Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 by Lapthorn Media

June 2021

CONSTRUCTIONMAGUK.CO.UK

MAKING SENSE OF THE

VAT DOMESTIC REVERSE CHARGE

MCS Corporate Strategies Ltd Cash Flow: Businesses can access two years of unclaimed Tax Reliefs

HOTEL LA TOUR SITTING AT MILTON KEYNES’ HIGHEST POINT IS TOPPED OUT AT 50 METRES BY WINVIC

Vicaima timber entrance doors. Driving security forward

SCHÖCK COMBAR ENSURES SAFER TRAM SYSTEM AND REDUCED NOISE

NHQB launches consultation on house builder code of conduct

Contents June 2021

Willmott Dixon secures £16m entertainment & dining development

Midas commences construction of the University of Southampton Science Park Engineering Centre

Strategic Partners: Precast & Preformed Troughs & Fibrelite’s ‘Made to Measure’ GRP Trough Covers

Hotel La Tour Sitting at Milton Keynes’ Highest Point is Topped Out at 50 Metres by Winvic

Beard to shine light on Bristol’s landmark RWA building

Schöck Combar ensures safer tram system and reduced noise

VAT Feature: Making sense of the VAT domestic reverse charge

Interview: Elson Bajrakurtaj, Elysium Constructions’ Founder and Managing Director

New Acoustic Laboratory opens in Cambridge

Health & Safety Feature: How COVID Has Affected Health & Safety in Trade

Covid-19 delayed development underway in Northumberland

Abbey Construction builds phase 1 of Ridgeway View with support from Development Bank of Wales

Front cover image by Fas Khan

Lapthorn Media Ltd 5-7 Ozengell Place, Eurokent Business Park, Ramsgate, Kent, CT12 6PB Tel: 01843 808 106 Editor Maria Lapthorn editor@constructionmaguk.co.uk Editorial Assistant Francesca Amato editorial@constructionmaguk.co.uk Features Editor Paul Attwood paul@constructionmaguk.co.uk

12 20

Production/Design Laura Whitehead laura@constructionmaguk.co.uk Sales Executive Hannah Marshall hannah@constructionmaguk.co.uk Accounts Richard Lapthorn accounts@constructionmaguk.co.uk Circulation Manager Leo Phillips subs@constructionmaguk.co.uk Website Content Russel Goldsmith russel@lapthornmedia.co.uk Website: www.constructionmaguk.co.uk

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in Construction UK Magazine however, the publishers accept no responsibility for the claims or opinions made by advertisers, manufactures or contributors. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic (including photocopying) or stored in any information retrieval system without the prior consent of the publisher.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 03

Company News

WILLMOTT DIXON SECURES £16M ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING DEVELOPMENT IN THE HEART OF BRIDGWATER Willmott Dixon has been appointed by Sedgemoor District Council for the £16 million contract to build Northgate Yard, a mixed-use regeneration project in Bridgwater town centre, Somerset. The 40,000 square foot scheme provides a seven-screen cinema, eight-lane bowling alley and sports bar and has already secured anchor tenants Scott Cinemas and Allstars Bowling. It also features flexible space in four restaurant units with outdoor dining areas, ideal for local, regional and national food and drink brands to create high quality eating places. Northgate Yard will have outdoor meeting places and landscaping, while the adjacent green space, Brewery Field, will be improved and updated to feature an outdoor children’s play area and parkland with a pond and landscaped planting. Willmott Dixon was procured through the Southern Construction Framework to deliver Northgate Yard, which will be completed in October 2022. Rob Woolcock, Willmott Dixon area director, said: ‘‘This is going to be a fantastic leisure and entertainment facility for the people of Bridgwater. We know the town has been eagerly waiting for this to happen and our team are looking forward to delivering it. We have worked closely with Sedgemoor District Council to ensure the project benefits the local community

as much as possible, through working with a local supply chain and providing apprenticeships and training.’’ Cllr Duncan McGinty, Leader of Sedgemoor District Council, says, “Northgate Yard is set to be a landmark destination for locals and tourists. One of the stand-out things about this project is the huge amount of community support. This is a much wanted and needed development and we’re delighted there is such an eagerness for this project to come to fruition, delivering a first-class leisure and entertainment hub for the area.” The seven-screen cinema, operated by South West company Scott Cinemas, will provide year-round entertainment for all ages with separate screens offering a luxury studio experience with sofa seating and reclining seats. The tenpin bowling alley, operated by regional company Allstars, will entertain families and groups with eight lanes of bowling and sports bar facilities. Northgate Yard is the culmination of many years of planning for a central entertainment and dining hub for Bridgwater. Led by Sedgemoor District Council, Northgate Yard has been conceived with the local community and local economy at its heart. The council has worked closely with the community to create and deliver a vision reflecting what the people of Bridgwater want to see.

04 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

INTELASTEL, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ILLESO, SET TO REVOLUTIONISE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY WITH PIONEERING HEALTH AND SAFETY APPLICATION New platform will transform the construction industry with digitised documentation - while Intelastel no code application builder enables rapid business growth via unparalleled agility Helastel, a software developer and provider of IT solutions, today announced the launch of Illeso, a health and safety compliance application for the construction market built on the Intelastel no code application development platform. The pioneering application fully digitises the sector’s current paper-based health and safety processes, moving documentation onto the cloud to enable secure on-demand online access from a web browser or mobile device for effortless filing, archiving and retrieval, enabling significant reductions in admin time. The application also allows the industry to share health and safety documentation

Company News across development sites - in the case of operatives moving jobs, for instance - helping to reduce paperwork and improving efficiency across the industry as a whole. By moving the process of evidencing health and safety online, sites can expect improvements in productivity thanks to better efficiency, reduced risk of litigation due to improved site compliance and the removal of administration errors. This ultimately contributes to better on-site safety. Illeso founder, David Hunt, commented: “Health and safety compliance is becoming more complex. Issues with compliance can often impact project timelines and can result in penalties for non-compliance. Our mission is for Illeso to become the gold standard for health and safety compliance, and we believe we have achieved that with the support of our partner Helastel and their product Intelastel. Due to Helastel’s support with the project, Illeso is a 100% paperless app, which can be used across multiple sites.

Our driver at Illeso is in creating a community, and Intelastel has enabled this. As a new company, I don’t have a digital team, so being able to create and update my application myself is key to my operation. The great thing about Intelastel is that due to the no code nature of the platform we can adapt to any market quickly, meaning that if we see a use case for Illeso outside of construction, we can explore expanding our offering, supporting our growth as a business.

REMOTE VIDEO TRIAL AT PROPERTY MAINTENANCE COMPANY A property maintenance company has completed a trial to speed up home repairs. Platform Property Care – a subsidiary of one of the UK’s largest social landlords, Platform Housing Group – completed the month long trial with its communications partner, 8x8. The trial – which took place earlier this year – involved the organisation’s tradespeople offering a live video solution to fix a host of customer property repairs. Lee Vernalls, Assistant Director – Business Development and Growth at Platform Property Care explained: “This latest trial allowed our operatives to conduct a two way video call with customers so that any repairs could either be seen prior to a visit or fixed remotely. Crucially, when a remote fix was not possible, the system meant that our tradespeople were able to have the correct materials to repair the problem on arrival.” The process originates from an SMS message sent to the customer by the tradesperson; a simple click on the link starts the video call with no need to download any software or set up an account. The operative can then take pictures from the customer’s camera which are automatically saved into the organisation’s system; importantly the

images can be annotated in real time in order to talk the customer through a remote repair. The results from the trial are encouraging with 39 per cent of calls resulting in a remote repair and 26 per cent of calls reducing the need for an initial inspection visit; heating was the largest remote fix area. Matt Bell, EMEA Vice President of CPaaS Sales said: “Organisations like Platform Housing Group are faced with having to reimagine both employee and customer engagement to meet unique challenges posed by a distributed workforce and a mobile-first customer base. The ability to extend 8x8 XCaaS by adding real-time video interaction capabilities will allow Platform Housing Group to deliver an even higher level of service and support for its customers.” Since the trial concluded, a business case is being prepared to introduce the system into Platform Property Care on a full time basis. Lee concluded:

The trial of the 8x8 live video solution has shown a number of positive outcomes including an improved customer experience, a reduction in the number of home visits and more availability for those jobs which required a physical presence. Importantly it reduced time spent travelling which ultimately – if we adopt the system – will have a positive impact on our carbon footprint. Since the merger of Fortis Living and Waterloo Homes at the end of last year to become Platform Housing Group, changes and development within the property maintenance arm have been ongoing. Establishing Platform Property Care has included bringing gas servicing and breakdown in house to ensure a seamless service to customers; these, and other initiatives, have resulted in the organisation winning the coveted status. Platform Property Care - launched in October 2018 - employs more than 300 people, including 27 apprentices. Its growth plans include a turnover of £50million by 2023. Recent improvements include better diagnostics, intelligent scheduling, assertive supply chain management and investment in new technologies. Results include 100 per cent of homes being both gas and electrically compliant.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 05

Company News

SEGRO APPOINTS WINVIC FOR EIGHTH INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE AT SEGRO LOGISTICS PARK EAST MIDLANDS GATEWAY Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has been awarded the eighth contract to build a net zero carbon industrial warehouse at the 700-acre SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway (SLPEMG). It is the first speculative development at the park, which is adjacent to East Midlands Airport and 1.5 miles from the A42/M42 connection at J23A, and the £9 million project will be completed in November 2021. The 200,000 sq ft unit, with a 15m clear height to the eaves, will be cold store ready and have 17 docks, 4 Euro docks and 4 level access doors and is being designed by Winvic using BIM Level 2. As part of this digital design development and careful supply chain choices, Winvic has already reduced material wastage on this project by 34 per cent and upscaled the development so it will achieve an EPC A+ rating. It will be constructed to BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and sustainable features will include roof mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels, LED lighting and upgraded cladding which improves air-tightness for temperature controlled operations.

facilities, whereby efficient stoves replace wood burning open fires. Additionally, the scheme comprises 10,000 sq ft of two-storey office accommodation, a 3,000 sq ft transport office, a 55m yard, and parking for 170 cars and 45 HGVs. Winvic will also be undertaking all associated external works including hardstandings, car parking, landscaping and drainage, plus alterations to the existing estate road with pedestrian crossing points. Winvic has had a presence on the SLPEMG site since its inception February 2017 when the main contractor began the civils and infrastructure work to facilitate the park and a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) and are currently constructing two other modern industrial warehouses. One of which is a 694,000 sq ft facility for DHL, which comprises two mezzanine levels and over 25,000 sq ft of two-storey integral offices. Unusually, it has a 33m high bay and an 18m low bay that wraps around two sides of the unit, and it is due to complete in September 2021. The second facility is a 150,000 sq ft fulfilment centre with ancillary offices, car parking including double-deck parking for 200 electric vans and lorry loading facilities.

It is the first time that PV has been used on an industrial warehouse at SLPEMG and it will be installed to offset all operational carbon based on the base build specification. All embodied carbon associated with the building will be calculated and offset through a scheme in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) framework and utilising Gold vested carbon credits. For example, this could include UK tree planting, supporting local communities, schools and charities and improving clean cooking

This speculative development is really exciting, as it highlights our confidence in the ongoing demand for well located, connected, modern space in the East Midlands and underpins the importance of logistics. Including this speculative build, Winvic is currently constructing three units for us at this site and the company’s expertise with net zero carbon projects is evident. With the park nearly 75% full, we’ll be working hard over the coming months to secure customers for the spec build and the remaining 1.5m sq ft of space to ensure that SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway can continue to play a key role in creating jobs and economic growth in the region. Danny Nelson, Winvic’s Head of Industrial, Distribution and Logistics, commented: “We’re thrilled that the SEGRO team has once again put its trust in Winvic at SLPEMG, and this eighth unit means we have three separate project teams working at the 700-acre site. It is a special facility due to its true net zero credentials and we’re utilising BIM to its full potential to assist with this goal. For example, our design team has been working closely with SEGRO to push the scheme to achieve EPC A+ and material wastage has been reduced through digital processes by a significant 34 per cent. The short 26-week programme means we will be handing the scheme over in November of this year, and we are ready to assist with fit out when a tenant is secured.” Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director, National Logistics at SEGRO, said: “This speculative development is really exciting, as it highlights our confidence in the ongoing demand for well located, connected, modern space in the East Midlands and underpins the importance of logistics. Including this speculative build, Winvic is currently constructing three units for us at this site and the company’s expertise with net zero carbon projects is evident. With the park nearly 75% full, we’ll be working hard over the coming months to secure customers for the spec build and the remaining 1.5m sq ft of space to ensure that SEGRO Logistics Park East Midlands Gateway can continue to play a key role in creating jobs and economic growth in the region.”

06 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

OptiSpray

™

Are your AdBlue vehicles suffering from blocked catalysts? OptiSpray is a direct replacement for AdBlue and prevents deposit formation in the SCR system, avoiding costly repairs and vehicle downtime. With OptiSpray you get more than just the product:

Secure supply from the largest AdBlue prime producer

Technical Services Expertise and Equipment R&M

Dedicated Customer Service team

Email charlotte.friggieri@yara.com for more information! www.yara.co.uk/optispray

UK fleet of road tankers with experienced customerfocused drivers

Project News MIDAS COMMENCES CONSTRUCTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON SCIENCE PARK ENGINEERING CENTRE The scheme will add further local economic value through the provision of work experience placements and apprenticeships. Midas is passionate about offering opportunities to learn more about the industry, gain on-site experience and support people into a rewarding career in construction.

Midas Construction has commenced work on an innovative Southampton engineering centre which will become home to a range of new technologies aiming to create a sustainable future. The Engineering Centre will enhance collaboration opportunities for the University of Southampton Science Park and local business within the Enterprise M3 LEP area of influence. It will also house the Future Towns Innovations Hub (FTIH), which will deliver a joint industry-academic Centre of Excellence by bringing together cutting edge ideas, commercial expertise and state-of-the-art research laboratories to advance innovation for the benefit of everyone in the Enterprise M3 area and beyond. This partnership working also aims to provide a physical space for business and enterprise to access and interact with world leading expertise, skills, and facilities available within one of the UK’s most outstanding engineering groups; in an environment that nurtures creativity and innovation. The state-of-the-art building will provide specialist laboratory facilities that will support a range of sectors such as ecohydraulics, electronics, transport research, aerospace, energy, unmanned systems and a number of hydraulic flumes. Wave force

NEW KIPLING HOME MAKES LIFE SWEETER FOR WESTON HOUSE-HUNTERS Five-star developer Lovell Homes is encouraging house-hunters to seek inspiration from its ‘exceedingly good’ exclusive new Kipling house-type, available at a housing development in Weston-super-Mare. Lovell Homes is building a collection of 81 homes for sale, including two, three and four-bedroom homes at Foxglove Meadows, off Woodside Avenue near Hutton. An additional 49 affordable homes are also available through Abri Housing Association. New to Lovell Homes, the four-bedroom Kipling is an elegant detached home which features the latest contemporary design

styles, all within a flexible and open living space. Five Kipling homes have now been released for sale at Foxglove Meadows, with prices starting from £380,995. The Kipling is the largest housetype available at the development, featuring a large open-plan kitchen dining room, with French doors leading out onto the garden, a modern living room, a utility room, cloak room, and a single garage with parking. Situated on the first floor are four bedrooms, including an en-suite to the master bedroom, and a spacious family bathroom. Ideal for those seeking a slice of the country, Hutton is situated on the western tip of the Mendip Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). For commuting individuals, Foxglove Meadows is easily accessible by road and rail, with Weston-super-Mare railway station just over two miles away. Bristol airport is also located just over 13 miles

08 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

tanks and anechoic chambers designed to deaden sound are among the elements to be developed by Midas Construction, part of the Midas Group, one of the UK’s largest independent construction and property services providers. The development also adheres to key environmental design principles to support the University of Southampton’s commitment to the efficient use of resources to both reduce carbon emissions and water consumption. Chris Webb, Operations Manager for the Southern Division of Midas Construction, said: “This is a dynamic science park with a track record of collaboration between academia and business, leading to positive and sustainable change for the better. We are looking forward to supporting all concerned with our contribution to this development. The scheme will add further local economic value through the provision of work experience placements and apprenticeships. Midas is passionate about offering opportunities to learn more about the industry, gain onsite experience and support people into a rewarding career in construction. The Engineering Centre will be an exciting scheme for our trainees to be part of.” Work on the Engineering Centre is already underway and due to be complete in early 2022.

away, for access to 130 destinations across 30 countries. Regional sales director at Lovell, Julie Bowen, said: “It’s been great to see such positive reactions from those who have registered their interest in the Kipling housetype – it’s a great addition to the suite of new homes we already have available to view in Weston-super-Mare. This popular development is selling fast and we’re seeing lots of interest in the properties for sale at Foxglove Meadows, which we believe is not only down to the sought-after location of the homes, but also their striking modern designs. The development itself is very family-friendly, with a range of highly-regarded primary and secondary schools nearby. Within a mile of the development, various shopping facilities including a Tesco Express can be accessed, while Weston-super-Mare Beach and Weston General Hospital can be reached in under three miles. “Given the popularity of the homes at Foxglove Meadows so far, we’d urge househunters who are interested in finding a new home in the area to get in touch with our sales team to find out more about the homes on offer, or to book an appointment to visit our three-bedroom Bronte and four-bedroom Tennyson showhomes.”

