With the number of new construction schemes started across Birmingham City Centre almost doubling in 2021[1], the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are sending inspectors out to sites to ensure firms are complying with health and safety regulations, it announced today (Thursday 3 March). As the city prepares to host
J Tomlinson’s compassionate approach has been recognised on a national level after the company was announced Social Responsibility Company of the year at the recent National Energy Efficiency Awards. The coveted accolade, which marks the company’s fourth national award to date, was presented at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on Friday
NATIONAL contractor Stepnell has completed works on behalf of Brio Retirement Living to design and build the £29m Beechwood Park – a 106 dwelling luxury retirement living community in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire. The completed Beechwood Park retirement home boasts a range of one, two, and three bedroomed bungalows and apartments, each
Polar NE installs Kawneer product portfolio at Cornwall’s first children’s mental health unit Sowenna CAMHS is Cornwall’s first Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services unit. The £5 million purpose-built project demanded products that could provide a high level of thermal performance, whilst also enhancing the building’s levels of natural light
A VILLAGE on the outskirts of Lancaster is set to significantly benefit from a new housing development currently under construction. Homebuilder Russell Armer Homes has started building work on 65 two to four bedroom homes, as well as one bedroom apartments, at its Bowland Fold development in the village of
Arup will lead an expert design team to help deliver the new £31 million pedestrian and cycle crossing on the River Wear in Sunderland. The global engineering and consulting firm will work closely with contractor VolkerStevin and has assembled an experienced team including specialist bridge architects Knight Architects and local
Latest phase adds to 1,450 homes already created at flagship development Approval now means work could begin by Autumn 22 St. Modwen, a leading developer of new communities and high-quality homes, has reached the latest milestone at its flagship Longbridge development after Birmingham City Council granted planning permission for a
The effectiveness of education provided to students is directly proportional to the quality of the learning environment where the teaching is delivered. Optimal acoustics, thermal performance, air quality, natural lighting, security and aesthetics work harmoniously together to positively impact how students and teachers stay comfortable and focused, and perform academically.
Barhale has been awarded a design and build contract to enable completion of Barking Riverside train station – the new London Overground station that will service over 10,000 new homes planned in East London. Barking Riverside Limited (BRL) has appointed civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale to install a new
THE government’s long-awaited levelling up whitepaper has been unveiled in full at long last. The document outlines the government’s commitments to rebalancing the UK’s services and economies, which is segmented into 12 key mission statements. Gerard Toplass, executive chairman of The 55 Group, which heads a collective of businesses operating
With the number of new construction schemes started across Birmingham City Centre almost doubling in 2021[1], the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are sending inspectors out to sites to ensure firms are complying with health and safety regulations, it announced today (Thursday 3 March). As the city prepares to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games in just 140 days’ time, the HSE has noted increased development across the city potentially raising risks for both workers and the public. Sarah Hill, one of the HSE inspectors leading the campaign, commented: “With a high volume of construction sites in the busy city centre, there is inevitably more potential for incidents which can result in life-changing injuries or worse and working environments which can pose respiratory risks and are hazardous to workers’ health and well-being. This week, HSE colleagues and I will be visiting sites across the city to check that employers are managing risk and keeping workers and the public safe. The fatal injury rate in the construction sector is around four times the all-industry rate, while over 3,500 builders die each year from cancers related to their work, so this is reminder to employers that there is no room for complacency or non-compliance.” During a visit, inspectors look to see how companies keep their workers, and anyone affected by the work they do, healthy and safe. In the event that an employer is breaking the law, an inspector may deploy a range of measures such as issuing an improvement notice which allows a minimum of 21 days for the issue to put right or, in the case of the most serious breaches, prosecution. Sarah Hill added: “The majority of work-related illness, injuries and fatalities are wholly avoidable if those responsible for the welfare of their workers follow health and safety guidance and regulation. Construction is a high risk industry, but those that work in it are as entitled as everyone else to go home safe and well at the end of the day.” Health and safety statistics for the construction industry across the UK: 39 fatal injuries to workers in 2020/21 74,000 workers suffering work-related ill health (average over 2018/19-2020/21) 61,000 non-fatal injuries (averaged over 2018/19-2020/21) Four fatalities amongst members of the public.[2]
