An independent, multi-disciplined construction consultancy has announced two new appointments to meet a growing national demand for its services. The Construction Consultants (TCC) has recruited Allan Davies as Director and Clint Howell as Senior Building Surveyor, as part of an expanded team at its headquarters in Cannon Street, Birmingham. The
Marble is a gorgeous material that can serve as a long-lasting and attractive feature in your bathroom or kitchen. However, once your dream of having marble countertops installed is fulfilled, you may be wondering how to clean them without damaging them. Because marble is a porous material, the products and
A topping out ceremony has taken place to celebrate the latest milestone in the creation of a £9 million sustainable pavilion, being built by Henry Brothers, to expand SportPark, the multi award-winning development at Loughborough University. The 2000 sq m project on Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP) is
Communities suffering from repeated flooding in recent years to be better protected through a new £100 million allowance Funding will be targeted at communities where 10 or more properties have flooded twice or more in the last 10 years This year £700 million will also be invested into protecting homes
Caddick Construction has appointed Paul Dodsworth as the new Managing Director. Caddick Construction and its subsidiaries form the construction division of Caddick Group and Paul will be head of all construction companies. Paul, who joins from Wates Group where he was Regional Managing Director North, is tasked with continuing Caddick
Construction company Urbanise has strengthened the leadership of its delivery team with a new senior appointment. Shaun Boylan, who has been appointed as Construction Lead, will play a principal role in the delivery of construction projects and will be responsible for health and safety compliance. He will also draw on
Nearly 90% of local authorities experienced increase in demand for allotments (APSE) 38% of local authorities now have waiting lists of 1,000 people or more (APSE) National Allotments Week (9-14 August) to highlight benefits of growing your own produce As National Allotments Week 2022 approaches, the value of the 18
A new urban sky park created on a disused railway viaduct in Manchester has been unveiled and will open to public visitors from Saturday, July 30. Castlefield Viaduct, a giant 330 metres long steel structure, has been transformed over the past five months into an elevated park with trees, plants
GMG Energy of Halladale in Sutherland has won the Best Natural Capital project category, sponsored by Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm, at the Scottish Highland Renewable Energy Conference (SHREC) Awards 2022. GMG Energy is an innovative, environmentally conscious business whose mission is to provide customers in the North with much-needed
A Yorkshire firm of engineers is seeing strong growth in the residential development sector as it continues to expand its operations and secure new work outside the region. RWO, based in Park Square in Leeds, has won undisclosed contracts to supply civil and structural engineering services to support the multi-million-pound
An independent, multi-disciplined construction consultancy has announced two new appointments to meet a growing national demand for its services. The Construction Consultants (TCC) has recruited Allan Davies as Director and Clint Howell as Senior Building Surveyor, as part of an expanded team at its headquarters in Cannon Street, Birmingham. The appointments bolster the consultancy’s capability and will support its strategy of unlocking new business opportunities by developing long-term relationships with new and existing clients. Allan Davies is a construction industry professional with more than 20 years’ experience, including senior roles with international property and construction consultancy, McBains. He has established a track record of securing new business from a diverse range of clients and will be responsible for driving TCC’s new business growth. He is joined by Clint Howell, an RICS award-winning chartered building surveyor, who has previously worked for AECOM, RPS and Six Property Consulting. Recent experience includes the delivery of a national fit out programme on behalf of 24/7 leisure operator, The Gym Group. Established in 2017, TCC has expanded into a team of 18 employees, specialising in a wide range of disciplines including project management, employer’s agent, quantity surveying, fund monitoring and CDM consultancy. The consultancy operates across a range of sectors including residential, commercial, industrial, student accommodation, leisure and retail and has developed a growing portfolio of clients such as The Gym Group, Zone Developments, Ocado, Equation Properties, Apsley House Capital, Godwin Developments, Wolverhampton Council and St Francis Group. Notable projects include the delivery of a 203-unit build to rent apartment scheme in Birmingham, a 200-bed student accommodation scheme in Northampton and a 113,000 sq ft industrial development on behalf of St Francis Group. Co-founder and Director of TCC, Sandeep Singh Sunner, said: “We are delighted to welcome Allan and Clint who further boost our existing team. Allan has been appointed to drive the business into the next phase of growth and brings with him a wealth of industry experience. We have been searching for a suitable candidate to join our building surveying department for nearly eight months and have finally found the right person in Clint. “Since launching the business just over five years ago, we have developed into a specialist company with a team of industry professionals who share a desire to deliver successful projects and establish long-term relationships with our clients”.
