fuel and food in to the Thames. There were also local authorities represented at the event including Kent County Council, Thurrock, the London Borough of Dagenham & Redbridge, Royal Borough of Greenwich and Gravesham Borough Council. The UK economy is boosted by ports, therefore developing them will help the economy thrive. The plans to make improvements to the road, rail and river transport will improve connections between the port and the markets, which will also provide a welcome boost to this sector. A Port Connectivity Study has also been set u which will look in to the different ways to develop the transport links in the area in order to support the economic growth of this sector over the next 10 years.
The CBI is a Construction Council that is made up of 35 Chief Executives from across the sector. The Council has asked a group labelled as future leaders within the construction industry to create some recommendations that will help with collaboration and digitisation of the sector. The future leaders group that has been asked to compile these recommendations come from a range of different companies including BAM Nuttall, Carillion, Henry Boot, Kier Group, J Murphy & Sons, Mott Macdonald, NG Bailey, Pinsent Masons, Wates, Ryder Architecture and Saint Gobain. The group of future leaders will report to the CBI Construction Council in November with their recommendations that will hopefully see the industry adapt in preparation for the future. The Future leaders group is comprised of 18 individuals that have been marked as rising stars. The members of this council are all under the age of 35 and come companies at different parts of the supply chain as well as from a variety of different size businesses. The range of different sectors involved in making the recommendations should mean that the ideas put forward to the CBI will benefit companies across the supply chain. It is thought that bringing potential future leaders of the construction industry together will help to develop ideas from a fresher perspective. This will help the industry push forward the industry and lead to the development of solutions that are efficient in to the future. Thinking of new ideas will also help the construction sector manage with the aims set out by the Government to update infrastructure, as well as housing, roads, rail and nuclear. The Future Leaders Group ideas will complement the work that is done by the CBI Construction Council. This Construction Council works to promote the construction sector and help the Government in order to allow the industry to thrive and progress.
In an industry that is forever changing and adapting, it can sometimes be hard to stay on top of all the latest construction and mining news. If we consider how far we have come since the days where we would have to do all the work machines do today by hand, the significance of knowing about and understanding the latest developments is truly highlighted. The following news has been collated from happenings across the globe, which also shows the wide-reaching and global significance of this industry and why it is so important to remain knowledgeable about the developments taking place within it. Drone Adaptation The power of drones has yet to reach its full potential and this is made all the more evident in the fact that drones are now being adapted to be used in the mining and agriculture. Drones essentially are being programmed to offer more advanced solution to problems on construction sites, mines and quarries. From a safety point of view, drones could also be really beneficial with minimising the risks faced by construction workers on a daily basis, something which is very much welcomed. EW60E Wheeled Excavator Introduced Volvo has just debuted its latest EW60E wheeled excavator that not only offers increased efficiency but also a smaller engine. This development has proven to be very popular with the construction industry who are always looking ahead to make the work they do more efficient. The excavator even features a number of attachments such as a hydraulic coupler and is compatible with other hydraulic breakers. Sand Prices on the Rise According to the reports of certain construction stakeholders, there has been concern with regards to the fact that the price of sand needed for construction work has increased considerably in recent months in Asia. This has also coincided with the fact that other raw materials are also seeing an increase in price which is hitting the industry badly in the fact as it now cost more to extract the materials and transport them too. With sand and gravel being the most extracted material in the world, the problem of expensive sand is likely to have a significant impact on the rest of the construction industry, globally. Women in Construction The Mining Journal has recently reported on the increase in the number of women learning about construction in the form of electricity, welding and woodwork. While this is not directly related to mining, it is significant in the fact that it suggests that more women are being encouraged to take on careers that would have previously been considered to be male dominated. Through encouraging the younger generation to see construction as not just offering career opportunities for one gender, this is likely to have a significant impact on the future of construction and related industries. The future of the mining and construction industries is beginning to shift and this is significant in the fact that it is pioneering the change of challenging gender roles in the workplace.