J Tomlinson’s compassionate approach has been recognised on a national level after the company was announced Social Responsibility Company of the year at the recent National Energy Efficiency Awards. The coveted accolade, which marks the company’s fourth national award to date, was presented at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole on Friday 18 February, with over 650 professionals working in the energy efficiency sector in attendance. Nine companies were shortlisted for the title, with J Tomlinson announced as the winner following a comprehensive judging process in which all nominees were assessed on the impact they have had within their local communities. The building, maintenance, energy and refurbishment specialist, was commended for its targeted and far-reaching approach to social responsibility, spanning key areas such as employment, emotional and physical wellbeing, skills-building, decarbonisation, boosting local economies, and promoting affordable warmth. Some of the comments from the judging panel included: “[J Tomlinson], through its application process, demonstrated a commitment to deliver a level of responsibility across the business, its customers and environments that it operates. This would appear to be a company that has pride in its position, a considered delivery of social responsibility and measured interactions that support all around the business.” “A very impressive broad range of support and dedication to education and local employment, charity donations and volunteering whilst also demonstrating care for their own staff and sub-contractors.” The company also took home third place in the National Renewable Heat Installer and Multi-Measure Project of the Year categories – the latter in recognition of the highly sustainable refurbishment and restoration of Ilkeston’s Toll Bar House building, which is not only forecast to reduce carbon emissions by 13 tonnes per annum, but also to create over 90 jobs in the local area. Mark Davis, chief executive at J Tomlinson, commented: “On behalf of the entire team at J Tomlinson, we are extremely proud to have been recognised for our commitment to enhancing the lives of the individuals and communities we work with every single day. “I have always been a very firm believer in the power of excellent partnerships, and I am all-too-aware that the impact we have collectively had would not have been nearly as significant or far-reaching if it was not for the strong relationships we have with our clients – all of which are built upon striving to achieve and exceed shared goals. For this reason, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all our clients and our people for playing such a vital role in transforming lives in line with our One Team ethos. This award is for you.” J Tomlinson has experienced a consistent string of success at previous regional and national energy efficiency awards ceremonies, including winning Renewable Heating Project of the Year following a ground source heat pump project that is saving residents 40% on their heating bills and providing client Bromford with over £570k worth of RHI and ECO funding.
NATIONAL contractor Stepnell has completed works on behalf of Brio Retirement Living to design and build the £29m Beechwood Park – a 106 dwelling luxury retirement living community in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire. The completed Beechwood Park retirement home boasts a range of one, two, and three bedroomed bungalows and apartments, each cladded in Cotswold Stone, and set against a quintessential countryside backdrop within one of UK’s most desirable market towns. Sustainable living solutions have been incorporated into the design and build, to include district heating, combined heat and power generation, and full home automation. As a result, this project has been awarded the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) ‘‘Very Good’’ standard rating and BRE HQM (Home Quality Mark) Level 3. Designed with a wide range of community facilities and communal areas, the retirement home is home to beautiful landscaped gardens, and includes an exercise trail, raised bed gardens and Brio’s brasserie and bar Slate & Grain. Furthermore, there is a purpose-built social space for recreational activities, club fitness suite, spa and lounge. A shuttle bus is also available for shopping trips and excursions. Colin Chiles, operations director at Stepnell, said: “We are delighted to open the doors to Beechwood Park, a to provide a first-class retirement living experience in the heart of the Cotswolds. “Together with Brio, we have prioritised the environmental performance of the residential community throughout every phase of planning and delivery, which has been recognised as part of the BREEAM accreditation process to achieve “Very Good” standard. This has been achieved as result of a strong collaborative effort.” To achieve the BREEAM ‘Very Good’ standard, the team demonstrated ‘best practice’ – the performance rating reserved for the top 10% of new UK non-domestic buildings. Colin continued: “This development follows a series of retirement village projects in the region, including the recently delivered £5.25m Edwardstow Court in the centre of Stow. Stepnell has quickly become recognised as a national contractor of choice for retirement developments, which has organically grown through a series of successful partnerships.” The residential units are now available with a range of buy, part-own, rent and part-rent options. Stepnell’s completion adds to a growing portfolio of care projects, which will soon include the £6.5m The Gables Care Home on Bennett Drive in Birmingham and a £4.3m refurbishment project at the Town Thorns Care Home in Rugby, with work currently underway at both sites. To find out more about Stepnell’s healthcare and retirement living expertise, visit: www.stepnell.co.uk. Join the conversation at @Stepnellltd.