Marble is a gorgeous material that can serve as a long-lasting and attractive feature in your bathroom or kitchen. However, once your dream of having marble countertops installed is fulfilled, you may be wondering how to clean them without damaging them. Because marble is a porous material, the products and techniques you use to clean the other hard surfaces in your home may actually end up ruining it. Of course, you could hire a professional marble cleaning service to do it for you. But, if you prefer a more hands-on approach, read on for the dos and don’ts when cleaning your new marble countertops. Supplies You’ll Need You’ll need a few supplies to clean and maintain your marble countertops. Soap, water, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and a liquid cleaner are essential for daily cleaning. For maintenance, purchase a food-safe sealant for your marble kitchen countertops and #0000 steel wool. Following the guide below will help keep your marble sparkling clean and beautiful. Cleaning and Maintaining Marble Surfaces As we’ve mentioned, marble is more porous than other materials used to create countertops – such as quartz, granite, or soapstone. This means it is more prone to stains, scratches, and changes in the structure of the stone. To keep your marble countertops looking pristine, you’ll want to keep them clean and seal them regularly – more on this below. Preventing Damage Whether you have marble countertops in your bathroom or kitchen, sealing them every three months is the best way to maintain them. While sealants won’t make them completely stain-proof, they will make them more resistant to staining. Regular sealing will give you extra time to clean up spills as they won’t get absorbed by the stone right away. Contact the supplier of your marble countertops and ask for recommendations for the best marble sealants. If your marble is in your kitchen, it’s very important to make sure the sealant you use is food-safe. You should also invest in some coasters to prevent spills and watermarks from forming in the first place – prevention is always better than cure. Daily Cleaning For daily cleaning and spills you can clean immediately, use warm soapy water – just be sure to rinse the surface well so no soap residue remains and dry it thoroughly. Another thing to note is that acidic substances can damage marble – so keep acidic beverages like lemon juice and wine away from your countertops whenever possible. Acidic cleaning products that contain vinegar should also be avoided at all costs. If you do have spills on your marble, tend to them immediately. Abrasive substances can also ruin your marble, so always wipe it down with a soft cloth – trying not to drag dust and debris along the surface. Removing Stains If you can’t tend to a spill immediately, it might not be the end of the world. Most organic substances (like red wine, food, and fruit juice) can be cleaned with a solution of 12% hydrogen peroxide and a couple of drops of ammonia. For oily stains (like olive oil or butter), clean the surface gently with a liquid cleaning product that contains mineral spirits, acetone, or household detergents. Correcting Scuffs, Scratches, and Watermarks For scuffs, light scratches, watermarks, and nicks, dry-buff your marble countertops with #0000 steel wool. If you have deeper scratches that penetrate below surface level or stubborn acidic stains, you’ll need to call on a professional marble cleaning service.
