Work on a new outpatient facility at King’s College Hospital in London is now complete. The facility is the UK’s largest modular off-site construction project within NHS healthcare to date and has been successfully procured via a bespoke, structured finance agreement. King’s College Hospital serves more than 700,000 patients across
Keltbray has commenced work on the complex sub and superstructure packages on the Salisbury Square Development for main client The City of London Corporation, on behalf of Mace. The delivery of the contract, valued at £73 million, follows on from the successful completion of the £10 million demolition and enabling
Wiltshire Council has approved plans to refurbish and remodel the Grade II listed Town Hall in Trowbridge. This paves the way for the Town Hall to become a major creative and community hub for Trowbridge, comprising custom designed performance and activity spaces, recording studios and a licenced café bar with
Lincoln-based Stirlin Construction, part of Stirlin Group, has completed a new £1.8 million headquarters in Louth, Lincolnshire, for accounting and business adviser Duncan & Toplis. Oxley House is located on the Fairfield Industrial Estate on Lincoln Way and brings 10,000 sq. ft. of premium office space to the town. The
McGoff Construction has started work on site at the its latest residential development in Manchester. The site, located on Rochdale Road, which was previously Rochdale Road Gas Works and home to other industrious businesses, has been derelict for some time. In recent months extensive investigations has been carried out with
Everton and Laing O’Rourke have held a ‘topping out’ ceremony at Everton Stadium to mark the completion of the structure. Dignitaries from the Club and its construction partner jointly celebrated the achievement, just 20 months since work began on the semi-derelict site at Bramley-Moore Dock. All four stands have since been erected
Property developer HBD has completed two deals at Airport Business Park Southend (ABPS) totalling £19.3 million. The firm will deliver a £14.3 million building spanning 129,000 sq. ft. for IPECO; its second base at the scheme designed and built by HBD. Work is due to begin on site in May,
Network Rail has started work to renovate the roof at Waterloo Station in London. Engineers have begun work on this two-year project to refurbish the 100-year-old station roof which overlooks the main concourse and was rebuilt just after the First World War in 1922. Work is needed to replace the
A development of new council homes in Lockleaze has taken another step forward as the Bristol City Council seeks to secure ownership of a former pub that needs to be demolished to allow work to begin. The council hopes to build 47 homes on disused land at Branwhite Close in
A new collection of high-quality family homes in the sought-after village of Felsted have come to market with award-winning property group, Beresfords. Scholars Green is located on a private turning, Watch House Green, and includes three and four-bedroom homes – with prices starting at £560,000. The properties are framed beautifully
Work on a new outpatient facility at King’s College Hospital in London is now complete. The facility is the UK’s largest modular off-site construction project within NHS healthcare to date and has been successfully procured via a bespoke, structured finance agreement. King’s College Hospital serves more than 700,000 patients across four London boroughs and was facing severe capacity constraints due to a lack of available space and urgent upgrades required to its current facilities. Procured via a tailored finance solution, specialist modular building provider Premier Modular handed over the new outpatient consultation and procedure facility within nine months, with the modules being installed on-site on an existing car park at the hospital in just 23 days. Jane Tabiner Managing Director at SAF Solutions: “This was a fantastic project to be involved in and SAF has played a pivotal role in helping make the UK’s largest modular off-site construction project within the NHS a reality. This is a fantastic achievement for both SAF Solutions and Premier Modular. “Collaboration and partnership were central to the successful delivery of this project. We worked closely with the team at Kings College Hospital to understand the Trust’s financial needs and designed a bespoke solution that fits the bill. We’re proud of our work on this project and our part in further supporting the NHS and their patients.” The large-scale facility has been built onto one of the Trust’s existing car park, assisting in reducing waiting times while improving the patient experience for urgent care services, all without disrupting the current day to day activity of the hospital. The use of existing hospital estate to house the facility also allows the trust to redevelop other areas of the site. With a wealth of experience in developing bespoke funding solutions within healthcare and modular construction, SAF created a funding structure that was tailored to suit both the Trust’s significant investment and the construction agreements already in place with Premier Modular. The finance solution can be adapted to align with the evolving needs of the Trust and its patients and also takes the initial building and development elements of the project into account, amalgamating costs into a single, monthly fee. The new facility provides 48 purpose-designed consultation rooms and eight procedure rooms for a range of services, including dermatology, rheumatology, respiratory, neurosciences, pain management, and urology as well as other aspects of surgery and therapies. Set to provide much-needed additional capacity for the Trust and its patients, this new facility is a fantastic example of the positive role finance solutions can play in supporting investment in brand-new, modular, industry-leading healthcare facilities whilst effectively utilising budgets available within an NHS Trust. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Keltbray has commenced work on the complex sub and superstructure packages on the Salisbury Square Development for main client The City of London Corporation, on behalf of Mace. The delivery of the contract, valued at £73 million, follows on from the successful completion of the £10 million demolition and enabling works package by Keltbray, where sustainable circular economy techniques are being deployed to minimise waste and reduce the overall environmental impact of the scheme. Work will include the installation of over 500 king post piles, secant piles, contig piles and bearing piles, construction of a new basement slab, core base and box, as well as four new cores, the formation of a reinforced concrete superstructure for the court building and a ‘listed building’ soft strip using ‘cut and carve’ techniques to retain key elements of the heritage structure. The Salisbury Square Development will principally deliver a new, purpose-built 18-courtroom legal facility called the City of London Law Courts and an industry leading City of London police headquarters equipped to combat amongst other things, fraud and economic crime across the UK. Chief Executive Officer, Darren James commented: “Keltbray is very pleased to announce we have secured the contract to deliver the major structural elements on Salisbury Square. The contract is a significant step forward for Keltbray in extending our service offering further along the value chain, where clients are recognising the value in our integrated approach to self-delivery.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Wiltshire Council has approved plans to refurbish and remodel the Grade II listed Town Hall in Trowbridge. This paves the way for the Town Hall to become a major creative and community hub for Trowbridge, comprising custom designed performance and activity spaces, recording studios and a licenced café bar with refurbished spaces for a wide range of community activities from yoga classes to toddler groups. Listed Building Consent was also granted on the same day ensuring the status of the Town Hall as a local historic landmark in the heart of the town. “Securing these planning permissions are vital milestones in this project which forms part of the £16 million investment in Trowbridge town centre through the government’s Future High Streets Fund. We are delighted that we can now start to move from planning to the exciting stage of delivery with works starting later this year,” said Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council. “One of the key aims in our Business Plan is making sure our towns are resilient, ensuring our communities are able to grow sustainably with access to leisure, arts, heritage and culture. The refurbishment of Trowbridge Town Hall is central to developing a unique cultural offer in the town, encouraging increased footfall into the town centre and helping to revive Trowbridge’s poor evening economy. We are looking forward to these plans being realised in the future.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Lincoln-based Stirlin Construction, part of Stirlin Group, has completed a new £1.8 million headquarters in Louth, Lincolnshire, for accounting and business adviser Duncan & Toplis. Oxley House is located on the Fairfield Industrial Estate on Lincoln Way and brings 10,000 sq. ft. of premium office space to the town. The two-storey building includes open-plan office spaces, meeting rooms, kitchen facilities and a reception area. Sustainable elements of the project include EV charging points and a renewable energy solar system to the roof. The ground floor is now the home of the Louth team of Duncan & Toplis and the first floor is occupied by Wilkin Chapman Solicitors. “Oxley House is a fantastic example of Stirlin Construction delivering the design, and build, of a fit-for-purpose new facility, on time and on budget – and we are thrilled with the result. We worked closely with our long-standing client at Duncan & Toplis to design a premises that would provide a contemporary workspace to accommodate its growing team. This project was a pleasure to deliver alongside local construction delivery partners, and we’re really pleased to see the building complete and now being enjoyed by two flourishing businesses. Thank you to all involved who worked hard to deliver this brilliant facility,” said Howard Griffith, Head of Construction at Stirlin. After reaching capacity at its previous office, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire-based Duncan & Toplis appointed Stirlin as principal contractor, to develop a contemporary headquarters with sustainability and accessibility at the forefront of its design. “The opening of our new premises in Louth is a landmark moment for Duncan & Toplis. The new office is a major investment, underlining our dedication to the region, adding real, lasting value to our communities, by creating a future-fit working environment designed in collaboration with and for our team members. I am absolutely delighted with how the office is looking and we can’t wait to welcome colleagues and clients,” commented Duncan & Toplis Managing Director, Adrian Reynolds. Other partners on the project include Lincoln-based CRM advisors Hunt & Sykes, John Roberts Architects and structural engineer Steve Gilman Design, and Newark-based civil engineer William Saunders. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
McGoff Construction has started work on site at the its latest residential development in Manchester. The site, located on Rochdale Road, which was previously Rochdale Road Gas Works and home to other industrious businesses, has been derelict for some time. In recent months extensive investigations has been carried out with McGoff Construction preparing the land for build. The archaeological test pits are complete, and the demolition of all smaller buildings will now take place. Part of Manchester City Council’s Victoria North Strategic Regeneration Framework, the new £50m development, which will be part of the Group’s ‘Downtown’ brand, will comprise 237 homes, including a range of one, two and three bedroom apartments. In addition, there will duplex apartments with some of these properties benefiting from garages and storage areas, including a private drive. Known as Downtown Victoria North, it will be a true Build to Rent development, with Downtown Asset Management maintaining ownership and managing rental lettings. Creating a superb new community in the city centre, the development will offer a spacious communal lobby with 24hr concierge, a stylish resident lounge, meeting area and gym facilities, as well as secure underground parking for 29 cars and a cycle store. There will also be landscaped grounds and courtyards within the development for resident-only use. With construction now underway and the Manchester project scheduled to take approximately 145 weeks to complete, Brendan Caloe, Head of Special Projects Division within McGoff Construction, commented: “It’s great to be back building in the city centre and the plans for Downtown Victoria North are excellent, with a choice of one, two and three bedroom apartments set within a stunning development.