The North Kent Enterprise zone was announced in the Autumn Statement in November 2015 by Chancellor of the Exchequer. The plans were for 26 new or extended enterprise zones to be added to the 24 zones that were created in 2012. These Enterprise Zones are thought to be a key part of the strategy laid out by the government to create local area growth in a number of different areas around the country. The North Kent Enterprise Zone has gone live, which will give financial incentives for businesses that relocate there. The Enterprise Zones are offering benefits including business rate discounts that could be worth anything up to £55,000 for 5 years. The plan is that the uplift generated by the business rates will be retained by their local authorities in order to allow them to invest it locally in economic growth. The funds will be retained by the authorities for 25 years, which should allow them to get the best investment possible from the uplift. The North Kent Enterprise Zone was expected to begin on the 1st April. It is thought that the new Enterprise Zone will create growth in the local area and also lead to more jobs being generated. The business rates discounts will be available to those who move to the Enterprise Zone by 31st March 2022. There are three different schemes that make up the North Kent Enterprise Zone: Ebbsfleet Garden City, Kent Medical Campus and Rochester Airport Technology Park. The Enterprise Zones are already in progress, and it is thought that the first tenants at the Zones will be welcomed at some point next year. The Local Growth Minister, Andrew Percy has said that their plans for these Enterprise Zones is to stimulate business growth by providing the right environment for them. These Enterprise Zones are intended in order to strengthen the British economy. It is thought that the Enterprise Zones will be a strong platform for businesses to expand and develop.
BAM Construct UK has announced that they have a new charity partner. The construction company has teamed up with CLIC Sargent, the children’s cancer support charity. Bam has also pledged to raise £100,000 for the charity over the next two years. The money that is raised by the construction company will mean that more children and young people that have cancer are able to thrive instead of survive during and after their treatment. The team at BAM Construct have chosen CLIC Sargent as their new charity after inviting a number of different charities to pitch for the position of their new charity partner. The pledge by Bam to raise £100,000 could mean that CLIC Sargent would be able to provider more than 4,000 hours of support for the young cancer patients as well as offering support for their families. CLIC Sargent’s team of nurses, social workers and frontline medical staff based around the UK fight to reduce the impact cancer causes areas beyond the child or young person’s health by looking to reduce disruption in areas such as education, social life, finances and future prospects. BAM Construct will be carrying out employee fundraising activities in order to raise funds to meet the target that they have set. On top of this there will also be opportunities for members of the BAM team to volunteer at the CLIC Sargent ‘Homes from Home’ facilities. These are houses that are close to specialist treatment hospitals around the UK and are offered as free accommodation to the families when they child is undergoing treatment. The charity has welcomed the support offered by their position as charity partner for Bam Construct UK, and it is hoped that the money raised by the construction company will make a significant difference to the patients that are helped by CLIC Sargent.
Nicola Yates OBE has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Future Cities Catapult. Yates will begin her role on the 22nd May 2017. Future Cities Catapult is a company that works to expand companies in order to improve cities. The company aims to allow other businesses, universities and city leaders the opportunity to work together to find solutions for their cities now and in the future. Future Cities Catapult has an Urban Innovation Centre in London where they offer their world class facilities and expertise in order to offer support in order for new products and services to be developed. The facility also offers an environment for collaboration and space to test different ideas and improve on business model plans. Nicola Yates has worked within the sector of urban regeneration over the past 10 years. Nicola Yates has been known as a leading thinker and practitioner in her previous roles. Nicola has also held the position of CEO before her appointment at Future Cities Catapult. Those previous positions of CEO were at Bristol City and Hull City Councils as well as North Shropshire District Council. Nicola Yates has been part of the successful Bristol Is Open campaign that took place in 2014 in which she worked with Nokia, NEC and Interdigital Ltd. Hopefully Nicola will be equally as successful in her new position. Also during Nicola’s time in her position at Bristol City Council the city was awarded with the European Green Capital 2015 by the European Commission. The UK City Index also named Bristol the leading smart city outside London during Nicola’s time there as well as being nominated by the Sunday Times as the ‘Best Place to Live’ in England in 2016. Future Cities is recognised around the world as a centre for urban innovation excellence. The current CEO, Peter Madden OBE will be on hand to support Nicola Yates as she transitions in tot the role, and will also stay on hand for 12 months in a part time ambassador role in order to allow for continuity during the change.
Rotherham Council has given the go ahead for a Gulliver’s family theme park. It is thought that the development in South Yorkshire has been given planning permission by the council last month. Apparently the councilors on the Planning Board were unanimous in the decision to grant planning permission for the park. The theme park is expected to be built on a 250-acre site that was formerly the location for the Pithouse West colliery. This development in the Rother Valley is expected to boost the local economy and should also provide jobs. The planning permission was granted to the theme park company after a 21-day period which allowed time for the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government, Sajid Javid MP to call-in the decision. The multi-million pound project will develop their fourth Gulliver’s theme park in the UK in Rotherham and this development is expected to create hundreds of jobs. It is thought that the new Gulliver’s theme park will combine the best aspects of the other three sites at Warrington, Matlock Bath and Milton Keynes. The company has worked closely with the council as well as Highways England and other parties for the past two years in order to make sure they had the best chance of getting planning approval for their new park while making sure that the development will not negatively impact the local access routes. Work has also gone into making sure there is a reduced visual impact from some of the park’s larger attractions. The council first agreed to sell the land to Gulliver’s in 2015. It is thought that Gulliver’s Valley will be a great facility for families in the local area as well as providing a boost to the local economy by attracting visitors from further afield. The new theme park is expected to be developed in a way that will complement the activities that already exit at the Rother Valley Country Park.