A topping out ceremony has taken place to celebrate the latest milestone in the creation of a £9 million sustainable pavilion, being built by Henry Brothers, to expand SportPark, the multi award-winning development at Loughborough University. The 2000 sq m project on Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP) is being built to Passivhaus Classic Accreditation to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and is scheduled for completion at the end of the year. As the first Passivhaus development on the University campus, SportPark Pavilion 4 will give sports organisations the unique opportunity to secure environmentally future-proof accommodation that is tailored to their needs. It will also enable occupants to reduce their carbon footprint due to highly efficient heat pumps, opening triple-glazed windows, solar shading to avoid summer overheating as well as a well-insulated building fabric to minimise heat loss. Passivhaus consultants Beyond Carbon Associates have hailed the development as “an exciting, future-facing building, treading lightly on our planet’s resources using Passivhaus energy conservation, solar PV and a climate resilient design to manage future heat waves.” Ian Taylor, Managing Director at leading construction company, Henry Brothers said: “SportPark Pavilion 4 is an exciting Passivhaus development which is supporting Loughborough University’s plans to decarbonise its estate to meet the Government’s zero carbon target by 2050. “It also builds on Henry Brothers’ growing portfolio of environmentally sound schemes and we are very pleased to have reached this milestone in this important development for the University.” Henry Brothers recently announced its Journey to Net Zero strategy, outlining plans to build upon its extensive foundations in sustainability. SportPark Pavilion 4 will project the University’s and Henry Brothers’ forward thinking and environmentally conscious values, delivering significant benefits to its occupants. Professor Mike Caine, Loughborough University Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor Sport, said: “SportPark is a tremendous asset to the University and wider region – housing complementary organisations, working in partnership with the University, and harnessing the power of sport to benefit communities, locally, nationally, and around the world. “SportPark Pavilion 4 will provide the capacity to welcome yet more mission-driven organisations to the University, and to reinforce the East Midlands region’s potential as a global sports innovation hub, with Loughborough at its heart. “The SportPark expansion coincides with a growing number of innovation and technology-led sports businesses launching at, or relocating to, LUSEP, attracted to the collaborative environment and access to the University’s world-leading expertise in sports science, engineering, health and well-being, high-performance athlete base, and sports infrastructure.” SportPark Pavilion 4 is delivered by the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) as part of the Getting Building Fund (GBF). Funds were designated for investment in local, shovel-ready infrastructure projects to stimulate jobs and support economic recovery across the country. The LLEP was allocated £20 million, supporting the SportPark 4 project with £6 million. A separate £1.8 million GBF allocation helped fund improvements at Junction 23 and the A512, which links the M1 with Loughborough. It makes LUSEP one of the most accessible science parks in the UK. Andy Reed OBE, Interim Chair of the LLEP Board of Directors, said: “Loughborough University’s global reputation for sport brings tremendous opportunities for us all and, through this fourth pavilion, provides new jobs and opportunity for further growth across a range of services. “This latest project directly supports 165 jobs, with more than 150 in the wider economy. Importantly, it also helps create further demand to bring sports-related organisations and businesses to the region. “On a separate note, it’s really pleasing for me personally to see the continued development of SportPark. I was fortunate to be involved in creating the vision of a sports cluster at the University for the first phases of the development back in the mid-2000s. It’s wonderful to see it continue going from strength to strength.” To find out more about Henry Brothers, visit henrybrothers.co.uk
Communities suffering from repeated flooding in recent years to be better protected through a new £100 million allowance Funding will be targeted at communities where 10 or more properties have flooded twice or more in the last 10 years This year £700 million will also be invested into protecting homes from the Government’s record £5.2 billion investment from 2021 to 2027 Communities suffering repeated flooding will benefit from a new ring-fenced £100 million allowance designed to better protect their properties, the Government has announced today. The £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance will improve access to public funding for these communities, which are often smaller areas requiring more complex flood schemes, meaning that community-wide defences are not always viable. The funding will be targeted at eligible communities where 10 or more properties have flooded twice or more in the last 10 years, helping to both accelerate existing projects and deliver new ones. It is anticipated around 80 schemes will receive support over the next four years. This allowance will be part of the Government’s current programme of investment in flood and coastal defences. The Government announced in 2020 that the amount invested in flood and coastal erosion schemes would be doubled in England to £5.2 billion between 2021 and 2027, providing around 2,000 flood defences. This year, £700 million is being invested from that pot and will better protect 35,000 properties, bringing the cumulative total for the first two years of the six-year programme to more than 65,000. Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “Flooding is a miserable experience, especially for people who suffer its impacts time and again, and I feel we have a moral imperative to help. “Our new Frequently Flooded Allowance will boost schemes in areas which are hit repeatedly and reduce the risk of flooding in the future. “This new allowance will provide extra support for these areas and forms part of our major £5.2 billion effort to build around 2,000 flood schemes by 2027 and level-up defences across the country.” Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, said: “The impacts of climate change are becoming all too familiar both at home and around the world. “While we cannot prevent all flooding, this allowance will help better protect homes and businesses at risk from repeated incidents. “The Environment Agency has a successful track record in delivering flood and coastal defence schemes across the country, having better protected more than 314,000 homes from flooding since 2015.” Communities will be selected through the Environment Agency’s annual refresh of the £5.2 billion capital programme – which sets out the latest information on each project in the programme and the amount of grant-in-aid allocated to that project in that year. The latest investment builds on the Environment Agency’s successful delivery of the government’s previous £2.6 billion investment between 2015 and 2021, better protecting more than 314,000 homes, exceeding its original target. Thanks to a £2.6 billion investment, more than 850 new flood and coastal erosion defence projects were completed during this period. Over 580,000 acres of agricultural land, as well as thousands of businesses, communities and major infrastructure – including more than 8,000 kilometres of roads – also benefited from improvement schemes. Our flood defences recently protected around 50,000 properties from flooding during Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin, and schemes delivered in the last year are already helping to provide better protection for thousands of properties across England. Today’s announcement is another step to delivering on the ambitions of the government’s flood and coastal erosion risk management policy statement and the Environment Agency’s National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy, which set out a vision and set of comprehensive actions to ensure that our country is more resilient to flooding and coastal erosion and climate change in the long term.
Caddick Construction has appointed Paul Dodsworth as the new Managing Director. Caddick Construction and its subsidiaries form the construction division of Caddick Group and Paul will be head of all construction companies. Paul, who joins from Wates Group where he was Regional Managing Director North, is tasked with continuing Caddick Construction’s vision for strategic geographical and sustainable growth across its divisions. Paul brings with him more than 40 years’ experience across the construction sector and was credited with leading and growing Wates’ Northern Division, which is now recognised as one of the strongest in the Wates Group. Andrew Murray, Executive Chairman of Caddick Construction, said: “We are delighted that that Paul is stepping into this exiting role to lead all of our construction businesses, his hands on approach will strengthen the business and we all look forward to working with him. Paul replaces Adrian Dobson who has retired after almost 23 years on the board. Adrian held the Managing Director Position from 2019, he has been a key member of our board helping to guide the strong growth of the company to become one of the leading and largest independent contractors in the north of England. He will be sadly missed but we wish him well in his retirement and thank him for his massive contribution since joining us in 1999.” Paul Caddick, Chairman of Caddick Group, comments: “Paul has the passion and character to take on the formidable challenges the market currently presents. His experience and ability will drive our aspiration for continued growth as a sustainable forward-thinking business.” Caddick Construction is planning to expand its regions of operation and increase its activity in the residential sector. It will also support the growth of Casa by Moda by delivering the construction of Moda Living’s single family home brand, alongside other key projects across Yorkshire, North East and North West. Paul Dodsworth added: “This is an amazing opportunity and I’m looking forward to being part of the Caddick team that has enjoyed so much success over recent years. I’m particularly excited by the opportunities currently being presented in both the residential and logistic markets. I was immensely proud to be asked to join Caddick Construction. A very well established, respected and financially strong business. The aspirations of the business to expand its geographical footprint, whilst further developing the existing regions, is a challenge I will embrace and drive. I am looking forward to joining on the 1st August 2022.” Caddick Construction is currently managing a very strong order book, with high-profile projects including the Bradford City Park, a transformational five storey office scheme in the heart of Bradford city centre and 331 apartments in two buildings at SOYO Leeds for Caddick City Living forming Federated Hermes Hestia BTR brand. Across the Pennines, Caddick Construction has just completed Spitfire Court in Speke on behalf of Network Space, a 138,000 sq ft industrial scheme that is breathing new life back into a defunct brownfield site. Its residential sector is also going from strength to strength, where the team is currently working with York City Council on two ambitious “Passivhaus” sustainable developments for the city, as well as delivering 37 high quality apartments on the former Pontefract Fire Station site on behalf of Wakefield District Housing. In Leeds, Caddick Construction is progressing a 112-housing development at Stonebridge Beck, Farnley, on behalf of joint developers Rushbond and Advent Developments.