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Everton and Laing O’Rourke have held a ‘topping out’ ceremony at Everton Stadium to mark the completion of the structure. Dignitaries from the Club and its construction partner jointly celebrated the achievement, just 20 months since work began on the semi-derelict site at Bramley-Moore Dock. All four stands have since been erected to full height, with the final sections of steelwork and terracing units being installed on top of the east stand, where the ‘topping out’ ceremony and speeches took place. Chief Stadium Development Officer Colin Chong, who poured the concrete mix into the final slab at the ceremony, praised the “professionalism, commitment, dedication and effort” of all involved in the stadium development. He added: “It’s a real milestone! Topping out ceremonies are very common in the building industry, but to do it in such circumstances, where the relationship with the contractor is absolutely fantastic, makes this a great occasion. “Laing O’Rourke have taken on their responsibilities wholeheartedly and it’s a pleasure to be a part of this ceremony. “The project has had to overcome many hurdles, but what can’t ever be questioned is its importance to the future of Everton Football Club and, more dramatically, its importance to the economy and the people of the Liverpool City Region. “That is why we should all take immense pride in ‘topping out’ while the project remains firmly on track.” Chong added: “As a Club, we are just the enablers. We pull a plan together, procure the land, secure the planning application and pick the right partner. “They then take that ownership off us and deliver, so this stadium is testament to the truly collaborative relationship between Everton and Laing O’Rourke, as well as our partners and consultants.” During the ‘topping out’ ceremony, and following tradition within the construction industry, a fir tree was hoisted atop the east stand in a symbolic gesture that has several origins, including a Native American belief that no building should be taller than a tree. Laing O’Rourke Project Director Gareth Jacques explained: “The ceremony is traditional in the construction industry when a structure reaches its highest point. When we finish the last piece of section of steel or in this case concrete slab, we pass a fir tree over the structure, which is an ancient tradition and is said to being good luck and prosperity to the occupants for many years to come. “Personally, I love the ceremony because it is focused on the workforce and what the construction team have achieved. With the support of our designers, supply chain partners and office colleagues, what everyone can see today is what has been achieved in 90 weeks. That is phenomenal. “What we do isn’t easy and we have some of the best people in the industry, and some of the engineering we adopt at Laing O’Rourke is very cutting-edge. “What you see is a result of doing some really difficult sub-structure work through the winter months, when there was rain, hail, it was very windy and not pleasant at all. “To do all that and keep slightly ahead of schedule is impressive and I am incredibly proud of everyone involved. “I genuinely believe that what the team are delivering is going to be a fantastic stadium, which the fans will love.” Work continues at Everton Stadium to complete the roofing structure on the west and east stands, while the initial fit-out has begun simultaneously on numerous levels of the two main stands. Everton Stadium, which will have a capacity of 52,888, be fully accessible and include safe-standing, is due to be completed in the 2024-25 season. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Property developer HBD has completed two deals at Airport Business Park Southend (ABPS) totalling £19.3 million. The firm will deliver a £14.3 million building spanning 129,000 sq. ft. for IPECO; its second base at the scheme designed and built by HBD. Work is due to begin on site in May, with the aircraft seating manufacturer expected to take occupation early next year. HBD will also design and develop a £5 million building for CAMA at Airport Business Park Southend. The 27,600 sq. ft. purpose-built warehouse will allow CAMA AssetStore to grow its business; sustainability-focused storage and asset management specialising in the reuse of sets, props and costumes for film and TV. Work will complete in Q4 2023, with CAMA expected to move in early 2024. “ABPS is a hugely successful scheme that has attracted valuable inward investment for Southend and provided the space, resources and ecosystem for businesses like IPECO to deliver on ambitious growth strategies. It’s great to see IPECO expanding further at ABPS and we’ve no doubt that it will prove an equally successful location for CAMA,” said Ed Hutchinson, Managing Director at HBD. ABPS forms part of an ambitious new vision for Southend-on-Sea. The 52-acre development is being delivered in partnership between HBD and Southend-on-Sea City Council. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Network Rail has started work to renovate the roof at Waterloo Station in London. Engineers have begun work on this two-year project to refurbish the 100-year-old station roof which overlooks the main concourse and was rebuilt just after the First World War in 1922. Work is needed to replace the existing glazing and support structures which will bring the roof back to its former glory. Approximately 10,000 new glazed panels will be installed across 12,000 square metres of roof – an area almost twice the size of the pitch at Wembley Stadium. The panels will be made from a polycarbonate glazing material which is around 50% lighter in weight, reducing stress on the structure and future proofing it for decades to come. A range of other work to improve the overall customer experience at the station is also being carried out where teams plan to make huge improvements to the station’s retail offering which will see new brands and food outlets coming to the station, as well as giving some existing shops a makeover. Station teams have also listened to customer feedback and are adding additional sustainable wooden seats to keep people comfortable when waiting for trains which will add to the 480 seats, plus 120 seats on platforms. Work also started earlier this year to refurbish the toilets, adding a gender-neutral facility as well as more female facilities to bring them in line with what is available for males, plus extra baby changing areas. This is part of the wider Improving London Waterloo station programme of work planned over the next few years. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A development of new council homes in Lockleaze has taken another step forward as the Bristol City Council seeks to secure ownership of a former pub that needs to be demolished to allow work to begin. The council hopes to build 47 homes on disused land at Branwhite Close in Lockleaze. In order to get the development site ready, the council has been working to acquire two buildings: the former pub on Gainsborough Square and a privately owned home on Branwhite Close. The site previously had council homes on the land which were demolished some years ago as part of a redevelopment project. Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) have been secured for both sites, and barring any further legal challenges, it is hoped work can start onsite later this year. Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes, said: “We are committed to doing everything we can to tackle the housing shortage in the city, and making sure that this affordable council-owned housing scheme, which will provide homes to 47 families, can be delivered. These will add to the 474 affordable homes built in Bristol in 2021/22. “It is not just about the number of new homes we build; we are committed to developing mixed and balanced communities, working hard to make sure any new homes are suitable for the surrounding local area. Lockleaze is going through a big transformation at the moment, and we are working hard to make sure all the developments complement each other, as well as bringing forward additional amenities for community members to use. “As well as enabling the housing development, the demolition of the pub will come as a relief to local people, as it has become an eye sore, and a target for fly tipping and graffiti in recent years. “I look forward to finally being able to break ground on this site, hopefully later this year.” The pub on Gainsborough Square has been allowed to fall into a state of disrepair for many years. The owner of the property was recently fined after failing to take care of the site, along with two other buildings in the city that they also own or manage. Several approaches were made to buy the property at full market value. However, the owners were unwilling to sell, so in order to progress, the council made a CPO to acquire the property. The owner objected to the CPO and an inspector appointed by the Secretary of State was asked to consider the objection and decided that the CPO should go ahead. If there are no further legal challenges, the council will be the legal owners of the pub in late August. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new collection of high-quality family homes in the sought-after village of Felsted have come to market with award-winning property group, Beresfords. Scholars Green is located on a private turning, Watch House Green, and includes three and four-bedroom homes – with prices starting at £560,000. The properties are framed beautifully in the exquisite village where Felsted’s beautifully maintained 16th-century buildings and historic independent school founded in 1564 resounds to the knock of willow on leather, and on the other by open fields and ancient farmland. The development’s name acknowledges the heritage of the school and the verdant area. Scholars Green has a broad sense of open space and mature trees and planting, which characterises this collection’s countryside setting. The contemporary design of the family homes nod to a traditional style and across the collection, subtle variations in design and tone feature to give each its own distinctive character, with a much of the design influenced by modern living and working practices adopted in very recent years, including dedicated spaces to accommodate remote working, an open orchard space and local variety fruit trees in each garden. The properties of course have high-spec fittings throughout including bespoke well-designed kitchens fitted with boiling taps, downlighters, high grade appliances and premium granite surfaces. Rated outstanding by Ofsted, Felsted Primary is just a short walk away from the development or Felsted School Prep for the gateway to Felsted public school. Great Leighs Primary and Ford Church of England Primary are just four miles away from the site. A short drive from the A120, M11 and just 13 miles from Stansted Airport, Scholars’ Green is well positioned for commuting further afield. “Scholars’ Green brings a unique opportunity for families to find their dream home, in a peaceful setting next to open farmland, but within a vibrant village location. The exclusive development truly emerges itself within the area’s impressive heritage and the surrounding countryside and I’m sure these homes will attract great interest,” said Aaron Breakwell, director of new homes and land at Beresfords. A Coronation Orchard Planting ceremony will also be taking place at the development, on Thursday 20 April at 3pm, where the developers, the development’s financers, key stakeholders involved, and current residents of Scholars Close are invited to see trees planted at the site. “We’re delighted to be welcoming everyone to the official tree planting ceremony, ahead of King Charles’ Coronation. The ceremony will mark the official completion of Scholars Green and an opportunity to say thank you to those who have helped to get this development on the map! We look forward to seeing you all there,” concluded Alex Woodfield, managing director of Welland Partners Development. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