Polar NE installs Kawneer product portfolio at Cornwall’s first children’s mental health unit Sowenna CAMHS is Cornwall’s first Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services unit. The £5 million purpose-built project demanded products that could provide a high level of thermal performance, whilst also enhancing the building’s levels of natural light and help achieve a BREEAM Excellent building status. Along with ensuring excellent levels of daylight and access to external spaces and ventilation, the project’s challenges were increased by requiring multiple product solutions that could be harmonised and achieve the same levels of performance and aesthetics. The project requirements enabled Kawneer to utilise multiple products from their portfolio, which perfectly suited the specifications and helped the project achieve the required levels of thermal performance and successfully achieve its BREEAM Excellent status. The project included three types of Kawneer aluminium windows specifically designed and engineered for the mental health sector – Wansbeck Secure windows, Wear Secure windows and Humber Secure windows all feature on the project in multiple areas. The Humber Secure windows were developed in partnership with Humber NHS Foundation Trust as a low to medium secure window with an external sliding sash operated by a reduced ligature rotating handle. The Wansbeck Secure windows are designed for low-secure facilities and feature an internal sliding sash and the Wear Secure windows are an adaptation of the Wansbeck but with a secure mesh to guard the restricted open area. Alongside the bespoke window designs, Kawneer’s AA®100 zone-drained curtain wall system helped to create a dynamic and active façade that promotes high-levels of natural light to illuminate the main entrance, whilst AA®541 top-hung casement windows have been used in the café area and offices spaces, and AA®3720 folding/sliding doors feature in the courtyard areas. The new Sowenna CAMHS project was designed by international design practice Ryder Architecture and constructed by main contractor Tilbury Douglas on the site of the former Bodmin Community Hospital. The facility provides inpatient mental health and psychiatric intensive care for children and young people aged between 13 and 18 years. Victor Muniz, architectural director at Ryder, said the team responded to the design brief from Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust with a smart and functional design. He commented: “We have used Polar windows in several projects already and their products meet all current standards in terms of anti-ligature specification, robustness, good design and competitive costing.” He added: “We were looking for lots of natural light inside the building so the glazed elements played a very important role on this project. We were also aiming for BREEAM Excellent which was finally achieved. “The secure windows and curtain walling have a similar aesthetic to the standard components and help to ensure the safety and security of the external envelope for service users, staff and visitors. Our understanding is the trust is quite happy with the building.”
A VILLAGE on the outskirts of Lancaster is set to significantly benefit from a new housing development currently under construction. Homebuilder Russell Armer Homes has started building work on 65 two to four bedroom homes, as well as one bedroom apartments, at its Bowland Fold development in the village of Halton, near Lancaster. As part of the development, 13 affordable homes will be created for people with links to the local area and a significant sum of money will be granted to Lancaster City Council and ring fenced for the local community through the Government’s New Homes Bonus Scheme. In addition, 1.67 hectares of public open green space – which accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the overall development area – will be created and will include a children’s play area. And there will be significant tree planting and a biodiversity scheme implemented. Improvements will be made to the existing watercourse running through the site to provide one central, biodiverse ‘blue-green’ corridor to help manage and hold back surface water from existing homes. Nicky Gordon, the Managing Director of Russell Armer Homes, said: “As with every development, we closely consider what benefits we can provide to the local community and we are very passionate about improving the lives of local people. “We listened to what residents would like as part of the Bowland Fold development, and we’re proud to be providing so many key amenities and facilities to boost the local area. “The development comes at an exciting time for Russell Armer Homes and its sister company Genesis Homes as we start construction on more than 300 homes over three sites, and we’re looking forward to creating a great community in the county of Lancashire with this latest development.” The Bowland Fold development, located just off High Road, offers a broad mix of high quality homes which will suit a wide range of residential requirements but predominantly families through the provision of three and four bedroom houses. A total of two one-bed flats and 12 two bedroom homes will also be constructed to cater for all needs. The proposed play area is aimed at children under the age of 12 and constitutes part of the development’s green space. In addition to the Bowland Fold development at Halton, Russell Armer Homes is currently building 157 homes as part of its Meadow Rigg development at Burneside Road, in Kendal, Cumbria.