FLEXIBLE FUELLING SOLUTIONS FOR ANY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT WP Group is a fuels company with a difference, it has used its experience and expertise within the sector to tailor its range of solutions to meet the specific needs of the construction industry with solutions that include standard fuels, sustainable solutions and fuel management.

options at the most convenient time for their operation.

The Southampton based fuels business has built up an enviable reputation for being able to provide its construction customers with fuelling solutions, innovative products and technologies to achieve business objectives, overcome daily site challenges and, importantly, keep projects moving. At its most streamlined level, its critical service to construction is the regular and reliable delivery of fuel, but WP Group also provides sustainable fuelling options and marketleading technology providing total fuel management.

Sustainable Solutions The quest for ever-increasing levels of sustainability and efficiency is driving change and shaping the world around us.

Whether you’re building roads, houses, airports or offices, finding a proactive, flexible, service driven fuel supplier is key to success. WP Group understands what it takes to keep you in operation, this has driven its specialist construction team to create a new flexible suite of products and solutions designed for and by the construction industry. This means you can now gain complete control of your project’s fuel supply by combining a comprehensive range of solutions and services from WP Group. Standard Fuels WP Group’s portfolio of standard fuel products ensures its construction customers have access to the highest quality fuels, reliably delivered when and where it’s needed. With both gasoil and road diesel, its 24/7 delivery service ensures that its customers’ sites and projects across the UK are reliably and regularly supplied with economical fuel

WP Group understands these high-quality fuels are crucial to business operations and has the ability to provide these products alone, or as part of a wider package including fuel management and tank supply.

With WP Group’s range of sustainable fuel solutions, it’s never been easier to minimise your project’s carbon footprint. From 100% renewable fuel, to carbon compensation, WP Group provides flexible solutions to support you to achieve your sustainability objectives.

•

HVO Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) reduces your carbon footprint by 90% and improves air quality as a 100% renewable drop-in diesel replacement.

•

The Esso Diesel Efficient™ fuel helps lower NOx, CO2 and particulate matter emissions and an improved fuel economy.

•

GTL (Gas-to-Liquid) Fuel contributes to improved air quality along with improved combustion properties inside standard diesel engines. This is another drop in diesel replacement.

Designed to support a journey to a low carbon future, WP Group provides its customers simple and practical solutions through its carbon compensation products.

With WP Group’s range of sustainable fuel solutions, it’s never been easier to minimise your project’s carbon footprint.

Fuel Management WP Group works in partnership with you to help manage your site’s fuel use intelligently and efficiently with its comprehensive range of fuel management solutions. Fuel Tank Supply The team will ensure your site has access to a fuel supply 24/7, not just by supplying the fuel you need directly into your vehicles, but by also supplying a fuel tank for you to keep on site too. It offers a range of sizes from bowsers through to static tanks, to suit the requirements of your scheme. Fuel Technologies The utilisation of WP Group’s market leading fuel management system enables its customers to track every transaction on their site to the tenth of a litre, own use or subcontractor, by vehicle/equipment and to pre-approve and authorise any vehicles/ equipment that require the use of their fuel facilities or delivery. 24/7 Emergency Response WP Group offers Emergency 24/7 Fuel Response (response within 6/8/12 hours) to ensure that it’s always there for its customers and that there is always fuel in your tank. Automated Delivery The business’ systems and processes allow total automation from fuel delivery through to invoice management. From standing orders, through to telemetrybased automation, WP Group can take the responsibility and automate your deliveries. This allows its customers to focus on business-critical tasks and eliminate any downtime linked to fuel delivery accuracy and accountability. From standard fuels to sustainable solutions, through to fuel management, WP Group’s flexibility and expertise in fuelling construction will keep your projects running smoothly, reliably and efficiently.

Find out more about WP Group and claim a FREE ‘building block’ USB

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 09

Custom Fibrelite covers installed in precast concrete manufacturer Trenwa’s troughs at major US sub-station

STRATEGIC PARTNERS: PRECAST & PREFORMED TROUGHS & FIBRELITE’S ‘MADE TO MEASURE’ GRP TROUGH COVERS Composite access cover manufacturer Fibrelite has formed strategic partnerships with a number of major manufacturers of precast and preformed troughs (also known as trenches, channels and ducts) in Europe and the USA (including Fibex and Trenwa) to create new collaborative product offerings integrating Fibrelite covers and precast and preformed troughs, combining the strength and longevity of precast and preformed troughs with the easy, safe manual removal and durability of Fibrelite’s lightweight composite covers.

Concrete slab covers can weigh as much as five times the weight of an equivalent size Fibrelite GRP composite trough cover

10 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

Fibrelite trough covers are designed to be safely and easily removed by two people

access covers have moved from being a niche product used on petrol station forecourts to being specified at the outset of new build and retrofit projects for some of the world’s most prestigious brands in technology, data centres, ports, airports, high-tech manufacturing facilities, utilities, infrastructure and many more.

Custom Fibrelite covers designed & engineered to fit precast manufacturer Fibex’s preformed GRP troughs

Health and safety issues surrounding manual handling are of paramount importance to site managers. Without the necessary provision of dedicated lifting apparatus and training for operatives, traditional concrete and steel trough access covers can be a concern due to their sheer weight. Concrete slab covers can weigh as much as five times the weight of an equivalent size Fibrelite GRP composite trough cover. Fibrelite covers have an industry leading strength-toweight ratio and are designed to be safely and easily removed by two people, using the Fibrelite FL7 ergonomically designed lifting handles. Driven by focusses on health and safety, weight, durability (no corrosion) and reduced installation time, GRP composite

“In recent years, the demand for highly customisable, high-tech access covering solutions has grown exponentially, and we’re proud of the part we’ve played in their adoption over the 40 years since we invented the world’s first. Since then, we’ve continually innovated, focussing on creating solutions to industry and customer challenges.” Commented Ian Thompson, Fibrelite’s Managing Director EMEA “Partnering with precast and preformed trough/trench manufacturers was a logical next step, and I’m proud to say that, since we created our first partnership offering with Trenwa in 2014 we now have over 50 kilometres of our covers installed in precast and preformed troughs across the globe.” David Holmes, Fibrelite’s Technical Director added “We work closely with architects, contractors, and end users from tender stage right the way through to delivery and even installation where required. This collaborative process ensures that the supplied product fulfils both product quality demands and strict project completion deadlines. Fibrelite covers can be custom designed and manufactured with dimensions matched precisely to specified trough opening/rebate dimensions (Fibrelite’s adjustable tooling allows covers

to be manufactured within millimetres of a clients requirement).”

Recent Installation: New Build Data Centre, Northern Europe Some clients favour a complete GRP solution for both troughs and covers. Where appropriate, this can further reduce installation costs and time due to their reduced weight for transit and installation. Earlier this year, Fibrelite engineered and manufactured 550 metres of custom trough covers for a new build data centre in Northern Europe. These GRP preformed troughs were supplied with custom fit Fibrelite bolt-down covers, for added security.

Recent Installation: Cruise Ship Terminal, UK Fibrelite custom engineered and manufactured 500 metres of F900 (90-tonne) load rated GRP trough covers to fit precast concrete troughs at a UK cruise ship terminal. The stepped covers were supplied in a number of customised sizes to fit the trough configuration. The F900 load rated covers were stepped to reduce the unit weight in compliance with the customer’s specified manual handling limit. For more information click here to visit the Fibrelite website

F900 (90-tonne) load rated GRP Fibrelite trench covers in precast concrete troughs/trenches at a cruise ship terminal

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 11

Project

HOTEL LA TOUR SITTING AT MILTON KEYNES’ HIGHEST POINT IS TOPPED OUT AT 50 METRES BY WINVIC Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of multi-sector construction and civil engineering projects, has celebrated the topping out of its first hotel project, Hotel La Tour. The luxury hotel which is located at the highest point of central Milton Keynes stands at 50 metres now the roof has been completed. The roof covering programme is now underway and the Winvic team will be moving on to the floor and ceiling curtain walling, as well as focusing on the extensive glazing on the thirteenth floor where the sky bar, restaurant and public exhibition space will be. Hotel La Tour’s Managing Director Mark Stuart and Operations Director Jane Riley were invited to site along with Will Elsigood from pHp Architects to enjoy the city and park views from the roof of the fourteenth floor. A project progress tour was also provided by Winvic’s Operations Manager Mike Quinn and Project Manager Russell Sullivan which included a visit to the recently completed show bedroom and a close look at stainless steel, mirror finish cladding which the Winvic team started to install in April.

Works to the envelope and cladding will continue with the 30m high, LED-lit satin finish stainless steel circle on the eastern façade completing the impressive external design. The ‘sun’ design will be visible up the city’s Midsomer Boulevard, which was created to align with the sun on the longest day of the year. Winvic is currently fitting-out the 261 bedrooms, which has included the sailing and positioning of off-site fabricated bathroom pods. Fit-out of other facilities within the hotel will also continue, such as the 12,000 sq ft flexible conference floor that comprises adaptable meeting spaces and an external terrace that has been designed to be high load bearing. The project is expected to be handed over to Hotel La Tour in July 2022. Mark Jones, Winvic’s Head of Multi-room, commented: “We started on site just two weeks after the first 2020 lockdown was announced and despite the unprecedented challenges, our team have hit milestone after milestone on, or ahead, of schedule. I’d like to say a huge thank you to them. Reaching the highest point of any multi-room project is always worth celebrating, but this is a bit more special as it’s Winvic’s first hotel.

12 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

“It’s great to be able to welcome Mark and Jane from Hotel La Tour to site to enjoy the fourteenth-floor views and also for them to get a feel for the finished scheme in the fully completed show bedroom. “Mark, the city planners and the people of Milton Keynes are already impressed with how the striking, mirrored cladding is looking, so we look forward to the next programme landmark when the façade reaches 50 metres up to the top of the building and boasts the 30-metre contrasting circle, which represents the midsummer sun.” Mark Stuart, Managing Director: “It’s always a pleasure visiting Hotel La Tour and seeing how Winvic have been driving the project at pace – they’ve been doing a good job so far, operating safely and swiftly. The mirrored cladding going up is an impressive spectacle, and the show bedroom provides the quality and luxury our guests will be looking forward to. Standing 50 metres high on the now completed roof has been a momentous milestone and it won’t be long before we’re welcoming members of the public to gaze at the views while enjoying a drink at the bar.

3-Point Locking on Portaro SBD FD30(S)

Portaro SBD FD30S AC36 Inverse

DRIVING SECURITY FORWARD WITH THE COMPLETE PACKAGE

constructed with heavy duty and highdensity cores, surrounded by double timber rails on all sides, complete with hardwood lippings. Furthermore, the frames are made from hardwood and come pre-fitted with fire, smoke and acoustic seals.

If you were selecting a car for security reasons, would you be looking for one that just had 4 wheels, an engine and a door you could lock? No, of course not! You would rightly be interested in its overall performance, verified roadworthy tests, the quality of its components, not to mention other safety features and naturally its appearance and stylish kerb appeal.

From the installers perspective, the Portaro SBD System really is the complete package. Supplied as doorkits for ease of fitting on site, the carefully and separately wrapped doors come premachined with all primary components, alongside the boxed and matching frame / architrave sections with simply connecting parts and screws. All designed for easy and rapid assembly.

Selecting the right Secured By Design (SBD) Doorkit is not dissimilar. It’s not simply a case of meeting the minimum requirement, with a piece of paper that says SBD Tested, anything will do! After all there is so much more to

consider in the modern build environment, from fire rating to life cycle expectations and installation to design flexibility. Portaro SBD Interior timber Entrance Doorkits from Vicaima provides just that scope, with ease of assembly, quality materials, outstanding performance and design appeal as standard, all encased in one of the most comprehensively certificated products on the market. Of course, one of the first considerations for any project or development is how will it look and will it fit in with the project design theme. Here the Portaro SBD system provides a rarity in today’s somewhat limited market. With matching door, frame and architrave in a myriad of veneered, foil, laminate, paint lacquered and even special finishes, the Portaro system offers complete design freedom, so that performance does not equate to compromising aesthetics. Beyond the finish itself, design configuration also offers flexibility, with a choice of either a conventional architrave or for a seamless face the Inverse system, where door sits flush with its surroundings. All door systems incorporate a 3-Point locking system, handle and security escutcheon, together with an automatic dropseal.

Portaro SBD FD30S AC35

Returning to our choice of car for a moment, another prerequisite in any purchasing decision, would be to lift the bonnet for a peak at the engine. Obviously a little harder to do with doorkits, however it should be remembered that the important performance of any security door assembly is often not visible to the naked eye. Here again no ‘cutting corners’ or ‘good enough’ criteria are employed when manufacturing a Portaro SBD Doorkit. The doors themselves are

There are so many reasons why Portaro SBD Doorkits offer the ideal entrance security solution, of which these are just a few:

• • • • • • •

Certified Secured by Design with dual scope Fire and Security certification Sound reduction performance with Acoustic AC35 and AC36 options Completely matching door and frame surround Ease and speed of assembly on site Quality components and construction FD30 to FD60 Fire Rating SBD Inverse Model

For anyone looking to move out of first gear when it comes to security standards, then Portaro SBD Doorkits really are worth a test drive. For further details download your copy of the new Portaro Brochure or visit the Vicaima website www.vicaima.com contact info@vicaima.com or Tel: +44 (0) 1793 532333

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 13

Project

APPLE VIA DEL CORSO OPENS IN THE HEART OF HISTORIC ROME Situated on Via del Corso, one of the most vibrant streets in Italy’s capital, Apple Via Del Corso brings the historic Palazzo Marignoli back to life. Inspired by its colorful past, the design reveals the building’s fascinating and multi-layered history by unveiling painted ceilings and frescoes from the 1890s juxtaposed with modern graffiti artworks from the 1950s. Celebrating the murals, hidden from view for decades, the new design creates a space where the city and history truly meet. The design is the result of a close collaboration between Apple’s design teams and the integrated engineering and design team at Foster + Partners. Stefan Behling, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said: “The joy of the project was to peel back and rediscover the layers of history throughout the building and revealing

its eclectic past, which ranges from the historic painted ceilings and the frescoes by Fabio Cipolla, both from the 1890s, to the more recent graffiti artworks by Afro Basaldella. Palazzo Marignoli has seen so much throughout its history, and we feel truly privileged to be able to be part of its newest phase of life. Especially, as Rome is one of my favorite cities in the world.” Located on the site of a 16th century convent ‘delle Convertite,’ Palazzo Marignoli was designed by renowned architect Salvatore Bianchi in 1870 for Filippo Marignoli. A second addition by the architect Giulio Podesti in the 19th century added the main façade we see today. From 1890 to 1955, it housed the famous Caffè Aragno, a fashionable meeting place for writers, journalists and political figures visiting from the neighboring parliament. On the ground floor two large ceiling paintings called “Dawn” and “Dusk” by Fabio Cipolla and Ettore Ballerini respectively, have been carefully restored and integrated within the new store. One of the most exciting finds were the multiple graffiti panels created by the artist, Afro Basaldella – a contemporary of Picasso and one of Italy’s most important artists – depicting urban scenes from Italian cities. The façade towards Via del Corso has also been carefully restored, its large windows allowing views into the store and towards

a beautiful internal courtyard. Entry to the store is through a historic passage that leads to the courtyard flanked by two generous and striking spaces that celebrate the grandeur of the historic palazzo. The arches and vaults of the central passage are lined with Carrara stone, carefully selected to match the existing marble and create dramatic vistas that lead you to the grand staircase. These spaces are an ideal setting for all customers to engage, explore and be inspired by Apple’s latest products and the artwork that surrounds them. The courtyard is a remnant of the 16th century monastery and its garden, forming a peaceful green heart offering respite from the busy shopping street. It creates a calm focus for the entire building, visible from almost every corner of the store. The Camphora trees with their soft canopies offer dappled shade, creating a welcoming atmosphere for visitors, and leafy vistas up to the lush courtyard terrace on the piano nobile. The historic lanterns that were found on the site have been carefully restored by local specialists using high-efficiency LEDs that mimic traditional candlelight. The monumental staircase built originally by Marignoli to access his residence on the first floor leads you to the piano nobile, meticulously restored with its original Carrara marble detailing. The original skylight which was built over during a previous refurbishment has been restored to flood the space with artificial light that matches the tone of natural daylight. The first floor houses the Apple Forum within the vaulted former ballroom. The Apple Forum is the focus for Today at Apple that features workshops and events. The space adjacent to the grand ballroom – historically used as a games room – features an elaborate geometrically patterned, handpainted ceiling, which was discovered during the course of construction. A dedicated team of conservators have worked thousands of hours to restore the ceiling to its former glory. Linking all these rooms is a gallery space that opens up onto a terrace. Inspired by historic Roman roof terraces, the space is filled with fragrant jasmine vines and olive trees, looking down onto the canopy of trees in the courtyard, offering another delightful place for visitors to unwind and relax. Apple Via del Corso is a celebration of the past and future and delicately articulates the different eras of history, creating a harmonious juxtaposition of old and new, and takes this building with so much history into its next phase of life.

