INDUSTRY UPDATES

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

Planning application submitted for Inverclyde’s new Adult Learning Disability Hub

A planning application has been submitted for a new sustainable and inclusive Adult Learning Disability Hub in Inverclyde, designed jointly by architects at Holmes Miller and Inverclyde Council, working in partnership with hub West Scotland. The £10m facility, which will be located on Brachelston Street on the site of the former Hector McNeil Memorial Swimming Baths, will replace the current Fitzgerald Centre in Greenock. It will provide day care facilities and enhanced learning activity spaces for up to 50 adults with learning and physical disabilities within the Inverclyde community. Construction of the centre is expected to start on site in summer 2023. To deliver on Inverclyde Council’s net-zero aspirations, a ‘fabric-first’ approach to design has been adopted at the new centre, which will result in an efficient and low-energy building. Carbon emissions will also be offset by a large array of roof-mounted solar photovoltaic panels. Nada Shehab, Project Architect at Holmes Miller, said: “Our designs are for a building with a human scale and a modern distinctive character, that takes subtle inspiration from prominent Greenock architecture. It has been great working with a strong client group that has a clear vision of how good design can improve the lives and experiences of their service users and their community, both now and in the future.”

Barnet Council services return in house as outsourcing contract ends

Barnet Council services, including planning, highways and environmental health, returned to in-house control in April, following the end of the 10-year joint venture ‘Re’ with outsourcing company Capita. The move sees around 300 Re staff transfer to direct employment with the council. The closure of the Re partnership marks the first phase of Barnet Council’s plan to return outsourced services from the private sector. The council has held outsourcing contracts with Capita since 2013, covering a number of front- and back-office services. The leader of the council, Cllr Barry Rawlings, said: “We are committed to providing the very best services for our residents, that offer value for money and are accountable to council tax payers. We thank our partners in Re and Capita and welcome the transfer of staff to the council’s in-house team.” While some council services are still being delivered by Capita, estates, building services, facilities and print are set to return to council control by September 2023, with systems used to deliver HR and finance ending in 2024. IT, customer services and revenues and benefits will remain with Capita for the time being due to the complexities and scale involved.

Keele University’s new zerocarbon digital innovation centre completes

A new digital innovation facility at Keele University has reached practical completion. The £10.4m Innovation Centre 7 (IC7) will be the home of Keele’s new Digital Society Institute, providing collaborative space for business and research. Designed by HLM Architects, working with Tetra-Tech, Poole Dick, Currie & Brown and William Bailey, and constructed by Bowmer and Kirkland, the 2760m2 building is located on the university’s Science and Innovation Park in Keele, Staffordshire. Forming part of the Keele Growth Corridor University Enterprise Zone, this completion marks a major milestone for Keele University and further builds on its reputation as an outstanding hub of world-leading research and teaching, which aims to address some of society’s most urgent challenges. Designed with sustainability in mind, the IC7 building is intended to be zero carbon in operation and is designed to meet a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. It is fully electric, powered by renewable energy generated by the university’s own onsite solar and wind turbines, part of Keele’s Smart Energy Network Demonstrator. HLM GreenBuild, an alliance between HLM and GreenBuild Consult that provides sustainability consultancy services, was appointed to undertake a passive design analysis to identify ways to cut CO2 emissions and energy demand, resulting in a reduction of 18% in energy use through passive design measures alone, including natural ventilation, orientation and more.

Stepnell awarded place on Southern Construction Construct framework

Complete construction partner Stepnell has been awarded a place on the fifth-generation Southern Construction Framework (SCF) Construct framework, for the new £1m to £5m value lots for the South West. Stepnell is one of six contractors awarded a place on Lot 5 of the latest SCF Construct framework, which supports public sector construction and development in the South West region. The new framework win will see Stepnell build on its presence in the region with greater collaboration, added value, project performance and quality. As part of the selection process, Stepnell was assessed against strict criteria, including being able to demonstrate exemplary carbon benchmarking assessments for all builds. Additionally, Stepnell was able to show prioritised carbon retrofit capabilities, to match industry-leading carbon and social value targets required by SCF. Lewis Archibald, Framework Director at Stepnell, said: “The new framework win reflects Stepnell’s shared values with SCF and how we are committed to providing a full spectrum of construction solutions for the public sector. This is all in line with our ability to offer a truly collaborative approach to deliver high-quality, best-value projects with an emphasis on carbon and social value targets.”

