NEWS
INDUSTRY UPDATES Each month PSBJ rounds up the latest public sector construction updates, from new contracts to industry awards.
‘People architecture’ wins the day as GT3 picks up major award GT3 Architects has seen its focus on team development recognised with a prestigious national award. The firm – which has studios in Nottingham and Newcastle – has received the ‘People Development’ award at Constructing Excellence’s national ceremony, beating nominees from across the UK. The award recognises organisations that value their workforce and ensure they maximise their team’s contribution to the business, something which GT3 Architects has nurtured through its ‘people architecture’ approach. Alongside a new operations and flexible working policy introduced to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the practice appointed a designated ‘people champion’ to lead its focus on personal and professional development. Liz Clarke, Associate Director and ‘people champion’ at GT3 Architects, said: “For a practice with a fundamental goal to place people – not buildings – at the heart of our projects, processes and practice-life, COVID-19 offered us an unparalleled opportunity to prove ‘people architecture’ to be more than just a strapline.”
Ambitious council home building plans endorsed Ambitious plans for Caerphilly County Borough Council to develop new homes on two sites have been endorsed by its Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee, during a remote meeting held in February. Scrutiny members endorsed, in principle, proposals to create a flagship mixed-tenure development on the site of the former Oakdale Comprehensive School and an innovative later living scheme on the former Ty Darran care home site in Risca. The council has already carried out feasibility studies to assess the suitability of the brownfield site in Oakdale and an outline planning application has been submitted. If approved, the development would be the first of its kind for the council in offering open market sales, alongside affordable and social housing. An outline planning application has also been submitted for the former Ty Darran site. The proposed new ‘later living’ building will be designed with high levels of energy efficiency to reduce tenants’ bills, whilst also reducing carbon emissions. It will also boast spacious apartments, with lift access to all floors.
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SES Engineering Services secures eighth blue light project with Willmott Dixon Engineering specialist SES Engineering Services (SES) has been appointed to undertake another blue light project – a new stateof-the-art district headquarters for Kirklees, West Yorkshire. The appointment sees SES working again with lead contractor, Willmott Dixon and on this occasion, with West Yorkshire Police. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2024. Located on the former Kirklees College site on Halifax Road, Dewsbury, the new-build state-of-the-art custody suite, office accommodation and adjacent car park will be a flagship project for West Yorkshire Police, and will provide face-to-face support for members of the public, as well as community accessible meeting rooms. SES was appointed following a competitive tender and interview against a Stage 3 design with the decision based on cost, capability, experience and added social value. It is the eighth blue light project SES has worked on with Willmott Dixon under the Scape framework since 2015 with two similar schemes currently on site at Nottingham and Humberside.
DBR awarded Crystal Palace Subway restoration contract DBR, one of the UK’s leading heritage construction contractors, has won the contract to undertake restoration works on the historic Crystal Palace Subway. This follows a recent decision by the London Borough of Bromley’s Executive to award the work to the conservation specialist, with valued partners, Historic England and the Friends of Crystal Palace Subway, also sitting on the panel that assess the applicants. Commencing soon, the restoration works, estimated at £3.2m, on the Grade II* Listed subway will include rebuilding existing walls and the construction of a new roof over the courtyard. Significantly, the project will see the repair of the Victorian subway, including the rebuilding of existing walls, construction of new parapet walls, and a roof structure. The proposed new roof will be visible from Crystal Palace Parade, with the subway exterior being made from glass and stainless steel, and the gable enclosed with Corten steel.
