Cabinet ministers have backed initial proposals for a new runway at Heathrow Airport, claiming it is an “historic moment”. As MPs prepare to vote on the plans ahead of the July 11 deadline, Paul Meagh, electrical and instrumentation services director at engineering solutions provider Boulting Ltd, explores how a modular
Sheffield Sports Medicine has invested £100k in a brand new clinic and it will take on 20 new staff as a result of the move. Established in 2009 and headed by Dr Michael Lee, a Consultant Physiotherapist in Sports and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine, the clinic has relocated to Graves Health and
A new 586-bed student accommodation scheme in Sheffield is to be delivered by ISG. The £33 million project is close to the two universities in Sheffield, fronting onto Ecclesall Road, and it is designed by developer Valeo. “We are delighted to partner with ISG to create our latest student community
High-speed rail connecting all of the UK mainland by 2050 would put “rocket fuel in Britain’s economy”, a leading transport think tank has proposed. The move would shrink a long-standing productivity gap with countries such as Germany, Italy and France, Greengauge 21 said. It would also reduce an over-reliance on
There are all sorts of reasons for requiring pallet deliveries to a construction site. It could be for moving large appliances such as air conditioning units ready for installation or smaller items but in large quantities, like floor tiles or anything else. Arranging pallet delivery to a construction site isn’t
Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) has completed the first phase of the £210 million Exeter Skypark development – the Number One Tiger Moth Road, a 1,790 m2 speculative Grade A office building. The firm worked together with its client, St. Modwen, and created three storeys of energy efficient office
An AJ Top 100 architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP), has completed a £7.7 million, 5,894 m2 new build warehouse, factory and office building on a vacant 4.5 acre plot at the Watermead Business Park, Syston, near Leicester. The facility was built for Albert Browne, owned by STERIS
Contractor Henry Brothers has been appointed to build a new £23m engineering facility for Nottingham Trent University. The two-storey development, in the heart of the Clifton Campus, will feature a range of engineering, teaching and research spaces, together with a large design suite, IT suite, offices and amenity facilities –
HFD Property Group (HFD) has announced the successful practical completion of TUV SUD NEL’s (TUV) new test flow laboratory in East Kilbride. The construction work on the base building, known as the Reynolds Building, is finished and TUV have now commenced the fit out of the £16 million Advanced Multiphase
Sustainable Building Services UK has been appointed by Rykneld Homes Limited, a housing management company, to deliver external wall insulation and related services to 169 REEMA properties in Grassmoor, Chesterfield. The work is being undertaken on behalf of North East Derbyshire District Council and it will be part-financed by the
Cabinet ministers have backed initial proposals for a new runway at Heathrow Airport, claiming it is an “historic moment”. As MPs prepare to vote on the plans ahead of the July 11 deadline, Paul Meagh, electrical and instrumentation services director at engineering solutions provider Boulting Ltd, explores how a modular build will benefit the £14 billion project. Modularisation is not a new concept and has been used by construction and engineering firms for several years as a way of reducing the complexity surrounding the build or refurbishment of a project. For many years, modular construction was thought to be largely box-type structures, providing a bare frame to accommodate construction site workers, large classrooms and residential homes. While the concept still provides benefit for these uses, more and more engineering projects, including the expansion of Heathrow airport, are incorporating the concept into their build as a way of minimising both cost and disruption to the client and end user. The recent announcement by the UK cabinet about the proposed expansion of Heathrow airport has been welcomed by many, including ourselves. The expansion is estimated to create 60,000 new jobs and generate £70 billion in total economic benefits by 2050. While the site itself is in London, Heathrow plans to use the expansion to drive growth in off-site construction across the country. If the vote is successful, a total of four offsite construction and manufacturing hubs will be established across the country, allowing for pre-assembled components to be constructed prior to installation at the new runway. These sites will create thousands of new jobs outside of London, ensuring that more than just the capital city benefits from the expansion. At Boulting, we have 15 years of experience working with modular builds, part of which includes the design, fabrication and installation of the rail station services at Heathrow’s terminal 5. A total of 75 per cent of the project was modularised, enabling us to remove a vast amount of site activity to the controlled environment of a workshop. In addition to minimising disruption to the airport, modularisation improved the overall quality of the project and site safety while reducing the number of site man hours required and total time of the project. Constructing on a dedicated fabrication site, such as Boulting’s facility in St Helens, overcomes these issues as the infrastructure is already in place. Experienced labourers are also at hand to build, test and commission a facility before shipping and erecting in its final location, ensuring a quicker and more cost-effective solution. If the expansion of Heathrow airport is given the green light, its use of modularisation will be one of the largest in the UK. While the concept does have multiple benefits, the decision to use it should not be rushed and all factors should be carefully considered. Working with a leading provider of prefabrication and modularisation services, such as Boulting, can ensure the right decision is made for the project in the most efficient way possible.
Sheffield Sports Medicine has invested £100k in a brand new clinic and it will take on 20 new staff as a result of the move. Established in 2009 and headed by Dr Michael Lee, a Consultant Physiotherapist in Sports and Neuromusculoskeletal Medicine, the clinic has relocated to Graves Health and Sports Centre in the Norton area of the city. Sheffield Sports Medicine specialises in Sports Medicine, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation, Podiatry, Sports Psychology, Sports Massage and Sports Science. Its new clinic was officially opened by Kate Allatt, who was rehabilitated by Dr Lee after she survived a huge brain stem stroke and subsequent locked-in syndrome in 2010. “It was an honour to have Kate come ‘home’ and officially open our new clinic. There’s something extremely poignant about Kate returning to open our new premises,” said Dr Lee. “This new clinic will help us take a giant leap forward into a new era, and further enhance the award-winning service which we offer to clients. It’s a significant investment for a business of our size but a necessary one, too. This is a fantastic opportunity to display and develop our forward-thinking mentality to execute life-changing treatments to all of the patients that we meet. We’re so excited about what the future holds,” he added. Kate suffered a massive brain stem stroke in February 2010 and was told by doctors that she would never walk, talk or even swallow again. However, she became the first person in history to make full recovery from locked-in syndrome and credits Dr Lee for her recovery and rehabilitation. “When I got the call to ask if I wanted to come and open Sheffield Sports Medicine’s new clinic it was a no-brainer. Mike (Lee) gave me a new lease of life,” said Kate. “The mindset I had after the pure chance meeting with Mike – an incredible meeting – I now invoke and pass on around the world. I couldn’t have wished for a better place to spend my birthday – Mike helped create the ‘new me’. Sheffield Sports Medicine is going to go from strength to strength.”
A new 586-bed student accommodation scheme in Sheffield is to be delivered by ISG. The £33 million project is close to the two universities in Sheffield, fronting onto Ecclesall Road, and it is designed by developer Valeo. “We are delighted to partner with ISG to create our latest student community building in Sheffield. Our staff is excited about bringing Valeo’s new brand of student experience to the thriving city of Sheffield,” said Peter Haspel, Managing Director of Valeo Management. The 14-storey building will include high-specification and spacious communal facilities, as well as a central club lounge with extensive balcony on the ninth floor overlooking the city, along with a lounge and study space, a café, private dining, cinema and gym. Accommodation is configured around four, five and six bed clusters, as well as a number of studio apartments – all with en-suite facilities. Each bedroom will also benefit from advanced technologies, such as super-fast Wi-Fi available in all rooms. The demolition of an existing garage structure on the site has already been concluded by ISG and the firm is now set to begin building the concrete frame building, featuring traditional masonry with brick feature panels to its façade. In addition, the contractor will also create car parking spaces for seven retail units, which will occupy the ground floor of the new building. “The global popularity of our higher education institutions sees demand at record levels for places and high-quality student accommodation at our top universities. Purpose-built student residential facilities play a hugely important role in the overall housing mix within our cities, and this major project signifies that Valeo has ambitious development plans across the UK,” said Tim Harvey, Regional Director for ISG. The scheme is expected to approach completion in summer 2019.