Low-carbon concrete to become standard on all Laing O’Rourke UK projects

Laing O’Rourke has announced it is mandating the switch to low-carbon concrete on all of its new UK projects. The exclusive use of low-carbon concrete from 1st April this year will accelerate the company’s progress towards its net-zero targets. Following a long-term research programme co-funded by Laing O’Rourke and Innovate UK, and in collaboration with the University of Cambridge and Sheffield University’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), the business has proven that a range of low-carbon concrete options can be successfully deployed on projects as a like-for-like substitute for traditional concrete. The overall carbon reduction will be 28% when compared with the company’s concrete usage in 2022. This equates to a saving of 14.4 million kgCO2e, which is the same as planting 120,000 trees or 94 hectares of forest.

Cathal O’Rourke, Laing O’Rourke’s newly-appointed Chief Operating Officer, said: “We’ve committed to being a net-zero company before 2050 and we are looking at every possible measure to accelerate our progress. In construction, the greatest challenge is reducing scope 3 emissions – the embodied carbon in purchased materials. Reducing all carbon emissions is a priority for our business. The built environment makes a significant contribution to global warming and constructors must work with clients and design partners to deploy new technologies and innovations that make modern methods the norm and enable us to build in less carbon intensive ways.”

TLT advises Brent Council on Wembley Housing Zone

TLT’s real estate group has advised Brent Council on a deal with Wates Construction to deliver new homes in the Wembley Housing Zone – two housing developments featuring affordable and private homes. Wates Construction is one of the leading privately-owned construction, residential development, and property services businesses in the UK. Led by housing and regeneration partner David Meecham, TLT advised Brent Council on the procurement of Wates as the hybrid developer and contractor for the two sites, Cecil Avenue and Ujima House. Cecil Avenue will feature 250 homes, as well as commercial and community spaces. Ujima House will have 54 new affordable homes, new workspace units and a cafe. Designated and partly funded by the Mayor of London, the Wembley Housing Zone aims to create new homes and jobs, new leisure, retail and workspaces, public realm improvements and increased accessibility for pedestrians, cyclists and road users. Brent Council was also supported by its commercial adviser, Deloitte, led by Director Alex Morton. Jonathan Kay, Head of Regeneration at Brent Council, said: “This exchange is a significant milestone for the council in completing the Wembley Housing Zone project, ensuring the revitalisation and regeneration of this up-andcoming neighbourhood. TLT’s efficient work, advice and knowledge of public sector-promoted residential development schemes was invaluable in securing the agreement in time.”

Innovative construction delivers Fulbourn Hospital’s sustainable Resource Centre

A new Resource Centre has been opened at Fulbourn Hospital to provide the local community with a modern and sustainable healthcare hub tailored to the needs of patients and staff members. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust’s (CPFT) new £5.8m building features a gym, offices, social and recreational spaces as well as physio and occupational therapy areas. At the end of March, a new branch of The Edge Café also opened at the centre. The opening follows a year-long building programme by Morgan Sindall Construction’s Cambridgeshire business with project managers Northmore, to create a two-storey, 1200m2 facility on the site of the hospital’s previous Resource Centre. Repurposing existing buildings was a key part of the construction process in order to achieve the CPFT’s sustainability targets. Morgan Sindall utilised its Intelligent Solutions approach to adopt an innovative modular construction method which saw 25 existing modules from the former Papworth Hospital transported to the site and renovated into a modern healthcare facility. Jamie Shearman, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in Cambridgeshire, said: “It’s great to see the Resource Centre’s doors open, as we know that it’s going to deliver a long list of benefits for the local community. The centre will not only act as a gateway to the hospital, but it also provides a much-needed activities and leisure hub, which is crucial for patients and carers.”

GRAHAM secures its place on the new £4.5bn Southern Construction Framework

Southern Construction Framework (SCF) has awarded GRAHAM a place on its £4.5bn construction framework for work on public sector projects in the south of England. GRAHAM has been awarded all of the lots applied for, the highest value bands for projects in London, south-west and south-east England. SCF is a leading construction procurement framework delivered by the public sector for the public sector in the South of England (SW, SE and London). It has delivered over £8bn worth of combined construction schemes, helping clients to deliver around £500m building work every year since it began in 2006. SCF provides construction procurement across public sectors including education, health, sport and leisure, fire and police and Build to Rent (inc. hotels, industrial units, offices). This is the organisation’s fifth-generation framework and will run until 2027. It covers public sector construction work in education, healthcare, leisure, emergency services and local Government, and has a total of five lots. Rod McMullan, GRAHAM Director for the framework, said: “We are delighted and excited by gaining a much sought-after place on SCF Construct, which is an industry-leading framework achieving value from two-stage procurement with a collaborative and flexible approach. This follows on from our recent success in gaining a place on the SCF Residential framework and adds to our portfolio, offering and growing presence in the south of England.”