All Images: © Apple

14 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

Waterless Wheel Cleaning System

Wash is a Dirty Word!

The DriveOn V-Tech Dry Wheel Cleaning System from EcoGreen Plant Hire Ltd • No water to provide, waste or dispose of • No water course contamination, or freezing or icing • No power required and no emissions • No extra kit to hire – no pumps, generators, bowsers, lances etc • No supervision required, and no breakdowns • Reduces road sweeper hire, because it doesn’t make more mud! • Up to 60% less surface area than other dry types

www.ecogreenplanthire.co.uk 0800 130 3437

info@ecogreenplanthire.co.uk

PREMIER TECH WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ENSURE A SUSTAINABLE AND ECOFRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT, WITH COCONUT-HUSK BASED WASTEWATER TREATMENT For over 25 years, global company Premier Tech Water and Environment has been protecting our properties and our environment with sustainable local solutions. With over 100,000 installations already across the globe, the Ecoflo Coco Filter is a proven system for enhancing wastewater effluent quality for a variety of applications. Now, Premier Tech Water and Environment has brought the Ecoflo Coco Filter to the UK market, to further improve the effluent quality for both residential and commercial projects that require off-mains wastewater treatment.

Ian Wake – National Sales Director at Premier Tech Water and Environment stated: “The Ecoflo Coco Filter is a revolutionary wastewater treatment system that requires zero energy to improve the quality of wastewater effluent. Due to the nature of the coconut husk filtering medium, the all-natural product we create is not only renewable, but fully compostable after its years of treating wastewater are over. Combined with a lightweight, robust and compact design, Ecoflo provides a long lasting, sustainable, economical and environmentally friendly solution for years to come”.

100% natural, organic and renewable, the Ecoflo coconut-husk fragments are produced by cutting up the husk that surrounds the fruit of the coconut. This mechanical process ensures complete control over the size of each fragment and overall porosity, guaranteeing a uniform filtering medium that delivers a consistently high wastewater treatment performance over time.

With areas of the UK already beginning to stipulate stricter effluent standards for wastewater outflows, the Ecoflo Coco Filter offers an ecologically friendly alternative to replacing an existing septic tank or sewage treatment plant. The Ecoflo Coco Filter can also be specified as part of a new treatment system to fully protect and preserve UK watercourses, streams and nearby rivers.

Sourced and maritime shipped from Sri-Lanka, coconut-husk fragments not only effectively treat wastewater but also minimise CO2 emissions related to transport. With most synthetic and sandbased filtering media being shipped by rail or road, research has shown that the use of maritime transport for coconut-husk reduces CO2 by 12% (rail) and by 540% (road) over a 50 year cycle – further protecting our environment.

To find out more about how Premier Tech’s sustainable wastewater treatment solution can protect our communities, our environment and our planet for generations to come visit: PT-WaterEnvironment.co.uk

Ecoflo works with a non-mechanical tipping bucket that scatters wastewater across perforated distribution plates. Wastewater drips through these plates and falls across a filter made of coconut husk fragments, creating a physical treatment barrier that cleans the effluent to an even higher standard. After percolating through the all-natural filter, water is then safely discharged into the environment.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 15

Company News Last year, Supply Change rediverted £220,000 of spend to social enterprises and during the first 12 months of the partnership, Kier will work with Supply Change to remove the barriers for social enterprises to work with it, such as tendering and onboarding processes. Kier will also help to grow the Supply Change database of social enterprises and in doing so will promote a more inclusive supply chain with demonstrable, credible and transparent benefits for the local communities it works in.

KIER LAUNCHES PARTNERSHIP WITH SUPPLY CHANGE TO INCREASE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE PROCUREMENT Kier has partnered with Supply Change, a social enterprise that will connect Kier with suppliers that are also social enterprises, allowing it to procure quality goods and services while making a positive impact.

Jamie McKechnie, Kier Group procurement director, said: “Kier has a proud history of working with local communities including social enterprises and to further expand our sustainable procurement strategy Kier has partnered with Supply Change. Supply Change’s vision is a world where goods and services are procured with social and environmental value at their centre and this is fully aligned with our Building for a Sustainable World framework. “We are looking forward to working with the Supply Change team to create new opportunities for social enterprises across the UK and supporting the growth of its own business.”

MORRISON WATER SERVICES AND ONE.NETWORK COLLABORATE TO CREATE INNOVATIVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLATFORM Morrison Water Services, a part of M Group Services, is revolutionising the management of its water infrastructure streetworks operations after partnering with traffic management technology specialist, one.network, to develop a fully integrated, cloud-based traffic management platform.

The one.network platform is enabling Morrison Water Services’ repair and maintenance (R&M) planning teams working on behalf of Yorkshire Water to plan, manage and communicate fast, accurate information on streetworks. Providing a ‘virtual survey’ view of operational sites, offering full visibility of

risk factors, the platform acts a central repository of traffic management plans that can be accessed ‘on the ground’ and out-of-hours. The platform’s ‘Works Planning’ and ‘Traffic Management’ modules are delivering significant service delivery, efficiency and customer benefits, with new levels of mapping intelligence and a ‘virtual’ approach to work planning that reduces the risk of rework and potential customer disruption. Andrew Bailey, Morrison Water Services Head of Streetworks, Noticing and Permitting for the Yorkshire Water contract, commented: “By enabling our teams to communicate works more efficiently and clearly, this innovation is further strengthening our relationships with highways authorities and other key stakeholders. “Creating a traffic management plan would have previously taken a week but can now be done in under 12 minutes. Our initial aim for the Yorkshire Water contract was to deliver thirty to forty per cent of our traffic management plans via the platform within

16 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

Company News Beth Pilgrim, co-founder and CEO at Supply Change, said:

Procuring from social enterprises has the power to create real, lasting social and environmental change. We’re proud to be partnering with Kier to help it connect with more social enterprise suppliers and create a supply chain that reflects its values as a business. In 2020, Supply Change made NatWest’s SE100 Top 25 Trailblazing Newcomers list and its work will help Kier to achieve its sustainable procurement goals, which is one of the ten elements of Kier’s Building for a Sustainable World framework. By procuring through social enterprises, Kier is providing economic benefit to the communities it works in, as well as delivering on its social sustainability purpose of tackling inequalities by giving individuals and communities the tools and opportunities to create brighter futures.

the first 12 months, but the success of the project has meant that we are now delivering approximately eighty per cent.” Morrison Water Services and one. network first joined forces in 2008 to create a bespoke works planning solution, developed in partnership with Yorkshire Water. The solution brought together multiple data layers to enable planning teams to rapidly risk-assess work sites earlier in the planning process, enabling more informed decisions around earliest start dates, traffic management, scheduling, permitting and traffic delay mitigation. Matt Bright, Business Development Manager at one.network, commented: “As an early adopter who is comfortable using technology to accelerate its business goals, Morrison Water Services is one of the most progressive water infrastructure contractors in the UK.

Further development of this platform will include one. network’s newest module, Traffic Replay, that will allow teams to view historical traffic data and flow patterns anywhere on the network to enable more intelligent planning and improved traffic management planning decisions.

CLOWES DEVELOPMENTS EXCHANGE CONTRACTS FOR 26,000SQ FT DESIGN AND BUILD PROJECT FOR MANX HEALTHCARE LTD Paul Shanley, Director at Clowes Developments has sealed the deal on a design and build facility for leading pharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor Manx Healthcare Ltd at Tournament Fields in Warwick. The purpose-built 26,000sq ft industrial/ warehouse facility will be located on a 1.25acre plot known as 8003 at the highly regarded logistics and distribution hub in Warwick. The independent, family-owned company develop, manufacture, and supply high quality pharmaceuticals. They have built up both a ‘generic’ and ‘over the counter’ portfolio which they supply to customers across the UK and beyond. The Warwickshire based company will be relocating from their existing premises in Wedgnock Lane, Warwick into their brand-new purpose-built facility at Tournament Fields. The move will allow them to expand with an ambient and chilled storage facility which is important for the importation and deportation of pharmaceuticals. Tournament Fields, due to its excellent location in their hometown and access to nationwide transport networks offered the ideal opportunity for the company to future proof their growing business. Tournament Fields is an established and thriving business park located adjacent to Junction 15 of the M40 motorway, south west of Warwick town centre. The park benefits from direct access to the Midlands motorway network and excellent transport links to Warwick and the surrounding areas.

It comes as no surprise that this impressive business park, owned by Clowes and developed out by Paul Shanley, Director at Clowes Developments, has attracted a mixture of global and regional occupiers. Semcon, Eagle Burgmann, Geberit, GFA, 3P Innovation and Scholastic have all moved to the park in recent years and some have established it as their UK headquarters. Paul Shanley, Director at Clowes Developments commented on the deal, “We are delighted to welcome Manx Healthcare to Tournament Fields. We have worked closely with their team to deliver a scheme which will delivered a bespoke facility to match their long-term needs. “We look forward to watching Manx Healthcare thrive in their brand-new purpose-built premises”. Richard Taylor, Chairman of Manx Healthcare Ltd added, “This significant investment demonstrates our confidence in the future growth of our family company as a major supplier of essential medicines to the NHS, and also a fast-growing range of healthcare products to care for the public.” Due to the high demand for Grade A units in the area, Clowes Developments have also announced plans to speculatively build an additional 19,000sq ft warehouse/production building with 7.5m eaves height and 5% office content. Contractors, Benniman Construction Group will begin groundworks in June of this year with the build ready for occupation on a freehold or leasehold basis as early as spring next year.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 17

Company News

BEARD TO SHINE LIGHT ON BRISTOL’S LANDMARK RWA BUILDING Bristol-based construction firm Beard is set to start restoration work on one of the city’s finest public buildings, transforming the experience and access for visitors. The RWA (Royal West of England Academy) has chosen Beard for its £3.8m Light and Inspiration project, with work due to start imminently on the Grade II* listed site. The RWA, which became Bristol’s first public art gallery when it was built in 1858, described the project as the most significant development to the building for more than a century.

The work includes urgent structural repairs to replace the vast roof lanterns in the galleries to create better lighting, and significant improvements in terms of access with the installation of a modern lift. The project also represents another important contract in the heritage sector for family-run Beard, which has an impressive track record in the restoration of historic and landmark buildings in the region. Mike Hedges, director at Beard Bristol, said: “For Beard, this is a project which provides a fantastic opportunity to help ensure the

MOTT MACDONALD VENTURES LEADS LATEST INVESTMENT ROUND IN SAALG Mott MacDonald Ventures, the strategic corporate venture arm of global engineering, management and development consultancy Mott MacDonald, has made an equity investment in Spanish software and engineering start-up SAALG Geomechanics. The investment forms part of a Euro 0.5M funding round led by Mott MacDonald Ventures. SAALG’s Daarwin software provides a step-change in analytical capability to assess ground behaviour during the construction stage of civil engineering and building projects. It plans to advance its technology to become the world standard in construction, developing new functionalities allowing Daarwin to cover the entire lifecycle of civil projects, from planning and design to construction and maintenance. Daarwin meets a need to collate and interpret the data mountain being generated by instrumentation, which is then used to feedback into improvements in design. This capability supports the ‘Observational Method through Progressive Modification’ which Mott MacDonald’s expert geotechnics practice has pioneered. The ambition is for SAALG’s platform to enable a shift in the industry towards performancebased design, using the observational method. SAALG Geomechanics plans to offer its technology as Software as a Service (SaaS) integrated with Mott MacDonald’s Moata digital platform, providing Daarwin through a subscription-based model

that includes a training plan to enable qualified teams to use the tool. SAALG has already been used on several international projects and is already addressing a significant problem in an already large market. Geotechnical uncertainty results in c£23.5bn of budget deviation across European construction companies, with 17.5% of all projects globally having budget deviation solely resulting from geotechnical uncertainty. Others participating in the latest round are Scale Lab Andorra, the hyperacceleration business program of Crèdit Andorrà and CEMEX Ventures. Tony O’Brien, global practice lead for geotechnics at Mott MacDonald said: “The coming together of Mott MacDonald’s domain experience and digital expertise with SAALG’s geotechnics knowhow will be of huge benefit to our clients globally, helping us respond to their greatest challenges. “Product synergies will help us with the development of our Moata digital solutions, delivering global realisation of value and addressing key sustainable development goals (SDG’s) such as SDG12 and responsible production and consumption”. Cristian de Santos and Ignasi Aliguer, SAALG Geomechanics founders said: “This operation is a strategic move in the SAALG Geomechanics business model. We envision Daarwin to be a standard in construction, used by engineers all around the world. The aim is to become a global platform, for large volumes of geotechnical data at the service of the construction sector”.

18 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

future of one of Bristol’s landmark buildings. As a construction partner we will add value by drawing on our great expertise of both logistically challenging projects and sensitive alteration and conservation of historic buildings. “The replacement of the rooflights over the existing galleries for example, will improve the internal environment. While works to improve the entrance, lower windows and provision of a new lift will ensure an accessible, social, family-friendly space with improved natural light. “This is a project which is very much in line with Beard’s central ethos that buildings are spaces for living, working, playing, and also inspiration.” In addition to the work on the main building, there are also significant enhancements planned to facilities for visitors, including the forecourt for outdoor activities, enlarging the current café area and improvements to the retail and reception areas. Alison Bevan, RWA Director says “This is a truly historic moment for us. Not since the façade was remodelled in 1913 has such a major project been undertaken. We’ve listened to our visitors and to the community we serve and are confident that the changes we’re making will enable people from across Bristol and beyond to benefit from extraordinary encounters with great art, including those with the most severe physical and mental health challenges.

We are delighted to have appointed Beard Construction, who have themselves been operating for well over a century. We’re really looking forward to working with this family company, and their extensive experience with important heritage buildings means that we know they’ll do a great job for us. The £3.8m project has been supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as well as many other Trusts and Foundations and donors. To find out more go to: www.rwa.org.uk/pages/what-is-thelight-and-inspiration-capital-project

TekThermTM AK-FR A2 Fire-Rated Structural Thermal Break MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS TekTherm™ AK-FR Thermal Breaks are designed to be A2 Fire Rated as well as having a high compressive strength and low thermal conductivity. Compliant for use in buildings above 18m under Document B Building Regulations, this material allows specifiers to meet multiple requirements in one. TekTherm™ AK-FR has been independently tested and meets A2,s1,d0 (Full laboratory report available on request). We can supply this as cut pads, strips or in any other shape within the parameters of the material. APPLICATIONS

• • • • • • •

Steel to Steel Steel to Concrete Concrete to Concrete Steel to Timber Balconies Canopies Brise-soleil

• • • • • • •

Roof Plant enclosures Façade Systems Balustrading Parapets Man-safe systems Staircases Building Maintenance Units

SNICKERS WORKWEAR FOR SUMMER – COOLING TECHNOLOGY AND VERIFIABLE SUSTAINABILITY Snickers Workwear = Comfort = Wellbeing and Improved Performance. Everyone wants to be cool, and comfortable at work this summer – and to do their bit for saving the planet. That’s why Snickers Workwear has integrated improved 37.5® fabric technology and ‘Verifiable Sustainability’ into its Tand Polo-shirts. The new AllroundWork styles are made from highly functional wafflestructured 37.5® fabric for optimal ventilation, cooling and moisture transport to keep you feeling fresh for longer. And, with the aim of being at the forefront of sustainability in Workwear, the new lightweight Polo and T-shirts are made of 100% recycled polyester with a bio-based, anti-odour finish with a smooth texture and efficient moisture transport for great working comfort. They’ve all got street-smart body-mapping designs for an amazing fit, outstanding functionality and long-lasting comfort – all day, every day. Getting information on the Snickers’ Summer Workwear range is easy. You can call the Hultafors Group Helpline on 01484 854788. You can check out the website and download a digital catalogue at www.snickersworkwear.co.uk or email sales@hultaforsgroup.co.uk

www.thermal-breaks.co.uk

Essential Bacteria Protection For Safer Heating Market leaders in the design, manufacture and supply of safe heating solutions, Contour Heating, discuss the need to for advanced hygiene in public settings. When hospitals, schools and other public buildings look to make improvements, they’ll now have a new requirement to add to the list. As well as being fit for purpose and in budget, facilities are facing unprecedented levels of strain in result of the pandemic, making the need efficient cleaning, crucial. Contour’s DeepClean range of LST and anti-ligature radiators and guards make it possible for a single cleaning operative to access every surface of the radiator guard without any support from a Facilities or Estates department. This significantly improves cleaning efficiencies, helps reduce overheads and importantly, raises hygiene standards. BioCote® anti-microbial protection is incorporated as standard into the paintwork of all the LST and anti-ligature options, inhibiting the growth of 99.99% of bacteria within just two hours. This unique, patented additive provides an effective, safe and longlasting solution to combatting a range of bacteria, including MRSA and E. coli.