Construction company Urbanise has strengthened the leadership of its delivery team with a new senior appointment. Shaun Boylan, who has been appointed as Construction Lead, will play a principal role in the delivery of construction projects and will be responsible for health and safety compliance. He will also draw on his wealth of experience in the industry to mentor and support Urbanise’s employees and supply chain. Shaun’s appointment comes at a time of significant growth for Urbanise, with plans to double turnover and increase headcount to 25 in the next three years. His role not only enables greater capacity and the ability to take on bigger projects, but it also frees up time in the senior leadership team, allowing a stronger focus on business strategy. Shaun brings over 20 years’ experience in construction, starting with Laing O’Rourke before moving on to ISG and Wates. During his career, Shaun has led the delivery of many multimillion-pound projects, including AstraZeneca’s SPP6 project in Macclesfield, the Lime Street Regeneration project in Liverpool and Chester Zoo’s Islands development. Shaun said, “I feel really fortunate to be joining Urbanise at such an exciting time for the business. It’s great to finally get started and I am looking forward to integrating myself into the team and working hard to realise the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.” Louise Hobson, Urbanise’s Co-founder and Project Services Director, said, “Finding the right person for this role has taken a few years of planning. We identified Shaun due to his great industry experience working across the country on a variety of projects for significant clients. Plus, having worked together previously, we were sure that he would fit well into our growing team. “With Shaun now joining Urbanise as Construction Lead, we believe that his appointment clearly illustrates our intent to continue delivering projects with a relationship led focus for our clients, whilst firmly remembering that ultimately it is all about the build.”
Nearly 90% of local authorities experienced increase in demand for allotments (APSE) 38% of local authorities now have waiting lists of 1,000 people or more (APSE) National Allotments Week (9-14 August) to highlight benefits of growing your own produce As National Allotments Week 2022 approaches, the value of the 18 allotment planters at Quintain Living’s Canada Gardens in London’s Wembley Park during their first full growing season is becoming truly apparent. The allotment garden has become a hub for residents of all ages to get together and connect with nature, to socialise over shared growing tips and to enjoy producing fresh, seasonal food for the whole family. Taking place from 9 to 14 August, National Allotments Week 2022 is all about gardening with nature in mind, as well as raising awareness of the role of allotments in nurturing communities and supporting people to grow their own food, live healthier and more active lifestyles and connect with one another. Demand for allotments has soared since the pandemic. According to the State of the Market Report (Allotments) 2021 from the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE), nearly 90% of local authorities experienced increased demand for allotments as a result of Covid-19. “Gardening and growing your own food can do so much to boost health and wellbeing – both physical and mental. This is why Quintain Living provides allotment beds at Canada Gardens. Our residents can get outside, connect with nature and enjoy the benefits of gardening – it’s particularly rewarding for those growing their own produce to eat. It’s a great way for residents to enjoy home-grown fruit and vegetables, whilst reducing their carbon footprint as well as to teach children where their food comes from.”Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living Sadly, the availability of allotments lags far behind demand for them. According to APSE’s data, 51% of local authorities have between 100 and 400 people on their waiting list; 38% have waiting lists of over 1,000 people (up from 20% in 2020). Over 34% of local authorities report that people are waiting an average of over 18 months for an allotment plot to become available. In the London Borough of Brent, the Council reports that, “There are more than 20 sites run by us but due to high demand they currently all have a 1-2 year waiting list. Applications for new people to join a waiting list for an allotment site are currently closed.” The figures throw into stark relief just what a privilege it is for Canada Gardens residents to have allotments beds available to use at their leisure. “We are delighted that the allotments at Canada Gardens have proven to be such a valuable community feature. The entire development, with its acre of gardens, large roof terrace and on-site clubhouse is all about family and nature. The allotments are a core part of that.”Danielle Bayless, Chief Operating Officer, Quintain Living In addition to the 18 planters, Canada Gardens, which is managed by Quintain Living – the award-winning management company overseeing the rental of more than 3,250 apartments in Wembley Park – has a storage shed for residents’ tools, pots and seeds as well as a greenhouse for use. The shed also contains useful planting and growing information, while residents have recently set up a WhatsApp group to do the same. The green-fingered community members also come together in person, with the most recent event organised by Quintain Living generating an excellent turnout. Residents enjoyed sharing their growing tips and hearing from the professionals about how to care for their crops. As the weather warms up, the Canada Gardens allotment beds are flourishing. Residents are growing a wide range of fruit and vegetables, including beans, tomatoes, carrots, cabbages, strawberries and blackberries, while a small herb garden is also coming along nicely.For more information on Quintain Living or to book a viewing, visit www.quintainliving.com, @quintainliving on Instagram or call 020 3151 1927.