High-speed rail connecting all of the UK mainland by 2050 would put “rocket fuel in Britain’s economy”, a leading transport think tank has proposed. The move would shrink a long-standing productivity gap with countries such as Germany, Italy and France, Greengauge 21 said. It would also reduce an over-reliance on London by lowering journey times and allowing other cities to flourish, it added. A new connection in the West Midlands would see HS2 trains speed to cities such as Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle and Edinburgh, reducing the need for environmentally harmful cars, the group suggested. HS2 is a planned high-speed rail network, with trains holding more than 1,000 commuters travelling up to 250 mph, from London to Birmingham and to Manchester and Leeds. Services on the London-Birmingham phase of the £56 billion network are predicted to open from 2026. Greengauge 21 director Jim Steer said: “Britain lacks a long-term national railway strategy beyond HS2. “We need a plan to put rocket fuel into our economic productivity and today’s report sets out proposals to do so. “It is vital for the future of the country that no region is left behind, and the national railway strategy needs to reach all parts of the country.” The report, titled Beyond HS2, said boosting national productivity should be the guiding priority for re-designing the rail network.
There are all sorts of reasons for requiring pallet deliveries to a construction site. It could be for moving large appliances such as air conditioning units ready for installation or smaller items but in large quantities, like floor tiles or anything else. Arranging pallet delivery to a construction site isn’t as simple as ordering an item from Amazon though, there are extra considerations you must take to ensure the whole process runs smoothly. When you’re ordering pallets to be sent to a construction site, these are some of the main things to think about. Time Pallet deliveries are large and sometimes awkward, delivered on lorries that may struggle to get to certain locations. Of course, they should be arranged depending on the working hours of the construction site so there’s someone there to let them in. Yet also you need to make sure there are enough people present to help unload and move any pallets, which is why organising delivery too early or late in the day is inadvisable. Plus, during rush hour these vehicles may find it harder to deliver so more towards the middle of the day could be best. Weight Depending on the delivery service you use, they will likely charge based on the size and weight of your pallet deliveries. This means it can be more cost effective in some cases to arrange for more items to be delivered together or order in bulk. On the other hand, if you only need a small amount then it can be worth looking at options for a smaller pallet or crate to save on delivery costs. Access One of the main ways deliveries can get held up is by getting stuck on route or being unable to access the construction site. There are many stories of lorry drivers following sat-navs and getting lost or stuck. If your construction site is hard to access or surrounded by narrow, country lanes, inform the delivery company of this before they set off to avoid such issues. Price Finally, price will be a major factor in deciding what pallet delivery company to use. Depending on what you are getting delivered and where from, it may even be tempting to collect yourself if it’s fairly local. Otherwise, be sure to compare all the options available and maybe even negotiate to secure the best possible deal. Before you arrange pallet delivery to your construction site make sure you’ve checked off all of these important considerations for a successful experience.
Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) has completed the first phase of the £210 million Exeter Skypark development – the Number One Tiger Moth Road, a 1,790 m2 speculative Grade A office building. The firm worked together with its client, St. Modwen, and created three storeys of energy efficient office space, designed to be divided into three sub-let units, one of which is already let. One of the South West’s most significant business park developments, Exeter Skypark is a cutting-edge Business Park Development and the cornerstone of the Exeter and East Devon New Growth Point. Number One Tiger Moth Road creates the gateway into the core office quarter and anchors the southern edge of enterprise Square, a vibrant landscaped area with water features and communal areas for employees to meet and relax. “Number One Tiger Moth Road sets the benchmark for development across the park and establishes the vision for a high quality public realm and built form. The overall proportions of the building are particularly successful in creating a balanced, lightweight, contemporary form which merges masonry with the crisp aesthetic of glass and aluminium,” said Ian Yallop, chairman of SGP. The Skypark’s design demonstrated an integrated approach to sustainability, with SGP taking a holistic three stage approach for its first phase. It utilises the building orientation and fabric to reduce energy, then it uses smart technology such as BMS and intelligent LED lighting systems to further reduce energy use and lastly, it installed a side wide district heating system that serves the entire development. As a result, Number One Tiger Moth Road achieved both BREEAM Excellent and is EPC A rated. The scheme aims to create a business park environment that provides space for a wide range of businesses, benefiting the local economy and business community. Its first commercial sub-let was finalised within three months of build completion, bringing 40 jobs to the area and proving its success. In total, Skypark will create a new business community of up to 7,500 employees which will be served by the on-site carbon neutral district heating system and set within a landscaped environment of more than 100 acres.
