A successful event at Castle Meadow Campus hosted by G F Tomlinson and Henry Brothers Construction provided an opportunity for Fbe and ProCon members and guests to look at the new University of Nottingham city centre redevelopment site. The collaborative event was held at the Grade II Listed site where
One of the largest privately-owned contractors in the North of England has posted a 50 per cent increase in pre-tax profit for 2023 as its robust business model continues to yield results. While the construction industry continued to wrestle with a range of challenges during the year, Esh Group reported
Beard, an award-winning contractor in the south of England, has announced the promotion of Paula Baleson to social value manager. In the newly-created position, Paula will take the lead in defining a new company-wide strategy and provide support to a team of social value coordinators, ensuring Beard’s work and actions
Hull based construction firm, Hobson & Porter has achieved international certification through the British Standards Institute (BSI) for occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS), which underscores the company’s dedication to creating a safe and healthy work environment for all employees and stakeholders. The company has secured the ISO 45001
Bender UK, a leader in smart, safer, and sustainable energy solutions, today announces a strategic partnership with Morgan Sindall, one of the UK’s leading construction and regeneration contractors. This landmark agreement marks the start of a significant collaboration between the two industry leaders that will enhance infrastructure and future-proof investment
DOMIS, one of the UK’s fastest-growing national construction companies, has announced the retirement of its Co-Founder and Managing Director, Lee McCarren, after seven years of service. Kingsley Thornton, currently Director at Domis, becomes Managing Director of the business with immediate effect. With Kingsley’s help, Lee McCarren has steered Domis’s fast
THREE industry heavyweights have joined the senior team at Miller Knight, one of the fastest-growing construction companies in the East Midlands. Previously long-serving senior directors at Derbyshire-headquartered G F Tomlinson, Chris Flint, Andrew Foster and Jamie Braybrook, have moved across to Miller Knight to add significant strength and expertise to
A brand new £10m care home in Haxby, approximately four miles north of York city centre, is now open and has welcomed its first residents after Yorkshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter, completed work on the development. Haxby Hall offers 63 en-suite bedrooms alongside first-class amenities and has been developed
GMI Construction Group has completed the topping out of the £42m innovative lab and workspace offering Citylabs 4.0, located within Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust’s (MFT) Oxford Road Campus. To celebrate the milestone, Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, hosted a
RED Construction Group, the specialist main contractor, has announced its appointment to complete the works on Alumno Group’s Hollis Wharf, the former Jubilee Centre, Bath. RED’s South West division is set to carry out the £13m mixed-use development, creating purpose-built student accommodation and commercial space. Designed by AWW Architects for
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
A successful event at Castle Meadow Campus hosted by G F Tomlinson and Henry Brothers Construction provided an opportunity for Fbe and ProCon members and guests to look at the new University of Nottingham city centre redevelopment site. The collaborative event was held at the Grade II Listed site where current works include the transformation of the former HMRC headquarters – the Central Building being delivered by G F Tomlinson, and the remodelling of Buildings D and F, by Henry Brothers, into modern office spaces. Encompassing seven buildings, the complete redevelopment is set to establish the Castle Meadow Campus as a vibrant hub for innovation and entrepreneurship, featuring state-of-the-art facilities for its community of students, academics, and industry partners. 60 members of the Fbe (Forum for the Built Environment) East Midlands and ProCon Nottinghamshire – both of which are professional regional construction and property groups – attended the event, and were treated to a morning of insightful presentations, networking opportunities and firsthand experiences of the ongoing redevelopment works. While enjoying breakfast sandwiches and hot refreshments, representatives from the University of Nottingham, Arup, and Bond Bryan provided detailed site plans, offering a comprehensive overview of the campus scope and objectives. Visitors were given guided tours of the current works by G F Tomlinson and Henry Brothers, providing a unique insight into the intricate renovation processes. A highlight of the event was the demonstration of the large-scale Projection Augmented Relief Model (PARM) by Dr. Gary Priestnall from the University’s School of Geography. The interactive 3D model of Nottingham city centre showcased the innovative use of digital and data tools in urban planning and development. Led by Director, Prof. Paul Grainge, University of Nottingham, ‘City as Lab’ also presented work on leveraging digital and data innovation to address real-world challenges in the Nottingham city region, emphasising the role of the campus as a catalyst for technological advancement and community engagement. G F Tomlinson, a longstanding partner of the University of Nottingham, is leading the refurbishment of the Central Building, including the complex replacement of