In the first phase of improvements to Watford Woodside Leisure Centre in Hertfordshire, one of two state-of-the-art facilities in the town managed by Everyone Active, high performance weberfloor 4310 fibre flow by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified by main contractor Bosun Design & Construction Limited (BDC), Chandlers Ford, Hampshire. Everyone
Architecture and construction consultancy YMD Boon has announced that it has completed improvement works on more than 200 school projects in the Midlands area through the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF). CIF, an annual bidding round to which academies and sixth-form colleges can apply for funding to keep school buildings in
Independent construction, property and management consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB UK) has announced the strengthening of its healthcare expertise with the appointment of three senior healthcare appointments. Stewart Binns joins RLB UK as a Partner from Turner & Townsend where he spent the last 14 years as a Director in
September 22nd sees people from around the world taking part in ‘World Car Free Day[1]’ as a reminder that we don’t have to accept a car-dominated society. For many this has already become a way of life, as savvy citizens have removed the costly expense of running a car and
A £29.3 million contract for the construction of a new teaching and research building for Leeds Beckett University has been won by Galliford Try. The facility will see a new home created for the Carnegie School of Sport on the University’s Headingley campus. “This £45 million world-class facility will underline
Kier Construction Scotland has been appointed to take forward a trio of projects in the field of mental health, including a £6m refurbishment programme at Royal Cornhill hospital in Aberdeen and Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin. Kier has also been appointed to develop the designs for a £4.8m extension and
Garbe Industrial Real Estate GmbH, together with the Aachen-based logistics company Hammer GmbH & Co. KG and numerous guests from politics and business celebrated the roofing ceremony for the new logistics centre in Eschweiler, Germany. The new facility, which is being built on a 186,000-square-metre site in the intermunicipal business
Plans to give local firms a chance to secure work on a £500 million housing programme have been revealed by Liverpool City Council. Foundations, a new ethical housing company established by Mayor Joe Anderson, aims to create 10,000 new homes and refurbish dilapidated housing stock in Liverpool. “Foundations has the
Construction work is underway at a new sustainable student accommodation for King’s College, University of Cambridge, the first of its kind in the city. The development, situated in existing College grounds on Cranmer Road, will provide 59 graduate rooms built across two new accommodation buildings to create a unified campus
One of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of health and safety solutions, Seton, has launched a pioneering speed bump which offers market leading strength and durability. With an innovative ground fixing rail system that significantly reduces deformation and distortion, the Seton Speed Bump has been developed following extensive research
In the first phase of improvements to Watford Woodside Leisure Centre in Hertfordshire, one of two state-of-the-art facilities in the town managed by Everyone Active, high performance weberfloor 4310 fibre flow by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified by main contractor Bosun Design & Construction Limited (BDC), Chandlers Ford, Hampshire. Everyone Active is the trading name for Sports & Leisure Management Limited (SLM), the UK’s longest-established leisure contractor. It manages more than 170 leisure and cultural facilities around the country in partnership with 49 different local authorities and trusts, and is currently carrying out a £1.8million improvement project across its Watford Woodside and Watford Central leisure centres. “Working alongside Watford Borough Council, we are supporting local people of all ages and abilities to improve their health by offering them access to top-class leisure services and facilities,” said Gary Foley, Everyone Active’s contract manger in Watford. “This project to update both locations will make a huge difference to our members, providing them with a new fitness studio to cater for the growing demand in group exercise, refurbished changing facilities and a significantly improved fitness suite that will offer the latest state-of-the-art equipment.” “We undertake contracts for Everyone Active at numerous sites in the south east,” comments James