An AJ Top 100 architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP), has completed a £7.7 million, 5,894 m2 new build warehouse, factory and office building on a vacant 4.5 acre plot at the Watermead Business Park, Syston, near Leicester. The facility was built for Albert Browne, owned by STERIS Corporation, and it will showcase the company’s product quality and high level of quality assurance in its production methods, as well as merging staff and processes from two sites whilst allowing space for any potential future expansion. “Working alongside Albert Browne and the STERIS Corporation, SGP has designed a flexible, high-quality production facility whose refined design delivers a contemporary building that meets the clients’ current and future needs,” said Ian Yallop, chairman of SGP. The purpose-built facility uses a contemporary form with large areas of glazing and a simple neutral colour palette. Three interlocking forms with an asymmetric curved roof contain the main production and storage building whilst a lower block contains the office and R&D functions. A change in colour on each block helps to break down the overall mass, forming an animated ‘gateway’ into the city and responding to glimpsed views from the A607. The entrances are emphasised by a two storey blue framed glazed structure containing reception and meeting rooms with a double height void over the reception area. Stephen George + Partners is one of the UK’s leading architectural practices, employing over 85 staff across offices in London, Leicester, Leeds, Birmingham and Solihull. With its strategic geographical locations and talented architectural design teams, the practice specialises in masterplanning and the residential, industrial, logistics, office, education, health and retail sectors. Success in the UK has led to opportunities overseas, resulting in the establishment of Stephen George International in 2009. In 2016 Stephen George + Partners turned over £6 million.
Contractor Henry Brothers has been appointed to build a new £23m engineering facility for Nottingham Trent University. The two-storey development, in the heart of the Clifton Campus, will feature a range of engineering, teaching and research spaces, together with a large design suite, IT suite, offices and amenity facilities – and has been designed to be in the top 10% of sustainable buildings in the UK, when it comes to energy efficiency. The contract is the latest appointment for Henry Brothers at an East Midlands university and follows the completion last year of the £12.5m STEMLab project at Loughborough University, which recently won the Design Through Innovation Award at the regional RICS Awards. It is the company’s first major Nottingham contract and cements Henry Brothers’ position as a key player in the city’s construction sector. Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Henry Brothers Midlands, said: “As a company, Henry Brothers has significant experience of partnering with universities to create inspiring buildings. Following the award-winning STEMLab project at Loughborough University, our team is currently on site with the same client delivering the £30m refurbishment of a 1960s building which houses science labs and teaching spaces. “We are delighted to now be working with another major university in the East Midlands, Nottingham Trent University. The prestigious new engineering building at NTU will enhance the already excellent facilities at the Clifton Campus, and we are very pleased to be part of the team delivering it.” Work on the engineering facility, which will also include the creation of a new ‘Institute of Industrial Digitalisation, Robotics and Automation’ is due to get under way in early June, with completion expected in time for the start of the 2019/2020 academic year. A strong Nottingham-based team has been appointed for the design and build contract and, along with Henry Brothers, includes project manager Edge, quantity surveyor Gleeds, architect Maber and civil and structural engineer Curtins. Henry Brothers is recognised as a leading construction company with a turnover in excess of £80m per annum and more than 200 direct employees. The business works across the UK, with offices in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Midlands office was set up in January 2015 and from its Nottingham base, the team delivers projects from £2m to £30m in value and has a turnover approaching £40m. The firm’s contract at NTU is the latest investment by the university at the Clifton Campus, and will provide an energy efficient facility with an EPC A rating and a BREEAM excellent accreditation. Only the top 10% of new non-domestic buildings are built to a BREEAM excellent rating, with the accreditation being regarded as ‘best practice’. Nottingham Trent University is one of the most environmentally-friendly universities. “We want to create inspirational, state-of-the-art facilities that inspire staff and students and demonstrate our commitment to being a major player in the STEM education of engineers,” said Professor Mary O’Neill, the Dean of Nottingham Trent University’s School of Science and Technology. She said: “This development will facilitate a culture of innovation and excellence to support