Contact information: Contour Heating Ltd. www.contourheating.co.uk sales@contourheating.co.uk 01952 290 498

02/06/2021 14:07:24 CM0621019 Contour QP.indd 1 11/06/2021 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 2021 1912:23:14 xx Construction UK Magazine - June

CM0621002- Snickers Workwear- QP.indd 1

Work on the lower layer of the reinforcement. Photo: Moritz Bernoully

SCHÖCK COMBAR ENSURES SAFER TRAM SYSTEM AND REDUCED NOISE A great deal of investment is being made in the continued expansion of the Munich tram network in southern Germany. The latest construction work involves a thirdtrack being added just outside Munich Central Station. The use of Combar, the electrically non-conductive glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) from Schöck, greatly reduces noise levels at crossovers; and unlike steel solutions, poses no threat of interference to sensitive electronic track control systems The Munich tram system is expected to transport in excess of 110m people this year and the rail section outside Munich Central Station is particularly busy. A typical tram in central Munich

During rush hour, up to six trams can run through this double-track section every ten minutes and a third-track expansion is underway to help make operational running smoother and more flexible. Traditionally, the track support slabs involved would be reinforced with steel. However, this can create a safety problem with the sensor system of modern point-blocking circuits, which work by creating a resonant circuit in the area of the crossover. As a tram approaches the crossover, its large steel mass affects the resonant circuit, which is sensed by the track control system. If the carrier plate is reinforced using steel, this disturbs the resonant circuit in a similar way and may lead to interference in the point-

blocking circuit – making it much more difficult for sensors to identify the presence of the tram, thereby putting safety at risk. Any such risk is avoided by using Schöck Combar reinforcing bars, as the glass fibre reinforced polymer solution is neither magnetic, nor electrically conductive. Operational safety and vibration reduction too In additon to the improved operational safety at crossovers, the use of Schöck Combar also offers significant benefits in reducing noise and vibration as well. A welcome benefit, particularly for one of the largest department stores in Germany and also one of the most coveted large-

Examples of Combar straight bars

Photo: Schöck Bauteile Gm

20 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

scale properties in Munich’s city centre, which is located adjacent to this part of the track Mass-spring systems for these types of track typically consist of a rail carrier plate and a U-Trough shaped foundation of reinforced concrete. The two components being isolated to prevent mechanical vibration. However, because of the possible risk of local interference with the point-blocking sensors at the crossovers – and the fact that Combar has a tensile strength greater than steel – it was decided to incorporate the product in the mass-spring plates. Where Combar was installed in the area of the U-Trough and rail carrier plate, elastomer sheeting was used to completely isolate the carrier plate from its surroundings. The elastomer layer also served as lost formwork within the trough, where the Combar elements were installed crosswise, using cable ties and concrete, strength class C30/37, being poured in the respective section. Combar units have a smooth base and no sharp detailing, so there is no risk of them penetrating the elastomer layer and causing acoustic bridges. After the trough had cured, the carrier plate, also reinforced by Combar, was then poured using concrete of the same strength class. The construction section involved is around 1000 sq metres in total. Superior performance Historically, steel has been used as the most common reinforcement material in concrete construction. However, the material properties of steel rebar make it unsuitable for many applications. Conversely, since its initial introduction around fifteen years ago, Schöck Combar has gained ground in more and more markets, demonstrating its superiority as an alternative to steel. The unique structural and physical characteristics of the product are achieved by bundling high-strength glass fibres tightly together and pulling them through a closed chamber where they are impregnated with a synthetic resin. The lengths are then cut and the resultant product is a ribbed reinforcing bar made of corrosion resistant glass fibre reinforced polymer. It is significantly lighter than steel and is neither electrically or thermally conductive.

Fitting the cable ties Photo: Moritz Bernoully

Close up of the floor slab reinforcement Photo: Moritz Bernoully

Combar is effectively no different from conventional reinforcing steel, so no special user training is required. For Combar enquiries, in the first instance visit www.schoeck.com contact: design-uk@schoeck.com or tel: 01865 290 890 Cutting the Combar reinforcing bars to the correct length Photo: Moritz Bernoully

Exceptional versatility Combar application examples include its easy machinability in tunnel construction, where boring machines used in shaft walls of tunnels, cannot drill through steel reinforced walls. With Combar the machine can cut directly through the head wall. In high voltage transformers and power plant reactors, inductive currents are generated within the reinforcing steel. The heat will affect the rebar strength if too close to the coils, but Combar remains unaffected. And its corrosion resistance – even from salt – is unrivalled when building bridge, marine and harbour constructions. Also, when it comes to onsite installation, handling

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 21

Company News The money that we have contributed to various areas across London since 2018 is part of our commitment not just to building homes in communities, but helping to shape them as well. • Over £1.5 million in both Stratford and Sydenham.

BELLWAY INVESTS NEARLY £60 MILLION IN LONDON COMMUNITIES Bellway London has delivered a funding boost for local communities across the capital through financial investment of almost £60 million since 2018. Significant growth has led to the housebuilder successfully delivering 14 new developments across London in that time, with contributions to those areas totalling £58,847,989. Financial support has been provided through planning agreements to boost facilities in the local area, as well as through the funding of affordable housing and

infrastructure improvements as part of the developments. The contributions across London include: • £29 million in Nine Elms, including £10 million towards affordable housing • Over £6 million in Hornchurch, including £1.5 million towards education • Over £6 million in Dartford • Over £4.9 million in Bexleyheath • Over £2.5 million in Greenwich, including £1.5 million towards education and community projects • Over £2 million in Beckton

As well as affordable housing and education, the funding has supported projects including local employment in Poplar, Croydon, Nine Elms, Old Isleworth and Sydenham and carbon offsetting in Croydon, Woolwich and Hayes. Regional Chairman of Bellway London and the South East, Ian Gorst, said: “The money that we have contributed to various areas across London since 2018 is part of our commitment not just to building homes in communities, but helping to shape them as well. “We have invested money across London to help regenerate areas and improve local infrastructure that will benefit local residents now and for future generations. Our funding has also helped to create local jobs and boost the wider local economy.” Bellway London has provided new housing and investment across 11 boroughs in London to date, and is currently building homes at developments in 15 locations in the capital including Greenwich, Nine Elms, Beckton, Hornchurch, Stratford, Bexleyheath, Dartford, Sydenham, Forest Hill, Barking Riverside and Hayes.

SFP COMPLETES SALE OF CONSTRUCTION AND MANAGEMENT TRAINING

Kemp and Richard Hunt, of SFP, were appointed as Joint Administrators on 6 May 2021.

Nationwide insolvency practitioner SFP has successfully completed the sale of Northamptonshire-based Construction and Management Training Limited after the business was placed into administration.

SFP subsequently achieved a sale of the business to CMT Commercial Services Limited on 14 May with the two employees transferring to the new company. The training facility infrastructure was also sold to an independent third party.

Construction and Management Training’s troubles started pre-pandemic as a result of a fall in demand for the company’s NVQ training. While costs were reduced to protect the future of the business cashflow problems persisted and following redundancies only two employees remained with the business. The company was incorporated in October 2009 to provide training and assessment solutions to the construction industry.

It initially provided training for other training providers on a contractual basis as well as to a local agricultural college. As the business grew it was engaged by various leading UK Construction companies and by 2012 it had won a major contract to provide NVQ training for the plant operators of a major company. It expanded its workforce and established a bespoke training facility in Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire. By 2017/18 its workforce peaked at 12 staff, with a turnover of c£1.2 million – but in 2019/2020 turnover halved, and the business sought financial advice, entering a Company Voluntary Agreement (CVA). Unable to meet the terms of the CVA, the Directors engaged SFP. David

22 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

David Kemp recognises the importance of achieving a sale despite the difficult environment: “Construction and Management Training Limited was already in difficulties before the pandemic, and is a classic example of the impact that the loss of a major contract can have on a business. This is a big enough challenge in normal times, but the pandemic added another level of complexity and so we are delighted to have achieved a successful sale.”

Company News

UK’S BEST WORKPLACE ACCOLADE FOR INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES DISTRIBUTOR CROMWELL Leicester-based industrial supplies distributor Cromwell has been recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces by leading workplace recognition programme Great Place to Work. Cromwell, a global supplier of industrial tools and equipment, ranked 11 out of 33 in the super large category, which includes businesses with 1,000 or more employees. It sits alongside the likes of Hilton and Cisco, which topped the list. The prestigious accolade is based on a rigorous evaluation process that takes both employee feedback and organisational practices into consideration. Cromwell scored 81% on the Trust Index employee survey, a key element of the process which assesses the quality and attractiveness of a company’s workplace culture from the employees’ perspective. The success follows Cromwell’s ranking of 26 on the Glassdoor Best Places to Work 2021 list, which analyses the quantity, quality and consistency of online reviews left by current and former employees to determine its top 50. Cromwell employs 1600 staff across 37 sites in the UK. Commenting Managing Director Neil Jowsey said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be designated one of the UK’s Best Workplaces, joining some of the world’s biggest and best-known brands. The wellbeing of our team is a top priority at Cromwell, and this demonstrates our commitment to cultivating a positive working environment. Our inclusion

in both the Great Place to Work and Glassdoor lists is a real achievement, and a credit to our team whose talent, hard-work, passion and loyalty are key to reaching this milestone. “Being a great place to work has always been hugely important to us, but the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic further strengthened our focus on care and compassion for our workforce and we’ve been working especially hard over the past year to put extra measures, allowances and communications in place to ensure the health and wellbeing of our colleagues. We’ve engaged with the team openly and honestly throughout, extended flexible working to all, maintained regular contact with those on furlough, and put comprehensive safety measures in place for those required to work onsite. “For additional reassurance, we put ourselves forward for an audit by the British Safety Council, which we passed very comfortably. It was great to get an external perspective on how we were doing, and we received praise for our approach and recognition that our employees feel engaged, supported and valued. An additional benefit of an engaged workforce is excellent customer service, which drives overall business performance in turn. Looking ahead to the rest of the year, our focus will be increasing sales, carving out a high performance culture that allows people at Cromwell to grow, learn and develop, and keeping employee wellbeing at the heart of the company as we continue to deal with the fallout from the pandemic. I’d like to thank all of our staff for their work over the years, and especially in the past year. It is our people that make Cromwell one of the UK’s Best Workplaces.”

GRAHAM APPOINTED ONTO A2DOMINION’S £900M RESIDENTIAL FRAMEWORK A2Dominion has appointed GRAHAM as one of the preferred construction partners onto a four-year framework to support the delivery of its £900m estate investment plan. The central aim of the framework is to deliver a number of residential properties and community amenities such as schools, highways and substations across England, with a particular focus on London, Berkshire, Hampshire, Surrey, East Sussex, Oxfordshire and Bristol. GRAHAM has been appointed to deliver five out of a total of six lots with three valued between £10m - £25m and two contracts valued over £25m. Residential units will be predominantly new build in nature and incorporate a mix of two to three storey builds and multi-storey towers. Rob Joyce, GRAHAM’S Development Director said: “A2Dominion are a renowned residential property developer and to have been appointed onto its framework is a great achievement for GRAHAM. We have significant experience delivering residential developments and we’re looking forward to applying that to help bring forward A2Dominion’s vision.”

This appointment is one of a number of key strategic framework appointments, with GRAHAM’s London and South East team having also been selected to deliver frameworks for Hyde Group, Pagabo, Procure Partnerships and Crown Commercial Services as well as also being appointed to deliver London Borough of Barnet’s Strategic Construction Partnership Barnet and the NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS) framework. The news follows GRAHAM’s appointment to deliver the Egham Gateway project, a new-mixed use scheme in Surrey. This development will see the construction of 200 residential units of mixed-tenure, retail units and a cinema.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 23

VAT Feature Brendan Flattery

MAKING SENSE OF THE VAT DOMESTIC REVERSE CHARGE Brendan Flattery, from The Access Group, looks at how to navigate the VAT domestic reverse charge for building and construction services. Anyone working in finance will certainly have had their work cut out for them recently with changes to the rules around IR35 and MTD (Making Tax Digital). The new VAT reverse charge also came into force on 1 March and applies to contractors and subcontractors – but what does it mean in practice? The charge, which covers the supply of most building and construction services, was introduced in a bid to crack down on subcontractors charging VAT for their services then not paying the bill. An estimated £120M is lost due to missing supply chain VAT payments and fraud in construction, so it’s easy to see why HMRC is taking action. It also brings the industry into line with other sectors such as energy, where similar schemes have been rolled out. A VAT registered subcontractor, delivering services and related goods to a contractor who is both VAT and CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) registered, is no longer required to account for VAT. They must instead account for it as an input tax – so only the main contractor charging the customer should include VAT on their invoices. The reverse charge applies to the vast majority of building services, from

The government has just announced reforms to planning rules and investment in infrastructure, signalling that it expects the construction sector to play a leading role in the post-Covid-19 economic recovery. construction and repair to demolition, as well as installations, cleaning work related to the project and painting and decorating. It doesn’t, however, apply to the sale and purchase of zero-rated construction services. As a main contractor, you’re responsible for ensuring you receive the reverse charge VAT invoices from subcontractors. Instead of paying VAT to your subcontractors as you’d have once done, you’ll need to pay it directly to HMRC. The next step is to check all the invoices you receive from your contractors are correct, so you pay the right amount of VAT due. Under-paying or failing to report the right amount of VAT will mean incurring interest charges from HMRC, while over-paying could leave you with cash flow problems. With cash flow a top concern for any main contractor, the last thing you need is cash being tied up in VAT over-payments. Indeed, according to our research, a third of finance

24 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

professionals in the UK see cash flow as their biggest challenge this year, apart from Covid-19 and Brexit. Another 18 per cent identified changes in legislation as their top concern for 2021 but the two are not unrelated. It’s far easier to comply with new regulations, maintain positive cash flow and tackle other challenges, like skills shortages, when you have good systems and processes in place. Good MTD-compatible finance software allows you to submit digital tax returns easily and accurately – and, importantly, is updated automatically to reflect the latest regulatory requirements. You’ll also be able to see exactly how much VAT is owed, so you don’t overpay. You’ll also be able to plan, budget and forecast with confidence. The government has just announced reforms to planning rules and investment in infrastructure, signalling that it expects the construction sector to play a leading role in the post-Covid-19 economic recovery. Now is the time to make sure your own house is in order, with the correct processes in place to manage subcontractors, stay compliant and maintain cash flow. As new projects get underway, you’ll be in the best position possible to make the most of new opportunities. The government has produced a flow chart to help you find out whether to apply a VAT reverse charge. To find out more about our MTD accounting and financial management software, click here.

