Willmott Dixon has been selected as the preferred contractor by Thames Valley Police for a state-of-the-art forensics centre in Bicester as part of a wider improvement programme to transform forensic services across the force area. The purpose-built centre in Bicester will become the main forensics hub for the force, containing
Construction firm GRAHAM has been selected to develop a new state-of-the-art mental health facility on land owned by the Trust in Mossley Hill, Liverpool. The firm was selected by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. Following a competitive tendering process overseen by Liverpool & Sefton Health Partnership, GRAHAM was chosen as
Bruntwood has received planning permission for The Ev0 Building, the UK’s lowest carbon new build workspace. Based at Didsbury Technology Park in South Manchester, the £31 million development will meet LETI 2020 design targets for upfront carbon, RIBA 2025 targets for whole life carbon and the UK Green Building Council’s
Property firm X1 has been appointed as the developer of Patagonia Place, a 31-storey residential development at Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters. X1 has a global reputation for ambitious, quality residential developments in high-growth areas, such as Liverpool, and was behind the development of The Tower near the Albert Dock which
Milton Keynes Council has appointed contractor Willmott Dixon as its preferred bidder to deliver the landmark Agora regeneration scheme in Wolverton, which has received £36 million of investment by the City Council. Working alongside developer TOWN, Willmott Dixon will review and finalise the design for the new development on the
Contractor BAM has been appointed Principal Supply Chain Partner by the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust to deliver a new Women and Children’s Hospital for Cornwall. The proposed new building has been designed to bring together the hospital’s maternity services, neo-natal and paediatric care, obstetrics and gynaecology services within one,
British Steel has confirmed its sections will be deployed in the £34 million revamp of Middlesbrough Station. Teams are currently working on the second part of the transport scheme, which will revitalise the station undercroft, create new walkways and spaces for businesses and boost capacity for more rail services. “We’re
Housebuilder Hayfield has submitted a Reserved Matters Application to Tewkesbury Borough Council to create a 50 new homes development in the Village of Gotherington, Gloucestershire. The £35m, 6.27 hectares scheme, just north of Bishops Cleeve, will deliver a range of two, three and five-bedroom EPC A-rated homes and bungalows, which
Wates Developments business has secured planning consent on land in Windsor and sold the homes scheme to Crest Nicholson. The release of land from the Green Belt was secured last year through an allocation in the recently adopted Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Local Plan. The homes near the A308 will
Mace has been appointed to several major projects for Associated British Ports (ABP). It has been appointed through ABP’s Group Professional Services Framework and will provide a range of services, including project management, cost and commercial advisory, project support and site supervision. The consultancy arm of the business has won
Willmott Dixon has been selected as the preferred contractor by Thames Valley Police for a state-of-the-art forensics centre in Bicester as part of a wider improvement programme to transform forensic services across the force area. The purpose-built centre in Bicester will become the main forensics hub for the force, containing laboratories, new digital technologies and dedicated training facilities. The Forensic Improvement Programme will see significant investment over the next three years to transform Thames Valley Police’s forensic services, improving investigations and the outcomes for victims. “The programme is the result of a review of Thames Valley Police’s forensics services as a whole where we’ve identified the need to modernise facilities and increase capacity. In a world of rapidly advancing technology, ensuring the police stay on the cutting edge of forensics is crucial to keeping the public safe. Whether crimes such as burglaries, sexual offences or digital crimes, the police need to get ahead of the criminals,” said Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber. Cherwell District Council’s planning committee recently granted planning permission for the new forensic centre on force-owned land near Avonbury Business Park on Howes Lane, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement. This is the latest project for Willmott Dixon in the emergency services sector. Others include creating a new headquarters for Merseyside Police, a learning centre for South Wales Police, a new headquarters for Dorset Police and working with West Yorkshire Police to deliver a new headquarters for the Kirklees district. Construction of Thames Valley Police’s forensics centre is expected to begin in the summer 2023 and be completed in winter 2024/25, with Atkins also on the team as the appointed multi-disciplinary design consultants. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Construction firm GRAHAM has been selected to develop a new state-of-the-art mental health facility on land owned by the Trust in Mossley Hill, Liverpool. The firm was selected by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. Following a competitive tendering process overseen by Liverpool & Sefton Health Partnership, GRAHAM was chosen as the preferred construction partner due to its extensive experience in delivering numerous healthcare projects across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Designed by architect Gilling Dod, the new inpatient facility will phase out traditional shared dormitory mental health wards to provide 80 single bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. Throughout the hospital, there will be an emphasis on providing therapeutic spaces with light and airy environments as well as facilities for family visitation and multi-faith worship. Outside, there will be access for patients to spend time in garden areas. “It’s a privilege to be named construction partner of this new, state-of-the-art facility for Liverpool, which has been beautifully designed by architect Gilling Dod to provide a modern and therapeutic environment that centres patient recuperation and recovery. We’re delighted to be partnering with Mersey Care NHS Hospital Trust, which is committed to improving inpatient and community services and setting higher standards in healthcare,” said Peter Reavey, GRAHAM Regional Director. Plans for the new development were approved in 2022 and the former hospital buildings, which were deemed unfit for purpose, were demolished in February. Demolition experts recycled around 95 per cent of the salvage and buildings were crushed for re-use on site as future building fill materials for the new facility. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bruntwood has received planning permission for The Ev0 Building, the UK’s lowest carbon new build workspace. Based at Didsbury Technology Park in South Manchester, the £31 million development will meet LETI 2020 design targets for upfront carbon, RIBA 2025 targets for whole life carbon and the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) Paris Proof operational energy use targets, making Ev0 net zero in both construction and ongoing operation. It is also targeting a NABERS 5.5 star rating, the highest level of environmental performance in use. The development’s key innovative feature is its mass timber frame. The design is centred on the use of timber because of the material’s ability to capture and store carbon, ensuring it is not released back into the atmosphere until the end of its lifespan. This process is known as sequestration, with Ev0’s timber frame predicted to store 4,000 tonnes of carbon, the equivalent of 2,500 return flights from Manchester to New York. Ev0 will be a fully electric development, with up to 94% of its energy requirement generated through photovoltaics located on the building’s roof and car park, acting as a series of mini power plants. All energy required by the development will either be generated on site or supplied by Bruntwood’s co-operative wind farm. As part of Ev0’s energy efficiency plans, the building’s ground-breaking design estimates running costs at 58% lower than a traditional new build, supporting future occupiers in mitigating the risks and uncertainty of rising energy costs. Bruntwood will provide sustainability guidance to Ev0 customers to help them meet Paris Proof targets for their own operational energy use, as part of a green leasing strategy. A smart building management system will also help customers manage their daily energy use effectively. The development has employed parametric design principles to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the building, with the facade designed to minimise solar gain and overheating on the south and westerly elevations, and maximise solar gain on the north and east elevations. Ev0 will also feature a gym, cafe, customer lounge, cycle storage and event space, characteristic of Bruntwood’s approach to the provision of excellent onsite customer amenity. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Property firm X1 has been appointed as the developer of Patagonia Place, a 31-storey residential development at Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters. X1 has a global reputation for ambitious, quality residential developments in high-growth areas, such as Liverpool, and was behind the development of The Tower near the Albert Dock which opened in 2019. The development of Patagonia Place will go ahead in accordance with the existing, approved plans, which were originally put forward by Your Housing Group (YHG). It will consist of 278 homes and marks the fifth residential development at Princes Dock, one of five new neighbourhoods being created at the waterfront development. “With planning already approved by Liverpool City Council and a world-renowned residential developer at the helm, we are delighted that the development of Patagonia Place can now proceed full steam ahead,” said Chris Capes, Director of Development at Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters. “Patagonia Place is a high-quality proposition, and will be yet another incredible residential development for Princes Dock. It will create more quality homes that meets the needs of the local market and will secure local jobs and investment in an enviable waterfront location and we look forward to bringing the development forward as planned.” Liverpool based Vermont has been appointed as the main contractor for Patagonia Place and work is already underway on site. Liverpool Waters is delivering on the 30-year vision to completely transform the city’s northern docks, creating a sustainable world-class, high-quality waterfront, including retail, leisure, office, and residential space, and bringing life back to the historic docklands. The waterfront project will also be the home to a new Isle of Man ferry terminal, and Everton FC’s new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, both currently under construction. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Milton Keynes Council has appointed contractor Willmott Dixon as its preferred bidder to deliver the landmark Agora regeneration scheme in Wolverton, which has received £36 million of investment by the City Council. Working alongside developer TOWN, Willmott Dixon will review and finalise the design for the new development on the former site of the disused Agora Centre and adjacent car park. The scheme will provide 115 new two- to four-storey homes across six residential blocks, nearly a third of which will be affordable housing and which incorporates a co-housing community for over-50s alongside family homes for rent. Also known as the Love Wolverton project, it is set to elevate the local environmental and social sustainability of the area through an inclusive mix of housing, nine ground-floor commercial units and a designated community space to inject life into the local economy. Sustainable elements of include energy-efficient buildings and a smart renewable energy microgrid to generate around two-thirds of the annual energy required for the scheme. There will be several car-free streets, as well as a sustainable mobility hub including a car club and bike hire facilities. This is the latest in a series of town centre regeneration for Willmott Dixon. The company is also involved in the Spindles development in Oldham town centre, Upperbanks development in Rochdale and Stockport Interchange. “The Agora regeneration scheme is a pivotal project that will breathe new life into the local area of Wolverton. As one of the most environmentally ambitious regeneration schemes in the UK, we are proud to have been appointed to deliver a project that is set to offer such value to the area, both in terms of its sustainable benefits and social value potential. We look forward to working alongside the City Council and TOWN to ensure the scheme is one that stands out on the national stage and that the benefits promised to the community are fully realised,” said Michelle Cotterill, Director at Willmott Dixon. The scheme, which is procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework, will deliver on a long-held ambition to regenerate Wolverton town centre, modernising the high street while respecting the history and character of its railway town conservation area, reinstating the previous neighbourhood layout and Victorian character. Work is expected to start on-site later this year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Contractor BAM has been appointed Principal Supply Chain Partner by the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust to deliver a new Women and Children’s Hospital for Cornwall. The proposed new building has been designed to bring together the hospital’s maternity services, neo-natal and paediatric care, obstetrics and gynaecology services within one, state-of-the-art facility. It would also become the location for the hospital’s new main entrance, transforming the layout of the current site in Truro. The programme, which has expanded in scope since its inception, is starting with the demolition of six derelict houses to create the space for a works compound for BAM whilst major enabling and building works for the new hospital are carried out over the next six years. Work is also underway to relocate car parking for patients and visitors, another key enabling project in progressing the wider programme. Roberta Fuller, Programme Director for the Women and Children’s Hospital, and Head of Hospital Reconfiguration at Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust, said of the appointment: “We are delighted to have appointed BAM as our Principal Supply Chain Partner. This is a really important partnership for the Royal Cornwall Hospital, and we are pleased to be moving forward with the enabling works projects with support from the New Hospital Programme. Our designs for the new Women and Children’s Hospital are based on meeting the needs of our local community in Cornwall and will transform the hospital site. Bringing services together, along with bigger rooms and better facilities, will improve patient flow and create spaces in which to provide outstanding care long into the future.” The Women and Children’s Hospital is part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme, which is focused on delivering 48 new hospitals across England by 2030. These hospitals are being built to national standards using modern methods of construction, with environmental features throughout to support the NHS’s carbon net zero ambitions. Smart digital innovations and enhancements are also planned for the scheme for example, creating sensory and interactive play areas, systems to connect families and carers remotely in the delivery of care, and enhancements to the management of patient call systems to provide a quieter, calmer environment on the wards. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
