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
hub South West Scotland, the construction and infrastructure-focused partnership, has raised £14,171 on behalf of Shelter Scotland as a result of its first, highly successful Summer Charity Golf Event held at East Kilbride Golf Club earlier this summer. Supported by its Tier 1 Contractors Graham’s, Kier Construction, Morrison Construction
Kier, together with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), will be launching a new education initiative in Wales, which will create effective links between local schools and the Kier supply chain. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to inspire the next generation of talent to consider a career within
A new sporting facility has just opened at the University of South Wales (USW) Sport Park, located near the University’s Pontypridd Campus in Treforest. The modern sporting facilities include the first full-size indoor 3G football pitch at a university in Wales and one out of three at a UK university.
On the 21st of August, construction work began on the new zero carbon business centre at the Elmsbrook development in Bicester. The development in Bicester that has broken ground is a part of the PERCH Bicester development. PERCH is one of two new co-working sites that have been brought to
Carbon60, the technical recruitment company has released information that looks into how contractors that are involved in the construction industry are managing to increase the number of projects completed that have an element of social value and considerations for the local community. It now widely considered that the social factors
“So often, an approach to health and safety is characterised by compliance and audits can be seen as a major headache for contractors,” says Beverley Holden, Director of DCM Surfaces. “I’m of the opinion that I’d rather know if something is unsafe than not and auditing is very much a
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
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.
hub South West Scotland, the construction and infrastructure-focused partnership, has raised £14,171 on behalf of Shelter Scotland as a result of its first, highly successful Summer Charity Golf Event held at East Kilbride Golf Club earlier this summer. Supported by its Tier 1 Contractors Graham’s, Kier Construction, Morrison Construction and Morgan Sindall, hub South West welcomed over 100 attendees to the fundraiser which saw 22 teams compete in a Texas scramble style golf event and for some fantastic raffle and auction prizes donated by contractors and by members of hub South Wests’ wider supply chain and professional service providers. Shelter Scotland provides advice and practical support to thousands of people each year who are struggling with homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness and campaign to prevent it in the first place. The £14,171 was presented to representatives from Shelter Scotland’s services and charity shops from Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway on 22nd August 2018. Graeme Brown Director of Shelter Scotland said: “This is a tremendous donation from hub South West through its Summer Charity Golf Event. Shelter Scotland relies on the support of members of the community so we can continue to offer help and advice which means no-one has to face homelessness or bad housing alone. “We’d like to thank everyone involved for their generosity.” CEO of hub South West, Michael McBrearty, said: “The event was a great success and we are hugely gratified by the number of companies who took part to raise a fantastic sum for a worthy cause. “Shelter Scotland is a wonderful organisation which is marking its 50th anniversary this year. They offer invaluable support and services to vulnerable families and individuals in communities across Scotland and we are so pleased to be able to present them with this donation.”
Kier, together with the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), will be launching a new education initiative in Wales, which will create effective links between local schools and the Kier supply chain. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to inspire the next generation of talent to consider a career within the built environment. The Educational Engagement Programme will be launched at a special event on the 4th of June, taking place at Technium 2, The University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Schools, alternative curriculum providers and local employers from the industry will have the opportunity to come together and create links and external partnerships in order to better promote the diverse range of future career opportunities for young people. Moreover, those attending will learn about the purpose of the programme and how it can add value to their priorities as a school or business. Speakers at the event include Emma Banfield and Paul Evans from the Welsh Government initiative Inspiring Skills Wales, who will present on their partnership with Kier and how they can add value to the programme through the provision of innovative toolkits and construction-based competitions available to schools. “This programme is absolutely pivotal for the construction industry to deliver the extensive pipeline of work in Wales. This initiative will offer a truly unique approach with the development of a construction education tool that will help breakdown perceptions and showcase the wealth of job opportunities available within the built environment. Our industry has so much to offer and I am looking forward to the roll-out and reception to this inspiring initiative,” said Jason Taylor, Kier Construction Western and Wales, operations director. Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and Careers Wales are the partners of the programme, both of them attending the launch event. The three-year initiative was funded by the CITBH and managed by Kier, as it aims to transform the perception of careers in the built environment, bridging the future skills gap.
A new sporting facility has just opened at the University of South Wales (USW) Sport Park, located near the University’s Pontypridd Campus in Treforest. The modern sporting facilities include the first full-size indoor 3G football pitch at a university in Wales and one out of three at a UK university. The project and management services on the scheme were delivered by Pick Everard, the leading independent property, construction, and infrastructure consultancy, which completed it in January 2018. “This brand new facility provides the very best in modern sporting facilities for the University and we are proud to have been involved in what is a very important project for USW,” said Mike Petersen, director at Pick Everard’s Cardiff office. “Pick Everard has extensive experience of delivering schemes within the higher education sector, so we understand the importance of high-quality facilities in attracting and retaining the very best students and staff to universities, and that is exactly what this new facility will promote at USW.” The main attraction at the new facility is the indoor full-size 3G football pitch that meets both the FIFA standards for football and the World Rugby standards. Other features include a specialist centre for strength and conditioning with 12 lifting platforms, teaching rooms, changing rooms, and offices. “As the largest provider of football coaching degrees in Europe, being partner with 30 Premier League and English Football League clubs; having plans in place to work closely with the WRU on providing coaching and development qualifications; students providing football coaching in the USA, and further plans to support community initiatives and elite sport teams; this first-class facility will further strengthen USW’s reputation as a leader in sports education,” commented Professor Julie Lydon, USW Vice-Chancellor. Kier Construction built the facility and Atkins designed it. Pick Everard is renowned in Wales as it works with many major organisations including blue chip organisations such as EDF Energy and National Grid, public sector bodies including South Wales Police, Cardiff, Swansea and Aberystwyth Universities, and contractors including Wilmott Dixon and Kier.
On the 21st of August, construction work began on the new zero carbon business centre at the Elmsbrook development in Bicester. The development in Bicester that has broken ground is a part of the PERCH Bicester development. PERCH is one of two new co-working sites that have been brought to Cherwell District Council. The development is subject to European Regional Development Funding. The 1,400 sqm. planned space will be split over three floors and the completed building will have enough space for up to 125 people. The new Elmsbrook development will be a unique project that offers local office space for individuals as well as for small businesses. When the building is complete, the office space will be housed in a highly sustainable building and will meet the standards of the North West Bicester Eco Town. Architype is the Architecture practice who designed this new co-working site and have focused on making sure the building fits in with the innovative Eco Town master plan. The architecture and construction that have been planned have been designed to achieve BREEAM Excellent rating. PERCH Elmsbrook is being constructed in a very accessible location. This means that people will be able to travel to the site in a number of sustainable and environmentally friendly ways. Kier Construction has been working with Cherwell District Council in order to move the project forward and get the construction work started. The leading construction group will now be focused on building the concept and making sure that it is integrated into the Bicester Eco Town. Kier will also be engaging with members of the local community in order to make sure that all construction work is well communicated. Ensuring the communication is open during this construction work will also allow Kier make the most of opportunities to give back to the community.
Carbon60, the technical recruitment company has released information that looks into how contractors that are involved in the construction industry are managing to increase the number of projects completed that have an element of social value and considerations for the local community. It now widely considered that the social factors of a construction project is vitally important although does not necessarily receive an adequate level of exposure. Social value as a factor was added in 2013 to Carbon60’s insight. However there is an increased level of recognition being given to it because it has been seen to benefit construction projects. An increasing number of contractors that work within the private sector are utilising social value as a way of measuring the success of their projects and as more time goes on there is expected to be a higher demand for access to this information in the future. The Carbon60 report that has recently been published also looks at a number of different case studies and how big companies within the sector such as Kier Construction and Willmott Dixon has been working in order to put more investment into the community around projects that are being carried out as well as taking part in work support and help disadvantaged groups. Similar works that are carried out by these companies and other construction contractors has contributed to a reduction of £15-20 billion that is lost each year by the British Council of Offices in possible social benefits. Carbon 60 think that monitoring the social value in a project can add extra challenges to a construction project however, it is important for companies to support the local community such as the creation of jobs in the area. The recruitment company feel that supporting and improving the employment in the local area of the is a vital part of adding social value on to construction projects and developments.