Arup will lead an expert design team to help deliver the new £31 million pedestrian and cycle crossing on the River Wear in Sunderland. The global engineering and consulting firm will work closely with contractor VolkerStevin and has assembled an experienced team including specialist bridge architects Knight Architects and local landscape architects Colour. The team will bring its technical expertise and local knowledge to deliver a bridge in line with the overall vision for the project, as outlined by Sunderland City Council. VolkerStevin was named as the partner to deliver the bridge in September 2021. This project is a central part of Sunderland’s new Riverside Park and will provide connectivity between Sheepfolds and the city centre as part of the Riverside Sunderland Masterplan, led by the council and backed with £100 million by Legal & General. Arup will use digital 3D models to develop the design and consider its integration with surrounding areas, as well as ensuring sustainability is at the heart of the development. This will include minimising the bridge’s carbon impact, reducing any impacts on the biodiversity of the river environment both during construction and throughout the lifetime of the bridge. The bridge, expected to open in 2024, will incorporate the completion of the Keel Line connection between Keel Square and the Stadium of Light to encourage walking and cycling in and around Riverside Sunderland by carefully considering people’s experience of the bridge. The new footbridge will use a simple aesthetic to enhance the riverside development, complementing other crossings. It will include creative lighting, illuminating the green spaces which flank the riverside below. Rachel Hurdman, Project Manager at Arup, said:”This is an important project for the local area and an exemplar of sustainable, people-focussed design. Our design and engineering experts will be leading the design process with cutting-edge design and engineering to provide a new strategic link for the people of Sunderland.”
Latest phase adds to 1,450 homes already created at flagship development Approval now means work could begin by Autumn 22 St. Modwen, a leading developer of new communities and high-quality homes, has reached the latest milestone at its flagship Longbridge development after Birmingham City Council granted planning permission for a new neighbourhood of 350 new homes. This latest phase builds on the 1,450 homes and 3,000 full-time jobs already delivered by St. Modwen, which has already boosted the local community and economy. St. Modwen has worked in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Authority which has contributed £6 million of grant funding to support the redevelopment of the West Longbridge area. Work is already underway on the infrastructure throughout the 75-acre site and represents a significant part of the overall £1 billion regeneration project that is being undertaken. The new homes will be built by St. Modwen Homes and construction is expected to begin by Autumn 2022. The planning success builds on the momentum from late 2021 when planning permission was granted to build a new state of the art veterinary hospital which will create up to 150 skilled new jobs at West Longbridge Business Park. It represents a major milestone in the development of the park as it becomes a leading centre for science and technology, medicine, advanced manufacturing and R&D. The importance of Longbridge was highlighted by former Minister for Housing, Chris Pincher, when he visited the site in November of last year. The UK Government has made the regeneration of brownfield sites such as Longbridge a top priority as part of a national target to build a million new homes. On completion of the regeneration works, St. Modwen will have created over 3,000 new homes, 2 million sq ft of commercial floorspace and up to 10,000 jobs at Longbridge. Rob Flavell, Senior Director for St. Modwen, said: “Housing has always been an integral part of our plans here at Longbridge. More businesses are coming to Longbridge and employees require good quality, local housing. I’m delighted that the next phase of this regeneration can progress and the whole team here at St. Modwen are looking forward to more significant developments at Longbridge throughout 2022.” West Longbridge will also feature 27 acres of attractive, green space connected to the nearby Austin Park, including a mile of the River Rea which will open to the public for the first time, increasing biodiversity and promoting health and wellbeing throughout the area. Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Securing planning permission for this latest development of housing represents yet another important step for the regeneration of Longbridge. For those of us familiar with the troubled history of this site it really is brilliant to see the rejuvenation of Longbridge coming along, and I am delighted the WMCA has been able to play its part in making that happen. “This scheme is the latest in a long line that we have helped fund, bringing derelict brownfield land back into use to create much-needed new homes and new jobs for local people. Not only that, but our brownfield-first approach to redevelopment across the West Midlands also helps protect our precious and irreplaceable greenbelt land.” For more information about the ongoing regeneration of Longbridge town centre, visit: https://www.longbridgebirmingham.co.uk