May, director at BDC, which is carrying out the work in Watford. “Multiple contracts are on-going at any one time. The process of selection is via tender direct to Everyone Active, which then works with the local authority. It is at this stage a preferred contractor is proposed.” Included in the current phase of the works is the creation of a new mezzanine floor. It has been installed in the space above a former dance studio and adjacent squash court, and has enabled a brand new fitness studio to be created. The current studio has also been extended. The second phase of development is due to begin at both Watford sites shortly, for completion in early 2019. BDC is actively involved in both projects. Subcontractor C E C Plastering, of Southampton, undertook the application of weberfloor 4310 fibre flow screed. Director Chris Crosby says: “Together with Bosun Design & Construction we specified this fibre reinforced self-smoothing compound which we pump-applied at various thicknesses from 35-50mm. It was quick and easy to install, very versatile, and has produced an excellent finish. We’re fans of this product and have used it before but, even so, we benefited from Weber’s technical support.” weberfloor 4310 fibre flow screed was applied to a steel framed block and beam floor construction which overcame the concerns around loading issues that might have arisen with the application of a traditional concrete screed. The new floor was initially primed with weberfloor 4716, a water-based primer designed for use with all cementitious and hemi-hydrate floor screeds. It regulates the porosity of the substrate, improves the adhesion of flooring products while reducing the formation of pinholes in the levelling layer. It should be diluted with clean water and can be spray applied on large areas. weberfloor 4310 fibre flow screed is designed for application at thicknesses between 5 – 50mm and formulated from special cements, aggregates, supplementary binders and chemical admixtures. It is supplied as a blended dry powder and designed specifically for renovation of existing floors and floating floor construction in domestic and commercial applications. weberfloor 4310 fibre flow can receive foot traffic after just 2 – 4 hours and can be tiled after 12 – 24 hours, dependent on ambient temperature following installation. The fibre reinforcement aids durability and allows it to be used in conjunction with under floor heating systems and floating floors. weberfloor 4310 fibre flow has excellent spreading and smoothing characteristics. It has low alkalinity and low emissions during drying and is casein free. Almost 500 bags of weberfloor 4310 fibre flow were required to finish the 190m² mezzanine floor in preparation for a final wood sprung floor suitable for dance and other physical education where shock absorption is essential to enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury. weberfloor 4310 fibre flow is featured in Weber’s one hour long RIBA-Assessed ‘Introduction into Flowing Floor Screeds’ CPD which can be presented by Weber’s Specification Team at your premises or at a Saint-Gobain facility or Training Academy anywhere in the UK. It is free of charge and available on request. This comprehensive CPD presentation covers many subjects from why and where to use floor systems; the attributes of commercial floors; design considerations; the demands of the finished floor that will have an influence on specification, through to renovation, fast-track construction and drying times. The CPD includes an application video showing the attributes of weberfloor 4310 fibre flow smoothing compound which is of specific interest to both designers and applicators. Weber’s floor screeds and tile fixing products are manufactured in sustainable, modern manufacturing facilities in Bedfordshire, Shropshire and Ireland, ensuring product quality, conformity and availability, with reduced transportation costs and CO₂ emissions. Weber has a team of experienced technical advisors who are available to provide advice both at the specification stage and during application. Detailed specifications can be provided for specific projects while site visits and on-site support can be arranged. For more information about the Flooring CPD, to make a booking, or for technical support including award winning training courses, please contact Saint-Gobain Weber on 08703 330 070, or visit www.uk.weber . CPD bookings can be made by email: mail@netweber.co.uk. A free download of the Weber App for iPhone and iPad users is also available from the App Store and from Google Play for Android smartphones and tablet users. Follow Saint-Gobain Weber on Twitter @SGWeberUK for the latest company news and updates.