A new urban sky park created on a disused railway viaduct in Manchester has been unveiled and will open to public visitors from Saturday, July 30. Castlefield Viaduct, a giant 330 metres long steel structure, has been transformed over the past five months into an elevated park with trees, plants and flowers in a National Trust project overseen by Salford-based MC Construction. Thousands of plants, shrubs and trees have been planted to ‘green’ the historic landmark. The park’s 3,000-plus plants and its design features take their inspiration from Manchester’s heritage, including the county flower, cotton grass and fern species once collected by Manchester suffragist and botanist Lydia Becker. It will be open for 12 months, during which time visitors will be able to explore part of the structure and find out more about the viaduct’s heritage, the city’s long relationship with plants and trees, and learn urban gardening tips. The National Trust hopes to inspire and capture visitor and community opinions to help shape the longer-term future of the Grade II listed structure. Russ Forshaw, Group Operations Director at MC Construction, said: “It has been a great pleasure partnering with National Trust and the key stakeholders involved in the project. “Regenerating the disused Grade II listed Viaduct that has stood above the historic area of Castlefield for over 125 years has been no easy task. I am thrilled with the end result and I am incredibly proud of the team who have worked tirelessly over the past couple of months to bring National Trust’s vision to life.” Unveiling the park today, Hilary McGrady, Director-General of the National Trust, said: “Today is incredibly exciting. The idea of transforming the viaduct has been around for a while, but it was always put in the ‘too hard to achieve’ box and set aside. “For that long-held vision to finally come to life is therefore testament to the strong partnerships we have formed and the hard work of many. “What I love about this space is that it encapsulates so much of what the Trust’s work is about: opening up our shared heritage for everyone to enjoy, creating beautiful spaces and bringing people close to nature. It’s about creating something new for the community, while also protecting an ironic piece of industrial history. “We hope hundreds of people will visit and enjoy spending time in nature among the trees, shrubs and wildlife that is already starting to make this space its home. We’ll also be able to learn from this project and really start to understand more about what and how we can bring more green spaces and wildlife to thousands more people across the country in urban spaces.” Visitors will experience a variety of planting displays as they walk along the viaduct, while enjoying the elevated setting above the historic cobbled streets. The plans for Castlefield Viaduct are part of the National Trust’s Urban Places work to increase access for all to nature, history and beauty in, around and near urban areas. In addition to creating a place where people and nature meet, the new experience will also celebrate the industrial heritage of Castlefield which has been reflected through all elements of the design. The design of the planters gives a subtle nod to the industrial architecture of the 330 metres long viaduct which was built in 1892 by Heenan and Froude, the engineers who worked on Blackpool Tower. The shape of the planters mirrors the curve of the viaduct and their width is the same as the railway tracks that once transported goods across the structure to the Great Northern Warehouse. A section of the viaduct has also been left untouched to provide a sense of how nature has reclaimed the space since the site closed in the late 1960s. Costing £1.8 million, the pilot has been made possible thanks to funding from Postcode Earth Trust supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, as well as public donations which will cover two-thirds of the build costs. One hundred people a day will be able to visit the viaduct from next Saturday. Entry on to the structure will be free, but a booking system will be in place to help manage numbers. As part of the experience, visitors will be able to join guided walks on the viaduct.