The effectiveness of education provided to students is directly proportional to the quality of the learning environment where the teaching is delivered. Optimal acoustics, thermal performance, air quality, natural lighting, security and aesthetics work harmoniously together to positively impact how students and teachers stay comfortable and focused, and perform academically. Kawneer continuously invests in façade systems that create excellent learning environments, allowing specifiers to choose from a wide variety of market leading products designed and built to the highest possible standards. From a suite of products specifically designed for the Education sector, highlights include the AA®190 TB, a severe duty welded commercial entrance door that offers robust performance, the AA®720 SL window, offering great thermal characteristics and slim sightlines, and our market leading AA®100 curtain wall system, which provides a best-in-class performance. Facing the challenges together With a vast amount of experience in this sector, helping to create buildings that deliver aesthetic, cost and performance requirements, Kawneer understands the challenges faced by architects, fabricators and maintenance teams. That’s why it specialises in aluminium façade solutions that provide excellent performance, best value, unmatched durability, reduced maintenance and a low carbon footprint. Kawneer manufactures high performance aluminium curtain wall systems at its purpose-built manufacturing facility in Runcorn, Cheshire. These products allow specifiers to meet both the technical performance and cost brief of any project, creating excellent learning environments that provide great aesthetics and optimise natural light and ventilation. Leading by example As all aluminium façade products are manufactured in the UK, Kawneer can also guarantee supply and competitive lead times, while ensuring that its systems remain competitive. Fully tested in accordance with the BSI standards, Kawneer products are responsibly sourced with BES 6001 accreditation, supported by Life Cycle Assessments and Environmental Product Declarations for all main systems and low carbon aluminium billet solutions. Teachers strive to ensure the experience and knowledge they pass on to a new generation lasts a lifetime. Kawneer wants the buildings it has helped to create to withstand the test of time and ensure they provide comfortable learning environments for all future generations. Discover more at: Kawneer-education.com
Barhale has been awarded a design and build contract to enable completion of Barking Riverside train station – the new London Overground station that will service over 10,000 new homes planned in East London. Barking Riverside Limited (BRL) has appointed civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale to install a new foul water pumping station at the terminus which is currently being built as part of the £260M extension of the Gospel Oak to Barking Overground Line. BRL is the joint venture between L&Q and the Mayor of London spearheading Barking Riverside, the mixed-use development that will regenerate the 443 acre brownfield site of the former Barking Power Station. Barhale will enter a three month design phase with design partner Nicholas O’Dwyer before the main construction work commences in May 2022. The programme will also include laying a linking length of foul sewer to a new rising main and the drainage within the pump station to connect the incoming sewer to the inlet chamber and to a new emergency storage. A key consideration is overcoming the challenging ground conditions, predominantly tidal alluvium, presented by the location alongside the River Thames. Barhale’s Daniel Meadowcroft, regional manager, explained that the team had been able to bring its experience of similar scenarios to bear in its recommendations. “Our approach will see the originally-specified, shallower-laid, large diameter pipes replaced by a storage tank,” he said. “Given that we are literally working on the banks of the Thames, it will provide a firmer foundation and minimise the risk of settlement. “It’s a great example of how we are able to draw upon our extensive expertise in overcoming engineering challenges to find an optimum solution. “Barking Riverside is a hugely important project to help build the transport infrastructure for a new community in East London. We are very excited to be playing a part.” Barking Riverside station is scheduled to open later this year.