Architecture and construction consultancy YMD Boon has announced that it has completed improvement works on more than 200 school projects in the Midlands area through the Government’s Condition Improvement Fund (CIF). CIF, an annual bidding round to which academies and sixth-form colleges can apply for funding to keep school buildings in safe and good working order, funds projects that address issues such as water tightness, boiler failure, fire safety, safeguarding and mobile classroom replacement. In the latest bidding round (2018/19), more than 50% of all successful bids in both Derbyshire and Leicestershire were awarded to schools that had engaged YMD Boon to prepare and deliver their bids. The company has undertaken works on CIF projects ranging from window replacements and reroofing to extensions and major refurbishments over the course of the last five years. Notable projects this year include three new school halls, six new production kitchens, a half form entry expansion of an “outstanding school” and numerous boiler replacements, reroofing, window replacements, fire safety improvements works and safeguarding projects. Director at YMD Boon, Jonathan Warren, said: “Our continued success over the last few years through CIF bids demonstrates both YMD Boon’s knowledge and its commitment to the education sector. Delivering more than 200 projects through CIF is a fantastic milestone to celebrate and we are very proud of our team. “We have delivered both small scale projects ranging from £25k to large-scale refurbishment and expansion works in excess of a £1m. It’s great to see our work directly improve so many local schools and we very much look forward to delivering even more projects over the coming years through CIF.” YMD Boon, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, works on high-profile schemes throughout the Midlands, with specialist services including architecture, quantity surveying, building surveying, project management, employers’ agent, property management and maintenance, health and safety advisors and clerk of works.
Independent construction, property and management consultancy, Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB UK) has announced the strengthening of its healthcare expertise with the appointment of three senior healthcare appointments. Stewart Binns joins RLB UK as a Partner from Turner & Townsend where he spent the last 14 years as a Director in the Project Management team and was the National Health and Higher Education lead. Stewart had a major portfolio of projects across the public sector including clients such as the University of Leeds, University of Huddersfield, York NHS Trust and the Yorkshire & York PCT. He is nationally known for his work in risk management and structuring effective procurement solutions. Georgie Whitham joins RLB’s London team from Capita and brings an analytical skillset which includes activity modelling, simulation and strategic data mapping. Georgie has worked with a variety of healthcare organisations including commissioners, providers, regulators and social enterprises. Her expertise has been applied to a wide range of schemes from new build multi-speciality facilities to Trust-wide transformation strategies, new digital-based models of care and CCG strategic estates plans. Paul Dutton joins the Project Management team in Birmingham and has worked on a range of health and education projects. These include hospitals and specialist centres like The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre Liverpool, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, St George’s Hospital and Royal Berkshire Hospital amongst others. He has a background in IT & medical equipment bringing a new element to RLB client services in addition to his project management skillset. These appointments come at a time of phenomenal growth for the RLB healthcare team who brought healthcare management consultant Conor Ellis to the helm of the division in 2017. The sector has doubled in turnover in the past 12 months, is shortlisted for national awards and now has clients in every area of the NHS from acute & research to primary, mental health and community care. Conor Ellis, Partner and National Head of Healthcare at RLB comments, “RLB welcomes three more senior professionals to the RLB healthcare team. They bring a breadth of knowledge and experience to the fold with outstanding track records within their healthcare field.” Andrew Reynolds, UK and Global Board Director for RLB UK continues, “It is an exciting time for the UK business. We are seeing opportunities open with the healthcare division as the needs change both of the NHS and within the private healthcare sector. Our high profile projects are enabling us to attract the best talent which in turn means we can offer a strategic, consultative approach to serve the market even better.”