OPTISPRAY™ BY YARA – NOW AVAILABLE FOR BULK DELIVERIES! Like road transport vehicles, most buses, vans, agricultural and construction machinery are now equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to be fully compliant with emission regulations. The SCR catalyst needs AdBlue® or other urea solutions to function. OptiSpray™ is developed and patented by Yara – the world’s largest producer of AdBlue® – specifically for applications and instances where engines operate intermittently. OptiSpray™ prevents deposit formation in the SCR system. Based on 32.5% urea solution, it conforms to the purity specifications of the ISO 22241 standard for AdBlue®. Deposit formation can occur in SCR systems when engines are idling, running at low average speed and/or with a high number of stop/starts. Agricultural and construction machinery and other low engine load applications are particularly exposed to this. Deposit build-up may in turn lead to blockages and ultimately engine failure. With a low concentration (<0.05%) of surfactant additive, OptiSpray™ will help preventing deposit build-up and therefore no adverse effects on the SCR catalyst. This reduces maintenance costs and minimises downtime, resulting in more cost effective and efficient operations. OptiSpray™ has been tested in various conditions and at low exhaust temperatures. The product demonstrated a reduction in deposit formation in all tests, and all field test results demonstrated problem free operation. The vehicles that were tested previously used ordinary

AdBlue®, and had experienced SCR backpressure alarms at unacceptable intervals. “We have a number of customers that had experienced issues with a build-up of deposits within their equipment’s SCR system before starting to use OptiSpray™, causing their vehicle to be taken out of service and requiring costly maintenance and down-time as a result. Since using OptiSpray™ they have all experienced reductions in deposit formation and associated issues. Order and customer numbers are increasing each month as the OptiSpray™ message spreads through the farming and plant equipment communities.” Advises Kristian Reeve, OptiSpray™ Account Manager at Yara. Ed Morley, Workshop Manager of Mervyn Lambert states “We have trialled a range of AdBlue solutions for plant equipment working

We have trialled a range of AdBlue solutions for plant equipment working within a low temperature load application and found that none compare to OptiSpray. The nature of the environment is that the machines rarely work to their maximum and so can encounter issues with their after-treatment systems. OptiSpray all but eliminates this and provides a cost effective solution. within a low temperature load application and found that none compare to OptiSpray. The nature of the environment is that the machines rarely work to their maximum and so can encounter issues with their after-treatment systems. OptiSpray all but eliminates this and provides a cost effective solution.” OptiSpray™ is ideal for low engine-load fleets, or those operating in cold conditions. Even so, it can also be used with SCR vehicles operating with high engine loads and long distances. You will not need to use two separate urea solution products in mixed engine load fleets, OptiSpray™ will cover all your needs. OptiSpray™ is available in 1000L IBCs and also available in pallets of 40 x 10L cans. We are also pleased to announce that as of May 2021 we are now offering OptiSpray™ via bulk deliveries directly into your storage tank. For more information and to discuss prices, please call 01472 889254 or email optisprayuk@yara.com. Visit www.yara.co.uk/optispray to learn more.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 25

Interview

INTERVIEW: ELSON BAJRAKURTAJ Construction UK Magazine speaks with Elson Bajrakurtaj, Elysium Constructions’ Founder and Managing Director, about the enabling works for SSE’s new Slough Multifuel facility Do you find it challenging being the Director of such a big scale project? Yes - the pressure was really on for Elysium to prove our worth due to the scale of the project for our young company as well as its calibre, being a Tier 1 project. Our focus - as it always is, for projects of any size, was to work to the highest safety standards and ensure we finished the work on time, on budget and to exceptional levels of quality. I’m really pleased to say that our client was very happy with our work and has continued to use our services, so something must be working!

How important is it to ensure there is a structure and a plan when carrying out these projects? I believe that having the right system and personnel in place is the key to delivering a successful project. Having a wellstructured company means that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and understood. With a highly technical, accomplished team, at Elysium we pride ourselves on our flexibility and agility, meaning each member of our team gets involved with all aspects of a project. The secret to our success on the SSE Phase 2 and 3 projects, and all our others, is exactly that - with the well-rounded expertise of our team, the information needed to complete a task can be passed on to the right person in a matter of minutes and we make sure everyone knows what has to be done and when it must be done by.

Having a clear plan from the beginning is essential for any professional organisation to give the best possible value for money to a client and this is always our priority. Of course, we understand that things can change so teams must also be very adaptable and communicative to properly support clients. We’re in the process of implementing a new management system which will give ourselves and our clients the clearest views on each key stage of the projects, meaning greater visibility for everyone. What were some of the challenges and how did you overcome them? Working on the location of a power station comes with plenty of challenges. The main challenge was with known and unknown live services such as water, electric cables, oil interceptors, drainage, boreholes, extraction wells, and more. Identifying and managing these works safely demanded every element of industry best practice, including extensive surveys, GPR and hand dug trial holes. Another challenge came from often working in extreme proximity to overhead services such as steam and gas mains. This meant that we had to develop creative temporary work solutions which would allow us to complete the works whilst protecting the existing live assets - but being a team of experienced and imaginative engineers, everyone enjoyed this challenge! We’re pleased to say that our solutions were very successful.

26 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

Interview

Working on a Tier 1 project means that the critical path of the delivery programme is key. The pressure to deliver on time is immense. When you are the Principal Contractor, it means coordinating multiple teams of various disciplines and with such a complicated project it’s crucial that everything seamlessly flows. We achieved this by working to an agreed and detailed programme whilst also identifying opportunities to make improvements at every stage. One of the most recent challenges we had was that of backfilling to the site to a very strict specification in a short period of time. This involved the importation of over 60,000 tonnes of material to a tight programme. The client’s programme was agreed at 14 weeks and through hard work, identifying opportunities for expedition and providing alternative solutions, we successfully handed the project back in just under nine weeks. We are now working on providing a workable solution that satisfies SSE and HZI to a concrete retaining wall to be constructed along the lines of an existing façade scaffold screen of a partly demolished building. This will require reconfiguring the existing permanent scaffold structure to rest over the retaining wall. It goes without saying that works must be done safely, completed on time and on budget and finished to the client’s satisfaction and required quality. This is founded on an in-depth understanding of a client’s needs as well as their individual way of working. We always aim to develop a close working relationship with our

clients, so we are best placed to understand their needs and respond to any changes or challenges that they might face. When you receive a new project, and win the principal contractor position, how does it make you feel? There’s a burst of pride and excitement when you win a new contract, but then you very quickly realise that this is just the beginning and the real work starts now! Responsibility immediately kicks in and all you want to do is roll up your sleeves and deliver what you promised during the tendering process. What always makes us feel good is the well-placed faith and trust that these large organisations have in us. Talk us through the enabling works for SSE’s new Slough Multifuel facility, what did this involve and what are the aims for the project? On the first day of mobilisation we were presented with a brownfield site of over four acres. Being an old site, information about existing services - including electric cables, water mains, gas and steam pipes - was scarce at best. What was expected of our team was to transform this area, peppered with services, some of them live, into a level and compacted working platform to allow for the construction of the future power plant. On a daily basis, we would find previously unidentified services which we successfully managed to avoid and protect during our works. We diverted the live services around the perimeter of the site and removed the dead ones. At the same time, we also

constructed culverts, which house the HV cables and steam ducts running across the perimeter of the site, so that they would not interfere with future development. Once the services were either diverted, protected or removed, we moved onto the next stage of works to backfill all excavations from virgin ground to finished level - in places this was up to 6m deep. Our proudest achievement is that we managed to finish these works without any lost time injuries, within budget and five weeks ahead of schedule. Well done team! How has Covid-19 impacted the business and projects? Have you had to make any changes to the business? In February 2020 we had just completed 2 projects and were gearing up for some upcoming projects in March. Then the pandemic started and all jobs were put on hold. The situation was really concerning as no one could predict when this would end. Although the situation was bleak we never gave up and we stepped up our marketing strategy and committed to constantly bidding for new projects. In parallel, we upgraded our website to include our latest projects, created a case study brochure. We continued positively marketing and tendering for three to four months, which led to our winning a small cooling tower project with SSE. The successful completion of which paved the way for an invitation to tender for the enabling works which we were awarded. Regarding changes to the business, we’ve continued to grow our team and their skillsets. Continued >>>

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 27

Interview We’re more aware now of the support we need to give our team regarding mental health and wellbeing which was not as freely discussed within the industry prior to the pandemic – some good things have come from a bad situation. We’ve also moved to a web-based management system, giving us greater coordination of every element of a project. This new system also gives a client a tailored view of the project via a customised app. How did you use the latest construction technology and apply it to carry out these works? During the tendering stages we used 3D modelling to clearly illustrate each step of the proposed sequencing of works. We believe this helped the client to quickly understand our proposal and proved that we had a deep, detailed understanding of the project.

Throughout the construction stages we used drones to show real time progress which also helped us with the overall logistics. In addition, we benefited from implementing simple technologies like QR scan codes on the site notice boards across the site and within the welfare facilities. Drone technology was also used to create 3D surveys of the site. This is still something we are developing, and we believe that in our upcoming projects it will greatly improve accuracy and accelerate the whole surveying process. What are the plans for the business for the future? We are determined to grow and become the country’s leading construction and

Throughout the construction stages we used drones to show real time progress which also helped us with the overall logistics. In addition, we benefited from implementing simple technologies like QR scan codes on the site notice boards across the site and within the welfare facilities. When scanned with a smartphone, the QR codes allowed individuals to review the relevant drawings, risk assessments, method statements, survey information and other crucial project information for the area that they were located. This technique was very well received by operatives, H&S advisors and especially by the client.

28 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

civil engineering specialists without losing sight of our core values – we work hard, we work efficiently and we solve problems. Our team continuously strives for increased efficiency, outstanding levels of excellence and more methods of sustainable working. We are pioneers, we maximise value, minimise impact and engineer real solutions. Are there any other projects in the pipeline? Yes, lots! We continue to work on the Slough Multifuel Facility, as we have been awarded additional phases of the works. Naturally, our main focus is to complete these works to the same standard as we completed the previous phases. In addition, we have numerous projects starting in the Autumn. But we are always looking for new projects to take on and new clients to work with.

NEW ACOUSTIC LABORATORY OPENS IN CAMBRIDGE Cambridge Acoustic Laboratory Limited (CALL) provides a range of acoustic services, which includes a purpose-built sound transmission suite, offering laboratory sound insulation testing of building elements in accordance with the BS EN ISO 10140 series of standards. Recently established alongside parent company Cambridge Fire Research (CFR), our Pampisford site can cover the convenience of sound insulation testing andﬁfire resistance testing all “under one roof”. CALL also offers noise surveys such as: noise impact assessments, industrial and commercial noise, environmental noise surveys, and noise at work surveys. Why Choose Call? • Use of configurable blanking panels eliminates the need to build time consuming masonry support partitions, saving time and money on building materials and reducing waste. • More testing can be achieved in the time allocated, giving better value for money for the client. • Bespoke aperture sizes available on request. • CALL shares a site with parent company CFR, meaning acoustic and fire certication can be done “under one roof”. • Fast report turnaround time. • Assembly service and support available for modest extra fee. • Ample on-site parking in scenic and easily accessible Cambridge location. • UKAS Accredited in accordance with International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2017

CALL also offers noise surveys such as: noise impact assessments, industrial and commercial noise, environmental noise surveys, and noise at work surveys.

Laboratory Our purpose-built sound transmission suite is complaint with BS EN ISO 10140-5:2010 and is accredited by UKAS to BS EN ISO 17025:2017. Opting for a UKAS accredited laboratory will ensure accurate and reliable results.

•

will have on the surrounding area. There are many reasons that developments require a noise impact assessment. This could be a new construction project or extension of business hours. In both examples, you will need to know the likely impact that the project would have on the surrounding area.

Windows & Glazing CALL offers pre-configurable openings for windows and glazing. Our team will help choose the best test opening and method of installation for your product(s) and will check the installation for leakage.

Industrial & Commercial Noise Surveys If you are planning to install new plant machinery, such as: air-conditioning unit or extraction systems, you will require an industrial noise survey to help ensure that you will not be adversely impacting on the local environment. Industrial noise surveys are undertaken to comply with BS 4142:2014. Our acoustic experts will ensure that your industrial noise survey includes everything necessary to ensure your project or development meets the required standards.

Airborne Sound Insulation Testing to the BS EN ISO 10140 series of standards on products including: Doorsets – single or double CALL offers three pre-configurable openings for doorsets. We have capability to test single and double leaf doorsets sequentially without the requirement to build a new partition. Our team will help choose the best test opening for your product and will check the installation for leakage.

•

Seals & Fittings CALL have a variety of reference doors which can be used for testing various seals and fittings. Please contact our team who will advise how best to proceed for you product(s).

•

Noise Surveys Our noise surveys involve the use of our sound measuring equipment to describe the sound environment of an area. CALL offers a wide range of noise surveys aim to assess different aspects of our sound environment, which include: Noise Impact Assessments A noise impact assessment is used to predict the impact that noise from your development

Environmental Noise Surveys Environmental noise surveys are required for new developments to ensure noise levels do not exceed specific noise levels for the local community. Your planning permission or environmental health officer will typically inform you of the specific standards that your need to fulfil. These surveys are performed in accordance with the latest regulations to ensure that you meet the environmental criteria set by your local authority. Noise at Work Surveys As an employer you are legally responsible for controlling the amount of noise that employees are exposed to during the working day. A noise at work surveys ensures that legal standards have been enforced, as well as ensuring that employees health and well-being is cared for. We follow the latest noise at work regulations and guidance to ensure that our clients fully comply with the necessary noise at work standards. Contact Us Tel: 01223 837007 Email: testing@camacousticlab.co.uk Website: www.camacousticlab.co.uk

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 29

Latest News

RAIL INDUSTRY RESPONDS TO GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ON TRANS PENNINE ROUTE INVESTMENT The Government has announced around £400 million of rail investment, including on the Trans Pennine route. Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association (RIA), said: “The Railway Industry Association and our members will welcome the Government’s confirmation of further electrification work on the Trans Pennine Route, and look forward to the green light for electrification of the whole route. “With the completion of electrification on the Midland Main line – delivered to time and budget – a consistent profile of further electrification work will help retain the skills, expertise and capabilities needed in the industry, to build the world-class railway network the country needs as we move on from the Coronavirus pandemic. “We hope the announcement today is the start of an extensive programme to electrify the UK’s railway lines around the country. As RIA’s Rail Decarbonisation 2021 campaign highlights, a rolling programme of cost-effective electrification – coupled with Government support and fleet orders for hydrogen and battery trains – will be essential if the UK is to hit its goals of decarbonising rail by 2040 and securing Net Zero by 2050.

RIA also welcomes investment in new stations in the South West and increasing the capacity on lines as part of Oxford Phase 2 project. By improving connectivity for communities across the country, and continuing to enhance the rail network with intensified electrification for example, UK rail really can support the Government’s ‘build back better’ agenda, boosting jobs, investment and economic growth for UK plc, at this critical time.

“A FRACTION OF THE INVESTMENT REQUIRED” - RIBA RESPONSE TO GOVERNMENT CASH BOOST TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has responded to the Business and Energy Secretary’s announcements: £44million funding package and the Together for our Plan ‘Business Climate Leaders’ campaign. RIBA CEO, Alan Vallance said: “The funding announced today to improve the energy efficiency of our building stock is a step in the right direction. However, it’s just a fraction of the investment required to address the scale of the issue at hand.

The Government must urgently set out a comprehensive framework and publish its long-overdue Heat and Buildings Strategy. As outlined in our Greener Homes’ campaign, it must include a long-term policy and investment programme for upgrading the energy efficiency of our housing stock, and a National Retrofit Strategy, which incentivises homeowners to make the necessary changes. “I welcome the Government’s recognition of the important role small businesses will play in reaching net-zero. RIBA Chartered Practices, many of whom fit into this category, are already taking steps to reduce their carbon impact by signing-up to the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge – which calls on architects to meet netzero (or better) whole life carbon for new and retrofitted buildings by 2030. “We will continue to support our sector to drive forward change. We must all play our part in tackling the climate emergency.”

‘TICKBOX CULTURE’ COULD THREATEN POST-COVID INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS, SAYS NEW REPORT A new report published today by international property and construction consultancy Gleeds in partnership with cross-party think tank Radix, suggests that Government plans for billions of £pounds of infrastructure investment intended to boost the UK economy post-Covid are being jeopardised by a ‘tickbox culture’, ever present in procurement and management. Spearheaded by Radix, the think tank for contemporary politics whose fellows include Sir Vince Cable, Stephen Kinnock MP, and Lord Andrew Lansley, ‘Tickbox Infrastructure’ takes an in-depth look at the impact of the public sector’s reliance on bureaucracy to keep large scale infrastructure schemes on track. In it, the

30 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

authors argue that plans to deliver new hospitals, housing and transport links, as set out in the recent Spring budget, will all face delays, cost overruns and safety issues unless the role of human judgement is prioritised. The robust exposition was produced by the organisation’s cofounder David Boyle, himself a prolific journalist and author of the widely acclaimed ‘Tickbox’, in collaboration with esteemed nonfiction writer, Lesley Yarranton. It also benefits from the insightful contributions of a number of key industry figures, including leading academics from York and Liverpool Universities, engineers from overseas transport ministries, and Gleeds Chairman Richard Steer.