the tensile fabric roof and the addition of a new mezzanine level, designed to enhance the building’s functionality and sustainability. Adrian Grocock, Managing Director of G F Tomlinson, said: “The event at Castle Meadow Campus was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the extensive work being done to transform the Central Building. “We were delighted to share our progress with the community and our industry peers and we are extremely proud to contribute our expertise to such a landmark project. “We have a long-standing working relationship with the University of Nottingham, with this being our 8th scheme working together. It is a real pleasure to combine our university and heritage experience to help the university to deliver another world class facility.” Henry Brothers Construction, alongside a consortium of leading industry experts, is nearing completion of the remodelling works on Buildings D and F. Managing Director of Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Construction Ian Taylor said: “The Castle Meadow Campus is a hugely exciting project for the University of Nottingham and for the city as a whole and we are proud to be playing a part in it. “Henry Brothers has extensive experience of working with universities across the Midlands to improve their facilities. This is our first contract with the University of Nottingham, and we are really pleased to see the partnership creating such fantastic new facilities in our home city. They will be a tremendous asset to the community, and we are honoured to have jointly hosted this event for our peers in the local construction and property sector.” James Hale, Building and Design Lead for Castle Meadow Campus, University of Nottingham, said: “We’re pleased to be working together with our partners on the Castle Meadow Campus development. The chance to welcome ProCon and Fbe members and guests to showcase the great work that’s already happening to transform the site was excellent. “We’re pleased that members and guests showed a keen interest in this historically significant site. With more work to come, we are determined to create an accessible and sustainable world-class campus environment.” The event underscored the importance of fostering partnerships in technological advancement and sustainable development. With the University of Nottingham, G F Tomlinson and Henry Brothers at the forefront, the Castle Meadow Campus is poised to make a lasting impact on the region. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
One of the largest privately-owned contractors in the North of England has posted a 50 per cent increase in pre-tax profit for 2023 as its robust business model continues to yield results. While the construction industry continued to wrestle with a range of challenges during the year, Esh Group reported pre-tax profits of £3.1 million, up from £2 million the previous year. The firm’s portfolio centres on work for local authorities, utility and environmental companies, registered affordable housing providers, as well as the private housing sector, and Chief Executive Andy Radcliffe is looking to the future with the largest forward order book in its 25-year history on the horizon. He said: “Our strategically designed business model stands out for its inbuilt resilience. At its core is the ability to even out the peaks and troughs of the construction industry’s demand profile over the economic cycle – this design has proven a success and seen us through the challenging times that the industry has experienced over the last few years. “Our headline order book figure is substantial, and crucially it provides over 10 years of pipeline visibility for the group. Having invested heavily in capacity, resources and technology, we are equipped to execute our strategic growth plans and are actively seeking further opportunities within our core markets, and so expect to see both turnover growth and margin expansion over the coming years. Despite the broader economic picture demonstrating a degree of volatility, we remain optimistic about the future.” Esh Group continued its focus on driving capital efficiency across all operations, leading to an increase in liquidity to £23 million, up £4 million from the previous year, whilst remaining debt free with nothing drawn on its £6 million credit line. Whilst turnover remained at £261 million, improvements in both its contracting and development performance resulted in the reported increase in pre-tax profits. Radcliffe added: “During the year, we concluded a wide range of projects that were heavily impacted by post-pandemic supply chain and inflationary pressures, which was no mean feat and a major milestone which gives rise to a more favourable back drop for 2024. These negative factors were more than offset by stronger performances on newer contracts, which were supported by considerable improvements in operational execution. “Coupled with the inflationary environment remaining relatively benign, we are continuing to see buoyancy in our target sectors. The desire to rebalance economic prosperity across the country is driving funding for major infrastructure and regeneration schemes, whilst the ongoing demand for new social housing stock and retrofitting of existing stock in line with decarbonisation targets has continued to fuel growth. “We are also confident that the core policy agendas for the new Government will provide a favourable back drop for our chosen market segments, and therefore see only positives for our business on the back of the election result.” Esh Group’s forward order book across its civil engineering, affordable housing, commercial build, and private housebuilding