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NEWS INDUSTRY UPDATES

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

Morgan Sindall Construction dives into Basildon swimming pool project

Basildon Council has appointed Morgan Sindall Construction to deliver a swimming pool extension at Eversley Leisure Centre to meet a high demand for aquatic facilities among nearby primary schools and residents. The 864ft2 expansion to the Basildon-based leisure centre has been procured utilising the Essex Construction Framework 2 (ECF2), which delivers a wider programme of mainly school projects in the wider Essex region to a value of £400m. Morgan Sindall Construction’s Essex business was selected for the project in January 2022, with work expected to start on site in July. Once complete, the site for the four-lane, 25m pool will boast impressive sustainability credentials due to the installation of photovoltaic panels and other carbon-offset measures. As well as the swimming pool, the project will increase the car park’s capacity by 50 spaces. In line with Morgan Sindall Construction’s social value commitment, the Essex business will engage with the local community to add real social value, not only in the delivery of the swimming pool, but throughout the lifecycle of the project.

GT3 Architects explores the future of Newcastle United Football Club

Following the recent takeover of Newcastle United Football Club (NUFC ), sports and leisure specialist GT3 Architects has proposed an innovative new design for a forward-thinking training academy and community stadium for its local club. Building on the practice’s ‘people architecture’ approach, the project is the first in a series of internal design competitions, which explore how people-centric design can tackle some of the UK’s biggest cultural and socio-economic challenges. The proposed community stadium offers a dedicated home for the women’s team and academy team, as well as much-needed and valuable community facilities. Some of the highlights include: a 7000-seat open stadium, with a safe standing area, integrated groundskeeper storage and elevated grassy bank, offering an informal viewing platform for families; Wembley Way-style access route, with retail opportunities; 3000m2 studio and classroom space; meeting and event spaces, open for community use and offering additional revenue opportunities for the club; semi-private media suite and private commercial suite for NUFC staff; and 13 full-size external pitches, each orientated north to south to maximise daylight hours, and with a portion allocated for community use.

Nationwide kitchen manufacturers and suppliers can now apply to be part of a new four-year framework estimated at £20m for public sector projects. Construction procurement provider LHC Group’s Kitchen and Associated Products K7 framework covers the supply and delivery of domestic kitchens and associated products to the public sector, for use in both residential homes and public sector buildings. Running throughout England, Scotland and Wales and open for applications until 19th May 2022, the framework gives suppliers access to work with a wide range of local authorities, registered social landlords, NHS Trusts and other public sector bodies. The K7 framework will be available through Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA), Consortium Procurement Construction (CPC), Welsh Procurement Alliance (WPA) and South-West Procurement Alliance (SWPA) and LHC London and South East England (LSE) for both direct award and mini competition projects, with bids assessed against 60% quality and 40% price. Final appointment will see six allocated suppliers per regional area and two reserves for an estimated start date of summer 2022, running for four years.

Bruton Knowles expands public sector client base across UK

Leading chartered surveyor firm, Bruton Knowles, has secured six bid wins in just the last three months for six new public sector clients – ranging from Wales to Hertfordshire to the West Midlands, the North East and North West; all choosing experienced national teams to deliver key schemes re-emerging in the post-pandemic era. Bruton Knowles has been appointed to support the land division of the devolved administration of the Welsh Government. It will also be working for two blue light services, Hertfordshire Constabulary and Cheshire Fire Authority, statutory body Merseyside Recycling & Waste Authority, plus two local authorities, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and Scarborough Borough Council. Bruton Knowles already acts on behalf of a significant number of public organisations, on both a retained and a project basis, and is seen as a trusted partner in delivering high-quality surveying advice. James Bailey, Managing Partner at Bruton Knowles, commented: “We’re delighted with these recent bid wins which, in total, are worth almost £90,000. They all reflect the breadth and depth of our work across our national teams and the geographic reach that we offer across the country. Our approach has always been to deliver an honest, transparent and expert service for our clients to enable them to use their land and property assets in the most efficient way.”