project-based, industry-focused learning and highly-rated research. “It will enable us to be at the heart of developments in the emerging ‘Industry 4.0’ agenda in terms of education and skills training, as well as knowledge transfer and knowledge development and research. “The anticipated skills shortages represent a serious concern for major industries, and we want to play a lead role in training current and future workers with the digitalisation skills required for this arena, which is being called the next industrial revolution.” The development at the Clifton Campus comes after the university launched a new Department of Engineering and a range of innovative engineering courses designed in conjunction with major industry employers and experts. Henry Brothers Midlands, based at Priory Court, Derby Road, Beeston, is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors. For more information, visit https://henrybrothers.co.uk/
HFD Property Group (HFD) has announced the successful practical completion of TUV SUD NEL’s (TUV) new test flow laboratory in East Kilbride. The construction work on the base building, known as the Reynolds Building, is finished and TUV have now commenced the fit out of the £16 million Advanced Multiphase Facility (AMF) in East Kilbride. Once the fit out is completed, the AMF’s test range capability, including operating pressures, temperatures, flowrates and metrology will be beyond anything currently available in the world. Operating at pressures up to 150 bar, the facility will double current capabilities to replicate extreme production conditions experienced by the oil and gas production industry. The AMF will provide opportunities for industry-led projects, training and academic research. It will create at least 17 new jobs and safeguarding 82 and it will futureproof the delivery of innovative technical services to the oil and gas production market for the next 25 years, and position Scotland as a world leader in multiphase flow measurement. “HFD are delighted to be part of a Scottish led project of such international import; HFD as a group prides itself on working with occupiers to ensure our buildings meet their needs in full. In this instance the challenges were both technical and timebound; and we are delighted to have succeeded in delivering this key milestone for TUV. HFD has a wealth of experience working with Oil & Gas occupiers and having provided this platform for the project, we will continue to support TUV throughout their fit out and beyond,” said Matt Bellshaw, Property Director of HFD Property Group. The 20,000 sq ft building has been under construction since September 2017 and despite major weather disruption during the winter months, the work was completed on time and on budget to a short 6-month programme. The AMF development was supported by Scottish Enterprise with £4.9 million of research and development funding, while TUV’s parent company, TUV SUD AG is investing £11.1 million. The project marks the largest capital investment to date in the company’s UK business.
Sustainable Building Services UK has been appointed by Rykneld Homes Limited, a housing management company, to deliver external wall insulation and related services to 169 REEMA properties in Grassmoor, Chesterfield. The work is being undertaken on behalf of North East Derbyshire District Council and it will be part-financed by the Energy Company Obligation. Valued at approximately £1 million, the work for the scheme will include surveys and repairs, followed by the fitting of an external wall insulation system designed and manufactured by PermaRock Products Limited, asbestos removal, replacement of roofline and rainwater goods, adaptations for central heating vents and windows, and the installation of new canopies over front doors. An important element of this project is the management of ECO funding. Rykneld Homes scored each contractor’s bid on the basis of quality and price and then decided that SBS proposal represented best value. “Judging by recent announcements, SBS has become the contractor of choice for major energy efficiency works in the Midlands and beyond. We are working with clients such as Nottingham City Homes and Broxtowe Borough Council, and we’re consistently achieving top scores on both price and quality. That’s especially important to us because, fundamentally, delivering best value is what we’re all about,” said SBS Commercial Director, Gary Lawson. Currently, SBS is working extensively across the Midlands and this latest contract award further consolidates the company’s presence in the region. In 2017, it was ranked first for quality on a four-year solid wall insulation framework managed by Efficiency East Midlands and in April 2018, Derby Homes Limited named SBS as its number one-ranked supplier for external wall insulation services under its 4-year Insulation Installations Framework. SBS has also recently delivered award-winning projects for Chesterfield Borough Council and Nottingham City Homes. Rykneld Homes manages properties on behalf of North East Derbyshire District Council. It manages 2,700 Council-owned, non-traditional stock, consisting of 16 construction types, and a further 1,800 non-traditional properties in private ownership.