British Steel has confirmed its sections will be deployed in the £34 million revamp of Middlesbrough Station. Teams are currently working on the second part of the transport scheme, which will revitalise the station undercroft, create new walkways and spaces for businesses and boost capacity for more rail services. “We’re extremely proud our steel will be used in this exciting project. It is a huge vote of confidence in British Steel, our people and our products, which demonstrates the importance of a vibrant UK steel industry to this country. We look forward to working with the project partners and seeing this magnificent new building take shape with home-made steel,” said David Hogg, Plant Manager – Northern Mills. Story Contracting is carrying out work now with diggers busy on site and our sections are set to arrive at the station site next month after being fabricated on Teesside at Middlesbrough-based CB Construction (Cleveland) Ltd. “As we’re making great progress on the redevelopment of Middlesbrough Station, I am immensely proud to say that we’ve worked tirelessly over recent months to make sure that all structural steel used on the station redevelopment will come from British Steel,” added Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen. The Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority have contributed £22.5 million to the Middlesbrough Station project, which is being delivered by Network Rail. Phase one of the station works were completed in December 2021 – with a 75-metre platform extension to accommodate the new LNER Azuma direct service to London, the town’s first service to the capital in more than 30 years. This second part of the scheme will see the current ticket hall stairs removed, a new staircase built off the central thoroughfare, open public space at the east end of the former car park and a new pedestrian walkway created between Zetland Road at the south of the station and the existing subway. The Combined Authority has worked closely with the rail industry, the Department for Transport, Network Rail and Middlesbrough Council on the package of improvements – with a third platform to be created and efforts to make the station a modern and vibrant gateway to the town. The station project is set to be complete in 2024. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Housebuilder Hayfield has submitted a Reserved Matters Application to Tewkesbury Borough Council to create a 50 new homes development in the Village of Gotherington, Gloucestershire. The £35m, 6.27 hectares scheme, just north of Bishops Cleeve, will deliver a range of two, three and five-bedroom EPC A-rated homes and bungalows, which will add aesthetic variety to the neighbourhood, as well as meet continued market demand for single floor properties. Hayfield will take a tenure-blind approach to delivery, with a total of 20 of the plots designated for affordable housing and the rest for open-market sale. The development will be fossil-fuel free and achieve the gold standard for energy efficiency. Each home is to include solar PV panels, an air source heat pump, energy-efficient underfloor heating, increased insulation, water efficiency measures and electric vehicle charging point. These sustainability factors are in line with Hayfield’s A-rated, zero-carbon-ready design principles, which already exceed the government’s Future Homes Standard – a level of specification that will be mandatory for housebuilders to meet from 2025. “Our vision for this scheme has been to demonstrate how impressive a sustainable development can look and the positive impact it can achieve for local communities. That’s why in designing this scheme, not only have we harmonised our signature house designs to be in keeping with the village’s existing architecture, but to also introduce sustainable measures that will enable future residents to significantly lower their carbon footprint and household energy usage,” said Andy Morris, Managing Director of Hayfield. The scheme’s design has been inspired by the character of Gotherington’s existing properties, with care taken to ensure the new homes complement the village in an organic, sustainable way. Materials chosen, including stone, reflect those used throughout the existing village. A new access road and a network of footpaths will be created from Ashmead Drive incorporating the existing Public Rights of Ways. Particular attention has equally been paid to the natural environment. Prioritisation of biodiversity will see new habitats for wildlife incorporated, with native tree planting and an attenuation pond and wetland wildflowers added, while the vast majority of existing trees and hedgerows will also be retained and enhanced. The site will deliver a biodiversity net gain. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Wates Developments business has secured planning consent on land in Windsor and sold the homes scheme to Crest Nicholson. The release of land from the Green Belt was secured last year through an allocation in the recently adopted Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Local Plan. The homes near the A308 will not now be delivered by Wates Developments. Instead, the land has been sold off to property developer Crest Nicholson to deliver the project. Wates stated it was a “business decision” to sell off the parcel of land to Crest but could not reveal the price tag due to confidentiality. Outline plans, which ask if the principle of development is acceptable – including access, were approved by councillors sitting on the Windsor and Ascot development panel last year. The scheme also includes 54 affordable homes, public open space, recreational space, allotments, play spaces, landscaping, and a biodiversity net gain. The plans include 135 much-needed homes, (40% of which will be affordable housing), for the 5.4ha site. Plans include landscaped open spaces, (including recreational space), blue-green infrastructure and sustainable technologies, with a 30.69% net gain in biodiversity that will far exceed local and national planning policy. The site will also deliver improvements to walking and cycling routes into Windsor and other local destinations, as well as improvements to the A308 network to increase capacity. “We are pleased to have completed this sale of a parcel of our land interest in Windsor to Crest, and with great support from Leaders Romans Group. This is a truly exceptional new homes site and a fantastic location for a new community in Windsor. We expect to secure planning for the remainder of the wider site early in 2023 to allow the whole scheme to come forward quickly,” said David Brocklebank, Executive Managing Director, Wates Developments Group. The disposal was supported by Leaders Romans Group. The scheme has been sold to Crest Nicholson, a leading residential housebuilder with a track record in creating well-designed, high-quality homes in sustainable communities. The reserved matters planning application is now being prepared for submission and expected to take place in the first half of 2023. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Mace has been appointed to several major projects for Associated British Ports (ABP). It has been appointed through ABP’s Group Professional Services Framework and will provide a range of services, including project management, cost and commercial advisory, project support and site supervision. The consultancy arm of the business has won work on a number of professional services contracts for schemes across ABP, including at the ports of Immingham, Southampton, Lowestoft and Plymouth, as well as a further project in Newport in Wales. “It’s been an exciting time for our ports team, with these latest wins marking a sizeable expansion in our portfolio. Our team will combine their practical delivery experience in the transportation sector with localised knowledge to provide fresh thinking to deliver the projects successfully. We are looking forward to playing our part in delivering these projects which will leave a lasting positive legacy for their users and wider communities,” said Sean Gray, Director of Transportation, Mace. Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro (roll-on roll-off) terminal in North East Lincolnshire is a major project involving the construction of a new Ro-Ro facility within the eastern side of the port, which will include the creation of two new harbour berths. On this project, which is set to complete in 2025, Mace will provide contract administration, cost management and scheduling services. Once complete, the works will allow increase capacity between the UK’s east coast and continental Europe, predominantly for the freight market, giving more options and supply chain resilience for British businesses. The Port of Southampton project focuses on the expansion of the existing container-to-rail facility in the Western Docks, taking more trucks off the road, reducing emissions and improving air quality. The project will involve an expansion of the existing rail terminal at the dock alongside extending the existing rail loading platform. The finished project will include new access points for HGVs and new site offices at one of the UK’s largest ports. Here Mace’s work will include project management, scheduling, cost management, contract administration and site supervision. Mace’s work at the Port of Lowestoft, otherwise known as the LEEF (Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility) project, will focus on the redevelopment of the Suffolk port’s Outer Harbour. This redevelopment will support offshore windfarms by providing an additional three service operation vessel berths and six crew transfer vessel berths, alongside six acres of land to support the operations and maintenance stages servicing the offshore energy industry. The project positions Lowestoft as a key hub for handling larger, greener vessels together with growing more good jobs. On this project, Mace will provide contract administration, cost management and scheduling services. Additionally, the win on Millbay Ferry terminal in Plymouth will involve delivering a RIBA Stage 3 developed design for the terminal facilities, with upgrades agreed to improve the older existing infrastructure. Mace will provide contract administration, cost management and scheduling services to provide new facilities, aimed to improve the experience of the terminal’s users. The project at Millbay includes creating a new passenger boarding bridge system to connect vessels with the terminal building, updating the existing Ro-Ro ramp and refurbishing part of the historic West Wharf to support ferry operation activities. The upgrades will have a significant impact as part of wider plans to make the facility a key strategic port and cruise terminal with the ability to handle more international freight. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