September 22nd sees people from around the world taking part in ‘World Car Free Day[1]’ as a reminder that we don’t have to accept a car-dominated society. For many this has already become a way of life, as savvy citizens have removed the costly expense of running a car and joined a car club. At Marconi Evolution, Bellway’s development set in the heart of Chelmsford, residents can make the positive decision to live car free. Based at Marconi, residents can join Co-wheels car club, with its easy online booking system where members only pay for what they use and insurance in included. Co-wheels takes its environmental responsibility seriously and only provides low emission, hybrid and electric cars. For members, the only costs are a one off joining fee of £25 and then a pay as you use cost, removing the expensive annual charges involved in car ownership such as road tax, insurance, and servicing, not to mention funding the vehicle. Marconi is located just a four-minute walk to the nearest supermarket, the train station and indeed the heart of Chelmsford’s city centre, removing any need for a car, that according to statistics is likely to remain stationary for 95% of time. At Marconi the final phase of contemporary apartments is already 50% sold out. The homes offer prospective buyers the perfect opportunity to purchase a new home in an enviable location in Chelmsford. Each is finished to a high specification with the added advantage of an on-site residents’ gym and a concierge service. Paul Timson, Sales Manager at Bellway Essex, comments: “Many of the buyers at Marconi have been first time buyers, taking advantage of the Government’s Help to Buy scheme. Generally, there isn’t a pot of money left over for running a car so the car club has been immensely popular with residents and we envisage that as people get more used to this way of life we envisage that the fleet size could increase on site . “Chelmsford city centre is so close to the development that popping out to buy a pint of milk would take longer in a car than by foot.” Chelmsford city centre has a wealth of activities, retailers and restaurants on offer. Bond Street shopping centre has transformed the city, with sought-after brands and wide pedestrianised walk ways, including Essex’s first John Lewis, 25 luxury shops and seven riverside restaurants. In addition to the on-site residents’ gym, active residents are only a short distance from several leisure centres and private health clubs – and with football, rugby and tennis facilities available in the local area, there is ample opportunity to take up a number of sports and fitness activities. Central Park and Admirals Park are only a short distance from the development, with Hylands Park accessible too, providing ample green space within the vicinity of Marconi Evolution. These new homes in Chelmsford are ideally situated for commuting into the capital with rail journeys into London Liverpool Street taking around 35 minutes from Chelmsford train station, which is less than five minutes’ walk from the development. The last remaining homes at Marconi Evolution are priced from £255,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, and £299,995 for a two-bedroom apartment. For further information please visit www.bellway.co.uk or call the sales team on 01245 269208.
A £29.3 million contract for the construction of a new teaching and research building for Leeds Beckett University has been won by Galliford Try. The facility will see a new home created for the Carnegie School of Sport on the University’s Headingley campus. “This £45 million world-class facility will underline our global reputation for delivering high-impact sports teaching and research. It is part of a wider £200 million programme of investment across our campuses which will further increase the positive contribution we make to our city region and beyond,” explained Professor Peter Slee, Vice-chancellor of Leeds Beckett University. The new building will feature dedicated research laboratories, hypoxic laboratory, health and wellbeing studio, an indoor rooftop sprint track for performance training and analysis, a roof walking track and terrace, enhanced strength and conditioning space and changing and recovery facilities. In addition, there will also be networking spaces for students, staff and visitors, a café, informal teaching space and learning support that will foster interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing. “We are delighted to be working with Leeds Beckett on such a prestigious project. We have a proven track record in providing high-quality buildings for higher education and we look forward to working with the University to ensure that their students and staff have the world-class sports science facilities they demand,” said Cliff Wheatley, Managing Director for Galliford Try North East and Yorkshire.