divisions has seen a remarkable increase in the year. The investment programmes for improving wastewater and flood management infrastructure have skyrocketed – the AMP 8 period will be the biggest programme of work the sector has seen – and Esh has secured its place on five capital delivery frameworks with Northumbrian Water Group and the Environment Agency. The 750-strong contractor has seen considerable market share growth within the affordable housing sector, most notably the Seaham Garden Village development where work has begun on the first phase of 750 affordable homes in partnership with Karbon Homes. The pivot towards increasing land led developments is also paying dividends, with Esh having the largest pipeline of this route-to-market since embarking on the strategy. In the private housing market, Esh’s private housebuilding division, Homes by Esh, is on course to nearly double its number of live developments in the North East before the end of 2024. Flagship schemes including the landmark restoration of the Tyne Bridge – one of the most complex and challenging engineering projects the North East has seen in recent years – and the ‘transformational’ Stockton Waterfront Urban Park feature in Esh’s civil engineering major projects portfolio. Radcliffe concluded: “We will strive to become the trusted expert for our clients, with a laser focus on quality, health and safety, dependability, and innovation, whilst continuing to deliver one of the most comprehensive social value offerings in the industry. “In April this year, we held an event which brought the whole group together to learn about our overarching strategy and divisional business plans. We did this because we are a business of many parts, specialities and expertise, and a key factor in delivering the next stage of our strategy is our team of highly skilled and dedicated colleagues, each of whom have a part to play in this exciting journey – and as always, we are enormously grateful to our valued clients and our loyal supply chains for their continued support.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Beard, an award-winning contractor in the south of England, has announced the promotion of Paula Baleson to social value manager. In the newly-created position, Paula will take the lead in defining a new company-wide strategy and provide support to a team of social value coordinators, ensuring Beard’s work and actions deliver wider social, economic and environmental benefits. One of her first duties has been developing the company’s new social value framework. This will set out social value targets for the business for 2030, and will be rolled out across Beard’s entire team and its five regional offices in the coming months. Paula joined Beard in 2022 as communications manager, having previously spent five years at building firm Midas Group. Having emigrated from South Africa in 2016, Paula joined Midas’s residential division, Mi-space, as business development and office coordinator, before moving into a central role as group marketing executive. She has also spent time as marketing communications manager for water solutions company SDS Limited. Across its 130-plus year history, Beard has been committed to social value through its sustainable construction, its charitable work and good relationships with the local communities in which it works. But social value is becoming both more formalised in the construction sector, and increasingly important from both an ethical and business perspective, with a growing number of tender opportunities, including Government contracts, now having social and environmental requirements. Beard’s social objectives and ambitions align well with the new Government’s agenda of supporting SMEs, increasing their spend with social enterprises and providing best value to customers. Alongside the introduction of the new Procurement Act in October this year – which is designed to make public procurement more accessible, efficient and beneficial for councils and suppliers – the Government has used its first King’s Speech to set out imminent plans to change planning regulations and increase infrastructure delivery. Speaking on her promotion, Paula Baleson said: “I am incredibly proud to be taking this next step in my career with Beard and taking on such an important role. While Beard’s community, environmental and charitable spirit has always been clearly visible, the focus this new role brings enables us to really strengthen our efforts, particularly as social value continues to play an even bigger part in the construction sector in the UK. “I’m hugely passionate about supporting everyone at Beard to create positive social, economic and environmental outcomes for local communities. The development of our social value framework will certainly help to facilitate this and I look forward to sharing this with all our colleagues, partners and customers very soon.” Mike Hedges, company operations director at Beard, added: “As a proud family-run firm, Beard has always been a business with social consciousness. Our ongoing commitment of adding value to the communities in which we work and taking care of the planet, highlights the broader benefits of our projects. Beyond constructing buildings, we focus on ensuring that every project lives on beyond its site boundaries, delivering meaningful value to the entire community. Paula is a fantastic fit to lead this initiative, and along with her talented team, will ensure our work and our actions have a clear social footprint and a lasting legacy.” Beard is a family-owned and run construction company based in Swindon, with a wealth of experience in both public and private sectors, including education, healthcare, sports, leisure and the arts. Alongside its head office in Swindon, Beard has regional offices in Bristol, Oxford, Guildford and Southampton. For more information, please visit www.beardconstruction.