Latest News

SKILLS SHORTAGE COULD HINDER GOVERNMENT’S 2035 GAS BOILER PLANS “Forget the argument about cost. It’s the shortage of trained ‘green’ heating engineers that could hinder the Government in its attempt to ban gas boilers by 2035, in favour of greener heat pump technology.” That’s the view of Robin Lawson, managing director of Ameon, one of the country’s leading building services engineering companies. Following news that ministers are currently discussing a cut off date of 2035 and that gas boilers are to be banned from new homes from 2025, Lawson adds his support to the Government’s agenda to reduce carbon emissions but argues that we haven’t heard enough in the Government’s Heating and Buildings Strategy about the market’s skills shortage, because there are simply not enough heating engineers currently who are experienced in the installation of alternative heat source technologies, such as ground or air heat pumps. He suggests that tens of thousands of new or re-skilled engineers will be required if the Government’s plan to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028 is to be achieved, and argues that the drive needs to be supported by the associated training provisions to help it meet its goal. The head of a Lancashire headquartered business that has been working with green technologies for over a decade on large scale public sector and residential developments, Robin Lawson believes that the infrastructure needs to be in place to be able to train enough people to carry out the installation programme, and that this could be more of a factor in the achievement of 2035 target aspirations, than even public reluctance to embrace the technology for cost reasons.

Currently discussions in Whitehall include such ideas as homeowners being required to install ‘green’ heating before they can sell their property, or levying a surcharge on gas boilers to subsidise production of heat pumps: although no firm decision has yet been taken. Former Conservative minister, Steve Baker, has warned of public anger if all implications of the Government’s plans are not explained fully to homeowners, and Robin Lawson is adding his voice to the questions. He observed: “In the industry we are fully supportive of the Government’s aspirations, and I think people in general are broadly behind this move to reduce carbon emissions, particularly as gas boilers account for a percentage of CO2 produced annually; therefore it is an important area to focus upon if ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2050 are to be achieved.

Roughly 85% of UK homes currently rely on gas for heating, which is around 25 million homes, so the scale of the change required is immense, even if the UK had the qualified engineers to start from day one, which is why I’m calling for an investment in training to be at the heart of the Government’s planning.

Adding to his comments, Robin Lawson said: “At Ameon, we have a team of qualified, specialist heating and ventilation engineers who are hugely experienced in low carbon technologies but their experience and skill set has taken considerable time and investment in training to develop, so I hope the Government hasn’t underestimated the vital importance of training. “You can’t simply ask heating engineers, who are used to fitting conventional gas boilers to switch to installing ground or air source heat pumps overnight. There needs to be significant investment in training and, of course, the time to deliver training. The other related issues, such as where training would be delivered and who funds it can be more easily addressed. After all, the Chancellor has protected UK businesses at the drop of a hat in the midst of a pandemic; proving that anything is possible.”

The publication comes off the back of Gleeds’ own recent market survey, in which contractors cited infrastructure as one of the top five sectors for tender opportunities going into the second half of the year. Using the government’s introduction to its recent planning white paper as a basis, in which it suggests it aims to “tear down [the planning process] and start again”, the new paper makes a number of recommendations. These include bolstering local government institutions instead of creating huge, centralised power structures; fostering a change of culture in Whitehall to promote faster decision-making; encouraging a shift to Irish-style consultative assemblies; and placing senior engineers into government departments to act as scientific officers. Commenting on the Report, Richard Steer said, “Gleeds is pleased to support Radix in its production of this comprehensive paper. As the

UK government seeks to kickstart the economy through significant infrastructure investment, now is the time to rethink and reform a ‘tickbox’ culture which hampers progress and places little value on the expertise and experience of the human beings tasked with delivering complex schemes. If adopted, the solutions outlined within offer a glimpse into how such projects could indeed allow the country to build back better, greener, and faster.” David Boyle, Radix Policy Director and author of the report said, “A focus on form filling, targets and KPIs in corporate governance tends to render processes slower, more costly and dehumanised, creating a shadowland where things are not as they seem or as they are measured. This in turn can lead to disasters and injustices such as the Grenfell Tower fire”. He went on to add, “In Tickbox Infrastructure we have been able to highlight failings in the current system and make recommendations around changes which need to be made if efficiencies in terms of of both cost and time are to be fully realised.”

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 31

D CP A Y K A O OD BO T

The Old Vinyl Factory, Hayes

Proud to enable the design and installation of urban trees at this iconic development.

w: greenblue.com t: 01580 830800 e: hello@greenblue.com

NOVADE LAUNCHES CONNECTORS AND INTEGRATION HUB FOR CONSTRUCTION Seamless data integration with the world’s most trusted names in the construction industry via Novade Connect Novade, a leader in construction management software, today announced the launch of Novade Connect, a set of software integrations enabling customers to tap into the growing digital ecosystem of construction software and hardware providers. Novade Connect provides plug and play connectors with some of the world’s most trusted names in the industry. “We are in the business of accelerating the digital transformation of construction,” said Denis Branthonne, founder and CEO of Novade. “Allowing various systems to connect seamlessly really help steams in the field do their job faster. It also helps to unlock the power of existing data.” The integrations connect data across the value chain– documents, drawings, field observations and issues, even automating site entry with thermal imaging. With Novade Connect, teams in the field can now streamline data across workflows to increase efficiency and productivity – connecting their Novade platform with the tools they already use and love.

Novade Connect is available for existing Novade subscribers. Novade plans to add more exciting integrations with leading software providers and welcomes all interested technology partners and innovators. More information on Novade Connect can be found on our website at: Novade.net Website: https://www.novade.net/

We are in the business of accelerating the digital transformation of construction. Allowing various systems to connect seamlessly really help steams in the field do their job faster. It also helps to unlock the power of existing data.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 33

ENERGY FOR LIFE GROHE SHOWERS

Get yourself ready to shower in happiness. The new and energising GROHE showers, now with new features at energyforlife.grohe.co.uk

m ro

ay – 31 st st 1 M J

ul y

Va li

21 20

£ 50 CASHBACK* l pp a conditions

Te rm s&

Latest News

BRITAIN BUILDS BACK: CONSTRUCTION WILL NEED 216,800 NEW WORKERS BY 2025 TO MEET DEMAND Construction has bounced back quicker than expected from the Covid-19 pandemic and the industry will reach 2019 levels of output in 2022. By 2025, the industry will need to recruit an additional 217,000 new workers just to meet demand. That’s the forecast of the Construction Skills Network (CSN) 2021-25, published by CITB today. According to the CSN, most English regions will experience an increase in construction workers by 2025, with East Midlands (1.7%) and West Midlands (1.4%) forecast to lead demand. Scotland (1.4%) and Wales (0.7%) are also predicted to fare well. The only region forecast to see a slight decline in workforce is the North East (-0.1%). Major projects such as HS2 are driving growth in some regions and infrastructure (5.2% per annum) and private housing (6.7%) should see the healthiest pace of expansion by 2025. The report predicts a growing contribution to come from repair, maintenance and improvement work, as retrofitting existing buildings to meet net

zero emissions targets becomes more important. In terms of annual average recruitment requirement (ARR), the most in demand trades are forecast to be in wood trades & interior fit-out (5,500 per year), other construction professionals and technical staff (5,150), construction managers (3,600) and electrical installation trades and (3,400). There will also be a demand for non-construction, office-based professional, technical and IT support staff (7,850). However, it’s not all good news - the commercial sector faces significant nearterm risks while the public sectors could be impacted by tighter government finances. Despite this, the CSN forecasts UK output to grow annually at an average rate of 4.4% across 2021-2025. CITB Policy Director Steve Radley said: “It’s great to see construction coming back so strongly and creating lots of job opportunities.

We need to adopt new approaches to meet these growing skills needs and deliver these quickly. We are working closely with government and FE to build better bridges between FE and work and make apprenticeships more flexible. We are also making significant investments in supporting work experience that make it easier for employers to bring in new blood. “We must also make sure that we invest in the skills that will drive change and meet new and growing needs such as Net Zero emissions and Building Safety. We will be announcing plans soon to tackle specific skills and occupations such as leadership and management, digital skills and skills related to energy efficiency.”

NHQB LAUNCHES CONSULTATION ON HOUSE BUILDER CODE OF CONDUCT CODE WILL DRIVE UP QUALITY AND SERVICE FOR NEW BUILD BUYERS The New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) has today published its draft new Code of practice for house builders for a four-week public consultation. The New Homes Quality Code, aims to address the gaps in existing protections for new build customers for which the house building industry has been so heavily criticised in recent years. The NHQB is the independent body created to oversee a new framework that will drive up quality and service standards in the house building industry. It will oversee the introduction of the new code and appoint a New Homes Ombudsman Service to provide independent redress for customers not satisfied with their builder or new home. The New Homes Quality Code introduces a broad range of additional requirements for builders to fill the gaps in current protections and ensure that every aspect of a new home purchase, from when a

customer walks into a sales office, through to two years after occupation of the home is covered. In particular, it requires builders to have an effective after care service in place to deal with any issues or ‘snagging’ problems customers have with their new home; and a robust complaints process that responds to customers concerns in a timely manner and to their satisfaction, keeping them informed at set times throughout. If a customer is not satisfied with how any complaint they have made has been dealt with, they can refer themselves to the independent New Homes Ombudsman Service. The new code also; • Protects vulnerable customers, prohibits high pressure selling; requires any deposits the customer pays to their builder to be protected • Requires the builder to provide all relevant information about the home during the sales process – including its tenure and any future management or service charges – that allows them to

36 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

make an informed decision about their purchase • Sets out requirements for a fair reservation agreement, including a ‘cooling off’ period; and sales contract requirements • Allows customer to have a professional carry out a pre-completion inspection of their home on their behalf • Specifies that a home must be ‘complete’, preventing builders paying customers to move into a new home early. Speaking today, Natalie Elphicke, OBE, independent chairman of the NHQB said; “The launch of the consultation on the New Homes Quality Code is a major milestone in our work to introduce a new and comprehensive framework of protections for home buyers. I believe that the New Homes Quality Code fills the gaps in existing protections and will drive up build quality standards and consumer protections. It requires builders to treat their customers fairly, respond quickly to any issues they have, or be subject to referral to the independent

Latest News

FIRMS WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT DURING BUILDING OF £41M ROAD PROJECT A land remediation company and construction firm has helped protect the environment after a large amount of fuel oil was uncovered during a major road infrastructure project. Initially, the hazardous waste was identified by Sunderland City Council during the early planning stages of the third phase of the Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor (SSTC3). Following the commencement of the £41m scheme in May 2019, Esh Construction contacted ATG Group after further investigations at the site in Pallion revealed

Using our extensive expertise and experience, and with the support of Esh Construction and Sunderland City Council, we were able to put together a remediation strategy. New Homes Ombudsman we will put in place. I would encourage as many people as possible to complete the consultation and let us have any suggestions they have for how we can improve the draft code.” Minister for Rough Sleeping and Housing, Eddie Hughes MP said; “I am delighted to see the publication of the draft New Homes Quality Code for consultation which is an important achievement for the house building industry. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is essential we build back better, improving standards of new housing for current home buyers and future generations. All homeowners should have the confidence that they will be well protected and any issues they encounter will be independently dealt with, which is why the launch of the consultation represents a great step forward for the industry and the home-owning public. We will continue to work with the NHQB to complement the government’s plan for legislation on the new homes ombudsman, to resolve disputes and to hold shoddy developers to account” The Code has been in development for some four years now and has had input from a broad range of stakeholders throughout. It takes into consideration other emerging policy including on leasehold and building safety, all of which the NHQB is committed to supporting.

the amount of waste oil was much larger than originally anticipated. ATG Group implemented a rigorous 18-month recovery strategy which has successfully removed over 5,000 litres of oil and helped protect the River Wear and a nearby aquifer from further contamination throughout the construction of the scheme. Duncan Sanders, ATG Group’s Project Director, said: “A strategy had been put in place at the original planning stages by Esh Construction, who are constructing the road. After further investigations by their team, it was discovered that the amount of hydrocarbon waste was much larger than expected. Using our extensive expertise and experience, and with the support of Esh Construction and Sunderland City Council, we were able to put together a remediation strategy.” ATG Group designed and installed an innovative semi-automated remediation system, which has recovered over 5,000 litres of oil from depths of 15-metres via a network of boreholes. Mr Sanders added: “The recovery of the

The Consultation will run for four weeks from today and the NHQB is encouraging as many stakeholders, customers and interested parties as possible to respond. After the consultation closes, the NHQB will consider all representations made and refine the draft code accordingly. The NHQB aims to have the final Code agreed by Summer, after which engagement with industry will be ramped up to ensure house builders are able to undertake staff training and make the necessary changes within their businesses as speedily as possible. The NHQB will also be setting up a number of specialist committees to advise the board. These will include consumer, technical and political committees. An open public procurement process for the New Homes Ombudsman service was launched late last month by the NHQB. The 30-day period for interested parties to apply will close at the end of the month, after which the NHQB will enter into a ‘preferred partner’ agreement with one party. The intention is to have a NHOS ‘open for business’ by Q4 of this year. Once the new code is in place and the NHOS is operating there will be a transition period for builders to register with the NHQB and submit themselves to the

maximum amount of oil was made possible by a thorough understanding of the local hydrogeology, detailed design and optimisation of the remediation system.” Steven Garrigan, Esh Construction’s Project Director, said the recovery of the waste oil was challenging due to its depth and its location. He added: “ATG Group was employed to investigate, delineate and recover the fuel oil as part of our contracted scope. The early engagement of ATG on the project to develop the remediation strategy has helped keep the programme delivery on track.” Mr Sanders added: “It has been a privilege to be work with Esh Construction and Sunderland City Council to help protect both the river and aquifer.” The 2.4km dual carriageway scheme, which will be completed in autumn 2021, links the Northern Spire to Sunderland city centre. The scheme is a catalyst to the redevelopment of the former industrial land on the south bank of the River Wear and improving connectivity and transport to the upcoming £500m Riverside Sunderland development.

I am delighted to see the publication of the draft New Homes Quality Code for consultation which is an important achievement for the house building industry. As we emerge from the pandemic, it is essential we build back better, improving standards of new housing for current home buyers and future generations. new arrangements. All engagement with industry on the new proposals thus far have been positive. The UK Government is supportive of the proposals and they are in line with what has been set out in the Building Safety Bill. The NHQB has also held positive discussions with the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales with a view to the new arrangements ultimately operating on a UK wide basis. For more information visit; NHQB.org.uk

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 37

Latest News

BARKING & DAGENHAM NETWORK EXPANSION BRINGS NEW GREEN WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES The 3.75km district heating extension in Barking and Dagenham is not only helping to decarbonise the borough but is also bringing employment and training opportunities for local young people who want to join the “Green Workforce”. Our most recent appointment sees Barking and Dagenham College student, Priscilla Boateng, join us on placement as a Trainee Site Manager. The placement is part of a social value agreement between Vital Energi and B&D Energy, (wholly owned by Barking and Dagenham Council), which will see us invest in local people and the local economy whilst delivering the project. Vital Energi’s Managing Director – Heat Networks, Ashley Walsh, commented: “We’ve been working hard to create a greener borough through the installation of an extensive district heating network, and thanks to the council’s giving back initiative, we’re delighted to welcome local college student Priscilla on board, who will be a great asset to the team.” Trainee Site Manager, Priscilla Boateng said,

I’m really grateful for the fantastic opportunity that Barking and Dagenham Council and Vital Energi have provided me with. I’m looking forward to working on a large-scale project close to home that will have a positive impact on the entire community through the decarbonisation of the borough. Vital Energi will also be appointing an apprentice on the project as part of their commitment to hire 20 apprentices in 2021 and further support the growth of the green economy. Councillor Sade Bright, Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Aspiration, said: “This is fantastic news for Priscilla and further cements our commitment to supporting our residents, local businesses and the whole community with employment, training and other opportunities. It’s just another example of how we’re able to

38 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

achieve this. There are lots of pathways into work opportunities, and what we see here is just one of them. I’d urge residents to visit lbbd.gov.uk/working-together to access even more opportunities.” Councillor Cameron Geddes, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing, said: “I’m pleased to see the expansion of B&D Energy’s district heating network is now well underway. This is another fantastic step in our journey to becoming the green capital of the capital and demonstrates our commitment to decarbonising the borough for the benefit of local people. Not only does this support our vision for a greener borough for all, but it will also mean residents can benefit all round from this excellent work.” When completed, the £10m heat network will connect 15 different sites, over 8,000 homes and deliver 12,000 tonnes of carbon reduction per annum. The heat network will be powered by a new energy centre which will house two 1.5MWe combined heat and power engines and 27MW of backup gas boilers which will provide added resilience as well as contributing during peak demand.