New £20m public sector framework opens for kitchen manufacturers and suppliers

SES Engineering Services to deliver £84m project at University of Glasgow HLM brings together design and education at Thames Christian School

McBains appointed by Herefordshire Council to assist with public realm improvements Will Rudd Davidson appointed for new and existing homes projects in Edinburgh

Leading engineering specialist, SES Engineering Services (SES), has announced its appointment to deliver a new development at the University of Glasgow. The Adam Smith Business School and Postgraduate Teaching Hub is the fourth major development to commence as part of the university’s campus development plan. Appointed by Multiplex following a competitive tender, this latest project enables SES to draw on its recent experience gained on the University of Glasgow’s James McCune Smith Learning Hub which completed in early 2021 and was the first building to be delivered as part of the masterplan. Once operational, the sixstorey building, which has a gross internal floor area of 11,600m2 , will provide specialised teaching, research and collaboration space for the university’s postgraduate taught student community, whilst delivering state-of-the-art premises for the world-leading business school. Designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’, SES will collaborate closely at the pre-construction stage with its designers, engineers and production teams to reduce onsite hours and address the challenges of labour and the delivery of long lead items, by procuring sub-contracted services and materials early in the programme.

Herefordshire Council has appointed McBains, via the Crown Commercial Services (CCS) framework, to provide design and consultancy services in relation to public realm improvements in the historic market town of Leominster. McBains has been appointed, along with supply chain partners Ares Landscape Architects, Turley and Link Engineering, to support Herefordshire Council and Leominster Town Council in the delivery of investment to two key areas of the town – the Leominster conservation area and Corn Square. The schemes seek to preserve the distinctive aesthetic of Leominster’s rich heritage, whilst enhancing the town’s position as a key retail and tourist destination. The projects are being funded by the High Streets Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) scheme. Delivered by Historic England, the £95m Government-funded HSHAZ initiative has allocated funding to over 60 high streets to drive improvements to town centres across England. McBains has been appointed to provide a multi-disciplinary service and will be required to work closely with the two councils to develop appropriate design options, undertake public and stakeholder consultation, complete detailed designs, provide technical support to the construction procurements and assume responsibility for managing the project once the works’ contracts are underway. A new state-of-the-art building for the Thames Christian School in Battersea, London, is now complete. Designs developed and delivered by HLM Architects, the building forms part of the York Gardens Regeneration Project. As part of the first phase, the Thames Christian School and Battersea Baptist Chapel were moved to a new, combined location within a considered masterplan that included an affordable accommodation block of 46 apartments along with a 20-storey, 93-unit residential tower for private sale. With the accommodation and chapel finished in 2021, the construction of the school marks the phase complete. The new six-storey, 4000m2 school is providing independent secondary education to the local community focused on science, technology, engineering and creative arts within a faith-based environment. Architecturally, the brickwork presents the exterior as a solid block with a playful arrangement of external windows. At the upper levels, two fully-glazed landscaped courtyards are carved out which, along with the rooftop terrace and adjacent MUGA pitch, provide much-needed outdoor social and activity space. Internally, the design is reflective of the school’s aims: Individuality, Grounding, Direction, Wisdom and Journey. The underlying concept recognises these aims are interconnected and expresses this through a continuous weave pattern throughout. The internal spaces expose the raw concrete structure but contrast with soft, textured finishes and natural materials.

The City of Edinburgh Council has appointed Will Rudd Davidson as Consultant, Civil and Structural Engineer to oversee two housing projects in the capital and a survey of the condition of high-rise homes in the city. The firm’s Edinburgh division will begin working on the design of new affordable homes at Leith Walk that will close a gap site to be vacated by an Edinburgh Tram’s construction team; and Powderhall former Waste Transfer Station, an ambitious project in Broughton neighbourhood of Edinburgh seeking planning permission to create around 220 new private and affordable homes. As part of a drive by the City of Edinburgh Council to make all council homes carbon zero, Will Rudd Davidson has also been appointed to oversee all structural engineering elements of the investigation into the condition of 36 multi-storey blocks by the project management team at Faithful and Gould. A report to the council’s finance and resources committee references Will Rudd’s recent accomplishment of a similar project at Westfield Court in Gorgie, which was “delivered to a high quality, on time and within budget”.