Kier Construction Scotland has been appointed to take forward a trio of projects in the field of mental health, including a £6m refurbishment programme at Royal Cornhill hospital in Aberdeen and Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin. Kier has also been appointed to develop the designs for a £4.8m extension and refurbishment programme for the existing facility at Rowanbank Clinic, part of Stobhill hospital in Glasgow, and a contract to design, build and commission a £3.7m, 12 bedded National Secure Adolescent Inpatient Service (NSAIS) in Irvine. Work for NHS Grampian to refurbish up to six acute mental health admission wards is part of the Scottish Government’s plans to enhance the clinical environment for patients classed as high risk of self-harm. These latest wins build on a number of healthcare projects that Kier is currently delivering, including a new elective care facility at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank as well as carrying out backlog maintenance work and ward refurbishments with NHS Grampian at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for NHS Highland and at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, Inverclyde Royal Hospital in Greenock and Glasgow Royal Infirmary for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Brian McQuade, managing director for Kier Construction Scotland, said: “Kier has a leading reputation of delivering first-class facilities in the health sector. These latest wins demonstrate significant investment in the area of mental health by Scottish Government and we look forward to working closely with NHS Grampian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Ayrshire & Arran to deliver these enhanced facilities. Not only will these excellent new amenities benefit the patients, they will also lead to job creation and training opportunities, helping to support both the local and Scottish economies.” Judith McLenan, Business Manager, NHS Grampian Mental Health & Learning Disability Services said: “This is the largest project the service has undertaken since the Clerkseat Building opened at Royal Cornhill Hospital approximately 30 years ago. The project will significantly improve and modernise the physical environment. It involves a major refurbishment of the building, the installation of newer, safer specialist ligature-reduction and anti-barricade mental health fittings and fixtures and improvement in the lines of sight for patient / staff accessibility and enhancement of clinical observation in practice.” These improvements, ligature reduction and refurbishment will also be applied to adult mental health in patient services in the Moray Health and Social Care Partnership. Kier Construction, part of Kier Group, is one of five principal supply chain partners on the NHS’ £600m Health Facilities Scotland framework for Capital Development in Scotland.
Garbe Industrial Real Estate GmbH, together with the Aachen-based logistics company Hammer GmbH & Co. KG and numerous guests from politics and business celebrated the roofing ceremony for the new logistics centre in Eschweiler, Germany. The new facility, which is being built on a 186,000-square-metre site in the intermunicipal business park of Inden/Weisweiler “Am Grachtweg,” is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. The facility will be home to a logistics property almost 94,000 square metres in size, which will provide 105,000 square metres of floor space, including an additional mezzanine, offices, and social rooms. A total of around 60 million euros have been invested in the project and it will be occupied by Hammer. “As a multi-user location, the logistics centre Eschweiler is unique in the region and an important building block for further growth for us,” said managing director Wolfgang “Tim” Hammer. Moreover, in order to succeed in integrating new businesses, Hammer is also investing in the technical equipment of the logistics centre, in which an automated small parts storage system will speed up the flow of goods. Among the long-standing customers for whom Hammer performs comprehensive storage and logistics services in Eschweiler is QCG Computer GmbH, a company that assembles and tests complete systems for large data centre operators. “In close coordination with all those involved in the logistics centre, we have integrated a 10,000-square-metre production hall for QCG for server assembly,” explained Christopher Garbe. The 217-metre-wide and 385-metre-long logistics property with 80 gates will be equipped for trouble-free loading and unloading of trucks. The design of the exterior area includes 25 parking spaces for trucks and 200 for cars. An additional advantage is the central location in the Rhineland with excellent connections to transport infrastructure. The location in the intermunicipal business park offers direct access to the A 4; distance to the A 44 motorway is only 12 kilometres, and the economic regions of Aachen and Cologne are also only 24 and 40 kilometres away, respectively. “In addition, the close proximity allows for a close exchange with Aachen University, good cooperation with local partners, and last but not least, the opportunity to meet the latest ecological standards with the new building,” said Hammer’s managing director, emphasizing these further advantages.