ENGEL HIGH-VIZ WORKWEAR HELPS SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT A range of high visibility protective safety clothing with 50% of the material made from recycled plastic bottles has been introduced by workwear manufacturer Engel Workwear. Called ‘Safety Light’, each item of clothing can be verified to consist of regenerated polyester fibres ultimately spun from a

specific number of plastic bottles to make up 50% of its content. This is combined with 40% cotton and 10% standard polyester (245 g/m2) to produce a cool-to-wear, durable fabric. By using regenerated polyester which is equally as efficient as new, there are also significant consumption savings on energy, water and C02. The Danish firm has worked closely with Unifi, one of the world’s most advanced recycling centres which transforms the recycled bottles into a polyester yarn called ‘REPREVE©’ The smart, mix-and-match range includes boiler suits (containing 37 plastic bottles), work-jackets (20 bottles), trousers (19 bottles) with Cordura kneepad pockets and elasticated waistband, bib-overalls (23 bottles) and shorts (14 bottles). All have many practical pockets and comfort-design features. There is also a specific selection especially for women called ‘Ladies Light’, all with the same benefits.

xxx

Commenting on the initiative, the CEO of Engel Workwear, John Engel said: “We are delighted to be able to make a positive contribution in helping to reduce the impact of the single-use global plastic waste crisis by putting many thousands of otherwise discarded bottles to further practical purpose. By doing so, we are able to not only do our bit to help improve the environment, but also be the first to use this versatile fabric to produce a

unique range of lightweight, hardwearing and comfortable high-visibility clothing which will help keep our customers safe” The Engel ‘Safety Light’ collection is being further extended during 2021 and for maximum comfort and flexibility, no matter what the work situation, the company is also marketing their high-vis ‘Super Stretch’ range; this consists of a wide variety of garments with elastic fibres woven into a polyester and cotton mix; the strong yet extreme flexibility of the material allows each garment to return to its original shape thereby retaining all the inherent advantages of their design and style. Comfort as much as durable practicality is important to any wearer as not only does the ‘Super Stretch’ workwear provide protection throughout the day or night, it also helps reduce tiredness, further minimising the risk of accidents. For more details contact Gareth Bladen at gbl@f-engel.com Telephone +44(0) 7759 520034 or visit www.engel.eu/en & ENGEL Workwear - Catalogue (f-engel.com) Click here for more information. https://youtu.be/ nc2se7xKKlE

LAND REMEDIATION COST RECOVERY MCS Corporate is a specialist company working in corporate tax cost recovery in the Building and Construction Industries. Land Remediation Tax Relief is a form of tax relief that helps compensate companies for the costs involved in cleaning up land or buildings. This includes the removal of: • Asbestos • Contaminants • Pollution from previous industrial activity • Ground/landfill gases

MCS Corporate has well established claims experience. The entire process is undertaken in-house, is confidential, involves liaison with clients, their accountants and, importantly, HMRC. Clients are supported throughout and as they expand and enhance their activities.

10 Station Road, Kenilworth, CV8 1JJ Website: www.mcs-corporate.com Email: charlotte@mcs-corporate.com Phone: 01926 512 475

xx Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 39

Health & Safety Feature HOW COVID HAS AFFECTED HEALTH AND SAFETY IN TRADE As the UK begins its exit from lockdown, the trade industry can look to slowly relax its Covid restrictions. Life-critical health and safety product provider, Reece Safety looked at how the pandemic has changed health and safety across the trade industry, and whether the stricter elements brought about by the pandemic are here to stay. The trade sector stayed open throughout most of lockdown Many trade businesses and work sites were open across the second lockdown while the rest of the country stayed home, meaning many trades workers across construction sites, factories and manufacturing plants worked in additional PPE, with sanitising stations, and enforced social distancing measures in place to meet demand as essential workers. In addition to existing health and safety procedures, Covid-19 saw new regulations brought in to protect industry workers. Construction was most significantly affected Research found that the construction sector has been significantly affected by Covid‐19, as there has been a potential knowledge gap regarding the practical feasibility of applying Covid‐19 measures within construction, made more difficult by factors such as the types of projects and complex working environments. In the UK, the construction industry is worth over £100bn and employs over 2.4 million people, with the immense sector adjusting to new ways of working.

Throughout the pandemic, it has been hit hard by both stricter safety precautions and higher rates of infection due to an ageing workforce, with over 40% of workers over 40 years old, and a significant number of over 55-years-old1. This means that the construction sector had a slower rate of productivity and profitability throughout the pandemic due to illness. Self-employed tradespeople were also affected Covid not only affected the workforce for larger businesses but has also had a direct impact on self-employed tradespeople. Gareth, a joiner from Sheffield, explained

how new health and safety measures have affected his business: “Covid health and safety measures have made working more complicated, with more measures to consider for each job. However, it is important for everyone to remain cautious and stick to the implemented safety measures as I spend much of my time in people’s homes, so it is vital to ensure correct PPE is worn, the household is Covid-free, and I am safe from risk of transmission while working. PostCovid, I am sure that much of the public will remain cautious for a long time, ensuring that the spread continues to slow, which means tradespeople like myself can continue to feel safer.” Many businesses struggled to maintain staff training As rigorous health and safety procedures came into action for the trade sector to enable workers to continue working, many important parts of the job, such as upskilling and training staff, took a back seat. Managing Director of Reece Safety, Andy Graham, explains why he thinks some elements of health and safety introduced throughout the pandemic are likely here to stay: “We noticed that many businesses struggled throughout the pandemic to upkeep training for new staff and deliver refresher training to existing staff as trade sector businesses shifted their focus to ensuring staff safety and welfare. To accommodate, we introduced “live stream” virtual training sessions and socially distanced learning environments to ensure that businesses can keep up with necessary health and safety training for their staff, with offerings such as confined space supervisory training and lockout tagout training. As things go back to normal, we are sure that flexible ways of training will allow businesses to train their staff in a much easier way.” For more information on life-critical safety products to keep your business and staff safe, visit: www.reecesafety.co.uk

40 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

BOLINA TRIALS NEW COST-EFFECTIVE, HIGH STRENGTH DEBRIS BOOM TO PROTECT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE With over 20 years of experience in protecting waterways around the world, Bolina, an Ecocoast company, is launching a new debris boom to protect critical infrastructure, including hydraulic structures. The new high-strength debris boom delivers a class leading breaking strength of 55 tonnes whilst maintaining a unique flush sided design, enabling it to control greater amounts of debris on larger, faster flowing rivers and over much greater areas.

Uncontrolled debris, be it human or natural, immediately causes operational and maintenance problems for hydraulic structures. For many years Bolina has recognised the requirement to protect hydraulic structures from waterborne debris. It has helped to maintain power generation at some of the world’s major hydro dams such as the Kariba Dam in Zambia and the Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique where the amount of natural floating debris carried downstream is exceptional.

Commenting on the new engineered boom, Chris Rogers Operations Manager said: “We are excited to launch this new product to protect more critical infrastructure in a cost-effective manner. The development of this boom brings with it the opportunity to control greater amounts of debris on larger, faster flowing waterways than were previously considered possible with this type of boom. The new Bolina debris boom ensures critical infrastructure is protected from the immense power of water carried debris, to effectively control it and reduce damage. We believe businesses around the world will benefit from this innovation.”

For more information on Bolina please visit https://www.bolinabooms.com/

This new boom solution for infrastructure organisations meets the ever-increasing needs of the industry, as more hydro dams are being built across the world and older installations are being retrofitted. The boom is much smaller than the original heavier series. It’s lightweight meaning it’s more affordable to ship and transport to inland hydro dam facilities. Simple-to-install; it can be constructed and installed on site from a comprehensive kit of parts using simple and readily available hand tools, while the production of all components of the boom is based in the UK. Most importantly, the reduction in size and weight does not compromise the strength and effectiveness of the boom as it is engineered from material that is strong and durable in the toughest environments.

The new Bolina debris boom ensures critical infrastructure is protected from the immense power of water carried debris, to effectively control it and reduce damage.

Say good-bye to missing plastic caps... ...with Ceildoor’s UNIQUE square metal lock cover

Tel: 01902 733645

www.ceildoorproducts.co.uk

Cap-less is a trade mark of Ceildoor Products Ltd

Patent GB2580742A

xx Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 41

Project ENHANCING PARLIAMENT’S ENCAUSTIC TILES: A DECADELONG JOURNEY

how extensive the replacement of tiles had been over the decades. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, as well as trial areas laid in 1998 and 2004, the inconsistency in artwork quality, and reproduction of the original designs, disrupted the continuity of pattern across the floor.

Leading UK conservation specialist, DBR, restores the Palace of Westminster’s iconic 19th century flooring to its original splendour

salvaged and new tiles provided by Craven Dunnill Jackfield.

The Palace of Westminster was built during the Middle Ages as a royal residence to a number of famous—as well as infamous— monarchs. Over time, it became a meeting place for the first members of Parliament, and the first official Parliament of England, or “Model Parliament”, conjugated there in 1295.

After the trial’s success, the company’s talented stone masons continued the encaustic conservation project throughout the Palace from 2013 until the end of May this year, when restoration of the entire 1500 square-metre space, comprising a staggering 50,000 tiles, was finally completed.

During the reign of King Henry VIII, a fire ravaged through the royal apartments, followed by an even greater fire three centuries later, which destroyed the rebuilt Houses of Parliament. Only a few notable rooms and structures survived, including Westminster Hall, Cloisters Court, the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft and the Jewel Tower.

Laying the ground for success

Only the very best would do when it came to restoring the affected areas. Celebrated architect, Charles Barry, who was known for his use of Italianate architecture, was selected to bring the landmark back to its former glory. He chose the talented Gothic Revivalist, Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, to focus on the decorative elements, including the iconic encaustic tiles, the name of which derives from the Greek word meaning ‘burnt in’, or in this specific context, ‘inlaid’. As an iconic feature of the building’s interiors, looking after the Palace’s tiling became a constant task, and they were continually laid and changed as they became worn or damaged. In 2010, leading UK conservation specialist, DBR, was commissioned to carry out a whole panel replacement trial in a section of St Stephens Hall using a mixture of

Introduced at the beginning of the 13th century from France, encaustic tiles became popular in abbeys and royal palaces. As principle architect on the current Palace, Barry had suggested the floors of several Halls, Galleries and Corridors within the building be composed of this prestigious material, embellished with spectacular heraldic symbols. As a public building, heavy footfall, mechanical issues and WWII bomb damages inevitably caused major wear and tear to the flooring over the centuries, leading to the loss of colour and grip. To add yet another complication, Thomas Minton & Sons, the renowned ceramics company and official producer of the encaustic tiles, ceased its production in the 1960s. This meant any tiles manufactured for repairs after this date came from various sources, which couldn’t match the originals. Therefore, a more permanent solution was needed. Rising from the ashes, straight to the challenge When DBR was commissioned by Strategic Estates to undertake this monumental project, its heritage experts realised just

42 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

Further, replacement tiles used in the latter half of the 20th century were around half the thickness of the Minton originals. The original 25mm tiles were laid in soft mortar and could accommodate movement without cracking, whereas the 20th century ones, at 13mm thick, were designed to be laid on a hard mortar bedding as a floor finish and, as such, were less robust. Lastly, previous temporary repairs were carried out using coloured epoxy resins, which was visually unappealing. As a result, some of the tiles had suffered so much damage their inner core began to show. Once the tiles were recorded to an agreed methodology, which included a combination of physical and photogrammetric surveys, the project then required a great deal of skill from DBR’s stone masons. They had to work with 1.5 millimetre joints, manage dust and moisture control, carry out repairs to the sub floors to deal with cracks and maintain the fine tolerances in the floor layout. While it was certainly a challenging task, the incomparable craftsmanship of the team—which consisted of the same craftspeople throughout the entire duration of the project—combined with a flexible and collaborative client approach, meant the end result was one of the most successful restorations the Palace has seen in decades. A palace fit for a king – and for Parliament The journey to restore the encaustic tiles was a long one, and the challenges were many, however DBR’s 30+ years of experience in conservation construction successfully salvaged the renowned floors of St Stephen’s Hall, Central Lobby, Peers’ Lobby, the Royal Gallery and the Lower Waiting Hall, as well as numerous corridors.

LEVIAT LAUNCH NEW THERMALLY EFFICIENT ANCON WINDPOST Following extensive research and testing, the patented Thermal Windpost (TWP2), part of the Ancon range of steel construction fixings, offers up to an impressive 70% reduction in thermal transmission through the span of the windpost. This guarantees it meets the BRE level for thermal performance provided in BR 443 as a minimum and offers opportunities for more stringent thermal specifications to be met. The Thermal Windpost features integral mineral fibre insulation to ensure continuity of insulation in the cavity, and its innovative design means the windpost sits level with the outside face of partialfill insulation so it can be taped to further reduce thermal heat loss. This provides the additional benefit of eliminating time-consuming cutting of insulation to fit behind/around the windpost, increasing the overall speed and consistency of installation. Manufactured from stainless steel with a teardrop fold for strength and engineered to minimise weight, the Ancon Thermal Windpost is up to 35% lighter than traditional windposts, making it easier to handle and install onsite. Again, this significantly improves speed of installation by reducing the requirement for complex manual handling procedures for longer lengths. Used largely in commercial and multistorey residential developments, and also increasingly in housing to provide more open-plan spaces, windposts provide lateral support to long panels of brickwork without piers or supporting walls, or as hidden support within piers adjacent to large window or door openings. Usually they create small voids in the insulation layer which can be difficult to properly fill, or be easily overlooked when installing insulation. Variations arising from inconsistency in cutting or omission of insulation in these small voids can often be overlooked when undertaking thermal calculations.

The new thermally efficient Thermal Windpost TWP2 is a game changer and a fantastic addition to our range This new product ensures proper continuity in the insulation layer, and makes installation of the surrounding insulation more consistent and straight-forward, helping both contractors and building designers realise the thermal performance aspirations of the detail. With UK housebuilders facing the ‘zero carbon ready’ Future Homes Standard from 2025, building design for new residential developments must change. The Ancon Thermal Windpost addresses one of the many thermal heat loss issues across a building’s fabric which contribute to the ‘performance gap’ between designed and realised thermal performance, and is part of Leviat’s continual drive towards innovation with products that improve performance to help create better buildings.

Commenting on the launch of the Ancon Thermal Windpost, Leviat’s Lisa SherburneKilby, UK Commercial Operations Director (Masonry) said: “The new thermally efficient Thermal Windpost TWP2 is a game changer and a fantastic addition to our range. Windposts and other cavity intrusions have the potential to seriously downgrade the thermal performance of the wall, unless correctly specified, detailed and installed. Getting them right is important if we are to achieve the sort of levels of fabric heat loss now being considered in our race for zerocarbon construction.” Leviat, a global leader in connecting, fixing, lifting and anchoring technology, designs and manufactures Ancon stainless steel support and restraint fixings for masonry cladding, engineered concrete connections and reinforcement continuity systems.

For more information about the Ancon Thermal Windpost (TWP2) visit https://www.ancon.co.uk/thermalwindpost

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 43

Project News PLANS APPROVED FOR NEW 150-HOME DEVELOPMENT NEAR COLCHESTER Construction work is set to start at a new housing development in the village of Eight Ash Green near Colchester after plans to build 150 new homes were approved. Bellway has received planning consent from Colchester Borough Council to deliver 105 private homes and 45 affordable homes on a vacant 20-acre site off Halstead Road. The development will be known as Aspen Walk and nearly half of the site – a total of 9.6 acres – will be provided as public open space, featuring footpaths, meadows and a children’s play area. As well as providing much-needed housing, the development will also support the equivalent of 123 full-time jobs during the construction process. Richard Burrows, Managing Director of Bellway Essex, said: “Aspen Walk will bring high-quality new housing to Eight Ash Green, offering a wide choice of homes for buyers at various stages of life who want to join this rural community close to Colchester. “There’s a growing demand for new homes in this part of Essex and the development will do much to meet the local housing need.

As well as providing muchneeded private and affordable housing, Aspen Walk will also be a significant boost to the construction sector and bring benefits to the wider local economy in the Colchester area. “We are now looking forward to starting work on site and seeing this new development take shape.” Bellway is set to deliver a range of two, three and four-bedroom homes at Aspen Walk, with the first properties planned to be released for sale later this year.

