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NEWS INDUSTRY UPDATES

Each month PSBJ rounds up the latest public sector construction updates, from new contracts to industry awards.

Work begins on phase one of multiple airspace developments First Passivhaus primary school in Scotland gets go ahead

Restoration work begins on UK’s oldest lido

Sutton Housing Society has begun work on the first of two phases of airspace development across the south west London Borough of Sutton, which will eventually see the social landlord increase its housing stock by over 30%. The first development phase will see modular, airspace homes built on five rooftop sites, after planning permission was simultaneously granted in June last year for 71 new homes in five separate locations. These new units will increase Sutton Housing Society’s 487 homes by 16%, while the second development phase will see four further simultaneous applications further increasing stock numbers by a similar percentage in 2022. Work has begun on the first block, Norman House, which will see airspace increase the onsite housing density by 68%. The new homes will be achieved by creatively unlocking site potential, and building new flats on top of existing dwellings, providing new affordable rent housing for people over the age of 55. The plans will also benefit the existing residents by modernising the fabric and appearance of 50-year-old apartment blocks, including new communal spaces and lounges, and outdoor landscaping. The work is being undertaken by two contractors, Spencer Francis, which will deliver the structural changes to the buildings, and modular specialist Go Modular, which will add the airspace dwellings.

Offsite suppliers appointed to £330m offsite framework

17 offsite manufacturers have won places on a new £330m framework for the public sector. The Modular Buildings (MB2) framework from LHC allows local authorities, social landlords and other public bodies to source pre-approved specialist suppliers who can design, supply and install permanent, temporary and refurbished modular buildings. The framework is worth up to £250m in England, £60m in Scotland and £20m in Wales. It primarily covers education, healthcare, emergency services, offices and community-related amenities such as sport facilities and theatres, but it can also be used for residential projects that are part of a mixed-use development or for student accommodation. Dean Fazackerley, Group Procurement Manager, said: “This framework provides contracting authorities with a pool of pre-approved suppliers who have won their place on the MB2 framework based primarily on the high quality of their work, but also the long-term value they can deliver.” The MB2 framework will run until May 2025. For more information on the framework and the full list of approved suppliers, visit the LHC website. BakerHicks, the multi-disciplinary design, engineering and project delivery company, has completed its part in the planning permission process for a new multi-million-pound primary school in Perth. The school, which will be one of the first Passivhaus-standard primary schools in Scotland, has been awarded full planning approval by Perth & Kinross Council. Located in North Perth, the new school will replace both the current North Muirton and Balhousie primary schools. It will be built on the site of the current North Muirton Primary School and have capacity for 500 pupils. A nursery and additional support needs (ASN) provision will also be incorporated, each with their own dedicated outdoor space. Due to complete in early 2023, both original schools will remain in operation until that time. BakerHicks was appointed to provide mechanical and electrical design services by Perth & Kinross Council through the Hub East Central Scotland framework. It will work closely with Robertson Construction Tayside and Architype, the latter as both lead consultant and Passivhaus designer, with WARM as the Passivhaus certifier.

The Cleveland Pools Trust is delighted to announce the start of works to restore the historic pools in Bath, following a 17year community campaign to save the Grade II Listed site. Bristol-based Beard is leading the work on the restoration of Cleveland Pools, the oldest surviving outdoor public swimming pool in the UK, which was built in 1815 and is now regarded as a nationally significant site. The £6.2m project poses some significant engineering challenges for Beard, which will bring its extensive experience in the heritage sector to the development, as the site is only accessible for vehicles by river. Machinery, building materials and equipment required to carry out the major refurbishment work onsite will have to be loaded up at the nearby Avon Rugby Club, which is being used as a base, and carried upriver on a pontoon pushed by a barge fitted-out for the purpose. Among the work to be carried out is the restoration of two pools – the crescent-shaped main pool for adults and a smaller, shallower pool for children. There will also be refurbishment of the largely unaltered Grade II Listed buildings, the central cottage upgraded to be used as a main entrance and pay point, with the first floor to become a caretaker’s flat. Work is due to be completed in time for swimmers to return next summer, for the first time since 1984 and will be accessible for all.