GMG Energy of Halladale in Sutherland has won the Best Natural Capital project category, sponsored by Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm, at the Scottish Highland Renewable Energy Conference (SHREC) Awards 2022. GMG Energy is an innovative, environmentally conscious business whose mission is to provide customers in the North with much-needed timber-based products and to do so in a sustainable manner. Its business activities are characterised by an approach to sustainability which enhances the natural capital of the Highlands while at the same time meeting local needs as well as reducing unnecessary road miles. Established in 2016, GMG Energy operates a state-of-the-art sawmill on a farm in the Halladale Strath between Tongue and Thurso, producing kiln-dried logs, chip and sawdust for consumers and wholesalers. It makes door to door deliveries throughout the north Highlands and manufacture timber products for agricultural businesses, builders and consumers. It also supplies bark for garden centres, sawdust for livestock and dried chip for supply to local businesses and councils. The business is committed to replacing every log of timber it uses, planting about 20,000 trees in 2021. As a result, businesses across the North and the Islands can reduce their carbon footprint by sourcing locally. For founder director, Malcolm Morrison, being recognised for his company’s achievements has been a big boost for his team. He said: “It has been an honour to be recognised. We entered with goodwill as we are a fairly new business and we didn’t expect to win. But to have won is such an honour and will help us establish ourselves more as a renewable energy business within the region.” An integral part of GMG Energy’s business is to supply to local people and make sure that they have access to affordable energy. Malcolm and his business want to help tackle issues such as fuel poverty, so for him supplying renewable energy to the local community and helping them as best they can, is what drives his business. “We have such a vast source of renewable energy within the north of Scotland, so to ensure that our local community is benefitting from that and the systems that are set up for them to receive affordable energy is really important to us. “We want to help people and make sure that our business is giving back to the community. “I want to thank Harper MacLeod and Highland News and Media for holding the conference and awards. “It’s such an incredible opportunity for people to come together and look at the solutions to climate change and how we as a region can work together to overcome rising energy prices. I also want to thank the sponsor of the category as, without them, our award would not have been possible.” He continued: “The most important people are the people working in our business as they make it. They give us productivity, their time and, without them, this business would not run. Our team gets my utmost thanks and I am so grateful for each and every one of them.”
A Yorkshire firm of engineers is seeing strong growth in the residential development sector as it continues to expand its operations and secure new work outside the region. RWO, based in Park Square in Leeds, has won undisclosed contracts to supply civil and structural engineering services to support the multi-million-pound development of more than 900 new homes in North Yorkshire and the Midlands. The move will see the firm work on over 450 new-build properties for Avant Homes’ schemes in Bramcote and Awsworth in Nottinghamshire. Engineering services work is also underway on a development of 450 new two, three, four and five bedroomed and affordable properties for Taylor Wimpey at West Lane near Ripon. This work, which includes Section 278 highway engineering works to provide new site access roads, comes as RWO is already involved in a number of other residential schemes across the country. These include the provision of planning services, detailed civil and structural design and support services for Barratt Homes, Gleeson Homes, Vistry Partnerships, Caddick Developments and Countryside Properties to support the development of upwards of 2,000 new homes. Currently employing 30 people and targeting £2.75 million in sales revenue in the next 12 months, RWO continues to recruit additional staff to strengthen its team to meet the strong demand for construction engineering services. Andrew Fairburn, director of RWO’s Leeds office, said the company is expanding beyond the region as more national housebuilders look to use its services and expertise in other locations. He added: “Although we work across all sectors, we are building a strong reputation in the residential and affordable housing sector, winning and delivering projects for leading housebuilders and housing associations. Success is based around our ability to deliver services that add value and provide effective engineering solutions for complex problems. “Despite some tough challenges and economic uncertainties, we are positive about the future and will continue to build on our residential successes to date, adding more senior experience to our team to improve further services to both current and new clients.” Scott Robinson, technical director at Taylor Wimpey, said: “RWO continues to be a key partner for us. Working alongside our in-house team, its engineers ensure projects like West Lane are delivered on time, as we continue to invest and expand to meet the huge demand across the region for high quality new homes.”