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hull based construction firm, Hobson & Porter has achieved international certification through the British Standards Institute (BSI) for occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS), which underscores the company’s dedication to creating a safe and healthy work environment for all employees and stakeholders. The company has secured the ISO 45001 standard, which is the world’s first international standard for managing OH&S risks and achieving the certification is a testament to Hobson & Porter’s unwavering commitment to health and safety. The accreditation process involved a comprehensive review of the company’s occupational health and safety policies, procedures and practices. This rigorous evaluation ensures that Hobson & Porter meets the highest standards of risk management, regulatory compliance and proactive health and safety measures. This is the third certification that Hobson & Porter has secured directly from BSI. In recent years the company has also achieved the world’s most recognised environmental management system, ISO 14001, as well as ISO 9001, which is the internationally recognised Quality Management System standard. David Blades, safety, health, environment and quality (SHEQ) director from Hobson & Porter, said: “We are incredibly proud to receive the ISO 45001 accreditation. This achievement reflects our continuous efforts to prioritise the well-being of our employees, clients and partners. By adhering to the highest standards of occupational health and safety, we aim to foster a culture of safety that permeates every aspect of our business. “Our entire SHEQ team worked hard to secure this accreditation and our commitment to excellence, attention to detail and persistent pursuit of safety have been instrumental in this accomplishment. “Crucially, when we combine ISO 45001 with our existing ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 accreditations, which have all been achieved directly through BSI’s own very demanding and robust audit process, it gives us full and proper integration, to a common assessment standard, across all management systems within our SHEQ team. “All this brings significant benefits to clients and partners, demonstrating our commitment to minimising workplace risks and continuously improving our health and safety performance. Clients can therefore be confident that Hobson & Porter’s projects are executed with the utmost regard for safety, quality and efficiency. It also goes way above what the law requires in many areas, meaning it’s something that we are all take great pride in.” Hobson & Porter, which employs a 120-strong team and is headquartered in Hull, is currently working on a wide range of projects across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire spanning the education, healthcare, housing, industrial and renewable energy sectors. This latest accreditation follows Hobson & Porter being presented with The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) President’s Award, after the company scooped gold awards for 11 consecutive years for its health and safety performance. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bender UK, a leader in smart, safer, and sustainable energy solutions, today announces a strategic partnership with Morgan Sindall, one of the UK’s leading construction and regeneration contractors. This landmark agreement marks the start of a significant collaboration between the two industry leaders that will enhance infrastructure and future-proof investment projects across the UK. Carl Fletcher, Group Sales Director of Bender UK, who was key in establishing this partnership, commented: “This collaboration with Morgan Sindall is a testament to our collective commitment to sustainability and innovation. “By integrating Bender’s expertise in developing smart and more sustainable solutions, we will optimise productivity, reliability, and efficiency in our partner’s infrastructure projects. “Together, we are not just preparing for the future, but actively predicting, preventing, and protecting investments in such critical industries.” The agreement will see Bender UK provide a comprehensive range of smarter and more sustainable services and products to Morgan Sindall’s group businesses, including construction and healthcare. This collaboration addresses today’s challenges while ensuring readiness for future developments. Morgan Sindall, known for its extensive experience across multiple sectors, will benefit from Bender UK’s cutting-edge technology and engineering solutions. The partnership aims to drive growth and propel innovation, ensuring high safety, reliability, and efficiency standards across all current and future projects. Bender UK’s pioneering expertise will now support Morgan Sindall’s efforts to create robust and efficient infrastructures that protect critical assets, optimise productivity, and deliver unmatched value to communities and businesses. Graham Edgell, Group Procurement Director of Morgan Sindall commented on the partnership: “Our alliance with Bender UK highlights our unwavering promise to deliver cutting-edge and sustainable projects. By collaborating, we best position ourselves to tackle current challenges while future-proofing against the challenges to come.” This strategic partnership represents a major step forward to delivering innovative and sustainable solutions to enhance the built environment and support long-term development goals. By working shoulder to shoulder, Bender UK and Morgan Sindall are formidably positioned to champion industry growth and innovation. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
DOMIS, one of the UK’s fastest-growing national construction companies, has announced the retirement of its Co-Founder and Managing Director, Lee McCarren, after seven years of service. Kingsley Thornton, currently Director at Domis, becomes Managing Director of the business with immediate effect. With Kingsley’s help, Lee McCarren has steered Domis’s fast growth since the company’s formation in 2017. To date, Domis has delivered over 5,000 new homes and a full portfolio of commercial spaces across dozens of schemes around the UK. Succession planning at Domis has been underway for some time. Kingsley Thornton is unanimously agreed by all members of the Board to be Lee’s natural successor to take Domis into its next phase of growth, supported by the mature, experienced management team that Lee has put in place. Lee McCarren comments: “It has been a huge honour to serve as Managing Director of Domis for seven years and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved as a team in that time. The time is, however, now right for me to think about life beyond Domis and enjoy what comes next for me and my family. The business couldn’t be in a better position and I am delighted to hand over the reins to Kingsley under whose stewardship I am certain Domis will continue to build inspiring new schemes and delight clients across the UK.” Kingsley Thornton comments: “Lee has been a fantastic leader, mentor and friend to me over the last few years and, speaking on behalf of all of the Domis team, we thank him for his commitment to building our business and pushing us to be ambitious and successful. Now as Managing Director of Domis, I am looking forward to taking the business forward into a new phase, building on the success Lee and I enjoyed together as we deliver more high-quality schemes in places around the UK where new homes are in shortest supply and highest demand.” Simon Ismail, Managing Director of Salboy, concludes: “Together with Fred Done, Salboy’s founder and biggest supporter, I want to thank Lee McCarren for the enormous contribution he has made not only to the Domis business but to the skylines of Manchester, Salford and many other cities across the UK. Lee has been a fantastic leader who has built a hugely capable and ambitious team at Domis who have a proven track record of executing to the highest standards on each and every scheme they take on. Kingsley has the Board’s full support and confidence to continue in Lee’s footsteps.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
THREE industry heavyweights have joined the senior team at Miller Knight, one of the fastest-growing construction companies in the East Midlands. Previously long-serving senior directors at Derbyshire-headquartered G F Tomlinson, Chris Flint, Andrew Foster and Jamie Braybrook, have moved across to Miller Knight to add significant strength and expertise to its structure. The trio will boost Miller Knight’s market share with ambitious plans to sustainably expand its service offerings within the regional construction market. Chris Flint, former MD at GFT, is Miller Knight’s new regeneration director. Andrew Foster has been made commercial director and Jamie Braybrook is chief estimator. Chris said: “The rise and rise of Miller Knight is something that excited me – and I wanted to be part of the company’s growth, helping to further support its expansion and capability. “After meeting Miller Knight chief executive David Dickson, and the other directors and visiting many of their current construction sites, I was not only impressed by how the business was set up – but also by the commitment of the staff and the company’s collaborative working approach.” A £24 million turnover market leading multi-discipline principal contractor formed two decades ago, Mansfield-headquartered Miller Knight is primarily known for its specialist divisions dedicated to remedial fire protection. The company has built its reputation, carrying out complex and sensitive regeneration and refurbishment projects across the UK for the public and private sectors, delivering substantial schemes across education, health, blue light and residential. Chris added: “It is clear to see that Miller Knight’s reputation is increasing and that this ambitious company has a team of directors who have a clear vision for the future and I very much wanted to be part of those plans. “I’m truly excited about using my experience and knowledge of the industry to support the company’s continued growth across both the public and private sectors.” The company has seen an exciting year on year growth for the past seven years with revenues set to double again for this upcoming financial year, with an order book reaching close to £50 million in turnover. David Dickson, chief executive, said: “Adding Chris, Andy and Jamie to our team was an exciting opportunity for us. They are extremely experienced, will be great people to work alongside and will only strengthen our capabilities. We feel honoured to be able to have the opportunity to work with them all and are really looking forward to watching them settle in and helping us to continue to grow. “To date, the company’s growth has been nothing short of extraordinary. We are taking our rightful place among some of the region’s biggest name firms and will no doubt become one of the fastest growing construction companies of 2024. “Businesses are all about people. Here at Miller Knight, we take pride in being a great place to work, we have a great culture, and we have built a fantastic team over the years – and that is the main driver behind our successes to date.