Jewson launches petition to help industry in crisis
Jewson has today launched a petition calling on government to get Britain’s building and construction sector out of crisis and into positive economic growth. Jewson is championing the petition, #LetsGetBritainBuildingNOW, which calls on government to build certainty and confidence in the market, focusing on the three biggest things general builders and specialist tradespeople are crying out to be resolved. As a business committed to supporting small and medium builders and tradespeople, Jewson forms part of STARK Building Materials UK Ltd, one of the UK’s leading network of builders’ merchants and materials distributors. John Carter, CEO of STARK Building Materials UK Ltd, who is proudly championing the petition, said: “Despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Britain still needs to get building again. The conflict continues to bring price inflationary pressures that we’re pushing back very hard on to protect our customers as best we can, and as we maintain a reliable flow of material supply into the market. However, this latest challenge only strengthens the headwinds our sector continues to lean into, with building and construction being in the longest period of significant downturn that I’ve seen in my near 50-year career. Enough is enough. Sometimes you just can’t wait, and saving our industry is too important to be left on the brink. “Britain’s hardworking professional trades are at the heart of building our local communities. It’s unthinkable that slow, costly and contradictory planning processes, chronic skills shortages, and a collapse in public confidence are pushing one of our most vital industries to the brink. I really hope that people will get behind this petition, so that we can bring the collective voice of building and construction to Number 10 and turn debate into decisive positive action that kickstarts the sector’s recovery and also much needed broader economic growth.” Commenting on the initiative, Helene Bradley, Communications Director for STARK UK said: “The industry’s in crisis. It’s really important that the broader business community and general public start to understand what’s keeping our hardworking builders and tradespeople awake at night and to consider the unintended consequences if action isn’t taken. “We believe this petition will help amplify the collective voice of builders and tradespeople across the land, so that we can together get Britain building again – and now.” To learn more about the issues underpinning the petition and to join Jewson’s efforts, visit www.jewson.co.uk/lets-get-britain-building-now. You can sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/LetsGetBritainBuildingNOW. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
£65m green light for Bradford mental health redevelopment with modular delivery
A major healthcare redevelopment scheme in Bradford has secured £65 million in business case approval from the Department of Health and Social Care, paving the way for a significant upgrade to mental health facilities at Lynfield Mount Hospital. The project combines refurbishment and new-build elements, with plans to modernise existing wards while introducing a new two-storey extension. The scheme has been designed by P+HS Architects, with offsite specialist McAvoy appointed to deliver the build programme. Central to the development is the refurbishment of bedrooms across two wards, where en-suite facilities will be introduced to improve patient privacy and comfort. Alongside this, the new modular building will expand capacity and provide modern, purpose-designed clinical space aligned with current healthcare standards. The design has been shaped through close collaboration with service users, alongside clinical and estates teams from Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust. A strong emphasis has been placed on creating a therapeutic environment, with increased access to natural light, improved views and enhanced connections to outdoor spaces. Internally, layouts have been carefully planned to ensure clarity, ease of movement and a calm, supportive setting for both patients and staff. The use of offsite construction is expected to play a key role in accelerating delivery, reducing disruption on site and improving build quality. Modular techniques are increasingly being adopted across healthcare and public sector projects, particularly where speed, efficiency and consistency are critical. Therese Patten, chief executive of the Trust, described the approval as a major milestone, enabling the project to move forward into delivery. She noted that the redevelopment will significantly enhance the quality of care and environment for patients relying on the facility. The scheme reflects continued investment in healthcare infrastructure, with modern construction methods supporting the delivery of high-quality, patient-focused environments across the UK. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Planning granted for Central Point, Walsall
Erdgard Developments are pleased to have secured detailed planning consent for their Central Point development at Willenhall Road, Walsall, and to announce an immediate start on site. The scheme will provide a total of 93,110 sq. ft in six units ranging from 5,880 sq. ft to 26,236 sq. ft built to BREEAM Very Good and EPC A standards. Site clearance works are underway, to allow MCS Group to start construction in May on a speculative basis, giving occupiers the ability to occupy units from February 2027. Gareth Williams, Director at Erdgard said “There is a lack of good quality new stock in the Walsall area and in the Black Country generally, so Central Point will deliver much needed Grade A space. A commitment to speculative development is a demonstration of confidence in this location and market, and we look forward to early occupier discussions.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
TALO Appointed to Deliver Offsite Superstructures for First Residential Scheme in New Collaboration with Lucy Developments
TALO, the specialist in ultra-low energy offsite timber housing, has been awarded a £1.1m contract by Lucy Developments for a nine-home residential scheme in the canalside village of Wilstone near Tring in Hertfordshire. Moorings is the first project in a new long-term collaboration between the two companies, with further, larger residential sites already in the planning pipeline. TALO has been selected by Lucy Developments to facilitate the construction of ultra-low energy homes at scale, achieving shorter programmes, outstanding quality and greater cost certainty than traditional construction can offer for the same cost. The Moorings development will deliver nine two-storey homes – a mix of three and four-bed terraced properties and two four-bed detached homes. Greg Hilton, Head of Lucy Developments:“Moorings at Wilstone is an important project for us. The ability to deliver homes of this quality with much lower energy consumption in less time, is a significant advantage, both commercially and to achieve more sustainable development and construction. This is the first step in a wider partnership with TALO and we are now progressing plans for larger sites using their housebuilding solutions.” To accelerate delivery, the advanced timber superstructure from TALO will be manufactured offsite using high quality, slow-grown Nordic timber protected through a fully dry fabrication and installation process. This will