Plans to give local firms a chance to secure work on a £500 million housing programme have been revealed by Liverpool City Council. Foundations, a new ethical housing company established by Mayor Joe Anderson, aims to create 10,000 new homes and refurbish dilapidated housing stock in Liverpool. “Foundations has the potential to be absolutely transformational in so many ways, such as by creating the right housing mix that the city needs and generating new council tax income which we can reinvest in services,” said Mayor Joe Anderson. “But crucially it is also vital that as part of the construction programme that we give as many local businesses as possible the chance to bid for work from Foundations. We’ve already got a good track record of doing that with our schools investment programme, with 74% of the spending going to Merseyside firms helping create 2,000 jobs and 200 apprenticeships – and we want to replicate that with Foundations,” he continued. The project aims to rebalance the city’s social housing stock, revolutionise the rent to buy sector and drive up council tax receipts for the council. Designed specifically for Liverpool- and Merseyside-based businesses, the framework will enable businesses to pitch for work as part of the derelict refurbishment and new build programmes. “The sheer scale of the work that Foundations will be doing over the next few years offers a tremendous opportunity to local firms, ranging from the supply of materials or fitting out properties,” commented Chair of Foundations, Frank Hont. “The procurement framework aims to recycle as much of the spending as possible locally through the city region economy, into the coffers of local businesses and ultimately the pockets of local workers, benefiting households across the city region. It is an example of how the work that Foundations will be doing will have far reaching benefits that stretches far beyond just building new homes,” Frank Hont added.
Construction work is underway at a new sustainable student accommodation for King’s College, University of Cambridge, the first of its kind in the city. The development, situated in existing College grounds on Cranmer Road, will provide 59 graduate rooms built across two new accommodation buildings to create a unified campus around a shared garden, which is also a short walk from the College’s historic courts. The student housing will be built to a Passivhaus standard, a sustainable housing initiative, resulting in ultra-low energy buildings which require very little fuel for heating or cooling. “We are delighted to have been given permission to develop this sustainable building on College land. It will provide much-needed accommodation for our graduates and foster the growth of a community spirit on the site,” said Philip Isaac, the Domus Bursar at King’s College. R G Carter will be building the student accommodation, having become one of the UK’s leading Passivhaus homebuilders, through continued investment, upskilling of its workforce and expertise demonstrated across a number of award winning developments. “We are delighted to collaborate with King’s College on this exciting innovative scheme. Our focus is on delivering a successful project and providing quality sustainable accommodation that will serve students for many years to come,” said John Ford, R G Carter Director and General Manager. Each accommodation block will reflect the surroundings in a contemporary way. Cranmer Villa will incorporate red brick walls, clay roof tiles and stone windows that reflects a style with neighbouring buildings, while The Garden building has been designed to blend into the conservation of the area, with a glazed terracotta cladding and a sustainable ‘green’ roof. It is expected that students will take up occupation in Autumn 2019.
One of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of health and safety solutions, Seton, has launched a pioneering speed bump which offers market leading strength and durability. With an innovative ground fixing rail system that significantly reduces deformation and distortion, the Seton Speed Bump has been developed following extensive research into current customer needs and existing products within the marketplace. Designed to last, the Seton Speed Bump boasts a unique chevron interlocking shape for enhanced strength, while the rail system significantly reduces the stress levels of the ground bolts, minimising the risk of the speed bump being dislodged and damaging vehicles. A colour contrast lifetime guarantee ensures the speed bump remains highly visible for maximum impact. Ed Barnes, Traffic Innovation Manager at Seton commented: “Existing traffic calming products are notoriously characterised by low durability and poor quality, with recent research showing that almost a quarter of motorists have suffered vehicle damage due to such measures. As health and safety experts, we wanted to develop a solution to these problems, providing businesses and organisations operating a private car park the ability to meet their legal obligations. “The Seton Speed Bump is the result of an intensive and extensive research and development programme. It has been designed to tackle the common problem of speed bumps being ripped up, offering a durable, easy install solution for facilities managers, health and safety managers and estates managers as well as contractors and installers.” The unique Seton Speed Bump rail system enables bolt heads to be as close to the car park’s surface as possible, greatly reducing bolt movement. The upright surface of the rails improves lateral drag resistance and increases crush resistance, which provides additional strength and durability in comparison with standard non-rail installation speed bumps. Available in two height and material options, the Seton Speed Bump marks the start of an extensive programme of innovative product development for the health and safety manufacturer and distributor. With health and safety laws growing increasingly complicated, Seton aims to simplify the process by developing products that ensure compliance. For more information, visit: www.seton.co.uk/seton-speed-bump