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A brand new £10m care home in Haxby, approximately four miles north of York city centre, is now open and has welcomed its first residents after Yorkshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter, completed work on the development. Haxby Hall offers 63 en-suite bedrooms alongside first-class amenities and has been developed by Brough headquartered Yorkare, which now has 12 homes in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, with five more currently under construction. This latest development was the eighth project that Hobson & Porter has completed for Yorkare since 2015. Located in the heart of Haxby, close to all the town’s amenities, facilities at Haxby Hall include an in-house bar, restaurant standard dining rooms, full beauty salon and hairdressing suite, cinema and outdoor terraces on each floor. There are also large gardens and a bowling green for residents to enjoy. Nicola Anderson, marketing and community engagement manager from Yorkare, said: “We’re delighted to welcome our first residents into their new homes at Haxby Hall and everyone has been blown away by the facilities and overall quality that flows through the entire development. “Every bedroom is designed to be spacious with superb décor and exceptional interiors. All the ground-floor bedrooms have doors leading out to private patio areas and our premium suites have their own lounge areas and these are already proving popular with both couples and individuals. “Yorkare’s whole ethos is about combining safe and luxurious living environments alongside engaging social activities that are delivered by our dedicated care teams, activity co-ordinators and highly skilled chefs. Haxby Hall ticks all these boxes and more, and anyone wanting to find out about everything on offer should contact us now.” Mark Smee, from Hobson & Porter, said: “We’re very proud to complete our eighth project for Yorkare in less than 10 years. Every detail at Haxby Hall, from the grand water fountains in the landscaped gardens to the magnificent communal areas, has been impeccably designed and speaks volumes about the standard of the whole development. “It’s more akin to a five-star hotel than a care home and there’s no doubt it’s going to be a very special place for residents to live as they start the next chapter of their lives.” Haxby Hall sits next door to a local playground and is a short walk from a good range of amenities including a Co-op supermarket, Costa Coffee and Haxby Bakehouse. For more information about the development visit www.yorkarehomes.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
GMI Construction Group has completed the topping out of the £42m innovative lab and workspace offering Citylabs 4.0, located within Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust’s (MFT) Oxford Road Campus. To celebrate the milestone, Bruntwood SciTech, a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, hosted a morning interactive session with patients at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, followed by the official afternoon ceremony with local partners. Citylabs 4.0 is expected to achieve net zero carbon in construction and operation in its shared spaces and will be 100% electric. As a highly energy efficient building, it is targeted to be EPC A and include 208m2 of solar panels, enough to charge an average electric car approximately 1235 times. The building’s cladding system will be made from 75% recycled end-of-life aluminium (post-consumer scrap), meaning its content will have one of the smallest carbon dioxide footprints worldwide; seven times less than the global average for aluminium production. It is expected to be complete in Spring 2025. Once complete, the 125,000 sq ft, seven storey lab and workspace will offer world-leading, highly specialist space specifically designed to support companies working in precision medicine, including those in diagnostic, genomics, biotech, medtech, health-related AI and digital health. It will also bolster the existing Citylabs cluster, strengthening the internationally significant health innovation campus – a joint venture partnership between Bruntwood SciTech and MFT. GMI Construction Group is leading the build of the Sheppard Robson-designed development and local teams also working on the development include Arup, Hilson Moran, Gardiner and Theobald, and Layers. The development of Citylabs 4.0 is supported by a £32m senior loan from the North West Evergreen Fund, managed by CBRE’s Investment Advisory team, part of CBRE Capital Advisors. Citylabs 4.0, the third phase in the Citylabs masterplan, already home to more than 20 life science and healthcare businesses, and takes the campus from 192,000 sq. ft to 327,000 sq. ft, The topping out ceremony began at Citylabs 1.0, with guests walking through the MFT campus to the Citylabs 4.0 site, to get a true understanding of the scale and vibrancy of the existing cluster which sits at the heart of the largest clinical academic campus in Europe. Bruntwood SciTech also worked with Manchester Foundation Trust Charity to host a ‘skills sharing’ session with their Youth Zone situated within Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital which neighbours both Citylabs 2.0 and 4.0. Children and young people between 11 and 25, were given the opportunity to learn about the Citylabs campus and what a career in science or construction could look like. Dr Kath Mackay, Chief Scientific Officer for Bruntwood SciTech, said: “To date, the Citylabs campus has helped to support hundreds of specialist healthcare businesses that are changing the face of medical science across the UK and beyond. By creating a cluster of like-minded businesses all centred around one of the country’s most eminent teaching hospital Trusts, we have seen first-hand how the ability to collaborate and knowledge-share will drive forward innovations in medicine and healthcare.” Citylabs 4.0 incorporates infrastructure to accommodate containment level 2 (CL2) biology and chemistry labs and specialist equipment, including increased floor loading, enhanced cooling systems and ventilation provisions, and a large platform lift. Businesses that locate here will also benefit from 100GB superfast connectivity, shared breakout spaces, an internally secure cycle storage with showers and kit drying room and have access to the campus’ 150-person event space, multiple meeting rooms, cafes and supermarket. Anthony Judge, GMI Construction Group’s Regional Director, North West, said: “The topping out of Citylabs 4.0 marks a significant achievement for GMI and our delivery partners. This state-of-the-art facility is set to become a hub for innovation in precision medicine and life sciences and we are extremely proud to be part of a project that will drive advancements in healthcare diagnostics and treatments and foster collaboration between businesses and leading research institutions. “GMI has a considerable track record in delivering much needed workspace for the research, science and technology sectors throughout the North and the Midlands and Citylabs 4.0 demonstrates our ability to deliver these in-demand developments.” Mark Cubbon, MFT Group Chief Executive, said: “Today’s ceremony marks a significant milestone in the Citylabs 4.0 development which will present new and *exciting opportunities for us to co-design the future of healthcare with industry partners and transform scientific breakthroughs into a reality for our patients across Greater Manchester and beyond.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
RED Construction Group, the specialist main contractor, has announced its appointment to complete the works on Alumno Group’s Hollis Wharf, the former Jubilee Centre, Bath. RED’s South West division is set to carry out the £13m mixed-use development, creating purpose-built student accommodation and commercial space. Designed by AWW Architects for accommodation specialists Alumno Group, the Hollis Wharf will span 45,000 sq ft across five-storeys, and is set for completion in summer 2025. RED South West will complete the 120-student apartment building, also creating a new bespoke commercial unit to provide a long-term space for the charity, Mercy in Action, that has been based in Bath for over 20 years. Catering specifically to the city’s student population needs, the development will feature cluster flats and studios, alongside a laundry room on the first floor and three accessible flats. Other features include various communal spaces, including an expansive living room on the first floor overlooking the river Avon, and an impressive external roof terrace on the fourth floor. Situated within a World Heritage Site, Housing Development Boundary, and Enterprise Area, the Hollis Wharf will be adjacent to two Grade II listed buildings, Twerton Viaduct and Rackfield Place. RED Construction Group is committed to minimising the environmental impact of the works and respecting the heritage of the area, both crucial considerations within the construction team’s process. The development has been designed with sustainability front of mind, featuring photovoltaic panels (PV) on the roof, electric heating, alongside various planting including a living wall on the north elevation, green roofs, and bird and bat boxes. Derek Quinn, Executive Director of RED Construction South West, commented: “The trust that Alumno has put in RED South West to complete work on the Hollis Wharf is testament to our reputation within the region, and we are proud to be a part of what is set to be an amazing riverside location for the students of Bath. The historical significance of the location is not lost on us, and we are dedicated to carrying out the works in a considered and sustainable fashion, uplifting the local community through our ‘RED to Green’ approach to building within the region.” David Campbell, Founder and Managing Director of Alumno Group, added: “There is huge demand for high-quality student accommodation in Bath, with the student population a significant portion of the local community. Following the works carried out by a previous contractor, it was crucial and imperative that we partnered with a team who had a strong track record and reputation for delivery in the region. Who could also mitigate the project’s challenges, as well as hit the ground running to drive the scheme forward within the time frames required. We are pleased to have found that certainty and confidence within RED Construction Group’s South West team and appreciate their dedication to getting things turned round and on track.” This announcement follows the news that RED Construction Group’s South West division has recently celebrated a major milestone in the creation of the £22m Zeal Hotel in Exeter Science Park, one of the UK’s first full life cycle net zero carbon hotels. Recently marking the final stages of the build with a topping out ceremony, the hotel is being constructed with half the embodied carbon of a standard hotel, while generating 100 percent of its electricity through solar panels, achieving BREEAM Outstanding at the design stage. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