further enhance thermal performance and avoid the common issue of wet timber needing to dry out. The structures will arrive on site in four phases by early this summer, pre-installed with a high level of insulation, plasterboard, timber cladding and triple glazing, ready for rapid assembly. This means all nine homes will be watertight in just one week per phase, allowing the contractor to start internal fitout at an earlier stage and with greater cost and programme certainty. TALO’s low carbon energy strategy has been specified in parallel with the highly insulated timber superstructure to minimise energy bills – a solar battery package to power hot water and electric underfloor heating and MVHR for enhanced air quality and a healthier internal environment. Dr Anthony Greer, Executive Director for Corporate Strategy at TALO: “This new partnership has been created to scale ultra-low energy housebuilding. Lucy Developments has a strong ethos around sustainability, quality and the long-term performance of the homes they build. This alignment makes our collaboration a fantastic fit. Our offsite superstructure solution and energy strategy will enable their development team to deliver ultra-low energy homes with far greater certainty, reduced build programmes, and enhanced air tightness and energy efficiency than is typically achievable with traditional construction for the same cost. By using TALO’s integrated solutions, Lucy can scale delivery, reduce risk and accelerate the provision of high-quality family homes to help meet the serious shortfall in new housing.” Lucy Developments is a long-established and sustainability-focused housebuilder and developer, delivering a wide range of homes for market sale and affordable housing. The Moorings project is the first of multiple planned sites and is part of Lucy’s vision to make TALO its preferred construction solution for ultra-low energy family homes. The homes were designed by architects Lewis and Hickey and the technical rationalisation was carried out by Trower Davies. The design reflects local architecture in the village and maximises views of the canal, with features including metal roofing, dark-stained timber cladding, red and buff-coloured brickwork, large triple-glazed windows, projecting bays, and first-floor balconies overlooking the water. TALO combines proven offsite technology from Finland with advanced design and manufacturing processes to build ultra-low energy homes. It partners with housing providers, architects, housebuilders and residential developers across the UK with the aim of increasing the productivity, cost efficiency, quality and sustainability of ultra-low energy, low-rise homes – whether for market sale, private rent, shared ownership, or affordable housing. For more information, see www.talo.co.uk or email hello@talo.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Momentum manage secures two management appointments across industrial and office sectors
Leading North West property services company The Momentum Group has strengthened its portfolio with two new appointments across its property management company, Momentum Manage, further demonstrating the business’s expansion across brand new property sectors. The two new appointments include Graylaw Industrial Estate, which is Momentum Manage’sfirst appointment in the industrial sector. The estate is owned by Riverlow Group, a real estate investment and development company headquartered in London. Momentum Manage’s second appointment is on 12 Temple Street in Liverpool, securing a five-year property management agreement for the city-centre office building. The building isoccupied by architectural practice Falconer Chester Hall and owned by Waterville Investments. The instruction strengthens the firm’s presence within Liverpool’s commercial office market. Jacqui Saunders, Property Management Director at Momentum Manage, said: “Being appointed to manage Graylaw Industrial Estate, our first instruction in the industrial sector, marks a major milestone in our growth. When I first joined the company, I highlighted the opportunity to expand our client base across the North West, and these appointments not only achieve that but also represent our first step into a new industrial sector for Graylaw. We are really strengthening our Manage portfolio across the UK, with the new office contract bolstering this too.” Paul Falconer, Director at Waterville Investments Limited, added: “Choosing TheMomentum Group was a straightforward decision. A company that is based in Liverpool and has a reputation for the excellent work they do in the property management space, it was undoubtedly the right decision for us to take. We look forward to working with them on this excellent building in the centre of Liverpool.” These latest appointments for Momentum Manage follow further positive momentum across the wider business, with Momentum Build recently appointed by Freedom Leisure and Guildford Borough Council to deliver works for Puttify at the Guildford Spectrum leisure complex. This also follows its role in refurbishing Xplore! Science Discovery Centre, an educational facility in North Wales owned by Wrexham University. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Siderise launches a new range of passive fire protection products for precast concrete façades
Siderise has launched its new PC-FS Firestop and PC-CB Cavity Barrier product range – a passive fire protection package developed specifically for precast concrete cladding systems. Siderise previously supported precast concrete façade applications with its CW-FS Firestop, delivering a fully compliant solution. However, due to growing demand for these durable and efficient-to-build external wall systems, Siderise reapproached this application to develop a dedicated solution that has been comprehensively tested, whilst addressing the practical challenges associated with these systems, such as tight tolerances, limited access, complex interfaces and construction sequencing. The stone wool Lamella core provides built-in compression and, alongside a bracket-free fix for narrow voids, contributes to faster installation times compared to less compressible barriers. PC-FS Firestop and PC-CB Cavity Barrier can also be fit from above or below the slab — making them ideal where topside access is restricted, or when sequencing requires alternative installation approaches. Both products are tested to EN 1366-4 (Resistance to fire) and EN 13501-1 (Reaction to fire) standards, with supplementary fire test evidence for precast concrete panel bracket penetration, end of flexible wall configuration, and firestop bracket securement to the underside of the slab edge to support a wider range of project conditions. The firestopping products, PC-FS60 and PC-FS120, offer third-party certified 1 and 2 hours of fire resistance, respectively, with the cavity barrier, PC-CB30, offering 30 minutes. As with all Siderise solutions, PC-FS Firestop and PC-CB Cavity Barrier are supported with comprehensive technical services and a suite of resources to assist with the specification process, including a specification pack containing all necessary technical information, and guidance on joints and complex details, such as blade column interfaces and other challenging geometries. Enquire today about the range and how it can benefit your project enquiries@siderise.com For more information about Siderise, visit siderise.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals