The £80 million National Grid contract that will help restore views of the Dorset landscape has been offered to Morgan Sindall. The 400kV electricity cable project has been awarded as part of the four year Engineer, Procure and Construct (EPC) framework. This is the first scheme delivered as part of
Entries are now open for the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards supported by Headline Sponsor Green-tech. The largest landscape industry awards in Europe returns on Friday 6 December at the JW Marriott, Grosvenor House, Park Lane London and BALI Registered members can now download the 2019 Entry Guidelines at baliawards.co.uk
The £80 million National Grid contract that will help restore views of the Dorset landscape has been offered to Morgan Sindall. The 400kV electricity cable project has been awarded as part of the four year Engineer, Procure and Construct (EPC) framework. This is the first scheme delivered as part of National Grid’s Visual Impact Provision (VIP) programme, which aims to reduce the visual impact of existing electricity transmission infrastructure in some of the most precious landscapes throughout England and Wales. “We are delighted to have been awarded the first of National Grid’s VIP projects. This award further strengthens our high voltage underground electricity cabling capability which has grown significantly over the past few years. We look forward to further enhancing our long term relationship with National Grid and delivering this complex and important scheme,” said Simon Smith, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure managing director. A new 8 kilometre 400kV double circuit underground cable system will be designed, built, tested and commissioned as part of the £80 million construction contract, which also includes other associated works in the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). In addition, the project will involve the removal of the existing overhead line and 22 pylons that form part of the existing landscape in the AONB. Construction work is expected to begin in early 2019. “This contract marks a major step forward in a unique opportunity to restore views from the Hardy Monument across Dorset AONB,” added Michelle Clark, senior manager VIP projects, from National Grid. “The project has been driven by local and national organisations dedicated to conserving the landscape and countryside throughout England and Wales. We welcome Morgan Sindall Infrastructure on board and are looking forward to working with them as our delivery partner to turn the plans into a reality.”
Entries are now open for the 43rd BALI National Landscape Awards supported by Headline Sponsor Green-tech. The largest landscape industry awards in Europe returns on Friday 6 December at the JW Marriott, Grosvenor House, Park Lane London and BALI Registered members can now download the 2019 Entry Guidelines at baliawards.co.uk and enter their scheme(s). BALI Registered members can take advantage of this year’s Early Bird discounted rates, with the first deadline for Registered Contractor, Registered Designer and Group members set for 24 April 2019. The Early Bird deadline for International, Affiliate Exceptional Service and Employer Excellence categories is 5 June 2019. For 2019, one new category has been introduced, International Award – UK-Based Registered Member, which is for BALI Registered members who are registered in the UK but have delivered a landscaping scheme overseas. Along with a number of band changes in other pre-existing categories, the exciting introduction and revisions were based on feedback from members and the BALI Awards adjudication panel. The 2019 BALI National Landscape Awards is expected to be as big and as grand as previous years with over 1,000 members, guests and VIPs attending the 2017 and 2018 ceremonies. Adjudicators, led by the Chair of the Adjudication Panel John Melmoe, will be visiting eligible schemes between June and August and the 2019 BALI National Landscape Award winners will be announced in September. Final adjudication to determine this year’s Principal, Special and Grand Awards will take place at BALI Landscape House at the end of August. Commenting on this year’s Awards, former Managing Director of six-time Grand Award winner Willerby Landscapes, John Melmoe, said; “The BALI Awards ceremony in 2018 was a runaway success and now the team at BALI Landscape House are turning their focus to 2019. It is credit to the members of BALI who have made the Awards into the most prestigious event in the industry calendar. A key way to showcase your company’s capabilities is to submit an entry into this year’s Awards. The entrants should be fully focused on submitting flawless projects, highlighting the significant contribution of your staff and the underlying desire for your company to excel. It would give me and my fellow adjudicators great pleasure to see you at this year’s Awards in December. Good luck with your entries.” BALI Chief Executive Wayne Grills is also looking forward to seeing if the high bar already set on quality can be raised even higher in 2019; “Ever since the Awards were first launched over 40 years ago the standard of entry has improved tenfold. This is testament to the quality of work delivered by our BALI Registered members, and, the overall quality of judging which helps BALI identify which individual or company is deserving of a prestigious BALI National Landscape Award.” BALI would like to thank those sponsors who have already committed to this year’s Awards: Green-tech Bourne Amenity British Sugar TOPSOIL CED Stone Group Crowders Nurseries Derbyshire Aggregates Easigrass Europlants UK Fresh Horticultural Careers Green-tree Topsoil Ground Control ICL Group idverde Johnsons of Whixley Landscape Institute MCM (SE) Provender Nurseries Ransomes Jacobsen Reesink Turfcare Van Den Berk Nurseries To view and/or download this year’s Entry Guidelines, check all Early Bird deadlines and enter a scheme visit baliawards.co.uk.