SES Engineering Services completes creative arts project

Leading national engineering specialist, SES Engineering Services (SES), has announced the completion of MEP works on a university building in Leeds city centre with a development value of £80m. Working on behalf of main contractor George Downing Construction (GDC), SES was appointed in 2018 to install a full range of building services including heating, cooling, ventilation and public health, as well as smoke ventilation, security and a specialist fit-out package, comprising stage lighting infrastructure and audio-visual systems on Leeds Beckett University’s latest landmark building and new home to its School of Arts. Constructed on a sloping site, the building’s design incorporates many changes in levels which presented SES with a challenge for the installation and co-ordination of the high volume of building services required. SES overcame this using its BIM Level 2 expertise which ensured that the services, most of which are exposed, not only fit within the building, but have been designed and installed in such a way that maintenance and future access provision has been meticulously planned for. Speaking about completing the logistically-challenging scheme, SES’ Operations Director North, Paul Beaumont, said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with GDC on behalf of the university on such a landmark building. Our extensive experience of working on complex buildings in the higher education sector certainly stood us in good stead on this occasion.”

Partnership provides procurement path to healthcare foundation

Independent property, construction and infrastructure consultancy Pick Everard has enhanced its support of healthcare services in the UK through a partnership model with the Florence Nightingale Foundation – affording the charitable organisation with compliant procurement paths for its all-important work. The Florence Nightingale Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation with a principal focus on improving health, clinical outcomes and patient experience through scholarships to build nursing and midwifery leadership capacity and capability. It does this by enabling nurses, midwives and other health professionals to access sophisticated and bespoke leadership development opportunities tailored to the scholar’s needs, both in the UK and overseas. In order to support the charitable organisation, Pick Everard affords the Florence Nightingale Foundation access to a NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) framework through a partnership model. Pick Everard is one of the approved suppliers on the NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) Consult 18 framework, which is a vehicle that provides business support services to the NHS and public sector across the country. Pick Everard delivers a number of services for three lots including: strategy development, management support, capital asset delivery, complex projects and change management.

Works underway on £6.5m expansion of Coventry secondary school

Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has commenced works at Barr’s Hill School in Coventry to expand and remodel existing buildings and create a new teaching block for year seven pupils. G F Tomlinson is delivering the £6.5m scheme on behalf of Coventry City Council, which comprises the construction of a new two-storey, seven-classroom teaching block known as ‘The Bridge’ for January 2022 – a dedicated space for year seven pupils, which will be designed to help 11 and 12 year olds benefit from a smooth transition into secondary education. Expected for completion in September, works will also see the school’s science department extended and refurbished, new classroom spaces created in existing blocks, improved facilities added to the sports changing/ multi gym and external play spaces, and additional dining space to accommodate the school’s expansion over the coming years. Procured through Pagabo’s National Framework for Medium Works, this is the second scheme G F Tomlinson has been awarded through Pagabo in the West Midlands region – the first being the £3.7m development of Cardinal Newman Catholic School in Coventry, also for Coventry City Council, which is due for completion this summer.

New £9.2m health and care home nears completion in Berkshire

Complete construction partner Stepnell is celebrating after reaching a major milestone as the last beam was put in place at a topping out ceremony for a multi-million-pound care home in Bracknell, Berkshire. The topping out celebration marked the next step in the redevelopment of the former Heathlands care home – which will now become Heathlands Integrated Health and Care Home – delivered by Stepnell’s southern team after work on the new building started on site in September 2020. Stepnell is delivering the £9.2m design and build project for Bracknell Forest Council after the former Heathlands care home was closed in 2016. The redevelopment will see the new 66-bed specialist care facility offer a safe and secure environment for dementia patients or patients transitioning from hospital to their own home. The new modern, purposebuilt facility will offer a mix of long-term elderly mentally infirm (EMI) and short-term nursing and rehabilitation care, and will include communal living spaces, nursing stations, kitchens, a reception area, hair salon, therapy rooms, laundry and staff facilities, as well as external landscaping.