“So often, an approach to health and safety is characterised by compliance and audits can be seen as a major headache for contractors,” says Beverley Holden, Director of DCM Surfaces. “I’m of the opinion that I’d rather know if something is unsafe than not and auditing is very much a way of doing that.” Expressing utmost respect for employees and observing keen emphasis on health and safety, DCM Surfaces is one of the few subcontractors in the sector to express its unwavering commitment to the needs of its staff, as well as those of clients, which is why the company is regularly billed an exemplar of corporate responsibility. Established in 1995, DCM Surfaces has developed a unique identity in the sector, revered for its knowledge and flexibility when it comes to outdoor surfacing. Whilst the company was originally borne out of local and national initiatives to increase safety in public parks and playgrounds, the business has since grown exponentially to include a range of outdoor surfaces beyond purely safety surfacing. With the recent purchasing of a separate tarmacking business, the company is also able conduct civil engineering, groundworks and tarmacadam as Macadamize. As a result of an extending portfolio of services, DCM Surfaces now works for clients across industries and on a nationwide basis, acting as subcontractor to private and public sector clients. With new office and warehouse space, DCM Surfaces is well-equipped to handle its growing client base and widening repertoire. The new facilities represent a significant gain in efficiencies, and the company has gone from a storage capacity of 90t to 400t. Now able to mobilise material more quickly, serve projects of greater size, DCM Surfaces performs at a pace to outstrip any other. The company has established a loyal client base and is favoured for its quality and responsibility. DCM Surfaces aspires to much the same standard as the biggest and brightest in the construction industry, pertaining to the same principles and standards as one would expect of a main contractor. The company benefits from a close-knit team of specialists in design, installation, management and delivery, all operating in synergy. As Holden corroborates, “By directly employing all our staff, we safeguard the quality of work and encourage repeat business. More importantly though, it improves the morale of our team and inspires pride in the job. They get to know one another; each have the same over-arching ambition and the same ethics of safe, efficient and effective project delivery.” On-site safety continues to be challenged by the interfacing it demands between contracting parties involved. The same is true within a firm; safety requires everyone, from directors to installers, to take accountability for their own practice so as to prevent placing themselves or others at risk. Alongside a strong staff ethic, DCM Surfaces regularly unites on-site operatives to deliver toolbox talks, ensures each member understands his duties and responsibilities on a daily basis, and sources relevant health and safety training for all employees. On-site operatives each have an up-to-date CSCS card while supervisors and managers have been through the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) or Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) as appropriate. With the addition of CHAS membership, DCM Surfaces evidences that strict code of practice and is provided not only a framework for its ambitions, but a means of testifying its continuous ethic to potential clients and partners. “CHAS is a means of differentiating the serious contractors from the ordinary,” attests Holden, “And it has always been our ambition to be a leader in surfacing design and installation. Alongside ISO 9001 accreditation, CHAS membership has provided us key competitive advantage and a quality assurance that simply isn’t available elsewhere.” One such client attracted by DCM Surfaces’ strong corporate values and exceptional quality products was one the of the UK’s leading main contractors, Kier Construction. A discerning client with exacting expectations, Kier posed distinct challenges for the sub-contractor as Holden explains: “During projects in Halesham and New Haven, we had to adapt our working methods so as to meet their health and safety requirements, purchasing four new mixers fitted with emergency stop buttons. Flexibility is a core value of the business and whether we’re working for a main contractor like Kier Construction or a small school, we always strive to deliver and produce something we can be proud of.” With ongoing audits and a growing order book, DCM Surfaces is determined to retain the quality workmanship by which it is known. And as it continues to promote employee development and welfare, and boasts a health and safety ethic beyond that of any like competitor, the company’s prestige is only set to enlarge and, with it, comes the opportunity to develop further capabilities and services.