The fourth office building for one of Europe’s largest commercial developments has received planning approval. The development is being carried out as a joint project between Lendlease and LCR, both of whom are joint partners of International Quarter London. The building has been designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, architects that are acclaimed around the world. The building is expected to create 280,000 sq. ft. of new workspace spread out over 10 storeys. The plans are a development on the work already being carried out in the International Quarter London. The Quarter will welcome Transport for London, the first commercial tenant of the new construction. Transport for London will move in to the new major office in September. The International Quarter London is a development that is being carried out by Lendlease and LCR. The Quarter has been developed in Stratford, and is at the heart of the largest urban regeneration in Europe. The project is expected to create four million sq. ft. of A Grade office space as well as 333 new homes and other community facilities all inside a 22-acre site. It is thought that the new development will become the new location for progressive business. It is thought that the site will attract a lot of attention because of the plentiful amount of green space as well as the connection to some of the most forward-thinking institutions in the world as well as excellent transport connections. The first two residential towers are expected to be finished for May 2017 and one million sq. ft. of the office space has already been pre-let. The International Quarter London will act as a gateway to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and will be able to aces a high standard of infrastructure such as transport links. It is thought that once completed the International Quarter will be occupied by more than 25,000 employees every day.
The world-leading modified wood, Accoya has been included in the development of two new build properties located in the South of England. The wood has been used in bespoke joinery products that have been delivered for the two properties. The first new build property in question is located in Berkshire and has been designed with striking exterior doors that have been made using this Accoya wood as part of the joinery package. Accoya was selected in this case as an ideal wood which has been used in this project because of the insulating properties of the wood as well as dimensional stability. The modified wood has a 50 year guarantee and has an aesthetic finish that it was agreed by both the architects and the owners of the property thought would be perfect in order to fit in with the overall exterior of the building. As for the second new home, the development used Accoya as a material for both the exterior doors and frames. This new home has been built in Winchester and the house includes tailor made bi-folding doors as well as French doors in to the property. It is thought that the insulating properties of this modified wood would make it the best option for being able to withstand the changeable weather in the UK. The modified material was included in these two properties was provided by SB Joinery, who believe that Accoya is the best product for both of these construction cases. The company are certified users of Accoya and a large selection of their products are made using the modified wood. The business recommends Accoya timber for use in windows doors and other external applications because it is so durable. The windows and doors that are made using this wood can stay in a very high level of condition as well as needing very little maintenance.
Novus Property solutions has announced that they will be undertaking a new project that will see the creation of a new apprentice training centre at The JCB Academy, located in Staffordshire. The national property maintenance, refurbishment and new build contractor has embarked on the development of this bran-new facility which will offer space for a school for those students that have an interest in both engineering and business. The JCB Academy intends to develop future engineers and business leaders by teaching the students to apply their learning to practical solutions. There has been an investment of £1.2 million that will go towards the new Apprentice Training Centre which will sit on the site of the old Dove First School, which is in Rochester. This work will be significant for the continued expansion of the company’s apprenticeship programme. The project is forecast to last 15 weeks which means that it is expected to be completed in late May 2017. Novus Property Solutions will be involved through the construction of the new 687 sq. m. facility that will be used to train apprentices in a variety of different disciplines when the project is completed. The team on site will work to completely refurbish the single storey school building that is already standing and will remodel it in order to create a new internal layout. The work will also be in line with the requirements of a modern learning environment. As well as this interior refurbishment, Novus will be working to build a new section that will be added to the front elevation. This extension will increase the footprint of the building and also provide a space that will be used as a new entranceway as well as being able to provide the Academy’s students with a social space to relax it. The new training centre will add to the other great facilities that The JCB Academy has as well as allowing the space for the latest equipment and technology. These new facilities will provide the capabilities to educate students in the area of metrology, systems and mechatronics in a higher level of detail.