THE government’s long-awaited levelling up whitepaper has been unveiled in full at long last. The document outlines the government’s commitments to rebalancing the UK’s services and economies, which is segmented into 12 key mission statements. Gerard Toplass, executive chairman of The 55 Group, which heads a collective of businesses operating within the construction sector – including national framework provider Pagabo, along with risk, compliance and contract management software company Sypro, social value specialists Loop, and digital-first training platform Tequ – has a positive outlook on the whitepaper. He said: “The levelling up whitepaper has been long-awaited by us all, and it’s great to see it has finally been published in full. While generally speaking, the 12 missions outlined by the government cover pretty much every aspect of daily life, we’re especially pleased to see a number of aims that align with our values. “Our businesses operate nationally but are headquartered in central Hull, which is a city that understands the value that comes from investment – something that we have supported by investing in the transformation of 55 Whitefriargate to bring it back into use. “We are really encouraged by the approach to devolved administrations, decentralising the power from Whitehall and putting it in the hands of people in the areas it is needed. It’s really pleasing that our region is one of the first areas to be able to open negotiations on this topic and we look forward to seeing how this develops in time.” A number of mission statements within the whitepaper focus on improving infrastructure and huge regeneration projects, which will need to be led by local authorities and public sector bodies. Jason Stapley, managing director of national framework provider Pagabo, believes that construction professionals and their expertise will be the key in taking these schemes beyond promises and into reality. He said: “The whitepaper puts great emphasis on restoring local pride, detailing how the government will support 20 towns and city centres with the undertaking of ambitious regeneration projects. It’s a proven fact that positive environments and delivering the infrastructure communities need will elevate an area or region in terms of jobs, productivity and economic boost. “Such large-scale ambition for regeneration is met with the detail of dozens of local authorities set to be supported by the High Streets Task Force to transform town centres. For built environment specialists, our support of public sector bodies for the delivery of such schemes will be key – and ensuring the gold standard of procurement will make sure that true value can be delivered to communities in a way that creates maximum positive impact, while streamlining processes and budgets. “Equally, there is a focus on levelling up infrastructure and transport connections. With net zero carbon targets also set in place by government, it is these large-scale projects that provide huge opportunity for decarbonisation, along with an approach to refurbishment and retrofit to make sure existing building stock also minimises impact on our environment. “Our frameworks are placed to support with all of these aims, with the ability to track all-important KPIs around a scheme as required, such as social return on investment, carbon reduction and local impact. We are set to go live with our civils and infrastructure framework in the coming weeks, which has been designed with these kinds of schemes in mind – so we look forward to working with clients on their projects that will work towards the levelling up agenda.” Social value is a hot topic within the industry, and one that will extend into every reach of life. One of The 55 Group’s businesses is social value calculation specialist, Loop. With several of the mission statements outlined by the government focussing on social-led topics, making sure that organisations are able to identify the actual positive impact of their work on communities will become a big operation. Angus Townsend, group social value lead, said: “Some of the missions outlined within the whitepaper may appear to some as ‘softer elements’, such as improving life expectancy. However, these elements are all interlinked and very much tied to social value and the types of outcomes we help our clients demonstrate from their operations. “It’s likely that generating social value and delivering the levelling up agenda will become synonymous with each other – but the responsibility on doing both will be on all of us. It will be important to make sure we can examine the impact of everything we do and how that plays into the core mission statements from the whitepaper. As ‘the social value people’, we are primed and ready to work with our clients to help demonstrate both quantitative and qualitative evidence to show how they are helping to work towards these outcomes.” Gerard concluded: “There has been a mixed reaction to the whitepaper so far, but we are hopeful that it will mark a moment where direction changes towards making actionable change to rebalance the country. The key will be ensuring it delivers what it promises – and it will be up to us all to keep momentum and hold leadership accountable to making process. “Of course, a lot of our operations are within the construction industry so there are ample ways our work will be able to support the aims around regeneration and infrastructure. However, our work stretches far beyond this, working on key areas including social return on investment and seeking to modernise skills and training to make it fit for the modern world. “Seeing a focus on research and development and improving education standards is hopeful – but will largely rely on adequate funding. Part of levelling up is putting the power into the hands that need it, so making sure that we are working towards practises fit for the future will be a huge part of the journey. For example, in the construction sector there is an ongoing shortage of skills that training courses are simply not fit for purpose in tackling due to relevance, complexity or overall length.