HENRY BROTHERS STARTS WORK ON STAFFORDSHIRE UNIVERSITY’S FIRST NETZERO CARBON FACILITY Contractor Henry Brothers has broken ground on a new £4.4m nursery and forest school being built at Staffordshire University’s Leek Road site in Stoke-on-Trent. Due for completion in 2022, the new building will create more than 50 new nursery places for the local community. It will provide a new focal point for the University’s family-friendly campus as well as being the first net-zero carbon facility on campus. Ian Taylor, Managing Director of Henry Brothers Midlands, said: “It’s exciting to have started work on this superb net carbon zero nursery and forest school at Staffordshire University. Henry Brothers has a wealth of experience in partnering with universities and we are enormously proud to be supporting Staffordshire University in the enhancement of facilities for students, staff and their families. We are looking forward to seeing this project take shape over the next few months.”

and forest art. We look forward to welcoming our first intake next year.” Andrew Proctor, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Digital) at Staffordshire University, said: “These exciting new facilities will build upon the excellent nursery provision we have at our University, as well as provide cutting-edge early years education to support the next generation. “The nursery environment this will create will be unique to the area blending indoor and outdoor learning for children. Not only will this support the development of early years skills, but it will provide children with opportunities to immerse themselves in an environment enhanced by digital technology. “It is also an example of our University’s commitment to achieve a Carbon Net Zero position by 2030, improving the efficiency of campus operations and helping our communities benefit from a more sustainable future.”

Providing a sustainable place for early years learning with a connection to the immediate landscape and nature reserve, the new 745m2 facility will count four inspirational learning spaces, enhanced with digital technology and a forest school provision, among its amenities.

The project team consists of Mace as project and cost managers, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios as lead designer and architect, Max Fordham as building services engineers, Civic Engineers as structural engineers and transport consultants, and Re-form Landscape as landscape designers.

Offering places for the children of students, staff, and the wider local community, the new facility will more than double the University’s existing nursery capacity. One hundred full-day care places for children aged from 0 to five are set to be created, with the capacity to provide additional childcare and education for children from five to 12 years outside of term time.

The Henry Brothers’ design team includes CPMG Architects, structural and civil engineer Hexa and Couch, Perry, Wilkes for M&E services. Set to welcome its first intake in January 2022, the new nursery and forest school is the latest in a series of ongoing campus transformation projects and investment at Staffordshire University.

Amanda Sherratt, Head of Childcare and Family Services at Staffordshire University, said: “Children and families are at the heart of everything we do and we’re very excited to see work at our new nursery and forest school commence.

Henry Brothers Midlands, based at Priory Court, Derby Road, Beeston, is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors.

“The new premises will provide safe, authentic woodland experiences for children in the city with endless outdoor learning opportunities such as identifying nature, play-based learning, den building

44 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

Project News

COVID-19 DELAYED DEVELOPMENT UNDERWAY

NEW SAFETY FEATURES INCLUDED IN MAIDSTONE BUS STATION REFURBISHMENT Work continues on the new look Maidstone Bus Station with additional safety features now being introduced to benefit the customers using the facility. The refurbishment will include new CCTV, enhanced lighting and improved public announcement equipment to help people as they arrive in town or board the buses in the area of the station situated under the Mall shopping centre. Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is working with Kent County Council, Arriva, NuVenture and the owners of the Mall Shopping Centre to refurbish and improve the area with the work due to be completed with the Bus Station reopening on 2 August 2021. The proposed new look will modernise the area and will contribute to increasing the vitality and viability of Maidstone, the County Town of Kent, by improving its overall image as a modern and well cared for place with excellent public transport facilities. Cllr Paul Harper, the current MBC Chair of the Economic, Regeneration and Leisure Committee said: “These improvements to the Bus Station will help make it a modern, safe and welcoming place for people to get on and off the bus. There is no doubt that the refurbishments will make it lighter and

brighter and make this important facility nicer for everyone to use.” sues arising from the construction. Knights Brown have been appointed to undertake the works and have a dedicated liaison officer on hand to address any issues arising from the construction. Temporary bus stops are currently in place on King Street in the town where an Arriva Duty Manager is on site from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am to 4.30pm Saturday to help people with enquiries regarding the bus services. The narrow steps between Sainsbury’s and the Mall remain closed to the public whilst the work continues although access via the escalators remains open. MBC held a public consultation in 2020 to help understand what people would like to see from the new look Bus Station; one of the priorities raised was ‘Improved Lighting’. Further improvements mentioned were ‘refurnishing floors in pedestrian areas’, ‘new bus bay signage with timetabling information’, ‘new benches and seating’ and ‘refurbishing the canopy along the Eastern side (by Sainsbury’s)’, all of which will be incorporated in the refurbishments.

A Northumberland housebuilder is set to get back on site after Covid-19 related delays held up its latest scheme. Countylife Homes has not been building since November, due to hold ups in getting all the permissions required to start work on a recently acquired former farm site on the edge of Gosforth. But the construction of seven, large, luxury homes on land formerly occupied by East House Farm on Brunton Lane is at last underway. “Getting all the paperwork done has been a real struggle,” says Managing Director, Mike Pattison: “Remote working and the challenges of keeping people safe have definitely had a big impact on what was already a fairly laborious process. “Ironically this has co-incided with a real increase in people seeking to move home – especially to locations out of town. However, we’re now ready to commence work again and I am pleased to say we have managed to keep our small and highly skilled team together over the past few months.” Brunton Woods, as the development of six, four bedroomed semi-detached and one four bedroom detached home will be known, was formerly the back garden of the farm. The secluded setting, right on the edge of the Gosforth conurbation is ideal for the kind of high end homes for which Countylife has established a sound reputation in recent years. Properties on its small, bespoke developments are usually snapped up before construction is completed. Mike Pattison added: “This really is a superb setting with some fabulous mature trees screening it from the outside world. Although it’s less than six miles to the Quayside, it feels as if it’s in the middle of the countryside.”

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 45

Project News

BAYTREE SELECTS GLENCAR TO BUILD STATE OF THE ART 180,000 SQ FT SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS SCHEME IN MILTON KEYNES Glencar Construction, an expanding construction company specialising in the industrial, logistics, distribution, manufacturing, life science and pharmaceutical sectors, has today announced that it has been awarded a contract by Baytree, a leading panEuropean logistics building development company, to deliver a new, state-of-theart sustainable logistics scheme at a site in Milton Keynes. The 10.4-acre site in Fenny Lock, Milton Keynes is being developed by Baytree and seeks to be one of the most sustainable logistics developments ever built in the UK. The scheme has been specified to be BREEAM “Excellent”, and “WELL” ready and will feature a host of technology enabled sustainable design features which are beneficial to the health and wellbeing of building users such as the use of an extensive sensor suite which constantly monitors indoor air and water quality. Via Baytree’s “Edge – Innovation at Work” commitments in the areas of technological advancement and social and environmental responsibility, the

development will feature a host of multifunctional enhancements to promote employee wellbeing, operational and environmental efficiency. This includes “Cradle to Cradle” (circular economy) principles wherever possible so that in future materials used can be returned to industry and endlessly remanufactured without a loss in quality. Amongst the many innovative features to be included in the design of the twobuilding scheme are the siting of separate ancillary office pods with roof garden terraces, and onsite water attenuation measures as a part of a sustainable drainage system which includes the harvesting of rainwater for re-use on site. The development will also provide outdoor gyms and training areas, edible vegetation and reclaimed timber seating. It is expected that the development will take 8 months to build and be available for occupation by December this year. Speaking about the award of the contract - Glencar Managing Director

Eddie McGillycuddy said: “This is the first contract that Glencar have been awarded by Baytree and we are very happy to have been appointed to such a high profile and groundbreaking development.

Some of the enhancements that will feature within the specification of this scheme are pioneering and we look forward to working closely with Baytree and the professional team and seeing the principles of the Baytree Edge ‘Innovation at work’ approach in reality. Also commenting, Jonathan Fenton Jones, Baytree Operations Director said: “Baytree is delighted to partner with Glencar for the construction of this unique scheme. The commitments made together in our partnering charter will facilitate us pushing further than ever before in facilitating energy savings, CO2 reduction, enhanced working environments and operational cost savings for our customers. We are confident that Glencar will deliver an outstanding scheme”

LAND & WATER RETURNS TO HOLT WEIR TO COMPLETE PHASE TWO FISH PASS WORKS Land & Water Services, alongside its Plant division, has returned to the ‘Unlocking the Severn’ fish pass construction site at Holt Weir, along the River Severn in Worcestershire, to complete phase two of works. On behalf of its client Kier, as part of one of the largest river restorations of its kind ever attempted in Europe, Land & Water will be carrying out a range of activities from a Legato Block installation to concrete works to build the fish pass which is essential for the rare migratory fish to travel to their natural spawning grounds.

46 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

Project News BEARD BRINGS HISTORY TO LIFE WITH HANDOVER OF BATH ARCHWAY PROJECT Bristol-based construction firm Beard has completed work on a project to bring two thousand years of heritage to life, for visitors to the historic city of Bath. The Archway Project, comprising a new World Heritage Centre and Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre, has been handed over to Bath & North East Somerset (B&NES) council, which will now focus on the fit-out of the buildings ready for opening later this year. The project represents another key development in the heritage sector for family-run Beard, which has established an impressive track record in the restoration of landmark and historic buildings in the region. Beard was able to draw on that extensive experience and management of complex buildings for the Archway Project, which partly involved working underground to develop the learning centre amongst ancient Roman remains dating back c2,000 years. Mike Hedges, director at Bristol-based Beard, said it was a truly unique project which brought out the best in the team in terms of problem-solving, technical expertise, quality of finish and seamless delivery. He said: “It is extremely rare that anybody gets to go to work everyday among 2,000-year-old remains, which are literally part of the fabric of our nation’s history. Of course, the Romans were renowned for their innovative building and engineering skills. So as a construction firm with a specialism in the heritage sector, it was a truly unique experience to work among the remains of their construction work.

Having achieved one of the biggest crane and pontoon arrangements in the business’ history during phase one of the project, Land & Water is returning with a revised solution to continue works in the unpredictable environment of the River Severn. Lucy Lee, Contracts Manager at Land & Water, said: “We are happy to be returning to the ‘Unlocking the Severn’ project at Holt Weir to continue works that maintain the waterways whilst ensuring local aquatic life is protected. “By using a range of specialist machinery the project team can effectively manage

It is a project that will bring this fascinating part of our history to life for future generations and we’re proud to have played our part in creating the setting and space for that to happen. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project will provide: • A World Heritage Centre in York Street with free admission, where people can find out why Bath is so special, and pick up trails and guides to help them explore the World Heritage Site • A Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre for pre-booked school and community groups, with three state-of-theart learning rooms, and a hands-on Investigation Zone set among real Roman remains • New areas of the Roman Baths including a Roman gym and laconicum (a type of sauna) which will be brought to life for Roman Baths visitors by projections and sounds depicting the Roman spa experience B&NES Council Leader Kevin Guy, who toured the Archway Project last week,

the environment we are working in, which is known to flood quite quickly, whilst helping to restore the river and fish pass structure.” Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the European Union LIFE programme, ‘Unlocking the Severn’, a partnership project led by the Canal & River Trust, will restore connectivity on the UK’s longest river and aims to deliver ambitious heritage, education and science programmes that will reconnect millions of people with the river. This next phase of works will see Land & Water continue to work collaboratively with the different arms of the Group to build

said: “After a huge amount of hard work by the project team, architects and construction company, it’s wonderful to see the buildings looking so spectacular. There is still more work to be done, but we look forward to opening these three areas to the public later this year.” Richard Samuel, Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Resources, said: “It’s great news that construction work has been successfully completed and the buildings handed over to the Council. We are now counting down to the opening, when residents, visitors and school children will be able to enjoy these fantastic new facilities and all of the exciting activities that will happen in them.” Councillor Dine Romero, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture, added: “About 15,000 school children and community groups are expected to use the Roman Baths Clore Learning Centre every year. T “he new, purpose-built facilities will improve the quality of their visit to the Roman Baths dramatically, with specially designed learning rooms and a hands-on Investigation Zone which will offer a memorable experience for primary school children.”

We are happy to be returning to the ‘Unlocking the Severn’ project at Holt Weir to continue works that maintain the waterways whilst ensuring local aquatic life is protected. the fish pass as well as install walkways, Penstocks and fencing followed by the removal and demobilisation of the dam. This project marks another Land & Water venture highlighting its commitment towards improving the eco-system of the UK’s waterways.

Construction UK Magazine - June 2021 47

Project News

ABBEY CONSTRUCTION BUILDS PHASE 1 OF RIDGEWAY VIEW WITH SUPPORT FROM DEVELOPMENT BANK OF WALES Abbey Construction has secured a sevenfigure property development loan to help build 10 three-bedroom semi-detached homes in Churchstoke, Montgomeryshire. It is the first phase of a planned 30 home development in the mid Wales village. As well as using all local suppliers and subcontractors, the company want to provide homes for families and first time buyers in the community. Phase 1 of the Ridgeway View development was registered with Help to Buy Wales, with eight of the 10 homes being sold with support from the shared equity scheme. Construction of Phase 2 – four more 3-bed homes will begin later in 2021. Jason Price, Director of Abbey Construction, said: “The loan from the Development Bank of Wales property team helped kick start our high-quality Ridgeway View development. We are delighted to have already secured buyers for all of the homes – a majority through the Help to Buy Wales scheme. “We’re passionate about providing much needed accommodation, built to our exacting standards, in the area and look forward to an

on-going partnership with the Development Bank.” The deal was structured on behalf of the Development Bank by Property Development Executive Anna Bowen and Property Deputy Fund Manager Claire Sedgwick. Anna said: “This is an exciting project, providing homes for the local community in a highdemand rural area. The first phase has been built to a high standard and all homes have now secured buyers, with phase 2 of the Ridgeway View development beginning later this year.” Claire added: “Jason and Malcolm came to us with a detailed plan and a desire to provide homes for this mid Wales community. Throughout the development they have worked closely with local suppliers and subcontractors and have registered the homes with the Welsh Government’s Help to Buy Wales Scheme to

Throughout the development they have worked closely with local suppliers and subcontractors and have registered the homes with the Welsh Government’s Help to Buy Wales Scheme to support families trying to get on the housing ladder. support families trying to get on the housing ladder. This is an excellent scheme which we have been delighted to support.” The property team at the Development Bank of Wales offer a range of short-term debt finance to developers working on residential, mixed-use and commercial projects across Wales. Loans start from £150,000 up to £5 million per project, with terms usually being set up to 24-months.

WORK UNDERWAY ON FINAL HOME AT IRTHLINGBOROUGH DEVELOPMENT Davidsons Homes has begun the groundworks for the final house being built at a new development in Irthlingborough. Once work is complete, Diamond Heights, off Attley Way, will comprise 88 properties with a mix of one, two, three and fourbedroom designs. Construction is expected to finish by the end of the year, which will mark two years since building work first began at the development. A substantial area of natural open space around a balancing pond, along with a children’s playground, are also being delivered at the site north of Nene Business Park.

Simon Tyler, Sales Director for Davidsons Homes South Midlands, said: “With construction now underway on the final property at Diamond Heights, it is with great pride that we look forward to bringing our work at this well-designed development to a steady close. “Our Georgian and Victorian-inspired homes have proven popular with a host of buyers, from first-time purchasers to growing families. “The fact that most sales have taken place over the last year – across three lockdowns – is testament to the high demand for housing in this part of East Northamptonshire. “The popularity of Diamond Heights is in part down to its sought-after location along the

48 Construction UK Magazine - June 2021

River Nene and proximity to Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows, but also due to Davidsons Homes’ carefully considered home layouts which are crafted to suit modern living.” As part of the planning deal agreed with the local council, Davidsons Homes will be investing nearly £900,000 into the local community, including £314,000 to nearby secondary schools, £280,000 to primary schools and £150,000 for the local bus service.

Unfold the complexities Whatever your construction business size, you will need professional, tailored support if you want to chart a prudent and proﬁtable path. To help you remain resilient in an industry characterised by high risk and great rewards, our specialist property and construction business advisers and chartered accountants can support you in achieving your objectives and planning for the future. The services our comprehensive business support packages can provide you with include:

→ Tax and VAT → Accountancy and auditing → Compliance → Finance

NICK HAINES

Partner nick.haines@hazlewoods.co.uk

DAN TOWN

Director dan.town@hazlewoods.co.uk

Speak to a member of our team 01242 237661 www.hazlewoods.co.uk We strongly recommend you take professional advice before making decisions on matters discussed here. No responsibility for any loss to any person acting as a result of the material can be accepted by us. Hazlewoods LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership registered in England and Wales with number OC311817. Registered oﬃce: Staverton Court, Staverton, Cheltenham, Glos, GL51 0UX. A list of LLP partners is available for inspection at each oﬃce. Hazlewoods LLP is registered to carry on audit work in the UK and regulated for a range of investment business activities by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.